As
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 3, 2010
1933 Act Registration No. 33-17619
1940 Act Registration No. 811-05349
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
þ
Pre-Effective Amendment No.
o
Post-Effective Amendment No. 261
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and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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Amendment No. 262
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(Check appropriate box or boxes)
GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrants Telephone Number, including Area Code: (312) 655-4400
PETER V. BONANNO, ESQ.
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
STEPHEN H. BIER, ESQ.
Dechert LLP
1095 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of
the registration statement
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It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
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60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.
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If appropriate, check the following box:
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this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
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Title of Securities Being Registered:
Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares and Class IR Shares of Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund.
Preliminary
Prospectus dated December 3, 2010
Subject
to Completion
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be
changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is
effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these
securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these
securities in any state where the offer or sale is not
permitted.
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Prospectus
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[ ],
2011
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GOLDMAN SACHS
FUNDAMENTAL EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUNDS
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n
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Goldman Sachs
N-11 Equity Fund
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Class A
Shares:
n
Class C
Shares:
n
Institutional
Shares:
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Class IR
Shares:
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THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR
DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS
PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE.
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AN INVESTMENT IN A FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED
BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER
GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN A FUND INVOLVES INVESTMENT
RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN A FUND.
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Table of
Contents
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1
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Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund Summary
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7
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Investment Management Approach
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12
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Risks of the Fund
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18
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Service Providers
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23
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Dividends
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24
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Shareholder Guide
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24
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How
To Buy Shares
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38
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How
To Sell Shares
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50
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Taxation
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53
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Appendix A
Additional Information on Portfolio Risks, Securities and
Techniques
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74
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Appendix B
Financial Highlights
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NOT FDIC-INSURED
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May Lose Value
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No Bank Guarantee
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Goldman
Sachs N-11 Equity FundSummary
Investment
Objective
The Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund (the Fund) seeks
long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and
Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if
you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales
charge discounts on purchases of Class A Shares if you and
your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least
$50,000 in Goldman Sachs Funds. More information about these and
other discounts is available from your financial professional
and in Shareholder GuideCommon Questions Applicable
to the Purchase of Class A Shares beginning on page
32 of this Prospectus and Other Information Regarding
Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions, Exchanges and
Dividends beginning on page [ ] of the
Funds Statement of Additional Information
(SAI).
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Class A
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Class C
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Institutional
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Class
IR
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Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your
investment)
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a
percentage of offering price)
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%
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None
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None
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None
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Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of
original purchase price or sale
proceeds)
1
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None
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%
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None
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None
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Class A
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Class C
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Institutional
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Class
IR
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Annual Fund Operating
Expenses
2
(expenses that you pay
each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment)
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Management Fees
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%
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%
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%
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%
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
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%
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%
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None
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None
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Other Expenses
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%
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%
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%
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%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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%
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%
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%
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%
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Expense
Limitation
3
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%
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%
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%
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%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense
Limitation
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%
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%
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%
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%
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1
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A contingent deferred sales
charge (CDSC) of 1% is imposed on Class C
Shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.
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2
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The Funds annual operating
expenses have been estimated to reflect expenses expected to be
incurred during the fiscal year.
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3
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The Investment Adviser (as
defined below) has agreed to reduce or limit Other
Expenses (excluding management fees, distribution and
service fees, transfer agency fees and expenses, taxes,
interest,
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brokerage fees and litigation,
indemnification, shareholder meeting and other extraordinary
expenses, exclusive of any custody and transfer agent fee credit
reductions) to % of the Funds
average daily net assets through at
least ,
2012, and prior to such date the Investment Adviser may not
terminate the arrangement without the approval of the Board of
Trustees.
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Expense
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of
investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual
funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Class A,
Class C, Institutional and Class IR Shares of the Fund
for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
Class A, Class C, Institutional and Class IR
Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes
that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Funds operating expenses remain the same (except that the
Example assumes that the expense limitation arrangement between
the Fund and the Investment Adviser will remain in place for
only one year). Although your actual costs may be higher or
lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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Class A Shares
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$
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$
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Class C Shares
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Assuming complete redemption at end of period
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$
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$
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Assuming no redemption
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$
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$
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Institutional Shares
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$
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$
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Class IR Shares
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$
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$
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Portfolio
Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs when it buys and sells
securities or instruments (
i.e.
, turns over
its portfolio). A high rate of portfolio turnover may result in
increased transaction costs, including brokerage commissions,
which must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders, and is
also likely to result in higher short-term capital gains for
taxable shareholders. These costs are not reflected in annual
fund operating expenses or in the expense example above, but are
reflected in the Funds performance.
Principal
Strategies
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes
(measured at the time of investment) (Net Assets) in
a portfolio of equity investments in companies located in
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam (together with
Iran, in which the Fund will not currently invest, the
N-11 countries) or in issuers that participate in
the markets of the N-11 countries.
An issuer participates in the markets of the N-11 countries if
the issuer:
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in a N-11 country;
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in, a N-11 country;
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Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue or profit from goods produced, sales made or services
provided in one or more N-11 countries; or
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in one or more N-11 countries.
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Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam have been
identified by the Goldman Sachs Global Economics, Commodities,
and Strategy Research Team as the Next Eleven
(N-11) countries
that could potentially have a Brazil, Russia, India and China
(BRIC)-like
impact in rivaling the
G-7.
Only
securities open to foreign ownership by U.S. investors are
eligible for investment by the Fund, and in some instances the
Fund may be subject to foreign ownership limitations in these
countries. The Fund will not currently invest in Iran. The Fund
may not be invested in all of the
N-11 countries
at all times.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs) preferred stock, convertible securities,
investment companies (including other mutual funds or
exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), and rights and
warrants. The Funds equity investments may also include
equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes,
options and other derivatives and structured securities to gain
broad access to markets that may be difficult to access via
direct investment in equity securities.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline to purchase what the Investment Adviser
believes are well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. Allocation of the
Funds investments is determined by the Investment
Advisers assessment of a companys upside potential
and downside risk, how attractive it appears relative to the
Funds other holdings, and how the addition will impact the
Funds sector and industry weightings. The largest
weightings are given to companies the Investment Adviser
believes have the most upside return potential relative to their
contribution to overall portfolio risk. The Funds
investments may include companies of all capitalization sizes.
The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets
in developed country investments and other emerging country
investments, as well as in fixed income investments.
THE FUND IS NON-DIVERSIFIED UNDER THE INVESTMENT
COMPANY ACT OF 1940 (INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT), AND
MAY INVEST MORE OF ITS ASSETS IN FEWER ISSUERS THAN
DIVERSIFIED MUTUAL FUNDS.
Principal
Risks of the Fund
Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment
in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
government agency. The Fund should not be relied upon as a
complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the
Fund will achieve its investment objective.
3
Emerging Countries Risk.
The securities
markets of most Central and South American, African, Middle
Eastern, Asian, Eastern European and other emerging countries
are less liquid, are especially subject to greater price
volatility, have smaller market capitalizations, have less
government regulation and are not subject to as extensive and
frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements
as the securities markets of more developed countries.
The Fund will invest heavily in issuers located in or that
participate in the markets of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia,
Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and
Vietnam and therefore will be particularly exposed to the
economies, industries, securities and currency markets of these
four countries, which may be adversely affected by protectionist
trade policies, a slow U.S. economy, political and social
instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war,
including actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
Foreign Risk.
Foreign securities may be
subject to risk of loss because of less foreign government
regulation, less public information and less economic, political
and social stability in these countries. Loss may also result
from the imposition of exchange controls, confiscations and
other government restrictions, or from problems in registration,
settlement or custody. Foreign risk also involves the risk of
negative foreign currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the
value of securities denominated in such foreign currency (or
other instruments through which the Fund has exposure to foreign
currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may
fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.
Geographic Risk.
The Funds investments
in issuers in N-11 countries increases the risks to the Fund of
volatile securities markets and adverse exchange rates, and
social, political, regulatory, economic or environmental events
(such as natural disasters), which may be particular to N-11
countries.
Derivatives Risk.
The risk that loss may
result from the Funds investments in options, futures,
swaps, options on swaps, structured securities and other
derivative instruments. These instruments may be leveraged so
that small changes may produce disproportionate losses to the
Fund. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which
is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not
fulfill its contractual obligation.
Stock Risk.
Stock prices have historically
risen and fallen in periodic cycles. U.S. and foreign stock
markets have experienced periods of substantial price volatility
in the past and may do so again in the future.
Market Risk.
The value of the instruments in
which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the
prospects of individual companies, particular industry sectors
or governments
and/or
general economic conditions.
Foreign Custody Risk.
The Fund may hold
foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents, and
securities depositories appointed by the Funds custodian
(each a Foreign Custodian). Some Foreign Custodians
may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody
business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject
to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent
evaluation of their operations.
4
Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on
the Funds ability to recover its assets if a Foreign
Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may
be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in
more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market
countries are very often undeveloped and may be considerably
less well regulated than in more developed countries, and thus
may not afford the same level of investor protection as would
apply in developed countries.
Liquidity Risk.
The risk that the Fund may
make investments that may be illiquid or that may become less
liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor
perceptions. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the
Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the
allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, an
unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons.
To meet redemption requests, the Fund may be forced to sell
securities at an unfavorable time
and/or
under
unfavorable conditions.
Mid Cap and Small Cap Risk.
Investments in
small capitalization and mid-capitalization companies involve
greater risks than investments in larger, more established
companies. These securities may be subject to more abrupt or
erratic price movements and may lack sufficient market
liquidity, and these issuers often face greater business risks.
Non-Diversification Risk.
The Fund is
non-diversified and is permitted to invest more of its assets in
fewer issuers than a diversified mutual fund. Thus,
the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments
affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio, and may be
more susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.
Participation Notes Risk.
Participation notes
are designed to track the return of a particular underlying
equity or debt security, currency, or market. Investments in
participation notes involve the same risks associated with a
direct investment in the underlying security, currency, or
market that they seek to replicate. The Portfolio has no rights
under participation notes against the issuer of the underlying
security and must rely on the creditworthiness of the
counterparty to the transaction.
Performance
As the Fund had not yet commenced investment operations as of
the date of this Prospectus, there is no performance information
quoted for the Fund.
Portfolio
Management
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International is the investment
adviser for the Fund (the Investment Adviser or
GSAMI).
Portfolio Managers:
Richard Flax, CFA, Vice
President, has managed the Fund since 2011; and Rick Loo, Vice
President, has managed the Fund since 2011.
5
Buying
and Selling Fund Shares
The minimum initial investment for Class A and Class C
Shares is, generally, $1,000. The minimum initial investment for
Institutional Shares is, generally, $10,000,000 for individual
investors and $1,000,000 for other types of investors alone or
in combination with other assets under the management of GSAM
and its affiliates. There may be no minimum for initial
purchases of Class A, Class C and Institutional Shares for
certain retirement plan accounts or for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares.
The minimum subsequent investment for Class A and
Class C shareholders is $50, except for Employer Sponsored
Benefit Plans, for which there is no minimum. There is no
minimum subsequent investment for Institutional or Class IR
shareholders.
You may purchase and redeem (sell) shares of the Fund on any
business day through certain brokers, registered investment
advisers and other financial institutions (Authorized
Institutions).
Tax
Information
The Funds distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as
ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing
through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an
individual retirement account.
Payments
to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through an Authorized Institution, the
Fund
and/or
its related companies may pay the Authorized Institution for the
sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may
create a conflict of interest by influencing the Authorized
Institution and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over
another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your
Authorized Institutions website for more information.
6
Investment Management Approach
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its Net Assets in a portfolio of equity investments in companies
located in the N-11 countries or in issuers that participate in
the markets of the N-11 countries.
An issuer participates in the markets of the N-11 countries if
the issuer:
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n
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in a N-11 country;
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in, a N-11 country;
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Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue or profit from goods produced, sales made or services
provided in one or more N-11 countries; or
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in one or more N-11 countries.
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To the extent required by SEC regulations, shareholders will be
provided with sixty days notice in the manner prescribed by the
SEC before any change in the Funds policy to invest at
least 80% of its Net Assets in the particular type of investment
suggested by its name.
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Philippines, South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam have been
identified by the Goldman Sachs Global Economics, Commodities,
and Strategy Research Team as the Next Eleven
(N-11)
countries that could potentially have a
BRIC-like
impact in rivaling the
G-7.
Only
securities open to foreign ownership by U.S. investors are
eligible for investment by the Fund, and in some instances the
Fund may be subject to foreign ownership limitations in these
countries. The Fund will not currently invest in Iran. The Fund
may not be invested in all of the
N-11 countries
at all times.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, ADRs, GDRs preferred stock,
convertible securities, investment companies (including other
mutual funds or ETFs), and rights and warrants. The Funds
equity investments may also include equity swaps, equity index
swaps, futures, participation notes, options and other
derivatives and structured securities to gain broad access to
markets that may be difficult to access via direct investment in
equity securities.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline to purchase what the Investment Adviser
believes are well-positioned, cash-generating
7
businesses run by shareholder-oriented management teams.
Allocation of the Funds investments is determined by the
Investment Advisers assessment of a companys upside
potential and downside risk, how attractive it appears relative
to the Funds other holdings, and how the addition will
impact the Funds sector and industry weightings. The
largest weightings are given to companies the Investment Adviser
believes have the most upside return potential relative to their
contribution to overall portfolio risk. The Funds
investments may include companies of all capitalization sizes.
The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets
in developed country investments and other emerging country
investments, as well as in fixed income investments.
THE FUND IS NON-DIVERSIFIED UNDER THE INVESTMENT
COMPANY ACT, AND MAY INVEST MORE OF ITS ASSETS IN FEWER ISSUERS
THAN DIVERSIFIED MUTUAL FUNDS.
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive
positions in attempting to respond to adverse market, political
or other conditions. For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund
may invest a certain percentage of its total assets in U.S.
government securities, commercial paper rated at least
A-2
by
Standard & Poors Rating Group
(Standard & Poors),
P-2
by
Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys)
or having a comparable rating by another nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (NRSRO),
certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, repurchase
agreements, non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible
corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year,
cash, cash equivalents and certain ETFs.
When the Funds
assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be
achieving its investment objective.
GSAMIs
Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Investment
Philosophy:
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Belief
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How the
Investment Adviser Acts on This Belief
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Excess returns can be generated by conducting thorough
fundamental research and individual stock selection
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Seeks to generate excess returns through an intensive research
culture and a strong commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources around the world.
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n
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A team-based approach enriches debate and enhances the quality
of investment decisions
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Conducts proprietary stock level research in a team-orientated
regional structure with frequent, open communication and
frontline decision-making.
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n
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Focused and differentiated portfolios provide the greatest
potential to generate excess returns
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Builds portfolios that are reflective of the teams best
investment ideas so that the majority of excess returns are
driven by stock selection.
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8
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
Goldman Sachs Asset Managements Fundamental Emerging
Markets Equity teams investment philosophy is grounded in
the belief that we can achieve a competitive edge through
selecting stocks with local expertise while being opportunistic
investors. We seek to discover a broad range of investment ideas
while being flexible, nimble, contrarian and avoiding
complacency. We believe a companys prospective ability to
generate high returns on invested capital will strongly
influence investment success. In our view, using a strong
valuation discipline to purchase well-positioned,
cash-generating businesses run by shareholder-oriented
management teams is the best formula for
long-term
portfolio performance.
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The Investment Adviser attempts to manage risk in the Fund
through disciplined portfolio construction and continual
portfolio review and analysis. Proprietary, stock level research
is the key driver of the investment process and the Investment
Adviser seeks to generate the majority of excess returns through
stock selection.
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References in this Prospectus to the Funds benchmark are
for informational purposes only, and unless otherwise noted, are
not an indication of how the Fund is managed.
OTHER
INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND SECURITIES
The tables on the following pages identify some of the
investment techniques that may (but are not required to) be used
by the Fund in seeking to achieve its investment objective.
Numbers in the tables show allowable usage only; for actual
usage, consult the Funds annual/semi-annual reports. For
more information about these and other investment practices and
securities, see Appendix A. The Fund publishes on its
website (http://www.goldmansachsfunds.com) complete portfolio
holdings for the Fund as of the end of each calendar quarter
subject to a fifteen calendar-day lag between the date of the
information and the date on which the information is disclosed.
In addition, the Fund publishes on its website month-end top ten
holdings subject to a ten calendar-day lag between the date of
the information and the date on which the information is
disclosed. This information will be available on the website
until the date on which the Fund files its next quarterly
portfolio holdings report on
Form N-CSR
or
Form N-Q
with the SEC. In addition, a description of the Funds
policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the
Funds portfolio holdings is available in the Funds
SAI.
9
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10
Percent
of total assets
(italic type)
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10
Percent
of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
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No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
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limited
only by the objective and strategies
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N-11
Equity
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of
the Fund
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Fund
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Investment Practices
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Borrowings
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33
1
/
3
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Cross Hedging of Currencies
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Currency
Swaps
*
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Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
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Direct Equity Investment
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Equity Swaps
*
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Index Swaps
*
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Foreign Currency Transactions
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Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts
(including index futures)
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Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
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Investment Company Securities (including exchange-traded
funds)
**
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10
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Options on Foreign
Currencies
1
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Options on Securities and Securities
Indices
2
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Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
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Repurchase Agreements
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Unseasoned Companies
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When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
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*
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Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all structured
securities and swap transactions that are not deemed
liquid.
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**
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This percentage limitation does
not apply to the Funds investment in investment companies
(including exchange-traded funds) where a higher percentage
limitation is permitted under the terms of an SEC exemptive
order or SEC exemptive rule.
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1
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The Fund may purchase and sell
call and put options on foreign currencies.
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2
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The Fund may sell covered call
and put options and purchase call and put options on securities
and securities indices in which it may invest.
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10
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
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10
Percent
of Total Assets (
italic type
)
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10
Percent
of Net Assets (including borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
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No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
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limited
only by the objective and strategies
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of
the Fund
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N-11
Equity
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Fund
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Investment Securities
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American, European and Global Depositary Receipts
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Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed
Securities
1
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Convertible Securities
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Corporate Debt
Obligations
1
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Equity Investments
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80+
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Emerging Country Securities
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Fixed Income
Securities
2
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20
3
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Foreign Securities
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Foreign Government
Securities
1
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Real Estate Investment Trusts
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Structured Securities (which may include equity linked
notes)
*
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Temporary Investments
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100
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U.S. Government
Securities
1
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*
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Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all structured
securities and swap transactions that are not deemed
liquid.
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1
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Limited by the amount the Fund
invests in fixed income securities.
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2
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Fixed income securities are
investment grade (e.g., BBB or higher by Standard &
Poors, Baa or higher by Moodys or have a
comparable rating by another NRSRO).
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3
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The Fund may invest in the
aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in developed country
investments and other emerging country investments, as well as
in fixed income investments.
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11
Risks of the Fund
Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment
in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
other governmental agency. The principal risks of the Fund are
discussed in the Summary section of this Prospectus. The
following gives additional information on the risks that apply
to the Fund and may result in a loss of your investment. The
Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program.
There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its
investment objective.
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ü
Principal
Risk
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N-11
Equity
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Additional
Risk
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Fund
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Emerging Countries
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ü
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Market
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ü
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NAV
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Credit/Default
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Foreign
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ü
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Stock
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ü
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Derivatives
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ü
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Interest Rate
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Management
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Liquidity
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ü
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Investment Style
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Geographic
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ü
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Mid Cap and Small Cap
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ü
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Initial Public Offering (IPO)
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Non-Diversification
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ü
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Participation Notes
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ü
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Foreign Custody
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ü
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n
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Emerging Countries
Risks
The
economies, industries, securities and currency markets of the
N-11 countries and other emerging countries may be adversely
affected by protectionist trade policies, a slow U.S. economy,
political and social instability, regional and global conflicts,
terrorism and war, including actions that are contrary to the
interests of the U.S. The N-11 countries generally have
smaller economies or less developed capital markets than
traditional emerging markets
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12
RISKS
OF THE FUND
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countries, and, as a result, the risks of investing in emerging
market countries are magnified in these countries.
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The economies of emerging market countries are less correlated
to global economic cycles than those of their more developed
counterparts and their markets have low trading volumes and the
potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity. This
volatility may be further heightened by the actions of a few
major investors. For example, a substantial increase or decrease
in cash flows of mutual funds investing in these markets could
significantly affect local stock prices and, therefore, the
price of Fund shares. These factors make investing in these
countries significantly riskier than in other countries, and any
one of them could cause the price of the Funds shares to
decline.
Governments of many of the countries in which the Fund may
invest may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of
the private sector. In some cases, the governments of such
countries may own or control certain companies. Accordingly,
government actions could have a significant effect on economic
conditions in a country and on market conditions, prices and
yields of securities in the Funds portfolio. Moreover, the
economies of these countries may be heavily dependent upon
international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue
to be adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls,
managed adjustments in relative currency values and other
protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries
with which they trade. These economies also have been and may
continue to be adversely affected by economic conditions in the
countries with which they trade.
Certain foreign governments in countries in which the Fund may
invest levy withholding or other taxes on dividend and interest
income, which may reduce the return to the Fund from an
investment. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes
are recoverable, the non-recovered portion of foreign
withholding taxes will reduce the income received from
investments in such countries.
Investment in equity securities of issuers operating in certain
countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These
restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign
investment in equity securities of issuers operating in certain
countries and increase the costs and expenses of the Fund.
Certain countries require governmental approval prior to
investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment
by foreign persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment
by foreign persons only to a specific class of securities of an
issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes
available for purchase by domiciliaries of the countries and/or
impose additional taxes on foreign investors. Certain countries
may also restrict investment opportunities in issuers in
industries deemed important to national interests.
13
Certain countries may require governmental approval for the
repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of
sales of securities by foreign investors, such as the Fund. In
addition, if deterioration occurs in a countrys balance of
payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on
foreign capital remittances. The Fund could be adversely
affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required
governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by
the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments.
Investing in local markets in these countries may require the
Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government
approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve
additional costs to the Fund.
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n
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Market
Risk
The risk
that the value of the securities in which the Fund invests may
go up or down in response to the prospects of individual
companies, particular industry sectors or governments and/or
general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or
last for extended periods. The Funds investments may be
overweighted from time to time in one or more industry sectors,
which will increase the Funds exposure to risk of loss
from adverse developments affecting those sectors.
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n
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NAV
Risk
The risk
that the net asset value (NAV) of the Fund and the
value of your investment will fluctuate.
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n
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Credit/Default
Risk
The risk
that an issuer or guarantor of fixed income securities held by
the Fund (which may have low credit ratings) may default on its
obligation to pay interest and repay principal.
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n
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Foreign
Risk
The risk
that when the Fund invests in foreign securities, it will be
subject to risk of loss not typically associated with domestic
issuers. Loss may result because of less foreign government
regulation, less public information and less economic, political
and social stability. Loss may also result from the imposition
of exchange controls, confiscations and other government
restrictions. The Fund will also be subject to the risk of
negative foreign currency rate fluctuations. Foreign risks will
normally be greater when the Fund invests in issuers located in
N-11 countries and other emerging countries.
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n
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Stock
Risk
The risk
that stock prices have historically risen and fallen in periodic
cycles. U.S. and foreign stock markets have experienced periods
of substantial price volatility in the past and may do so again
in the future.
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n
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Derivatives
Risk
The risk
that loss may result from the Funds investments in
options, futures, forwards, swaps, options on swaps, structured
securities and other derivative instruments. These instruments
may be leveraged so that small changes may produce
disproportionate losses to the Fund.
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n
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Interest Rate
Risk
The risk
that when interest rates increase, fixed income securities held
by the Fund will decline in value. Long-term fixed income
securities will normally have more price volatility because of
this risk than short-term fixed income securities.
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14
RISKS
OF THE FUND
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n
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Management
Risk
The risk
that a strategy used by the Investment Adviser may fail to
produce the intended results.
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n
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Liquidity
Risk
The risk
that the Fund may invest to a greater degree in instruments that
trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less
liquid than other investments. Also, the risk that the Fund may
make investments that may become less liquid in response to
market developments or adverse investor perceptions. When there
is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at
the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower
price or may not be able to sell the instrument at all. An
inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the
Funds value or prevent the Fund from being able to take
advantage of other investment opportunities.
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Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not
be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time
period because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high
volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. To meet
redemption requests, the Fund may be forced to sell liquid
securities, at an unfavorable time or under unfavorable
conditions.
Because the Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities, small and mid-capitalization stocks, REITs and
emerging country issuers, it will be especially subject to the
risk that during certain periods, the liquidity of particular
issuers or industries, or all securities within a particular
investment category, will shrink or disappear suddenly and
without warning as a result of adverse economic, market or
political events, or adverse investor perceptions whether or not
accurate.
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n
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Investment Style
Risk
Different
investment styles tend to shift in and out of favor depending
upon market and economic conditions as well as investor
sentiment. The Fund may outperform or underperform other funds
that employ a different investment style. Examples of different
investment styles include growth and value investing. Growth
stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are
more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuing
companys growth of earnings potential. Growth companies
are often expected by investors to increase their earnings at a
certain rate. When these expectations are not met, investors can
punish the stocks inordinately even if earnings showed an
absolute increase. Also, because growth companies usually invest
a high portion of earnings in their business, growth stocks may
lack the dividends of some value stocks that can cushion stock
prices in a falling market. Growth oriented funds will typically
underperform when value investing is in favor. Value stocks are
those that are undervalued in comparison to their peers due to
adverse business developments or other factors.
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n
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Geographic
Risk
The Fund
invests primarily in issuers or instruments that expose the Fund
to the prevailing economic circumstances and factors present in
the N-11 countries. The Fund may invest more than 25% of its
assets in any N-11 country. Such concentration of the
investments of the Fund in a particular country or region
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15
will subject the Fund, to a greater extent than if investments
were less concentrated, to the risks of adverse securities
markets, exchange rates and social, political, regulatory or
economic events which may occur in that country or region.
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n
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Mid Cap and Small Cap
Risk
The
securities of small capitalization and
mid-capitalization
companies involve greater risks than those associated with
larger, more established companies and may be subject to more
abrupt or erratic price movements. Securities of such issuers
may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable the Fund to
effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial
drop in price. Both mid-cap and small-cap companies often have
narrower markets and more limited managerial and financial
resources than larger, more established companies. As a result,
their performance can be more volatile and they face greater
risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of
the Funds portfolio. Generally, the smaller the company
size, the greater these risks.
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n
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IPO
Risk
The risk
that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably
due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market,
unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for
trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase
of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are
subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds
asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds
performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs,
because such investments would have a magnified impact on the
Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the
Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance
probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds
performance.
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n
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Non-Diversification
Risk
The Fund
is non-diversified, meaning that the Fund is permitted to invest
more of its assets in fewer issuers than diversified
mutual funds. Thus, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse
developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio,
and may be more susceptible to greater losses because of these
developments.
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n
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Participation Notes
Risk
Participation
notes are designed to track the return of a particular
underlying equity or debt security, currency, or market.
Investments in participation notes involve the same risks
associated with a direct investment in the underlying security,
currency, or market that they seek to replicate. The Portfolio
has no rights under participation notes against the issuer of
the underlying security and must rely on the creditworthiness of
the counterparty to the transaction.
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Certain Asian economies have experienced over-extension of
credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, high
unemployment, high inflation, decreased exports and economic
recessions. Economic events in any one country can have a
significant effect on the entire Asian region and on some or all
of the developed economies. Some Asian economies may have
underdeveloped financial markets and a general lack of
regulatory transparency.
16
RISKS
OF THE FUND
Decreasing imports or exports, changes in governmental
regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro
and recessions in European Union (EU) economies may
have a significant adverse effect on the economies of EU member
countries and their trading partners.
The United States is a significant, and in some cases the most
significant, trading partner of or foreign investor in certain
countries in which the Fund invests and the economies of these
countries may be particularly affected by adverse changes in the
U.S. economy. Decreasing U.S. imports, new trade
regulations, changes in the U.S. dollar exchange rates or a
recession in the United States may have an adverse impact on the
economies of these nations.
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n
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Foreign Custody
Risk
The Fund
may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents,
and securities depositories appointed by the Funds
custodian (each a Foreign Custodian). Some Foreign
Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign
custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be
subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent
evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain
countries may place limitations on the Funds ability to
recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy.
Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater
custody risks than investments in more developed markets.
Custody services in emerging market countries are very often
undeveloped and may be considerably less well regulated than in
more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level
of investor protection as would apply in developed countries.
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More information about the Funds portfolio securities and
investment techniques, and their associated risks, is provided
in Appendix A. You should consider the investment risks
discussed in this section and in Appendix A. Both are
important to your investment choice.
17
Service Providers
INVESTMENT
ADVISER
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Investment
Adviser
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Fund
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Goldman Sachs Asset Management International
(GSAMI)
Christchurch Court
10-15
Newgate Street
London, England EC1A 7HD
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N-11 Equity
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GSAMI, regulated by the Financial Services Authority and a
registered investment adviser since 1991, is an affiliate of
Goldman, Sachs & Co. (Goldman Sachs). As
of ,
GSAM, including its investment advisory affiliates, one of which
is GSAMI, had assets under management of
$ billion.
The Investment Adviser provides day-to-day advice regarding the
Funds portfolio transactions. The Investment Adviser makes
the investment decisions for the Fund and places purchase and
sale orders for the Funds portfolio transactions in U.S.
and foreign markets. As permitted by applicable law, these
orders may be directed to any brokers, including Goldman Sachs
and its affiliates. While the Investment Adviser is ultimately
responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw
upon the research and expertise of its asset management
affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect
to certain portfolio securities. In addition, the Investment
Adviser has access to the research and certain proprietary
technical models developed by Goldman Sachs, and will apply
quantitative and qualitative analysis in determining the
appropriate allocations among categories of issuers and types of
securities.
The Investment Adviser also performs the following additional
services for the Fund:
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n
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Supervises all non-advisory
operations of the Fund
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n
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Provides personnel to perform
necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the
Fund
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n
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Arranges for the preparation of all
required tax returns, reports to shareholders, prospectuses and
statements of additional information and other reports filed
with the SEC and other regulatory authorities
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n
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Maintains the records of the Fund
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n
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Provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services
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18.1
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
MANAGEMENT
FEES AND OTHER EXPENSE INFORMATION
As compensation for its services and its assumption of certain
expenses, the Investment Adviser is entitled to the following
fees, computed daily and payable monthly, at the annual rates
(as a percentage of the Funds average daily net assets)
listed below:
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Management Fee
|
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Average Daily
|
Fund
|
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Annual
Rate
|
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Net
Assets
|
N-11 Equity
|
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%
|
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First $2 Billion
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Next $3 Billion
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Next $3 Billion
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Over $8 Billion
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The Investment Adviser may voluntarily waive a portion of its
management fee from time to time, and may discontinue or modify
any such voluntary limitations in the future at its discretion.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees
approval of the Management Agreement for the Fund will be
available in the Funds semi-annual report in June 2011.
The Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit Other
Expenses (excluding management fees, distribution and
service fees, transfer agency fees and expenses, taxes,
interest, brokerage fees and litigation, indemnification,
shareholder meeting and other extraordinary expenses exclusive
of any custody or transfer agent fee credit reductions)
to % of average daily net assets.
FUND
MANAGERS
Global
Emerging Markets Equity Team
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n
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The Emerging Markets Equity Team
manages over $ billion in
international equities for retail, institutional and high net
worth clients
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n
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The Emerging Markets Equity Team is
comprised of 27 investment professionals based in
7 offices
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n
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Focus on bottom-up stock selection
as main driver of returns, though the team leverages the
currency and risk management capabilities of GSAMI
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19
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Years
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Primarily
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Name and Title
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Fund
Responsibility
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Responsible
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Five Year
Employment History
|
Richard Flax, CFA
Executive Director Global Emerging Markets Equity
|
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Portfolio Manager
N-11 Equity
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Since
2011
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Mr. Flax is a portfolio manager on the Global Emerging
Markets Equity team. He joined the Investment Advisers
Global Emerging Markets Equity team in 2001. Prior to that he
worked at Fleming Investment Management as an emerging market
debt analyst.
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Rick Loo, CFA
Executive Director, ASEAN Equity
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Portfolio Manager
N-11 Equity
|
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Since
2011
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Mr. Loo is a member of GSAMs Asia ex Japan
strategy and is based in Singapore. Mr. Loo joined GSAM in
February 2009 from Goldman Sachs Global Investment
Research division where he had been Director of Research for
ASEAN markets since 2004.
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The Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity team is comprised of 25+
on-the-ground investment professionals organized into regional
teams in London, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai,
and Singapore. The portfolio managers are responsible for
leading and working closely with the research analysts in their
region to foster discussion, debate and analysis of investment
ideas. As portfolio managers, Richard Flax and Rick Loo are
ultimately responsible for the composition of the Funds
portfolio structure at the country, industry, and stock level.
For more information about the portfolio managers
compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers
and the portfolio managers ownership of securities in the
Fund, see the SAI.
DISTRIBUTOR
AND TRANSFER AGENT
Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York
10282, serves as the exclusive distributor (the
Distributor) of the Funds shares. Goldman
Sachs, 71 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois
60606, also serves as the Funds transfer agent (the
Transfer Agent) and, as such, performs various
shareholder servicing functions.
For its transfer agency services, Goldman Sachs is entitled to
receive a transfer agency fee equal, on an annualized basis, to
0.04% of average daily net assets with respect to Institutional
Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with respect to
Class A, Class C and Class IR Shares.
20
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may
purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs reserves the
right to redeem at any time any or all of the shares acquired
for its own account.
|
|
ACTIVITIES
OF GOLDMAN SACHS AND ITS AFFILIATES AND OTHER
ACCOUNTS MANAGED BY GOLDMAN
SACHS
|
|
The involvement of the Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs and
their affiliates in the management of, or their interest in,
other accounts and other activities of Goldman Sachs may present
conflicts of interest with respect to the Fund or limit the
Funds investment activities. Goldman Sachs is a full
service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management and
financial services organization and a major participant in
global financial markets. As such, it acts as an investor,
investment banker, research provider, investment manager,
financier, advisor, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender,
agent and principal, and has other direct and indirect
interests, in the global fixed income, currency, commodity,
equity and other markets in which the Fund directly and
indirectly invests. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have
multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage
in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or
obtain services from entities for which Goldman Sachs performs
or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. The
Investment Adviser and/or its affiliates are the managers of the
Fund. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in proprietary
trading and advise accounts and funds which have investment
objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or which engage in
and compete for transactions in the same types of securities,
currencies and instruments as the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates will not have any obligation to make available any
information regarding their proprietary activities or
strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other
accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of
the Fund. Goldman Sachs may restrict transactions for itself,
but not for the Funds (or vice versa). Additionally, the Fund
may invest in markets, countries, sectors and industries that
Goldman Sachs chooses not to invest in. The results of the
Funds investment activities, therefore, may differ from
those of Goldman Sachs, its affiliates, and other accounts
managed by Goldman Sachs, and it is possible that the Fund could
sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates and other accounts achieve significant profits on
their trading for proprietary or other accounts. In addition,
the Fund may, from time to time, enter into transactions in
which Goldman Sachs or its other clients have an adverse
interest. For example, the Fund may take a long position in a
security at the same time that Goldman Sachs or other accounts
managed by the Investment Adviser take a short position in the
same security (or vice versa). These and other transactions
undertaken by Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or Goldman
Sachs-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund.
21
Transactions by one or more Goldman Sachs-advised clients or the
Investment Adviser may have the effect of diluting or otherwise
disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of
the Fund. The Funds activities may be limited because of
regulatory restrictions applicable to Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed to comply
with such restrictions. As a global financial services firm,
Goldman Sachs also provides a wide range of investment banking
and financial services to issuers of securities and investors in
securities. Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and others associated
with it may create markets or specialize in, have positions in
and affect transactions in, securities of issuers held by the
Fund, and may also perform or seek to perform investment banking
and financial services for those issuers. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates may have business relationships with and purchase or
distribute or sell services or products from or to,
distributors, consultants and others who recommend the Fund as
when acquisitions with or for the Fund. For more information
about conflicts of interest, see the SAI.
22
Dividends
The Fund pays dividends from its investment income and
distributions from net realized capital gains. You may choose to
have dividends and distributions paid in:
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n
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Cash
|
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n
|
Additional shares of the same class
of the Fund
|
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n
|
Shares of the same class of another
Goldman Sachs Fund. Special restrictions may apply. See
the SAI.
|
You may indicate your election on your Account Application. Any
changes may be submitted in writing or via telephone, in some
instances, to the Transfer Agent at any time before the record
date for a particular dividend or distribution. If you do not
indicate any choice, dividends and distributions will be
reinvested automatically in the Fund. If cash dividends are
elected with respect to the Funds monthly net investment
income dividends, then cash dividends must also be elected with
respect to the short-term capital gains component, if any, of
the Funds annual dividend.
The election to reinvest dividends and distributions in
additional shares will not affect the tax treatment of such
dividends and distributions, which will be treated as received
by you and then used to purchase the shares.
The Funds investments in foreign securities may be subject
to foreign withholding taxes. Under certain circumstances, the
Fund may elect to pass-through these taxes to you. If this
election is made, a proportionate amount of such taxes will
constitute a distribution to you, which would allow you either
(i) to credit such proportionate amount of foreign taxes
against your U.S. federal income tax liability or (ii) to
take such amount as an itemized deduction.
Dividends from investment income and distributions from net
capital gains are declared and paid annually by the Fund.
From time to time a portion of the Funds dividends may
constitute a return of capital for tax purposes, and/or may
include amounts in excess of the Funds net investment
income for the period calculated in accordance with good
accounting practice.
When you purchase shares of the Fund, part of the NAV per share
may be represented by undistributed income and/or realized gains
that have previously been earned by the Fund. Therefore,
subsequent distributions on such shares from such income and/or
realized gains may be taxable to you even if the NAV of the
shares is, as a result of the distributions, reduced below the
cost of such shares and the distributions (or portions thereof)
represent a return of a portion of the purchase price.
23
Shareholder Guide
The following section will provide you with answers to some of
the most frequently asked questions regarding buying and selling
the Funds shares.
HOW
TO BUY SHARES
Shares
Offering
Shares of the Fund are continuously offered through the
Distributor. In addition, certain Authorized Institutions
(including certain banks, trust companies, brokers and
investment advisers) may be authorized to accept, on behalf of
the Fund, purchase and exchange orders and redemption requests
placed by or on behalf of their customers, and if approved by
the Fund, may designate other financial intermediaries to accept
such orders.
The Fund and the Distributor will have the sole right to accept
orders to purchase shares and reserve the right to reject any
order in whole or in part.
How
Can I Purchase Shares Of The Fund?
You may purchase shares of the Fund through certain Authorized
Institutions. In order to make an initial investment in the Fund
you must furnish to your Authorized Institution the information
in the Account Application. An order will be processed upon
receipt of payment.
The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the amount
you invest, the intended length of the investment and your
personal situation. You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss which share class is right for you.
To open an account, contact your Authorized Institution. For an
investment in Institutional Shares only, you may also contact
the Fund directly. See the back cover of this Prospectus for
contact information.
Customers of certain Authorized Institutions will normally give
their purchase instructions to the Authorized Institution, and
the Authorized Institution will, in turn, place purchase orders
with Goldman Sachs. Authorized Institutions will set times by
which purchase orders and payments must be received by them from
their customers.
For purchases by check, the Fund will not accept checks drawn on
foreign banks, third party checks, temporary checks, cash or
cash equivalents;
e.g.
, cashiers checks, official
bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or credit card
checks.
24
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
In limited situations involving the transfer of retirement
assets, the Fund may accept cashiers checks or official
bank checks.
Class IR Shares are not sold directly to the public.
Instead, Class IR Shares generally are available only to
401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit
sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans
and non-qualified deferred compensation plans (the
Retirement Plans). Class IR Shares are also
generally available only to Retirement Plans where plan level or
omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Funds.
Class IR Shares are not available to traditional and Roth
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), SEPs,
SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual 403(b) plans. Class IR
Shares may also be sold to accounts established under a
fee-based program that is sponsored and maintained by a
registered broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and
that is approved by Goldman Sachs (Eligible Fee-Based
Program).
Retirement Plans generally may open an account and purchase
Class IR Shares through Authorized Institutions, financial
planners, Retirement Plan administrators and other financial
intermediaries. Class IR Shares may not be available through
certain Authorized Institutions. Additional shares may be
purchased through a Retirement Plans administrator or
record-keeper.
What
Is My Minimum Investment In The Fund?
For each of your accounts investing in Class A or
Class C Shares, the following investment minimums must be
met:
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Initial
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Additional
*
|
Regular Accounts
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$1,000
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$50
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|
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Employer Sponsored Benefit Plans
|
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No Minimum
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No Minimum
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Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Accounts (UGMA/UTMA)
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$250
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$50
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Individual Retirement Accounts and Coverdell ESAs
|
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$250
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$50
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Automatic Investment Plan Accounts
|
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$250
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$50
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*
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No minimum additional investment
requirements are imposed with respect to investors trading
through intermediaries who aggregate shares in omnibus or
similar accounts (e.g., retirement plan accounts, wrap program
accounts or traditional brokerage house accounts). A maximum
purchase limitation of $1,000,000 in the aggregate normally
applies to purchases of Class C Shares across all Goldman Sachs
Funds.
|
25
For Institutional Shares the following minimum investments apply:
|
|
|
Type of
Investor
|
|
Minimum
Investment
|
n
Banks,
trust companies or other depository institutions investing for
their own account or on behalf of their clients
|
|
$1,000,000 in Institutional Shares of the Fund alone or in
combination with other assets under the management of GSAM and
its affiliates
|
n
State,
county, city or any instrumentality, department, authority or
agency thereof
|
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|
n
Corporations
with at least $100 million in assets or in outstanding publicly
traded securities
|
|
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n
Wrap
account sponsors (provided they have an agreement covering the
arrangement with GSAM)
|
|
|
n
Registered
investment advisers investing for accounts for which they
receive asset-based fees
|
|
|
n
Qualified
non-profit organizations, charitable trusts, foundations and
endowments
|
|
|
|
|
|
n
Individual
investors
|
|
$10,000,000
|
n
Accounts
over which GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment
discretion
|
|
|
n
Corporations
with less than $100 million in assets or in outstanding
publicly traded securities
|
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n
Section 401(k),
profit sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity,
defined benefit pension, or other employee benefit plans that
are sponsored by one or more employers (including governmental
or church employers) or employee organizations
|
|
No minimum
|
|
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|
No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares or additional investments in Institutional
Shares or Class IR Shares.
The minimum investment requirement for Class A,
Class C and Institutional Shares may be waived for current
and former officers, partners, directors or employees of Goldman
Sachs or any of its affiliates; any Trustee or officer of the
Goldman Sachs Trust (the Trust); brokerage or
advisory clients of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management and
accounts for which The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, N.A. acts in
a fiduciary capacity (
i.e.
, as agent or trustee); certain
mutual fund wrap programs at the discretion of the
Trusts officers; and for other investors at the
26
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
discretion of the Trusts officers. No minimum amount is
required for additional investments in such accounts.
What
Should I Know When I Purchase Shares Through An Authorized
Institution?
If shares of the Fund are held in a street name
account with an Authorized Institution, all recordkeeping,
transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to
your account will be performed by your Authorized Institution,
and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Fund will
have no record of your transactions, you should contact your
Authorized Institution to purchase, redeem or exchange shares,
to make changes in or give instructions concerning your account
or to obtain information about your account. The transfer of
shares in a street name account to an account with
another Authorized Institution involves special procedures and
may require you to obtain historical purchase information about
the shares in the account from your Authorized Institution. If
your Authorized Institutions relationship with Goldman
Sachs is terminated, and you do not transfer your account to
another Authorized Institution, the Trust reserves the right to
redeem your shares. The Trust will not be responsible for any
loss in an investors account or tax liability resulting
from a redemption.
Certain Authorized Institutions and other financial
intermediaries may be authorized to accept, on behalf of the
Trust, purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on
behalf of their customers, and if approved by the Trust, to
designate other financial intermediaries to accept such orders.
In these cases:
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n
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The Fund will be deemed to have
received an order that is in proper form when the order is
accepted by an Authorized Institution or financial intermediary
on a business day, and the order will be priced at the
Funds NAV per share (adjusted for any applicable sales
charge) next determined after such acceptance.
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n
|
Authorized Institutions and such
other financial intermediaries are responsible for transmitting
accepted orders to the Fund within the time period agreed upon
by them.
|
You should contact your Authorized Institution or financial
intermediary to learn whether it is authorized to accept orders
for the Trust.
Authorized Institutions that invest in shares on behalf of their
customers may charge fees directly to their customer accounts in
connection with their investments. You should contact your
Authorized Institution for information regarding such charges,
as these fees, if any, may affect the return customers realize
with respect to their investments.
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may
make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries
27
(Intermediaries) to promote the sale, distribution
and/or servicing of shares of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs
Funds. These payments are made out of the Investment
Advisers, Distributors and/or their affiliates
own assets, and are not an additional charge to the Fund. The
payments are in addition to the distribution and service fees
and sales charges described in this Prospectus. Such payments
are intended to compensate Intermediaries for, among other
things: marketing shares of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs
Funds, which may consist of payments relating to the Funds
inclusion on preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain
sales programs sponsored by the Intermediaries; access to the
Intermediaries registered representatives or salespersons,
including at conferences and other meetings; assistance in
training and education of personnel; marketing support; and/or
other specified services intended to assist in the distribution
and marketing of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs Funds. The
payments may also, to the extent permitted by applicable
regulations, contribute to various non-cash and cash incentive
arrangements to promote the sale of shares, as well as sponsor
various educational programs, sales contests and/or promotions.
The payments by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their
affiliates which are in addition to the fees paid for these
services by the Fund, may also compensate Intermediaries for
sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, administrative and/or
shareholder processing services. These additional payments may
exceed amounts earned on these assets by the Investment Adviser,
Distributor and/or their affiliates for the performance of these
or similar services. The amount of these additional payments is
normally not expected to exceed 0.50% (annualized) of the amount
sold or invested through the Intermediaries. In addition,
certain Intermediaries may have access to certain services from
the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates,
including research reports and economic analysis, and portfolio
analysis tools. In certain cases, the Intermediary may not pay
for these services. Please refer to the Payments to
Intermediaries section of the SAI for more information
about these payments and services.
The payments made by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or
their affiliates and the services provided by an Intermediary
may differ for different Intermediaries. The presence of these
payments, receipt of these services and the basis on which an
Intermediary compensates its registered representatives or
salespersons may create an incentive for a particular
Intermediary, registered representative or salesperson to
highlight, feature or recommend the Fund based, at least in
part, on the level of compensation paid. You should contact your
Authorized Institution or Intermediary for more information
about the payments it receives and any potential conflicts of
interest.
28
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
What
Else Should I Know About Share Purchases?
The Trust reserves the right to:
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n
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Refuse to open an account if you
fail to (i) provide a Social Security Number or other
taxpayer identification number; or (ii) certify that such
number is correct (if required to do so under applicable law).
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n
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Reject or restrict any purchase or
exchange order by a particular purchaser (or group of related
purchasers) for any reason in its discretion. Without limiting
the foregoing, the Trust may reject or restrict purchase and
exchange orders by a particular purchaser (or group of related
purchasers) when a pattern of frequent purchases, sales or
exchanges of shares of the Fund is evident, or if purchases,
sales or exchanges are, or a subsequent redemption might be, of
a size that would disrupt the management of the Fund.
|
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n
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Close the Fund to new investors
from time to time and reopen the Fund whenever it is deemed
appropriate by the Funds Investment Adviser.
|
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n
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Provide for, modify or waive the
minimum investment requirements.
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n
|
Modify the manner in which shares
are offered.
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n
|
Modify the sales charge rate
applicable to future purchases of shares.
|
Generally, non-U.S. citizens and certain U.S. citizens residing
outside the United States may not open an account with the Fund.
The Fund may allow you to purchase shares with securities
instead of cash if consistent with the Funds investment
policies and operations and if approved by the Funds
Investment Adviser.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust and Goldman Sachs
reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase or exchange
requests from any investor. The Trust and Goldman Sachs will not
be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase or
exchange orders.
Customer Identification Program.
Federal law
requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying
information, which will be reviewed solely for customer
identification purposes, which may include the name, residential
or business street address, date of birth (for an individual),
Social Security Number or taxpayer identification number or
other information. Applications without the required information
may not be accepted by the Fund. After accepting an application,
to the extent permitted by applicable law or their customer
identification program, the Fund reserves the right to:
(i) place limits on transactions in any account until the
identity of the investor is verified; (ii) refuse an
investment in the Fund; or (iii) involuntarily redeem an
investors shares and close an account in the event that
the Fund is unable to verify an investors identity or is
unable to obtain all required information. The Fund and its
agents will not be responsible for any loss or tax liability in
an investors account resulting from the investors
delay in providing all
29
required information or from closing an account and redeeming an
investors shares pursuant to the customer identification
program.
How
Are Shares Priced?
The price you pay when you buy shares is the Funds next
determined NAV for a share class (as adjusted for any applicable
sales charge)
after
the Fund receives your order in
proper form. The price you receive when you sell shares is the
Funds next determined NAV for a share class with the
redemption proceeds reduced by any applicable charges
(
e.g.
, CDSCs)
after
the Fund receives your order
in proper form. Each class calculates its NAV as follows:
|
|
|
NAV =
|
|
(Value of Assets of the Class)
(Liabilities of the Class)
Number
of Outstanding Shares of the Class
|
The Funds investments are valued based on market
quotations, or if market quotations are not readily available,
or if the Investment Adviser believes that such quotations do
not accurately reflect fair value, the fair value of the
Funds investments may be determined in good faith under
procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
Fair value prices are provided by an independent
fair value service in accordance with the fair value procedures
approved by the Board of Trustees. Fair value prices are used
because many foreign markets operate at times that do not
coincide with those of the major U.S. markets. Events that
could affect the values of foreign portfolio holdings may occur
between the close of the foreign market and the time of
determining the NAV, and would not otherwise be reflected in the
NAV. If the independent fair value service does not provide a
fair value price for a particular security, or if the price
provided does not meet the established criteria for the Fund,
the Fund will price that security at the most recent closing
price for that security on its principal exchange.
In addition, the Investment Adviser, consistent with its
procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need
not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing
prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of
significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair
value of the securities at the time of determining the
Funds NAV. Significant events that could affect a large
number of securities in a particular market may include, but are
not limited to: situations relating to one or more single
issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or
foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or
market closings; equipment failures; natural or man made
disasters or acts of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions
or other developments; as well as the same or similar events
which may affect specific issuers or the securities markets even
though not tied
30
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
directly to the securities markets. Other significant events
that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not
limited to: corporate actions such as reorganizations, mergers
and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating
to earnings, products and regulatory news; significant
litigation; low trading volume; and trading limits or
suspensions.
One effect of using an independent fair value service and fair
valuation may be to reduce stale pricing arbitrage opportunities
presented by the pricing of Fund shares. However, it involves
the risk that the values used by the Fund to price their
investments may be different from those used by other investment
companies and investors to price the same investments.
Investments in other registered mutual funds (if any) are valued
based on the NAV of those mutual funds (which may use fair value
pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).
Please note the following with respect to the price at which
your transactions are processed:
|
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|
n
|
NAV per share of each share class
is generally calculated by the accounting agent on each business
day as of the close of regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) or
such other times as the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ
market may officially close. Fund shares will generally not be
priced on any day the New York Stock Exchange is closed.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
The Trust reserves the right to
reprocess purchase (including dividend reinvestments),
redemption and exchange transactions that were processed at a
NAV that is subsequently adjusted, and to recover amounts from
(or distribute amounts to) shareholders accordingly based on the
official closing NAV, as adjusted.
|
|
n
|
The Trust reserves the right to
advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be
received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by
the SEC.
|
Consistent with industry practice, investment transactions not
settling on the same day are recorded and factored into the
Funds NAV on the business day following trade date (T+1).
The use of T+1 accounting generally does not, but may, result in
a NAV that differs materially from the NAV that would result if
all transactions were reflected on their trade dates.
Note: The time at which transactions and shares are priced
and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in
case of an emergency or if regular trading on the New York
Stock Exchange is stopped at a time other than its regularly
scheduled closing time. In the event the New York Stock Exchange
does not open for business, the Trust may, but is not required
to, open the Fund for
31
purchase, redemption and exchange transactions if the
Federal Reserve wire payment system is open. To learn whether
the Fund is open for business during this situation, please call
the appropriate phone number located on the back cover of this
Prospectus.
Foreign securities may trade in their local markets on days the
Fund is closed. As a result, if the Fund holds foreign
securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may
not purchase or redeem Fund shares.
COMMON
QUESTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS A
SHARES
What
Is The Offering Price Of Class A Shares?
The offering price of Class A Shares of the Fund is
the next determined NAV per share plus an initial sales charge
paid to Goldman Sachs at the time of purchase of shares.
The sales charge varies depending upon the amount you
purchase. In some cases, described below, the initial sales
charge may be eliminated altogether, and the offering price will
be the NAV per share. The current sales charges and commissions
paid to Authorized Institutions for Class A Shares of the
Fund are as follows:
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Sales Charge
|
|
Maximum Dealer
|
|
|
Sales Charge
as
|
|
as Percentage
|
|
Allowance as
|
Amount of
Purchase
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
of Net Amount
|
|
Percentage of
|
(including sales
charge, if any)
|
|
Offering
Price
|
|
Invested
|
|
Offering
Price
*
|
Less than $50,000
|
|
|
5.50
|
%
|
|
|
5.82
|
%
|
|
|
5.00
|
%
|
$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000
|
|
|
4.75
|
|
|
|
4.99
|
|
|
|
4.00
|
|
$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000
|
|
|
3.75
|
|
|
|
3.90
|
|
|
|
3.00
|
|
$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000
|
|
|
2.75
|
|
|
|
2.83
|
|
|
|
2.25
|
|
$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million
|
|
|
2.00
|
|
|
|
2.04
|
|
|
|
1.75
|
|
$1 million or more
|
|
|
0.00
|
**
|
|
|
0.00
|
**
|
|
|
***
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Dealers allowance may be
changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire
sales charge may be reallowed to Authorized Institutions.
Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales
charge is reallowed may be deemed to be underwriters
under the Securities Act of 1933.
|
**
|
|
No sales charge is payable at
the time of purchase of Class A Shares of $1 million or
more, but a CDSC of 1% may be imposed in the event of certain
redemptions within 18 months.
|
***
|
|
The Distributor may pay a
one-time commission to Authorized Institutions who initiate or
are responsible for purchases of $1 million or more of shares of
the Fund equal to 1.00% of the amount under $3 million, 0.50% of
the next $2 million, and 0.25% thereafter. In instances where an
Authorized Institution (including Goldman Sachs Private
Wealth Management Unit) agrees to waive its receipt of the
one-time commission described above, the CDSC on Class A
Shares, generally, will be waived. The Distributor may also pay,
with respect to all or a portion of the amount purchased, a
commission in accordance with the foregoing schedule to
Authorized Institutions who initiate or are responsible for
purchases of $500,000 or more by certain Section 401(k),
profit sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity,
defined benefit pension, or other employee benefit plans
(including health savings accounts) that are sponsored by one or
more employers (including
|
32
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
|
governmental or church
employers) or employee organizations investing in the Fund which
satisfy the criteria set forth below in When Are
Class A Shares Not Subject To A Sales Load? or $1
million or more by certain wrap accounts. Purchases
by such plans will be made at NAV with no initial sales charge,
but if shares are redeemed within 18 months, a CDSC of 1%
may be imposed upon the plan, the plan sponsor or the
third-party administrator. In addition, Authorized Institutions
will remit to the Distributor such payments received in
connection with wrap accounts in the event that
shares are redeemed within 18 months.
|
You should note that the actual sales charge that appears in
your mutual fund transaction confirmation may differ slightly
from the rate disclosed above in this Prospectus due to rounding
calculations.
As indicated in the preceding chart, and as discussed in the
following section titled How Can The Sales Charge On
Class A Shares Be Reduced?, you may, under certain
circumstances, be entitled to pay reduced sales charges on your
purchases of Class A Shares or have those charges waived
entirely. To take advantage of these discounts, your Authorized
Institution or other financial intermediary must notify the
Funds Transfer Agent at the time of your purchase order
that a discount may apply to your current purchases. You may
also be required to provide appropriate documentation to receive
these discounts, including:
|
|
|
|
(i)
|
Information or records regarding shares of the Fund or other
Goldman Sachs Funds held in all accounts (
e.g.
,
retirement accounts) of the shareholder at the Authorized
Institution or other financial intermediary;
|
|
|
(ii)
|
Information or records regarding shares of the Fund or other
Goldman Sachs Funds held in any account of the shareholder at
another Authorized Institution or other financial intermediary;
and
|
|
|
(iii)
|
Information or records regarding shares of the Fund or other
Goldman Sachs Funds held at any Authorized Institution or other
financial intermediary by related parties of the shareholder,
such as members of the same family or household.
|
What
Else Do I Need To Know About Class A Shares
CDSC?
Purchases of Class A Shares will be made at NAV with no
initial sales charge. However, if you redeem shares within
18 months after the beginning of the month in which the
purchase was made, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed. The CDSC may not
be imposed if your Authorized Institution agrees with the
Distributor to return all or an applicable prorated portion of
its commission to the Distributor. The CDSC is waived on
redemptions in certain circumstances. See In What
Situations May The CDSC On Class A Or C Shares Be Waived Or
Reduced? below.
