As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2011
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
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Pre-Effective Amendment No
. ________
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 279
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and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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Amendment No. 280
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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
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 the Goldman Sachs
Brazil Equity Fund, Goldman Sachs India Equity Fund, Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund and Goldman
Sachs Korea Equity Fund.
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Prospectus
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April 29, 2011
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GOLDMAN
SACHS SINGLE COUNTRY FUNDS
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n
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Goldman Sachs
Brazil Equity Fund
n
Class A
Shares: GZIAX
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Class C
Shares: GZICX
n
Institutional
Shares: GZIIX
n
Class IR
Shares: GIRZX
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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 THE FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT
INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND INVOLVES
INVESTMENT RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN THE FUND.
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Table of
Contents
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1
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Goldman Sachs Brazil Equity Fund Summary
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7
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Investment Management Approach
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13
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Risks of the Fund
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19
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Service Providers
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24
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Dividends
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25
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Shareholder Guide
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25
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How
To Buy Shares
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39
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How
To Sell Shares
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52
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Taxation
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55
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Appendix A
Additional Information on
Portfolio Risks, Securities
and Techniques
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81
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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 Brazil Equity FundSummary
Investment
Objective
The Goldman Sachs Brazil 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 33 of this Prospectus and Other Information
Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions,
Exchanges and Dividends beginning on page B-84 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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5.5%
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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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1.0%
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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
(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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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
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0.25
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%
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1.00
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%
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None
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None
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Other
Expenses
2
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1.18
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%
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1.18
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%
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1.03
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%
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1.18
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%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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2.53
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%
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3.28
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%
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2.13
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%
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2.28
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%
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Expense
Limitation
3
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(0.63
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)%
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(0.63
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)%
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(0.63
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)%
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(0.63
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)%
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Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Expense
Limitation
3
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1.90
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%
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2.65
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%
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1.50
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%
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1.65
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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 Other
Expenses have been estimated to reflect expenses expected
to be incurred during the first fiscal year.
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3
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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
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1
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custody and transfer agent fee
credit reductions) to 0.364% of the Funds average daily
net assets through at least April 29, 2012, and prior to
such date, the Investment Adviser may not terminate the
arrangements 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 $10,000 in Class A,
Class C, Institutional and/or Class IR Shares of the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
Class A, Class C, Institutional and/or Class IR
Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes
that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Funds operating expenses remain the same (except that the
Example incorporates expense limitation arrangements for only
the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or
lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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Class A Shares
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$
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732
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$
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1,238
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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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368
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$
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951
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Assuming no redemption
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$
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268
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$
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951
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Institutional Shares
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$
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153
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$
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606
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Class IR Shares
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$
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168
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$
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652
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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 will be reflected in the Funds
performance.
Principal Strategy
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 that are tied economically to
Brazil or in issuers that participate in the markets of Brazil.
The Investment Adviser considers an equity investment to be tied
economically to Brazil if the investment is included in an index
representative of Brazil, the investment returns are linked to
the performance of such an index, or the investment is exposed
to the economic risks and returns of Brazil.
An issuer participates in the markets of Brazil if the issuer:
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in Brazil;
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2
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in Brazil;
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Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
Brazil; or
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in Brazil.
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The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics, to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in investments in developed countries and
emerging countries other than Brazil, including non-investment
grade fixed income securities.
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
Brazil Risk.
Investing in Brazil may involve
a higher degree of risk and special considerations not typically
associated with investing in more established economies or
securities markets. The Funds investment exposure to
Brazil may subject the Fund, to a greater extent than if
investments were made in developed countries, to the risks of
adverse securities markets, exchange rates and social,
political, regulatory, economic, or environmental events and
natural disasters which may occur in Brazil. The economy,
industries, and securities and currency markets of Brazil may be
adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, slow
economic activity worldwide, political and social instability,
regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war, including
actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
Currency Risk.
Changes in currency exchange
rates may adversely affect the value of the Funds
securities denominated in foreign currencies. Currency exchange
rates can be volatile. The Fund may from time to time attempt to
hedge all or a portion of its currency risk using a variety of
techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options.