33
When
Are Class A Shares Not Subject To A Sales Load?
Class A Shares of the Fund may be sold at NAV without
payment of any sales charge to the following individuals and
entities:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or
their respective officers, partners, directors or employees
(including retired employees and former partners), any
partnership of which Goldman Sachs is a general partner, any
Trustee or officer of the Trust and designated family members of
any of these individuals;
|
|
n
|
Qualified employee benefit plans of
Goldman Sachs;
|
|
n
|
Trustees or directors of investment
companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as
sponsor;
|
|
n
|
Any employee or registered
representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective
spouses, children and parents;
|
|
n
|
Banks, trust companies or other
types of depository institutions;
|
|
n
|
Any state, county or city, or any
instrumentality, department, authority or agency thereof, which
is prohibited by applicable investment laws from paying a sales
charge or commission in connection with the purchase of shares
of the Fund;
|
|
n
|
Section 401(k), profit
sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined
benefit pension, or other employee benefit plans (including
health savings accounts) or SIMPLE plans that are sponsored by
one or more employers (including governmental or church
employers) or employee organizations (Employee Benefit
Plans) that:
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Buy shares of Goldman Sachs Funds
worth $500,000 or more; or
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Have 100 or more eligible employees
at the time of purchase; or
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Certify that they expect to have
annual plan purchases of shares of Goldman Sachs Funds of
$200,000 or more; or
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Are provided administrative
services by certain third party administrators that have entered
into a special service arrangement with Goldman Sachs relating
to such plans; or
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Have at the time of purchase
aggregate assets of at least $2,000,000.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
These requirements may be waived at
the discretion of the Trusts officers;
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Non-qualified pension plans
sponsored by employers who also sponsor qualified plans that
qualify for and invest in Goldman Sachs Funds at NAV without the
payment of any sales charge;
|
|
n
|
Insurance company separate accounts
that make the Fund available as underlying investments in
certain group annuity contracts;
|
|
n
|
Wrap accounts for the
benefit of clients of broker-dealers, financial institutions or
financial planners, provided they have entered into an agreement
with GSAM specifying aggregate minimums and certain operating
policies and standards;
|
|
n
|
Registered investment advisers
investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees;
|
34
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
n
|
Accounts over which GSAM or its
advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
|
|
n
|
Shareholders who roll over
distributions from any tax-qualified Employee Benefit Plan or
tax-sheltered annuity to an IRA which invests in the Goldman
Sachs Funds if the tax-qualified Employee Benefit Plan or
tax-sheltered annuity receives administrative services provided
by certain third party administrators that have entered into a
special service arrangement with Goldman Sachs relating to such
plan or annuity;
|
|
n
|
State sponsored 529 college savings
plans; or
|
|
n
|
Investors who qualify under other
exemptions that are stated from time to time in the SAI.
|
You must certify eligibility for any of the above exemptions
on your Account Application and notify your Authorized
Institution and the Fund if you no longer are eligible for the
exemption.
The Fund will grant you an exemption subject to confirmation of
your entitlement by your Authorized Institution. You may be
charged a fee by your Authorized Institution.
How
Can The Sales Charge On Class A Shares Be
Reduced?
|
|
|
|
n
|
Right of Accumulation:
When buying
Class A Shares in Goldman Sachs Funds, your current
aggregate investment determines the initial sales load you pay.
You may qualify for reduced sales charges when the current
market value of holdings across Class A, Class B
and/or Class C Shares, plus new purchases, reaches $50,000
or more. Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares
of any of the Goldman Sachs Funds may be combined under the
Right of Accumulation. If the Funds Transfer Agent is
properly notified, the Amount of Purchase in the
chart in the section What Is The Offering Price Of
Class A Shares? will be deemed to include all
Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of the
Goldman Sachs Funds that were held at the time of purchase by
any of the following persons: (i) you, your spouse, your
parents and your children; and (ii) any trustee, guardian
or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single
fiduciary account. This includes, for example, any Class A,
Class B and/or Class C Shares held at a broker-dealer
or other financial intermediary other than the one handling your
current purchase. For purposes of applying the Right of
Accumulation, shares of the Fund and any other Goldman Sachs
Funds purchased by an existing client of Goldman Sachs Private
Wealth Management or GS Ayco Holding LLC will be combined with
Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares and other
assets held by all other Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management
accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC, respectively. In
addition, under some circumstances, Class A and/or
Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A, Class B
and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund
purchased by partners, directors,
|
35
|
|
|
|
|
officers or employees of certain organizations may be combined
for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify
for the Right of Accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable
sales charge level. To qualify for a reduced sales load, you or
your Authorized Institution must notify the Funds Transfer
Agent at the time of investment that a quantity discount is
applicable. If you do not notify your Authorized Institution at
the time of your current purchase or a future purchase that you
qualify for a quantity discount, you may not receive the benefit
of a reduced sales charge that might otherwise apply. Use of
this option is subject to a check of appropriate records.
|
In some circumstances, other Class A, Class B and/or
Class C Shares may be aggregated with your current purchase
under the Right of Accumulation as described in the SAI. For
purposes of determining the Amount of Purchase, all
Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares currently
held will be valued at their current market value.
|
|
|
|
n
|
Statement of Intention:
You may obtain a
reduced sales charge by means of a written Statement of
Intention which expresses your non-binding commitment to invest
(not counting reinvestments of dividends and distributions) in
the aggregate $50,000 or more within a period of 13 months
in Class A Shares of one or more of the Goldman Sachs
Funds. Any investments you make during the period will receive
the discounted sales load based on the full amount of your
investment commitment. You must, however, inform the Transfer
Agent that the Statement of Intention is in effect each time
shares are purchased. Each purchase will be made at the public
offering price applicable to a single transaction of the dollar
amount specified on the Statement of Intention. Purchases made
during the previous 90 days may be included; however,
capital appreciation does not apply toward these combined
purchases. If the investment commitment of the Statement of
Intention is not met prior to the expiration of the
13-month
period, the entire amount will be subject to the higher
applicable sales charge unless the failure to meet the
investment commitment is due to the death of the investor. By
selecting the Statement of Intention, you authorize the Transfer
Agent to escrow and redeem Class A Shares in your account
to pay this additional charge if the Statement of Intention is
not met. The SAI has more information about the Statement of
Intention, which you should read carefully.
|
A
COMMON QUESTION APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS C
SHARES
What
Is The Offering Price Of Class C Shares?
You may purchase Class C Shares of the Fund at the next
determined NAV without paying an initial sales charge. However,
if you redeem Class C Shares within 12 months of
purchase, a CDSC of 1% will normally be deducted from
36
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
the redemption proceeds. In connection with purchases by
Employee Benefit Plans, where Class C Shares are redeemed
within 12 months of purchase, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed
upon the plan sponsor or third party administrator.
Proceeds from the CDSC are payable to the Distributor and may be
used in whole or in part to defray the Distributors
expenses related to providing distribution-related services to
the Fund in connection with the sale of Class C Shares,
including the payment of compensation to Authorized
Institutions. An amount equal to 1% of the amount invested is
normally paid by the Distributor to Authorized Institutions.
|
|
COMMON
QUESTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS A
AND C SHARES
|
|
What
Else Do I Need To Know About The CDSC On Class A Or C
Shares?
|
|
|
|
n
|
The CDSC is based on the lesser of
the NAV of the shares at the time of redemption or the original
offering price (which is the original NAV).
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
No CDSC is charged on shares
acquired from reinvested dividends or capital gains
distributions.
|
|
n
|
No CDSC is charged on the per share
appreciation of your account over the initial purchase price.
|
|
n
|
When counting the number of months
since a purchase of Class A Shares was made, all purchases
of Class A shares made during a month will be combined and
considered to have been made on the first day of that month.
|
|
n
|
When counting the number of months
since a purchase of Class C Shares was made, all purchases
made during a month will be combined and considered to have been
made on the first day of that month.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
To keep your CDSC as low as
possible, each time you place a request to sell shares, the Fund
will first sell any shares in your account that do not carry a
CDSC and then the shares in your account that have been held the
longest.
|
In
What Situations May The CDSC On Class A Or C Shares Be
Waived Or Reduced?
The CDSC on Class A and Class C Shares that are
subject to a CDSC may be waived or reduced if the redemption
relates to:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Mandatory retirement distributions
or loans to participants or beneficiaries from Employee Benefit
Plans;
|
|
n
|
Hardship withdrawals by a
participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
|
|
n
|
The separation from service by a
participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
|
37
|
|
|
|
n
|
Excess contributions distributed
from an Employee Benefit Plan;
|
|
n
|
Distributions from a qualified
Employee Benefit Plan invested in the Goldman Sachs Funds which
are being rolled over to an IRA in the same share class of a
Goldman Sachs Fund;
|
|
n
|
The death or disability (as defined
in Section 72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the Code)) of a shareholder, participant
or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
|
|
n
|
Satisfying the minimum distribution
requirements of the Code;
|
|
n
|
Establishing substantially
equal periodic payments as described under
Section 72(t)(2) of the Code;
|
|
n
|
Redemption proceeds which are to be
reinvested in accounts or non-registered products over which
GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
|
|
n
|
A systematic withdrawal plan. The
Trust reserves the right to limit such redemptions, on an annual
basis, to 12% of the account value of your C Shares and 10%
of the account value of Class A Shares;
|
|
n
|
Redemptions or exchanges of Fund
shares held through an Employee Benefit Plan using the Fund as
part of a qualified default investment alternative or
QDIA; or
|
|
n
|
Other redemptions, at the
discretion of the Trusts officers, relating to shares
purchased through certain Section 401(k), profit sharing,
money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined benefit
pension, or other Employee Benefit Plans (including health
savings accounts) that are sponsored by one or more employers
(including governmental or church employers) or employee
organizations investing in the Fund.
|
HOW
TO SELL SHARES
How
Can I Sell Shares Of The Fund?
You may arrange to take money out of your account by selling
(redeeming) some or all of your shares through your
Authorized Institution.
Generally, the Fund will redeem its
shares upon request on any business day at the NAV next
determined after receipt of such request in proper form, subject
to any applicable CDSC.
You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss redemptions and redemption proceeds.
Certain Authorized Institutions are authorized to accept
redemption requests on behalf of the Fund as described under
HOW TO BUY SHARESShares Offering. The Fund may
transfer redemption proceeds to an account with your Authorized
Institution. In the alternative, your Authorized Institution may
request that redemption proceeds be sent to you by check or wire
(if the wire instructions are designated in the current records
of the Transfer Agent). Redemptions may be requested by your
Authorized Institution in writing, by telephone or through an
electronic trading platform.
38
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
Generally, any redemption request that requires money to go to
an account or address other than that designated in the current
records of the Transfer Agent must be in writing and signed by
an authorized person with a Medallion signature guarantee. The
written request may be confirmed by telephone with both the
requesting party and the designated bank to verify instructions.
When
Do I Need A Medallion Signature Guarantee To Redeem
Shares?
A Medallion signature guarantee may be required if:
|
|
|
|
n
|
A request is made in writing to
redeem Class A, Class C or Class IR Shares in an
amount over $50,000;
|
|
n
|
You would like the redemption
proceeds sent to an address that is not your address of record;
or
|
|
n
|
You would like the redemption
proceeds sent to a domestic bank account that is not your bank
account designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent.
|
A Medallion signature guarantee must be obtained from a bank,
brokerage firm or other financial intermediary that is a member
of an approved Medallion Guarantee Program or that is otherwise
approved by the Trust. A notary public cannot provide a
Medallion signature guarantee. Additional documentation may be
required.
What
Do I Need To Know About Telephone Redemption Requests?
The Trust, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent will not be
liable for any loss or tax liability you may incur in the event
that the Trust accepts unauthorized telephone redemption
requests that the Trust reasonably believes to be genuine. The
Trust may accept telephone redemption instructions from any
person identifying himself or herself as the owner of an account
or the owners registered representative where the owner
has not declined in writing to use this service. Authorized
Institutions may submit redemption requests by telephone. You
risk possible losses if a telephone redemption is not authorized
by you.
In an effort to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent redemption
and exchange requests by telephone, Goldman Sachs or Boston
Financial Data Services, Inc. (BFDS) each employ
reasonable procedures specified by the Trust to confirm that
such instructions are genuine. If reasonable procedures are not
employed, the Trust may be liable for any loss due to
unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. The following general
policies are currently in effect:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Telephone requests are recorded.
|
|
n
|
Proceeds of telephone redemption
requests will be sent to your address of record or authorized
account designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent
(unless you provide written instructions and a Medallion
signature guarantee indicating another address or account).
|
|
n
|
For the
30-day
period following a change of address, telephone redemptions will
only be filled by a wire transfer to the authorized account
designated in the
|
39
current records of the Transfer Agent (see immediately preceding
bullet point). In order to receive the redemption by check
during this time period, the redemption request must be in the
form of a written, Medallion signature guaranteed letter.
|
|
|
|
n
|
The telephone redemption option
does not apply to shares held in a street name
account. Street name accounts are accounts
maintained and serviced by your Authorized Institution. If your
account is held in street name, you should contact
your registered representative of record, who may make telephone
redemptions on your behalf.
|
|
n
|
The telephone redemption option may
be modified or terminated at any time without prior notice.
|
|
n
|
The Fund may redeem up to $50,000
in Class A, Class C or Class IR Shares via
telephone.
|
Note: It may be difficult to make telephone redemptions in
times of unusual economic or market conditions.
How
Are Redemption Proceeds Paid?
By Wire:
You may arrange for your redemption
proceeds to be paid as federal funds to an account with your
Authorized Institution or to a domestic bank account designated
in the current records of the Transfer Agent. In addition,
redemption proceeds may be transmitted through an electronic
trading platform to an account with your Authorized Institution.
The following general policies govern wiring redemption proceeds:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Redemption proceeds will normally
be wired on the next business day in federal funds, but may be
paid up to three business days following receipt of a properly
executed wire transfer redemption request.
|
|
n
|
Although redemption proceeds will
normally be paid as described above, under certain
circumstances, redemption requests or payments may be postponed
or suspended as permitted under Section 22(e) of the
Investment Company Act. Generally, under that section,
redemption requests or payments may be postponed or suspended if
(i) the New York Stock Exchange is closed for trading or
trading is restricted; (ii) an emergency exists which makes
the disposal of securities owned by the Fund or the fair
determination of the value of the Funds net assets not
reasonably practicable; or (iii) the SEC, by order, permits
the suspension of the right of redemption.
|
|
n
|
If you are selling shares you
recently paid for by check or purchased by Automated Clearing
House (ACH), the Fund will pay you when your check
or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 15 days.
|
|
n
|
If the Federal Reserve Bank is
closed on the day that the redemption proceeds would ordinarily
be wired, wiring the redemption proceeds may be delayed until
the Federal Reserve Bank reopens.
|
40
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
n
|
To change the bank designated in
the current records of the Transfer Agent, you must send written
instructions signed by an authorized person designated in the
current records of the Transfer Agent. A Medallion signature
guarantee may be required if you are requesting a redemption in
conjunction with the change.
|
|
n
|
Neither the Trust nor Goldman Sachs
assumes any responsibility for the performance of your bank or
any other financial intermediary in the transfer process. If a
problem with such performance arises, you should deal directly
with your bank or any such financial intermediaries.
|
By Check:
You may elect to receive your
redemption proceeds by check. Redemption proceeds paid by check
will normally be mailed to the address of record within three
business days of receipt of a properly executed redemption
request. If you are selling shares you recently paid for by
check or ACH, the Fund will pay you when your check or ACH has
cleared, which may take up to 15 days.
What
Else Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?
The following generally applies to redemption requests:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares of the Fund earn dividends
on the day shares are redeemed.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Additional documentation may be
required when deemed appropriate by the Transfer Agent. A
redemption request will not be in proper form until such
additional documentation has been received.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Authorized Institutions (including
banks, trust companies, brokers and investment advisers) are
responsible for the timely transmittal of redemption requests by
their customers to the Transfer Agent. In order to facilitate
the timely transmittal of redemption requests, these Authorized
Institutions may set times by which they must receive redemption
requests. These Authorized Institutions may also require
additional documentation from you.
|
The Trust reserves the right to:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Redeem your shares in the event
your Authorized Institutions relationship with Goldman
Sachs is terminated, and you do not transfer your account to
another Authorized Institution with a relationship with Goldman
Sachs, or in the event that the Fund is no longer an option in
your Retirement Plan or no longer available through your
Eligible Fee-Based Program.
|
|
n
|
Redeem your shares if your account
balance is below the required Fund minimum. The Fund will not
redeem your shares on this basis if the value of your account
falls below the minimum account balance solely as a result of
market conditions. The Fund will give you 60 days prior
written notice to allow you to purchase sufficient additional
shares of the Fund in order to avoid such redemption.
|
|
n
|
Subject to applicable law, redeem
your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of
Trustees to be in the best interest of the Trust.
|
41
|
|
|
|
n
|
Pay redemptions by a distribution
in-kind of securities (instead of cash). If you receive
redemption proceeds in-kind, you should expect to incur
transaction costs upon the disposition of those securities.
|
|
n
|
Reinvest any amounts (
e.g.
,
dividends, distributions or redemption proceeds) which you have
elected to receive by check should your check be returned to the
Fund as undeliverable or remain uncashed for six months. This
provision may not apply to certain retirement or qualified
accounts or to a closed account. Your participation in a
systematic withdrawal program may be terminated if your checks
remain uncashed. No interest will accrue on amounts represented
by uncashed checks.
|
|
n
|
Charge an additional fee in the
event a redemption is made via wire transfer.
|
None of the Trust, Investment Adviser, nor Goldman Sachs will be
responsible for any loss in an investors account or tax
liability resulting from a redemption.
Can
I Reinvest Redemption Proceeds In The Same Or Another Goldman
Sachs Fund?
You may redeem shares of the Fund and reinvest a portion or all
of the redemption proceeds (plus any additional amounts needed
to round off purchases to the nearest full share) at NAV. To be
eligible for this privilege, you must have held the shares you
want to redeem for at least 30 days (60 days with
respect to certain Goldman Sachs Funds offered in other
prospectuses) and you must reinvest the share proceeds within
90 days after you redeem.
|
|
|
|
n
|
You should obtain and read the
applicable prospectuses before investing in any other Goldman
Sachs Funds.
|
|
n
|
If you pay a CDSC upon redemption
of Class A or Class C Shares and then reinvest in
Class A or Class C Shares of another Goldman Sachs
Fund as described above, your account will be credited with the
amount of the CDSC you paid. The reinvested shares will,
however, continue to be subject to a CDSC. The holding period of
the shares acquired through reinvestment will include the
holding period of the redeemed shares for purposes of computing
the CDSC payable upon a subsequent redemption.
|
|
n
|
The reinvestment privilege may be
exercised at any time in connection with transactions in which
the proceeds are reinvested at NAV in a tax-sheltered Employee
Benefit Plan. In other cases, the reinvestment privilege may be
exercised once per year upon receipt of a written request.
|
|
n
|
You may be subject to tax as a
result of a redemption. You should consult your tax adviser
concerning the tax consequences of a redemption and reinvestment.
|
42
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
Can
I Exchange My Investment From One Goldman Sachs Fund To Another
Goldman Sachs Fund?
You may exchange shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund at NAV without
the imposition of an initial sales charge or CDSC at the time of
exchange for certain shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund.
Redemption of shares (including by exchange) of certain Goldman
Sachs Funds offered in other prospectuses that are held for 30
(or, in some cases, 60) days or less may, however, be subject to
a redemption fee as described in those prospectuses. The
exchange privilege may be materially modified or withdrawn at
any time upon 60 days written notice. You should contact
your Authorized Institution to arrange for exchanges of shares
of the Fund for shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund.
You should keep in mind the following factors when making or
considering an exchange:
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|
|
|
n
|
You should obtain and carefully
read the prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund you are acquiring
before making an exchange. You should be aware that not all
Goldman Sachs Funds may offer all share classes.
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|
|
|
|
n
|
Currently, the Fund does not impose
any charge for exchanges, although the Fund may impose a charge
in the future.
|
|
n
|
The exchanged shares may later be
exchanged for shares of the same class of the original Fund at
the next determined NAV without the imposition of an initial
sales charge or CDSC (but subject to any applicable redemption
fee) if the amount in the Fund resulting from such exchanges is
less than the largest amount on which you have previously paid
the applicable sales charge.
|
|
n
|
When you exchange shares subject to
a CDSC, no CDSC will be charged at that time. For purposes of
determining the amount of the applicable CDSC, the length of
time you have owned the shares will be measured from the date
you acquired the original shares subject to a CDSC and will not
be affected by a subsequent exchange.
|
|
n
|
Eligible investors may exchange
certain classes of shares for another class of shares of the
same Fund. For further information, contact your Authorized
Institution.
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|
n
|
All exchanges which represent an
initial investment in a Goldman Sachs Fund must satisfy the
minimum initial investment requirement of that Fund. This
requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Trust.
Exchanges into a money market fund need not meet the traditional
minimum investment requirements for that fund if the entire
balance of the original Fund account is exchanged.
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|
n
|
Exchanges are available only in
states where exchanges may be legally made.
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|
n
|
It may be difficult to make
telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market
conditions.
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43
|
|
|
|
n
|
Goldman Sachs and BFDS may use
reasonable procedures described under What Do I Need To
Know About Telephone Redemption Requests? in an effort to
prevent unauthorized or fraudulent telephone exchange requests.
|
|
n
|
Normally, a telephone exchange will
be made only to an identically registered account.
|
|
n
|
Exchanges into Goldman Sachs Funds
or certain share classes of Goldman Sachs Funds that are closed
to new investors may be restricted.
|
|
n
|
Exchanges into the Fund from
another Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to any redemption fee
imposed by the other Goldman Sachs Fund.
|
For federal income tax purposes, an exchange from one Goldman
Sachs Fund to another is treated as a redemption of the shares
surrendered in the exchange, on which you may be subject to tax,
followed by a purchase of shares received in the exchange.
Exchanges within Retirement Plan accounts will not result in
capital gains or loss for federal or state income tax purposes.
You should consult your tax adviser concerning the tax
consequences of an exchange.
SHAREHOLDER
SERVICES
Can
I Arrange To Have Automatic Investments Made On A Regular
Basis?
You may be able to make automatic investments in Class A
and Class C Shares through your bank via ACH transfer or
bank draft each month. The minimum dollar amount for this
service is $250 for the initial investment and $50 per month for
additional investments. Forms for this option are available
online at www.goldmansachsfunds.com and from your Authorized
Institution, or you may check the appropriate box on the Account
Application.
Can
My Dividends And Distributions From The Fund Be Invested In
Other Goldman Sachs Funds?
You may elect to cross-reinvest dividends and capital gains
distributions paid by a Fund in shares of the same class of
other Goldman Sachs Funds.
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|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV.
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|
|
|
|
n
|
You may elect cross-reinvestment
into an identically registered account or a similarly registered
account provided that at least one name on the account is
registered identically.
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|
|
n
|
You cannot make cross-reinvestments
into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Funds minimum
initial investment requirement is met.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
You should obtain and read the
prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which dividends are
invested.
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44
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
Can
I Arrange To Have Automatic Exchanges Made On A Regular
Basis?
You may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar
amount of Class A or Class C Shares of the Fund for
shares of the same class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.
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|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV if
a sales charge had been imposed on the initial purchase.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
You may elect cross-reinvestment
into an identically registered account or a similarly registered
account provided that at least one name on the account is
registered identically.
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|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares subject to a CDSC acquired
under this program may be subject to a CDSC at the time of
redemption from the Goldman Sachs Fund into which the exchange
is made depending upon the date and value of your original
purchase.
|
|
n
|
Automatic exchanges are made
monthly on the
15
th
day
of each month or the first business day thereafter.
|
|
n
|
Minimum dollar amount: $50 per
month.
|
|
n
|
You cannot make automatic exchanges
into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Funds minimum
initial investment requirement is met.
|
|
n
|
You should obtain and read the
prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which automatic
exchanges are made.
|
Can
I Have Systematic Withdrawals Made On A Regular Basis?
You may redeem from your Class A or Class C Share
account systematically via check or ACH transfer in any amount
of $50 or more.
|
|
|
|
n
|
It is normally undesirable to
maintain a systematic withdrawal plan at the same time that you
are purchasing additional Class A or Class C Shares
because of the sales charges that are imposed on certain
purchases of Class A Shares and because of the CDSCs that
are imposed on certain redemptions of Class A and
Class C Shares.
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|
|
|
|
n
|
Checks are normally mailed within
two business days after your selected systematic withdrawal date
of either the
15
th
or
25
th
of
the month. ACH payments may take up to three business days to
post to your account after your selected systematic withdrawal
date between, and including, the
3
rd
and
26
th
of
the month.
|
|
n
|
Each systematic withdrawal is a
redemption and therefore may be a taxable transaction.
|
|
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|
|
n
|
The CDSC applicable to Class A
or Class C Shares redeemed under the systematic withdrawal
plan may be waived. The Fund reserves the right to limit such
redemptions, on an annual basis, to 12% of the value of your
Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A
Shares.
|
45
What
Types Of Reports Will I Be Sent Regarding My
Investment?
Authorized Institutions and other financial intermediaries may
provide varying arrangements for their clients to purchase and
redeem Fund shares. In addition, Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries are responsible for providing to
you any communication from the Fund to its shareholders,
including but not limited to, prospectuses, prospectus
supplements, proxy materials and notices regarding the source of
dividend payments under Section 19 of the Investment
Company Act. They may charge additional fees not described in
this Prospectus to their customers for such services.
You will be provided with a printed confirmation of each
transaction in your account and a quarterly account statement if
you invest in Class A, Class C or Class IR Shares
and a monthly account statement if you invest in Institutional
Shares. If your account is held in street name
(
i.e.
through your Authorized Institution), you will
receive this information from your Authorized Institution.
You will also receive an annual shareholder report containing
audited financial statements and a semi-annual shareholder
report. If you have consented to the delivery of a single copy
of shareholder reports, prospectuses and other information to
all shareholders who share the same mailing address with your
account, you may revoke your consent at any time by contacting
Goldman Sachs Funds at the appropriate phone number or address
found on the back cover of this Prospectus. The Fund will begin
sending individual copies to you within 30 days after
receipt of your revocation. If your account is held through an
Authorized Institution, please contact the Authorized
Institution to revoke your consent.
The types of reports Class IR shareholders will receive depends
on the related arrangements in effect with respect to such
shareholders Retirement Plan or Eligible Fee-Based Program.
DISTRIBUTION
SERVICES AND FEES
What
Are The Different Distribution And/Or Service Fees Paid By
Class A and Class C Shares?
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a
Plan) under which Class A and Class C
Shares bear distribution and service fees paid to Goldman Sachs,
some of which Goldman Sachs may pay to Authorized Institutions.
These financial intermediaries seek distribution and/or
servicing fee revenues to, among other things, offset the cost
of servicing small and medium sized plan investors and providing
information about the Fund. If the fees received by Goldman
Sachs pursuant to the Plans exceed its expenses, Goldman Sachs
may realize a profit from
46
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
these arrangements. Goldman Sachs generally receives and pays
the distribution and service fees on a quarterly basis.
Under the Plans, Goldman Sachs is entitled to a monthly fee from
the Fund for distribution services equal, on an annual basis, to
0.25% and 0.75% respectively, of the Funds average daily
net assets attributed to Class A and Class C Shares.
Because these fees are paid out of the Funds assets on an
ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of
your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of
such charges.
The distribution fees are subject to the requirements of
Rule 12b-1
under the Investment Company Act, and may be used (among other
things) for:
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n
|
Compensation paid to and expenses
incurred by Authorized Institutions, Goldman Sachs and their
respective officers, employees and sales representatives;
|
|
n
|
Commissions paid to Authorized
Institutions;
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|
n
|
Allocable overhead;
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|
n
|
Telephone and travel expenses;
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|
n
|
Interest and other costs associated
with the financing of such compensation and expenses;
|
|
n
|
Printing of prospectuses for
prospective shareholders;
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|
n
|
Preparation and distribution of
sales literature or advertising of any type; and
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|
|
|
|
n
|
All other expenses incurred in
connection with activities primarily intended to result in the
sale of Class A and Class C Shares.
|
In connection with the sale of Class C Shares, Goldman
Sachs normally begins paying the 0.75% distribution fee as an
ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions after the shares
have been held for one year. Goldman Sachs normally begins
paying the annual 0.25% distribution fee for the Class A
Shares as an ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions
immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee
on a quarterly basis.
CLASS
C PERSONAL ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND FEES
Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to
receive a separate fee equal to an annual basis of 0.25% of the
Funds average daily net assets attributed to Class C
Shares. This fee is for personal and account maintenance
services, and may be used to make payments to Goldman Sachs,
Authorized Institutions and their officers, sales
representatives and employees for responding to inquiries of,
and furnishing assistance to, shareholders regarding ownership
of their shares or their accounts or similar services not
otherwise provided on behalf of the Fund. If the fees received
by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plans exceed its expenses,
Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this arrangement.
47
In connection with the sale of Class C Shares, Goldman
Sachs normally begins paying the 0.25% ongoing service fee to
Authorized Institutions after the shares have been held for one
year.
RESTRICTIONS
ON EXCESSIVE TRADING PRACTICES
Policies and Procedures on Excessive Trading
Practices.
In accordance with the policy adopted by
the Board of Trustees, the Trust discourages frequent purchases
and redemptions of Fund shares and does not permit market timing
or other excessive trading practices. Purchases and exchanges
should be made with a view to longer-term investment purposes
only that are consistent with the investment policies and
practices of the respective Fund. Excessive, short-term (market
timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management
strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm
Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund
shares held by longer-term shareholders. The Trust and Goldman
Sachs reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase or
exchange requests from any investor. The Trust and Goldman Sachs
will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase
or exchange orders. To minimize harm to the Trust and its
shareholders (or Goldman Sachs), the Trust (or Goldman Sachs)
will exercise this right if, in the Trusts (or Goldman
Sachs) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive
trading or if an investors trading, in the judgment of the
Trust (or Goldman Sachs), has been or may be disruptive to the
Fund. In making this judgment, trades executed in multiple
accounts under common ownership or control may be considered
together to the extent they can be identified. No waivers of the
provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market
timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that
would harm the Trust or its shareholders or would subordinate
the interests of the Trust or its shareholders to those of
Goldman Sachs or any affiliated person or associated person of
Goldman Sachs.
To deter excessive shareholder trading, certain Goldman Sachs
Funds (which are offered in separate prospectuses) impose a
redemption fee on redemptions made within 30 days of
purchase (60 days of purchase with respect to certain
Goldman Sachs Funds offered in other prospectuses), subject to
certain exceptions. As a further deterrent to excessive trading,
many foreign securities that may be held by the Fund are priced
by an independent pricing service using fair valuation. For more
information on fair valuation, please see Shareholder
GuideHow To Buy SharesHow Are Shares Priced?
Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Trustees of the
Trust, Goldman Sachs has developed criteria that it uses to
identify trading activity that may be excessive. Goldman Sachs
reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information
relating to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess
the likelihood that the
48
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its
excessive trading surveillance process, Goldman Sachs, on a
periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain
monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time.
Consistent with the standards described above, if, in its
judgment, Goldman Sachs detects excessive, short-term trading,
Goldman Sachs is authorized to reject or restrict a purchase or
exchange request and may further seek to close an
investors account with the Fund. Goldman Sachs may modify
its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time
without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive
trading or to address specific circumstances. Goldman Sachs will
apply the criteria in a manner that, in Goldman Sachs
judgment, will be uniform.
Fund shares may be held through omnibus arrangements maintained
by financial intermediaries such as broker-dealers, investment
advisers and insurance companies. In addition, Fund shares may
be held in omnibus 401(k) plans, employee benefit plans and
other group accounts. Omnibus accounts include multiple
investors and such accounts typically provide the Fund with a
net purchase or redemption request on any given day where the
purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by the investors are
netted against one another. The identity of individual investors
whose purchase and redemption orders are aggregated are
ordinarily not tracked by the Fund on a regular basis. A number
of these intermediaries may not have the capability or may not
be willing to apply the Funds market timing policies or
any applicable redemption fee. While Goldman Sachs may monitor
share turnover at the omnibus account level, the Funds
ability to monitor and detect market timing by shareholders or
apply any applicable redemption fee in these omnibus accounts
may be limited in certain circumstances, and certain of these
financial intermediaries may charge the Fund a fee for providing
certain shareholder information requested as part of the
Funds surveillance process. The netting effect makes it
more difficult to identify, locate and eliminate market timing
activities. In addition, those investors who engage in market
timing and other excessive trading activities may employ a
variety of techniques to avoid detection. There can be no
assurance that the Fund and Goldman Sachs will be able to
identify all those who trade excessively or employ a market
timing strategy, and curtail their trading in every instance. If
necessary, the Trust may prohibit additional purchases of Fund
shares by a financial intermediary or by certain of the
financial intermediarys customers. Financial
intermediaries may also monitor their customers trading
activities in the Fund. The criteria used by financial
intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from
the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails
to cooperate in the implementation or enforcement of the
Trusts excessive trading policies, the Trust may take
certain actions including terminating the relationship.
49
Taxation
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment
in the Fund will be taxed. The tax information below is provided
as general information. More tax information is available in the
SAI. You should consult your tax adviser about the federal,
state, local or foreign tax consequences of your investment in
the Fund. Except as otherwise noted, the tax information
provided assumes that you are a U.S. citizen or resident.
Unless your investment is through an IRA or other tax-advantaged
account, you should consider the possible tax consequences of
Fund distributions and the sale of your Fund shares.
DISTRIBUTIONS
The Fund contemplates declaring as dividends each year all or
substantially all of its taxable income. Distributions you
receive from the Fund are generally subject to federal income
tax, and may also be subject to state or local taxes. This is
true whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund
shares or receive them in cash. For federal tax purposes, the
Funds distributions attributable to net investment income
and short-term capital gains are distributions taxable to you as
ordinary income. Any long-term capital gains distributions are
taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have
owned your Fund shares.
Under current provisions of the Code, the maximum long-term
capital gain tax rate applicable to individuals, estates, and
trusts is 15%. Also, Fund distributions to noncorporate
shareholders attributable to dividends received by the Fund from
U.S. and certain qualified foreign corporations will generally
be taxed at the long-term capital gain rate, as long as certain
other requirements are met. For these lower rates to apply, the
noncorporate shareholder must own the relevant Fund shares for
at least 61 days during the
121-day
period beginning 60 days before the Funds ex-dividend
rate. The amount of the Funds distributions that would
otherwise qualify for this favorable tax treatment will be
reduced by a high portfolio turnover rate.
A sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain
rate will increase to 20% and the taxation of dividends at the
long-term capital gain rate will end after 2010.
Although distributions are generally treated as taxable to you
in the year they are paid, distributions declared in October,
November or December but paid in January
50
TAXATION
are taxable as if they were paid in December. A percentage of
the Funds dividends paid to corporate shareholders may be
eligible for the corporate dividend-received deduction. This
percentage may, however, be reduced by a high portfolio turnover
rate. It is not anticipated that any significant percentage of
the Funds dividends paid will be eligible for
dividends-received deduction. Character and tax status of all
distributions will be available to shareholders after the close
of each calendar year.
The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding or other foreign
taxes on income or gain from certain foreign securities. In
general, the Fund may deduct these taxes in computing its
taxable income. Rather than deducting these foreign taxes, the
Fund may make an election to treat a proportionate amount of
those taxes as constituting a distribution to each shareholder,
which would generally allow you either (i) to credit that
proportionate amount of taxes against U.S. Federal income tax
liability as a foreign tax credit or (ii) to take that
amount as an itemized deduction.
If you buy shares of the Fund before it makes a distribution,
the distribution will be taxable to you even though it may
actually be a return of a portion of your investment. This is
known as buying into a dividend.
SALES
AND EXCHANGES
Your sale of Fund shares is a taxable transaction for federal
income tax purposes, and may also be subject to state and local
taxes. For tax purposes, the exchange of your Fund shares for
shares of a different Goldman Sachs Fund is the same as a sale.
When you sell your shares, you will generally recognize a
capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference
between your adjusted tax basis in the shares and the amount
received. Generally, this capital gain or loss is long-term or
short-term depending on whether your holding period exceeds one
year, except that any loss realized on shares held for six
months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to
the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on
the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale, exchange
or redemption of shares of the Fund may be disallowed under
wash sale rules to the extent the shares disposed of
are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of
61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days
after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend
reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will
be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares
acquired.
51
OTHER
INFORMATION
When you open your account, you should provide your Social
Security Number or tax identification number on your Account
Application. By law, the Fund must withhold 28% of your taxable
distributions and any redemption proceeds if you do not provide
your correct taxpayer identification number, or certify that it
is correct, or if the IRS instructs the Fund to do so.
Non-U.S. investors are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax
and may be subject to U.S. estate tax. However, withholding is
generally not required on properly designated distributions to
non-U.S.
investors of long-term capital gains. More information about
U.S. taxation of
non-U.S. investors
is included in the SAI.
52
Appendix A
Additional Information on Portfolio
Risks, Securities and Techniques
A. General
Portfolio Risks
The Fund will be subject to the risks associated with equity
investments. Equity investments may include common
stocks, preferred stocks, interests in real estate investment
trusts, convertible debt obligations, convertible preferred
stocks, equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint
ventures, limited liability companies and similar enterprises,
warrants, stock purchase rights and synthetic and derivative
instruments (such as swaps and futures contracts) that have
economic characteristics similar to equity securities. In
general, the values of equity investments fluctuate in response
to the activities of individual companies and in response to
general market and economic conditions. Accordingly, the values
of the equity investments that the Fund holds may decline over
short or extended periods. The stock markets tend to be
cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and
periods when prices generally decline. This volatility means
that the value of your investment in the Fund may increase or
decrease. In recent years, certain stock markets have
experienced substantial price volatility. To the extent the
Funds net assets decrease or increase in the future due to
price volatility or share redemption or purchase activity, the
Funds expense ratio may correspondingly increase or
decrease from the expense ratio disclosed in this Prospectus.
To the extent that the Fund invests in fixed income securities,
the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with its
fixed income securities. These risks include interest rate risk,
credit/default risk and call/extension risk. In general,
interest rate risk involves the risk that when interest rates
decline, the market value of fixed income securities tends to
increase (although many mortgage-related securities will have
less potential than other debt securities for capital
appreciation during periods of declining rates). Conversely,
when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed income
securities tends to decline. Credit/default risk involves the
risk that an issuer or guarantor could default on its
obligations, and the Fund will not recover its investment. Call
risk and extension risk are normally present in mortgage-backed
securities and asset-backed securities. For example, homeowners
have the option to prepay their mortgages. Therefore, the
duration of a security backed by home mortgages can either
shorten (call risk) or lengthen (extension risk). In general, if
interest rates on new mortgage loans fall sufficiently below the
interest rates on existing outstanding mortgage loans, the rate
of prepayment would be expected to increase. Conversely, if
mortgage loan interest rates rise above the interest rates on
53
existing outstanding mortgage loans, the rate of prepayment
would be expected to decrease. In either case, a change in the
prepayment rate can result in losses to investors. The same
would be true of asset-backed securities such as securities
backed by car loans.
The Investment Adviser will not consider the portfolio turnover
rate a limiting factor in making investment decisions for the
Fund. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves
correspondingly greater expenses which must be borne by the Fund
and its shareholders, and also has the potential to result in
higher short-term capital gains taxable to shareholders. The
portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of
the dollar amount of sales or purchases of portfolio securities
by the average monthly value of the Funds portfolio
securities, excluding securities having a maturity at the date
of purchase of one year or less. See Financial
Highlights in Appendix B for a statement of the
Funds historical portfolio turnover rates.
The following sections provide further information on certain
types of securities and investment techniques that may be used
by the Fund, including their associated risks. Additional
information is provided in the SAI, which is available upon
request. Among other things, the SAI describes certain
fundamental investment restrictions that cannot be changed
without shareholder approval. You should note, however, that all
investment objectives and all investment policies not
specifically designated as fundamental are non-fundamental, and
may be changed without shareholder approval. If there is a
change in the Funds investment objective, you should
consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in
light of your then current financial position and needs.
B. Other
Portfolio Risks
Risks of Emerging Countries.
The Fund may
invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries.
Emerging countries are generally located in Asia, Africa,
Eastern Europe, Central and South America and the Middle East.
The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer
is located in an emerging country, and particularly where the
issuer is located in a N-11 country. The economies, industries,
securities and currency markets of the N-11 countries and other
emerging countries may be adversely affected by protectionist
trade policies, a slow U.S. economy, political and social
instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war,
including actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
The Funds purchase and sale of portfolio securities in
certain emerging countries may be constrained by limitations
relating to daily changes in the prices of listed securities,
periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on
aggregate holdings of foreign investors. Such limitations may be
computed based on the
54
APPENDIX
A
aggregate trading volume by or holdings of the Fund, the
Investment Adviser, its affiliates and their respective clients
and other service providers. The Fund may not be able to sell
securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement
volume limitations have been reached.
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging
countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees which
may limit investment in such countries or increase the
administrative costs of such investments. For example, certain
Asian countries require governmental approval prior to
investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign
persons to only a specified percentage of an issuers
outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which
may have less advantageous terms (including price) than
securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. In
addition, certain countries may restrict or prohibit investment
opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to
national interests. Such restrictions may affect the market
price, liquidity and rights of securities that may be purchased
by the Fund. The repatriation of both investment income and
capital from certain emerging countries is subject to
restrictions such as the need for governmental consents. In
situations where a country restricts direct investment in
securities (which may occur in certain Asian and other
countries), the Fund may invest in such countries through other
investment funds in such countries.
Many emerging countries have experienced currency devaluations
and substantial (and, in some cases, extremely high) rates of
inflation. Other emerging countries have experienced economic
recessions. These circumstances have had a negative effect on
the economies and securities markets of such emerging countries.
Economies in emerging countries generally are dependent heavily
upon commodity prices and international trade and, accordingly,
have been and may continue to be affected adversely by the
economies of their trading partners, trade barriers, exchange
controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and
other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the
countries with which they trade.
Many emerging countries are subject to a substantial degree of
economic, political and social instability. Governments of some
emerging countries are authoritarian in nature or have been
installed or removed as a result of military coups, while
governments in other emerging countries have periodically used
force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace
and success of democratization, and ethnic, religious and racial
disaffection, among other factors, have also led to social
unrest, violence and/or labor unrest in some emerging countries.
Unanticipated political or social developments may result in
sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in emerging
countries involves greater risk of loss due to expropriation,
nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the
imposition
55
of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of
capital invested. As an example, in the past, some Middle
Eastern and Southeast Asian governments have expropriated
substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the
property owners have never been fully settled. There is no
assurance that similar expropriations will not recur in Middle
Eastern and Southeast Asian or other countries.
The Funds investment in emerging countries may also be
subject to withholding or other taxes, which may be significant
and may reduce the return to the Fund from an investment in
issuers in such countries to the Fund.
Settlement procedures in emerging countries are frequently less
developed and reliable than those in the United States and may
involve the Funds delivery of securities before receipt of
payment for their sale. In addition, significant delays may
occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of
securities. Settlement or registration problems may make it more
difficult for the Fund to value its portfolio securities and
could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment
opportunities, to have a portion of its assets uninvested or to
incur losses due to the failure of a counterparty to pay for
securities the Fund has delivered or the Funds inability
to complete its contractual obligations because of theft or
other reasons.
The creditworthiness of the local securities firms used by the
Fund in emerging countries may not be as sound as the
creditworthiness of firms used in more developed countries. As a
result, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss if a
securities firm defaults in the performance of its
responsibilities.
The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in
certain emerging countries and the limited volume of trading in
securities in those countries may make the Funds
investments in such countries less liquid and more volatile than
investments in countries with more developed securities markets
(such as the United States, Japan and most Western European
countries). The Funds investments in emerging countries
are subject to the risk that the liquidity of a particular
investment, or investments generally, in such countries will
shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of
adverse economic, market or political conditions or adverse
investor perceptions, whether or not accurate. Because of the
lack of sufficient market liquidity, the Fund may incur losses
because it will be required to effect sales at a disadvantageous
time and only then at a substantial drop in price. Investments
in emerging countries may be more difficult to value precisely
because of the characteristics discussed above and lower trading
volumes.
The Funds use of foreign currency management techniques in
emerging countries may be limited. The Investment Adviser
anticipates that a significant portion of the
56
APPENDIX
A
Funds currency exposure in emerging countries may not be
covered by these techniques.
Risks of Foreign Investments.
The Fund will
make foreign investments. Foreign investments involve special
risks that are not typically associated with U.S. dollar
denominated or quoted securities of U.S. issuers. Foreign
investments may be affected by changes in currency rates,
changes in foreign or U.S. laws or restrictions applicable to
such investments and changes in exchange control regulations
(
e.g.
, currency blockage). A decline in the exchange rate
of the currency (
i.e.
, weakening of the currency
against the U.S. dollar) in which a portfolio security is quoted
or denominated relative to the U.S. dollar would reduce the
value of the portfolio security. In addition, if the currency in
which the Fund receives dividends, interest or other payments
declines in value against the U.S. dollar before such income is
distributed as dividends to shareholders or converted to U.S.
dollars, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities to
obtain sufficient cash to pay such dividends.
Brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs
relating to investment in international securities markets
generally are more expensive than in the United States. In
addition, clearance and settlement procedures may be different
in foreign countries and, in certain markets, such procedures
have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities
transactions, thus making it difficult to conduct such
transactions.
Foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting,
auditing and financial reporting standards comparable to those
applicable to U.S. issuers. There may be less publicly available
information about a foreign issuer than about a U.S. issuer. In
addition, there is generally less government regulation of
foreign markets, companies and securities dealers than in the
United States, and the legal remedies for investors may be more
limited than the remedies available in the United States.
Foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume
than U.S. securities markets and securities of many foreign
issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of
comparable domestic issuers. Furthermore, with respect to
certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of
nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation,
imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividend or interest
payments (or, in some cases, capital gains distributions),
limitations on the removal of funds or other assets from such
countries, and risks of political or social instability or
diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments
in those countries.
Concentration of the Funds assets in one or a few
countries and currencies will subject the Fund to greater risks
than if the Funds assets were not geographically
concentrated.
57
Investment in sovereign debt obligations by the Fund involves
risks not present in debt obligations of corporate issuers. The
issuer of the debt or the governmental authorities that control
the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay
principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of
such debt, and the Fund may have limited recourse to compel
payment in the event of a default. Periods of economic
uncertainty may result in the volatility of market prices of
sovereign debt, and in turn the Funds NAV, to a greater
extent than the volatility inherent in debt obligations of U.S.
issuers.
A sovereign debtors willingness or ability to repay
principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected
by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of
its foreign currency 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
sovereign debtors policy toward international lenders, and
the political constraints to which a sovereign debtor may be
subject.
Investments in foreign securities may take the form of sponsored
and unsponsored ADRs, GDRs, European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs) or other similar instruments representing
securities of foreign issuers. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs represent the
right to receive securities of foreign issuers deposited in a
bank or other depository. ADRs and certain GDRs are traded in
the United States. GDRs may be traded in either the United
States or in foreign markets. EDRs are traded primarily outside
the United States. Prices of ADRs are quoted in
U.S. dollars. EDRs and GDRs are not necessarily quoted in
the same currency as the underlying security.
Risk of Equity Swap Transactions.
Equity
swaps are two party contracts entered into primarily by
institutional investors. In a standard swap
transaction, the parties agree to pay or exchange the returns
(or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on a
particular predetermined asset (or group of assets) which may be
adjusted for transaction costs, interest payments, dividends
paid on the reference asset or other factors. The gross returns
to be paid or swapped between the parties are
generally calculated with respect to a notional
amount, for example, the increase or decrease in value of
a particular dollar amount invested in the asset.
Equity swaps may be structured in different ways. For example,
when the Fund takes a long position, a counterparty may agree to
pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of
the equity swap would have increased in value had it been
invested in a particular stock (or group of stocks), plus the
dividends that would have been received on the stock. In these
cases, the Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty interest on
the notional amount of the equity swap plus the amount, if any,
by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had
it been invested in such stock. Therefore, in this case the
return to the Fund on the equity swap should be the gain or loss
on the notional amount plus dividends on the
58
APPENDIX
A
stock less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.
In other cases, when the Fund takes a short position, a
counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by
which the notional amount of the equity swap would have
decreased in value had the Fund sold a particular stock (or
group of stocks) short, less the dividend expense that the Fund
would have paid on the stock, as adjusted for interest payments
or other economic factors.
Under an equity swap, payments may be made at the conclusion of
the equity swap or periodically during its term. Sometimes,
however, the Investment Adviser may be able to terminate a swap
contract prior to its term, subject to any potential termination
fee that is in addition to the Funds accrued obligations
under the swap. Equity swaps will be made in the
over-the-counter market and will be entered into with a
counterparty that typically will be an investment banking firm,
broker-dealer or bank.
Equity swaps are derivatives and their value can be very
volatile. To the extent that the Investment Adviser does not
accurately analyze and predict future market trends, the values
of assets or economic factors, the Fund may suffer a loss, which
may be substantial.
Risks of Investing in Small Capitalization and
Mid-Capitalization Companies.
The Fund may, to the
extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in small
and mid-capitalization companies. Investments in small and
mid-capitalization companies involve greater risk and portfolio
price volatility than investments in larger capitalization
stocks. Among the reasons for the greater price volatility of
these investments are the less certain growth prospects of
smaller firms and the lower degree of liquidity in the markets
for such securities. Small and mid-capitalization companies may
be thinly traded and may have to be sold at a discount from
current market prices or in small lots over an extended period
of time. In addition, these securities are subject to the risk
that during certain periods the liquidity of particular issuers
or industries, or all securities in particular investment
categories, will shrink or disappear suddenly and without
warning as a result of adverse economic or market conditions, or
adverse investor perceptions whether or not accurate. Because of
the lack of sufficient market liquidity, the Fund may incur
losses because it will be required to effect sales at a
disadvantageous time and only then at a substantial drop in
price. Small and mid-capitalization companies include
unseasoned issuers that do not have an established
financial history; often have limited product lines, markets or
financial resources; may depend on or use a few key personnel
for management; and may be susceptible to losses and risks of
bankruptcy. Small and mid-capitalization companies may be
operating at a loss or have significant variations in operating
results; may be engaged in a rapidly changing business with
products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence; may
59
require substantial additional capital to support their
operations, to finance expansion or to maintain their
competitive position; and may have substantial borrowings or may
otherwise have a weak financial condition. In addition, these
companies may face intense competition, including competition
from companies with greater financial resources, more extensive
development, manufacturing, marketing, and other capabilities,
and a larger number of qualified managerial and technical
personnel. Transaction costs for these investments are often
higher than those of larger capitalization companies.
Investments in small and mid-capitalization companies may be
more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities
because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.
Risks of Derivative Investments.
The Fund may
invest in derivative instruments including without limitation,
options, futures, options on futures, swaps, interest rate caps,
floors and collars, structured securities and derivatives
relating to foreign currency transactions. Investments in
derivative instruments may be for both hedging and nonhedging
purposes (that is, to seek to increase total return), although
suitable derivative instruments may not always be available to
the Investment Adviser for these purposes. Losses from
investments in derivative instruments can result from a lack of
correlation between changes in the value of derivative
instruments and the portfolio assets (if any) being hedged, the
potential illiquidity of the markets for derivative instruments,
the failure of the counterparty to perform its contractual
obligations, or the risks arising from margin requirements and
related leverage factors associated with such transactions. The
use of these management techniques also involves the risk of
loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation
of the timing or level of fluctuations in securities prices,
interest rates or currency prices. Investments in derivative
instruments may be harder to value, subject to greater
volatility and more likely subject to changes in tax treatment
than other investments. For these reasons, the Investment
Advisers attempts to hedge portfolio risks through the use
of derivative instruments may not be successful, and the
Investment Adviser may choose not to hedge certain portfolio
risks. Investing for nonhedging purposes is considered a
speculative practice and presents even greater risk of loss.
Risks of Illiquid Securities.
The Fund may
invest up to 15% of its Net Assets in illiquid securities which
cannot be disposed of in seven days in the ordinary course of
business at fair value. Illiquid securities include:
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Both domestic and foreign
securities that are not readily marketable
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Certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities
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Repurchase agreements and time
deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
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Certain over-the-counter options
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Certain structured securities and
swap transactions
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60
APPENDIX
A
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Certain restricted securities,
unless it is determined, based upon a review of the trading
markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted
security is liquid because it is so-called 4(2) commercial
paper or is otherwise eligible for resale pursuant to
Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933
(144A Securities).
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Investing in 144A Securities may decrease the liquidity of the
Funds portfolio to the extent that qualified institutional
buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these
restricted securities. The purchase price and subsequent
valuation of restricted and illiquid securities normally reflect
a discount, which may be significant, from the market price of
comparable securities for which a liquid market exists.
Securities purchased by the Fund, particularly debt securities
and over-the-counter traded securities, that are liquid at the
time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to events
relating to the issuer of the securities, markets events,
economic conditions or investor perceptions. Domestic and
foreign markets are becoming more and more complex and
interrelated, so that events in one sector of the market or the
economy, or in one geographical region, can reverberate and have
negative consequences for other market, economic or regional
sectors in a manner that may not be reasonably foreseen. With
respect to over-the-counter traded securities, the continued
viability of any over-the-counter secondary market depends on
the continued willingness of dealers and other participants to
purchase the securities.
If one or more instruments in the Funds portfolio become
illiquid, the Fund may exceed its 15 percent limitation in
illiquid instruments. In the event that changes in the portfolio
or other external events cause the investments in illiquid
instruments to exceed 15 percent of the Funds net assets,
the Fund must take steps to bring the aggregate amount of
illiquid instruments back within the prescribed limitations as
soon as reasonably practicable. This requirement would not force
the Fund to liquidate any portfolio instrument where the Fund
would suffer a loss on the sale of that instrument.
In cases where no clear indication of the value of the
Funds portfolio instruments is available, the portfolio
instruments will be valued at their fair value according to the
valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. These
cases include, among others, situations where the secondary
markets on which a security has previously been traded are no
longer viable for lack of liquidity. For more information on
fair valuation, please see Shareholder GuideHow to
Buy SharesHow Are Shares Priced?
61
Credit/Default Risks.
Debt securities
purchased by the Fund may include securities (including zero
coupon bonds) issued by the U.S. government (and its agencies,
instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises), foreign
governments, domestic and foreign corporations, banks and other
issuers. Some of these fixed income securities are described in
the next section below. Further information is provided in the
SAI.
Debt securities rated BBB or higher by Standard &
Poors, or Baa or higher by Moodys or having a
comparable rating by another NRSRO are considered
investment grade. Securities rated BBB or Baa are
considered medium-grade obligations with speculative
characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing
circumstances may weaken their issuers capacity to pay
interest and repay principal. A security will be deemed to have
met a rating requirement if it receives the minimum required
rating from at least one such rating organization even though it
has been rated below the minimum rating by one or more other
rating organizations, or if unrated by such rating
organizations, the security is determined by the Investment
Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. A security satisfies
the Funds minimum rating requirement regardless of its
relative ranking (for example, plus or minus) within a
designated major rating category (for example, BBB or Baa). If a
security satisfies the Funds minimum rating requirement at
the time of purchase and is subsequently downgraded below that
rating, the Fund will not be required to dispose of the
security. If a downgrade occurs, the Investment Adviser will
consider which action, including the sale of the security, is in
the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
Risks of Initial Public Offerings.
The Fund
may invest in IPOs. An IPO is a companys first offering of
stock to the public. IPO risk is the risk that the market value
of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as
the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the
small number of shares available for trading and limited
information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may
involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market
risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is
small, a significant portion of the Funds performance
could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such
investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the
Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds
investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will
decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because
of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to
hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may
increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead
to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and
transaction costs. By selling IPO shares, the Fund may realize
taxable gains it will subsequently distribute to shareholders.
In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or
inactive for extended periods of time. There is no assurance
that the Fund will be able to obtain allocable portions of IPO
shares. The limited number of shares
62
APPENDIX
A
available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult
for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares
without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Investors in
IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value
of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by
concentration of control in existing management and principal
shareholders.
Temporary Investment Risks.
The Fund may, for
temporary defensive purposes, invest a certain percentage of its
total assets in:
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U.S. government securities
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Commercial paper rated at least A-2
by Standard & Poors, P-2 by Moodys or having a
comparable rating by another NRSRO
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Certificates of deposit
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Bankers acceptances
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Repurchase agreements
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Non-convertible preferred stocks
and non-convertible corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of
less than one year
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Cash items
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When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments,
the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
Risk of Large Shareholder
Redemptions.
Certain funds, accounts or individuals
may from time to time own (beneficially or of record) or control
a significant percentage of the Funds shares. Redemptions
by these funds, accounts or individuals of their holdings in the
Fund may impact the Funds liquidity and NAV. These
redemptions may also force the Fund to sell securities, which
may negatively impact the Funds brokerage and tax costs.
C. Portfolio
Securities and Techniques
This section provides further information on certain types of
securities and investment techniques that may be used by the
Fund, including their associated risks.
The Fund may purchase other types of securities or instruments
similar to those described in this section if otherwise
consistent with the Funds investment objective and
policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
Convertible Securities.
The Fund may invest
in convertible securities. Convertible securities are preferred
stock or debt obligations that are convertible into common
stock. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or
dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar
quality. Convertible securities in which the
63
Fund invests are subject to the same rating criteria as its
other investments in fixed income securities. Convertible
securities have both equity and fixed income risk
characteristics. Like all fixed income securities, the value of
convertible securities is susceptible to the risk of market
losses attributable to changes in interest rates. Generally, the
market value of convertible securities tends to decline as
interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest
rates decline. However, when the market price of the common
stock underlying a convertible security exceeds the conversion
price of the convertible security, the convertible security
tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common
stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock
declines, the convertible security, like a fixed income
security, tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and thus
may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying
common stock.
Foreign Currency Transactions.
The Fund may,
to the extent consistent with its investment policies, purchase
or sell foreign currencies on a cash basis or through forward
contracts. A forward contract involves an obligation to purchase
or sell a specific currency at a future date at a price set at
the time of the contract. The Fund may engage in foreign
currency transactions for hedging purposes and to seek to
protect against anticipated changes in future foreign currency
exchange rates. In addition, the Fund may enter into foreign
currency transactions to seek a closer correlation between the
Funds overall currency exposures and the currency
exposures of the Funds performance benchmark. The Fund may
also enter into such transactions to seek to increase total
return, which is considered a speculative practice.
The Fund may also engage in cross-hedging by using forward
contracts in a currency different from that in which the hedged
security is denominated or quoted. The Fund may hold foreign
currency received in connection with investments in foreign
securities when, in the judgment of the Investment Adviser, it
would be beneficial to convert such currency into U.S. dollars
at a later date (
e.g.
, the Investment Adviser may
anticipate the foreign currency to appreciate against the U.S.
dollar).
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short
periods of time, causing, along with other factors, the
Funds NAV to fluctuate (when the Funds NAV
fluctuates, the value of your shares may go up or down).
Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by
the intervention of U.S. or foreign governments or central
banks, or the failure to intervene, or by currency controls or
political developments in the United States or abroad.
The market in forward foreign currency exchange contracts,
currency swaps and other privately negotiated currency
instruments offers less protection against defaults by the other
party to such instruments than is available for currency
64
APPENDIX
A
instruments traded on an exchange. Such contracts are subject to
the risk that the counterparty to the contract will default on
its obligations. Since these contracts are not guaranteed by an
exchange or clearinghouse, a default on a contract would deprive
the Fund of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the
benefits of a currency hedge or could force the Fund to cover
its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market
price.
As an investment company registered with the SEC, the Fund must
set aside (often referred to as asset
segregation) liquid assets, or engage in other appropriate
measures to cover open positions with respect to its
transactions in forward currency contracts.
Structured Securities.
The Fund may invest in
structured securities. Structured securities are securities
whose value is determined by reference to changes in the value
of specific currencies, securities, interest rates, commodities,
indices or other financial indicators (the
Reference) or the relative change in two or more
References. Investments in structured securities may provide
exposure to certain securities or markets in situations where
regulatory or other restrictions prevent direct investments in
such issuers or markets.
The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity
or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon
changes in the applicable Reference. Structured securities may
be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the
Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest
rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, changes
in the interest rates or the value of the security at maturity
may be a multiple of changes in the value of the Reference,
effectively leveraging the Funds investment so that small
changes in the value of the Reference may result in
disproportionate gains or losses to the Fund. Consequently,
structured securities may present a greater degree of market
risk than many types of securities and may be more volatile,
less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less
complex securities. Structured securities are also subject to
the risk that the issuer of the structured securities may fail
to perform its contractual obligations. Certain issuers of
structured products may be deemed to be investment companies as
defined in the Investment Company Act. As a result, the
Funds investments in structured securities may be subject
to the limits applicable to investments in other investment
companies.
REITs.
The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs
are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in either
real estate or real estate related loans. The value of a REIT is
affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the
REIT or securing mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are
dependent upon the ability of the REITs managers, and are
subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and
the qualification of the REITs under applicable regulatory
65
requirements for favorable income tax treatment. REITs are also
subject to risks generally associated with investments in real
estate including possible declines in the value of real estate,
general and local economic conditions, environmental problems
and changes in interest rates. To the extent that assets
underlying a REIT are concentrated geographically, by property
type or in certain other respects, these risks may be
heightened. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate
share of any expenses, including management fees, paid by a REIT
in which it invests.
Options on Securities, Securities Indices and Foreign
Currencies.
A put option gives the purchaser of the
option the right to sell, and the writer (seller) of the option
the obligation to buy, the underlying instrument during the
option period. A call option gives the purchaser of the option
the right to buy, and the writer (seller) of the option the
obligation to sell, the underlying instrument during the option
period. The Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options
and purchase put and call options on any securities in which the
Fund may invest or on any securities index consisting of
securities in which it may invest. The Fund may also, to the
extent consistent with its investment policies, purchase and
sell (write) put and call options on foreign currencies.
The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized
activity which involves special investment risks. Options may be
used for either hedging or cross-hedging purposes, or to seek to
increase total return (which is considered a speculative
activity). The successful use of options depends in part on the
ability of the Investment Adviser to anticipate future price
fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options
and securities (or currency) markets. If the Investment Adviser
is incorrect in its expectation of changes in market prices or
determination of the correlation between the instruments or
indices on which options are written and purchased and the
instruments in the Funds investment portfolio, the Fund
may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur. The use of
options can also increase the Funds transaction costs.
Options written or purchased by the Fund may be traded on either
U.S. or foreign exchanges or over-the-counter. Foreign and
over-the-counter options will present greater possibility of
loss because of their greater illiquidity and credit risks. When
writing an option, the Fund must set aside liquid
assets, or engage in other appropriate measures to
cover its obligation under the option contract.
Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures
Contracts.
Futures contracts are standardized,
exchange-traded contracts that provide for the sale or purchase
of a specified financial instrument or currency at a future time
at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the
purchaser the right (and the writer of the option the
obligation) to assume a position in a futures contract at a
specified exercise price within a specified period of time. A
swap on a futures contract
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APPENDIX
A
provides an investor with the ability to gain economic exposure
to a particular futures market; however, unlike a futures
contract that is
exchange-traded,
a swap on a futures contract is an
over-the-counter
transaction. A futures contract may be based on particular
securities, foreign currencies, securities indices and other
financial instruments and indices. The Fund may engage in
futures transactions on both U.S. and foreign exchanges.
The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, purchase and
write call and put options on futures contracts, and enter into
swaps on futures contracts in order to seek to increase total
return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities
prices or, to the extent the Fund invests in foreign securities,
currency exchange rates, or to otherwise manage its term
structure, sector selections and duration in accordance with its
investment objective and policies. The Fund may also enter into
closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such
contracts and options. The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has
claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term
commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange
Act, and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation
as a pool operator under that Act with respect to the Fund.
Futures contracts and related options and swaps present the
following risks:
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While the Fund may benefit from the
use of futures and options and swaps on futures, unanticipated
changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency
exchange rates may result in poorer overall performance than if
the Fund had not entered into any futures contracts, options
transactions or swaps.
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Because perfect correlation between
a futures position and a portfolio position that is intended to
be protected is impossible to achieve, the desired protection
may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to additional
risk of loss.
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The loss incurred by the Fund in
entering into futures contracts and in writing call options and
entering into swaps on futures is potentially unlimited and may
exceed the amount of the premium received.
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Futures markets are highly volatile
and the use of futures may increase the volatility of the
Funds NAV.
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n
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As a result of the low margin
deposits normally required in futures trading, a relatively
small price movement in a futures contract may result in
substantial losses to the Fund.
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Futures contracts and options and
swaps on futures may be illiquid, and exchanges may limit
fluctuations in futures contract prices during a single day.
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Foreign exchanges may not provide
the same protection as U.S. exchanges.
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The Fund must set aside liquid assets, or engage in
other appropriate measures to cover open positions
with respect to its transactions in futures contracts and
options and swaps on futures contracts. In the case of futures
contracts that do not
67
cash settle, for example, the Fund must set aside liquid assets
equal to the full notional value of the futures contracts while
the positions are open. With respect to futures contracts that
do cash settle, however, the Fund is permitted to set aside
liquid assets in an amount equal to the Funds daily
marked-to-market net obligations (
i.e.
the
Funds daily net liability) under the futures contracts, if
any, rather than their full notional value. The Fund reserves
the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future
to comply with any changes in the positions from time to time
articulated by the SEC or its staff regarding asset segregation.
By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under
cash-settled futures contracts, the Fund will have the ability
to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were
required to segregate assets equal to the full notional amount
of the futures contracts.
Direct Equity Investment.
The Fund may invest
up to 15% of its net assets in direct equity investments in
certain N-11 countries. The Fund may invest in direct equity
investments that the Investment Adviser expects will become
listed or otherwise publicly traded securities. Direct equity
investments consist of (i) the private purchase from an
enterprise of an equity interest in the enterprise in the form
of shares of common stock or equity interests in trusts,
partnerships, joint ventures or similar enterprises, and
(ii) the purchase of such an equity interest in an
enterprise from a principal investor in the enterprise. Direct
equity investments are generally considered to be illiquid. To
the degree that the Fund invests in direct equity investments
that it considers to be illiquid, it will limit such investments
so that they, together with the Funds other illiquid
investments, comply with the Funds investment restriction
on illiquid securities.
In most cases, the Fund will, at the time of making a direct
equity investment, enter into a shareholder or similar agreement
with the enterprise and one or more other holders of equity
interests in the enterprise. The Investment Adviser anticipates
that these agreements may, in appropriate circumstances, provide
the Fund with the ability to appoint a representative to the
board of directors or similar body of the enterprise, and
eventually to dispose of the Funds investment in the
enterprise through, for example, the listing of the securities
or the sale of the securities to the issuer or another investor.
In cases where the Fund appoints a representative, the
representative would be expected to provide the Fund with the
ability to monitor its investment and protect its rights in the
investment and will not be appointed for the purpose of
exercising management or control of the enterprise. In addition,
the Fund intends to make its direct equity investments in such a
manner as to avoid subjecting the Fund to unlimited liability
with respect to the investments. There can be no assurance that
the Funds direct equity investments will become listed, or
that it will be able to sell any direct equity investment to the
issuer or another investor.
68
APPENDIX
A
The extent to which the Fund may make direct equity investments
may be limited by considerations relating to its status as a
regulated investment company.
Direct equity investments in the N-11 countries may involve a
high degree of business and financial risk that can result in
substantial losses. Because of the absence of a public trading
market for these investments, the Fund may take longer to
liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly
traded securities and the prices on these sales could be less
than those originally paid by the Fund or less than what may be
considered the fair value of such securities. Further, issuers
whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to
disclosure and other investor protection requirements applicable
to publicly traded securities. If such securities are required
to be registered under the securities laws of one or more
jurisdictions before being resold, the Fund may be required to
bear the expenses of registration. Certain of the Funds
direct equity investments may include investments in smaller,
less-seasoned companies, which may involve greater risks. These
companies may have limited product lines, markets of financial
resources, or they may be dependent on a limited management
group.
Equity Swaps.
The Fund may invest in equity
swaps. Equity swaps allow the parties to a swap agreement to
exchange the dividend income or other components of return on an
equity investment (for example, a group of equity securities or
an index) for a component of return on another non-equity or
equity investment.
An equity swap may be used by the Fund to invest in a market
without owning or taking physical custody of securities in
circumstances in which direct investment may be restricted for
legal reasons or is otherwise deemed impractical or
disadvantageous. Equity swaps are derivatives and their value
can be very volatile. To the extent that the Investment Adviser
does not accurately analyze and predict the potential relative
fluctuation of the components swapped with another party, the
Fund may suffer a loss, which may be substantial. The value of
some components of an equity swap (such as the dividends on a
common stock) may also be sensitive to changes in interest
rates. Furthermore, the Fund may suffer a loss if the
counterparty defaults. Because equity swaps are normally
illiquid, the Fund may be unable to terminate its obligations
when desired. When entering into swap contracts, the Fund must
set aside liquid assets, or engage in other
appropriate measures to cover its obligation under
the swap contract.
When-Issued Securities and Forward
Commitments.
The Fund may purchase when-issued
securities and make contracts to purchase or sell securities for
a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time.
When-issued securities are securities that have been authorized,
but not yet issued. When-issued securities are purchased in
order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price
and yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the
transaction. A forward
69
commitment involves the entering into a contract to purchase or
sell securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond the
customary settlement period.
The purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward
commitment basis involves a risk of loss if the value of the
security to be purchased declines before the settlement date.
Conversely, the sale of securities on a forward commitment basis
involves the risk that the value of the securities sold may
increase before the settlement date. Although the Fund will
generally purchase securities on a when-issued or forward
commitment basis with the intention of acquiring the securities
for its portfolio, the Fund may dispose of when-issued
securities or forward commitments prior to settlement if the
Investment Adviser deems it appropriate. When purchasing a
security on a when-issued basis or entering into a forward
commitment, the Fund must set aside liquid assets,
or engage in other appropriate measures to cover its
obligations.
Repurchase Agreements.
Repurchase agreements
involve the purchase of securities subject to the sellers
agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and
price. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with
securities dealers and banks which furnish collateral at least
equal in value or market price to the amount of their repurchase
obligation.
If the other party or seller defaults, the Fund
might suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the
sale of the underlying securities and other collateral held by
the Fund are less than the repurchase price and the Funds
costs associated with delay and enforcement of the repurchase
agreement. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy of the
seller, the Fund could suffer additional losses if a court
determines that the Funds interest in the collateral is
not enforceable.
The Fund, together with other registered investment companies
having advisory agreements with the Investment Adviser or any of
its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into a
single joint account, the daily aggregate balance of which will
be invested in one or more repurchase agreements.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Rights.
The
Fund may invest in preferred stock, warrants and rights.
Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership
interest providing the holder with claims on the issuers
earnings and assets before common stock owners but after bond
owners. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of
preferred stock, including dividend and other payment
obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of
such preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default or
other non-compliance by the issuer of the preferred stock.
Warrants and other rights are options to buy a stated number of
shares of common stock at a specified price at any time during
the life of the warrant or right. The
70
APPENDIX
A
holders of warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no
dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the
issuer.
Other Investment Companies.
The Fund may
invest in securities of other investment companies, including
ETFs such as
iShares
SM
,
subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the Investment
Company Act. These limitations include in certain circumstances
a prohibition on the Fund acquiring more than 3% of the voting
shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on
investing more than 5% of a Funds total assets in
securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its
total assets in securities of all investment companies. Many
ETFs, however, have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to
permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETFs shares
beyond these statutory limitations, subject to certain
conditions and pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the
ETFs and the investing funds. The Fund may rely on these
exemptive orders to invest in unaffiliated ETFs.
The use of ETFs is intended to help the Fund match the total
return of the particular market segments or indices represented
by those ETFs, although that may not be the result. Most ETFs
are investment companies whose shares are purchased and sold on
a securities exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of
securities designed to track a particular market segment or
index. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same
primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund
(
i.e.
, one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same
investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, an
ETF may fail to accurately track the market segment or index
that underlies its investment objective. The price of an ETF can
fluctuate, and the Fund could lose money investing in an ETF.
Moreover, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not
apply to conventional funds: (i) the market price of the
ETFs shares may trade at a premium or a discount to their
net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an
ETFs shares may not develop or be maintained; and
(iii) there is no assurance that the requirements of the
exchange necessary to maintain the listing of an ETF will
continue to be met or remain unchanged.
Pursuant to an exemptive order obtained from the SEC or under an
exemptive rule adopted by the SEC, the Fund may invest in other
investment companies and money market funds beyond the statutory
limits described above. Some of those investment companies and
money market funds may be funds for which the Investment Adviser
or any of its affiliates serves as investment adviser,
administrator or distributor.
The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any
management fees and other expenses paid by such other investment
companies. Although the Fund does not expect to do so in the
foreseeable future, the Fund is authorized to invest
substantially all of its assets in a single open-end investment
company or series
71
thereof that has substantially the same investment objective,
policies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund.
Unseasoned Companies.
The Fund may invest in
companies which (together with their predecessors) have operated
less than three years. The securities of such companies may have
limited liquidity, which can result in their being priced higher
or lower than might otherwise be the case. In addition,
investments in unseasoned companies are more speculative and
entail greater risk than do investments in companies with an
established operating record.
Corporate Debt Obligations.
Corporate debt
obligations include bonds, notes, debentures, commercial paper
and other obligations of corporations to pay interest and repay
principal. The Fund may invest in corporate debt obligations
issued by U.S. and certain non-U.S. issuers which issue
securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and
Euro obligations). In addition to obligations of corporations,
corporate debt obligations include securities issued by banks
and other financial institutions and supranational entities
(
i.e.
, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund,
etc.).
U.S. Government Securities.
The Fund may
invest in U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government Securities
include U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued or
guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or
sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government Securities may be
supported by (i) the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Treasury; (ii) the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury; (iii) the discretionary authority of the
U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the issuer;
or (iv) only the credit of the issuer. U.S. Government
Securities also include Treasury receipts, zero coupon bonds and
other stripped U.S. Government Securities, where the interest
and principal components of stripped U.S. Government Securities
are traded independently. U.S. Government Securities may also
include Treasury inflation-protected securities whose principal
value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of
inflation.
Custodial Receipts and Trust
Certificates.
The Fund may invest in custodial
receipts and trust certificates representing interests in
securities held by a custodian or trustee. The securities so
held may include U.S. Government Securities or other types
of securities in which the Fund may invest. The custodial
receipts or trust certificates may evidence ownership of future
interest payments, principal payments or both on the underlying
securities, or, in some cases, the payment obligation of a third
party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other
arrangement with the custodian or trustee. For certain
securities laws purposes, custodial receipts and trust
certificates may not be considered obligations of the
U.S. government or other issuer of the securities held by
the custodian or trustee. If for tax purposes the Fund is not
considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in
the custodial
72
APPENDIX
A
or trust account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences.
As a holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates, the
Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses
charged to the custodial account or trust. The Fund may also
invest in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and
trust certificates.
Borrowings.
The Fund can borrow money from
banks and other financial institutions in amounts not exceeding
one-third of its total assets for temporary or emergency
purposes. The Fund may not make additional investments if
borrowings exceed 5% of its total assets.
73
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of
the date of this Prospectus, financial highlights are not
available.
74
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Fundamental
Emerging Markets Equity Fund N-11 Equity Fund
Prospectus
FOR
MORE INFORMATION
Annual/Semi-annual
Report
Additional information about the Funds investments will be
available in the Funds annual and semi-annual reports to
shareholders. In the Funds annual report, you will find a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies
that significantly affected the Funds performance during
the last fiscal year.
Statement
of Additional Information
Additional information about the Fund and its policies is also
available in the Funds SAI. The SAI is incorporated by
reference into this Prospectus (is legally considered part of
this Prospectus).
The Funds annual and semi-annual reports (when available),
and the SAI, are available free upon request by calling Goldman
Sachs at
1-800-526-7384.
You can also access and download the annual and semi-annual
reports and the SAI at the Funds website:
http://www.goldmansachsfunds.com/summaries
.
From time to time certain announcements and other information
regarding the Funds may be found at
http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/individuals
for individual investors,
http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/institutions
for institutional investors or
http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/advisors
for advisors.
To obtain other information and for shareholder inquiries:
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Institutional
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Class A, C & IR
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telephone:
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1-800-526-7384
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By
mail:
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Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 06050
Chicago, IL 60606
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Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 219711
Kansas City, MO 64121
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n
On
the Internet:
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SEC EDGAR database http://www.sec.gov
|
You may review and obtain copies of Fund documents (including
the SAI) by visiting the SECs public reference room in
Washington, D.C. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents,
after paying a duplicating fee, by writing to the SECs
Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by
electronic request to: publicinfo@sec.gov. Information on the
operation of the public reference room may be obtained by
calling the SEC at
(202) 551-8090.
The Funds investment company registration number is
811-05349.
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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[CODE]
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PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DATED DECEMBER 3, 2010
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities
until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is
not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PART B
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DATED
[ ]
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FUND
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Class A Shares
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Class B Shares
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Institutional Shares
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Class IR Shares
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GOLDMAN SACHS
N-11 EQUITY FUND
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[
]
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[
]
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[
]
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[
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(Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio of Goldman Sachs Trust)
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
This Statement of Additional Information (the SAI) is not a Prospectus. This SAI should be
read in conjunction with the Prospectus for the Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund dated
[
]
(the
Prospectus), as it may be further amended and/or supplemented from time to time, which may be
obtained without charge from Goldman, Sachs & Co. by calling the telephone number, or writing to
one of the addresses, listed below or from institutions (Authorized Institutions) acting on
behalf of their customers.
The Funds Annual Report (when available) may be obtained upon request and without charge by
calling Goldman, Sachs & Co. toll free at 1-800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C and Class IR
Shareholders) or 1-800-621-2550 (for Institutional Shareholders).
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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EX-99.A.59
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The date of this SAI is
[ ]
.
-i-
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET
MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL
Investment Adviser
Christchurch Court
10-15 Newgate Street
London, England EC1A7HD
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
Distributor
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
Transfer Agent
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
Toll free (in U.S.) 800-621-2550 (for Institutional Shareholders) or 800-526-7384 (for Class A,
Class C and Class IR Shareholders)
B-1
INTRODUCTION
Goldman Sachs Trust (the Trust) is an open-end, management investment company. The Trust is
organized as a Delaware statutory trust and was established by a Declaration of Trust dated January
28, 1997. The Trust is a successor to a Massachusetts business trust that was combined with the
Trust on April 30, 1997. The following series of the Trust is described in this SAI: Goldman Sachs
N-11 Equity Fund (the Fund).
The Trustees of the Trust have authority under the Declaration of Trust to create and classify
shares into separate series and to classify and reclassify any series or portfolio of shares into
one or more classes without further action by shareholders and have created the Fund and other
series pursuant thereto. Additional series may be added in the future from time to time. The Fund
currently offers four classes of shares: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, and
Class IR Shares. See Shares of the Trust.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (GSAMI), an affiliate of Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. (GSAM) and Goldman, Sachs & Co. (Goldman Sachs), serves as the investment
adviser to the Fund. GSAMI is referred to herein as the Investment Adviser. In addition, Goldman
Sachs serves as the Funds distributor and transfer agent. The Funds custodian is JPMorganChase
Bank, N.A. (JPMorganChase)..
The following information relates to and supplements the description of the Funds investment
policies contained in the Prospectuses. See the Prospectuses for a more complete description of the
Funds investment objective and policies. Investing in the Fund entails certain risks and there is
no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Capitalized terms used but not
defined herein have the same meaning as in the Prospectuses.
B-2
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
The Fund has a distinct investment objective and policies. There can be no assurance that the
Funds investment objective will be achieved. The Fund is an open-end management company (as
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Act)). The investment objective
and policies of the Fund, and the associated risks of the Fund, are discussed in the Funds
Prospectuses, which should be read carefully before an investment is made. All investment
objectives and investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental may be changed
without shareholder approval. However, to the extent required by U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) regulations, shareholders will be provided with sixty (60) days notice in the
manner prescribed by the SEC before any change in the Funds policy to invest at least 80% of its
net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) in the
particular type of investment suggested by its name. Additional information about the Fund, its
policies, and the investment instruments it may hold, is provided below.
The Funds share price will fluctuate with market, economic and foreign exchange conditions,
so that an investment in the Fund may be worth more or less when redeemed than when purchased. The
Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program.
The following discussion supplements the information in the Funds Prospectuses.
General Information Regarding The Fund
The Investment Adviser may purchase for the Fund common stocks, preferred stocks, interests in
real estate investment trusts, convertible debt obligations, convertible preferred stocks, equity
interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and similar
enterprises, warrants and stock purchase rights, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global
Depositary Receipts (GDRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) or similar instruments
representing securities of foreign issuers and synthetic and derivative instruments that have
economic characteristics similar to equity securities (equity investments). The Investment
Adviser utilizes first-hand fundamental research, including visiting company facilities to assess
operations and to meet decision-makers, in choosing the Funds securities. The Investment Adviser
may also use macro analysis of numerous economic and valuation variables to anticipate changes in
company earnings and the overall investment climate. The Investment Adviser is able to draw on the
research and market expertise of the Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research Department and other
affiliates of the Investment Adviser, as well as information provided by other securities dealers.
Equity investments in the Funds portfolio will generally be sold when the Investment Adviser
believes that the market price fully reflects or exceeds the investments fundamental valuation or
when other more attractive investments are identified.
Actively Managed International Funds.
The Fund is managed using an active international
approach, which utilizes a consistent process of stock selection undertaken by portfolio management
teams located within each of the major investment regions, including Europe, Japan, Asia and the
United States. In selecting securities, the Investment Adviser uses a bottom-up strategy based on
first-hand fundamental research that is designed to give broad exposure to the available
opportunities while seeking to add return primarily through stock selection. Equity investments for
the Fund are evaluated based on three key factorsthe business, the management and the valuation.
The Investment Adviser ordinarily seeks securities that have, in the Investment Advisers opinion,
superior earnings growth potential, sustainable franchise value with management attuned to creating
shareholder value and relatively discounted valuations. In addition, the Investment Adviser uses a
multi-factor risk model which seeks to ensure that deviations from the benchmark are justifiable.
Additionally, although the focus is bottom-up, the Investment Adviser still considers the macro
factors affecting various countries from the view of the individual investor.
B-3
Additional Information About The Fund
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets plus any
borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of investment) (Net Assets) in a
portfolio of equity investments in companies located in Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines,
South Korea, Turkey and Vietnam (together with Iran, in which the
Fund will not currently invest, the N-11 countries) or in issuers that participate in the markets of the N-11 countries. An issuer
participates in the markets of the N-11 countries if the issuer:
- Has a class of its securities whose principal securities market is in a N-11 country;
- Is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, a N-11 country;
- Derives 50% or more of its total revenue or profit from goods produced, sales made or
services provided in one or more N-11 countries; or
- Maintains 50% or more of its assets in one or more N-11 countries.
To the extent required by SEC regulations, shareholders will be provided with sixty days
notice in the manner prescribed by the SEC before any change in the Funds policy to invest at
least 80% of its Net Assets in the particular type of investment suggested by its name.
Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea,
Turkey and Vietnam have been identified by the Goldman Sachs Global
Economics, Commodities, and Strategy Research Team as the Next Eleven (N-11) countries that could potentially have a Brazil,
Russia, India and China (BRIC)-like impact in rivaling the G-7. Only securities open to foreign ownership by U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund, and in some instances the
Fund may be subject to foreign ownership limitations in these countries.
The Fund will not currently invest in Iran. The Fund may not be
invested in all of the N-11 countries at all times.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities, including common or ordinary stocks,
ADRs, GDRs, preferred stock, convertible securities, investment
companies (including other mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs)), and rights and warrants.
The Funds equity investments may also include equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation
notes, options and other derivatives and structured securities to gain broad access to markets that may be
difficult to access via direct investment in equity securities.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong valuation discipline to purchase what the
Investment Adviser believes are well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. Allocation of the Funds investments is determined by the
Investment Advisers assessment of a companys upside potential and downside risk, how attractive
it appears relative to the Funds other holdings, and how the addition will impact the Funds
sector and industry weightings. The largest weightings are given to companies the Investment
Adviser believes have the most upside return potential relative to their contribution to overall
portfolio risk. The Funds investments may include companies of all capitalization sizes.
The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in developed country
investments and other emerging country investments, as well as in fixed income investments.
THE FUND IS NON-DIVERSIFIED UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT, AND MAY INVEST MORE OF ITS
ASSETS IN FEWER ISSUERS THAN DIVERSIFIED MUTUAL FUNDS.
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions in attempting to respond
to adverse market, political or other conditions. For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may
invest a certain percentage of its total assets in U.S. government securities, commercial paper
rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poors Rating Group (Standard & Poors), P-2 by Moodys
Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) or having a comparable rating by another nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (NRSRO), certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances,
repurchase agreements, non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate
B-4
bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year, cash, cash equivalents and certain
ETFs.
When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund
may not be achieving its investment objective.
DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND PRACTICES
Foreign Securities
The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers. The Fund will invest primarily in
foreign securities under normal circumstances.
Investments in foreign securities may offer potential benefits not available from investments
solely in U.S. dollar-denominated or quoted securities of domestic issuers. Such benefits may
include the opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear, in the opinion of the Investment
Adviser, to offer the potential for better long-term growth of capital and income than investments
in U.S. securities, the opportunity to invest in foreign countries with economic policies or
business cycles different from those of the United States and the opportunity to reduce
fluctuations in portfolio value by taking advantage of foreign securities markets that do not
necessarily move in a manner parallel to U.S. markets. Investing in the securities of foreign
issuers also involves, however, certain special risks, including those discussed in the Funds
Prospectus and those set forth below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S.
dollar-denominated securities or quoted securities of U.S. issuers.
With any investment in foreign securities, there exist certain economic, political and social
risks, including the risk of adverse political developments, nationalization, confiscation without
fair compensation or war. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the
U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital
reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Investments the
securities of foreign issuers often involve currencies of foreign countries. Accordingly, the Fund
may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control
regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. The Fund
may be subject to currency exposure independent of its securities positions. To the extent that the
Fund is fully invested in foreign securities while also maintaining net currency positions, it may
be exposed to greater combined risk.
Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. They generally
are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative
merits of investments in different countries, actual or anticipated changes in interest rates and
other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency exchange rates also can
be affected unpredictably by intervention by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or the
failure to intervene or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or
abroad.
Because foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and
financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S.
companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a
U.S. company. Volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets are less than in the United
States and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities
of comparable U.S. companies. The securities of foreign issuers may be listed on foreign securities
exchanges or traded in foreign over-the-counter markets. Fixed commissions on foreign securities
exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the Fund
endeavors to achieve the most favorable net results on its portfolio transactions. There is
generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers,
dealers and listed and unlisted companies than in the United States, and the legal remedies for
investors may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain
markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in
settlement could result in temporary periods when some of the Funds assets are uninvested and no
return is earned on such assets. The inability of the Fund to make intended security purchases due
to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability
to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the
Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities or, if the Fund has entered
into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. In
addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or
confiscatory taxation, limitations on the movement of funds and other assets between different
countries, political or social instability, or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect
the Funds investments in those countries. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ
favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national
product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments
position.
B-5
Custodial and/or settlement systems in emerging markets may not be fully developed. The assets
of the Fund that are traded in such markets and which have been entrusted to such sub-custodians
may be exposed to risk in circumstances where the sub-custodian will have no liability.
The Fund may invest in foreign securities which take the form of sponsored and unsponsored
ADRs and GDRs and may also invest in European Depository Receipts (EDRs) or other similar
instruments representing securities of foreign issuers (together, Depositary Receipts).
ADRs represent the right to receive securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank
or a correspondent bank. ADRs are traded on domestic exchanges or in the U.S. over-the-counter
market and, generally, are in registered form. EDRs and GDRs are receipts evidencing an arrangement
with a non-U.S. bank similar to that for ADRs and are designed for use in the non-U.S. securities
markets. EDRs and GDRs are not necessarily quoted in the same currency as the underlying security.
To the extent the Fund acquires Depositary Receipts through banks which do not have a
contractual relationship with the foreign issuer of the security underlying the Depositary Receipts
to issue and service such unsponsored Depositary Receipts, there may be an increased possibility
that the Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to corporate actions such as stock
splits or rights offerings involving the foreign issuer in a timely manner. In addition, the lack
of information may result in inefficiencies in the valuation of such instruments. Investment in
Depositary Receipts does not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in securities of
non-U.S. issuers. The market value of Depositary Receipts is dependent upon the market value of the
underlying securities and fluctuations in the relative value of the currencies in which the
Depositary Receipts and the underlying securities are quoted. However, by investing in Depositary
Receipts, such as ADRs, that are quoted in U.S. dollars, the Fund may avoid currency risks during
the settlement period for purchases and sales.
As described more fully below, the Fund may invest in countries with emerging economies or
securities markets. Political and economic structures in many of such countries may be undergoing
significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and
economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Certain of such countries have in
the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated
the assets of private companies. As a result, the risks described above, including the risks of
nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. See Investing in Emerging
Countries below.
Foreign Government Obligations.
The Fund may invest in foreign government obligations,
including securities, instruments and obligations issued or guaranteed by a foreign government, its
agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Investment in foreign government obligations
can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of foreign
government obligations may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due
in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entitys 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 entitys policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political
constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be
dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others
abroad to reduce principal and interest on their debt. The commitment on the part of these
governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a governmental
entitys implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of
such debtors 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
debtors ability or willingness to services its debts in a timely manner. Consequently,
governmental entities may default on their debt. Holders of foreign government obligations
(including the Fund) may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend
further loans to governmental agencies.
Investing in Emerging Countries
. The Fund is intended for long-term investors who can accept
the risks associated with investing primarily in equity and equity-related securities of foreign
issuers, including emerging country issuers, as well as the risks associated with investments
quoted or denominated in foreign currencies.
The securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid and subject to greater price
volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the U.S. securities markets. In certain
countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few
issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive
and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government
regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits
appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not
B-6
reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial
statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about
emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.
Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market
capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of
industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of
investors. The markets for securities in certain emerging countries are in the earliest stages of
their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries
may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or
trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of
developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be
erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the
securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large
positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less
extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of
such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect the Funds
ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the
price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.
With respect to investments in certain emerging market countries, antiquated legal systems may
have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in
a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of
the shareholders investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging
market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more
limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations.
Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries
may be higher than in the United States and other developed securities markets. In addition,
existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging
countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and
regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and
equitable enforcement of the law.
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or
controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit the Funds investment in certain
emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require
governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign
persons to only a specified percentage of an issuers outstanding securities or a specific class of
securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company
available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and
capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents
or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction
on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the
operation of the Fund. The Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other
arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.
Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and
social instability and disruption than is the case in the United States, Japan and most Western
European countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i)
authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making,
including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means; (ii)
popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii)
internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and
racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing
foreign private investments and private property. Such economic, political and social instability
could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Fund may invest and adversely affect the
value of the Funds assets. The Funds investments can also be adversely affected by any increase
in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.
The economies of emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such
respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources,
self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and
continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times
accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and
sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging
countries, on the other hand, have recently experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic
recessions. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade
and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their
trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries are vulnerable to weakness
in world prices for their commodity exports.
B-7
The Funds income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign stocks and securities will be
subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties
between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise
applicable tax rates. See TAXATION.
Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain
markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in
settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of the Fund remain
uninvested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of the Fund to make intended
security purchases or sales due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund
due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities or, if the Fund has entered into a
contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.
Investing in the N-11 countries.
Investments in N-11 countries involve additional
and/or enhanced risks than investments in traditional emerging markets countries.
Investing in Bangladesh.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Bangladesh presents additional risks.
The capital markets of Bangladesh are often subject to extreme fluctuations. Stock market
activity in Bangladesh focuses on a small number of companies representing a limited number of
industries, resulting in a potential lack of liquidity and price volatility. In addition, a high
proportion of the equity securities listed on the principal exchanges in Bangladesh are closely
held and the number of shares currently available for acquisition by the Fund may be very limited.
It may, therefore, be difficult for the Fund to obtain a desired level of investment in Bangladesh
or to realize the Funds investments at the prices and times that it would wish to do so. The
value of the Funds investments in Bangladesh may be affected by uncertainties such as political or
social instability, or changes in any law or regulations of the country.
Investing in Egypt.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Egypt presents additional risks.
Local political, economic and other uncertainties may adversely affect investments in Egypt.
These uncertainties include: the risk of war, general strikes, civil unrest, expropriation, forced
renegotiation or modification of existing contracts, and import, export and transportation
regulations and tariffs; taxation policies, including royalty and tax increases and retroactive tax
claims; exchange controls, currency fluctuations, devaluation or other activities that limit or
disrupt markets and restrict payments or the movement of funds, and other uncertainties arising out
of foreign government sovereignty over international operations; laws and policies of the United
States affecting foreign trade, taxation and investment.
Investing in Indonesia.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Indonesia presents additional risks.
Risks of investing in Indonesia generally include, among others, fluctuations in currency
exchange rates, the inaccuracy or unavailability of key information, and expropriation,
nationalization or the imposition of capital or currency controls or punitive taxes. Other risks of
investing in Indonesian securities include liquidity and valuation risks.
The Indonesian securities market is an emerging market characterized by a small number of
company listings, high price volatility and a relatively illiquid secondary trading environment.
These factors, coupled with restrictions on investment by foreigners and other factors, limit the
supply of securities available for investment by the Fund. This will affect the rate at which the
Fund is able to invest in Indonesian securities, the purchase and sale prices for such securities
and the timing of purchases and sales.
The limited liquidity of the Indonesian securities markets may also affect the Funds ability
to acquire or dispose of securities at a price and time that it wishes to do so. Accordingly, in
periods of rising market prices, the Fund may be unable to participate in such price increases
fully to the extent that it is unable to acquire desired portfolio positions quickly; conversely
the Funds inability to dispose fully and promptly of positions in declining markets will cause its
net asset value to decline as the value of unsold positions is marked to lower prices.
Investing in Mexico.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Mexico presents additional risks.
B-8
Since the period of economic turmoil surrounding the devaluation of the peso in 1994, which
triggered the worst recession in over 50 years, Mexico has experienced a period of general economic
recovery. Economic and social concerns persist, however, with respect to low real wages,
underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution and few
advancement opportunities for the large impoverished population in the southern states.
Mexicos free market economy contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry and
agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector. While recent administrations have
expanded competition in seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural
gas distribution and airports, the current administration continues to face many economic
challenges, including reducing poverty, creating jobs, upgrading infrastructure, modernizing labor
laws and allowing private investment in the energy sector. Mexico also has a history of high
inflation and substantial devaluations of the peso, causing currency instabilities. These economic
and political issues have caused volatility in the Mexican securities markets.
The Mexican economy is heavily dependent on trade with, and foreign investment from, the U.S.
and Canada, which are Mexicos principal trading partners. Any changes in the supply, demand, price
or other economic components of Mexicos imports or exports, as well as any reductions in foreign
investment from, or changes in the economies of, the U.S. or Canada, may have an adverse impact on
the Mexican economy. Mexico and the U.S. entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) in 1994 as well as a second treaty, the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North
America, in 2005. These treaties may impact the trading relationship between Mexico and the U.S.
and further Mexicos dependency on the U.S. economy.
Mexico has been subject to social and political instability as a result of recent violent and
terrorist actions committed by certain political and drug trade organizations. The continuation of
these actions may adversely affect the Mexican economy.
The country has historically been subject to one-party rule until recent years when an
opposition candidate defeated the party in power. Mexicos political conditions may cause
disruption in its economy.
Mexico is prone to tsunamis, volcanoes, hurricanes and destructive earthquakes, each of which
may adversely impact its economy.
Investing in Nigeria.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Nigeria presents additional risks.
Nigeria is subject to the risks of investing in African countries generally. Many African
countries historically have suffered from political instability. Despite a growing trend towards
democratization, significant political risks continue to affect some African countries. These risks
may include substantial government control over the private sector, corrupt leaders, civil unrest,
suppression of opposition parties that can lead to further dissidence and militancy, fixed
elections, terrorism, coups, and war.
African countries historically have suffered from economic instability. Certain African
markets may face a higher concentration of market capitalization, greater illiquidity and greater
price volatility than that found in more developed markets of Western Europe or the United States.
The volatility may be exacerbated by this greater illiquidity. Despite a growing trend towards
economic diversification, many African economies remain heavily dependent upon a limited range of
commodities. These include gold, silver, copper, cocoa, diamonds, natural gas and petroleum. These
economies are greatly affected by international commodity prices and are particularly vulnerable to
any weakening in global demand for these products, trade embargos, or other retaliatory measures.
Certain African countries have currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar or Euro, rather than at
levels determined by market forces. This type of currency regime may experience sudden and
significant currency adjustments, which may adversely impact investment returns.
Investing in Pakistan.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Pakistan presents additional risks.
Investments in Pakistan can be considered speculative, and therefore may offer higher
potential for gains and losses than investments in developed markets of the world. Political and
economic structures in Pakistan lack the social, political and economic stability of more developed
nations. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in the
country, which could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds investments. Although
the government of Pakistan has recently begun to institute economic reform policies, there can be
no assurance that it will continue to pursue such policies or, if it does, that such policies will
succeed. The laws of Pakistan relating to limited liability of corporate shareholders, fiduciary
duties of officers and directors, and the bankruptcy of state enterprises are generally less well
developed than or different from such laws in the United
B-9
States. It may be more difficult to obtain a judgment in the courts of Pakistan than it is in
the United States. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value
of the Funds investments in these countries and the availability to the Fund of additional
investments.
The stock markets in the region are undergoing a period of growth and change, which may result
in trading or price volatility and difficulties in the settlement and recording of transactions,
and in interpreting and applying the relevant laws and regulations. The securities industries in
Pakistan are comparatively underdeveloped, and stockbrokers and other intermediaries may not
perform as well as their counterparts in the United States and other more developed securities
markets. The Fund may be unable to sell securities where the registration process is incomplete and
may experience delays in receipt of dividends. If trading volume is limited by operational
difficulties, the ability of the Fund to invest its assets may be impaired.
Settlement of securities transactions in Pakistan are subject to risk of loss, may be delayed
and are generally less frequent than in the United States, which could affect the liquidity of the
Funds assets. In addition, disruptions due to work stoppages and trading improprieties in these
securities markets have caused such markets to close. If extended closings were to occur in stock
markets where the Fund was heavily invested, the Funds ability to redeem Fund shares could become
correspondingly impaired. To mitigate these risks, the Fund may maintain a higher cash position
than it otherwise would, thereby possibly diluting its return, or the Fund may have to sell more
liquid securities which it would not otherwise choose to sell.
Investing in the Philippines.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities
and Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in the Philippines presents additional risks.
Investments in Philippine companies may be negatively affected by slow or negative growth
rates and economic instability in the Philippines and in Asia.
In the past, the Philippines has experienced periods of slow or negative growth, high
inflation, significant devaluation of the peso, imposition of exchange controls, debt restructuring
and electricity shortages and blackouts.
From mid-1997 to 1999, the Asian economic crisis adversely affected the Philippine economy and
caused a significant depreciation of the Peso and increases in interest rates. These factors had a
material adverse impact on the ability of many Philippine companies to meet their debt-servicing
obligations. In particular, the significant depreciation of the Peso made it difficult for many
Philippine companies with significant US Dollar or other foreign currency denominated loans or
costs to meet their repayment obligations. While the Philippines recovered from the Asian economic
crisis, it continues to face a significant budget deficit, limited foreign currency reserves and a
volatile Peso exchange rate.
Uncertainties over the economic policies of the Philippine government, the large budget
deficit and unsettled political conditions could materially affect the financial and economic
conditions of Philippine companies in which the Fund may invest.
The performance and financial condition of Philippine companies may be influenced by the
general political situation in, and the state of the economy of, the Philippines. Any political
instability in the future may have a negative effect on the results of operations and financial
condition of Philippine companies in which the Fund may have investments.
Investing in South Korea.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in South Korea presents additional risks.
Relations between North Korea and South Korea remain tense and the possibility of military
action between the two countries still exists. Corporate and financial sector restructuring
initiated by the South Korean government, in conjunction with the IMF, after the 1997-1998 Asian
financial crisis can be expected to continue but its full impact cannot be predicted yet. The South
Korean economys reliance on international trade and other Asian economies makes it highly
sensitive to fluctuations in international commodity prices, currency exchange rates and government
regulation.
Certain structural weaknesses have made South Korea vulnerable to the financial turbulence of
the kind that swept through Asia in 1997-98. First, the corporate sector has been characterized by
low levels of profitability and high levels of debt, reflecting the tendency of the nations
business conglomerates to diversify into capital-intensive businesses. Second, South Korea has had
a poorly functioning financial system that has been further weakened by a series of major corporate
bankruptcies. Corporate and financial sector restructuring initiated by the South Korean
government, in conjunction with the IMF, since the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis can be expected
to continue but its full impact cannot be predicted yet.
B-10
The division of the Korean Peninsula in 1945 left South Korea without most of the peninsulas
natural resources. Since then, this highly industrialized nation is heavily dependent upon imports
of essential products such as oil, forest products, and industrial metals. Accordingly, South
Koreas industrial sector and domestic economy are highly sensitive to fluctuations in
international commodity prices. In addition, many of these commodities are traded in U.S. dollars
and any strength in the exchange rate between the won and the dollar can have either a positive or
negative effect upon corporate profits.
South Koreas location next to the heavily armed and unpredictable North Korea has been a
constant cause of concern. Sundry military incidents, including North Koreas nuclear arms race,
have continued to escalate the tensions that have existed between the two countries since the
signing of the 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War. Military action or the risk of
military action or the economic collapse of North Korea could have a material adverse effect on
South Korea.
Investing in Turkey.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Turkey presents additional risks.
Certain political, economic, legal and currency risks have contributed to a high level of
price volatility in the Turkish equity and currency markets and could adversely affect investments
in the Fund.
Historically, Turkeys national politics have been unpredictable and subject to influence by
the military and its government may be subject to sudden change. Disparities of wealth, the pace
and success of democratization and capital market development and religious and racial disaffection
have also led to social and unrest. Unanticipated or sudden political or social developments may
result in sudden and significant investment losses.
Turkey has experienced periods of substantial inflation, currency devaluations and severe
economic recessions, any of which may have a negative effect on the Turkish economy and securities
market.
Turkey has experienced a high level of debt and public spending, which may stifle Turkish
economic growth, contribute to prolonged periods of recession or lower Turkeys sovereign debt
rating and adversely impact investments in the Fund.
Investing in Vietnam.
In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign Securities and
Investing in Emerging Countries, investing in Vietnam presents additional risks.
Heightened risks of investing Vietnam include, among others, expropriation and/or
nationalization of assets, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military
involvement in governmental decision-making, armed conflict, the impact on the economy as a result
of civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest.
Vietnam generally has less developed capital markets than traditional emerging market
countries, and, consequently, the risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified with
respect to investments in Vietnam. Because securities markets in Vietnam are underdeveloped and are
less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries,
securities markets in Vietnam are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower
market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations and
uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets. In addition, the government in Vietnam may
restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of
issuers operating in Vietnam. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent
foreign investment in securities of issuers located in Vietnam. Moreover, governmental approval
prior to investments by foreign investors may be required in Vietnam and may limit the amount of
investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer and may limit such foreign
investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights
than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of Vietnam and/or impose additional taxes
on foreign investors. These factors make investing in issuers located in Vietnam significantly
riskier than investing in issuers located in more developed countries, and any one of them could a
cause a decline in the value of the Funds shares.
Issuers located in Vietnam are not subject to the same rules and regulations as issuers
operating in more developed economies. Therefore, there may be less financial and other information
publicly available with regard to issuers located in Vietnam and such issuers are not subject to
the uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards applicable to issuers located in
more developed countries. In addition, the government of Vietnam may levy withholding or other
taxes on dividend and interest income. Although a portion of these taxes may be recoverable, any
non-recovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from investments
in such countries.
B-11
Investment in Vietnam may be subject to a greater degree of risk associated with governmental
approval in connection with the repatriation of capital by foreign investors. In addition, there is
the risk that if Vietnams balance of payments declines, Vietnam may impose temporary restrictions
on foreign capital remittances. Consequently, the Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or
a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by
the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. Additionally, investments in
Vietnam may require the Fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take
other actions, each of which may involve additional costs to the Fund.
Securities laws in Vietnam are relatively new and unsettled and consequently, there is a risk
of rapid and unpredictable change in laws regarding foreign investment, securities regulation,
title to securities, and shareholder rights. Accordingly, foreign investors may be adversely
affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In addition, there may be no single centralized
securities exchange on which securities are traded in Vietnam and the systems of corporate
governance to which issuers located in Vietnam are subject may be less advanced than that to which
issuers located in more developed countries are subject, and therefore, shareholders in such
companies may not receive many of the protections available to shareholders in issuers located in
more developed countries. In circumstances where adequate laws and shareholder rights exist, it may
not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law. In addition, the enforcement
of systems of taxation at federal, regional and local levels in Vietnam may be inconsistent and
subject to sudden change.
Vietnam may be heavily dependent upon international trade and, consequently, may have been and
may continue to be, negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments
in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries
with which it trades. The economy of Vietnam also has been and may continue to be adversely
affected by economic conditions in the countries with which it trades.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
. The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency
exchange contracts for hedging purposes, to seek to protect against anticipated changes in future
foreign currency exchange rates and to seek to increase total return. A forward foreign currency
exchange contract 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 are traded in the interbank market between
currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally
has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are generally charged at any stage for trades.
At the maturity of a forward contract the Fund may either accept or make delivery of the
currency specified in the contract or, at or prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction
involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to
forward contracts are often, but not always, effected with the currency trader who is a party to
the original forward contract.
The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in several circumstances.
First, when the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated or
quoted in a foreign currency, or when the Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of
dividend or interest payments on such a security which it holds, the Fund may desire to lock in
the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest
payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a
fixed amount of dollars, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions,
the Fund will attempt to protect itself against an adverse change in the relationship between the
U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the
security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the
date on which such payments are made or received.
Additionally, when the Investment Adviser believes that the currency of a particular foreign
country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward
contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of foreign currency approximating
the value of some or all of the Funds portfolio securities quoted or denominated in such foreign
currency. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities
involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign
currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities
between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. Using forward
contracts to protect the value of the Funds portfolio securities against a decline in the value of
a currency does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply
establishes a rate of exchange, which the Fund can achieve at some future point in time. The
precise projection of short-term currency market movements is not possible, and short-term hedging
provides a means of fixing the U.S. dollar value of only a portion of the Funds foreign assets.
B-12
The Fund may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in one currency to hedge
against fluctuations in the value of securities quoted or denominated in a different currency. In
addition, the Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions to seek a closer correlation
between the Funds overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of the Funds performance
benchmark.
The Fund may also enter into forward contracts to seek to increase total return. Unless
otherwise covered in accordance with applicable regulations, cash or liquid assets of the Fund will
be segregated in an amount equal to the value of the Funds total assets committed to the
consummation of forward foreign currency exchange contracts. If the value of the segregated assets
declines, additional cash or liquid assets will be segregated so that the value of the assets will
equal the amount of the Funds commitments with respect to such contracts.
While the Fund may enter into forward contracts to reduce currency exchange rate risks,
transactions in such contracts involve certain other risks. Thus, while the Fund may benefit from
such transactions, unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in a poorer overall
performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in any such transactions. Moreover, there may
be imperfect correlation between the Funds portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated
in a particular currency and forward contracts entered into by the Fund. Such imperfect correlation
may cause the Fund to sustain losses which will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or
expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.
Markets for trading foreign forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults
than is available when trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Forward contracts are
subject to the risk that the counterparty to such contract will default on its obligations. Since a
forward foreign currency exchange contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a
default on the contract would deprive the Fund of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the
benefits of a currency hedge or force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any,
at the current market price. In addition, the institutions that deal in forward currency contracts
are not required to continue to make markets in the currencies they trade and these markets can
experience periods of illiquidity. The Fund will not enter into forward foreign currency exchange
contracts, currency swaps or other privately negotiated currency instruments unless the credit
quality of the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the counterparty is considered
to be investment grade by the Investment Adviser. To the extent that a substantial portion of the
Funds total assets, adjusted to reflect the Funds net position after giving effect to currency
transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Fund will be
more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.
Writing and Purchasing Currency Call and Put Options.
The Fund may, to the extent that it
invests in foreign securities, write and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies for
the purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign portfolio securities
and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. As with other
kinds of option transactions, however, the writing of an option on foreign currency will constitute
only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. If and when the Fund seeks to close
out an option, the Fund could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous
exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on foreign currency may
constitute an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations; however, in the event of exchange
rate movements adverse to the Funds position, the Fund may forfeit the entire amount of the
premium plus related transaction costs. Options on foreign currencies may be traded on U.S. and
foreign exchanges or over-the-counter.
Options on currency may also be used for cross-hedging purposes, which involves writing or
purchasing options on one currency to seek to hedge against changes in exchange rates for a
different currency with a pattern of correlation, or to seek to increase total return when the
Investment Adviser anticipates that the currency will appreciate or depreciate in value, but the
securities quoted or denominated in that currency do not present attractive investment
opportunities and are not included in the Funds portfolio.
A call option written by the Fund obligates the Fund to sell a specified currency to the
holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised before the expiration date. A
put option written by the Fund would obligate the Fund to purchase a specified currency from the
option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised before the expiration date. The
writing of currency options involves a risk that the Fund will, upon exercise of the option, be
required to sell currency subject to a call at a price that is less than the currencys market
value or be required to purchase currency subject to a put at a price that exceeds the currencys
market value. Written put and call options on foreign currencies may be covered in a manner similar
to written put and call options on securities and securities indices described under Writing
Options above.
The Fund may terminate its obligations under a call or put option by purchasing an option
identical to the one it has written. Such purchases are referred to as closing purchase
transactions. The Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or
minimize losses on options purchased by the Fund.
B-13
The Fund may purchase call options on foreign currency in anticipation of an increase in the
U.S. dollar value of currency in which securities to be acquired by the Fund are quoted or
denominated. The purchase of a call option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid,
to purchase specified currency at a specified price during the option period. The Fund would
ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of such currency exceeded the sum
of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize
either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option.
The Fund may purchase put options in anticipation of a decline in the U.S. dollar value of
currency in which securities in its portfolio are quoted or denominated (protective puts). The
purchase of a put option would entitle the Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell
specified currency at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts
is usually designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the dollar value of the Funds
portfolio securities due to currency exchange rate fluctuations. The Fund would ordinarily realize
a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying currency decreased below the
exercise price sufficiently to more than cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the
Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on
the purchase of protective put options would tend to be offset by countervailing changes in the
value of underlying currency or portfolio securities.
As noted, in addition to using options for the hedging purposes described above, the Fund may
use options on currency to seek to increase total return. The Fund may write (sell) covered put and
call options on any currency in order to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio
securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, the
Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the underlying
currency. Also, when writing put options, the Fund accepts, in return for the option premium, the
risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying currency at a price in excess of the
currencys market value at the time of purchase.
Special Risks Associated with Options on Currency.
An exchange-traded options position may be
closed out only on an options exchange that provides a secondary market for an option of the same
series. Although the Fund will generally purchase or write only those options for which there
appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on
an exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time. For some options no
secondary market on an exchange may exist. In such event, it might not be possible to effect
closing transactions in particular options, with the result that the Fund would have to exercise
its options in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the sale of
underlying securities pursuant to the exercise of put options. If the Fund as a covered call option
writer is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be
able to sell the underlying currency (or security quoted or denominated in that currency), or
dispose of the segregated assets, until the option expires or it delivers the underlying currency
upon exercise.
There is no assurance that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events
might not, at times, render certain of the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation
inadequate, and thereby result in the institution by an exchange of special procedures which may
interfere with the timely execution of customers orders.
The Fund may purchase and write over-the-counter options to the extent consistent with its
limitation on investments in illiquid securities. Trading in over-the-counter options is subject to
the risk that the other party will be unable or unwilling to close out options purchased or written
by the Fund.
The amount of the premiums, which the Fund may pay or receive, may be adversely affected as
new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their
option purchasing and writing activities.
Corporate Debt Obligations
The Fund may, under normal market conditions, invest in corporate debt obligations, including
obligations of industrial, utility and financial issuers. Corporate debt obligations include bonds,
notes, debentures and other obligations of corporations to pay interest and repay principal.
Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuers inability to meet principal and
interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such
factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and
general market liquidity.
Another factor which causes fluctuations in the prices of fixed income securities is the
supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition, the prices of fixed income
securities fluctuate in response to the general level of interest rates. Fluctuations in the prices
of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such
securities but will be reflected in the Funds net asset value.
B-14
Corporate debt obligations rated BBB or Baa are considered medium grade obligations with
speculative characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances may weaken
their issuers capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Medium to lower rated and comparable
non-rated securities tend to offer higher yields than higher rated securities with the same
maturities because the historical financial condition of the issuers of such securities may not
have been as strong as that of other issuers. The price of corporate debt obligations will
generally fluctuate in response to fluctuations in supply and demand for similarly rated
securities. In addition, the price of corporate debt obligations will generally fluctuate in
response to interest rate levels. Fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities subsequent to
their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in the
Funds net asset value. Because medium to lower rated securities generally involve greater risks of
loss of income and principal than higher rated securities, investors should consider carefully the
relative risks associated with investment in securities which carry medium to lower ratings and in
comparable unrated securities. In addition to the risk of default, there are the related costs of
recovery on defaulted issues. The Investment Adviser will attempt to reduce these risks through
portfolio diversification and by analysis of each issuer and its ability to make timely payments of
income and principal, as well as broad economic trends and corporate developments.
The Investment Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of
an issuers existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and to pay dividends, the
issuers sensitivity to economic conditions, its operating history and the current earnings trend.
The Investment Adviser continually monitors the investments in the Funds portfolio and evaluates
whether to dispose of or to retain corporate debt obligations whose credit ratings or credit
quality may have changed. If after its purchase, a portfolio security is assigned a lower rating or
ceases to be rated, the Fund may continue to hold the security if the Investment Adviser believes
it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.
Commercial Paper and Other Short-Term Corporate Obligations
The Fund may invest in commercial paper and other short-term obligations issued or guaranteed
by U.S. corporations, non-U.S. corporations or other entities. Commercial paper represents
short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies,
corporations and finance companies.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. Government Securities. Some U.S. Government Securities (such as
Treasury bills, notes and bonds, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of
issuance) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Others, such as
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored
enterprises, are supported either by (i) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury,
(ii) the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the
issuer or (iii) only the credit of the issuer. The U.S. government is under no legal obligation, in
general, to purchase the obligations of its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises.
No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to the U.S.
government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises in the future.
U.S. Government Securities include (to the extent consistent with the Act) securities for
which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by
the U.S. government, or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government
Securities may also include (to the extent consistent with the Act) participations in loans made to
foreign governments or their agencies that are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S.
government or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. The secondary market for
certain of these participations is extremely limited. In the absence of a suitable secondary
market, such participations are regarded as illiquid.
The Fund may also purchase U.S. Government Securities in private placements and may also
invest in separately traded principal and interest components of securities guaranteed or issued by
the U.S. Treasury that are traded independently under the separate trading of registered interest
and principal of securities program (STRIPS). The Fund may also invest in zero coupon U.S.
Treasury Securities and in zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions which represent
a proportionate interest in underlying U.S. Treasury Securities. A zero coupon security pays no
interest to its holder during its life and its value consists of the difference between its face
value at maturity and its cost. The market prices of zero coupon securities generally are more
volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically.
Zero Coupon Bonds
The Funds investments in fixed income securities may include zero coupon bonds. Zero coupon
bonds are debt obligations issued or purchased at a discount from face value. The discount
approximates the total amount of interest the bonds would have accrued and
B-15
compounded over the period until maturity. Zero coupon bonds do not require the periodic
payment of interest. Such investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet
debt service but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer
receipt of such cash. Such investments may experience greater volatility in market value than debt
obligations which provide for regular payments of interest. In addition, if an issuer of zero
coupon bonds held by the Fund defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. The
Fund will accrue income on such investments for each taxable year which (net of deductible
expenses, if any) is distributable to shareholders and which, because no cash is generally received
at the time of accrual, may require the liquidation of other portfolio securities to obtain
sufficient cash to satisfy the Funds distribution obligations.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities
The interest rates payable on certain fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest are
not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. A variable rate obligation has an
interest rate which is adjusted at pre-designated periods in response to changes in the market rate
of interest on which the interest rate is based. Variable and floating rate obligations are less
effective than fixed rate instruments at locking in a particular yield. Nevertheless, such
obligations may fluctuate in value in response to interest rate changes if there is a delay between
changes in market interest rates and the interest reset date for the obligation, or for other
reasons.
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
The Fund may invest in custodial receipts and trust certificates, which may be underwritten by
securities dealers or banks, representing interests in securities held by a custodian or trustee.
The securities so held may include U.S. Government Securities, municipal securities or other types
of securities in which the Fund may invest. The custodial receipts or trust certificates are
underwritten by securities dealers or banks and may evidence ownership of future interest payments,
principal payments or both on the underlying securities, or, in some cases, the payment obligation
of a third party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other arrangement with the
custodian or trustee. For certain securities laws purposes, custodial receipts and trust
certificates may not be considered obligations of the U.S. government or other issuer of the
securities held by the custodian or trustee. As a holder of custodial receipts and trust
certificates, the Fund will bear their proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the
custodial account or trust. The Fund may also invest in separately issued interests in custodial
receipts and trust certificates.
Although under the terms of a custodial receipt or trust certificate the Fund would be
typically authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation,
the Fund could be required to assert through the custodian bank or trustee those rights as may
exist against the underlying issuers. Thus, in the event an underlying issuer fails to pay
principal and/or interest when due, the Fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are
greater than those that would have been involved if the Fund had purchased a direct obligation of
the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying
securities have been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation, instead
of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying securities would be reduced in recognition of
any taxes paid.
Certain custodial receipts and trust certificates may be synthetic or derivative instruments
that have interest rates that reset inversely to changing short-term rates and/or have embedded
interest rate floors and caps that require the issuer to pay an adjusted interest rate if market
rates fall below or rise above a specified rate. Because some of these instruments represent
relatively recent innovations, and the trading market for these instruments is less developed than
the markets for traditional types of instruments, it is uncertain how these instruments will
perform under different economic and interest-rate scenarios. Also, because these instruments may
be leveraged, their market values may be more volatile than other types of fixed income instruments
and may present greater potential for capital gain or loss. The possibility of default by an issuer
or the issuers credit provider may be greater for these derivative instruments than for other
types of instruments. In some cases, it may be difficult to determine the fair value of a
derivative instrument because of a lack of reliable objective information and an established
secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest or payments received on the derivative
instruments and, accordingly, purchases of such instruments are based on the opinion of counsel to
the sponsors of the instruments.
[
Mortgage-Backed Securities
General Characteristics.
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities. Each mortgage pool
underlying mortgage-backed securities consists of mortgage loans evidenced by promissory notes
secured by first mortgages or first deeds of trust or other similar security instruments creating a
first lien on owner occupied and non-owner occupied one-unit to four-unit residential properties,
multifamily (
i.e.
, five or more) properties, agricultural properties, commercial properties and
mixed use properties (the Mortgaged Properties). The Mortgaged Properties may consist of detached
individual dwelling units, multifamily dwelling units, individual
B-16
condominiums, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, row houses, individual units in
planned unit developments and other attached dwelling units. The Mortgaged Properties may also
include residential investment properties and second homes.
The investment characteristics of adjustable and fixed rate mortgage-backed securities differ
from those of traditional fixed income securities. The major differences include the payment of
interest and principal on mortgage-backed securities on a more frequent (usually monthly) schedule,
and the possibility that principal may be prepaid at any time due to prepayments on the underlying
mortgage loans or other assets. These differences can result in significantly greater price and
yield volatility than is the case with traditional fixed income securities. As a result, if the
Fund purchases mortgage-backed securities at a premium, a faster than expected prepayment rate will
reduce both the market value and the yield to maturity from those which were anticipated. A
prepayment rate that is slower than expected will have the opposite effect of increasing yield to
maturity and market value. Conversely, if the Fund purchases mortgage-backed securities at a
discount, faster than expected prepayments will increase, while slower than expected prepayments
will reduce yield to maturity and market values. To the extent that the Fund invests in
mortgage-backed securities, its Investment Adviser may seek to manage these potential risks by
investing in a variety of mortgage-backed securities and by using certain hedging techniques.
Government Guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities.
There are several types of government
guaranteed mortgage-backed securities currently available, including guaranteed mortgage
pass-through certificates and multiple class securities, which include guaranteed Real Estate
Mortgage Investment Conduit Certificates (REMIC Certificates), other collateralized mortgage
obligations and stripped mortgage-backed securities. The Fund is permitted to invest in other types
of mortgage-backed securities that may be available in the future to the extent consistent with its
investment policies and objective.
The Funds investments in mortgage-backed securities may include securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government or one of its agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or
sponsored enterprises, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), the
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation
(Freddie Mac). Ginnie Mae securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
Government, which means that the U.S. Government guarantees that the interest and principal will be
paid when due. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of
the U.S. Government. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury,
and as a result, they are generally viewed by the market as high quality securities with low credit
risks. From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of
restricting or eliminating federal sponsorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that issue guaranteed
mortgage-backed securities. The Trust cannot predict what legislation, if any, may be proposed in
the future in Congress as regards such sponsorship or which proposals, if any, might be enacted.
Such proposals, if enacted, might materially and adversely affect the availability of government
guaranteed mortgage-backed securities and the Funds liquidity and value.
There is risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to its agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. The Fund may purchase U.S. Government
securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, such as those
issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S.
Government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their
legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the
funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
Ginnie Mae Certificates.
Ginnie Mae is a wholly-owned corporate instrumentality of the United
States. Ginnie Mae is authorized to guarantee the timely payment of the principal of and interest
on certificates that are based on and backed by a pool of mortgage loans insured by the Federal
Housing Administration (FHA Loans), or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA Loans), or
by pools of other eligible mortgage loans. In order to meet its obligations under any guaranty,
Ginnie Mae is authorized to borrow from the United States Treasury in an unlimited amount. The
National Housing Act provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the
timely payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae of amounts due on Ginnie Mae certificates.
Fannie Mae Certificates.
Fannie Mae is a stockholder-owned corporation chartered under an act
of the United States Congress. Generally, Fannie Mae Certificates are issued and guaranteed by
Fannie Mae and represent an undivided interest in a pool of mortgage loans (a Pool) formed by
Fannie Mae. Each Pool consists of residential mortgage loans (Mortgage Loans) either previously
owned by Fannie Mae or purchased by it in connection with the formation of the Pool. The Mortgage
Loans may be either conventional Mortgage Loans (
i.e.
, not insured or guaranteed by any U.S.
Government agency) or Mortgage Loans that are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration
(FHA) or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA). However, the Mortgage Loans in Fannie
Mae Pools are primarily conventional Mortgage Loans. The lenders originating and servicing the
Mortgage Loans are subject to certain eligibility requirements established by Fannie Mae.
B-17
Fannie Mae has certain contractual responsibilities. With respect to each Pool, Fannie Mae is
obligated to distribute scheduled installments of principal and interest after Fannie Maes
servicing and guaranty fee, whether or not received, to Certificate holders. Fannie Mae also is
obligated to distribute to holders of Certificates an amount equal to the full principal balance of
any foreclosed Mortgage Loan, whether or not such principal balance is actually recovered. The
obligations of Fannie Mae under its guaranty of the Fannie Mae Certificates are obligations solely
of Fannie Mae.
Freddie Mac Certificates.
Freddie Mac is a publicly held U.S. Government sponsored enterprise.
The principal activity of Freddie Mac currently is the purchase of first lien, conventional,
residential mortgage loans and participation interests in such mortgage loans and their resale in
the form of mortgage securities, primarily Freddie Mac Certificates. A Freddie Mac Certificate
represents a pro rata interest in a group of mortgage loans or participations in mortgage loans (a
Freddie Mac Certificate group) purchased by Freddie Mac.
Freddie Mac guarantees to each registered holder of a Freddie Mac Certificate the timely
payment of interest at the rate provided for by such Freddie Mac Certificate (whether or not
received on the underlying loans). Freddie Mac also guarantees to each registered Certificate
holder an ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans, without any offset or
deduction, but does not, generally, guarantee the timely payment of scheduled principal. The
obligations of Freddie Mac under its guaranty of Freddie Mac Certificates are obligations solely of
Freddie Mac.
The mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Certificates consist of
adjustable rate or fixed-rate mortgage loans with original terms to maturity of up to forty years.
Substantially all of these mortgage loans are secured by first liens on one-to-four-family
residential properties or multi-family projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable
standards set forth in the law creating Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. A Freddie Mac Certificate group
may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans, undivided interests in whole loans
and participations comprising another Freddie Mac Certificate group.
Conventional Mortgage Loans.
The conventional mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac and
Fannie Mae Certificates consist of adjustable rate or fixed-rate mortgage loans normally with
original terms to maturity of between five and thirty years. Substantially all of these mortgage
loans are secured by first liens on one- to four-family residential properties or multi-family
projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set forth in the law creating
Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. A Freddie Mac Certificate group may include whole loans, participation
interests in whole loans, undivided interests in whole loans and participations comprising another
Freddie Mac Certificate group.
Mortgage Pass-Through Securities.
To the extent consistent with its investment policies, the
Fund may invest in both government guaranteed and privately issued mortgage pass-through securities
(Mortgage Pass-Throughs); that is, fixed or adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities which
provide for monthly payments that are a pass-through of the monthly interest and principal
payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans,
net of any fees or other amounts paid to any guarantor, administrator and/or servicer of the
underlying mortgage loans. The seller or servicer of the underlying mortgage obligations will
generally make representations and warranties to certificate holders as to certain characteristics
of the mortgage loans and as to the accuracy of certain information furnished to the trustee in
respect of each such mortgage loan. Upon a breach of any representation or warranty that materially
and adversely affects the interests of the related certificate holders in a mortgage loan, the
seller or servicer may be obligated either to cure the breach in all material respects, to
repurchase the mortgage loan or, if the related agreement so provides, to substitute in its place a
mortgage loan pursuant to the conditions set forth therein. Such a repurchase or substitution
obligation may constitute the sole remedy available to the related certificate holders or the
trustee for the material breach of any such representation or warranty by the seller or servicer.
The following discussion describes only a few of the wide variety of structures of Mortgage
Pass-Throughs that are available or may be issued.
Description of Certificates.
Mortgage Pass-Throughs may be issued in one or more classes of
senior certificates and one or more classes of subordinate certificates. Each such class may bear a
different pass-through rate. Generally, each certificate will evidence the specified interest of
the holder thereof in the payments of principal or interest or both in respect of the mortgage pool
comprising part of the trust fund for such certificates.
Any class of certificates may also be divided into subclasses entitled to varying amounts of
principal and interest. If a REMIC election has been made, certificates of such subclasses may be
entitled to payments on the basis of a stated principal balance and stated interest rate, and
payments among different subclasses may be made on a sequential, concurrent, pro rata or
disproportionate
B-18
basis, or any combination thereof. The stated interest rate on any such subclass of
certificates may be a fixed rate or one which varies in direct or inverse relationship to an
objective interest index.
Generally, each registered holder of a certificate will be entitled to receive its pro rata
share of monthly distributions of all or a portion of principal of the underlying mortgage loans or
of interest on the principal balances thereof, which accrues at the applicable mortgage
pass-through rate, or both. The difference between the mortgage interest rate and the related
mortgage pass-through rate (less the amount, if any, of retained yield) with respect to each
mortgage loan will generally be paid to the servicer as a servicing fee. Since certain adjustable
rate mortgage loans included in a mortgage pool may provide for deferred interest (
i.e.
, negative
amortization), the amount of interest actually paid by a mortgagor in any month may be less than
the amount of interest accrued on the outstanding principal balance of the related mortgage loan
during the relevant period at the applicable mortgage interest rate. In such event, the amount of
interest that is treated as deferred interest will generally be added to the principal balance of
the related mortgage loan and will be distributed pro rata to certificate-holders as principal of
such mortgage loan when paid by the mortgagor in subsequent monthly payments or at maturity.
Ratings.
The ratings assigned by a rating organization to Mortgage Pass-Throughs address the
likelihood of the receipt of all distributions on the underlying mortgage loans by the related
certificate-holders under the agreements pursuant to which such certificates are issued. A rating
organizations ratings normally take into consideration the credit quality of the related mortgage
pool, including any credit support providers, structural and legal aspects associated with such
certificates, and the extent to which the payment stream on such mortgage pool is adequate to make
payments required by such certificates. A rating organizations ratings on such certificates do
not, however, constitute a statement regarding frequency of prepayments on the related mortgage
loans. In addition, the rating assigned by a rating organization to a certificate may not address
the remote possibility that, in the event of the insolvency of the issuer of certificates where a
subordinated interest was retained, the issuance and sale of the senior certificates may be
recharacterized as a financing and, as a result of such recharacterization, payments on such
certificates may be affected.
Credit Enhancement.
Mortgage pools created by non-governmental issuers generally offer a
higher yield than government and government-related pools because of the absence of direct or
indirect government or agency payment guarantees. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on
underlying assets to make payments, mortgage pass-throughs may contain elements of credit support.
Credit support falls generally into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection
against losses resulting from default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection
refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pools of mortgages,
the provision of a reserve fund, or a combination thereof, to ensure, subject to certain
limitations, that scheduled payments on the underlying pool are made in a timely fashion.
Protection against losses resulting from default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at
least a portion of the assets in the pool. Such credit support can be provided by, among other
things, payment guarantees, letters of credit, pool insurance, subordination, or any combination
thereof.
Subordination; Shifting of Interest; Reserve Fund.
In order to achieve ratings on one or more
classes of Mortgage Pass-Throughs, one or more classes of certificates may be subordinate
certificates which provide that the rights of the subordinate certificate-holders to receive any or
a specified portion of distributions with respect to the underlying mortgage loans may be
subordinated to the rights of the senior certificate-holders. If so structured, the subordination
feature may be enhanced by distributing to the senior certificate-holders on certain distribution
dates, as payment of principal, a specified percentage (which generally declines over time) of all
principal payments received during the preceding prepayment period (shifting interest credit
enhancement). This will have the effect of accelerating the amortization of the senior
certificates while increasing the interest in the trust fund evidenced by the subordinate
certificates. Increasing the interest of the subordinate certificates relative to that of the
senior certificates is intended to preserve the availability of the subordination provided by the
subordinate certificates. In addition, because the senior certificate-holders in a shifting
interest credit enhancement structure are entitled to receive a percentage of principal prepayments
which is greater than their proportionate interest in the trust fund, the rate of principal
prepayments on the mortgage loans may have an even greater effect on the rate of principal payments
and the amount of interest payments on, and the yield to maturity of, the senior certificates.
In addition to providing for a preferential right of the senior certificate-holders to receive
current distributions from the mortgage pool, a reserve fund may be established relating to such
certificates (the Reserve Fund). The Reserve Fund may be created with an initial cash deposit by
the originator or servicer and augmented by the retention of distributions otherwise available to
the subordinate certificate-holders or by excess servicing fees until the Reserve Fund reaches a
specified amount.
The subordination feature, and any Reserve Fund, are intended to enhance the likelihood of
timely receipt by senior certificate-holders of the full amount of scheduled monthly payments of
principal and interest due them and will protect the senior certificate-holders against certain
losses; however, in certain circumstances the Reserve Fund could be depleted and temporary
shortfalls could
B-19
result. In the event the Reserve Fund is depleted before the subordinated amount is reduced to
zero, senior certificate-holders will nevertheless have a preferential right to receive current
distributions from the mortgage pool to the extent of the then outstanding subordinated amount.
Unless otherwise specified, until the subordinated amount is reduced to zero, on any distribution
date any amount otherwise distributable to the subordinate certificates or, to the extent
specified, in the Reserve Fund will generally be used to offset the amount of any losses realized
with respect to the mortgage loans (Realized Losses). Realized Losses remaining after application
of such amounts will generally be applied to reduce the ownership interest of the subordinate
certificates in the mortgage pool. If the subordinated amount has been reduced to zero, Realized
Losses generally will be allocated pro rata among all certificate-holders in proportion to their
respective outstanding interests in the mortgage pool.
Alternative Credit Enhancement.
As an alternative, or in addition to the credit enhancement
afforded by subordination, credit enhancement for Mortgage Pass-Throughs may be provided by
mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, by the deposit of cash, certificates of deposit, letters of
credit, a limited guaranty or by such other methods as are acceptable to a rating agency. In
certain circumstances, such as where credit enhancement is provided by guarantees or a letter of
credit, the security is subject to credit risk because of its exposure to an external credit
enhancement provider.
Voluntary Advances.
Generally, in the event of delinquencies in payments on the mortgage loans
underlying the Mortgage Pass-Throughs, the servicer agrees to make advances of cash for the benefit
of certificate-holders, but generally will do so only to the extent that it determines such
voluntary advances will be recoverable from future payments and collections on the mortgage loans
or otherwise.
Optional Termination.
Generally, the servicer may, at its option with respect to any
certificates, repurchase all of the underlying mortgage loans remaining outstanding at such time if
the aggregate outstanding principal balance of such mortgage loans is less than a specified
percentage (generally 5-10%) of the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the mortgage loans
as of the cut-off date specified with respect to such series.
Multiple Class Mortgage-Backed Securities and Collateralized Mortgage Obligations.
The Fund
may invest in multiple class securities including collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and
REMIC Certificates. These securities may be issued by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities
and sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac or by trusts formed by private
originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage
bankers, commercial banks, insurance companies, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries
of the foregoing. In general, CMOs are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized
by, and multiple class mortgage-backed securities represent direct ownership interests in, a pool
of mortgage loans or mortgage-backed securities the payments on which are used to make payments on
the CMOs or multiple class mortgage-backed securities.
Fannie Mae REMIC Certificates are issued and guaranteed as to timely distribution of principal
and interest by Fannie Mae. In addition, Fannie Mae will be obligated to distribute the principal
balance of each class of REMIC Certificates in full, whether or not sufficient funds are otherwise
available.
Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest on Freddie Mac REMIC Certificates and
also guarantees the payment of principal as payments are required to be made on the underlying
mortgage participation certificates (PCs). PCs represent undivided interests in specified level
payment, residential mortgages or participations therein purchased by Freddie Mac and placed in a
PC pool. With respect to principal payments on PCs, Freddie Mac generally guarantees ultimate
collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans without offset or deduction but the
receipt of the required payments may be delayed. Freddie Mac also guarantees timely payment of
principal of certain PCs.
CMOs and guaranteed REMIC Certificates issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are types of
multiple class mortgage-backed securities. The REMIC Certificates represent beneficial ownership
interests in a REMIC trust, generally consisting of mortgage loans or Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or
Ginnie Mae guaranteed mortgage-backed securities (the Mortgage Assets). The obligations of
Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac under their respective guaranty of the REMIC Certificates are obligations
solely of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, respectively.
CMOs and REMIC Certificates are issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs or REMIC
Certificates, often referred to as a tranche, is issued at a specific adjustable or fixed
interest rate and must be fully retired no later than its final distribution date. Principal
prepayments on the Mortgage Loans or the Mortgage Assets underlying the CMOs or REMIC Certificates
may cause some or all of the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates to be retired substantially
earlier than their final distribution dates. Generally, interest is paid or accrues on all classes
of CMOs or REMIC Certificates on a monthly basis.
B-20
The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several
classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in various ways. In certain structures (known as sequential
pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates), payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on
the Mortgage Assets generally are applied to the classes of CMOs or REMIC Certificates in the order
of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any
class of sequential pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates until all other classes having an earlier final
distribution date have been paid in full.
Additional structures of CMOs and REMIC Certificates include, among others, parallel pay
CMOs and REMIC Certificates. Parallel pay CMOs or REMIC Certificates are those which are structured
to apply principal payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets to two or more classes
concurrently on a proportionate or disproportionate basis. These simultaneous payments are taken
into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class.
A wide variety of REMIC Certificates may be issued in parallel pay or sequential pay
structures. These securities include accrual certificates (also known as Z-Bonds), which only
accrue interest at a specified rate until all other certificates having an earlier final
distribution date have been retired and are converted thereafter to an interest-paying security,
and planned amortization class (PAC) certificates, which are parallel pay REMIC Certificates that
generally require that specified amounts of principal be applied on each payment date to one or
more classes or REMIC Certificates (the PAC Certificates), even though all other principal
payments and prepayments of the Mortgage Assets are then required to be applied to one or more
other classes of the PAC Certificates. The scheduled principal payments for the PAC Certificates
generally have the highest priority on each payment date after interest due has been paid to all
classes entitled to receive interest currently. Shortfalls, if any, are added to the amount payable
on the next payment date. The PAC Certificate payment schedule is taken into account in calculating
the final distribution date of each class of PAC. In order to create PAC tranches, one or more
tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the volatility in the underlying mortgage
assets. These tranches tend to have market prices and yields that are much more volatile than other
PAC classes.
Asset-Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities represent
participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment
sales, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property,
receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables.
Such assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations. Payments or
distributions of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain
time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution
unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present.
Such securities are often subject to more rapid repayment than their stated maturity date
would indicate as a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying loans.
During periods of declining interest rates, prepayment of loans underlying asset backed securities
can be expected to accelerate. Accordingly, the Funds ability to maintain positions in such
securities will be affected by reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from
prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable yields is subject
to generally prevailing interest rates at that time. To the extent that the Fund invests in
asset-backed securities, the values of the Funds portfolio securities will vary with changes in
market interest rates generally and the differentials in yields among various kinds of asset-backed
securities.
Asset-backed securities present certain additional risks because asset-backed securities
generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to
mortgage assets. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors on such
receivables are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws,
many of which give such debtors the right to set-off certain amounts owed on the credit cards,
thereby reducing the balance due. Automobile receivables generally are secured, but by automobiles
rather than residential real property. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the loan
servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these
obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior
to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. In addition, because of the large number of
vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee
for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in the
underlying automobiles. Therefore, if the issuer of an asset-backed security defaults on its
payment obligations, there is the possibility that, in some cases, the Fund will be unable to
possess and sell the underlying collateral and that the Funds recoveries on repossessed collateral
may not be available to support payments on the securities.]
B-21
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and may also purchase and write call and put
options on futures contracts. The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts based on various
securities, securities indices, foreign currencies and other financial instruments and indices. The
Fund may engage in futures and related options transactions in order to seek to increase total
return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities prices or, to the extent the Fund
invests in foreign securities, currency exchange rates, or to otherwise manage its term structure,
sector selection and duration in accordance with its investment objective and policies. The Fund
may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such contracts and
options. The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term
commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act and, therefore, is not subject to
registration or regulation as a pool operator under that Act with respect to the Fund.
Futures contracts entered into by the Fund have historically been traded on U.S. exchanges or
boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the
CFTC) or with respect to certain funds, on foreign exchanges. More recently, certain futures may
also be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as derivatives transaction
execution facilities, exempt boards of trade or electronic trading facilities that are licensed
and/or regulated to varying degrees by the CFTC. Also, certain single stock futures and narrow
based security index futures may be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as
contract markets, derivatives transaction execution facilities and electronic trading facilities
that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by both the CFTC and the SEC, or on foreign
exchanges.
Neither the CFTC, National Futures Association, SEC nor any domestic exchange regulates
activities of any foreign exchange or boards of trade, including the execution, delivery and
clearing of transactions, or has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of a foreign exchange
or board of trade or any applicable foreign law. This is true even if the exchange is formally
linked to a domestic market so that a position taken on the market may be liquidated by a
transaction on another market. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the
foreign country in which the foreign futures or foreign options transaction occurs. For these
reasons, the Funds investments in foreign futures or foreign options transactions may not be
provided the same protections in respect of transactions on United States exchanges. In particular,
persons who trade foreign futures or foreign options contracts may not be afforded certain of the
protective measures provided by the Commodity Exchange Act, the CFTCs regulations and the rules of
the National Futures Association and any domestic exchange, including the right to use reparations
proceedings before the CFTC and arbitration proceedings provided by the National Futures
Association or any domestic futures exchange. Similarly, those persons may not have the protection
of the United States securities laws.
Futures Contracts
. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two
parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an agreed price during a designated
month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an
index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract).
When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, the Fund can seek through the
sale of futures contracts to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities.
When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, the Fund, through the purchase of
futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in
the market when it effects anticipated purchases. Similarly, the Fund can purchase and sell futures
contracts on a specified currency in order to seek to increase total return or to protect against
changes in currency exchange rates. For example, the Fund can purchase futures contracts on foreign
currency to establish the price in U.S. dollars of a security quoted or denominated in such
currency that the Fund has acquired or expects to acquire. As another example, the Fund may enter
into futures transactions to seek a closer correlation between the Funds overall currency
exposures and the currency exposures of the Funds performance benchmark.
Positions taken in the futures market are not normally held to maturity, but are instead
liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit or a loss. While the Fund
will usually liquidate futures contracts on securities or currency in this manner, the Fund may
instead make or take delivery of the underlying securities or currency whenever it appears
economically advantageous for the Fund to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the
exchange on which futures are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be
performed on the settlement date.
Hedging Strategies Using Future Contracts
. Hedging, by use of futures contracts, seeks to
establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price, rate of return
or currency exchange rate on portfolio securities or securities that the Fund owns or proposes to
acquire. The Fund may, for example, take a short position in the futures market by selling
futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in
market prices or foreign currency rates that would adversely affect the dollar value of the Funds
portfolio securities. Similarly, the Fund may sell futures contracts on a currency in which its
portfolio securities are quoted or denominated, or sell futures contracts on one currency to seek
to hedge against fluctuations
B-22
in the value of securities quoted or denominated in a different currency if there is an
established historical pattern of correlation between the two currencies. If, in the opinion of the
Investment Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for the Funds
portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices
or other indices, the Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of a hedging
strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in the Funds portfolio may be
more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Investment Adviser will attempt to
estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for
any such differential by having the Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts
or by attempting to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Funds
portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value
of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures
position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of the Funds portfolio
securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, the Fund may take a long position by purchasing such futures contracts.
This may be done, for example, when the Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular
securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices or currency exchange rates then
available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices or rates that are currently
available.
Options on Futures Contracts
. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts
will give the Fund the right (but not the obligation), for a specified price, to sell or to
purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As
the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, the Fund obtains the benefit of the futures
position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an
unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium which may partially
offset a decline in the value of the Funds assets. By writing a call option, the Fund becomes
obligated, in exchange for the premium, to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised,
which may have a value higher than the exercise price. The writing of a put option on a futures
contract generates a premium, which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities
that the Fund intends to purchase. However, the Fund becomes obligated (upon the exercise of the
option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower
than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by the Fund in writing options on futures is
potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. the Fund will incur
transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.
The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling
or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that
such closing transactions can be effected. The Funds ability to establish and close out positions
on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.
Other Considerations
. The Fund will engage in transactions in futures contracts and related
options transactions only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code) for maintaining its qualification as a
regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. Transactions in futures contracts and
options on futures involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in certain cases, require
the Fund to segregate cash or liquid assets. The Fund may cover its transactions in futures
contracts and related options through the segregation of cash or liquid assets or by other means,
in any manner permitted by applicable law.
While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such
transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, unanticipated changes in interest rates,
securities prices or currency exchange rates may result in a poorer overall performance for the
Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. When futures
contracts and options are used for hedging purposes, perfect correlation between the Funds futures
positions and portfolio positions may be impossible to achieve, particularly where futures
contracts based on individual equity or corporate fixed income securities are currently not
available. In the event of an imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio
position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund
may be exposed to risk of loss.
In addition, it is not possible for the Fund to hedge fully or perfectly against currency
fluctuations affecting the value of securities quoted or denominated in foreign currencies because
the value of such securities is likely to fluctuate as a result of independent factors unrelated to
currency fluctuations. The profitability of the Funds trading in futures depends upon the ability
of the Investment Adviser to analyze correctly the futures markets.
B-23
Options on Securities and Securities Indices
Writing Covered Options.
The Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options on any
securities in which it may invest. The Fund may also write (sell) put and call options on foreign
currencies. A call option written by the Fund obligates the Fund to sell specified securities to
the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before the
expiration date. Depending upon the type of call option, the purchaser of a call option either (i)
has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over a fixed price (the exercise
price) on a certain date in the future (the expiration date) or (ii) has the right to any
appreciation in the value of the security over the exercise price at any time prior to the
expiration of the option. If the purchaser does not exercise the option, the Fund pays the
purchaser the difference between the price of the security and the exercise price of the option.
The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the security determine the gain or loss
realized by the Fund as the seller of the call option. The Fund can also repurchase the call option
prior to the expiration date, ending its obligation. In this case, the cost of entering into
closing purchase transactions will determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund. All call
options written by the Fund are covered, which means that the Fund will own the securities subject
to the option as long as the option is outstanding or the Fund will use the other methods described
below. The Funds purpose in writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would
be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, the Fund may forego the
opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.
A put option written by the Fund would obligate the Fund to purchase specified securities from
the option holder at a specified price if, depending upon the type of put option, either (i) the
option is exercised at any time on or before the expiration date or (ii) the option is exercised on
the expiration date. All put options written by the Fund would be covered, which means that the
Fund will segregate cash or liquid assets with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the
put option (less any margin on deposit) or will use the other methods described below. The purpose
of writing such options is to generate additional income for the Fund. However, in return for the
option premium, the Fund accepts the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying
securities at a price in excess of the securities market value at the time of purchase.
In the case of a call option, the option is covered if the Fund owns the instrument
underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that instrument without
additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in
such amount are segregated) upon conversion or exchange of other instruments held by it. A call
option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same instrument as the option written where
the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the option
written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund segregates
liquid assets in the amount of the difference. The Fund may also cover options on securities by
segregating cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any
margin on deposit, that is equal to the market value of the securities in the case of a call
option. A put option is also covered if the Fund holds a put on the same instrument as the option
written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or higher than the exercise
price of the option written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the option written provided
the Fund segregates liquid assets in the amount of the difference.
The Fund may also write (sell) covered call and put options on any securities index comprised
of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on
securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does
not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are
designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market
rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
The Fund may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes
are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index, or by having an absolute and immediate
right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional
consideration which has been segregated by the Fund) upon conversion or exchange of other
securities in its portfolio. The Fund may also cover call and put options on a securities index by
segregating cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any
margin on deposit, that is equal to the market value of the underlying securities in the case of a
call option, or the exercise price in the case of a put option, or by owning offsetting options as
described above.
The Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange traded call or put option by
purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter
options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to
such option. Such purchases are referred to as closing purchase transactions.
Purchasing Options.
The Fund may purchase put and call options on any securities in which it
may invest or options on any securities index comprised of securities in which it may invest. The
Fund may also, to the extent that it invests in foreign securities, purchase put and call options
on foreign currencies. The Fund may also enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize
gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.
B-24
The Fund may purchase call options in anticipation of an increase in the market value of
securities of the type in which it may invest. The purchase of a call option would entitle the
Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during
the option period. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if,
during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the
premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on
the purchase of the call option.
The Fund may purchase put options in anticipation of a decline in the market value of
securities in its portfolio (protective puts) or in securities in which it may invest. The
purchase of a put option would entitle the Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell
specified securities at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts
is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of the Funds securities. Put
options may also be purchased by the Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a
decline in the price of securities which it does not own. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain
if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities decreased below the exercise
price sufficiently to more than cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would
realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the
purchase of protective put options would tend to be offset by countervailing changes in the value
of the underlying portfolio securities.
The Fund would purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it
would purchase options on individual securities. For a description of options on securities
indices, see Writing Options above.
Risks Associated with Options Transactions
. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary
market on an options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any
particular time. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to
covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or
dispose of segregated assets until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if the Fund is
unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have
to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the
purchase or sale of underlying securities.
Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i)
there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by
an exchange on opening or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other
restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual
or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of
an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current
trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be
compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or
series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or
series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange that had
been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would
continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
There can be no assurance that higher trading activity, order flow or other unforeseen events
might, at times, render certain of the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation or various
exchanges inadequate. Such events have, in the past, resulted in the institution by an exchange of
special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of order or trading
halts or suspensions with respect to one or more options. These special procedures may limit
liquidity.
The Fund may purchase and sell both options that are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges and
options traded over-the-counter with broker-dealers who make markets in these options. The ability
to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may
involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their
obligations.
Transactions by the Fund in options on securities and indices will be subject to limitations
established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such
options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or
purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert regardless of whether the
options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other
trading facility or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the
number of options which the Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or
purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Investment Adviser. An exchange, board of
trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of
these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
B-25
The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment
techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities
transactions. The use of options to seek to increase total return involves the risk of loss if the
Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of fluctuations in securities prices or interest
rates. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of
the Investment Adviser to correctly anticipate future price fluctuations and the degree of
correlation between the options and securities (or currency) markets. If the Investment Adviser is
incorrect in its expectation of changes in securities prices or determination of the correlation
between the securities or securities indices on which options are written and purchased and the
securities in the Funds investment portfolio, the Fund may incur losses that it would not
otherwise incur. The writing of options could increase the Funds portfolio turnover rate and,
therefore, associated brokerage commissions or spreads.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
The Fund may invest in shares of real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs are pooled
investment vehicles which invest primarily in real estate or real estate related loans. REITs are
generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs.
Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income
primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling
properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in
real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. Like regulated
investment companies such as the Fund, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders
provided they comply with certain requirements under the Code. The Fund will indirectly bear its
proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs in which it invests in addition to the expenses
paid by the Fund.
Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in
the value of the underlying property owned by such REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by
the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified
(except to the extent the Code requires), and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs
are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the
possibilities of failing to qualify for the exemption from tax for distributed income under the
Code and failing to maintain their exemptions from the Act. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are
also subject to interest rate risks.
Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
The Fund may invest in warrants or rights (in addition to those acquired in units or attached
to other securities) which entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a
specific period of time. The Fund will invest in warrants and rights only if such equity securities
are deemed appropriate by the Investment Adviser for investment by the Fund. Warrants and rights
have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the
issuer.
Currency Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps, Index Swaps and
Interest Rate Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars
The Fund may enter into currency and index swaps for both hedging purposes and to seek to
increase total return. The Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps,
commonly referred to as swaptions. Currency swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another
party of its respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. Interest rate
swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or
receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. Mortgage
swaps are similar to interest rate swaps in that they represent commitments to pay and receive
interest. The notional principal amount, however, is tied to a reference pool or pools of
mortgages. Index swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of the respective
amounts payable with respect to a notional principal amount at interest rates equal to two
specified indices. Credit swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed rate payments in exchange
for assuming potential credit losses of an underlying security or pool of securities. Credit swaps
give one party to a transaction the right to dispose of or acquire an asset (or group of assets),
or the right to receive from or make a payment to the other party, upon the occurrence of specified
credit events. Total return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in
exchange for the payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket
of securities, an index or an index component. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap
agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for
the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on
agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the
option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The purchase of an
interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a
predetermined interest rate, to receive payment of interest on a notional principal amount from the
party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the
purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to
receive payments of
B-26
interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling the interest rate floor. An
interest rate collar is the combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within
a predetermined range of interest rates.
A great deal of flexibility is possible in the way swap transactions are structured. However,
generally the Fund will enter into interest rate, total return, credit, mortgage and index swaps on
a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or
paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest rate, total return,
credit, index and mortgage swaps do not normally involve the delivery of securities, other
underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate, total
return, credit, index and mortgage swaps is normally limited to the net amount of interest payments
that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an interest rate, total
return, credit, index or mortgage swap defaults, the Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount
of interest payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. In contrast, currency
swaps usually involve the delivery of a gross payment stream in one designated currency in exchange
for the gross payment stream in another designated currency. Therefore, the entire payment stream
under a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its
contractual delivery obligations. To the extent that the Funds exposure in a transaction involving
a swap or a swaption is covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets or otherwise, the Fund
and the Investment Adviser believe that swaps do not constitute senior securities under the Act
and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Funds borrowing restrictions.
The Fund will not enter into transactions involving swaps unless the unsecured commercial
paper, senior debt or claims paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be
investment grade by the Investment Adviser.
The use of swaps, swaptions and interest rate caps, floors and collars is a highly specialized
activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with
ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If an Investment Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts
of market values, credit quality, interest rates and currency exchange rates, the investment
performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment
technique were not used. The Investment Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is
responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Funds transactions in swaps,
swaptions, caps, floors and collars.
Convertible Securities
The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures,
notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified
amount of common stock of the same or different issuer within a particular period of time at a
specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest that is
generally paid or accrued on debt or a dividend that is paid or accrued on preferred stock until
the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Convertible securities
have unique investment characteristics, in that they generally (i) have higher yields than common
stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less subject to
fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock due to their fixed income characteristics and
(iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common
stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value (determined by its
yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do
not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the securitys worth, at market value,
if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is
influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value normally declining as interest rates
increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other
factors may also have an effect on the convertible securitys investment value. The conversion
value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock.
If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible
security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the
underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible
security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally
will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on
the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price
established in the convertible securitys governing instrument. If a convertible security held by
the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the
security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these
actions could have an adverse effect on the Funds ability to achieve its investment objective,
which, in turn, could result in losses to the Fund.
B-27
In evaluating a convertible security, the Investment Adviser will give primary emphasis to the
attractiveness of the underlying common stock. Convertible debt securities are equity investments
for purposes of the Funds investment policies.
Preferred Securities
The Fund may invest in preferred securities. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an
issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be
accelerated by the holders of preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default (such as a
covenant default or filing of a bankruptcy petition) or other non-compliance by the issuer with the
terms of the preferred stock. Often, however, on the occurrence of any such event of default or
non-compliance by the issuer, preferred stockholders will be entitled to gain representation on the
issuers board of directors or increase their existing board representation. In addition, preferred
stockholders may be granted voting rights with respect to certain issues on the occurrence of any
event of default.
Equity Swaps
The Fund may enter into equity swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking
physical custody of securities in various circumstances, including circumstances where direct
investment in the securities is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Equity
swaps may also be used for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. The counterparty
to an equity swap contract will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer.
Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to
pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would
have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus the
dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay
to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the equity swap contract
plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been
invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on the equity swap contract should be
the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the
Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay
the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved
if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or
indices of stocks).
The Fund will generally enter into equity swaps on a net basis, which means that the two
payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net
amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of an equity swap contract or
periodically during its term. Equity swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or
other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is normally
limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the
other party to an equity swap defaults, the Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount of
payments that theFund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. Inasmuch as these transactions
are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash or liquid assets to cover
the Funds exposure, the Fund and its Investment Adviser believe that transactions do not
constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject
to the Funds borrowing restrictions.
The Fund will not enter into swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior
debt or claims paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by
the Investment Adviser. The Funds ability to enter into certain swap transactions may be limited
by tax considerations.
Participation Notes
The Fund may invest in participation notes. Some countries, especially emerging markets
countries, do not permit foreigners to participate directly in their securities markets or
otherwise present difficulties for efficient foreign investment. The Fund may use participation
notes to establish a position in such markets as a substitute for direct investment. Participation
notes are issued by banks or broker-dealers and are designed to track the return of a particular
underlying equity or debt security, currency or market. When the participation note matures, the
issuer of the participation note will pay to, or receive from, the Fund the difference between the
nominal value of the underlying instrument at the time of purchase and that instruments value at
maturity. Investments in participation notes involve the same risks associated with a direct
investment in the underlying security, currency or market that they seek to replicate. In addition,
participation notes are generally traded over-the-counter and are subject to counterparty risk.
Counterparty risk is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues them will not fulfill its
contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. Participation notes constitute
general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, and the
Fund would be relying on the creditworthiness of such banks or broker-dealers and would have no
rights under a participation note against the issuer of the underlying assets. In addition,
participation notes may trade at a discount to the value of the underlying securities or markets
that they seek to replicate.
B-28
Low Exercise Price Options
From time to time, the Fund may use non-standard warrants, including low exercise price
warrants or low exercise price options (LEPOs), to gain exposure to issuers in certain countries.
LEPOs are different from standard warrants in that they do not give their holders the right to
receive a security of the issuer upon exercise. Rather, LEPOs pay the holder the difference in
price of the underlying security between the date the LEPO was purchased and the date it is sold.
Additionally, LEPOs entail the same risks as other over-the-counter derivatives. These include the
risk that the counterparty or issuer of the LEPO may not be able to fulfill its obligations, that
the holder and counterparty or issuer may disagree as to the meaning or application of contractual
terms, or that the instrument may not perform as expected. Additionally, while LEPOs may be listed
on an exchange, there is no guarantee that a liquid market will exist or that the counterparty or
issuer of a LEPO will be willing to repurchase such instrument when the Fund wishes to sell it.
Optimized Portfolio as Listed Securities
The Fund may invest in optimized portfolio as listed securities (OPALS). OPALS represent an
interest in a basket of securities of companies primarily located in a specific country generally
designed to track an index for that country. Investments in OPALS are subject to the same risks
inherent in directly investing in foreign securities and also have the risk that they will not
track the underlying index. In addition, because the OPALS are not registered under applicable
securities laws, they may only be sold to certain classes of investors, and it may be more
difficult for the Fund to sell OPALS than other types of securities. However, the OPALS may
generally be exchanged with the issuer for the underlying securities, which may be more readily
tradable.
Equity-linked Structured Notes
Equity-linked structured notes are derivatives that are specifically designed to combine the
characteristics of one or more underlying securities and their equity derivatives in a single note
form. The return and/or yield or income component may be based on the performance of the underlying
equity securities, an equity index, and/or option positions. Equity-linked structured notes are
typically offered in limited transactions by financial institutions in either registered or
non-registered form. An investment in equity-linked notes creates exposure to the credit risk of
the issuing financial institution, as well as to the market risk of the underlying securities.
There is no guaranteed return of principal with these securities and the appreciation potential of
these securities may be limited by a maximum payment or call right. In certain cases, equity-linked
notes may be more volatile and less liquid than less complex securities or other types of
fixed-income securities. Such securities may exhibit price behavior that does not correlate with
other fixed-income securities.
Commodity-linked Notes
Commodity-linked notes are a type of structured note. Commodity-linked notes are privately
negotiated structured debt securities indexed to the return of an index such as the Dow Jones-UBS
Commodity Index Total Return, which is representative of the commodities market. They are available
from a limited number of approved counterparties, and all invested amounts are exposed to the
dealers credit risk. Commodity-linked notes may be leveraged. For example, if the Fund invests
$100 in a three-times leveraged commodity-linked note, it will exchange $100 principal with the
dealer to obtain $300 exposure to the commodities market because the value of the note will change
by a magnitude of three for every percentage change (positive or negative) in the value of the
underlying index. This means a $100 note would be worth $70 if the commodity index decreased by 10
percent. Structured notes also are subject to counterparty risk.
Currency-Linked Notes
Currency-linked notes are short- or intermediate-term debt securities whose value at maturity
or interest payments are linked to the change in value of the U.S. dollar against the performance
of a currency index or one or more foreign currencies. In some cases, these securities pay an
amount at maturity based on a multiple of the amount of a currencys change against the dollar. If
they are sold prior to their maturity, their price may be higher or lower than their purchase price
as a result of market conditions or changes in the credit quality of the issuer.
B-29
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a
forward commitment basis beyond the customary settlement time. These transactions involve a
commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date. The price of the underlying
securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered
and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued
purchases and forward commitment transactions are negotiated directly with the other party, and
such commitments are not traded on exchanges. The Fund will generally purchase securities on a
when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the
intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a
matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or negotiate a commitment after
entering into it. The Fund may also sell securities it has committed to purchase before those
securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize a capital gain or
loss in connection with these transactions. For purposes of determining the Funds duration, the
maturity of when-issued or forward commitment securities will be calculated from the commitment
date. The Fund is generally required to segregate, until three days prior to the settlement date,
cash and liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price unless the Funds
obligations are otherwise covered. Alternatively, the Fund may enter into offsetting contracts for
the forward sale of other securities that it owns. Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or
forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased
declines prior to the settlement date or if the value of the security to be sold increases prior to
the settlement date.
Investment in Unseasoned Companies
The Fund may invest in companies (including predecessors) which have operated less than three
years. The securities of such companies may have limited liquidity, which can result in their being
priced higher or lower than might otherwise be the case. In addition, investments in unseasoned
companies are more speculative and entail greater risk than do investments in companies with an
established operating record.
Other Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs. The Fund
will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by
investment companies in which it invests, in addition to the management fees (and other expenses)
paid by the Fund. The Funds investments in other investment companies are subject to statutory
limitations prescribed by the Act, including in certain circumstances a prohibition on the Fund
acquiring more that 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on
investing more than 5% of the Funds total assets in securities of any one investment company or
more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of all investment companies. Many ETFs,
however, have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds (such as the
Fund) to invest in their shares beyond these statutory limits, subject to certain conditions and
pursuant to contractual arrangements between the ETFs and the investing funds. The Fund may rely
on these exemptive orders in investing in ETFs. Moreover, pursuant to an exemptive order obtained
from the SEC or under an exemptive rule adopted by the SEC, the Fund may invest in investment
companies and money market funds for which the Investment Adviser, or any of its affiliates, serves
as investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor. However, to the extent that the Fund
invests in a money market fund for which the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates acts as
investment adviser, the management fees payable by the Fund to the Investment Adviser will, to the
extent required by the SEC, be reduced by an amount equal to the Funds proportionate share of the
management fees paid by such money market fund to its investment adviser. Although the Fund does
not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, the Fund is authorized to invest substantially all
of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the
same investment objective, policies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund. Additionally, to the
extent that the Fund serves as an underlying fund to another Goldman Sachs Fund, the Fund may
invest a percentage of its assets in other investment companies if those investments are consistent
with applicable law and/or exemptive orders obtained from the SEC.
The Fund may purchase shares of investment companies investing primarily in foreign
securities, including country funds. Country funds have portfolios consisting primarily of
securities of issuers located in specified foreign countries or regions.
ETFs are shares of unaffiliated investment companies issuing shares which are traded like
traditional equity securities on a national stock exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of
securities, which is often designed to track a particular market segment or index. An investment
in an ETF, like one in any investment company, carries the same risks as those of its underlying
securities. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it
is designed to track, and the price of an ETFs shares may fluctuate or lose money. In addition,
because they, unlike other investment companies, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the
following risks: (i) the market price of the ETFs shares may trade at a premium or discount to the
ETFs net asset value; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained;
and (iii) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the
listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or
other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Funds
shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.
B-30
Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with banks, brokers and securities dealers which
furnish collateral at least equal in value or market price to the amount of their repurchase
obligation. The Fund may also enter into repurchase agreements involving certain foreign government
securities. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement under which the Fund purchases securities and
the seller agrees to repurchase the securities within a particular time and at a specified price.
Custody of the securities is maintained by the Funds custodian (or subcustodian). The repurchase
price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the
purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund
together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is
unrelated to the interest rate on the security subject to the repurchase agreement.
For purposes of the Act and generally for tax purposes, a repurchase agreement is deemed to be
a loan from the Fund to the seller of the security. For other purposes, it is not always clear
whether a court would consider the security purchased by the Fund subject to a repurchase agreement
as being owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller. In the
event of commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the
security before repurchase of the security under a repurchase agreement, the Fund may encounter
delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Such a delay may involve loss of
interest or a decline in price of the security. If the court characterizes the transaction as a
loan and the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the security, the Fund may be required
to return the security to the sellers estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the
seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal
and interest involved in the transaction.
Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the
seller may fail to repurchase the security. However, if the market value of the security subject to
the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest), the
Fund will direct the seller of the security to deliver additional securities so that the market
value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement equals or exceeds the repurchase price.
Certain repurchase agreements which provide for settlement in more than seven days can be
liquidated before the nominal fixed term on seven days or less notice. Such repurchase agreements
will be regarded as liquid instruments.
The Fund, together with other registered investment companies having advisory agreements with
the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into a single joint
account, the daily aggregate balance of which will be invested in one or more repurchase
agreements.
Temporary Investments
The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a certain percentage of its total
assets in: U.S. Government Securities; commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poors,
P-2 by Moodys or having a comparable rating by another NRSRO; certificates of deposit; bankers
acceptances; repurchase agreements; non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate
bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year; cash; cash equivalents; and certain
exchange-traded funds. When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not
be achieving its investment objective.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund may engage in active short-term trading to benefit from price disparities among
different issues of securities or among the markets for equity securities, or for other reasons. As
a result of active management it is anticipated that the portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly
from year to year as well as within a particular year, and may be affected by changes in the
holdings of specific issuers, changes in country and currency weightings, cash requirements for
redemption of shares and by requirements which enable the Fund to receive favorable tax treatment.
The Fund is not restricted by policy with regard to portfolio turnover and will make changes in its
investment portfolio from time to time as business and economic conditions as well as market prices
may dictate.
B-31
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Trust as fundamental
policies that cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Fund.
The investment objective of the Fund and all other investment policies or practices of the Fund are
considered by the Trust not to be fundamental and accordingly may be changed without shareholder
approval. For purposes of the Act, majority of the outstanding voting securities means the lesser
of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Trust or the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of
more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or the Fund are present or represented by
proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Trust or the Fund.
For purposes of the following limitations, any limitation which involves a maximum percentage
shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and
is caused by, an acquisition or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, the Fund.
With respect to the Funds fundamental investment restriction number (2) below, asset coverage of
at least 300% (as defined in the Act), inclusive of any amounts borrowed, must be maintained at all
times.
As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
(1)
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Invest 25% or more of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. government or any
of its agencies or instrumentalities).
|
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(2)
|
|
Borrow money, except (a) the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may borrow from
banks (as defined in the Act), other affiliated investment companies and other persons or
through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (including
the amount borrowed), (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up
to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes, (c) the Fund may obtain such
short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio
securities, (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by
applicable law and (e) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are
accounted for as financings.
|
The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In
determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in
portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of
such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be
determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing
shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant
circumstances.
(3)
|
|
Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations in accordance with the Funds
investment objective and policies, (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and
other financial institutions, (c) loans of securities as permitted by applicable law, and (d)
loans to affiliates of the Fund to the extent permitted by law.
|
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(4)
|
|
Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio
securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting.
|
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(5)
|
|
Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities
that are secured by real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment
trusts and mortgage-related securities and may hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund
as a result of the ownership of securities.
|
|
(6)
|
|
Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may invest in currency and
financial instruments and contracts that are commodities or commodity contracts.
|
|
(7)
|
|
Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate applicable law.
|
The Fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment restriction or policy, invest
some or all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof with
substantially the same fundamental investment objective, restrictions and policies as the Fund.
B-32
In addition to the fundamental policies mentioned above, the Trustees have adopted the
following non-fundamental policies which can be changed or amended by action of the Trustees
without approval of shareholders. Again, for purposes of the following limitations, any limitation
which involves a maximum percentage shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the
percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition of securities by the Fund.
The Fund may not:
|
(a)
|
|
Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
|
|
|
(b)
|
|
Invest more than 15% of the Funds net assets in illiquid investments including illiquid
repurchase agreements with a notice or demand period of more than seven days, securities
which are not readily marketable and restricted securities not eligible for resale pursuant
to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act).
|
|
|
(c)
|
|
Purchase additional securities if the Funds borrowings, as permitted by the Funds
borrowing policy, exceed 5% of its net assets. (Mortgage dollar rolls are not subject to
this limitation).
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|
(d)
|
|
Make short sales of securities.
|
B-33
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
The Trusts Leadership Structure
The business and affairs of the Fund is managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees
(the Board), subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Trusts Declaration of Trust.
The Trustees are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and reviewing the actions of
the Trusts service providers. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise the Funds daily
business operations. Trustees who are not deemed to be interested persons of the Trust as defined
in the Act are referred to as Independent Trustees. Trustees who are deemed to be interested
persons of the Trust are referred to as Interested Trustees. The Board is currently composed of
seven Independent Trustees and two Interested Trustees. The Board has selected an Independent
Trustee to act as Chairman, whose duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and acting as a
focal point to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and
Committee meetings. In the performance of the Chairmans duties, the Chairman will consult with the
other Independent Trustees and the Funds officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chairman
may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.
The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board
conducts regular, in-person meetings at least six times a year, and holds special in-person or
telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the
next regularly scheduled meeting. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet at least annually to
review, among other things, investment management agreements, distribution (Rule 12b-1) and/or
service plans and related agreements, transfer agency agreements and certain other agreements
providing for the compensation of Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates by the Funds, and to consider
such other matters as they deem appropriate.
The Board has established six standing committees Audit, Governance and Nominating,
Compliance, Valuation, Dividend and Contract Review Committees. The Board may establish other
committees, or nominate one or more Trustees to examine particular issues related to the Boards
oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its
delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more
information on the Committees, see the section STANDING BOARD COMMITTEES, below.
The Trustees have determined that the Trusts leadership structure is appropriate because it
allows the Trustees to effectively perform their oversight responsibilities.
Trustees of the Trust
Information pertaining to the Trustees of the Trust as of [ ], is set forth below.
Trustees who are not deemed to be interested persons of the Trust as defined in the Act are
referred to as Independent Trustees. Trustees who are deemed to be interested persons of the
Trust are referred to as Interested Trustees.
B-34
Independent Trustees
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolios in
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Office and
|
|
Principal
|
|
Complex
|
|
Other
|
Name,
|
|
Held with
|
|
Length of
|
|
Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Directorships
|
Address and Age(1)
|
|
the Trust
|
|
Time Served(2)
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee(3)
|
|
Held by Trustee(4)
|
Ashok N. Bakhru
Age: 68
|
|
Chairman of the
Board of Trustees
|
|
Since 1991
|
|
President, ABN Associates (July 1994March 1996 and
November 1998Present); Executive Vice President
Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer
and Director, Coty Inc. (manufacturer of fragrances and
cosmetics) (April 1996November 1998); Director of
Arkwright Mutual Insurance Company (19841999);
Trustee of International House of Philadelphia (program
center and residential community for students and
professional trainees from the United States and foreign
countries) (1989-2004); Member of Cornell University
Council (1992-2004 and 2006-Present); Trustee of the
Walnut Street Theater (1992-2004 and 2006-Present);
Trustee, Scholarship America (1998-2005); Trustee,
Institute for Higher Education Policy (2003-Present);
Director, Private Equity InvestorsIII and IV (November
1998-Present), and Equity-Limited Investors II (April
2002-Present); and Chairman, Lenders Service Inc.
(provider of mortgage lending services) (2000-2003).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
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Chairman of the Board of TrusteesGoldman Sachs
Mutual Fund Complex.
|
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Donald C. Burke
Age: 50
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since 2010
|
|
Director, BlackRock Luxembourg and Cayman Funds
(20062010); President and Chief Executive Officer,
BlackRock U.S. Funds (20072009); Managing Director,
BlackRock, Inc. (20062009); Managing Director, Merrill
Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. (MLIM) (2006); First
Vice President, MLIM (19972005); Chief Financial
Officer and Treasurer, MLIM U.S. Funds (19992006).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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John P. Coblentz, Jr.
Age: 69
|
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Trustee
|
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Since 2003
|
|
Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP (June 1975 May 2003);
Director, Emerging Markets Group, Ltd. (2004-2006); and
Director, Elderhostel, Inc. (2006Present).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Diana M. Daniels
Age: 61
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|
Trustee
|
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Since 2007
|
|
Ms. Daniels is retired (since January 2007). Formerly,
she was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary,
The Washington Post Company (1991-2006). Ms. Daniels is
Chairman of the Executive Committee, Cornell University
(2006-Present); Member, Advisory Board, Psychology
Without Borders (international humanitarian aid
organization) (since 2007), and former Member of the
Legal Advisory Board, New York Stock Exchange (2003-2006)
and of the Corporate Advisory Board, Standish Mellon
Management Advisors (2006-2007).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
|
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Joseph P. LoRusso
Age: 53
|
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Trustee
|
|
Since 2010
|
|
President, Fidelity Investments Institutional Services
Co. (FIIS) (20022008); Director, FIIS (20022008);
Director, Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations
Company (20032007); Executive Officer, Fidelity
Distributors Corporation (20072008).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
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B-35
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolios in
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
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Office and
|
|
Principal
|
|
Complex
|
|
Other
|
Name,
|
|
Held with
|
|
Length of
|
|
Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Directorships
|
Address and Age(1)
|
|
the Trust
|
|
Time Served(2)
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee(3)
|
|
Held by Trustee(4)
|
Jessica Palmer
Age: 61
|
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Trustee
|
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Since 2007
|
|
Ms. Palmer is retired (since 2006). Formerly, she was
Managing Director, Citigroup Corporate and Investment
Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon
Brothers) (1984-2006). Ms. Palmer is a Member of the
Board of Trustees of Indian Mountain School (private
elementary and secondary school) (2004-Present).
|
|
[ ]
|
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None
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
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Richard P. Strubel
Age: 71
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since 1987
|
|
Vice Chairman and Director, Cardean Learning Group
(provider of educational services via the internet) (2003-
Present); President, COO and Director, Cardean Learning
Group (1999-2003); Director, Cantilever Technologies,
Inc. (a private software company) (1999-2005); Trustee,
The University of Chicago (1987-Present); and Managing
Director, Tandem Partners, Inc. (management services
firm) (19901999).
TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
|
[ ]
|
|
Gildan Activewear
Inc. (a clothing
marketing and
manufacturing
company); Cardean
Learning Group
(provider of
educational
services via the
Internet); Northern
Mutual Fund Complex
(58 Portfolios).
|
B-36
Interested Trustees
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Portfolios in
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Term of Office
|
|
Principal
|
|
Complex
|
|
|
Name,
|
|
Held with
|
|
and Length of
|
|
Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Other Directorships
|
Address and Age(1)
|
|
the Trust
|
|
Time Served(2)
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee(3)
|
|
Held by Trustee(4)
|
James A. McNamara*
Age: 48
|
|
President and
Trustee
|
|
Since 2007
|
|
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 1998
Present); Director of Institutional Fund Sales, GSAM
(April 1998 December 2000); and Senior Vice
President
and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation
(January 1993 April 1998).
|
|
[ ]
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex
(November 2007 Present); Senior Vice President
Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (May 2007
November 2007); and Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs
Mutual Fund Complex (2001 2007).
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trustee Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (since
November 2007 and December 2002 May 2004).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan A. Shuch*
Age: 61
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Advisory Director GSAM (May 1999 Present);
Consultant to GSAM (December 1994 May 1999); and
Limited Partner, Goldman Sachs (December 1994 May
1999).
|
|
[ ]
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trustee Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
These persons are considered to be Interested Trustees because they hold positions with
Goldman Sachs and own securities issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Each Interested
Trustee holds comparable positions with certain other companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM
or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor.
|
|
1
|
|
Each Trustee may be contacted by writing to the Trustee, c/o Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street,
New York, New York, 10282, Attn: Peter V. Bonanno.
|
|
2
|
|
Each Trustee holds office for an indefinite term until the earliest of: (a) the election of
his or her successor; (b) the date the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Board of Trustees
or shareholders, in accordance with the Trusts Declaration of Trust; (c) the conclusion of
the first Board meeting held subsequent to the day the Trustee attains the age of 72 years (in
accordance with the current resolutions of the Board of Trustees, which may be changed by the
Trustees without shareholder vote); or (d) the termination of the Trust.
|
|
3
|
|
The Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex consists of the Trust , Goldman Sachs Municipal
Opportunity Fund, Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance
Trust. As of [ ], 2010, the Trust consisted of [ ] portfolios, Goldman Sachs Variable
Insurance Trust consisted of [ ] portfolios, and the Goldman Sachs Municipal Opportunity Fund
did not offer shares to the public
|
|
4
|
|
This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., public companies) or other investment companies
registered under the Act.
|
B-37
The significance or relevance of a Trustees particular experience, qualifications,
attributes and/or skills is considered by the Board on an individual basis. Experience,
qualifications, attributes and/or skills common to all Trustees include the ability to critically
review, evaluate and discuss information provided to them and to interact effectively with the
other Trustees and with representatives of the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, other service
providers, legal counsel and the Funds independent registered public accounting firm, the capacity
to address financial and legal issues and exercise reasonable business judgment, and a commitment
to the representation of the interests of the Funds and their shareholders. The Governance and
Nominating Committees charter contains certain other factors that are considered by the Governance
and Nominating Committee in identifying and evaluating potential nominees to serve as Independent
Trustees. Based on each Trustees experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, considered
individually and with respect to the experience, qualifications attributes and/or skills of other
Trustees, the Board has concluded that each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. Below is a brief
discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of each individual Trustee
as of December [ ], 2010 that led the Board to conclude that such individual should serve as a
Trustee.
Ashok N. Bakhru. Mr. Bakhru has served as a Trustee since 1991 and Chairman of the Board since
1996. Mr. Bakhru serves as President of ABN Associates, a management and financial consulting firm,
and is a Director of Apollo Investment Corporation, a business development company. Previously, Mr.
Bakhru was the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Coty Inc., a
multinational cosmetics, fragrance and personal care company. Previously, Mr. Bakhru held several
senior management positions at Scott Paper Company, a major manufacturer of paper products,
including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bakhru also serves on the
Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council and the Board of Governors of the Investment
Company Institute. He also serves on the Advisory Board of BoardIQ, an investment publication. In
addition, Mr. Bakhru has served as Director of Equity-Linked Investments II and Private Equity
Investors III and IV, which are private equity partnerships based in New York City. Mr. Bakhru was
also a Director of Arkwright Mutual Insurance Company. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Bakhru is
experienced with financial and investment matters.
Donald C. Burke. Mr. Burke has served as Trustee since 2010. Mr. Burke was a Managing
Director of BlackRock, Inc., where he was President and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRocks U.S.
funds and a director and chairman of several offshore funds advised by BlackRock. As President and
Chief Executive Officer of BlackRocks U.S. funds, he was responsible for all accounting, tax and
regulatory reporting requirements for over 300 open-end and closed-end BlackRock funds.
Previously, he was a Managing Director, First Vice President and Vice President of Merrill Lynch
Investment Managers, L.P. (MLIM), where he worked for 16 years prior to MLIMs merger with
BlackRock, and was instrumental in the integration of BlackRocks and MLIMs operating
infrastructure following the merger. While at MLIM, he was Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
of MLIMs U.S. funds and Head of Global Operations and Client Services, where he was responsible
for the development and maintenance of MLIMs operating infrastructure across the Americas, Europe
and the Pacific Rim. He also developed controls for the MLIM U.S. funds financial statement
certification process to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, worked with fund auditors in
connection with the funds annual audits and established the department responsible for all tax
issues impacting the MLIM U.S. funds. Previously, Mr. Burke was Tax Manager at Deloitte & Touche,
where he was designated as one of the firms lead specialists in the investment company industry,
and advised multinational corporations, partnerships, universities and high net worth individuals
in tax matters. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Burke is experienced with accounting, financial and
investment matters.
John P. Coblentz, Jr. Mr. Coblentz has served as Trustee since 2003. Mr. Coblentz has been
designated as the Boards audit committee financial expert given his extensive accounting and
finance experience. Mr. Coblentz was a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP for 28 years. While at
Deloitte & Touche LLP, Mr. Coblentz was lead partner responsible for all auditing and accounting
services to a variety of large, global companies, a significant portion of which operated in the
financial services industry. Mr. Coblentz was also the national managing partner for the firms
risk management function, a member of its Executive Committee and the first managing partner of the
firms Financial Advisory Services practice, which brought together the firms mergers and
acquisition services, forensic and dispute services, corporate finance, asset valuation and
reorganization businesses under one management structure. He served as a member of the firms Board
of Directors and a member of its Executive Committee. Mr. Coblentz also currently serves as a
Director and chairman of the finance committee of Elderhostel, Inc., a not-for-profit organization.
Based on the foregoing, Mr. Coblentz is experienced with accounting, financial and investment
matters.
Diana M. Daniels. Ms. Daniels has served as Trustee since 2007. Ms. Daniels also serves as
Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University. Ms. Daniels held several senior
management positions at The Washington Post Company, where she worked for 20 years. While at The
Washington Post Company, Ms. Daniels served as Vice Present, General Counsel, Secretary to the
Board of Directors and Secretary to the Audit Committee. Previously, Ms. Daniels served as Vice
President and General Counsel of Newsweek, Inc. Ms. Daniels has also served as a member of the
Corporate Advisory Board of Standish Mellon Management Advisors and of the Legal Advisory Board of
New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Daniels is also a member of the American Law Institute and of
B-38
the Advisory Council of the Inter-American Press Association. Based on the foregoing, Ms.
Daniels is experienced with legal, financial and investment matters.
Joseph P. LoRusso. Mr. LoRusso has served as Trustee since 2010. Mr. LoRusso held a number
of senior management positions at Fidelity Investments for over 15 years, where he was most
recently President of Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Co. (FIIS). As President of
FIIS, Mr. LoRusso oversaw the development, distribution and servicing of Fidelitys investment and
retirement products through various financial intermediaries. Previously, he served as President,
Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President of Fidelity Institutional Retirement Services
Co., where he helped establish Fidelitys 401(k) business and built it into the largest in the U.S.
In these positions, he oversaw sales, marketing, implementation, client services, operations and
technology. Mr. LoRusso also served on Fidelitys Executive Management Committee. Prior to his
experience with Fidelity, he was Second Vice President in the Investment and Pension Group of John
Hancock Mutual Life Insurance, where he had responsibility for developing and running the companys
401(k) business. Previously, he worked at The Equitable (now a subsidiary of AXA Financial), where
he was Product Manager of the companys then-nascent 401(k) business, and at Arthur Andersen & Co.
(now Accenture), as a Senior Consultant within the firms consulting practice. Based on the
foregoing, Mr. LoRusso is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Jessica Palmer. Ms. Palmer has served as Trustee since 2007. Ms. Palmer worked at Citigroup
Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) for over 20
years, where she was a Managing Director. While at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking, Ms.
Palmer was Head of Global Risk Management, Chair of the Global Commitment Committee, Co-Chair of
International Investment Banking (New York) and Head of Fixed Income Capital Markets. Ms. Palmer
was also a member of the Management Committee and Risk Management Operating Committee of Citigroup,
Inc. Prior to that, Ms. Palmer was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in its international corporate
finance department. Ms. Palmer was also Assistant Vice President of the International Division at
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Ms. Palmer is also member of the Board of Trustees of a private elementary
and secondary school. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Palmer is experienced with financial and
investment matters.
Richard P. Strubel. Mr. Strubel has served as Trustee since 1987. Mr. Strubel also serves as
Chairman of the Northern Funds, a family of retail and institutional mutual funds managed by The
Northern Trust Company. He also serves on the board of Gildan Activewear Inc., which is listed on
the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Mr. Strubel was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Cardean
Learning Group (formerly known as Unext), and previously served as Unexts President and Chief
Operating Officer. Mr. Strubel was Managing Director of Tandem Partners, Inc., a privately-held
management services firm, and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Microdot, Inc.
Previously, Mr. Strubel served as President of Northwest Industries, then a NYSE-listed company, a
conglomerate with various operating entities located around the country. Before joining Northwest,
Mr. Strubel was an associate and later managing principal of Fry Consultants, a management
consulting firm based in Chicago. Mr. Strubel is also a Trustee of the University of Chicago,
Chairman of its Audit Committee and is an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Booth
School of Business. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Strubel is experienced with financial and
investment matters.
James A. McNamara. Mr. McNamara has served as Trustee and President of the Trust since 2007
and has served as an officer of the Trust since 2001. Mr. McNamara is a Managing Director at
Goldman Sachs. Mr. McNamara is currently head of Global Third Party Distribution at GSAM, where he
was previously head of U.S. Third Party Distribution. Prior to that role, Mr. McNamara served as
Director of Institutional Fund Sales. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mr. McNamara was Vice
President and Manager at Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation. Based on the foregoing, Mr.
McNamara is experienced with financial and investment matters.
Alan A. Shuch. Mr. Shuch has served as a Trustee since 1990. Mr. Shuch is an Advisory Director
to Goldman Sachs. Mr. Shuch serves on the Board of Trustees of a number of offshore funds managed
by GSAM. He serves on GSAMs Valuation and Brokerage Allocation Committees. Prior to retiring as a
general partner of Goldman Sachs in 1994, Mr. Shuch was president and chief operating officer of
GSAM which he founded in 1988. Mr. Shuch joined the Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Division in 1976. He
was instrumental in building Goldman Sachs Corporate Bond Department and served as co-head of the
Global Fixed Income Sales and the High Yield Bond and Preferred Stock Departments. He headed the
Portfolio Restructuring and Fixed Income Quantitative and Credit Research Departments. Mr. Shuch
also served on a variety of firm-wide committees including the International Executive, New Product
and Strategic Planning Committees and was a member of the Stone Street/Bridge Street Private Equity
Board. Mr. Shuch serves on Whartons Graduate Executive Board. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Shuch is
experienced with financial and investment matters.
B-39
Officers of the Trust
Information pertaining to the officers of the Trust is set forth below.
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Term of Office
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Name, Age And
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Address
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With the Trust
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Time Served(1)
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Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
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James A. McNamara
200 West Street
New York, NY 10005
Age: 48
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Trustee and President
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Since 2007
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December
1998Present); Director of Institutional Fund Sales,
GSAM (April 1998December 2000); and Senior Vice
President and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service
Corporation (January 1993April 1998).
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PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (November
2007Present); Senior Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs
Mutual Fund Complex (May 2007November 2007); and Vice
PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex
(20012007).
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (since
November 2007Present and December 2002May 2004).
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Scott McHugh
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 39
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Treasurer and Senior
Vice President
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Since 2009
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (February 2007Present);
Assistant Treasurer of certain mutual funds administered
by DWS Scudder (20052007); and Director (2005-2007),
Vice President (2000-2005), Assistant Vice President
(1998-2000), Deutsche Asset Management or its
predecessor (19982007).
TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (October
2009-Present); Senior Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs
Mutual Fund Complex (November 2009-Present); and
Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex
(May 2007-October 2009).
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Philip V. Giuca, Jr.
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 48
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Assistant
Treasurer
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Since 1997
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (May 1992Present).
Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Peter Fortner
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 52
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Assistant
Treasurer
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Since 2000
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (July 2000 Present);
Principal Financial Officer, Commerce Bank Mutual Fund
Complex (2008 Present); Associate, Prudential
Insurance Company of America (November 1985 June
2000); and Assistant Treasurer, certain closed-end funds
administered by Prudential (1999 and 2000).
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Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Kenneth G. Curran
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 46
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Assistant
Treasurer
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Since 2001
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (November 1998Present);
and Senior Tax Manager, KPMG Peat Marwick (accountants) (August 1995October 1998).
Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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George F. Travers
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 42
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Senior Vice
President and
Principal Financial
Officer
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Since 2009
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2007-Present);
Managing Director, UBS Ag (2005-2007); and Partner,
Deloitte & Touche LLP (1990-2005, partner from
2000-2005)
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Senior Vice President and Principal Financial
OfficerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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James A. Fitzpatrick
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 50
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Vice President
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Since 1997
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (October 1999-
Present); and Vice President of GSAM (April 1997December 1999).
Vice President Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Jesse Cole
71 South Wacker
Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 47
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Vice President
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Since 1998
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December
2006-Present); Vice President, GSAM (June 1998-Present);
and Vice President, AIM Management Group, Inc. (investment adviser) (April 1996June 1998).
Vice President Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Kerry K. Daniels
71 South Wacker
Drive
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Vice President
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Since 2000
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Manager, Financial Control Shareholder Services,
Goldman Sachs (1986Present).
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Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 47
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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-40
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Term of Office
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Name, Age And
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Address
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With the Trust
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Time Served(1)
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Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
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Mark Hancock
71 South Wacker
Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 40
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Vice President
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Since 2007
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (November 2005
Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2000
November 2005); Senior Vice President Dreyfus Service
Corp (1999 2000); and Vice President Dreyfus Service Corp (1996 1999).
Vice President Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Jeffrey D. Matthes
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 41
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Vice President
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2004Present);
and Associate, Goldman Sachs (December 2002December 2004).
Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Carlos W. Samuels
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 36
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Vice President
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2007Present);
Associate, Goldman Sachs (December 2005December 2007); Analyst, Goldman Sachs (January 2004December 2005).
Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Miriam Cytryn
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 52
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Vice President
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Since 2008
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Vice President, GSAM (2008-Present); Vice President of
Divisional Management, Investment Management Division
(2007-2008); Vice President and Chief of Staff, GSAM US
Distribution (2003-2007); and Vice President of Employee
Relations, Goldman Sachs (1996-2003).
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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Glen Casey
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 46
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Vice President
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Since 2008
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2007-Present); and
Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1997-2007).
Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Peter V. Bonanno
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 43
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Secretary
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Since 2003
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 2006
Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs
(2002Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1999
2006); and Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs
(1999-2002).
SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex
(2006Present); and Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs
Mutual Fund Complex (20032006).
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Dave Fishman
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 46
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2001
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December
2001Present); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs
(1997December 2001).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Danny Burke
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 48
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2001
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1987Present).
Assistant Secretary Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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George Djurasovic
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 39
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2005 Present);
Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2006
Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2005
2006); Senior Counsel, TIAA CREF (2004 2005);
and Counsel, TIAA CREF (2000 2004).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Patricia Meyer
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 36
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (September 2006Present);
Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2009-Present);
Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (September 2006
December 2008); and Associate, Simpson Thacher &
Bartlett LLP (2000 2006).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Mark T. Robertson
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 34
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (April 2007 Present);
Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (April 2007
Present); Associate, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver &
Jacobson LLP (2004 2007); and Solicitor, Corrs
Chambers Westgarth (2002 2003).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-41
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Term of Office
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Name, Age And
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Address
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With the Trust
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Time Served(1)
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Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
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Deborah Farrell
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 39
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2005 Present);
Associate, Goldman Sachs (20012005); and Analyst,
Goldman Sachs (1994 2005).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Patrick OCallaghan
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 38
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2009
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2000-Present); Associate,
Goldman Sachs (1998-2000); Analyst, Goldman Sachs
(1995-1998).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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James McCarthy
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 46
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2009
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2003-Present); Vice
President, Goldman Sachs (1996-2003); Portfolio Manager,
Goldman Sachs (1995-1996).
Assistant Secretary Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Andrew Murphy
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 38
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2010
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (April 2009-Present);
Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (April
2009-Present); Attorney, Axiom Legal (2007-2009); Vice
President and Counsel, AllianceBernstein, L.P.
(2001-2007).
Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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1
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Officers hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees or until their successors are
duly elected and qualified. Each officer holds comparable positions with certain other
companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser,
administrator and/or distributor.
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B-42
Standing Board Committees
The Board of Trustees has established six standing committees in connection with their
governance of the Fund Audit, Governance and Nominating, Compliance, Valuation, Dividend and
Contract Review.
The Audit Committee oversees the audit process and provides assistance to the full Board of
Trustees with respect to fund accounting, tax compliance and financial statement matters. In
performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee selects, subject to the ratification by the
entire Board of Trustees an independent registered public accounting firm to audit the books and
records of the Trust for the ensuing year, and reviews with the firm the scope and results of each
audit. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee held
[
]
meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
The Governance and Nominating Committee has been established to: (i) assist the Board of
Trustees in matters involving mutual fund governance and industry practices; (ii) select and
nominate candidates for appointment or election to serve as Trustees who are not interested
persons of the Trust or its investment adviser or distributor (as defined by the Act); and (iii)
advise the Board of Trustees on ways to improve its effectiveness. All of the Independent Trustees
serve on the Governance and Nominating Committee. The Governance and Nominating Committee held
[
]
meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010. As stated above, each Trustee holds
office for an indefinite term until the occurrence of certain events. In filling Board vacancies,
the Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Nominee
recommendations should be submitted to the Trust at its mailing address stated in the Funds
Prospectuses and should be directed to the attention of the Goldman Sachs Trust Governance and
Nominating Committee.
The Compliance Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the compliance
processes: (i) of the Fund; and (ii) insofar as they relate to services provided to the Fund, of
the Funds investment adviser, distributor, administrator (if any), and transfer agent, except that
compliance processes relating to the accounting and financial reporting processes, and certain
related matters, are overseen by the Audit Committee. In addition, the Compliance Committee
provides assistance to the full Board of Trustees with respect to compliance matters. The
Compliance Committee met
[
]
times during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010. All of the
Independent Trustees serve on the Compliance Committee.
The Valuation Committee is authorized to act for the Board of Trustees in connection with the
valuation of portfolio securities held by the Fund in accordance with the Trusts Valuation
Procedures. Messrs. McNamara and Shuch serve on the Valuation Committee. The Valuation Committee
met
[
]
times during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
The Dividend Committee is authorized, subject to the ratification of Trustees who are not
members of the committee, to declare dividends and capital gain distributions consistent with the
Funds Prospectus. Messrs. McNamara and Perlowski serve on the Dividend Committee. During the
fiscal year ended October 31, 2010, the Dividend Committee held
[
]
meetings with respect to all
of the Funds of the Trust (including the Fund).
The Contract Review Committee has been established for the purpose of assisting the board of
Trustees in overseeing the processes for approving and monitoring the Funds investment management,
distribution, transfer agency and other agreements with the Funds Investment Adviser and its
affiliates. The Contract Review Committee is also responsible for overseeing the Board of Trustees
processes for approving and reviewing the operation of the Funds distribution, service,
shareholder administration and other plans, and any agreements related to the plans, whether or not
such plans and agreements are adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act. The Contract Review
Committee also provides appropriate assistance to the Board of Trustees in connection with the
Boards approval, oversight and review of the Funds other service providers including, without
limitation, the Funds custodian/accounting agent, sub-transfer agents, professional (legal and
accounting) firms and printing firms. The Contract Review Committee met
[
]
times during the
fiscal year ended October 31, 2010. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Contract Review
Committee.
B-43
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
The following table shows the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in the
Fund and other portfolios of Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust as of
December 31, 2010.
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Aggregate Dollar
|
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|
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Range of Equity
|
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Securities in All
|
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Dollar Range of
|
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Portfolios in Fund
|
|
|
Equity Securities in
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Complex Overseen By
|
Name of Trustee
|
|
the Fund (1)
|
|
Trustee(1)
|
Ashok N. Bakhru
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
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Donald C. Burke
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
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|
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John P. Coblentz, Jr.
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
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|
Diana M. Daniels
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph P. LoRusso
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
James A. McNamara
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jessica Palmer
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan A. Shuch
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard P. Strubel
|
|
[ ]
|
|
[ ]
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
Includes the value of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Fund.
|
|
2
|
|
As of December 31, 2010, the Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex consisted of the Trust,
Goldman Sachs Municipal Opportunity Fund and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. The
Trust consisted of 83 portfolios (of which 82 offered shares to the public), the Goldman Sachs
Variable Insurance Trust consisted of 11 portfolios, and the Goldman Sachs Municipal
Opportunity Fund did not offer shares to the public.
|
As of [ ], the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of
the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund.
Board Compensation
The Trust pays each Independent Trustee an annual fee for his or her services as a Trustee of
the Trust, plus an additional fee for each regular and special telephonic Board meeting, Governance
and Nominating Committee meeting, Compliance Committee meeting, Contract Review Committee meeting
and Audit Committee meeting attended by such Trustee. The Independent Trustees are also reimbursed
for travel expenses incurred in connection with attending such meetings. The Trust may also pay the
incidental costs of a Trustee to attend training or other types of conferences relating to the
investment company industry.
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the compensation of each
Trustee of the Trust for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
B-44
Trustee Compensation
|
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Aggregate
|
|
Pension or Retirement
|
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|
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
Benefits Accrued as Part
|
|
Total Compensation
|
|
Name of Trustee
|
|
from the Fund*
|
|
of the Trusts Expenses*
|
|
From Fund Complex*
|
|
Ashok N. Bakhru
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
Donald C. Burke
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
|
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|
|
|
|
|
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Diana M. Daniels
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph P. LoRusso
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James McNamara
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Jessica Palmer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan A. Shuch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
Richard P. Strubel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
*
|
|
The Fund was not in operation prior to the date of this SAI. Therefore the Trustees received
no compensation during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
|
B-45
Miscellaneous
Class A Shares of the Fund may be sold at net asset value without payment of any sales charge
to Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and their respective officers, partners, directors or employees
(including retired employees and former partners), any partnership of which Goldman Sachs is a
general partner, any Trustee or officer of the Trust and designated family members of any of the
above individuals. These and the Funds other sales load waivers are due to the nature of the
investors and/or the reduced sales effort and expense that are needed to obtain such investments.
The Trust, its Investment Adviser and principal underwriter have adopted codes of ethics under
Rule 17j-1 of the Act that permit personnel subject to their particular codes of ethics to invest
in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES
As stated in the Funds Prospectuses, GSAMI, Christchurch Court, 10-15 Newgate Street, London,
England EC1A7HD, serves as Investment Adviser to the Fund. GSAMI is an affiliate of GSAM and
Goldman Sachs. See Service Providers in the Funds Prospectuses for a description of the
Investment Advisers duties to the Fund.
Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a financial holding company and a leading global
investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Goldman Sachs is a leader in
developing portfolio strategies and in many fields of investing and financing, participating in
financial markets worldwide and serving individuals, institutions, corporations and governments.
Goldman Sachs is also among the principal market sources for current and thorough information on
companies, industrial sectors, markets, economies and currencies, and trades and makes markets in a
wide range of equity and debt securities 24 hours a day. The firm is headquartered in New York with
offices in countries throughout the world. It has trading professionals throughout the United
States, as well as in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Seoul, Sao Paulo and other major financial centers
around the world. The active participation of Goldman Sachs in the worlds financial markets
enhances its ability to identify attractive investments. Goldman Sachs has agreed to permit the
Fund to use the name Goldman Sachs or a derivative thereof as part of the Funds name for as long
as the Funds Management Agreement is in effect.
The Investment Adviser is able to draw on the substantial research and market expertise of
Goldman Sachs, whose investment research effort is one of the largest in the industry. [The Global
Investment Research Department covers approximately 1,800 securities, more than 50 economies and
over 25 stock markets.] The in depth information and analyses generated by Goldman Sachs research
analysts are available to the Investment Adviser subject to Chinese Wall restrictions.
In addition, many of Goldman Sachs economists, securities analysts, portfolio strategists and
credit analysts have consistently been highly ranked in respected industry surveys conducted in the
United States and abroad. Goldman Sachs is also among the leading investment firms using
quantitative analytics (now used by a growing number of investors) to structure and evaluate
portfolios. For example, Goldman Sachs options evaluation model analyzes a securitys term, coupon
and call option, providing an overall analysis of the securitys value relative to its interest
risk.
In managing the Fund, the Investment Adviser has access to Goldman Sachs economics research.
The Economics Research Department based in London conducts economic, financial and currency markets
research which analyzes economic trends and interest and exchange rate movements worldwide. The
Economics Research Department tracks factors such as inflation and money supply figures, balance of
trade figures, economic growth, commodity prices, monetary and fiscal policies, and political
events that can influence interest rates and currency trends. The success of Goldman Sachs
international research team has brought wide recognition to its members. The team has earned top
rankings in various external surveys such as Pensions and Investments, Forbes and Dalbar. These
rankings acknowledge the achievements of the firms economists, strategists and equity analysts.
In allocating assets among foreign countries and currencies for the Fund, the Investment
Adviser will have access to the Global Asset Allocation Model. The model is based on the
observation that the prices of all financial assets, including foreign currencies, will adjust
until investors globally are comfortable holding the pool of outstanding assets. Using the model,
the Investment Adviser will estimate the total returns from each currency sector which are
consistent with the average investor holding a portfolio equal to the
B-46
market capitalization of the financial assets among those currency sectors. These estimated
equilibrium returns are then combined with the expectations of Goldman Sachs research
professionals to produce an optimal currency and asset allocation for the level of risk suitable
for the Fund given its investment objective and criteria.
The Management Agreement provides that GSAMI, in its capacity as Investment Adviser, may
render similar services to others so long as the services under the Management Agreement are not
impaired thereby. The Funds Management Agreement was approved by the Trustees of the Trust,
including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to such agreement or
interested persons (as such term is defined in the Act) of any party thereto (the non-interested
Trustees) on
[
]
. A discussion regarding the Trustees basis for approving the Management
Agreement for the Fund will be available in the Trusts semi-annual report for the period ending on
April 30, 2011.
The Management Agreement will remain in effect until June 30, 2011 and will continue in effect
with respect to the Fund from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting
securities or a majority of the Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) the vote of a majority of the
non-interested Trustees of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting
on such approval.
The Management Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Act). The
Management Agreement is also terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or
by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days written notice to
the Investment Adviser or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days written notice to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Management Agreement the Investment Adviser is entitled to receive a fee,
payable monthly, at the annual rates of
[
]
% of the Funds first $2 billion of average daily net
assets,
[
]
% of average daily net assets over $2 billion,
[
]
% of average daily net assets over
$5 billion and
[
]
% of average daily net assets over $8 billion.
In addition to providing advisory services, under the Management Agreement, the Investment
Adviser also: (i) supervises all non-advisory operations of the Fund; (ii) provides personnel to
perform such executive, administrative and clerical services as are reasonably necessary to provide
effective administration of the Fund; (iii) arranges for at the Funds expense: (a) the preparation
of all required tax returns, (b) the preparation and submission of reports to existing
shareholders, (c) the periodic updating of prospectuses and statements of additional information
and (d) the preparation of reports to be filed with the SEC and other regulatory authorities; (iv)
maintains the Funds records; and (v) provides office space and all necessary office equipment and
services.
Portfolio Managers Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers
The following tables disclose other accounts within each type of category listed below for
which the portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for day to day portfolio
management.
B-47
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Number of Other Accounts Managed and Total Assets by Account Type*
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Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory Fee is Performance Based*
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Registered
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Registered
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Investment
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Other Pooled
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Other
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Investment
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Other Pooled
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Other
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Companies
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Investment Vehicles
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Accounts
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Companies
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Investment Vehicles
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Accounts
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Number
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Number
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Number
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Number
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Number
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Name of
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Number of
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Assets
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of
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Assets
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of
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Assets
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of
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Assets
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of
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Assets
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of
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Assets
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Portfolio Manager
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Accounts
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Managed
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Accounts
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Managed
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Accounts
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Managed
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Accounts
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Managed
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Accounts
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Managed
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Accounts
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Managed
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Richard Flax, CFA
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Rick Loo
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*
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The information is as of
[ ]
, 2010.
|
B-48
Conflicts of Interest
. The Investment Advisers portfolio managers are often
responsible for managing the Fund as well as other accounts, including proprietary accounts,
separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as unregistered hedge funds. A
portfolio manager may manage a separate account or other pooled investment vehicle which may have
materially higher fee arrangements than the Fund and may also have a performance-based fee. The
side-by-side management of these funds may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to cross
trading, the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.
The Investment Adviser has a fiduciary responsibility to manage all client accounts in a fair
and equitable manner. It seeks to provide best execution of all securities transactions and
aggregate and then allocate securities to client accounts in a fair and timely manner. To this end,
the Investment Adviser has developed policies and procedures designed to mitigate and manage the
potential conflicts of interest that may arise from side-by-side management. In addition, the
Investment Adviser and the Fund have adopted policies limiting the circumstances under which
cross-trades may be effected between the Fund and another client account. The Investment Adviser
conducts periodic reviews of trades for consistency with these policies. For more information about
conflicts of interests that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers management of the
Funds investments and the investments of other accounts, see POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST -
Potential Conflicts Relating to the Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among the Fund and Other
Goldman Sachs Accounts and Potential Conflicts Relating to Goldman Sachs and the Investment
Advisers Proprietary Activities and Activities on Behalf of Other Accounts.
Portfolio Managers Compensation
Compensation for GSAM portfolio managers is comprised of a base salary and discretionary
variable compensation. The base salary is fixed from year to year. Year-end discretionary variable
compensation is primarily a function of each portfolio managers individual performance and his or
her contribution to overall team performance; the performance of GSAM and Goldman Sachs; the teams
net revenues for the past year which in part is derived from advisory fees, and for certain
accounts, performance-based fees; and anticipated compensation levels among competitor firms.
Portfolio managers are rewarded, in part, for their delivery of investment performance, measured on
a pre-tax basis, which is reasonably expected to meet or exceed the expectations of clients and
fund shareholders in terms of: excess return over an applicable benchmark, peer group ranking, risk
management and factors specific to certain funds such as yield or regional focus. Performance is
judged over 1-,3- and 5-year time horizons.
The discretionary variable compensation for portfolio managers is also significantly
influenced by: (1) effective participation in team research discussions and process; and (2)
management of risk in alignment with the targeted risk parameter and investment objective of the
fund. Other factors may also be considered including: (1) general client/shareholder orientation
and (2) teamwork and leadership. Portfolio managers may receive equity-based awards as part of
their discretionary variable compensation.
Other CompensationIn addition to base salary and discretionary variable compensation, the
Investment Adviser has a number of additional benefits in place including (1) a 401k program that
enables employees to direct a percentage of their pretax salary and bonus income into a
tax-qualified retirement plan; and (2) investment opportunity programs in which certain
professionals may participate subject to certain eligibility requirements.
Portfolio Managers Portfolio Managers Ownership of Securities in the Fund
The Fund was not in operation prior to the date of this SAI. Consequently, the portfolio
managers own no securities issued by the Fund.
Distributor and Transfer Agent
Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, serves as the exclusive distributor
of shares of the Fund pursuant to a best efforts arrangement as provided by a distribution
agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are offered and sold on a
continuous basis by Goldman Sachs, acting as agent. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, after
the Prospectuses and periodic reports have been prepared, set in type and mailed to shareholders,
Goldman Sachs will pay for the printing and distribution of copies thereof used in connection with
the offering to prospective investors. Goldman Sachs will also pay for other supplementary sales
literature and advertising costs. Goldman Sachs may enter into sales agreements with certain
investment dealers and other financial service firms (the Authorized Dealers) to solicit
subscriptions for Class A, Class C, and Class IR Shares of the
B-49
Fund. Goldman Sachs receives a portion of the sales charge imposed on the sale, in the case of
Class A Shares, or redemption, in the case of Class C Shares (and in certain cases, Class A
Shares), of such Fund share.
Goldman Sachs, 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 serves as the Trusts transfer and
dividend disbursing agent. Under its transfer agency agreement with the Trust, Goldman Sachs has
undertaken with the Trust to (i) record the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares, (ii)
provide purchase and redemption confirmations and quarterly statements, as well as certain other
statements, (iii) provide certain information to the Trusts custodian and the relevant
sub-custodian in connection with redemptions, (iv) provide dividend crediting and certain
disbursing agent services, (v) maintain shareholder accounts, (vi) provide certain state Blue Sky
and other information, (vii) provide shareholders and certain regulatory authorities with
tax-related information, (viii) respond to shareholder inquiries, and (ix) render certain other
miscellaneous services. For its transfer agency services, Goldman Sachs is entitled to receive a
transfer agency fee equal, on an annualized basis, to 0.04% of average daily net assets with
respect to the Funds Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with respect to
the Funds Class A, Class C, and Class IR Shares.
The Trusts distribution and transfer agency agreements each provide that Goldman Sachs may
render similar services to others so long as the services Goldman Sachs provides thereunder are not
impaired thereby. Such agreements also provide that the Trust will indemnify Goldman Sachs against
certain liabilities.
Expenses
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is responsible for the payment of the Funds expenses. The
expenses include, without limitation, the fees payable to the Investment Adviser, service fees and
shareholder administration fees paid to Authorized Institutions, the fees and expenses of the
Trusts custodian and subcustodians, transfer agent fees and expenses, pricing service fees and
expenses, brokerage fees and commissions, filing fees for the registration or qualification of the
Trusts shares under federal or state securities laws, expenses of the organization of the Fund,
fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with membership in investment company
organizations including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Institute, taxes, interest,
costs of liability insurance, fidelity bonds or indemnification, any costs, expenses or losses
arising out of any liability of, or claim for damages or other relief asserted against, the Trust
for violation of any law, legal, tax and auditing fees and expenses (including the cost of legal
and certain accounting services rendered by employees of Goldman Sachs or its affiliates with
respect to the Trust), expenses of preparing and setting in type Prospectuses, SAIs, proxy
material, reports and notices and the printing and distributing of the same to the Trusts
shareholders and regulatory authorities, any expenses assumed by the Fund pursuant to its
Distribution and Service Plans, compensation and expenses of its non-interested Trustees, the
fees and expenses of pricing services and extraordinary expenses, if any, incurred by the Trust.
Except for fees and expenses under any service plan, shareholder administration plan or
distribution and service plans applicable to a particular class and transfer agency fees and
expenses, all Fund expenses are borne on a non-class specific basis.
The imposition of the Investment Advisers fees, as well as other operating expenses, will
have the effect of reducing the total return to investors. From time to time, the Investment
Adviser may waive receipt of its fees and/or voluntarily assume certain expenses of the Fund, which
would have the effect of lowering the Funds overall expense ratio and increasing total return to
investors at the time such amounts are waived or assumed, as the case may be.
As of [ ], 2010, the Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit certain Other
Expenses of the Fund (excluding management fees, distribution and service fees, transfer agency
fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees and litigation, indemnification, shareholder
meetings and other extraordinary expenses exclusive of any custody and transfer agent fee credit
reductions) to the following annual percentage rate of the Funds average daily net assets through
at least [ ], 2012:
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Other
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Expenses
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N-11 Equity Fund
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[ ]
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%
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Such reductions or limits, if any, are calculated monthly on a cumulative basis during the
Funds fiscal year and may be discontinued or modified by the Investment Adviser in its discretion
at any time. In addition, the Fund has entered into certain offset arrangements with the custodian
and the transfer agent, which may result in a reduction in the Funds expenses.
Fees and expenses borne by the Fund relating to legal counsel, registering shares of the Fund,
holding meetings and communicating with shareholders may include an allocable portion of the cost
of maintaining an internal legal and compliance department. The Fund may also bear an allocable
portion of the Investment Advisers costs of performing certain accounting services not being
provided by the Funds custodian.
B-50
Custodian and Sub-Custodians
JPMorganChase, 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, is the custodian of the Funds
portfolio securities and cash. JPMorganChase also maintains the Funds accounting records.
JPMorganChase may appoint domestic and foreign sub-custodians and use depositories from time to
time to hold certain securities and other instruments purchased by the Trust in foreign countries
and to hold cash and currencies for the Trust.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110, is the Funds independent
registered public accounting firm. In addition to audit services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
prepares the Funds federal and state tax returns, and provides assistance on certain non-audit
matters.
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Summary
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a worldwide, full-service investment banking, broker-dealer,
asset management and financial services organization, and a major participant in global financial
markets. As such, it acts as an investor, investment banker, research provider, investment manager,
investment adviser, financier, advisor, market maker, proprietary trader, prime broker, lender,
agent and principal, and has other direct and indirect interests in the global fixed income,
currency, commodity, equity, bank loan and other markets in which the Fund directly or indirectly
invests. As a result, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the asset management division of Goldman
Sachs, the Investment Adviser, and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managers,
members, officers and employees (collectively for purposes of this POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST section, Goldman Sachs), including those who may be involved in the management, sales,
investment activities, business operations or distribution of the Fund, are engaged in businesses
and have interests other than that of managing the Fund. The Fund will not be entitled to
compensation related to such businesses. These activities and interests include potential multiple
advisory, transactional, financial and other interests in securities, instruments and companies
that may be directly or indirectly purchased or sold by the Fund and its service providers. These
are considerations of which shareholders should be aware, and which may cause conflicts that could
disadvantage the Fund. The following is a brief summary description of certain of these potential
conflicts of interest:
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While the Investment Adviser will make decisions for the Fund in accordance with its
obligations to manage the Fund appropriately, the fees, allocations, compensation and other
benefits to Goldman Sachs (including benefits relating to business relationships of Goldman
Sachs) arising from those decisions may be greater as a result of certain portfolio,
investment, service provider or other decisions made by the Investment Adviser than they
would have been had other decisions been made which also might have been appropriate for the
Fund.
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Goldman Sachs, its sales personnel and other financial service providers may have
conflicts associated with their promotion of the Fund or other dealings with the Fund that
would create incentives for them to promote the Fund.
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Goldman Sachs and its personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in
connection with the Fund than with an account advised by an unaffiliated investment adviser.
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Goldman Sachs may make payments to authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries
from time to time to promote the Fund, other accounts managed by Goldman Sachs and other
products. In addition to placement fees, sales loads, or similar distribution charges, such
payments may be made out of Goldman Sachs assets or amounts payable to Goldman Sachs rather
than as separately identified charges to the Fund.
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While the allocation of investment opportunities among Goldman Sachs, the Fund and other
funds and accounts managed by the Investment Adviser may raise potential conflicts because
of financial, investment or other interests of Goldman Sachs or its personnel, the
Investment Adviser will make allocation decisions consistent with the interests of the Fund
and other funds and accounts and not solely based on such other interests.
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The Investment Adviser will give advice to and make investment decisions for the Fund as
it believes is in the fiduciary interests of the Fund. Advice given to the Fund or
investment decisions made for the Fund may differ from, and may conflict with, advice given
or investment decisions made for Goldman Sachs or other funds or accounts. For example,
other funds or accounts managed by the Investment Adviser may sell short securities of an
issuer in which the Fund has taken, or will take, a
|
B-51
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long position in the same securities. Actions taken with respect to Goldman Sachs or other
funds or accounts may adversely impact the Fund, and actions taken by the Fund may benefit
Goldman Sachs or other funds or accounts (including the Fund).
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The Investment Adviser may buy for the Fund securities or obligations of issuers in which
Goldman Sachs or other funds or accounts have made, or are making, an investment in
securities or obligations that are subordinate or senior to securities of the Fund. For
example, the Fund may invest in debt securities of an issuer at the same time that Goldman
Sachs or other funds or accounts are investing, or currently have an investment, in equity
securities of the same issuer. To the extent that the issuer experiences financial or
operational challenges which may impact the price of its securities and its ability to meet
its obligations, decisions by Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) relating to
what actions to be taken may also raise conflicts of interests and Goldman Sachs may take
actions for certain accounts that have negative impacts on other advisory accounts.
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Goldman Sachs personnel may have varying levels of economic and other interests in
accounts or products promoted or managed by such personnel as compared to other accounts or
products promoted or managed by them.
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Goldman Sachs will be under no obligation to provide to the Fund, or effect transactions
on behalf of the Fund in accordance with, any market or other information, analysis,
technical models or research in its possession. Goldman Sachs may have information material
to the management of the Fund and may not share that information with relevant personnel of
the Investment Adviser.
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To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may enter into transactions in which
Goldman Sachs acts as principal, or in which Goldman Sachs acts on behalf of the Fund and
the other parties to such transactions. Goldman Sachs will have potentially conflicting
interests in connection with such transactions.
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Goldman Sachs may act as broker, dealer, agent, lender or otherwise for the Fund and will
retain all commissions, fees and other compensation in connection therewith.
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Securities traded for the Fund may, but are not required to, be aggregated with trades
for other funds or accounts managed by Goldman Sachs. When transactions are aggregated but
it is not possible to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities
purchased or sold, the various prices may be averaged, and the Fund will be charged or
credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation may operate on some
occasions to the disadvantage of the Fund.
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Products and services received by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates from brokers
in connection with brokerage services provided to the Fund and other funds or accounts
managed by Goldman Sachs may disproportionately benefit other of such funds and accounts
based on the relative amounts of brokerage services provided to the Fund and such other
funds and accounts.
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While the Investment Adviser will make proxy voting decisions as it believes appropriate
and in accordance with the Investment Advisers policies designed to help avoid conflicts of
interest, proxy voting decisions made by the Investment Adviser with respect to the Funds
portfolio securities may also have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or
businesses of other divisions or units of Goldman Sachs.
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Regulatory restrictions (including relating to the aggregation of positions among
different funds and accounts) and internal Goldman Sachs policies may restrict investment
activities of the Fund. Information held by Goldman Sachs could have the effect of
restricting investment activities of the Fund.
|
Prospective investors should carefully review the following section of this document which
more fully describes these and other potential conflicts of interest presented by Goldman Sachs
other businesses and interests.
As a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act, the Investment Adviser is required
to file a Form ADV with the SEC. Form ADV contains information about assets under management, types
of fee arrangements, types of investments, potential conflicts of interest, and other relevant
information regarding the Investment Adviser. A copy of Part 1 of the Investment Advisers Form ADV
is available on the SECs website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov).
Potential Conflicts Relating to Portfolio Decisions, the Sale of Fund Shares and the Allocation of Investment Opportunities
Goldman Sachs Other Activities May Have an Impact on the Fund
The Investment Adviser makes decisions for the Fund in accordance with its obligations as the
Investment Adviser of the Fund. However, Goldman Sachs other activities may have a negative effect
on the Fund. As a result of the various activities and interests of Goldman Sachs as described in
the first paragraph under Summary above, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business
relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with
respect to, or obtain services from entities for which Goldman Sachs performs or seeks to perform
investment banking or other services. It is also likely that the Fund will
B-52
undertake transactions in securities in which Goldman Sachs makes a market or otherwise has
other direct or indirect interests. In addition, while the Investment Adviser will make decisions
for the Fund in accordance with their obligations to manage the Fund appropriately, the fees,
allocations, compensation and other benefits to Goldman Sachs (including benefits relating to
business relationships of Goldman Sachs) arising from those decisions may be greater as a result of
certain portfolio, investment, service provider or other decisions made by the Investment Adviser
for the Fund than they would have been had other decisions been made which also might have been
appropriate for the Fund. For example, the Investment Adviser may make the decision to have
Goldman Sachs or an affiliate thereof provide administrative or other services to the Fund instead
of hiring an unaffiliated administrator or other service provider, provided that such engagement is
on market terms, as determined by the Fund or the Funds Board in its discretion.
Goldman Sachs conducts extensive broker-dealer, banking and other activities around the world
and operates a business known as Goldman Sachs Security Services (GSS) which provides prime
brokerage, administrative and other services to clients which may involve funds, markets and
securities in which the Fund invests. These businesses will give GSS and many other parts of
Goldman Sachs broad access to the current status of certain markets, investments and funds and
detailed knowledge about fund operators. As a result of the activities described in this paragraph
and the access and knowledge arising from those activities, parts of Goldman Sachs may be in
possession of information in respect of markets, investments and funds, which, if known to the
Investment Adviser, might cause the Investment Adviser to seek to dispose of, retain or increase
interests in investments held by the Fund or acquire certain positions on behalf of the Fund.
Goldman Sachs will be under no duty to make any such information available to the Investment
Adviser or in particular the personnel of the Investment Adviser making investment decisions on
behalf of the Fund.
Goldman Sachs or Intermediaries Financial and Other Interests and Relationships May
Incentivize Goldman Sachs or Intermediaries to Promote the Sale of Fund Shares
Goldman Sachs, its personnel and other financial service providers, have interests in
promoting sales of shares of the Fund. With respect to both Goldman Sachs and its personnel, the
remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of shares of the Fund or other
products may be greater than the remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales
of other products that might be provided or offered. Goldman Sachs and its sales personnel may
directly or indirectly receive a portion of the fees and commissions charged to the Fund or its
shareholders. Goldman Sachs and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased
amounts of assets under management. Fees and commissions may also be higher than for some products
or services, and the remuneration and profitability to Goldman Sachs and such personnel resulting
from transactions on behalf of or management of the Fund may be greater than the remuneration and
profitability resulting from other funds or products.
Conflicts may arise in relation to sales-related incentives
.
Goldman Sachs and its
personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in connection with the Fund than with
an account advised by an unaffiliated investment adviser. Differentials in compensation may be
related to the fact that Goldman Sachs may pay a portion of its advisory fee to the unaffiliated
investment adviser, or to other compensation arrangements, including for portfolio management,
brokerage transactions or account servicing. Any differential in compensation may create a
financial incentive on the part of Goldman Sachs and its personnel to recommend the Fund over other
accounts or products managed by unaffiliated investment advisers or to effect transactions
differently in the Fund as compared to other accounts or products.
Goldman Sachs may also have relationships with, and purchase, or distribute or sell, services
or products from or to, distributors, consultants and others who recommend the Fund, or who engage
in transactions with or for the Fund. For example, Goldman Sachs regularly participates in industry
and consultant sponsored conferences and may purchase educational, data related or other services
from consultants or other third parties that it deems to be of value to its personnel and its
business. The products and services purchased from consultants may include, but are not limited to,
those that help Goldman Sachs understand the consultants points of view on the investment
management process. Consultants and other parties that provide consulting or other services or
provide service platforms for employee benefit plans to potential investors in the Fund may receive
fees from Goldman Sachs or the Fund in connection with the distribution of shares in the Fund or
other Goldman Sachs products. For example, Goldman Sachs may enter into revenue or fee sharing
arrangements with consultants, service providers, and other intermediaries relating to investments
in mutual funds, collective trusts, or other products or services offered or managed by the
Investment Adviser. Goldman Sachs may also pay a fee for membership in industry based or state and
municipal organizations, and in connection with clients, consultants or otherwise may participate
in sponsoring conferences and educational forums for investment industry participants including,
but not limited to, trustees, fiduciaries, consultants, administrators, state and municipal
personnel and other clients. Goldman Sachs membership in such organizations and sponsorships
allows Goldman Sachs to participate in these conferences and educational forums and helps Goldman
Sachs interact with conference participants and helps to develop an understanding of the points of
view and challenges of the conference participants, as well as to educate participants about
industry issues. In addition, Goldman Sachs personnel, including employees of Goldman Sachs, may
have board, advisory, brokerage or other relationships with issuers, distributors, consultants and
others that may have investments in the Fund or that may recommend investments in the Fund or
distribute the Fund. In addition, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may make
charitable contributions to institutions, including those that have
B-53
relationships with clients or personnel of clients. Personnel of Goldman Sachs may have board
relationships with such charitable institutions. Personnel of Goldman Sachs may also make political
contributions. As a result of the relationships and arrangements described in this paragraph,
consultants, distributors and other parties may have conflicts associated with their promotion of
the Fund or other dealings with the Fund that create incentives for them to promote the Fund or
certain portfolio transactions.
One or more divisions of Goldman Sachs may refer certain investment opportunities to the
Investment Adviser or otherwise provide services to, or enter into arrangements with, the
Investment Adviser. In connection with such referrals, services or other arrangements involving
one or more divisions of Goldman Sachs, such divisions may engage in sharing of fees or other
compensation received by the Investment Adviser from the Fund.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs or the Fund may make payments to
authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries (Intermediaries) from time to time to
promote the current or future accounts or funds managed or advised by Goldman Sachs (including the
Investment Adviser) or in which Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) or its personnel
have interests (collectively, the Client/GS Accounts), the Fund and other products. In addition
to placement fees, sales loads or similar distribution charges, such payments may be made out of
Goldman Sachs assets, or amounts payable to Goldman Sachs rather than a separately identified
charge to the Fund, Client/GS Accounts or other products. Such payments may compensate
Intermediaries for, among other things: marketing the Fund, Client/GS Accounts and other products
(which may consist of payments resulting in or relating to the inclusion of the Fund, Client/GS
Accounts and other products on the preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain sales programs
from time to time sponsored by the Intermediaries); access to the Intermediaries registered
representatives or salespersons, including at conferences and other meetings; assistance in
training and education of personnel; fees for directing investors to the Fund, Client/GS Accounts
and other products; finders fees or referral fees or other fees for providing assistance in
promoting the Fund, Client/GS Accounts and other products (which may include promotion in
communications with the Intermediaries customers, registered representatives and salespersons);
and/or other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund,
Client/GS Accounts and other products. Such payments may be a fixed dollar amount; may be based on
the number of customer accounts maintained by an Intermediary; may be based on a percentage of the
value of interests sold to, or held by, customers of the Intermediary involved; or may be
calculated on another basis. The payments may also, to the extent permitted by applicable
regulations, contribute to various non-cash and cash incentive arrangements to promote certain
products, as well as sponsor various educational programs, sales contests and/or promotions.
Furthermore, subject to applicable law, such payments may also pay for the travel expenses, meals,
lodging and entertainment of Intermediaries and their salespersons and guests in connection with
educational, sales and promotional programs. The additional payments by Goldman Sachs may also
compensate Intermediaries for subaccounting, administrative and/or shareholder processing or other
investor services that are in addition to the fees paid for these services by such products.
The payments made by Goldman Sachs or the Fund may be different for different Intermediaries.
The payments may be negotiated based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, ability
to attract and retain assets, target markets, customer relationships, quality of service and
industry reputation. Payment arrangements may include breakpoints in compensation which provide
that the percentage rate of compensation varies as the dollar value of the amount sold or invested
through an Intermediary increases. The presence of these payments and the basis on which an
Intermediary compensates its registered representatives or salespersons may create an incentive for
a particular Intermediary, registered representative or salesperson to highlight, feature or
recommend certain products based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid.
Potential Conflicts Relating to the Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among the Fund and
Other Goldman Sachs Accounts
Goldman Sachs has potential conflicts in connection with the allocation of investments or
transaction decisions for the Fund. For example, the Fund may be competing for investment
opportunities with Client/GS Accounts. The Client/GS Accounts may provide greater fees or other
compensation (including performance based fees), equity or other interests to Goldman Sachs
(including the Investment Adviser).
Goldman Sachs may manage or advise Client/GS Accounts that have investment objectives that are
similar to those of the Fund and/or may seek to make investments in securities or other
instruments, sectors or strategies in which the Fund may invest. This may create potential
conflicts where there is limited availability or limited liquidity for those investments. For
example, limited availability may exist, without limitation, in local and emerging markets, high
yield securities, fixed income securities, regulated industries, small capitalization and IPO/new
issues. Transactions in investments by multiple Client/GS Accounts (including accounts in which
Goldman Sachs and its personnel have an interest), other clients of Goldman Sachs or Goldman Sachs
itself may have the effect of diluting or otherwise negatively affecting the values, prices or
investment strategies associated with securities held by Client/GS Accounts, or the Fund,
particularly, but not limited to, in small capitalization, emerging market or less liquid
strategies. The Investment Adviser has developed policies and procedures that provide that it will
allocate investment opportunities and make purchase and sale decisions among the Fund and other
Client/GS Accounts in a manner that it considers, in its sole discretion and consistent with its
fiduciary obligation to the Fund and each Client/GS Account, to be reasonable.
B-54
In many cases, these policies result in the pro rata allocation of limited opportunities
across the Fund and Client/GS Accounts, but in many other cases the allocations reflect numerous
other factors based upon the Investment Advisers good faith assessment of the best use of such
limited opportunities relative to the objectives, limitation and requirements of the Fund and
Client/GS Accounts and applying a variety of factors including those described below. The
Investment Adviser seeks to treat all clients reasonably in light of all factors relevant to
managing an account, and in some cases it is possible that the application of the factors described
below may result in allocations in which certain accounts may receive an allocation when other
accounts do not. Non-proportional allocation may occur more frequently in the fixed income
portfolio management area than many active equity accounts, in many instances because multiple
appropriate or substantially similar investments are available in fixed income strategies, as well
as due to differences in benchmark factors, hedging strategies, or other reasons, but
non-proportional allocations could also occur in other areas. The application of these factors as
described below may result in allocations in which Goldman Sachs and Goldman Sachs employees may
receive an allocation or an opportunity not allocated to other Client/GS Accounts or the Fund.
Allocations may be based on numerous factors and may not always be pro rata based on assets
managed.
The Investment Adviser will make allocation-related decisions with reference to numerous
factors. These factors may include, without limitation, (i) account investment horizons,
investment objectives and guidelines; (ii) different levels of investment for different strategies
including sector oriented, concentrated new opportunities or other strategies; (iii)
client-specific investment guidelines and restrictions including the ability to hedge through short
sales or other techniques; (iv) the expected future capacity of the Fund or Client/GS Accounts; (v)
fully directed brokerage accounts; (vi) tax sensitivity of accounts; (vii) suitability requirements
and the nature of investment opportunity; (viii) account turnover guidelines; (ix) cash and
liquidity considerations, including without limitation, availability of cash for investment; (x)
relative sizes and expected future sizes of applicable accounts; (xi) availability of other
appropriate investment opportunities; and/or (xii) minimum denomination, minimum increments, de
minimus threshold and round lot considerations. Suitability considerations can include without
limitation (i) relative attractiveness of a security to different accounts; (ii) concentration of
positions in an account; (iii) appropriateness of a security for the benchmark and benchmark
sensitivity of an account; (iv) an accounts risk tolerance, risk parameters and strategy
allocations; (v) use of the opportunity as a replacement for a security Goldman Sachs believes to
be attractive for an account; (vi) considerations relating to hedging a position in a pair trade;
and/or (vii) considerations related to giving a subset of accounts exposure to an industry. In
addition, the fact that certain Goldman Sachs personnel are dedicated to one or more funds,
accounts or clients, including the Fund, may be a factor in determining the allocation of
opportunities sourced by such personnel. Reputational matters and other such considerations may
also be considered. The application of these principles may cause performance dispersion over time.
The Fund that does not receive allocations that perform well will experience lower performance.
During periods of unusual market conditions, the Investment Adviser may deviate from its
normal trade allocation practices. For example, this may occur with respect to the management of
unlevered and/or long-only funds or accounts that are typically managed on a side-by-side basis
with levered and/or long-short funds or accounts. During such periods, the Investment Adviser will
seek to exercise a disciplined process for determining its actions to appropriately balance the
interests of all accounts, including the Fund, as it determines in its sole discretion.
In addition to allocations of limited availability investments, Goldman Sachs may, from time
to time, develop and implement new investment opportunities and/or trading strategies, and these
strategies may not be employed in all accounts (including the Fund) or pro rata among the accounts
where they are employed, even if the strategy is consistent with the objectives of all accounts.
Goldman Sachs may make decisions based on such factors as strategic fit and other portfolio
management considerations, including, without limitation, an accounts capacity for such strategy,
the liquidity of the strategy and its underlying instruments, the accounts liquidity, the business
risk of the strategy relative to the accounts overall portfolio make-up, and the lack of efficacy
of, or return expectations from, the strategy for the account, and such other factors as Goldman
Sachs deems relevant in its sole discretion. For example, such a determination may, but will not
necessarily, include consideration of the fact that a particular strategy will not have a
meaningful impact on an account given the overall size of the account, the limited availability of
opportunities in the strategy and the availability of other strategies for the account.
Allocation decisions among accounts may be more or less advantageous to any one account or
group of accounts. As a result of these allocation issues, the amount, timing, structuring or terms
of an investment by the Fund may differ from, and performance may be lower than, investments and
performance of other Client/GS Accounts.
Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing, the Fund may or may not receive, but in any event
will have no rights with respect to, opportunities sourced by Goldman Sachs businesses and
affiliates. Such opportunities or any portion thereof may be offered to GS/Client Accounts,
Goldman Sachs or affiliates thereof, all or certain investors of the Fund, or such other persons or
entities as determined by Goldman Sachs in its sole discretion. The Fund will have no rights and
will not receive any compensation related to such opportunities.
B-55
The Investment Adviser and/or its affiliates manage accounts of clients of Goldman Sachs
Private Wealth Management (PWM) business. Such PWM clients receive advice from Goldman Sachs by
means of separate accounts (PWM Separate Accounts). With respect to the Fund, the Investment
Adviser may follow a strategy that is expected to be similar over time to that delivered by the PWM
Separate Accounts. The Fund and the PWM Separate Account Clients are subject to independent
management and, given the independence in the implementation of advice to these accounts, there can
be no warranty that such investment advice will be implemented simultaneously. Neither the
Investment Adviser (in the case of the Fund) nor its affiliates (in the case of PWM Separate
Accounts), will know when advice issued has been executed (if at all) and, if so, to what extent.
While each will use reasonable endeavors to procure timely execution, it is possible that prior
execution for or on behalf of the PWM Separate Accounts could adversely affect the prices and
availability of the securities, currencies and instruments in which the Fund invests.
Other Potential Conflicts Relating to the Management of the Fund by the Investment Adviser
Potential Restrictions and Issues Relating to Information Held by Goldman Sachs
As a result of informational barriers constructed between different divisions of Goldman
Sachs, the Investment Adviser will generally not have access to information and may not consult
with personnel in other areas of Goldman Sachs. Therefore, the Investment Adviser will generally
not be able to manage the Fund with the benefit of information held by many other divisions of
Goldman Sachs. From time to time and subject to the Investment Advisers policies and procedures
regarding information barriers, the Investment Adviser may consult with personnel in other areas of
Goldman Sachs, or with persons unaffiliated with Goldman Sachs, or may form investment policy
committees comprised of such personnel. In certain circumstances, personnel of affiliates of the
Investment Adviser may have input into, or make determinations regarding, portfolio management
transactions for the Fund. The performance by such persons of obligations related to their
consultation with personnel of the Investment Adviser could conflict with their areas of primary
responsibility within Goldman Sachs or elsewhere. In connection with their activities with the
Investment Adviser, such persons may receive information regarding the Investment Advisers
proposed investment activities of the Fund that is not generally available to the public. There
will be no obligation on the part of such persons to make available for use by the Fund any
information or strategies known to them or developed in connection with their own client,
proprietary or other activities. In addition, Goldman Sachs will be under no obligation to make
available any research or analysis prior to its public dissemination.
The Investment Adviser makes decisions for the Fund based on the Funds investment program.
The Investment Adviser from time to time may have access to certain fundamental analysis and
proprietary technical models developed by Goldman Sachs and its personnel. Goldman Sachs will not
be under any obligation, however, to effect transactions on behalf of the Fund in accordance with
such analysis and models.
In addition, Goldman Sachs has no obligation to seek information or to make available to or
share with the Fund any information, investment strategies, opportunities or ideas known to Goldman
Sachs personnel or developed or used in connection with other clients or activities. Goldman Sachs
and certain of its personnel, including the Investment Advisers personnel or other Goldman Sachs
personnel advising or otherwise providing services to the Fund, may be in possession of information
not available to all Goldman Sachs personnel, and such personnel may act on the basis of such
information in ways that have adverse effects on the Fund. The Fund or a GS/Client Account could
sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs and its affiliates and other accounts achieve
significant profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs may come into possession of material, non-public information
or other information that could limit the ability of the Fund to buy and sell investments. The
investment flexibility of the Fund may be constrained as a consequence. The Investment Adviser
generally is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information in effecting purchases
and sales in public securities transactions for the Fund.
Issues Relating to the Valuation of Assets by Multiple Divisions or Units Within Goldman Sachs
Certain securities and other assets in which the Fund may invest may not have a readily
ascertainable market value and will be valued by the Investment Adviser in accordance with the
valuation guidelines described herein. Such securities and other assets may constitute a
substantial portion of the Funds investments.
The Investment Adviser may face a conflict of interest in valuing the securities or assets in
the Funds portfolio that lack a readily ascertainable market value. Such valuations will affect
the Investment Advisers compensation. The Investment Adviser will value such securities and other
assets in accordance with the valuation policies described herein.
Various divisions and units within Goldman Sachs are required to value assets, including in
connection with managing or advising Client/GS Accounts and in their capacity as a broker-dealer.
These various divisions and units may share information regarding valuation techniques and models
or other information relevant to the calculation of a specific asset or category of assets.
Goldman Sachs does not, however, have any obligation to engage in such information sharing.
Therefore, a division or unit of Goldman Sachs may value an identical asset differently than
another division or unit of Goldman Sachs. This is particularly the case when an asset
B-56
does not have a readily ascertainable market price and/or where one division or unit of
Goldman Sachs has more recent and/or accurate information about the asset being valued.
Potential Conflicts Relating to Goldman Sachs and the Investment Advisers Proprietary Activities
and Activities On Behalf of Other Accounts
The results of the investment activities of the Fund may differ significantly from the results
achieved by Goldman Sachs for its proprietary accounts and from the results achieved by Goldman
Sachs for other Client/GS Accounts. The Investment Adviser will manage the Fund and the other
Client/GS Accounts it manages in accordance with their respective investment objectives and
guidelines. However, Goldman Sachs may give advice, and take action, with respect to any current or
future Client/GS Accounts that may compete or conflict with the advice the Investment Adviser may
give to the Fund, including with respect to the return of the investment, the timing or nature of
action relating to the investment or method of exiting the investment.
Transactions undertaken by Goldman Sachs or Client/GS Accounts may adversely impact the Fund.
Goldman Sachs and one or more Client/GS Accounts may buy or sell positions while the Fund is
undertaking the same or a differing, including potentially opposite, strategy, which could
disadvantage the Fund. For example, the Fund may buy a security and Goldman Sachs or Client/GS
Accounts may establish a short position in that same security. The subsequent short sale may result
in impairment of the price of the security which the Fund holds. Conversely, the Fund may establish
a short position in a security and Goldman Sachs or other Client/GS Accounts may buy that same
security. The subsequent purchase may result in an increase of the price of the underlying position
in the short sale exposure of the Fund and such increase in price would be to the Funds detriment.
In addition, the Investment Adviser and other Goldman Sachs affiliates may manage funds or
accounts, and Goldman Sachs may be invested in funds or accounts, that have similar investment
objectives or portfolios to that of the Fund, and events occurring with respect to such funds or
accounts could affect the performance of the Fund. For example, in the event that withdrawals of
capital or performance losses results in such the Fund or account de-leveraging its portfolio by
selling securities, this could result in securities of the same issuer, strategy or type held by
the Fund falling in value, which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Conflicts may
also arise because portfolio decisions regarding the Fund may benefit Goldman Sachs or other
Client/GS Accounts. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position
by the Fund may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) Goldman
Sachs or other Client/GS Accounts, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position
in a security by the Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore
benefit) Goldman Sachs or other Client/GS Accounts.
In addition, transactions in investments by one or more Client/GS Accounts and Goldman Sachs
may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment
strategies of the Fund, particularly, but not limited to, in small capitalization, emerging market
or less liquid strategies. For example, this may occur when portfolio decisions regarding the Fund
are based on research or other information that is also used to support portfolio decisions for
other Client/GS Accounts. When Goldman Sachs or a Client/GS Account implements a portfolio decision
or strategy ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar portfolio decisions or strategies for the
Fund (whether or not the portfolio decisions emanate from the same research analysis or other
information), market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result in the Fund
receiving less favorable trading results and the costs of implementing such portfolio decisions or
strategies could be increased or the Fund could otherwise be disadvantaged. Goldman Sachs may, in
certain cases, elect to implement internal policies and procedures designed to limit such
consequences to Client/GS Accounts, which may cause the Fund to be unable to engage in certain
activities, including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable
for it to do so.
The Investment Adviser may, but is not required to aggregate purchase or sale orders for the
Fund with trades for other funds or accounts managed by Goldman Sachs, including Client/GS
Accounts. When orders are aggregated for execution, it is possible that Goldman Sachs and Goldman
Sachs employee interests will receive benefits from such transactions, even in limited capacity
situations. While the Investment Adviser maintains policies and procedures that it believes are
reasonably designed to deal with conflicts of interest that may arise in certain situations when
purchase or sale orders for the Fund are aggregated for execution with orders for Client/GS
Accounts, in some cases the Investment Adviser will make allocations to accounts in which Goldman
Sachs and/or employees have an interest.
The Investment Adviser has established a trade sequencing and rotation policy for certain U.S.
equity client accounts (including the Fund) and wrap fee accounts. The Investment Adviser does
not generally aggregate trades on behalf of wrap fee accounts at the present time. Wrap fees
usually cover execution costs only when trades are placed with the sponsor of the account. Trades
through different sponsors are generally not aggregated. The Investment Adviser currently utilizes
an asset-based trade sequencing and rotation policy for determining the order in which trades for
institutional and wrap accounts are placed. Given current asset levels, the Investment Advisers
trade sequencing and rotation policy provides that wrap accounts trade ahead of other accounts,
including the Fund, 10% of the time. Other accounts, including the Fund, currently trade before
wrap accounts 90% of the time. This is reflected in a ten week trade rotation schedule. The
Investment Adviser may deviate from the rotation schedule under certain circumstances. These
include situations, for example, where in the Investment Advisers view it is not practical for the
wrap fee accounts to participate in
B-57
certain types of trades or when there are unusually long delays in a given wrap sponsors
execution of a particular trade. In addition, a portfolio management team may provide instructions
simultaneously regarding the placement of a trade in lieu of the rotation schedule if the trade
represents a relatively small proportion of the average daily trading volume of the relevant
security.
The directors, officers and employees of Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may
buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts (including through investment
funds managed by Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser). As a result of differing trading
and investment strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by directors, officers and
employees that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the
Fund. To reduce the possibility that the Fund will be materially adversely affected by the personal
trading described above, the Fund and Goldman Sachs, as the Funds Investment Adviser and
distributor, has established policies and procedures that restrict securities trading in the
personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of
information regarding the Funds portfolio transactions. The Fund and Goldman Sachs, as the Funds
Investment Adviser and distributor, have adopted a code of ethics (collectively, the Codes of
Ethics) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Act and monitoring procedures relating to certain
personal securities transactions by personnel of the Investment Adviser which the Investment
Adviser deems to involve potential conflicts involving such personnel, Client/GS Accounts managed
by the Investment Adviser and the Fund. The Codes of Ethics require that personnel of the
Investment Adviser comply with all applicable federal securities laws and with the fiduciary duties
and anti-fraud rules to which the Investment Adviser is subject. The Codes of Ethics can be
reviewed and copied at the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-942-8090. The
Codes of Ethics are also available on the EDGAR Database on the SECs Internet site at
http://www.sec.gov. Copies may also be obtained after paying a duplicating fee by writing the SECs
Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102, or by electronic request to
publicinfo@sec.gov.
Clients of Goldman Sachs (including Client/GS Accounts) may have, as a result of receiving
client reports or otherwise, access to information regarding the Investment Advisers transactions
or views which may affect such clients transactions outside of accounts controlled by personnel of
the Investment Adviser, and such transactions may negatively impact the performance of the Fund.
The Fund may also be adversely affected by cash flows and market movements arising from purchase
and sales transactions, as well as increases of capital in, and withdrawals of capital from, other
Client/GS Accounts. These effects can be more pronounced in thinly traded and less liquid markets.
The Investment Advisers management of the Fund may benefit Goldman Sachs. For example, the
Fund may, subject to applicable law, invest directly or indirectly in the securities of companies
affiliated with Goldman Sachs or which Goldman Sachs (or funds or accounts managed by Goldman Sachs
and/or in which Goldman Sachs has an interest) has an equity, debt or other interest. In addition,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may engage in investment transactions which may
result in other Client/GS Accounts being relieved of obligations or otherwise divesting of
investments or cause the Fund to have to divest certain investments. The purchase, holding and sale
of investments by the Fund may enhance the profitability of Goldman Sachs or other Client/GS
Accounts own investments in and its activities with respect to such companies.
Goldman Sachs and one or more Client/GS Accounts (including the Fund) may also invest in
different classes of securities of the same issuer. As a result, one or more Client/GS Accounts may
pursue or enforce rights with respect to a particular issuer in which the Fund has invested, and
those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. For example, if a Client/GS Account holds
debt securities of an issuer and the Fund holds equity securities of the same issuer, if the issuer
experiences financial or operational challenges, the Client/GS Account which holds the debt
securities may seek a liquidation of the issuer, whereas the Fund which holds the equity securities
may prefer a reorganization of the issuer. In addition, the Investment Adviser may also, in certain
circumstances, pursue or enforce rights with respect to a particular issuer jointly on behalf of
one or more Client/GS Accounts, the Fund, or Goldman Sachs employees may work together to pursue or
enforce such rights. The Fund may be negatively impacted by Goldman Sachs and other Client/GS
Accounts activities, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms
that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case had Goldman Sachs and other
Client/GS Accounts not pursued a particular course of action with respect to the issuer of the
securities. In addition, in certain instances personnel of the Investment Adviser may obtain
information about the issuer that would be material to the management of other Client/GS Accounts
which could limit the ability of personnel of the Investment Adviser to buy or sell securities of
the issuer on behalf of the Fund.
To the extent permitted by applicable law Goldman Sachs (including its personnel or Client/GS
Accounts) may create, write, sell or issue, or act as placement agent or distributor of, derivative
instruments with respect to the Fund or with respect to underlying securities, currencies or
instruments of the Fund, or which may be otherwise based on or seek to replicate or hedge the
performance of the Fund (collectively referred to as Structured Investment Products). The values
of Structured Investment Products may be linked to the net asst value of the Fund and/or the values
of the Funds investments. In connection with the Structured Investment Products and for hedging,
re-balancing, investment and other purposes, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund
and/or Goldman Sachs (including its personnel or Client/GS Accounts) may (i) purchase or sell
investments held by the Fund and/or Client/GS
B-58
Accounts, (ii) purchase or sell investments held by the Fund, or (iii) hold synthetic
positions that seek to replicate or hedge the performance of the Fund, the Funds investments, a
Client/GS Account of a Client/GS Accounts investments. Such positions may be significant and may
differ from and/or be contra to the Funds or a Client/GS Accounts positions. Goldman Sachs
(including its personnel or Client/GS Accounts) reserves the right to make purchases and sales of
investments that may also be held by the Fund and/or Client/GS Account and to make purchases and
sales of shares in the Fund at any time and without notice to the investors in the Fund. These
derivative-related activities, as well as such investment and redemption activities, may have an
adverse effect on the investment management of the Fund and the Funds positions, flexibility,
diversification strategies and on the amount of fees, expenses and other costs incurred directly or
indirectly through the Fund by investors.
The structure or other characteristics of the derivative instruments (including the Structured
Investment Products) may have an adverse effect on the Fund. For example, the derivative
instruments could represent leveraged investments in the Fund, and the leveraged characteristics of
such investments could make it more likely, due to events of default or otherwise, that there would
be significant redemptions of interests from the Fund more quickly than might otherwise be the
case. Goldman Sachs, acting in commercial capacities in connection with such derivative
instruments, may in fact cause such a redemption. This may have an adverse effect on the investment
management and positions, flexibility and diversification strategies of the Fund and on the amount
of fees, expenses and other costs incurred directly or indirectly for the account of the Fund.
Potential Conflicts in Connection with Investments in Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may invest all or some of its short term
cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by Goldman Sachs. In connection with
any such investments, the Fund, to the extent permitted by the Act, will pay its share of all
expenses of a money market fund in which it invests which may result in the Fund bearing some
additional expenses. All advisory, administrative, or Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to the investment
and the fees or allocations from the Fund will not be reduced thereby (i.e., there could be double
fees involved in making any such investment, which would not arise in connection with an
investors direct purchase of the underlying investments, because Goldman Sachs could receive fees
with respect to both the management of the Fund and such money market fund). In such
circumstances, as well as in all other circumstances in which Goldman Sachs receives any fees or
other compensation in any form relating to the provision of services, no accounting or repayment to
the Fund will be required.
Goldman Sachs May In-Source or Outsource
Subject to applicable law, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may from time to
time and without notice to investors in-source or outsource certain processes or functions in
connection with a variety of services that it provides to the Fund in its administrative or other
capacities. Such in-sourcing or outsourcing may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.
Potential Conflicts That May Arise When Goldman Sachs Acts in a Capacity Other Than Investment Adviser to the Fund
Potential Conflicts Relating to Principal and Cross Transactions
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may enter into transactions and invest in
futures, securities, currencies, swaps, options, forward contracts or other instruments in which
Goldman Sachs acting as principal or on a proprietary basis for its customers, serves as the
counterparty. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may also enter into cross
transactions (i.e., where the Investment Adviser causes the Fund to buy securities from, or sell a
security to, another client of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates) and agency cross
transactions (i.e., where Goldman Sachs acts as a broker for, and receives a commission from, both
the Fund on one side of the transaction and another account on the other side of the transaction in
connection with the purchase or sale of securities). Goldman Sachs may have a potentially
conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to both parties to a cross transaction or
agency cross transaction. For example, in a cross transaction, the Investment Adviser or an
affiliate will represent both the Fund on one side of a transaction and another account, including
the Fund, on the other side of the transaction (including an account in which Goldman Sachs or its
affiliates have a proprietary interest) in connection with the purchase of a security by the Fund.
In addition, in an agency cross transaction, Goldman Sachs will act as broker and receive
compensation or other payments from either or both parties, which could influence the decision of
Goldman Sachs to cause the Fund to purchase such security. The Investment Adviser will ensure that
any such cross transaction or agency cross transactions are effected on commercially reasonable
market terms and in accordance with the Investment Advisers fiduciary duties to such entities.
Potential Conflicts That May Arise When Goldman Sachs Acts in a Capacity Other Than as Investment
Adviser to the Funds
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs may act as broker, dealer, agent,
lender, borrower or advisor or in other commercial capacities for the Fund. It is anticipated that
the commissions, mark-ups, mark-downs, financial advisory fees, underwriting and placement fees,
sales fees, financing and commitment fees, brokerage fees, other fees, compensation or profits,
rates, terms and conditions charged by Goldman Sachs will be in its view commercially reasonable,
although Goldman Sachs, including its sales personnel, will have an interest in obtaining fees and
other amounts that are favorable to Goldman Sachs and such sales
B-59
personnel. The Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow funds from Goldman
Sachs at rates and on other terms arranged with Goldman Sachs.
Goldman Sachs may be entitled to compensation when it acts in capacities other than as the
Investment Adviser, and the Fund will not be entitled to any such compensation. For example,
Goldman Sachs (and its personnel and other distributors) will be entitled to retain fees and other
amounts that it receives in connection with its service to the Fund as broker, dealer, agent,
lender, advisor or in other commercial capacities and no accounting to the Fund or its shareholders
will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Fund or its shareholders will be
reduced by reason of receipt by Goldman Sachs of any such fees or other amounts.
When Goldman Sachs acts as broker, dealer, agent, lender or advisor or in other commercial
capacities in relation to the Fund, Goldman Sachs may take commercial steps in its own interests,
which may have an adverse effect on the Fund. For example, in connection with lending arrangements
involving the Fund, Goldman Sachs may require repayment of all or part of a loan at any time or
from time to time.
The Fund will be required to establish business relationships with its counterparties based on
its own credit standing. Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, will not have any
obligation to allow its credit to be used in connection with the Funds establishment of its
business relationships, nor is it expected that the Funds counterparties will rely on the credit
of Goldman Sachs in evaluating the Funds creditworthiness.
Potential Conflicts in Connection with Brokerage Transactions and Proxy Voting
To the extent permitted by applicable law, purchases and sales of securities for the Fund may
be bunched or aggregated with orders for other Client/GS Accounts. The Investment Adviser and its
affiliates, however, are not required to bunch or aggregate orders if portfolio management
decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if they determine that bunching or
aggregating is not practicable, or required with respect to involving client directed accounts.
Prevailing trading activity frequently may make impossible the receipt of the same price or
execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various
prices may be averaged, and the Fund will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the
effect of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Fund. In
addition, under certain circumstances, the Fund will not be charged the same commission or
commission equivalent rates in connection with a bunched or aggregated order. Without limitation,
time zone differences, separate trading desks or portfolio management processes in a global
organization may, among other factors, result in separate, non-aggregated executions.
The Investment Adviser may select brokers (including, without limitation, affiliates of the
Investment Adviser) that furnish the Investment Adviser, the Fund, other Client/GS Accounts or
their affiliates or personnel, directly or through correspondent relationships, with proprietary
research or other appropriate services which provide, in the Investment Advisers view, appropriate
assistance to the Investment Adviser in the investment decision-making process (including with
respect to futures, fixed-price offerings and over-the-counter transactions). Such research or
other services may include, to the extent permitted by law, research reports on companies,
industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; proxy analysis;
trade industry seminars; computer databases; quotation equipment and services; and
research-oriented computer hardware, software and other services and products. Research or other
services obtained in this manner may be used in servicing the Fund and other Client/GS Accounts,
including in connection with Client/GS Accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker
relating to the research or other service arrangements. To the extent permitted by applicable law,
such products and services may disproportionately benefit other Client/GS Accounts relative to the
Fund based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund and such other Client/GS
Accounts. For example, research or other services that are paid for through one clients
commissions may not be used in managing that clients account. In addition, other Client/GS
Accounts may receive the benefit, including disproportionate benefits, of economies of scale or
price discounts in connection with products and services that may be provided to the Fund and to
such other Client/GS Accounts. To the extent that the Investment Adviser uses soft dollars, it will
not have to pay for those products and services itself. The Investment Adviser may receive research
that is bundled with the trade execution, clearing, and/or settlement services provided by a
particular broker-dealer. To the extent that the Investment Adviser receives research on this
basis, many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist. For example, the
research effectively will be paid by client commissions that also will be used to pay for the
execution, clearing, and settlement services provided by the broker-dealer and will not be paid by
the Investment Adviser.
The Investment Adviser may endeavor to execute trades through brokers who, pursuant to such
arrangements, provide research or other services in order to ensure the continued receipt of
research or other services the Investment Adviser believes are useful in its investment
decision-making process. The Investment Adviser may from time to time choose not to engage in the
above described arrangements to varying degrees.
B-60
The Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of
interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients,
including the Fund, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with the
Investment Advisers fiduciary obligations to its clients. Nevertheless, notwithstanding such proxy
voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of the Investment Adviser may have
the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of
Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates provided that the Investment Adviser believes such voting
decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of
these policies and procedures, see the section of this SAI entitled PROXY VOTING.
Potential Regulatory Restrictions on Investment Adviser Activity
From time to time, the activities of the Fund may be restricted because of regulatory or other
requirements applicable to Goldman Sachs and/or its internal policies designed to comply with,
limit the applicability of, or otherwise relate to such requirements. A client not advised by
Goldman Sachs would not be subject to some of those considerations. There may be periods when the
Investment Adviser may not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions, or may otherwise
restrict or limit its advice in certain securities or instruments issued by or related to companies
for which Goldman Sachs is performing investment banking, market making or other services or has
proprietary positions. For example, when Goldman Sachs is engaged in an underwriting or other
distribution of securities of, or advisory services for, a company, the Fund may be prohibited from
or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company. In addition, there may be certain
investment opportunities, investment strategies or actions that Goldman Sachs will not undertake on
behalf of the Fund in view of Goldman Sachs client or firm activities. For example, Goldman Sachs
may determine that the Fund may be precluded from exercising certain rights that it may have as a
creditor to a particular borrower. Certain activities and actions may be considered to result in
reputational risk or disadvantage for the management of the Fund as well as for Goldman Sachs. The
Fund may also be prohibited from participating in an auction or from otherwise investing in or
purchasing certain assets, or from providing financing to a purchaser or potential purchaser if
Goldman Sachs is representing the seller. Similar situations could arise if Goldman Sachs
personnel serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Fund wishes to purchase or
sell or if Goldman Sachs is representing or providing financing to another potential purchaser. The
larger the Investment Advisers investment advisory business and Goldman Sachs businesses, the
larger the potential that these restricted list policies will impact investment transactions.
However, if permitted by applicable law, the Fund may purchase securities or instruments that are
issued by such companies or are the subject of an underwriting, distribution, or advisory
assignment by Goldman Sachs, or in cases in which Goldman Sachs personnel are directors or officers
of the issuer.
The investment activities of Goldman Sachs for its proprietary accounts and for Client/GS
Accounts may also limit the investment strategies and rights of the Fund. For example, in regulated
industries, in certain emerging or international markets, in corporate and regulatory ownership
definitions, and in certain futures and derivative transactions, there may be limits on the
aggregate amount of investment by affiliated investors that may not be exceeded without the grant
of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent or, if exceeded, may cause Goldman Sachs, the
Fund or other Client/GS Accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions. If certain
aggregate ownership thresholds are reached or certain transactions undertaken, the ability of the
Investment Adviser on behalf of clients (including the Fund) to purchase or dispose of investments,
or exercise rights or undertake business transactions, may be restricted by regulation or otherwise
impaired. In addition, certain investments may be considered to result in reputational risk or
disadvantage. As a result, the Investment Adviser on behalf of clients (including the Fund) may
limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights
(including voting rights) when the Investment Adviser, in its sole discretion, deems it
appropriate.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The Investment Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund,
the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of brokerage
commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are effected
through brokers who charge a negotiated commission for their services. Increasingly, securities
traded over-the-counter also involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. Orders may be
directed to any broker including, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable law,
Goldman Sachs.
In the over-the-counter market, most securities have historically traded on a net basis with
dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price
of a security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are
purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally
referred to as the underwriters concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market
instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are
paid.
B-61
In placing orders for portfolio securities of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is generally
required to give primary consideration to obtaining the most favorable execution and net price
available. This means that the Investment Adviser will seek to execute each transaction at a price
and commission, if any, which provides the most favorable total cost or proceeds reasonably
attainable in the circumstances. As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (Section 28(e)), the Fund may pay a broker which provides brokerage and research services to
the Fund an amount of disclosed commission in excess of the commission which another broker would
have charged for effecting that transaction. Such practice is subject to a good faith determination
that such commission is reasonable in light of the services provided and to such policies as the
Trustees may adopt from time to time. While the Investment Adviser generally seeks reasonably
competitive spreads or commissions, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or
commission available. Within the framework of this policy, the Investment Adviser will consider
research and investment services provided by brokers or dealers who effect or are parties to
portfolio transactions of the Fund, the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, or their other
clients. Such research and investment services are those which brokerage houses customarily provide
to institutional investors and include research reports on particular industries and companies;
economic surveys and analyses; recommendations as to specific securities; research products
including quotation equipment and computer related programs; advice concerning the value of
securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities and the availability
of securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; analyses and reports concerning issuers,
industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and performance of
accounts; services relating to effecting securities transactions and functions incidental thereto
(such as clearance and settlement); and other lawful and appropriate assistance to the Investment
Adviser in the performance of their decision-making responsibilities.
Such services are used by the Investment Adviser in connection with all of its investment
activities, and some of such services obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for
the Fund may be used in managing other investment accounts. Conversely, brokers furnishing such
services may be selected for the execution of transactions of such other accounts, whose aggregate
assets may be larger than those of the Funds, and the services furnished by such brokers may be
used by the Investment Adviser in providing management services for the Trust. The Investment
Adviser may also participate in so-called commission sharing arrangements and client commission
arrangements under which the Investment Adviser may execute transactions through a broker-dealer
and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to
another firm that provides research to the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser excludes from
use under these arrangements those products and services that are not fully eligible under
applicable law and regulatory interpretationseven as to the portion that would be eligible if
accounted for separately.
The research services received as part of commission sharing and client commission
arrangements will comply with Section 28(e) and may be subject to different legal requirements in
the jurisdictions in which the Investment Adviser does business. Participating in commission
sharing and client commission arrangements may enable the Investment Adviser to consolidate
payments for research through one or more channels using accumulated client commissions or credits
from transactions executed through a particular broker-dealer to obtain research provided by other
firms. Such arrangements also help to ensure the continued receipt of research services while
facilitating best execution in the trading process. The Investment Adviser believes such research
services are useful in its investment decision-making process by, among other things, ensuring
access to a variety of high quality research, access to individual analysts and availability of
resources that the Investment Adviser might not be provided access to absent such arrangements.
On occasions when the Investment Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the
best interest of the Fund as well as its other customers (including any other fund or other
investment company or advisory account for which the Investment Adviser acts as investment adviser
or sub-investment adviser), the Investment Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and
regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be
sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable
execution under the circumstances. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or
sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Investment Adviser
in the manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the
Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and
size of the position obtainable for the Fund.
Commission rates in the U.S. are established pursuant to negotiations with the broker based on
the quality and quantity of execution services provided by the broker in the light of generally
prevailing rates. The allocation of orders among brokers and the commission rates paid are reviewed
periodically by the Trustees.
The Fund may participate in a commission recapture program. Under the program, participating
broker-dealers rebate a percentage of commissions earned on Fund portfolio transactions to the
Fund. The rebated commissions are expected to be treated as realized capital gains of the Fund.
B-62
Subject to the above considerations, the Investment Adviser may use Goldman Sachs or an
affiliate as a broker for the Fund. In order for Goldman Sachs or an affiliate, acting as agent, to
effect any portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration
received by Goldman Sachs or an affiliate must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions,
fees or other remuneration received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions
involving similar securities or futures contracts. Furthermore, the Trustees, including a majority
of the Trustees who are not interested Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably
designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to Goldman Sachs are
consistent with the foregoing standard. Brokerage transactions with Goldman Sachs are also subject
to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon Goldman Sachs by applicable law.
Commission rates in the U.S. are established pursuant to negotiations with the broker based on
the quality and quantity of execution services provided by the broker in the light of generally
prevailing rates. The amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary substantially from
year to year because of differences in shareholder purchase and redemption activity, portfolio
turnover rates and other factors.
NET ASSET VALUE
In accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees, the net asset value per share of each
class of the Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to each class
of the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of that class. All securities are
valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange
(normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. New York time) or such other time as the New York Stock
Exchange or NASDAQ market may officially close. The term Business Day means any day the New York
Stock Exchange is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The New
York Stock Exchange is closed on the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day, Washingtons Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.
The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be
received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the New York Stock
Exchange is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. New York Time. The Trust reserves the right to
reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a net
asset value other than the Funds official closing net asset value that is subsequently adjusted,
and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing
net asset value. The Trust reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption
orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In
addition, the Fund may compute its net asset value as of any time permitted pursuant to any
exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.
Portfolio securities of the Fund for which market quotations are readily available are valued
as follows: (i) securities listed on any U.S. or foreign stock exchange or on the National
Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (NASDAQ) will be valued at the last
sale price or the official closing price on the exchange or system in which they are principally
traded on the valuation date. If there is no sale on the valuation day, securities traded will be
valued at the closing bid price, or if a closing bid price is not available, at either the exchange
or system-defined close price on the exchange or system in which such securities are principally
traded. If the relevant exchange or system has not closed by the above-mentioned time for
determining the Funds net asset value, the securities will be valued at the last sale price or
official closing price, or if not available at the bid price at the time the net asset value is
determined; (ii) over-the-counter securities not quoted on NASDAQ will be valued at the last sale
price on the valuation day or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price at the time net asset value
is determined; (iii) equity securities for which no prices are obtained under sections (i) or (ii)
including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is
believed by the portfolio manager/trader to be inaccurate, will be valued at their fair value in
accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees; (iv) fixed income securities with a
remaining maturity of 60 days or more for which accurate market quotations are readily available
will normally be valued according to dealer-supplied bid quotations or bid quotations from a
recognized pricing service (e.g., Interactive Data Corp., Merrill Lynch, J.J. Kenny, Muller Data
Corp., Bloomberg, EJV, Reuters or Standard & Poors); (v) fixed income securities for which
accurate market quotations are not readily available are valued by the Investment Adviser based on
valuation models that take into account spread and daily yield changes on government securities in
the appropriate market (i.e., matrix pricing); (vi) debt securities with a remaining maturity of 60
days or less are valued by the Investment Adviser at amortized cost, which the Trustees have
determined to approximate fair value; and (vii) all other instruments, including those for which a
pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the portfolio
manager/trader to be inaccurate, will be valued in accordance with the valuation procedures
approved by the Board of Trustees.
B-63
The value of all assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies will be converted
into U.S. dollar values at current exchange rates of such currencies against U.S. dollars last
quoted by any major bank or a pricing service. If such quotations are not available, the rate of
exchange will be determined in good faith by or under procedures established by the Board of
Trustees.
Generally, trading in securities on European, Asian and Far Eastern securities exchanges and
on over-the-counter markets in these regions is substantially completed at various times prior to
the close of business on each Business Day in New York (i.e., a day on which the New York Stock
Exchange is open for trading). In addition, European, Asian or Far Eastern securities trading
generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all Business Days in New
York. Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days which are not Business
Days in New York and days on which the Funds net asset values are not calculated. Such calculation
does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the
portfolio securities used in such calculation. Since the Fund invests a significant portion of
assets in foreign equity securities, fair value prices are provided by an independent fair value
service (if available), in accordance with the fair value procedures approved by the Board of
Trustees, and are intended to reflect more accurately the value of those securities at the time the
Funds NAV is calculated. Fair value prices are used because many foreign markets operate at times
that do not coincide with those of the major U.S. markets. Events that could affect the values of
foreign portfolio holdings may occur between the close of the foreign market and the time of
determining the NAV, and would not otherwise be reflected in the NAV. If the independent fair value
service does not provide a fair value for a particular security or if the value does not meet the
established criteria for the Fund, the most recent closing price for such a security on its
principal exchange will generally be its fair value on such date.
The Investment Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may
(but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or
foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value
of the securities at the time of determining the Funds NAV. Significant events that could affect a
large number of securities in a particular market may include, but are not limited to: situations
relating to one or more single issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or
foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or market closings; equipment failures;
natural or man-made disasters or act of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions or other
developments; as well as the same or similar events which may affect specific issuers or the
securities markets even though not tied directly to the securities markets. Other significant
events that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions
such as reorganizations, mergers and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating to
earnings, products and regulatory news; significant litigation; low trading volume; trading limits;
or suspensions.
The proceeds received by the Fund and each other series of the Trust from the issue or sale of
its shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof,
subject only to the rights of creditors, will be specifically allocated to the Fund or particular
series and constitute the underlying assets of the Fund or series. The underlying assets of the
Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in
respect of the Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses of the Trust
with respect to the Fund and the other series of the Trust are generally allocated in proportion to
the net asset values of the respective Fund or series except where allocations of expenses can
otherwise be fairly made.
Errors and Corrective Actions
The Investment Adviser will report to the Board of Trustees any material breaches of
investment objective, policies or restrictions and any material errors in the calculation of the
NAV of the Fund or the processing of purchases and redemptions. Depending on the nature and size of
an error, corrective action may or may not be required. Corrective action may involve a prospective
correction of the NAV only, correction of any erroneous NAV and compensation to the Fund, or
correction of any erroneous NAV, compensation to the Fund and reprocessing of individual
shareholder transactions. The Trusts policies on errors and corrective action limit or restrict
when corrective action will be taken or when compensation to the Fund or its shareholders will be
paid, and not all mistakes will result in compensable errors. As a result, neither the Fund nor its
shareholders who purchase or redeem shares during periods in which errors accrue or occur may be
compensated in connection with the resolution of an error. Shareholders will generally not be
notified of the occurrence of a compensable error or the resolution thereof absent unusual
circumstances.
As discussed in more detail under NET ASSET VALUE, the Funds portfolio securities may be
priced based on quotations for those securities provided by pricing services. There can be no
guarantee that a quotation provided by a pricing service will be accurate.
SHARES OF THE TRUST
The fiscal year end for the Fund is October 31. The Trustees have authority under the Trusts
Declaration of Trust to create and classify shares of beneficial interest in separate series,
without further action by shareholders. The Trustees also have authority to
B-64
classify and reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes of shares. As of [ ], 2010, the Trustees have classified the shares of the Fund into four classes: Class A Shares,
Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, and Class IR Shares. Additional series and classes may be
added in the future.
Each Class A Share, Class C Share, Institutional Share, and Class IR Share of the Fund
represents a proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the applicable class of the Fund.
All expenses of the Fund are borne at the same rate by each class of shares, except that fees under
Distribution and Service Plans (the Plans) are borne exclusively by Class A or Class C Shares and
transfer agency fees and expenses are borne at different rates by different share classes. The
Trustees may determine in the future that it is appropriate to allocate other expenses differently
among classes of shares and may do so to the extent consistent with the rules of the SEC and
positions of the IRS. Each class of shares may have different minimum investment requirements and
be entitled to different shareholder services. With limited exceptions, shares of a class may only
be exchanged for shares of the same or an equivalent class of another fund. See Shareholder Guide
in the Prospectus and OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS,
EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS below. In addition, the fees and expenses set forth below for each class
may be subject to voluntary fee waivers or reimbursements, as discussed more fully in the Funds
Prospectuses.
Institutional Shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales charge for accounts
in the name of an investor or institution that is not compensated by the Fund under a Plan for
services provided to the institutions customers.
Class IR Shares are sold at net asset value without a sales charge. As noted in the
Prospectuses, Class IR Shares are not sold directly to the public. Instead, Class IR Shares
generally are available only to 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit
sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred
compensation plans (the Retirement Plans). Class IR Shares are also generally available only to
Retirement Plans where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Funds. Class IR
Shares are not available to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), SEPs,
SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual 403(b) plans. Participant in a Retirement Plan should contact
their Retirement Plan service provider for information regarding purchases, sales and exchanges of
Class IR Shares. Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established under a fee-based program
that is sponsored and maintained by a registered broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that
is approved by Goldman Sachs (Eligible Fee-Based Program).
Class A Shares are sold, with an initial sales charge of up to 5.5%, through brokers and
dealers who are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and certain other
financial service firms that have sales agreements with Goldman Sachs. Class A Shares bear the cost
of distribution and service fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net
assets of such Class A Shares. With respect to Class A Shares, the distributor at its discretion
may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Distribution and Service Plan for
personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the
Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on service fees imposed by FINRA.
Class C Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a CDSC of up to 1.0% through brokers and
dealers who are members of FINRA and certain other financial services firms that have sales
arrangements with Goldman Sachs. Class C Shares bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at
the aggregate rate of up to 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares.
Class C Shares also bear the cost of service fees at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average
daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares.
It is possible that an institution or its affiliate may offer different classes of shares
(
i.e.
, Institutional, Class A, Class C, and Class IR Shares) to its customers and thus receive
different compensation with respect to different classes of shares of the Fund. Dividends paid by
the Fund, if any, with respect to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, at
the same time on the same day and will be the same amount, except for differences caused by the
fact that the respective transfer agency and Plan fees relating to a particular class will be borne
exclusively by that class. Similarly, the net asset value per share may differ depending upon the
class of shares purchased.
Certain aspects of the shares may be altered after advance notice to shareholders if it is
deemed necessary in order to satisfy certain tax regulatory requirements.
When issued for the consideration described in the Funds Prospectuses, shares are fully paid
and non-assessable. The Trustees may, however, cause shareholders, or shareholders of a particular
series or class, to pay certain custodian, transfer agency, servicing or similar charges by setting
off the same against declared but unpaid dividends or by reducing share ownership (or by both
means). In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets
of the applicable class of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders. All shares are
freely transferable and have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights. The Trustees may
require shareholders to redeem Shares for any reason under terms set by the Trustees.
B-65
The Act requires that where more than one series of shares exists, each series must be
preferred over all other series in respect of assets specifically allocated to such series. In
addition, Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the
provisions of the Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding
voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been
effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
each series affected by such matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a series shall be deemed to
be affected by a matter unless the interests of each series in the matter are substantially
identical or the matter does not affect any interest of such series. However, Rule 18f-2 exempts
the selection of independent public accountants, the approval of principal distribution contracts
and the election of trustees from the separate voting requirements of Rule 18f-2.
The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and does not intend to hold
such meetings. In the event that a meeting of shareholders is held, each share of the Trust will be
entitled, as determined by the Trustees without the vote or consent of the shareholders, either to
one vote for each share or to one vote for each dollar of net asset value represented by such share
on all matters presented to shareholders including the election of Trustees (this method of voting
being referred to as dollar based voting). However, to the extent required by the Act or
otherwise determined by the Trustees, series and classes of the Trust will vote separately from
each other. Shareholders of the Trust do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of
Trustees. Meetings of shareholders of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, may be called by
the Trustees, certain officers or upon the written request of holders of 10% or more of the shares
entitled to vote at such meetings. The Trustees will call a special meeting of shareholders for the
purpose of electing Trustees, if, at any time, less than a majority of Trustees holding office at
the time were elected by shareholders. The shareholders of the Trust will have voting rights only
with respect to the limited number of matters specified in the Declaration of Trust and such other
matters as the Trustees may determine or may be required by law.
The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of Trustees, officers, employees and
agents of the Trust unless the recipient is adjudicated (i) to be liable by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such persons office or (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such persons actions were in the best interest of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust
provides that, if any shareholder or former shareholder of any series is held personally liable
solely by reason of being or having been a shareholder and not because of the shareholders acts or
omissions or for some other reason, the shareholder or former shareholder (or the shareholders
heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives or general successors) shall be held
harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust,
acting on behalf of any affected series, must, upon request by such shareholder, assume the defense
of any claim made against such shareholder for any act or obligation of the series and satisfy any
judgment thereon from the assets of the series.
The Declaration of Trust permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the
Trust (i) by a majority of the affected shareholders at a meeting of shareholders of the Trust,
series or class; or (ii) by a majority of the Trustees without shareholder approval if the Trustees
determine, in their sole discretion, that such action is in the best interest of the Trust, such
series, such class or their respective shareholders. The Trustees may consider such factors as
they, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate in making such determination, including (i) the
inability of the Trust or any series or class to maintain its assets at an appropriate size; (ii)
changes in laws or regulations governing the Trust, series, or class or affecting assets of the
type in which it invests; or (iii) economic developments or trends having a significant adverse
impact on the business or operations of the Trust or series.
The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees, without shareholder approval, to cause the
Trust, or any series thereof, to merge or consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or
other organization or sell or exchange all or substantially all of the property belonging to the
Trust or any series thereof. In addition, the Trustees, without shareholder approval, may adopt a
master-feeder structure by investing all or a portion of the assets of a series of the Trust in the
securities of another open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective,
restrictions and policies.
The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust without a
shareholder vote. However, shareholders of the Trust have the right to vote on any amendment (i)
that would adversely affect the voting rights of shareholders; (ii) that is required by law to be
approved by shareholders; (iii) that would amend the provisions of the Declaration of Trust
regarding amendments and supplements thereto; or (iv) that the Trustees determine to submit to
shareholders.
The Trustees may appoint separate Trustees with respect to one or more series or classes of
the Trusts shares (the Series Trustees). Series Trustees may, but are not required to, serve as
Trustees of the Trust or any other series or class of the Trust. To the extent provided by the
Trustees in the appointment of Series Trustees, the Series Trustees may have, to the exclusion of
any other Trustees of the Trust, all the powers and authorities of Trustees under the Declaration
of Trust with respect to such Series or Class, but may have no power or authority with respect to
any other series or class.
B-66
Shareholder and Trustee Liability
Under Delaware Law, the shareholders of the Fund are not generally subject to liability for
the debts or obligations of the Trust. Similarly, Delaware law provides that a series of the Trust
will not be liable for the debts or obligations of any other series of the Trust. However, no
similar statutory or other authority limiting statutory trust shareholder liability exists in other
states. As a result, to the extent that a Delaware statutory trust or a shareholder is subject to
the jurisdiction of courts of such other states, the courts may not apply Delaware law and may
thereby subject the Delaware statutory trust shareholders to liability. To guard against this risk,
the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or
obligations of a series. Notice of such disclaimer will normally be given in each agreement,
obligation or instrument entered into or executed by a series of the Trust. The Declaration of
Trust provides for indemnification by the relevant series for all loss suffered by a shareholder as
a result of an obligation of the series. The Declaration of Trust also provides that a series
shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or
obligation of the series and satisfy any judgment thereon. In view of the above, the risk of
personal liability of shareholders of a Delaware statutory trust is remote.
In addition to the requirements under Delaware law, the Declaration of Trust provides that
shareholders of a series may bring a derivative action on behalf of the series only if the
following conditions are met: (a) shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under
Delaware law who hold at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the series, or 10% of the
outstanding shares of the class to which such action relates, shall join in the request for the
Trustees to commence such action; and (b) the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time
to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees will
be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and may
require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the series for the
expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.
The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trustees will not be liable for errors of
judgment or mistakes of fact or law, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a Trustee
against liability to which he or she 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 or
her office.
TAXATION
The following are certain additional U.S. federal income tax considerations generally
affecting the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the Fund that are not
described in the Prospectus. The discussions below and in the Prospectus are only summaries and are
not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning. They do not address special tax rules
applicable to certain classes of investors, such as tax-exempt entities, insurance companies and
financial institutions. Each prospective shareholder is urged to consult his or her own tax adviser
with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the
Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect [ ], 2010, which are subject to change.
Fund Taxation
The Fund is treated as a separate taxable entity. The Fund has elected to be treated and
intends to qualify for each taxable year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of
Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Code.
There are certain tax requirements that the Fund must follow if it is to avoid federal
taxation. In its efforts to adhere to these requirements, the Fund may have to limit its investment
activities in some types of instruments. Qualification as a regulated investment company under the
Code requires, among other things, that (1) the Fund derive at least 90% of its gross income for
each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from
the sale or other disposition of stocks or securities or foreign currencies, net income from
qualified publicly traded partnerships or other income (including but not limited to gains from
options, futures, and forward contracts) derived with respect to the Funds business of investing
in stocks, securities or currencies (the 90% gross income test); and (2) the Fund diversify its
holdings so that, in general, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, (a) at least 50% of
the fair market value of the Funds total (gross) assets is comprised of cash, cash items, U.S.
Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities
limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the
Funds total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and
(b) not more than 25% of the value of its total (gross) assets is invested in the securities of any
one issuer (other than U.S. Government Securities and securities of other regulated investment
companies), two or more issuers controlled by the Fund and engaged in the same, similar or related
trades or businesses or certain publicly traded partnerships.
B-67
For purposes of the 90% gross income test, income that the Fund earns from equity interests in
certain entities that are not treated as corporations or as qualified publicly traded partnerships
for U.S. federal income tax purposes (e.g., partnerships or trusts) will generally have the same
character for the Fund as in the hands of such an entity; consequently, the Fund may be required to
limit its equity investments in any such entities that earn fee income, rental income or other
nonqualifying income. In addition, future Treasury regulations could provide that qualifying income
under the 90% gross income test will not include gains from foreign currency transactions that are
not directly related to the Funds principal business of investing in stock or securities or
options and futures with respect to stock or securities. Using foreign currency positions or
entering into foreign currency options, futures and forward or swap contracts for purposes other
than hedging currency risk with respect to securities in the Funds portfolio or anticipated to be
acquired may not qualify as directly-related under these tests.
If the Fund complies with the foregoing provisions, then in any taxable year in which the Fund
distributes, in compliance with the Codes timing and other requirements, an amount at least equal
to the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable
interest, taxable accrued original issue discount and market discount income, any net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss,
certain net realized foreign exchange gains and any other taxable income other than net capital
gain, as defined below, and is reduced by deductible expenses), plus 90% of the excess of its
gross tax-exempt interest income (if any) over certain disallowed deductions, the Fund (but not its
shareholders) will be relieved of federal income tax on any income of the Fund, including long-term
capital gains, distributed to shareholders. If, instead, the Fund retains any investment company
taxable income or net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term
capital loss), it will be subject to a tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained.
Because there are some uncertainties regarding the computation of the amounts deemed distributed to
Fund shareholders for these purposes including, in particular, uncertainties regarding the
portion, if any, of amounts paid in redemption of Fund shares that should be treated as such
distributions there can be no assurance that the Fund will avoid corporate-level tax in each
year.
The Fund generally intends to distribute for each taxable year to its shareholders all or
substantially all of its investment company taxable income, net capital gain and any net tax-exempt
interest. Exchange control or other foreign laws, regulations or practices may restrict
repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of securities sales by foreign investors
such as the Fund and may therefore make it more difficult for such the Fund to satisfy the
distribution requirements described above, as well as the excise tax distribution requirements
described below. The Fund generally expects, however, to be able to obtain sufficient cash to
satisfy those requirements from new investors, the sale of securities or other sources. If for any
taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, it will be taxed on all
of its taxable income and net capital gain at corporate rates, and its distributions to
shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of its current and accumulated
earnings and profits.
If the Fund retains any net capital gain, the Fund may designate the retained amount as
undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (1) if subject to U.S. federal
income tax on long-term capital gains, will be required to include in income for federal income tax
purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of that undistributed amount, and (2) will be
entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund against their U.S.
federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds those
liabilities. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder
of the Fund will be increased by the amount of any such undistributed net capital gain included in
the shareholders gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that
amount of net capital gain.
To avoid a 4% federal excise tax, the Fund must distribute (or be deemed to have distributed)
by December 31 of each calendar year at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income for the calendar
year, at least 98% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (generally computed
on the basis of the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year), and all taxable ordinary
income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for all previous years that were not
distributed for those years and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax. For federal income
tax purposes, dividends declared by the Fund in October, November or December to shareholders of
record on a specified date in such a month and paid during January of the following year are
taxable to such shareholders, and deductible by the Fund, as if paid on December 31 of the year
declared. The Fund anticipates that it will generally make timely distributions of income and
capital gains in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to
pay the excise tax.
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund is generally permitted to carry forward a net
capital loss in any taxable year to offset its own capital gains, if any, during the eight taxable
years following the year of the loss. These amounts are available to be carried forward to offset
future capital gains to the extent permitted by the Code and applicable tax regulations. The Fund
does not have capital losses to carry forward because it has not commenced operations prior to the
date of this SAI.
B-68
Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts,
options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward
contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Certain of
the futures contracts, forward contracts and options held by the Fund will be required to be
marked-to-market for federal tax purposes that is, treated as having been sold at their fair
market value on the last day of the Funds taxable year (or, for excise tax purposes, on the last
day of the relevant period). These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains
without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of
these futures contracts, forward contracts, or options will (except for certain foreign currency
options, forward contracts, and futures contracts) be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss
and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. As a result of certain hedging transactions entered into
by the Fund, it may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, forward
contracts, and options or underlying securities or foreign currencies to the extent of any
unrecognized gains on related positions held by the Fund, and the characterization of gains or
losses as long-term or short-term may be changed. The tax provisions described in this paragraph
may affect the amount, timing and character of the Funds distributions to shareholders. The
application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the
application of certain other tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with certain
investment practices such as dollar rolls, or investments in certain derivatives, including
interest rate swaps, floors, caps and collars, currency swaps, total return swaps, mortgage swaps,
index swaps, forward contracts and structured notes. As a result, the Fund may therefore be
required to limit its investments in such transactions and it is also possible that the IRS may not
agree with the Funds tax treatment of such transactions. In addition, the tax treatment of
derivatives, and certain other investments, may be affected by future legislation, Treasury
Regulations and guidance issued by the IRS that could affect the timing, character and amount of
the Funds income and gains and distributions to shareholders. Certain tax elections may be
available to the Fund to mitigate some of the unfavorable consequences described in this paragraph.
Section 988 of the Code contains special tax rules applicable to certain foreign currency
transactions and instruments which may affect the amount, timing and character of income, gain or
loss recognized by the Fund. Under these rules, foreign exchange gain or loss realized with respect
to foreign currencies and certain futures and options thereon, foreign currency-denominated debt
instruments, foreign currency forward contracts, and foreign currency-denominated payables and
receivables will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss, although in some cases elections
may be available that would alter this treatment. If a net foreign exchange loss treated as
ordinary loss under Section 988 of the Code were to exceed the Funds investment company taxable
income (computed without regard to that loss) for a taxable year, the resulting loss would not be
deductible by the Fund or its shareholders in future years. Net loss, if any, from certain foreign
currency transactions or instruments could exceed net investment income otherwise calculated for
accounting purposes, with the result being either no dividends being paid or a portion of the
Funds dividends being treated as a return of capital for tax purposes, nontaxable to the extent of
a shareholders tax basis in his shares and, once such basis is exhausted, generally giving rise to
capital gains.
The Funds investment, if any, in zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities,
certain structured securities or other securities bearing original issue discount or, if the Fund
elects to include market discount in income currently, market discount, as well as any marked-to-
market gain from certain options, futures or forward contracts, as described above, will in many
cases cause the Fund to realize income or gain before the receipt of cash payments with respect to
these securities or contracts. For the Fund to obtain cash to enable the Fund to distribute any
such income or gain, to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid
federal income and excise taxes, the Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio investments sooner
than it might otherwise have done.
Investments in lower-rated securities may present special tax issues for the Fund to the
extent actual or anticipated defaults may be more likely with respect to those kinds of securities.
Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when an investor in such securities may cease
to accrue interest, original issue discount, or market discount; when and to what extent deductions
may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities; how payments received on obligations in default
should be allocated between principal and income; and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a
workout context are taxable. These and other issues will generally need to be addressed by the
Fund, in the event it invests in such securities, so as to seek to eliminate or to minimize any
adverse tax consequences.
If the Fund acquires stock (including, under proposed regulations, an option to acquire stock
such as is inherent in a convertible bond) in certain foreign corporations, that receive at least
75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, rents,
royalties or capital gain) or hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such
passive income (passive foreign investment companies), the Fund could be subject to federal
income tax and additional interest charges on excess distributions received from such companies
or gain from the sale of stock in such companies, even if all income or gain actually received by
the Fund is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to
its shareholders any credit or deduction for such a tax. In some cases, elections may be available
that will ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but those elections will require the Fund to
include each year certain amounts as income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements
B-69
described above) without a concurrent receipt of cash. The Fund may attempt to limit and/or to
manage its holdings in passive foreign investment companies to minimize its tax liability or
maximize its return from these investments.
If the Fund invests in certain REITs or in REMIC residual interests, a portion of the Funds
income may be classified as excess inclusion income. A shareholder that is otherwise not subject
to tax may be taxable on their share of any such excess inclusion income as unrelated business
taxable income. In addition, tax may be imposed on the Fund on the portion of any excess inclusion
income allocable to any shareholders that are classified as disqualified organizations.
Foreign Taxes
The Fund anticipates that it may be subject to foreign taxes on income (possibly including, in
some cases, capital gains) from foreign securities. Tax conventions between certain countries and
the United States may reduce or eliminate those foreign taxes in some cases. If more than 50% of
the Funds total assets at the close of a taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign
corporations, the Fund may file an election with the IRS pursuant to which the shareholders of the
Fund will be required (1) to report as dividend income (in addition to taxable dividends actually
received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund that are treated as income
taxes under U.S. tax regulations (which excludes, for example, stamp taxes, securities transaction
taxes, and similar taxes) even though not actually received by those shareholders, and (2) to treat
those respective pro rata shares as foreign income taxes paid by them, which they can claim either
as a foreign tax credit, subject to applicable limitations, against their U.S. federal income tax
liability or as an itemized deduction. (Shareholders who do not itemize deductions for federal
income tax purposes will not, however, be able to deduct their pro rata portion of foreign taxes
paid by the Fund, although those shareholders will be required to include their share of such taxes
in gross income if the foregoing election is made by the Fund.)
If a shareholder chooses to take credit for the foreign taxes deemed paid by such shareholder
as a result of any such election by the Fund, the amount of the credit that may be claimed in any
year may not exceed the same proportion of the U.S. tax against which such credit is taken which
the shareholders taxable income from foreign sources (but not in excess of the shareholders
entire taxable income) bears to his entire taxable income. For this purpose, distributions from
long-term and short-term capital gains or foreign currency gains by the Fund will generally not be
treated as income from foreign sources. This foreign tax credit limitation may also be applied
separately to certain specific categories of foreign-source income and the related foreign taxes.
As a result of these rules, which have different effects depending upon each shareholders
particular tax situation, certain shareholders of the Fund may not be able to claim a credit for
the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund even if the
election is made by the Fund.
Shareholders who are not liable for U.S. federal income taxes, including retirement plans,
other tax-exempt shareholders and non-U.S. shareholders, will ordinarily not benefit from the
foregoing Fund election with respect to foreign taxes. Each year, if any, that the Fund files the
election described above, shareholders will be notified of the amount of (1) each shareholders pro
rata share of qualified foreign taxes paid by the Fund and (2) the portion of Fund dividends that
represents income from foreign sources. If the Fund cannot or does not make this election, it may
deduct its foreign taxes in computing the amount it is required to distribute.
Non-U.S. Shareholders
The discussion above relates solely to U.S. federal income tax law as it applies to U.S.
persons subject to tax under such law.
Except as discussed below, distributions to shareholders who, as to the United States, are not
U.S. persons, (i.e., are nonresident aliens, foreign corporations, fiduciaries of foreign trusts
or estates, foreign partnerships or other non-U.S. investors) generally will be subject to U.S.
federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% on distributions treated as ordinary income unless the
tax is reduced or eliminated pursuant to a tax treaty or the distributions are effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder; but distributions of net capital gain
(the excess of any net long-term capital gains over any net short-term capital losses) including
amounts retained by the Fund which are designated as undistributed capital gains, to such a
non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless the
distributions are effectively connected with the shareholders trade or business in the United
States or, in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is
present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other
conditions are met. Non-U.S. shareholders may also be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax on
deemed income resulting from any election by the Fund to treat qualified foreign taxes it pays as
passed through to shareholders (as described above), but they may not be able to claim a U.S. tax
credit or deduction with respect to such taxes.
B-70
Under a temporary position, which expired for taxable years of the Fund beginning after
December 31, 2009, non-U.S. shareholders generally were not subject to U.S. federal income tax
withholding on certain distributions of interest income and/or short-term capital gains that are
designated by the Fund. It is possible that Congress may extend this provision on a temporary
basis. In the event of such an extension, it is expected that the Fund may make designation of
short-term gains, to the extent permitted, but the Fund does not intend to make designations of any
distributions attributable to interest income. As a result, U.S. tax withholding would apply to
distributions attributable to interest income, dividends and other investment income earned by the
Fund and, would also apply to distributions of short-term gains, unless Congress extends the above
provision and the Fund elects to make designations of such gains.
Any capital gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale or redemption of shares of the
Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless the gain is effectively
connected with the shareholders trade or business in the U.S., or in the case of a shareholder who
is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more
during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met.
Non-U.S. persons who fail to furnish the Fund with the proper IRS Form W-8 (i.e., W-8BEN,
W-8ECI, W-8IMY or W-8EXP), or an acceptable substitute, may be subject to backup withholding at a
28% rate on dividends (including capital gain dividends) and on the proceeds of redemptions and
exchanges.
Also, non-U.S. shareholders of the Fund may be subject to U.S. estate tax with respect to
their Fund shares.
Each shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consult his or her tax adviser regarding the
U.S. and non-U.S. tax consequences of ownership of shares of, and receipt of distributions from,
the Fund.
State and Local Taxes
The Fund may be subject to state or local taxes in jurisdictions in which the Fund is deemed
to be doing business. In addition, in those states or localities that impose income taxes, the
treatment of the Fund and its shareholders under those jurisdictions tax laws may differ from the
treatment under federal income tax laws, and investment in the Fund may have tax consequences for
shareholders that are different from those of a direct investment in the Funds portfolio
securities. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers concerning state and local tax
matters.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
A copy of the Funds Annual Reports (when available) may be obtained upon request and without
charge by writing Goldman, Sachs & Co., P.O. Box 06050, Chicago, Illinois 60606 or by calling
Goldman, Sachs & Co., at the telephone number on the back cover of the Funds Prospectus. The
Annual Report for the fiscal period ending October 31, 2011 will become available to investors in
December 2011.
PROXY VOTING
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has delegated the voting of portfolio securities to the
Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures (the Policy) for
the voting of proxies on behalf of client accounts for which the Investment Adviser has voting
discretion, including the Fund. Under the Policy, the Investment Advisers guiding principles in
performing proxy voting are to make decisions that: (i) favor proposals that tend to maximize a
companys shareholder value; and (ii) are not influenced by conflicts of interest. These principles
reflect the Investment Advisers belief that sound corporate governance will create a framework
within which a company can be managed in the interests of its shareholders.
The principles and positions reflected in the Policy are designed to guide the Investment
Adviser in voting proxies, and not necessarily in making investment decisions. The Investment
Adviser periodically reviews the Policy to ensure that it continues to be consistent with the
Investment Advisers guiding principles.
Public Equity Investments
.
To implement these guiding principles for investments in publicly-traded
equities, the Investment Adviser has developed customized proxy voting guidelines (the
Guidelines). The Guidelines embody the positions and factors the Investment Adviser generally
considers important in casting proxy votes. They address a wide variety of individual topics,
including, among other matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board
structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations,
mergers, issues of corporate social responsibility, and various shareholder proposals. Attached as
Appendix B is a summary of the Guidelines.
B-71
The Investment Adviser has retained a third-party proxy voting service (Proxy Service) to
assist in the implementation of certain proxy voting-related functions. Among its responsibilities,
the Proxy Service prepares a written analysis and recommendation (a Recommendation) of each proxy
vote that reflects the Proxy Services application of the GSAM Guidelines to the particular proxy
issues. While it is the Investment Advisers policy generally to follow the Guidelines and
recommendations, the Investment Advisers portfolio management teams (Portfolio Management Teams)
may on certain proxy votes seek approval to diverge from the Guidelines or a recommendation by
following an override process. Such decisions are subject to a review and approval process,
including a determination that the decision is not influenced by any conflict of interest. In
forming their views on particular matters, the Portfolio Management Teams are also permitted to
consider applicable regional rules and practices, including codes of conduct and other guides,
regarding proxy voting, in addition to the Guidelines and recommendations.
The Proxy Service assists in the implementation and administration of the proxy voting
function. The Proxy Service assists the Investment Adviser in the proxy voting process by providing
operational, recordkeeping and reporting services. In addition, the Proxy Service produces
Recommendations as previously discussed and provides assistance in the development and maintenance
of the GSAM Guidelines.
GSAM conducts periodic due diligence meetings with the Proxy Service which include, but are
not limited to, a review of the Proxy Services general organizational structure, new developments
with respect to research and technology, work flow improvements and internal due diligence with
respect to conflicts of interest. The Investment Adviser may hire other service providers to
replace or supplement the Proxy Service with respect to any of the services the Investment Adviser
currently receives from the Proxy Service.
The Investment Adviser has implemented procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest
from influencing its proxy voting decisions. These procedures include the Investment Advisers use
of the Guidelines and recommendations and the override process, and the establishment of
information barriers between the Investment Adviser and other businesses within The Goldman Sachs
Group, Inc.
Fixed Income and Private Investments
.
Voting decisions with respect to fixed income securities and
the securities of privately held issuers generally will be made by the Funds managers based on
their assessment of the particular transactions or other matters at issue.
Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the
most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will become available on or through the Funds website at
www.goldmansachsfunds.com and on the SECs website at www.sec.gov.
PAYMENTS TO INTERMEDIARIES
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make payments to Authorized
Dealers, Authorized Institutions and other financial intermediaries (Intermediaries) from time to
time to promote the sale, distribution and/or servicing of shares of the Funds. These payments
(Additional Payments) are made out of the Investment Advisers, Distributors and/or their
affiliates own assets, and are not an additional charge to the Fund or its shareholders. The
Additional Payments are in addition to the distribution and service fees paid by the Fund described
in the Funds Prospectuses and this SAI, and are also in addition to the sales commissions payable
to Intermediaries as set forth in the Prospectuses.
These Additional Payments are intended to compensate Intermediaries for, among other things:
marketing shares of the Fund, which may consist of payments relating to the Funds inclusion on
preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain sales programs from time to time sponsored by the
Intermediaries; access to the Intermediaries registered representatives or salespersons, including
at conferences and other meetings; assistance in training and education of personnel; finders or
referral fees for directing investors to the Fund; marketing support fees for providing
assistance in promoting the sale of Fund shares (which may include promotions in communications
with the Intermediaries customers, registered representatives and salespersons); and/or other
specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund. In addition,
the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make Additional Payments (including
through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements) for subaccounting, administrative and/or
shareholder processing services that are in addition to the transfer agent, shareholder
administration, servicing and processing fees paid by the Fund. These payments may exceed amounts
earned on these assets by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates for the
performance of these or similar services. The Additional Payments made by the Investment Adviser,
Distributor and their affiliates may be a fixed dollar amount; may be based on the number of
customer accounts maintained by an Intermediary; may be based on a percentage of the value of
shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Intermediary involved; or may be calculated on another
basis. Furthermore, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may, to the extent
permitted by applicable
B-72
regulations, contribute to various non-cash and cash incentive arrangements to promote the
sale of shares, as well as sponsor various educational programs, sales contests and/or promotions.
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and their affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses,
meals, lodging and entertainment of Intermediaries and their salespersons and guests in connection
with educational, sales and promotional programs subject to applicable FINRA regulations. The
amount of these Additional Payments (excluding payments made through sub-transfer agency and
networking agreements) is normally not expected to exceed 0.50% (annualized) of the amount sold or
invested through the Intermediaries. The Additional Payments are negotiated based on a range of
factors, including but not limited to, ability to attract and retain assets (including particular
classes of the Funds shares), target markets, customer relationships, quality of service and
industry reputation. In addition, certain Intermediaries may have access to certain research and
investment services from the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates. Such
research and investment services (Additional Services) may include research reports, economic
analysis, portfolio analysis tools, business planning services, certain marketing and investor
education materials and strategic asset allocation modeling. The Intermediary may not pay for
these products or services.
The Additional Payments made by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates or
the Additional Services received by an Intermediary may be different for different Intermediaries
and may vary with respect to the type of fund (e.g., equity, fund, fixed income fund, specialty
fund, asset allocation portfolio, or money market fund) sold by the Intermediary. In addition, the
Additional Payment arrangements may include breakpoints in compensation which provide that the
percentage rate of compensation varies as the dollar value of the amount sold or invested through
an Intermediary increases. The presence of these Additional Payments or Additional Services, the
varying fee structure and the basis on which an Intermediary compensates its registered
representatives or salespersons may create an incentive for a particular Intermediary, registered
representative or salesperson to highlight, feature or recommend the Fund based, at least in part,
on the level of compensation paid.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and their
affiliates made Additional Payments out of their own assets to approximately
[
]
Intermediaries.
During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and their
affiliates paid to Intermediaries approximately $
[
]
million in Additional Payments (excluding
payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements) with respect to all of the
funds of the Trust (including the Fund) and all of the funds in an affiliated investment
company, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust.
Shareholders should contact their Authorized Dealer or other Intermediary for more information
about the Additional Payments or Additional Services they receive and any potential conflicts of
interest. For additional questions, please contact Goldman Sachs Funds at 1-800-621-2550.
OTHER INFORMATION
Selective Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Investment Adviser have adopted a policy on
selective disclosure of portfolio holdings in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that
disclosure of information about portfolio securities is in the best interest of Fund shareholders
and to address the conflicts between the interests of Fund shareholders and its service providers.
The policy provides that neither the Fund nor its Investment Adviser, Distributor or any agent, or
any employee thereof (Fund Representative) will disclose the Funds portfolio holdings
information to any person other than in accordance with the policy. For purposes of the policy,
portfolio holdings information means the Funds actual portfolio holdings, as well as nonpublic
information about its trading strategies or pending transactions. Under the policy, neither the
Fund nor any Fund Representative may solicit or accept any compensation or other consideration in
connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. The Fund Representative may
provide portfolio holdings information to third parties if such information has been included in
the Funds public filings with the SEC or is disclosed on the Funds publicly accessible website.
Information posted on the Funds website may be separately provided to any person commencing the
day after it is first published on the Funds website.
Portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly
available website may be provided to third parties only if the third party recipients are required
to keep all portfolio holdings information confidential and are prohibited from trading on the
information they receive. Disclosure to such third parties must be approved in advance by the
Investment Advisers legal or compliance department. Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody,
proxy voting and other similar services for the Fund, as well as rating and ranking organizations,
will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties
(including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and intermediaries that sell
shares of the Fund,) only upon approval by the Funds Chief Compliance Officer, who must first
determine that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. In general, each recipient
of non-public portfolio holdings information must sign a confidentiality and non-trading agreement,
although this requirement will not apply when the recipient is otherwise subject to a duty of
confidentiality. In accordance with the policy, the
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identity of those recipients who receive non-public portfolio holdings information on an
ongoing basis is as follows: the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, the Funds independent
registered public accounting firm, the Funds custodianJPMorganChase, the Funds legal
counselDechert LLP, the Funds financial printerBowne, and the Funds proxy voting serviceISS.
These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third party providers of
custodial or accounting services to the Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information
of the Fund only with the permission of Fund Representatives. From time to time portfolio holdings
information may be provided to broker-dealers solely in connection with the Fund seeking portfolio
securities trading suggestions. In providing this information reasonable precautions, including
limitations on the scope of the portfolio holdings information disclosed, are taken to avoid any
potential misuse of the disclosed information. All marketing materials prepared by the Trusts
principal underwriter are reviewed by Goldman Sachs Compliance department for consistency with the
Trusts portfolio holdings disclosure policy.
The Fund currently intends to publish on the Trusts website
(http://www.goldmansachsfunds.com) complete portfolio holdings for the Fund as of the end of each
calendar quarter subject to a fifteen day calendar lag between the date of the information and the
date on which the information is disclosed. In addition, the Fund intends to publish on its website
month-end top ten holdings subject to a ten day lag between the date of the information and the
date on which the information is disclosed. The Fund may publish on the website complete portfolio
holdings information more frequently if it has a legitimate business purpose for doing so.
Under the policy, Fund Representatives will initially supply the Board of the Trustees with a
list of third parties who receive portfolio holdings information pursuant to any ongoing
arrangement. In addition, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any
other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the
preceding quarter. In addition, the Board of Trustees is to approve at its meetings a list of Fund
Representatives who are authorized to disclose portfolio holdings information under the policy. As
of [ ], 2010, only certain officers of the Trust as well as certain senior members of the
compliance and legal groups of the Investment Adviser have been approved by the Board of Trustees
to authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings information.
Miscellaneous
The Fund will redeem shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset
value of the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. The Fund, however, reserves the
right, in its sole discretion, to pay redemptions by a distribution in kind of securities (instead
of cash) if (i) the redemption exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the
Fund at the time of redemption; or (ii) with respect to lesser redemption amounts, the redeeming
shareholder requests in writing a distribution in kind of securities instead of cash. The
securities distributed in kind would be valued for this purpose using the same method employed in
calculating the Funds net asset value per share. See NET ASSET VALUE. If a shareholder receives
redemption proceeds in kind, the shareholder should expect to incur transaction costs upon the
disposition of the securities received in the redemption.
The right of a shareholder to redeem shares and the date of payment by the Fund may be
suspended for more than seven days for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange is
closed, other than the customary weekends or holidays, or when trading on such Exchange is
restricted as determined by the SEC; or during any emergency, as determined by the SEC, as a result
of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it or
fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or for such other period as the SEC may by order
permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund. (The Trust may also suspend or postpone the
recordation of the transfer of shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)
As stated in the Prospectuses, the Trust may authorize Authorized Institutions and Authorized
Dealers that provide recordkeeping, reporting and processing services to their customers to accept
on the Trusts behalf purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on behalf of their
customers and, if approved by the Trust, to designate other intermediaries to accept such orders.
These institutions may receive payments from the Trust or Goldman Sachs for their services. Certain
Authorized Institutions or Authorized Dealers may enter into sub-transfer agency agreements with
the Trust or Goldman Sachs with respect to their services.
In the interest of economy and convenience, the Trust does not issue certificates representing
the Funds shares. Instead, the Transfer Agent maintains a record of each shareholders ownership.
Each shareholder receives confirmation of purchase and redemption orders from the Transfer Agent.
Fund shares and any dividends and distributions paid by the Fund are reflected in account
statements from the Transfer Agent.
The Prospectuses and this SAI do not contain all the information included in the Registration
Statement filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act with respect to the securities offered by the
Prospectuses. Certain portions of the Registration Statement have been
B-74
omitted from the Prospectuses and this SAI pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
The Registration Statement including the exhibits filed therewith may be examined at the office of
the SEC in Washington, D.C.
Statements contained in the Prospectuses or in this SAI 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 of
which the Prospectuses and this SAI form a part, each such statement being qualified in all
respects by such reference.
Line of Credit
The Fund will participate in a $580,000,000 committed, unsecured revolving line of credit
facility together with other funds of the Trust and registered investment companies having
management or investment advisory agreements with GSAM or its affiliates. Pursuant to the terms of
this facility, the Funds and other borrowers may increase the credit amount by an additional
$340,000,000, for a total of up to $920,000,000. This facility is to be used for temporary
emergency purposes or to allow for an orderly liquidation of securities to meet redemption
requests. The interest rate on borrowings is based on the federal funds rate. The facility also
requires a fee to be paid by the Fund based on the amount of the commitment that has not been
utilized.
Large Trade Notifications
The Transfer Agent may from time to time receive notice that an Authorized Dealer or other
financial intermediary has received an order for a large trade in the Funds shares. The Fund may
determine to enter into portfolio transactions in anticipation of that order, even though the order
will not be processed until the following business day. This practice provides for a closer
correlation between the time shareholders place trade orders and the time the Fund enters into
portfolio transactions based on those orders, and permits the Fund to be more fully invested in
investment securities, in the case of purchase orders, and to more orderly liquidate their
investment positions, in the case of redemption orders. On the other hand, the Authorized Dealer
or other financial intermediary may not ultimately process the order. In this case, the Fund may
be required to borrow assets to settle the portfolio transactions entered into in anticipation of
that order, and would therefore incur borrowing costs. The Fund may also suffer investment losses
on those portfolio transactions. Conversely, the Fund would benefit from any earnings and
investment gains resulting from such portfolio transactions.
Corporate Actions
From time to time, the issuer of a security held in the Funds portfolio may initiate a corporate
action relating to that security. Corporate actions relating to equity securities may include,
among others, an offer to purchase new shares, or to tender existing shares, of that security at a
certain price. Corporate actions relating to debt securities may include, among others, an offer
for early redemption of the debt security, or an offer to convert the debt security into stock.
Certain corporate actions are voluntary, meaning that the Fund may only participate in the
corporate action if it elects to do so in a timely fashion. Participation in certain corporate
actions may enhance the value of the Funds investment portfolio.
In cases where the Fund or its Investment Adviser receives sufficient advance notice of a voluntary
corporate action, the Investment Adviser will exercise its discretion, in good faith, to determine
whether the Fund will participate in that corporate action. If the Fund or its Investment Adviser
does not receive sufficient advance notice of a voluntary corporate action, the Fund may not be
able to timely elect to participate in that corporate action. Participation or lack of
participation in a voluntary corporate action may result in a negative impact on the value of the
Funds investment portfolio.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS
(Class A Shares and Class C Shares Only)
Distribution and Service Plans
. As described in the Prospectuses, the Trust has adopted, on
behalf of Class A and Class C Shares of the Fund, Distribution and Service Plans (each a Plan).
See Shareholder Guide Distribution and Service Fees in the Prospectus. The distribution fees
payable under the Plans are subject to Rule 12b-1 under the Act, and finance distribution and other
services that are provided to investors in the Fund, and enable the Fund to offer investors the
choice of investing in either Class A or Class C Shares when investing in the Fund. In addition,
distribution fees payable under the Plans may be used to assist the Fund in reaching and
maintaining asset levels that are efficient for the Funds operations and investments.
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The Plans for Class A and C Shares of the Fund were most recently approved by a majority vote
of the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who
have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans, cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of approving the Plans on [ ].
The compensation for distribution services payable under a Plan to Goldman Sachs may not
exceed 0.25% and 0.75% per annum of the Funds average daily net assets attributable to Class A and
Class C Shares, respectively, of the Fund. Under the Plan for Class C Shares, Goldman Sachs is also
entitled to receive a separate fee for personal and account maintenance services equal on an annual
basis to 0.25% of the Funds average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. With respect
to Class A Shares, the distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services
paid under the Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such
total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on service fees imposed by
FINRA.
Each Plan is a compensation plan which provides for the payment of a specified fee without
regard to the expenses actually incurred by Goldman Sachs. If such fee exceeds Goldman Sachs
expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from these arrangements. The distribution fees
received by Goldman Sachs under the Plans (and, as applicable, CDSC) on Class A and Class C Shares
may be sold by Goldman Sachs as distributor to entities which provide financing for payments to
Authorized Dealers in respect of sales of Class A and Class C Shares. To the extent such fees are
not paid to such dealers, Goldman Sachs may retain such fees as compensation for its services and
expenses of distributing the Funds Class A and Class C Shares.
Under each Plan, Goldman Sachs, as distributor of the Funds Class A and Class C Shares, will
provide to the Trustees of the Trust for their review, and the Trustees of the Trust will review at
least quarterly, a written report of the services provided and amounts expended by Goldman Sachs
under the Plans and the purposes for which such services were performed and expenditures were made.
The Plans will remain in effect until June 30, 2011 and from year to year thereafter, provided
that such continuance is approved annually by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust,
including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the Plans. The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amount of
distribution compensation described therein without approval of a majority of the outstanding Class
A or Class C Shares of the Fund and affected share class, but may be amended without shareholder
approval to increase materially the amount of non-distribution compensation. All material
amendments of a Plan must also be approved by the Trustees of the Trust in the manner described
above. A Plan may be terminated at any time as to the Fund without payment of any penalty by a vote
of a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the Class A
or Class C Shares, respectively, of the Fund and affected share class. If a Plan was terminated by
the Trustees of the Trust and no successor plan was adopted, the Fund would cease to make payments
to Goldman Sachs under the Plan and Goldman Sachs would be unable to recover the amount of any of
its unreimbursed expenditures. So long as a Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of
non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of the non-interested
Trustees of the Trust. The Trustees of the Trust have determined that in their judgment there is a
reasonable likelihood that the Plans will benefit the Fund and its Class A and Class C
Shareholders.
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OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES,
REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS
(Class A Shares and Class C Shares Only)
The following information supplements the information in the Prospectus under the captions
Shareholder Guide and Dividends. Please see the Prospectus for more complete information.
Maximum Sales Charges
Class A Shares of the Fund are sold with a maximum sales charge of 5.5%. Using the initial net
asset value per share, the maximum offering price of the Funds Class A Shares would be as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Offering
|
Net Asset
|
|
Sales
|
|
Price to
|
Value
|
|
Charge
|
|
Public
|
$
[
]
|
|
5.5%
|
|
$
[
]
|
The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor on the purchase of Class A Shares may
differ slightly from the sales charge listed above or in the Funds Prospectus due to rounding in
the calculations. For example, the sales load disclosed above and in the Funds Prospectuses is
only shown to one decimal place (i.e., 5.5%). The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor
will be rounded to two decimal places. As a result of such rounding in the calculations, the actual
sales load paid by an investor may be somewhat greater (e.g., 5.53%) or somewhat lesser (e.g.,
5.48%) than that listed above or in the Prospectuses. Contact your financial advisor for further
information.
Other Purchase Information/Sales Charge Waivers
Class A Shares of the Funds may be sold at NAV without payment of any sales charge to
state-sponsored 529 college savings plans. The sales charge waivers on the Funds shares are due to
the nature of the investors involved and/or the reduced sales effort that is needed to obtain such
investments.
At the discretion of the Trusts officers and in addition to the NAV purchases permitted in
the Funds Prospectus, Class A Shares of the Funds may also be sold at NAV without payment of any
sales charge for shares purchased through certain Section 401(k), profit sharing, money purchase
pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined benefit pension, or other employee benefit (including
health savings accounts) or SIMPLE plans that are sponsored by one or more employers (including
governmental or church employers) or employee organizations investing in the Funds.
If shares of the Fund are held in a street name account with an Authorized Dealer, all
recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial
owners account will be performed by the Authorized Dealer, and not by the Fund and its Transfer
Agent. Since the Fund will have no record of the beneficial owners transactions, a beneficial
owner should contact the Authorized Dealer to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes
in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The
transfer of shares in a street name account to an account with another dealer or to an account
directly with the Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain
historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the Authorized Dealer.
Right of Accumulation (Class A)
A Class A shareholder qualifies for cumulative quantity discounts if the current purchase
price of the new investment plus the shareholders current holdings of existing Class A or Class C
Shares (acquired by purchase or exchange) of the Fund and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any
other Goldman Sachs Fund total the requisite amount for receiving a discount. For example, if a
shareholder owns shares with a current market value of $65,000 and purchases additional Class A
Shares of any Goldman Sachs Fund with a purchase price of $45,000, the sales charge for the $45,000
purchase would be 3.75% (the rate applicable to a single purchase of $100,000 but less than
$250,000). Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any other
Goldman Sachs Fund purchased (i) by an individual, his spouse, his parents and his children, and
(ii) by a trustee, guardian or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary
account, will be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for such
right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. For purposes of
applying the right of accumulation, shares of the Fund and any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased
by an existing client of Goldman Sachs Wealth Management or GS
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Ayco Holding LLC will be combined with Class A and/or Class C Shares and other assets held by
all other Goldman Sachs Wealth Management accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC,
respectively. In addition, Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A and/or Class C
Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by partners, directors, officers or employees of
the same business organization, groups of individuals represented by and investing on the
recommendation of the same accounting firm, certain affinity groups or other similar organizations
(collectively, eligible persons) may be combined for the purpose of determining whether a
purchase will qualify for the right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge
level. This right of accumulation is subject to the following conditions: (i) the business
organizations, groups or firms agreement to cooperate in the offering of the Funds shares to
eligible persons; and (ii) notification to the Fund at the time of purchase that the investor is
eligible for this right of accumulation. In addition, in connection with SIMPLE IRA accounts,
cumulative quantity discounts are available on a per plan basis if (i) your employee has been
assigned a cumulative discount number by Goldman Sachs; and (ii) your account, alone or in
combination with the accounts of other plan participants also invested in Class A and/or Class C
Shares of the Goldman Sachs Funds, totals the requisite aggregate amount as described in the
Prospectus.
Statement of Intention (Class A)
If a shareholder anticipates purchasing at least $50,000 of Class A Shares of the Fund alone
or in combination with Class A Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund within a 13-month period, the
shareholder may purchase shares of the Fund at a reduced sales charge by submitting a Statement of
Intention (the Statement). Shares purchased pursuant to a Statement will be eligible for the same
sales charge discount that would have been available if all of the purchases had been made at the
same time. The shareholder or his Authorized Dealer must inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement is
in effect each time shares are purchased. There is no obligation to purchase the full amount of
shares indicated in the Statement. A shareholder may include the value of all Class A Shares on
which a sales charge has previously been paid as an accumulation credit toward the completion of
the Statement, but a price readjustment will be made only on Class A Shares purchased within ninety
(90) days before submitting the Statement. The Statement authorizes the Transfer Agent to hold in
escrow a sufficient number of shares which can be redeemed to make up any difference in the sales
charge on the amount actually invested. For purposes of satisfying the amount specified on the
Statement, the gross amount of each investment, exclusive of any appreciation on shares previously
purchased, will be taken into account.
The provisions applicable to the Statement, and the terms of the related escrow agreement, are
set forth in Appendix C to this SAI.
Cross-Reinvestment of Dividends and Distributions
Shareholders may receive dividends and distributions in additional shares of the same class of
the Fund or they may elect to receive them in cash or shares of the same class of other Goldman
Sachs Funds or ILA Service Shares of the Prime Obligations Portfolio or the Tax-Exempt Diversified
Portfolio, if they hold Class A Shares of the Fund, or ILA Class C Shares of the Prime Obligations
Portfolio, if they hold Class C Shares of the Fund (the ILA Portfolios).
The Fund shareholder should obtain and read the prospectus relating to any other Goldman Sachs
Fund or ILA Portfolio and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable
fees before electing cross-reinvestment into that Fund. The election to cross-reinvest dividends
and capital gain distributions will not affect the tax treatment of such dividends and
distributions, which will be treated as received by the shareholder and then used to purchase
shares of the acquired fund. Such reinvestment of dividends and distributions in shares of other
Goldman Sachs Funds or ILA Portfolios is available only in states where such reinvestment may
legally be made.
Automatic Exchange Program
The Fund shareholder may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar amount of shares
of the Fund for shares of the same class or an equivalent class of another Goldman Sachs Fund
provided the minimum initial investment requirement has been satisfied. The Fund shareholder should
obtain and read the prospectus relating to any other Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider
its investment objective, policies and applicable fees and expenses before electing an automatic
exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund.
Class C Exchanges
As stated in the Prospectuses, Goldman Sachs normally begins paying the annual 0.75%
distribution fee on Class C Shares to Authorized Dealers after the shares have been held for one
year. When an Authorized Dealer enters into an appropriate agreement with Goldman Sachs and stops
receiving this payment on Class C Shares that have been beneficially owned by the Authorized
Dealers
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customers for at least ten years, those Class C Shares may be exchanged for Class A Shares
(which bear a lower distribution fee) of the same Fund at their relative net asset value without a
sales charge in recognition of the reduced payment to the Authorized Dealer.
Exchanges from Collective Investment Trusts to the Fund
The Investment Adviser manages a number of collective investment trusts that hold assets of
401(k) plans and other retirement plans (each, a Collective Investment Trust). An investor in a
Collective Investment Trust (or an Intermediary acting on behalf of the investor) may elect to
exchange some or all of the interests it holds in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of one
or more of the Goldman Sachs Funds. Generally speaking, Rule 22c-1 under the Act requires a
purchase order for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund to be priced based on the current NAV of the
Goldman Sachs Fund that is next calculated after receipt of the purchase order. A Goldman Sachs
Fund will treat a purchase order component of an exchange from an investor in a Collective
Investment Trust as being received in good order at the time it is communicated to an Intermediary
or the Transfer Agent, if the amount of shares to be purchased is expressed as a percentage of the
value of the investors interest in a designated Collective Investment Trust that it is
contemporaneously redeeming (e.g., if the investor communicates a desire to exchange 100% of its
interest in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund). The investors
purchase price and the number of Goldman Sachs Fund shares it will acquire will therefore be
calculated as of the pricing of the Collective Investment Trust on the day of the purchase order.
Such an order will be deemed to be irrevocable as of the time the Goldman Sachs Funds NAV is next
calculated after receipt of the purchase order. An investor should obtain and read the prospectus
relating to any Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies
and applicable fees and expenses before electing an exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund. For
federal income tax purposes, an exchange of interests in a Collective Investment Trust for shares
of a Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to tax, and you should consult your tax adviser concerning
the tax consequences of an exchange.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
A systematic withdrawal plan (the Systematic Withdrawal Plan) is available to shareholders
of the Fund whose shares are worth at least $5,000. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan provides for
monthly payments to the participating shareholder of any amount not less than $50.
Dividends and capital gain distributions on shares held under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan
are reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the Fund at net asset value. The
Transfer Agent acts as agent for the shareholder in redeeming sufficient full and fractional shares
to provide the amount of the systematic withdrawal payment. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be
terminated at any time. Goldman Sachs reserves the right to initiate a fee of up to $5 per
withdrawal, upon thirty (30) days written notice to the shareholder. Withdrawal payments should
not be considered to be dividends, yield or income. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed new
purchases and reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions, the shareholders original
investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. The maintenance of a
withdrawal plan concurrently with purchases of additional Class A or Class C Shares would be
disadvantageous because of the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A Shares or the
imposition of a CDSC on redemptions of Class A or Class C Shares. The CDSC applicable to Class A or
Class C Shares redeemed under a systematic withdrawal plan may be waived. See Shareholder Guide
in the Prospectuses. In addition, each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares, and any gain
or loss realized must be reported for federal and state income tax purposes. A shareholder should
consult his or her own tax adviser with regard to the tax consequences of participating in the
Systematic Withdrawal Plan. For further information or to request a Systematic Withdrawal Plan,
please write or call the Transfer Agent.
B-79
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poors short-term issue credit rating is a current opinion of the
creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original
maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Standard
& Poors for short-term issues:
A-1 A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by Standard &
Poors. The obligors 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
obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2 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 obligors 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. Ratings of B-1, B-2, and B-3 may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions
within the B category. 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 obligors
inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B-1 A short-term obligation rated B-1 is regarded as having significant speculative
characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial
commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-2 A short-term obligation rated B-2 is regarded as having significant speculative
characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial
commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
B-3 A short-term obligation rated B-3 is regarded as having significant speculative
characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments
over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.
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 & Poors 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.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks Country risk considerations are a standard part
of Standard & Poors analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a
key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be
lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign
governments own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign
risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign
Currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those
instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.
1-A
Moodys Investors Service (Moodys) short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of
issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term
programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original
maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.
Moodys employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated
issuers:
P-1 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay
short-term debt obligations.
P-2 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay
short-term debt obligations.
P-3 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to
repay short-term obligations.
NP Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the
Prime rating categories.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (Fitch) short-term ratings scale applies to foreign
currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months
for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry
standards, to reflect unique risk characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that
are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus place greater emphasis on
the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner. The following summarizes
the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
F1 Securities possess the highest credit quality. This designation indicates the
strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added + to denote any
exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2 Securities possess good credit quality. This designation indicates a satisfactory
capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as
in the case of the higher ratings.
F3 Securities possess fair credit quality. This designation indicates that the capacity
for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near term adverse changes could
result in a reduction to non investment grade.
B Securities possess speculative credit quality. This designation indicates minimal
capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near term adverse
changes in financial and economic conditions.
C Securities possess high default risk. Default is a real possibility. This designation
indicates a capacity for meeting financial commitments which is solely reliant upon a sustained,
favorable business and economic environment.
D Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial
obligations.
NR This designation indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issuer or
issue.
WD This designation indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer
maintained by Fitch.
The following summarizes the ratings used by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (DBRS) for
commercial paper and short-term debt:
R-1 (high) Short-term debt rated R-1 (high) is of the highest credit quality, and
indicates an entity possessing unquestioned ability to repay current liabilities as they fall due.
Entities rated in this category normally maintain strong liquidity positions, conservative debt
levels, and profitability that is both stable and above average. Companies achieving an R-1
(high) rating are normally leaders in structurally sound industry segments with proven track
records, sustainable positive future results, and no substantial qualifying negative factors. Given
the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for an R-1 (high), few entities are strong
enough to achieve this rating.
R-1 (middle) Short-term debt rated R-1 (middle) is of superior credit quality and, in
most cases, ratings in this category differ from R-1 (high) credits by only a small degree. Given
the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for the R-1
2-A
(high) category, entities rated R-1 (middle) are also considered strong credits, and typically exemplify above average strength
in key areas of consideration for the timely repayment of short-term liabilities.
R-1 (low) Short-term debt rated R-1 (low) is of satisfactory credit quality. The
overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt and profitability ratios are not normally as
favorable as with higher rating categories, but these considerations are still respectable. Any
qualifying negative factors that exist are considered manageable, and the entity is normally of
sufficient size to have some influence in its industry.
R-2 (high) Short-term debt rated R-2 (high) is considered to be at the upper end of
adequate credit quality. The ability to repay obligations as they mature remains acceptable,
although the overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt, and profitability ratios is not
as strong as credits rated in the R-1 (low) category. Relative to the latter category, other
shortcomings often include areas such as stability, financial flexibility, and the relative size
and market position of the entity within its industry.
R-2 (middle) Short-term debt rated R-2 (middle) is considered to be of adequate credit
quality. Relative to the R-2 (high) category, entities rated R-2 (middle) typically have some
combination of higher volatility, weaker debt or liquidity positions, lower future cash flow
capabilities, or are negatively impacted by a weaker industry. Ratings in this category would be
more vulnerable to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
R-2 (low) Short-term debt rated R-2 (low) is considered to be at the lower end of
adequate credit quality, typically having some combination of challenges that are not acceptable
for an R-2 (middle) credit. However, R-2 (low) ratings still display a level of credit strength
that allows for a higher rating than the R-3 category, with this distinction often reflecting the
issuers liquidity profile.
R-3 Short-term debt rated R-3 is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit
quality, one step up from being speculative. While not yet defined as speculative, the R-3
category signifies that although repayment is still expected, the certainty of repayment could be
impacted by a variety of possible adverse developments, many of which would be outside the issuers
control. Entities in this area often have limited access to capital markets and may also have
limitations in securing alternative sources of liquidity, particularly during periods of weak
economic conditions.
R-4 Short-term debt rated R-4 is speculative. R-4 credits tend to have weak liquidity
and debt ratios, and the future trend of these ratios is also unclear. Due to its speculative
nature, companies with R-4 ratings would normally have very limited access to alternative sources
of liquidity. Earnings and cash flow would typically be very unstable, and the level of overall
profitability of the entity is also likely to be low. The industry environment may be weak, and
strong negative qualifying factors are also likely to be present.
R-5 Short-tern debt rated R-5 is highly speculative. There is a reasonably high level
of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to repay the obligations on a continuing basis in
the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity. In some cases, short
term debt rated R-5 may have challenges that if not corrected, could lead to default.
D A security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment or the
issuer has made it clear that it will be missing such a payment in the near future. In some cases,
DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace
periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the D rating will
continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the
rating is discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.
Long-Term Credit Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poors for long-term issues:
AAA An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poors. The
obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA An obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small
degree. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
3-A
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
obligors 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.
Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant
speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest.
While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be
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 obligors 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 obligors 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 C rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to
nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or
obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have
not experienced a payment default. Among others, the C rating may be assigned to subordinated
debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance
with the instruments terms.
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 & Poors 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.
NR This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient
information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poors does not rate a particular
obligation as a matter of policy.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks Country risk considerations are a standard part
of Standard & Poors analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a
key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be
lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign
governments own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign
risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign
currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those
instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.
The following summarizes the ratings used by Moodys for long-term debt:
Aaa Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit
risk.
4-A
Aa Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low
credit risk.
A Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit
risk.
Baa Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered
medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to
substantial credit risk.
B Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
Caa Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very
high credit risk.
Ca Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near,
default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default,
with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moodys appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification
from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of
its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3
indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:
AAA Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. AAA ratings denote the
lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity
for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by
foreseeable events.
AA Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. AA ratings denote
expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial
commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A Securities considered to be of high credit quality. A ratings denote expectations of
low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This
capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic
conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB Securities considered to be of good credit quality. BBB ratings indicate that there
is currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is
considered adequate but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to
impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment grade category.
BB Securities considered to be speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a
possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over
time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments
to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.
B Securities considered to be highly speculative. For issuers and performing obligations,
B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety
remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is
contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual
obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high
recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of RR1 (outstanding).
CCC For issuers and performing obligations, default is a real possibility. Capacity for
meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic
conditions. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted
5-A
obligations with potential for average to superior levels of recovery. Differences in credit quality may be denoted
by plus/minus distinctions. Such obligations typically would possess a Recovery Rating of RR2
(superior), or RR3 (good) or RR4 (average).
CC For issuers and performing obligations, default of some kind appears probable. For
individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with a Recovery Rating of
RR4 (average) or RR5 (below average).
C For issuers and performing obligations, default is imminent. For individual
obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for below-average to
poor recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of RR6 (poor).
RD Indicates an entity that has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace
period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of
obligations.
D Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial
obligations.
Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major
rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA category or to categories below CCC.
NR Denotes that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.
WD Indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.
The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:
AAA Long-term debt rated AAA is of the highest credit quality, with exceptionally
strong protection for the timely repayment of principal and interest. Earnings are considered
stable, the structure of the industry in which the entity operates is strong, and the outlook for
future profitability is favorable. There are few qualifying factors present that would detract from
the performance of the entity. The strength of liquidity and coverage ratios is unquestioned and
the entity has established a credible track record of superior performance. Given the extremely
high standard that DBRS has set for this category, few entities are able to achieve a AAA rating.
AA Long-term debt rated AA is of superior credit quality, and protection of interest
and principal is considered high. In many cases they differ from long-term debt rated AAA only to
a small degree. Given the extremely restrictive definition DBRS has for the AAA category,
entities rated AA are also considered to be strong credits, typically exemplifying above-average
strength in key areas of consideration and unlikely to be significantly affected by reasonably
foreseeable events.
A Long-term debt rated A is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of interest and
principal is still substantial, but the degree of strength is less than that of AA rated
entities. While A is a respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to be more
susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated
securities.
BBB Long-term debt rated BBB is of adequate credit quality
.
Protection of interest and
principal is considered acceptable, but the entity is fairly susceptible to adverse changes in
financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adverse conditions present which reduce
the strength of the entity and its rated securities.
BB Long-term debt rated BB is defined to be speculative and non-investment grade, where
the degree of protection afforded interest and principal is uncertain, particularly during periods
of economic recession. Entities in the BB range typically have limited access to capital markets
and additional liquidity support. In many cases, deficiencies in critical mass, diversification,
and competitive strength are additional negative considerations.
B Long-term debt rated B is considered highly speculative and there is a reasonably
high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to pay interest and principal on a
continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity.
6-A
CCC, CC and C Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is very highly
speculative and is in danger of default of interest and principal. The degree of adverse elements
present is more severe than long-term debt rated B. Long-term debt rated below B often have
features which, if not remedied, may lead to default. In practice, there is little difference
between these three categories, with CC and C normally used for lower ranking debt of companies
for which the senior debt is rated in the CCC to B range.
D A security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment of
interest or principal or that the issuer has made it clear that it will miss such a payment in the
near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement
scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once
assigned, the D rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears,
and until such time as the rating is discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.
(high, low) Each rating category is denoted by the subcategories high and low. The
absence of either a high or low designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the
category. The AAA and D categories do not utilize high, middle, and low as differential
grades.
Municipal Note Ratings
A Standard & Poors U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market
access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating.
Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following
criteria will be used in making that assessment:
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Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the
more likely it will be treated as a note; and
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Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the
more likely it will be treated as a note.
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Note rating symbols are as follows:
SP-1 The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a strong capacity to pay principal and
interest. Those issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a
plus (+) designation.
SP-2 The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a satisfactory capacity to pay
principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the
term of the notes.
SP-3 The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit speculative capacity to pay principal
and interest.
Moodys uses three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered
investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are
divided into three levels MIG-1 through MIG-3. In addition, those short-term obligations
that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at
the maturity of the obligation. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moodys for these
short-term obligations:
MIG-1 This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded
by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to
the market for refinancing.
MIG-2 This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample,
although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG-3 This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow
protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this
category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
7-A
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned;
a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents
Moodys evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments.
The second element represents Moodys evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability
to receive purchase price upon demand (demand feature), using a variation of the MIG rating
scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.
When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated
NR,
e.g.
, Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG-1.
VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issues specific structural or credit features.
VMIG-1 This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded
by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal
protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-2 This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the
strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections
that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-3 This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is
afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural
and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SG This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in
this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade
short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the
timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
Fitch uses the same ratings for municipal securities as described above for other short-term
credit ratings.
About Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poors 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.
Moodys credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not as statements of
fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.
Fitchs credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial
commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or
counterparty obligations. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the
likelihood of receiving their money back in accordance with the terms on which they invested.
Fitchs credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational
and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the
securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by
receivables or other financial assets.
DBRS credit ratings are not buy, hold or sell recommendations, but rather the result of qualitative
and quantitative analysis focusing solely on the credit quality of the issuer and its underlying
obligations.
8-A
APPENDIX B
GSAM PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
Effective for Meetings on or after March 1, 2010
Updated March 1, 2010
The following is a summary of the GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines (the Guidelines), which form the
substantive basis of GSAMs Policy on Proxy Voting for Client Accounts (Policy). As described in
the main body of the Policy, one or more GSAM portfolio management teams may diverge from the
Guidelines and a related Recommendation on any particular proxy vote or in connection with any
individual investment decision in accordance with the override process described in the Policy.
The following section is a summary of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the
Policy with respect to U.S. public equity investments.
1. Operational Items
Auditor Ratification
Vote FOR proposals to ratify auditors, unless any of the following apply:
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An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is
therefore not independent;
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There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which
is neither accurate nor indicative of the companys financial position;
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Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern,
such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; and material weaknesses identified in Section
404 disclosures; or
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Fees for non-audit services (Other fees) are excessive.
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Non-audit fees are excessive if:
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Non-audit (other) fees exceed audit fees + audit-related fees + tax
compliance/preparation fees
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Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors
from engaging in non-audit services taking into account issues that are consistent with SEC rules
adopted to fulfill the mandate of Sarbanes Oxley such as an audit firm providing services that
would impair its independence or the overall scope and disclosure of fees for all services done by
the audit firm.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking for audit firm rotation, taking into account:
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The tenure of the audit firm;
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The length of rotation specified in the proposal;
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Any significant audit-related issues at the company;
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The number of Audit Committee meetings held each year;
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The number of financial experts serving on the committee; and
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Whether the company has a periodic renewal process where the auditor is evaluated for
both audit quality and competitive price.
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Classification of Directors
Where applicable, the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Listing Standards
definition is to be used to classify directors as insiders or affiliated outsiders:
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Employee of the company or one of its affiliates
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Among the five most highly paid individuals (excluding interim CEO)
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Listed as an officer as defined under Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934
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1-B
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Current interim CEO
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Beneficial owner of more than 50 percent of the companys
voting power (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more
than one member of a defined group)
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Affiliated Outside Director (AO)
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Board attestation that an outside director is not independent
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Former CEO or other executive of the company within the last three years
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Former CEO or other executive of an acquired company within the past three years
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Former interim CEO if the service was longer than eighteen months. If the
service was between twelve and eighteen months an assessment of the interim CEOs
employment agreement will be made
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Not independent under applicable listing standards
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Independent Outside Director
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No material connection to the company other than a board seat
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Vote on director nominees should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST or WITH HOLD from individual directors who:
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Attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a valid
excuse, such as illness, service to the nation, work on behalf of the company, funeral
obligations or start date after the middle of the year. If the company provides
meaningful public or non-material or private disclosure explaining the directors
absences, evaluate the information on a CASE-BY-CASE basis taking into account the
following factors:
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Degree to which absences were due to an unavoidable conflict;
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Pattern of absenteeism; and
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Other extraordinary circumstances underlying the directors absence;
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Sit on more than six public company boards;
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Are CEOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies
besides their ownwithhold only at their outside boards.
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Other items considered for an AGAINST vote include specific concerns about the individual or the
company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities, sanctions from
government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper
business practice.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees of the board of directors, (except from new nominees,
who should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and except as discussed below) if:
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The companys poison pill has a dead-hand or modified dead-hand feature. Vote
against/withhold every year until this feature is removed; however, vote against the
poison pill if there is one on the ballot with this feature rather than the director;
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The board adopts or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not
commit to putting it to shareholder vote within 12 months of adoption (or in the case of
an newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a shareholder vote within 12
months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to a vote, and has
not yet received a withhold/against recommendation for this issue;
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The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received approval of the
majority of shares cast for the previous two consecutive years (a management proposal
with other than a FOR recommendation by management will not be considered as sufficient
action taken); an adopted proposal that is substantially similar to the original
shareholder proposal will be deemed sufficient; (in this case vote AGAINST the members
of the committee of the board that is responsible for the issue under consideration, or
in the cases of classified boards against the independent Chairman or lead director);
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The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders
tendered their shares;
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At the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent
withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the
underlying issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote; (in this case should not
be an automatic vote against the entire board; instead should be against the nominating
committee if
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2-B
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there is one; if there is no nominating committee then vote against the outside
directors that are performing nominating committee duties.);
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The board is classified, and a continuing director responsible for a problematic
governance issue at the board/committee level that would warrant a withhold/against vote
recommendation is not up for election any or all appropriate nominees (except new) may
be held accountable;
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The board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance
relative to peers. Sustained poor performance is measured by one- and three-year total
shareholder returns in the bottom half of a companys four-digit GICS industry group
(Russell 3000 companies only).
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Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from Inside Directors and Affiliated Outside Directors (per the
Classification of Directors below) when:
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The inside or affiliated outside director serves on any of the three key committees:
audit, compensation, or nominating;
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The company lacks an audit, compensation, or nominating committee so that the full
board functions as that committee;
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The company lacks a formal nominating committee, even if the board attests that the
independent directors fulfill the functions of such a committee;
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The full board is less than majority independent (in this case withhold from
affiliated outside directors). At controlled companies, GSAM will vote against the
election of affiliated outsiders and nominees affiliated with the parent and will not
vote against the executives of the issuer.
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Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Audit Committee if:
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The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;
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The company receives an adverse opinion on the companys financial statements from
its auditor; or
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There is persuasive evidence that the audit committee entered into an inappropriate
indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or
its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.
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Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the Audit Committee and/or the full board if poor accounting
practices, which rise to a level of serious concern are identified, such as: fraud; misapplication
of GAAP; and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures.
Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence and duration, as well as the companys
efforts at remediation or corrective actions in determining whether negative vote recommendations
are warranted against the members of the Audit Committee who are responsible for the poor
accounting practices, or the entire board.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Compensation Committee if one or more of the
following poor pay practices exist and there is no Management Say on Pay Proposal (MSOP). If no
Compensation Committee members are up for election (i.e., board is classified)and there is not a
proposal for which GSAM could instead vote FOR declassification, then WITHHOLD from other members
up for reelection if one or more of the following poor pay practices exist:
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There is a negative correlation between the chief executives pay and company
performance (see discussion under Equity Compensation Plans);
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The company reprices underwater options for stock, cash or other consideration
without prior shareholder approval, even if allowed in their equity plan;
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The company fails to submit one-time transfers of stock options to a shareholder
vote;
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The company fails to fulfill the terms of a burn rate commitment they made to
shareholders;
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The company has backdated options (see Options Backdating policy);
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The company has poor compensation practices (see Pay Practices policy). Poor pay
practices may warrant withholding votes from the CEO and potentially the entire board as
well.
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Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from directors, individually or the entire board, for egregious actions or
failure to replace management as appropriate.
Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
3-B
(Apply the below criteria only when management is AGAINST the proposal; if management is FOR it,
vote FOR it.)
GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST proposals requiring that the chairmans position be
filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:
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Designated lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with
clearly delineated and comprehensive duties;
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Two-thirds independent board;
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All independent key committees; or
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Established, disclosed governance guidelines.
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Majority Vote Shareholder Proposals
Generally vote FOR precatory and binding resolutions requesting that the board change the companys
bylaws to stipulate that directors need to be elected with an affirmative majority of votes cast,
provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated. Binding
resolutions need to allow for a carve-out for a plurality vote standard when there are more
nominees than board seats.
Companies are strongly encouraged to also adopt a post-election policy (also known as a director
resignation policy) that provides guidelines so that the company will promptly address the
situation of a holdover director.
Cumulative Vote Shareholder Proposals
GSAM will generally support shareholder proposals to restore or provide cumulative voting unless:
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The company has adopted majority vote standard with a carve-out for plurality
voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats, and a director
resignation policy to address failed elections.
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Performance/Governance Evaluation for Directors
Vote WITHHOLD/AGAINST on all director nominees if the board lacks accountability and oversight,
coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers, measured by one- and three-year total
shareholder returns in the bottom half of a companys four-digit GICS industry group (Russell 3000
companies only).
Evaluate board accountability and oversight at companies that demonstrate sustained poor
performance. Problematic provisions include but are not limited to:
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a classified board structure;
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a supermajority vote requirement;
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majority vote standard for director elections with no carve out for contested
elections;
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the inability of shareholders to call special meetings or the inability of
shareholders to act by written consent;
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a dual-class structure; and/or
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a non-shareholder approved poison pill.
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If a company exhibits sustained poor performance coupled with a lack of board accountability and
oversight, also take into consideration the companys five-year total shareholder return and
five-year operational metrics in the evaluation.
Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following
factors:
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Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry;
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4-B
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Managements track record;
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Background to the proxy contest;
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Qualifications of director nominees (both slates);
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Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of critique against management;
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Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates);
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Stock ownership positions.
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Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When voting in
conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy
solicitation expenses associated with the election.
Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for the reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred
in connection with nominating one or more candidates in a contested election where the following
apply:
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The election of fewer than 50% of the directors to be elected is contested in the
election;
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One or more of the dissidents candidates is elected;
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Shareholders are not permitted to cumulate their votes for directors; and
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The election occurred, and the expenses were incurred, after the adoption of this
bylaw.
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4. Antitakeover Defenses and Voting Related Issues
Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals/Nominations
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders
to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date and within the broadest window
possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory and shareholder
review.
To be reasonable, the companys deadline for shareholder notice of a proposal/ nominations must not
be more than 60 days prior to the meeting, with a submittal window of at least 30 days prior to the
deadline.
In general, support additional efforts by companies to ensure full disclosure in regard to a
proponents economic and voting position in the company so long as the informational requirements
are reasonable and aimed at providing shareholders with the necessary information to review such
proposal.
Poison Pills
Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder
vote or redeem it UNLESS the company has: (1) A shareholder approved poison pill in place; or (2)
the company has adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying that
the board will only adopt a shareholder rights plan if either:
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Shareholders have approved the adoption of the plan; or
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The board, in exercising its fiduciary responsibilities, determines that it is in the
best interest of shareholders under the circumstances to adopt a pill without the delay
that would result from seeking stockholder approval (
i.e.
, the fiduciary out
provision). A poison pill adopted under this fiduciary out will be put to a
shareholder ratification vote within 12 months of adoption or expire. If the pill is
not approved by a majority of the votes cast on this issue, the plan will immediately
terminate.
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Vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for poison pills to be put to a vote within a time period of
less than one year after adoption. If the company has no non-shareholder approved poison pill in
place and has adopted a policy with the provisions outlined above, vote AGAINST the proposal. If
these conditions are not met, vote FOR the proposal, but with the caveat that a vote within 12
months would be considered sufficient.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of
the shareholder rights plan. Rights plans should contain the following attributes:
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No lower than a 20% trigger, flip-in or flip-over;
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A term of no more than three years;
|
5-B
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No dead-hand, slow-hand, no-hand or similar feature that limits the ability of a
future board to redeem the pill;
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Shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause); if the board refuses to
redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced, 10 percent of the shares
may call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill.
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In addition, the rationale for adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In
examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the companys existing governance
structure, including: board independence, existing takeover defenses, and any problematic
governance concerns.
For management proposals to adopt a poison pill for the stated purpose of preserving a companys
net operating losses (NOL pills), the following factors should be considered:
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the trigger (NOL pills generally have a trigger slightly below 5%);
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shareholder protection mechanisms (sunset provision, causing expiration of the pill
upon exhaustion or expiration of NOLs); and
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other factors that may be applicable.
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In addition, vote WITHHOLD/AGAINST the entire board of directors, (except new nominees, who should
be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis) if the board adopts or renews a poison pill without
shareholder approval, does not commit to putting it to a shareholder vote within 12 months of
adoption (or in the case of a newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a
shareholder vote within 12 months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to
a vote, and has not yet received a withhold recommendation for this issue.
5. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
Overall Approach
For mergers and acquisitions, review and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of the proposed
transaction, balancing various and sometimes countervailing factors including:
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Valuation
Is the value to be received by the target shareholders (or paid by the
acquirer) reasonable? While the fairness opinion may provide an initial starting point
for assessing valuation reasonableness, emphasis is placed on the offer premium, market
reaction and strategic rationale.
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Market reaction
How has the market responded to the proposed deal? A negative
market reaction should cause closer scrutiny of a deal.
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Strategic rationale
Does the deal make sense strategically? From where is the value
derived? Cost and revenue synergies should not be overly aggressive or optimistic, but
reasonably achievable. Management should also have a favorable track record of
successful integration of historical acquisitions.
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Negotiations and process
Were the terms of the transaction negotiated at
arms-length? Was the process fair and equitable? A fair process helps to ensure the
best price for shareholders. Significant negotiation wins can also signify the deal
makers competency. The comprehensiveness of the sales process (
e.g.
, full auction,
partial auction, no auction) can also affect shareholder value.
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Conflicts of interest
Are insiders benefiting from the transaction
disproportionately and inappropriately as compared to non-insider shareholders? As the
result of potential conflicts, the directors and officers of the company may be more
likely to vote to approve a merger than if they did not hold these interests. Consider
whether these interests may have influenced these directors and officers to support or
recommend the merger.
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Governance
Will the combined company have a better or worse governance profile than
the current governance profiles of the respective parties to the transaction? If the
governance profile is to change for the worse, the burden is on the company to prove
that other issues (such as valuation) outweigh any deterioration in governance.
|
6-B
6. State of Incorporation
Reincorporation Proposals
Evaluate management or shareholder proposals to change a companys state of incorporation on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis, giving consideration to both financial and corporate governance concerns
including the following:
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Reasons for reincorporation;
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Comparison of companys governance practices and provisions prior to and following
the reincorporation; and
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Comparison of corporation laws of original state and destination state
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Vote FOR reincorporation when the economic factors outweigh any neutral or negative governance
changes.
7. Capital Structure
Common Stock Authorization
Votes on proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance are
determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. We consider company-specific factors that include, at a
minimum, the following:
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Past Board performance
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The companys use of authorized shares during the last
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three years; One- and three-year total shareholder return;
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The boards governance structure and practices;
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The current request;
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Disclosure in the proxy statement of specific reasons for the proposed increase;
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The dilutive impact of the request as determined through an allowable cap generated by
RiskMetrics quantitative model, which examines the companys need for shares and
three-year total shareholder return; and
Risks to shareholders of not approving the request.
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Preferred Stock
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to increase the number of shares of preferred stock authorized for
issuance. Take into account company-specific factors which include, at a minimum, the following:
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Specific reasons/ rationale for the proposed increase;
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The dilutive impact of the request as determined through an allowable cap generated
by RiskMetrics quantitative model;
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The boards governance structure and practices; and
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Risks to shareholders of not approving the request.
|
Vote AGAINST proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of preferred stock with unspecified
voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights (blank check preferred stock).
Vote FOR proposals to create declawed blank check preferred stock (stock that cannot be used as a
takeover defense).
Vote FOR proposals to authorize preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting,
dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear
reasonable.
Vote AGAINST proposals to increase the number of blank check preferred stock authorized for
issuance when no shares have been issued or reserved for a specific purpose.
8. Executive and Director Compensation
Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based compensation plans. Vote AGAINST the equity plan if any of the
following factors apply:
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The total cost of the companys equity plans is unreasonable;
|
7-B
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The plan expressly permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights
(SARs) without prior shareholder approval;
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The CEO is a participant in the proposed equity-based compensation plan and there is
a disconnect between CEO pay and the companys performance where over 50 percent of the
year-over-year increase is attributed to equity awards;
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The companys three year burn rate exceeds the greater of 2% and the mean plus one
standard deviation of its industry group (with a 10% tolerance); in conjunction with the
qualitative overlay as outlined in the policy guidelines OR the company has a poor
record of compensation practices, which is highlighted either in analysis of the
compensation plan or the evaluation of the election of directors;
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The plan provides for the acceleration of vesting of equity awards even though an
actual change in control may not occur (
e.g.
, upon shareholder approval of a transaction
or the announcement of a tender offer); or
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The plan is a vehicle for poor pay practices.
|
Pay Practices
Good pay practices should align managements interests with long-term shareholder value creation.
Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is required; proof that companies follow the criteria
should be evident. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven
talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: repricing or replacing of underwater stock
options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, special bonuses that are not
performance based, practices that could incentivize excessive risk-taking, excessive tax
reimbursements related to executive perquisites or other payments and multi-year guarantees for
salary increases.
If the company maintains problematic or poor pay
practices, generally
vote first:
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AGAINST Management Say on Pay (MSOP) Proposals
or;
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AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if excessive non-performance-based equity
awards are the major contributor to a pay-for-performance misalignment, then;
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|
If no MSOP or equity-based incentive plan proposal item is on the ballot,
AGAINST/WITHHOLD on compensation committee members (or, in rare cases where the full
board is deemed responsible, all directors including the CEO) in egregious situations.
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GSAM generally does not penalize a company by double counting a negative vote (i.e., voting
against a compensation issue and against the compensation committee members)
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from compensation committee members, CEO, and potentially the entire
board, if the company has poor compensation practices. Vote AGAINST equity plans if the plan is a
vehicle for poor compensation practices.
The following practices, while not exhaustive, are examples of poor compensation practices. The
presence of one or more of the following practices when combined with a negative correlation
between pay and performance may warrant withhold vote recommendations:
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|
|
Egregious employment contracts Contracts containing multi-year guarantees for
salary increases, bonuses and equity compensation;
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Excessive perks/tax reimbursements:
|
|
-
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Overly generous perquisites, which may include, but are not limited
to the following: personal use of corporate aircraft, personal security system
maintenance and/or installation, car allowances;
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|
-
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Reimbursement of income taxes on executive perquisites or other
payments; (note about tax gross-ups; these may be acceptable in cases where
gross-ups are provided pursuant to a plan, policy, or arrangement applicable to
management employees of the company, such as relocation or expatriate tax
equalization policy;
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-
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Perquisites for former executives, such as car allowances, personal
use of corporate aircraft or other inappropriate arrangements;
|
|
-
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Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance
linkage or proper disclosure Performance metrics that are changed, canceled or
replaced during the performance period without adequate explanation of the action
and the link to performance;
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Excessive severance and/or change in control provisions:
|
|
-
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Inclusion of excessive change in control or severance payments,
especially those with a multiple in excess of 3X cash pay;
|
8-B
|
-
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Payments upon an executives termination in connection with performance failure;
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-
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Change in control payouts without loss of job or substantial diminution of job duties (single-triggered);
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-
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New or materially amended employment or severance agreements that
provide for modified single triggers, under which an executive may voluntarily
leave for any reason and still receive the change-in-control severance package;
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-
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Liberal change in control definition in individual contracts or
equity plans which could result in payments to executives without an actual
change in control occurring;
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-
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New or materially amended employment or severance agreements that
provide for an excise tax gross-up. Modified gross-ups would be treated in the
same manner as full gross-ups;
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-
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Perquisites for former executives such as car allowances, personal
use of corporate aircraft or other inappropriate arrangements;
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Dividends or dividend equivalents paid on unvested performance shares or units;
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Poor disclosure practices:
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|
-
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Unclear explanation of how the CEO is involved in the pay setting process;
|
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-
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Retrospective performance targets and methodology not discussed;
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-
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Methodology for benchmarking practices and/or peer group not disclosed and explained;
|
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-
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Excessive differential between CEO total pay and that of next
highest paid named executive officer (NEO);
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Options backdating (covered in a separate policy);
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Other excessive compensation payouts or poor pay practices at the company.
|
Other Compensation Proposals and Policies
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay) Management Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. Vote
AGAINST these resolutions in cases where boards have failed to demonstrate good stewardship of
investors interests regarding executive compensation practices.
For U.S. companies, consider the following factors in the context of each companys specific
circumstances and the boards disclosed rationale for its practices:
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Assessment of performance metrics relative to business strategy, as discussed and
explained in the CD&A;
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Evaluation of peer groups used to set target pay or award opportunities;
|
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|
Alignment of company performance and executive pay trends over time (
e.g.
,
performance down: pay down);
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|
Assessment of disparity between total pay of the CEO and other Named Executive
Officers (NEOs).
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Balance of fixed versus performance-driven pay;
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|
Assessment of excessive practices with respect to perks, severance packages,
supplemental executive pension plans, and burn rates.
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|
Communication Considerations:
|
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|
Evaluation of information and board rationale provided in CD&A about how compensation
is determined (
e.g.
, why certain elements and pay targets are used, and specific
incentive plan goals, especially retrospective goals);
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|
Assessment of boards responsiveness to investor input and engagement on compensation
issues (
e.g.
, in responding to majority-supported shareholder proposals on executive pay
topics).
|
Employee Stock Purchase Plans Non-Qualified Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified employee stock purchase plans. Vote FOR nonqualified employee
stock purchase plans with all the following features:
|
|
|
Broad-based participation (
i.e.
, all employees of the company with the exclusion of
individuals with 5 percent or more of beneficial ownership of the company);
|
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|
|
Limits on employee contribution, which may be a fixed dollar amount or expressed as a
percent of base salary;
|
9-B
|
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|
Company matching contribution up to 25 percent of employees contribution, which is
effectively a discount of 20 percent from market value;
|
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|
No discount on the stock price on the date of purchase since there is a company
matching contribution.
|
Vote AGAINST nonqualified employee stock purchase plans when any of the plan features do not meet
the above criteria. If the company matching contribution exceeds 25 percent of employees
contribution, evaluate the cost of the plan against its allowable cap.
Option Exchange Programs/Repricing Options
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options, taking into
consideration:
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|
Historic trading patternsthe stock price should not be so volatile that the options
are likely to be back in-the-money over the near term;
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|
Rationale for the re-pricing- -was the stock price decline beyond managements
control?
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Is this a value-for-value exchange?
|
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|
Are surrendered stock options added back to the plan reserve?
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|
Option vesting- -does the new option vest immediately or is there a black-out period?
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Term of the option- -the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option;
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|
Exercise priceshould be set at fair market or a premium to market;
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|
Participantsexecutive officers and directors should be excluded.
|
If the surrendered options are added back to the equity plans for re-issuance, then also take into
consideration the companys total cost of equity plans and its three-year average burn rate.
In addition to the above considerations, evaluate the intent, rationale, and timing of the
repricing proposal. The proposal should clearly articulate why the board is choosing to conduct an
exchange program at this point in time. Repricing underwater options after a recent precipitous
drop in the companys stock price demonstrates poor timing. Repricing after a recent decline in
stock price triggers additional scrutiny and a potential AGAINST vote on the proposal. At a
minimum, the decline should not have happened within the past year. Also, consider the terms of
the surrendered options, such as the grant date, exercise price and vesting schedule. Grant dates
of surrendered options should be far enough back (two to three years) so as not to suggest that
repricings are being done to take advantage of short-term downward price movements. Similarly, the
exercise price of surrendered options should be above the 52-week high for the stock price.
Vote FOR shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Other Shareholder Proposals on Compensation
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay)
Generally, vote FOR shareholder proposals that call for non-binding shareholder ratification of the
compensation of the Named Executive Officers and the accompanying narrative disclosure of material
factors provided to understand the Summary Compensation Table.
Golden Coffins/Executive Death Benefits
Generally vote FOR proposals calling on companies to adopt a policy of obtaining shareholder
approval for any future agreements and corporate policies that could oblige the company to make
payments or awards following the death of a senior executive in the form of unearned salary or
bonuses, accelerated vesting or the continuation in force of unvested equity grants, perquisites
and other payments or awards made in lieu of compensation. This would not apply to any benefit
programs or equity plan proposals for which the broad-based employee population is eligible.
Share Buyback Holding Periods
Generally vote AGAINST shareholder proposals prohibiting executives from selling shares of company
stock during periods in which the company has announced that it may or will be repurchasing shares
of its stock. Vote FOR the proposal when there is a pattern of abuse by executives exercising
options or selling shares during periods of share buybacks.
10-B
Stock Ownership or Holding Period Guidelines
Generally vote AGAINST shareholder proposals that mandate a minimum amount of stock that directors
must own in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board. While stock ownership on the
part of directors is favored, the company should determine the appropriate ownership requirement.
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to adopt policies requiring Named
Executive Officers to retain 75% of the shares acquired through compensation plans while employed
and/or for two years following the termination of their employment, and to report to shareholders
regarding this policy. The following factors will be taken into account:
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Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership
requirements in place. These should consist of:
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Rigorous stock ownership guidelines, or
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A holding period requirement coupled with a significant long-term ownership requirement, or
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A meaningful retention ratio,
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Actual officer stock ownership and the degree to which it meets or exceeds the
proponents suggested holding period/retention ratio or the companys own stock
ownership or retention requirements.
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Problematic pay practices, current and past, which may promote a short-term versus a
long-term focus.
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Tax Gross-Up Proposals
Generally vote FOR proposals asking companies to adopt a policy of not providing tax gross-up
payments to executives, except where gross-ups are provided pursuant to a plan, policy, or
arrangement applicable to management employees of the company, such as a relocation or expatriate
tax equalization policy.
9. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Issues
Overall Approach
When evaluating social and environmental shareholder proposals, the following factor should be
considered:
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Whether adoption of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value;
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Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a
meaningful percentage of the companys business as measured by sales, assets, and
earnings;
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The degree to which the companys stated position on the issues raised in the
proposal could affect its reputation or sales, or leave it vulnerable to a boycott or
selective purchasing;
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Whether the issues presented are more appropriately/effectively dealt with through
governmental or company-specific action;
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Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request
embodied in the proposal;
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Whether the companys analysis and voting recommendation to shareholders are
persuasive;
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What other companies have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal;
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Whether the proposal itself is well framed and the cost of preparing the report is
reasonable;
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Whether implementation of the proposals request would achieve the proposals
objectives;
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Whether the subject of the proposal is best left to the discretion of the board;
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Whether the requested information is available to shareholders either from the
company or from a publicly available source; and
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Whether providing this information would reveal proprietary or confidential
information that would place the company at a competitive disadvantage.
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Genetically Modified Ingredients
Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking suppliers, genetic research companies, restaurants and food
retail companies to voluntarily label genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in their products
and/or eliminate GE ingredients. The cost of labeling and/or phasing out the use of GE ingredients
may not be commensurate with the benefits to shareholders and is an issue better left to
regulators.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals asking for a report on the feasibility of labeling products
containing GE ingredients taking into account:
11-B
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The companys business and the proportion of it affected by the resolution;
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The quality of the companys disclosure on GE product labeling, related voluntary
initiatives, and how this disclosure compares with industry peer disclosure; and
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Companys current disclosure on the feasibility of GE product labeling, including
information on the related costs.
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Generally vote AGAINST proposals seeking a report on the social, health, and environmental effects
of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Studies of this sort are better undertaken by regulators
and the scientific community.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals to completely phase out GE ingredients from the companys products
or proposals asking for reports outlining the steps necessary to eliminate GE ingredients from the
companys products. Such resolutions presuppose that there are proven health risks to GE
ingredients (an issue better left to regulators) that may outweigh the economic benefits derived
from biotechnology.
Pharmaceutical Pricing, Access to Medicines, and Product Reimportation
Generally vote AGAINST proposals requesting that companies implement specific price restraints on
pharmaceutical products unless the company fails to adhere to legislative guidelines or industry
norms in its product pricing.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting that the company report on their product pricing policies
or their access to medicine policies, considering:
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The nature of the companys business and the potential for reputational and market
risk exposure;
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The existing disclosure of relevant policies;
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Deviation from established industry norms;
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The companys existing, relevant initiatives to provide research and/or products to
disadvantaged consumers;
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Whether the proposal focuses on specific products or geographic regions; and
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The potential cost and scope of the requested report.
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Generally vote FOR proposals requesting that companies report on the financial and legal impact of
their prescription drug reimportation policies unless such information is already publicly
disclosed.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals requesting that companies adopt specific policies to encourage or
constrain prescription drug reimportation. Such matters are more appropriately the province of
legislative activity and may place the company at a competitive disadvantage relative to its peers.
Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Domestic Partner Benefits
Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a companys EEO statement or diversity policies to
prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity, unless the change would
result in excessive costs for the company.
Generally vote AGAINST proposals to extend company benefits to, or eliminate benefits from domestic
partners. Decisions regarding benefits should be left to the discretion of the company.
Climate Change
Generally vote FOR resolutions requesting that a company disclose information on the impact of
climate change on the companys operations and investments considering whether:
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The company already provides current, publicly-available information on the impacts
that climate change may have on the company as well as associated company policies and
procedures to address related risks and/or opportunities;
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The companys level of disclosure is at least comparable to that of industry peers;
and
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There are no significant, controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated
with the companys environmental performance.
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12-B
Lobbying Expenditures/Initiatives
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals requesting information on a companys lobbying initiatives,
considering:
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Significant controversies, fines, or litigation surrounding a companys public policy
activities,
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The companys current level of disclosure on lobbying strategy, and
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The impact that the policy issue may have on the companys business operations.
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Political Contributions and Trade Association Spending
Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking the company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the
workplace so long as:
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There are no recent, significant controversies, fines or litigation regarding the
companys political contributions or trade association spending; and
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The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to
company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and
prohibits coercion.
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Vote AGAINST proposals to publish in newspapers and public media the companys political
contributions. Such publications could present significant cost to the company without providing
commensurate value to shareholders.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to improve the disclosure of a companys political contributions and
trade association spending, considering:
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Recent significant controversy or litigation related to the companys political
contributions or governmental affairs; and
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The public availability of a company policy on political contributions and trade
association spending including information on the types of organizations supported, the
business rationale for supporting these organizations, and the oversight and compliance
procedures related to such expenditures of corporate assets.
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Vote AGAINST proposals barring the company from making political contributions. Businesses are
affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level and barring political contributions
can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.
Vote AGAINST proposals asking for a list of company executives, directors, consultants, legal
counsels, lobbyists, or investment bankers that have prior government service and whether such
service had a bearing on the business of the company. Such a list would be burdensome to prepare
without providing any meaningful information to shareholders.
Labor and Human Rights Standards
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting a report on company or company supplier labor and/or human
rights standards and policies unless such information is already publicly disclosed.
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to implement company or company supplier labor and/or human rights
standards and policies, considering:
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The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed;
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Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally
recognized standards;
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Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how;
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Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized
human rights initiatives;
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Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of
workplace labor/human rights abuse;
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Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human
rights at the company or its suppliers;
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The scope of the request; and
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Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices.
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13-B
Sustainability Reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives, and
oversight mechanisms related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, unless:
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The company already discloses similar information through existing reports or
policies such as an Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) report; a comprehensive Code
of Corporate Conduct; and/or a Diversity Report; or
The company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based
on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard within a
specified time frame.
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The following section is a summary of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the
Policy with respect to non-U.S. public equity investments. Note that some items may vary by market
based on specific country regulations or practices.
14-B
1. Operational Items
Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports
Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless:
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There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or
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The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be
publicly disclosed.
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Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
Vote FOR the reelection of auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees,
unless:
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There are serious concerns about the accounts presented or the audit procedures used;
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The auditors are being changed without explanation; or
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Non-audit-related fees are substantial or are routinely in excess of standard annual
audit-related fees.
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Vote AGAINST the appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an
executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company.
Appointment of Internal Statutory Auditors
Vote FOR the appointment or reelection of statutory auditors, unless:
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There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures
used;
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Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or
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The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be
considered affiliated with the company.
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Allocation of Income
Vote FOR approval of the allocation of income, unless:
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The dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent without adequate
explanation; or
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The payout is excessive given the companys financial position.
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Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternative
Vote FOR most stock (scrip) dividend proposals.
Vote AGAINST proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the
cash option is harmful to shareholder value.
Amendments to Articles of Association
Vote amendments to the articles of association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Change in Company Fiscal Term
Vote FOR resolutions to change a companys fiscal term unless a companys motivation for the change
is to postpone its AGM. Lower Disclosure Threshold for Stock Ownership
Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5 percent unless
specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.
Amend Quorum Requirements
Vote proposals to amend quorum requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Transact Other Business
Vote AGAINST other business when it appears as a voting item.
2. Board of Directors
Director Elections
Vote FOR management nominees in the election of directors, unless:
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Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; OR
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There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; OR
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There have been questionable transactions with conflicts of interest; OR
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There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; OR
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The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards. OR
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Vote FOR individual nominees unless there are specific concerns about the individual or company,
such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities. Other considerations may
include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues
related to improper business practice.
Vote AGAINST individual directors if repeated absences at board meetings have not been explained
(in countries where this information is disclosed).
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis for contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of
shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best
suited to add value for shareholders.
Vote FOR employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation
committee and are required by law to be on those committees.
15-B
Vote AGAINST employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation
committee, if they are not required to be on those committees.
Executive Director
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Employee or executive of the company;
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Any director who is classified as a non-executive, but receives salary, fees, bonus, and/or
other benefits that are in line with the highest-paid executives of the company.
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Non-Independent Non-Executive Director (NED)
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Any director who is attested by the board to be a non-independent NED;
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Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the
company;
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Any director who is also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the
company;
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Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the companys stock, either in
economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among
more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than
10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%), unless market best practice dictates a
lower ownership and/or disclosure threshold (and in other special market-specific
circumstances);
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Government representative;
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Currently provides (or a relative provides) professional services to the company, to an
affiliate of the company, or to an individual officer of the company or of one of its
affiliates in excess of $10,000 per year;
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Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains
transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a
materiality test);
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Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the
chairman of the company; Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates;
Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates;
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A new appointee elected other than by a formal process through the General Meeting (such as a
contractual appointment by a substantial shareholder);
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Founder/co-founder/member of founding family but not currently an employee; Former executive
(5 year cooling off period);
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Years of service is generally not a determining factor unless it is recommended best practice
in a market and/or in extreme circumstances, in which case it may be considered.
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Independent NED
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No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board
seat.
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Employee Representative
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Represents employees or employee shareholders of the company (classified as employee
representative but considered a non-independent NED).
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Discharge of Directors
Generally vote FOR the discharge of directors, including members of the management board and/or
supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling
controversies that the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties warranted by:
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A lack of oversight or actions by board members which invoke shareholder distrust related to
malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than
in shareholder interest; or
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Any legal issues (e.g. civil/criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of
trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the
fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other
illegal actions; or
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Other egregious governance issues where shareholders will bring legal action against the
company or its directors.
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For markets which do not routinely request discharge resolutions (e.g. common law countries
or markets where discharge is not mandatory), analysts may voice concern in other appropriate
agenda items, such as approval of the annual accounts or other relevant resolutions, to enable
shareholders to express discontent with the board.
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Director Compensation
Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive
relative to other companies in the country or industry.
Vote non-executive director compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based
components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote proposals that bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a
single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Director, Officer, and Auditor Indemnification and Liability Provisions
Vote proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers on a
CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify auditors.
Board Structure
Vote FOR proposals to fix board size.
Vote AGAINST the introduction of classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.
16-B
Vote AGAINST proposals to alter board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of
the company or the board.
Chairman CEO combined role (for applicable markets)
An independent Chairman could promote the interest of shareholders and provide oversight. The
independent chairman can perform important duties such as setting board meeting agendas, overseeing
the information flow to the board and leading the board evaluation process. There may be some cases
however, where requiring an independent chairman may not be necessary because there is evidence of
strong board independence.
GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairmans
position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following
criteria:
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2/3 independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common
practice;
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A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members
with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties;
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Fully independent key committees; and/or
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Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles.
|
3. Capital Structure
Share Issuance Requests
General Issuances:
Vote FOR issuance requests with preemptive rights to a maximum of 100 percent over currently issued
capital. Vote FOR issuance requests without preemptive rights to a maximum of 20 percent of
currently issued capital.
Specific Issuances:
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all requests, with or without preemptive rights.
Increases in Authorized Capital
Vote FOR non-specific proposals to increase authorized capital up to 100 percent over the current
authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new
authorization outstanding.
Vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:
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The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not
meet RMG guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or
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The increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization
outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances.
|
Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.
Reduction of Capital
Vote FOR proposals to reduce capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are
unfavorable to shareholders. Vote proposals to reduce capital in connection with corporate
restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Capital Structures
Vote FOR resolutions that seek to maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.
Vote AGAINST requests for the creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the
creation of new or additional supervoting shares.
Preferred Stock
Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to
50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the
rights of existing shareholders.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of
common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets RMG guidelines on equity issuance
requests.
Vote AGAINST the creation of a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting
rights to the common shares.
Vote AGAINST the creation of blank check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the
authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.
Vote proposals to increase blank check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Debt Issuance Requests
Vote non-convertible debt issuance requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive
rights.
Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of
common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets RMG guidelines on equity issuance
requests.
Vote FOR proposals to restructure existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring
would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.
Pledging of Assets for Debt
Vote proposals to approve the pledging of assets for debt on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Increase in Borrowing Powers
Vote proposals to approve increases in a companys borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Share Repurchase Plans
17-B
Generally vote FOR share repurchase programs/market repurchase authorities, provided that the
proposal meets the following parameters:
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Maximum volume: 10 percent for market repurchase within any single authority and 10 percent
of outstanding shares to be kept in treasury (on the shelf);
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Duration does not exceed 18 months.
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For markets that either generally do not specify the maximum duration of the authority or
seek a duration beyond 18 months that is allowable under market specific legislation, RMG will
assess the companys historic practice. If there is evidence that a company has sought
shareholder approval for the authority to repurchase shares on an annual basis, RMG will
support the proposed authority.
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In addition, vote AGAINST any proposal where:
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The repurchase can be used for takeover defenses;
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There is clear evidence of abuse;
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There is no safeguard against selective buybacks;
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Pricing provisions and safeguards are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice.
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RMG may support share repurchase plans in excess of 10 percent volume under exceptional
circumstances, such as one-off company specific events (e.g. capital re-structuring). Such
proposals will be assessed case-by-case based on merits, which should be clearly disclosed in the
annual report, provided that following conditions are met:
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The overall balance of the proposed plan seems to be clearly in shareholders interests;
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The plan still respects the 10 percent maximum of shares to be kept in treasury.
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Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote FOR requests to reissue any repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this
authority in the past. Capitalization of Reserves for Bonus Issues/Increase in Par Value
Vote FOR requests to capitalize reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.
4. Other
Reorganizations/Restructurings
Vote reorganizations and restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Mergers and Acquisitions
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following:
For every M&A analysis, RMG reviews publicly available information as of the date of the report and
evaluates the merits and drawbacks of the proposed transaction, balancing various and sometimes
countervailing factors including:
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While the fairness opinion may provide an initial starting point for assessing valuation
reasonableness, RMG places emphasis on the offer premium, market reaction, and strategic
rationale.
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Valuation Is the value to be received by the target shareholders (or paid by the acquirer)
reasonable?
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Market reaction How has the market responded to the proposed deal? A negative market
reaction will cause RMG to scrutinize a deal more closely.
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Strategic rationale Does the deal make sense strategically? From where is the value
derived? Cost and revenue synergies should not be overly aggressive or optimistic, but
reasonably achievable.
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Management should also have a favorable track record of successful integration of historical
acquisitions.
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Conflicts of interest Are insiders benefiting from the transaction disproportionately and
inappropriately as compared to non-insider shareholders? RMG will consider whether any special
interests may have influenced these directors and officers to support or recommend the merger.
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Governance Will the combined company have a better or worse governance profile than the
current governance profiles of the respective parties to the transaction? If the governance
profile is to change for the worse, the burden is on the company to prove that other issues
(such as valuation) outweigh any deterioration in governance.
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Vote AGAINST if the companies do not provide sufficient information upon request to make an
informed voting decision.
Mandatory Takeover Bid Waivers
Vote proposals to waive mandatory takeover bid requirements on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Reincorporation Proposals
Vote reincorporation proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Expansion of Business Activities
Vote FOR resolutions to expand business activities unless the new business takes the company into
risky areas.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Compensation Plans
Good pay practices should align managements interests with long-term shareholder value creation.
Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is required; proof that companies follow the criteria
should be evident. Compensation practices should allow a
18-B
company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: repricing
or replacing of underwater stock options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder
approval, special bonuses that are not performance based, practices that could incentivize
excessive risk-taking, excessive tax reimbursements related to executive perquisites or other
payments, and multi-year guarantees for salary increases.
Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Antitakeover Mechanisms
Generally vote AGAINST all antitakeover proposals, unless they are structured in such a way that
they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer.
Shareholder Proposals
Vote all shareholder proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote FOR proposals that would improve the companys corporate governance or business profile at a
reasonable cost.
Vote AGAINST proposals that limit the companys business activities or capabilities or result in
significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.
19-B
APPENDIX C
STATEMENT OF INTENTION
(applicable only to Class A Shares)
If a shareholder anticipates purchasing within a 13-month period Class A Shares of the Fund
alone or in combination with Class A Shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund in the amount of $50,000
or more, the shareholder may obtain shares of the Fund at the same reduced sales charge as though
the total quantity were invested in one lump sum by checking and filing the Statement of Intention
in the Account Application. Income dividends and capital gain distributions taken in additional
shares, as well as any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will not apply toward the
completion of the Statement of Intention.
To ensure that the reduced price will be received on future purchases, the investor must
inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement of Intention is in effect each time shares are purchased.
Subject to the conditions mentioned below, each purchase will be made at the public offering price
applicable to a single transaction of the dollar amount specified on the Account Application. The
investor makes no commitment to purchase additional shares, but if the investors purchases within
13 months plus the value of shares credited toward completion do not total the sum specified, the
investor will pay the increased amount of the sales charge prescribed in the Escrow Agreement.
Escrow Agreement
Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if necessary), 5% of the dollar amount
specified on the Account Application will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent in the form of
shares registered in the investors name. All income dividends and capital gains distributions on
escrowed shares will be paid to the investor or to his or her order. When the minimum investment so
specified is completed (either prior to or by the end of the 13th month), the investor will be
notified and the escrowed shares will be released.
If the intended investment is not completed, the investor will be asked to remit to Goldman
Sachs any difference between the sales charge on the amount specified and on the amount actually
attained. If the investor does not within 20 days after written request by Goldman Sachs pay such
difference in the sales charge, the Transfer Agent will redeem, pursuant to the authority given by
the investor in the Account Application, an appropriate number of the escrowed shares in order to
realize such difference. Shares remaining after any such redemption will be released by the
Transfer Agent.
1-C
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
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(a)
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(1)
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Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
1
/
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(2)
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Amendment No. 1 dated April 24, 1997 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust January 28, 1997
2
/
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(3)
|
|
Amendment No. 2 dated July 21, 1997 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
2
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Amendment No. 3 dated October 21, 1997 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
3
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Amendment No. 4 dated January 28, 1998 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
3
/
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Amendment No. 5 dated January 28, 1998 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
4
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Amendment No. 6 dated July 22, 1998 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
4
/
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
Amendment No. 7 dated November 3, 1998 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
5
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
Amendment No. 8 dated March 1, 1999 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
6
/
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
Amendment No. 9 dated April 28, 1999 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
7
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Amendment No. 10 dated July 27, 1999 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
8
/
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Amendment No. 11 dated July 27, 1999 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
8
/
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Amendment No. 12 dated October 26, 1999 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
9
/
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Amendment No. 13 dated February 3, 2000 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
10
/
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Amendment No. 14 dated April 26, 2000 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
11
/
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Amendment No. 15 dated August 1, 2000 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
12
/
|
|
|
(17)
|
|
Amendment No. 16 dated January 30, 2001 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
13
/
|
|
|
(18)
|
|
Amendment No. 17 dated April 25, 2001 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
14
/
|
C-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(19)
|
|
Amendment No. 18 dated July 1, 2002 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
15
/
|
|
|
(20)
|
|
Amendment No. 19 dated August 1, 2002 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
15
/
|
|
|
(21)
|
|
Amendment No. 20 dated August 1, 2002 to Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
15
/
|
|
|
(22)
|
|
Amendment No. 21 dated January 29, 2003 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
16
/
|
|
|
(23)
|
|
Amendment No. 22 dated July 31, 2003 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
17
/
|
|
|
(24)
|
|
Amendment No. 23 dated October 30, 2003 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
17
/
|
|
|
(25)
|
|
Amendment No. 24 dated May 6, 2004 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
18
/
|
|
|
(26)
|
|
Amendment No. 25 dated April 21, 2004 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
19
/
|
|
|
(27)
|
|
Amendment No. 26 dated November 4, 2004 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
19
/
|
|
|
(28)
|
|
Amendment No. 27 dated February 10, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
20
/
|
|
|
(29)
|
|
Amendment No. 28 dated May 12, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
21
/
|
|
|
(30)
|
|
Amendment No. 29 dated June 16, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
21
/
|
|
|
(31)
|
|
Amendment No. 30 dated August 4, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1977
21
/
|
|
|
(32)
|
|
Amendment No. 31 dated November 2, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
22
/
|
|
|
(33)
|
|
Amendment No. 32 dated December 31, 2005 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
23
/
|
|
|
(34)
|
|
Amendment No. 33 dated March 16, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
22
/
|
|
|
(35)
|
|
Amendment No. 34 dated March 16, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
22
/
|
|
|
(36)
|
|
Amendment No. 35 dated May 11, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
24
/
|
|
|
(37)
|
|
Amendment No. 36 dated June 15, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
25
/
|
C-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(38)
|
|
Amendment No. 37 dated August 10, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
26
/
|
|
|
(39)
|
|
Amendment No. 38 dated November 9, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
26
/
|
|
|
(40).
|
|
Amendment No. 39 dated December 14, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
27
/
|
|
|
(41)
|
|
Amendment No. 40 dated December 14, 2006 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
27
/
|
|
|
(42)
|
|
Amendment No. 41 dated February 8, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
27
/
|
|
|
(43)
|
|
Amendment No. 42 dated March 15, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
27
/
|
|
|
(44)
|
|
Amendment No. 43 dated May 10, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
27
/
|
|
|
(45)
|
|
Amendment No. 44 dated June 13, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
28
/
|
|
|
(46)
|
|
Amendment No. 45 dated June 13, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
29
/
|
|
|
(47)
|
|
Amendment No. 46 dated November 8, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
29
/
|
|
|
(48)
|
|
Amendment No. 47 dated November 8, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
29
/
|
|
|
(49)
|
|
Amendment No. 48 dated December 13, 2007 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
30
/
|
|
|
(50)
|
|
Amendment No. 49 dated June 19, 2008 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
31
/
|
|
|
(51)
|
|
Amendment No. 50 dated August 14, 2008 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
32
/
|
|
|
(52)
|
|
Amendment No. 51 dated August 25, 2008 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
33
/
|
|
|
(53)
|
|
Amendment No. 52 dated November 13, 2008 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
33
/
|
|
|
(54)
|
|
Amendment No. 53 dated May 21, 2009 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
34
/
|
|
|
(55)
|
|
Amendment No. 54 dated November 19, 2009 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
34
/
|
|
|
(56)
|
|
Amendment No. 55 dated February 11, 2010 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
35
/
|
C-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(57)
|
|
Amendment No. 56 dated May 20, 2010 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
36
/
|
|
|
(58)
|
|
Amendment No. 57 dated June 17, 2010 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
36
/
|
|
|
|
(59)
|
|
Amendment No. 58 dated November 18, 2010 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997, filed herewith
|
|
(b)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Amended and Restated By-laws of Goldman Sachs Trust dated October 30, 2002
15
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Amendment No. 1 dated November 4, 2004 to Amended and Restated
By-laws of Goldman Sachs Trust dated October 30, 2002
20
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Amendment No. 2 dated October 16, 2009 to Amended and Restated
By-laws of Goldman Sachs Trust dated October 30, 2002
34
/
|
(c)
|
|
Instruments defining the rights of holders of Registrants shares of beneficial interest
37
/
|
(d)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, on behalf of
Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund, and Goldman Sachs Funds Management, L.P.
3
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant,
on behalf of Goldman Sachs Adjustable Rate Government Fund, and Goldman Sachs
Funds Management, L.P.
3
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant,
on behalf of Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, and Goldman Sachs
Asset Management
3
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant,
on behalf of Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund, and Goldman Sachs Asset
Management
3
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between the
Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets, and
Goldman Sachs Asset Management
3
/
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant,
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Fund Management L.P. and Goldman
Sachs Asset Management International
38
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Management Agreement dated January 1, 1998 on behalf of the
Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and Goldman Sachs Asset Management
3
/
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
Amended Annex A dated September 25, 2007 to the Management
Agreement dated January 1, 1998 on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation
Portfolios and Goldman Sachs Asset Management
39
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
Amended Annex A dated June 17, 2010 to the Management Agreement
dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Asset Management,
Goldman Sachs Fund Management L.P. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management
International
36
/
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the
Goldman Sachs Short-Duration Tax-Free Fund)
40
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the
Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios)
40
/
|
C-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to certain
of the Goldman Sachs Fixed Income, Equity, Specialty and Money Market Funds)
40
/
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund)
40
/
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the
Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Funds)
40
/
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Fee Reduction Commitment dated April 29, 2005 between Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Equity
Growth Strategy (formerly Aggressive Growth Strategy), Balanced Strategy,
Growth and Income Strategy and Growth Strategy Portfolios
20
/
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Short
Duration Tax-Free Fund
33
/
|
|
|
(17)
|
|
Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the
Ultra-Short Duration Government Fund (formerly Goldman Sachs Adjustable Rate
Government Fund)
33
/
|
|
|
(18)
|
|
Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Short
Duration Government Fund
33
/
|
|
|
(19)
|
|
Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman
Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Core Fixed
Income Fund
33
/
|
(e)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Distribution Agreement dated April 30, 1997
17
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Amended Exhibit A dated June 17, 2010 to the Distribution
Agreement dated April 30, 1997, as amended October 30, 2003
41
/
|
(f)
|
|
Not applicable
|
(g)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated July 15, 1991, between Registrant and State
Street Bank and Trust Company
42
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated December 27, 1978 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets
43
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated December 27, 1978 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining to the fees payable by Registrant
pursuant to the Custodian Agreement
43
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Amendment dated May 28, 1981 to the Custodian Agreement dated
December 27, 1978 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company,
on behalf of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets
43
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Fee schedule relating to the Custodian Agreement between
Registrant on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and State
Street Bank and Trust Company
2
/
|
C-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated June 14, 1984 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining to a change in wire charges under the
Custodian Agreement
43
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated March 29, 1983 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining to the latters designation of Bank of
America, N.T. and S.A. as its subcustodian and certain other matters
43
/
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated March 21, 1985 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining to the creation of a joint repurchase
agreement account
43
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated November 7, 1985, with attachments,
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of
Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets, authorizing State Street Bank and
Trust Company to permit redemption of units by check
43
/
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
Money Transfer Services Agreement dated November 14, 1985,
including attachment, between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust
Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining
to transfers of funds on deposit with State Street Bank and Trust Company
43
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated November 27, 1985 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, amending the Custodian Agreement
43
/
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated July 22, 1986 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, pertaining to a change in wire charges
43
/
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated June 20, 1987 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Institutional Liquid Assets, amending the Custodian Agreement
43
/
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Letter Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets,
pertaining to the latters designation of Security Pacific National Bank as its
subcustodian and certain other matters
43
/
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Amendment dated July 19, 1988 to the Custodian Agreement
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of
Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets
43
/
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Amendment dated December 19, 1988 to the Custodian Agreement
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, on behalf of
Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets
43
/
|
|
|
(17)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company on behalf of Goldman Sachs Capital Growth
Fund
5
/
|
|
|
(18)
|
|
Sub-Custodian Agreement dated March 29, 1983 between State
Street Bank and Trust Company and Bank of America, National Trust and Savings
Association on behalf of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets
5
/
|
C-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(19)
|
|
Fee schedule dated April 12, 1999 relating to Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Strategic Growth and Growth Opportunities Portfolios)
7
/
|
|
|
(20)
|
|
Fee schedule dated July 19, 1999 relating to Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Technology Tollkeeper Fund (formerly Tollkeeper Fund and
formerly Internet Tollkeeper Fund))
8
/
|
|
|
(21)
|
|
Fee schedule dated October 1, 1999 relating to the Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Large Cap Value Fund)
44
/
|
|
|
(22)
|
|
Fee schedule dated January 12, 2000 relating to Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Structured Tax-Managed Equity Fund (formerly CORE Tax-Managed
Equity Fund))
10
/
|
|
|
(23)
|
|
Fee schedule dated January 6, 2000 relating to Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (High Yield Municipal Fund)
10
/
|
|
|
(24)
|
|
Fee schedule dated April 14, 2000 relating to Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Enhanced Income Fund)
11
/
|
|
|
(25)
|
|
Additional Portfolio Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between
Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
10
/
|
|
|
(26)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Agreement dated
December 27, 1978
10
/
|
|
|
(27)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Agreement dated
April 6, 1990
10
/
|
|
|
(28)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Agreement dated
July 15, 1991
10
/
|
|
|
(29)
|
|
Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Agreement dated
December 27, 1978 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
(30)
|
|
Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated
April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
(31)
|
|
Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated
July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
(32)
|
|
Form of amendment to the Custodian Agreement dated December 27,
1978 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
(33)
|
|
Amendment to the Custodian Agreement dated April 6, 1990
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
45
/
|
|
|
(34)
|
|
Amendment to the Custodian Agreement dated July 15, 1991
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
45
/
|
|
|
(35)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated May 15, 2002 to the Custodian Agreement
dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
15
/
|
C-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(36)
|
|
Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant
and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
46
/
|
|
|
(37)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated August 26, 2003 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(38)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated October 28, 2003 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(39)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated February 8, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(for the fund now known as Goldman Sachs Commodity Strategy Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(40)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated March 14, 2007 to Custodian Agreement
dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(Goldman Sachs Satellite Strategies Portfolio)
47
/
|
|
|
(41)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated April 23, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Strategic International Equity Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(42)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated May 2, 2007 to the Custodian Agreement
dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(Goldman Sachs Structured Small Cap Growth Fund and Goldman Sachs Structured
Small Cap Value Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(43)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated August 10, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(44)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated August 10, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Retirement Strategies Portfolios)
47
/
|
|
|
(45)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 12, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Structured International Small Cap Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(46)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 12, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Structured Emerging Markets Equity Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(47)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Enhanced Dividend Global Equity Portfolio)
47
/
|
|
|
(48)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Tax-Advantaged Global Equity Portfolio)
47
/
|
|
|
(49)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Structured International Tax-Managed Equity Fund)
47
/
|
C-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(50)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs International Equity Dividend and Premium Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(51)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated October 4, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(52)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated November 28, 2007 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Absolute Return Tracker Fund)
47
/
|
|
|
(53)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated September 17, 2009 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Structured International Equity Fund and Goldman Sachs
Structured International Equity Flex Fund)
34
/
|
|
|
(54)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated November 19, 2009 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs U.S. Equity Fund)
34
/
|
|
|
(55)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated November 19, 2009 to the Custodian
Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
(Goldman Sachs Dynamic Allocation Fund)
48
/
|
|
|
(56)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated August 11, 2009 to the Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Technology Tollkeeper Fund (formerly Tollkeeper Fund )
49
/
|
|
|
(57)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated June 17, 2010 to the Custodian Agreement
dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund)
36
/
|
(h)
|
|
(1)
|
|
First Amendment dated July 18, 1994 to Amended and Restated Wiring
Agreement dated January 25, 1994 among Goldman, Sachs & Co., State Street Bank and
Trust Company and The Northern Trust Company
50
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Amended and Restated Wiring Agreement dated January 25, 1994
among Goldman, Sachs & Co., State Street Bank and Trust Company and The
Northern Trust Company
50
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated June 20, 1987 regarding use of checking
account between Registrant and The Northern Trust Company
42
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Transfer Agency Agreement dated August 9, 2007 between
Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
51
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Form of Retail Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Trust relating to Class A Shares of Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios,
Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs Domestic Equity Funds and
Goldman Sachs International Equity Funds
5
/
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Form of Retail Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs
Trust TPA Assistance Version relating to the Class A Shares of Goldman Sachs
Asset Allocation Portfolios, Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs
Domestic Equity Funds and Goldman Sachs International Equity Funds
52
/
|
C-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman
Sachs Trust relating to the Administrative Class, Service Class and Cash
Management Class of Goldman Sachs Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios
5
/
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman
Sachs Trust relating to the FST Shares, FST Select Shares, FST Preferred
Shares, FST Capital Shares, FST Administration Shares and FST Service Shares of
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Funds
5
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman
Sachs Trust relating to the Class A Shares and Service Shares of Goldman Sachs
Equity and Fixed Income Funds
52
/
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
Form of Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust
relating to the Institutional Class, Select Class, Preferred Class, Capital
Class, Administration Class, Premier Class, Service Class, Resource Class and
Cash Management Class, as applicable, of Goldman Sachs Financial Square Funds,
Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs Domestic Equity Funds, Goldman
Sachs International Equity Funds and Goldman Sachs Fund of Funds Portfolios
41
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Institutional Liquid Assets Administration
Class Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust ILA Cash Management Shares Service Plan
amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
53
/
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Select Class Select Plan amended and
restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Administration Class Administration
Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust ILA Administration Class Administration
Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Preferred Class Preferred
Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(17)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Class Administration Plan
amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(18)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Institutional Liquid Assets Service Class
Service Plan and Shareholder Administration Plan amended and restated as of
February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(19)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Service Class Service Plan and Shareholder
Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(20)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Capital Administration Class Capital
Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(21)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Account Service Plan for Institutional
Shares amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 (U.S. Mortgages Fund and
Investment Grade Credit Fund)
46
/
|
|
|
(22)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Account Service Plan for Class A Shares
amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 (U.S. Mortgages Fund and Investment
Grade Credit Fund)
46
/
|
C-10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(23)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Service Class Service Plan and
Shareholder Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(24)
|
|
Mutual Funds Service Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between
Registrant and J.P. Morgan Investor Services Co.
54
/
|
|
|
(25)
|
|
Form of Fee Waiver Agreement between Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Commodity Strategy
Fund
50
/
|
|
|
(26)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Cash Management Shares Service Plan
dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
(27)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Premier Shares Service Plan and
Administration Plan dated February 11, 2010
55
/
|
|
|
(28)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Resource Shares Service Plan dated February 11, 2010
55
/
|
(i)
|
|
Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP (to be filed)
|
(j)
|
|
Not applicable
|
(k)
|
|
Not applicable
|
(l)
|
|
Not applicable
|
(m)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Class A Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as of May 5, 2004
19
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Class B Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as
of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Class C Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as
of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Cash Management Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule
12b-1 amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Class R Distribution and Service Plan dated November 8, 2007
29
/
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
Cash Management Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule
12b-1 dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Resource Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1
dated February 11, 2010
55
/
|
(n)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Plan in Accordance with Rule 18f-3, amended and restated as of February 11, 2010
55
/
|
(p)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Code of Ethics Goldman Sachs Trust, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance
Trust and Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund dated April 23, 1997, as amended
effective March 12, 2009
36
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Code of Ethics Goldman, Sachs & Co., Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P., Goldman Sachs Asset Management International, Goldman Sachs
Hedge Fund Strategies LLC and GS Investment Strategies, LLC dated January 23,
1991, as amended effective January 15, 2010
36
/
|
(q)
|
|
(1)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Bakhru, Coblentz, Shuch and Strubel
23
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Ms. Daniels and Ms. Palmer
56
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Power of Attorney for James A. McNamara
57
/
|
C-11
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Power of Attorney for George F. Travers
34
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Donald C. Burke and Joseph P. LoRusso
58
/
|
|
|
|
1
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 14, 1997.
|
|
2
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed October 16, 1997.
|
|
3
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 13, 1998.
|
|
4
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 47 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed October 1, 1998.
|
|
5
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 1998.
|
|
6
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 12, 1999.
|
|
7
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 16, 1999.
|
|
8
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed September 16, 1999.
|
|
9
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 22, 1999.
|
|
10
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 23, 2000.
|
|
11
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 3, 2000.
|
|
12
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 22, 2000.
|
|
13
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 13, 2001.
|
|
14
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 21, 2001.
|
|
15
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 11, 2002.
|
|
16
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 81 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 19, 2003.
|
|
17
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 12, 2003.
|
C-12
|
|
|
18
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14
relating to the Registrants acquisition of the Golden Oak
®
Family of Funds
(Acquisition), SEC File No. 333-117561, filed July 22, 2004.
|
|
19
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 23, 2004.
|
|
20
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 17, 2005.
|
|
21
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 811-05349, filed December 7, 2005.
|
|
22
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 26, 2006.
|
|
23
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 2005.
|
|
24
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 23, 2006.
|
|
25
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 133 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 18, 2006.
|
|
26
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 143 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 21, 2006.
|
|
27
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 159 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 811-05349, filed June 12, 2007.
|
|
28
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 811-05349, filed August 14, 2007.
|
|
29
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 811-05349, filed November 27, 2007.
|
|
30
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 18, 2008.
|
|
31
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 205 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2008.
|
|
32
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 206 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 27, 2008.
|
|
33
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 217 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 27, 2009.
|
|
34
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 226 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 24, 2009.
|
|
35
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 30, 2010.
|
C-13
|
|
|
36
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 30, 2010.
|
|
37
/
|
|
Article II, Section 10, Article IV, Section 3, Article V, Article VI, Article VII,
Article IX, Section 8 and Section 9 of the Registrants Agreement and Declaration of Trust
incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(1) and Article III of the Registrants Amended
and Restated By-Laws incorporated by reference as Exhibit (b)(3).
|
|
38
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 25, 1998.
|
|
39
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 29, 2008.
|
|
40
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 13, 2003.
|
|
41
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2010.
|
|
42
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 1995.
|
|
43
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed March 2, 1998.
|
|
44
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 1, 1999.
|
|
45
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 75 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 15, 2002.
|
|
46
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 24, 2004.
|
|
47
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 30, 2009.
|
|
48
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 233 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 28, 2009.
|
|
49
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 24, 2009.
|
|
50
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File. No. 33-17619, filed July 28, 2009.
|
|
51
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 175 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 10, 2007.
|
|
52
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 28, 2008.
|
|
53
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 811-05349, filed February 17, 2006.
|
C-14
|
|
|
54
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 19, 2007.
|
|
55
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 245 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 14, 2010.
|
|
56
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 161 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 10, 2007.
|
|
57
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 9, 2007.
|
|
58
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 253 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 26, 2010.
|
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund
Goldman Sachs Commodity Strategy Fund, a series of the Registrant, wholly owns and controls
Goldman Sachs Cayman Commodity Fund, Ltd. (Subsidiary), a company organized under the laws of the
Cayman Islands. The Subsidiarys financial statements will be included on a consolidated basis in
the Commodity Strategy Funds annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.
Item 30. Indemnification
Article IV of the Declaration of Trust of Goldman Sachs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust,
provides for indemnification of the Trustees, officers and agents of the Trust, subject to certain
limitations. The Declaration of Trust is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(1).
The Management Agreements (other than the Management Agreements on behalf of the ILA
Portfolios and the Short Duration Government Fund) provide that the applicable Investment Adviser
will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by a Fund,
except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the
Investment Adviser or from reckless disregard by the Investment Adviser of its obligations or
duties under the Management Agreements. Section 7 of the Management Agreements on behalf of the ILA
Portfolios and the Short Duration Government Fund provides that the ILA Portfolios and the Short
Duration Government Fund will indemnify the Adviser against certain liabilities; provided, however,
that such indemnification does not apply to any loss by reason of its willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence or the Advisers reckless disregard of its obligation under the
Management Agreements. The Management Agreements are incorporated by reference as Exhibits (d)(1)
through (d)(7).
Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Goldman Sachs dated April
30, 1997, as amended October 30, 2003 and Section 7 of the Transfer Agency Agreement between the
Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co. dated August 9, 2007 provides that the Registrant will
indemnify Goldman, Sachs & Co. against certain liabilities. Copies of the Distribution Agreement
and the Transfer Agency Agreement are incorporated by reference as Exhibits (e)(1) and (h)(4)
respectively, to the Registrants Registration Statement.
Mutual fund and trustees and officers liability policies purchased jointly by the Registrant,
Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund insure such persons
and their respective trustees, partners, officers and employees, subject to the policies coverage
limits and exclusions and varying deductibles, against loss resulting from claims by reason of any
act, error, omission, misstatement, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (GSAM LP) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management
International (GSAMI) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and serve as
investment advisers to the Registrant. Set forth below are the names, businesses and business
addresses of certain managing
C-15
directors of GSAM LP and GSAMI who are engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or
employment of a substantial nature.
|
|
|
|
|
Name and Position with
|
|
Name and Address of Other
|
|
Connection with
|
the Investment Advisers
|
|
Company
|
|
Other Company
|
John S. Weinberg
|
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
|
|
Vice Chairman
|
Managing Director-
|
|
200 West Street
|
|
|
GSAM LP
|
|
New York, New York 10282
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
|
|
Managing Director
|
|
|
200 West Street
|
|
|
|
|
New York, New York 10282
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lloyd C. Blankfein
|
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
|
|
Chairman and Chief
|
Managing Director-
|
|
200 West Street
|
|
Executive Officer
|
GSAM LP
|
|
New York, New York 10282
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
|
|
Managing Director
|
|
|
200 West Street
|
|
|
|
|
New York, New York 10282
|
|
|
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
|
(a)
|
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co. or an affiliate or a division thereof currently serves as
distributor for shares of Goldman Sachs Trust and for shares of Goldman Sachs Variable
Insurance Trust. Goldman, Sachs & Co., or a division thereof currently serves as
administrator and distributor of the units or shares of The Commerce Funds.
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(b)
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Set forth below is certain information pertaining to the Managing Directors of
Goldman, Sachs & Co., the Registrants principal underwriter, who are members of The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.s Management Committee. None of the members of the management
committee holds a position or office with the Registrant.
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GOLDMAN SACHS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
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Name and Principal
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Business Address
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Position with Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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Lloyd C. Blankfein (1)
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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
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Alan M. Cohen (1)
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Global Head of Compliance, Managing Director
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Gary D. Cohn (1)
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Managing Director
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Christopher A. Cole (1)
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Managing Director
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Edith Cooper (1)
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Managing Director
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Gordon E. Dyal (2)
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Managing Director
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Isabelle Ealet (3)
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Managing Director
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Edward K. Eisler (3)
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Managing Director
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J. Michael Evans (4)
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Managing Director
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Edward C. Forst (1)
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Managing Director
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Richard A. Friedman (1)
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Managing Director
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Richard J. Gnodde (2)
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Managing Director
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David B. Heller (1)
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Managing Director
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Kevin W. Kennedy (1)
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Managing Director
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Gwen R. Libstag (1)
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Managing Director
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Masanori Mochida (5)
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Managing Director
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Donald R. Mullen, Jr. (1)
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Managing Director
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Timothy J. ONeill (1)
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Managing Director
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Gregory K. Palm (1)
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General Counsel and Managing Director
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John F.W. Rogers (1)
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Managing Director
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C-16
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Name and Principal
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Business Address
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Position with Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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Richard M. Ruzika (1)
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Managing Director
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Pablo J. Salame (3)
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Managing Director
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Harvey M. Schwartz (1)
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Managing Director
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Michael S. Sherwood (3)
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Managing Director
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David M. Solomon (1)
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Managing Director
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Esta Stecher (1)
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General Counsel and Managing Director
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Steven H. Strongin (1)
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Managing Director
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David A. Viniar (1)
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Managing Director
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John S. Weinberg (1)
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Managing Director
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Yoel Zaoui (2)
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Managing Director
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(1)
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200 West Street, New York, NY 10282
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(2)
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Peterborough Court, 133 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2BB, England
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(3)
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River Court, 120 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2QQ, England
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(4)
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Cheung Kong Center, 68
th
Floor, 2 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong, China
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(5)
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12-32, Akasaka I-chome, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107-6006, Japan
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(c) Not Applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Amended and Restated By-laws and minute books of the
Registrant and certain investment adviser records are in the physical possession of GSAM LP, 200
West Street, New York, New York 10282. All other accounts, books and other documents required to be
maintained under Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated
thereunder are in the physical possession of State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street
Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111 and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., 270 Park
Avenue, New York, New York 10017, except for certain transfer agency records which are maintained
by Goldman, Sachs & Co., 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.
Item 34. Management Services
Not applicable
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable
C-17
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 261 to its Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City and State of
New York on the 3rd day of December, 2010.
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GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST
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(A Delaware statutory trust)
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By:
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/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
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Peter V. Bonanno
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Secretary
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to said
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the
date indicated.
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Name
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Title
|
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Date
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1
James A. McNamara
James A. McNamara
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President (Chief
Executive Officer)
and Trustee
|
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December 3, 2010
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1
George F. Travers
George F. Travers
|
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Principal Financial
Officer and Senior
Vice President
|
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December 3, 2010
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1
Ashok N. Bakhru
Ashok N. Bakhru
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Chairman and Trustee
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|
December 3, 2010
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1
Donald C. Burke
Donald C. Burke
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Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
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1
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
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Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
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1
Diana M. Daniels
Diana M. Daniels
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Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
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1
Joseph P. LoRusso
Joseph P. LoRusso
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Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
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1
Jessica Palmer
Jessica Palmer
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|
Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
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1
Alan A. Shuch
Alan A. Shuch
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Trustee
|
|
December 3, 2010
|
1
Richard P. Strubel
Richard P. Strubel
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Trustee
|
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December 3, 2010
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|
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By:
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/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
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Peter V. Bonanno,
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Attorney-In-Fact
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1
|
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Pursuant to powers of attorney previously filed.
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C-18
CERTIFICATE
The undersigned Secretary for Goldman Sachs Trust (the Trust) hereby certifies that the Board of
Trustees of the Trust duly adopted the following resolution at a meeting of the Board held on June
17, 2010.
RESOLVED
, that the Trustees and Officers of the Trust who may be required to execute any
amendments to the Trusts Registration Statement be, and each hereby is, authorized to execute a
power of attorney appointing Peter V. Bonanno, James A. Fitzpatrick and James A. McNamara, jointly
and severally, their attorneys-in-fact, each with power of substitution, for said Trustees and
Officers in any and all capacities to sign the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of
1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 of the Trust and any and all amendments to such
Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in
connection therewith, with the SEC, the Trustees and Officers hereby ratifying and confirming all
that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may do or may have
caused to be done by virtue hereof.
Dated:
December 3, 2010
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/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
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Peter V. Bonanno,
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Secretary
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C-19
EXHIBIT INDEX
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(a)(59)
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Amendment No. 58 dated November 18, 2010 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
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C-20