However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and
in certain cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not
used a hedging instrument.
Depositary Receipts Risk.
Foreign securities
may trade in the form of depositary receipts, including American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary
Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs) (collectively, Depositary
Receipts). In addition to the risks inherent in the
underlying securities represented by the Depositary Receipts, in
some situations there may be an increased possibility that the
Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to
corporate actions involving the foreign issuer in a timely
manner. Also, a 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.
Derivatives Risk.
Loss may result from the
Funds investments in equity swaps, equity index swaps,
futures, participation notes, options and structured securities
and other derivative instruments. These instruments may be
illiquid, difficult to price and 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.
Emerging Countries Risk.
The securities
markets of emerging countries are less liquid, are especially
subject to greater price volatility, have smaller market
capitalizations, have more or 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.
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.
4
Industry Concentration Risk.
The Fund will
not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds total
assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their
principal business activities in the same industry, except that,
to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the
Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the Fund
may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
Liquidity Risk.
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.
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.
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Risk.
The securities of
mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve
greater risks than those associated with 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.
NAV Risk.
The net asset value
(NAV) of the Fund and the value of your investment
may fluctuate.
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.
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.
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).
5
Portfolio Managers:
Gabriella Antici, Managing
Director, CIO and Head of GSAM Brazil, has managed the Fund
since 2011; Andrea Cardia, Vice President, Senior Equity
Portfolio Manager, has managed the Fund since 2011; and Marcia
Zugaib, CFA, Vice President, Senior Equity Portfolio Manager,
has managed the Fund since 2011.
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 alone or in combination with other
assets under the management of GSAMI and its affiliates for
certain other types of investors. There may be no minimum for
initial purchases of Institutional Shares for certain retirement
accounts or for initial purchases of 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. Investments through tax-deferred
arrangements may become taxable upon withdrawal.
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 Institution website for more information.
6
Investment Management Approach
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The Brazil Equity Fund seeks long term capital appreciation. The
Funds investment objective may be changed without
shareholder approval upon sixty days notice.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund invests under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its
Net Assets in a portfolio of equity investments that are tied
economically to Brazil or in issuers that participate in the
markets of Brazil. The Investment Adviser considers an equity
investment to be tied economically to Brazil if the investment
is included in an index representative of Brazil, the investment
returns are linked to the performance of such an index, or the
investment is exposed to the economic risks and returns of
Brazil.
An issuer participates in the markets of Brazil if the issuer:
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n
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in Brazil;
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n
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in Brazil;
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n
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Derives 50% or more of its total
Revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
Brazil; or
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n
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in Brazil.
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To the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission
(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.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depository Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics, to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
7
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in developed country investments and other
emerging country investments, including non-investment grade
fixed income securities.
The Funds benchmark index is the MSCI Brazil 10/40 Index
(net, total return, unhedged, USD). The MSCI Brazil 10/40 Index
(net, total return, unhedged, USD) offers a representation of
the Brazilian market by targeting companies with a market
capitalization within the top 99% of their investable equity
universe, subject to a global minimum size requirement. The MSCI
Brazil 10/40 Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) does not
reflect any deductions of expenses associated with mutual funds
such as management fees and other expenses.
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.
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
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises
(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
8
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
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
Brazil Equity Investment Philosophy:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Belief
|
|
How the
Investment Adviser Acts on This Belief
|
n
|
|
Excess returns can be generated by conducting thorough
fundamental research and individual stock selection
|
|
Seeks to generate excess returns through an intensive research
culture and a strong commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources around the world.
|
n
|
|
A team-based approach enriches debate and enhances the quality
of investment decisions
|
|
Conducts proprietary stock level research in a team-orientated
regional structure with frequent, open communication and
frontline decision-making.
|
n
|
|
Focused and differentiated portfolios provide the greatest
potential to generate excess returns
|
|
Builds portfolios that are reflective of the teams best
investment ideas so that the majority of excess returns are
driven by stock selection.
|
GSAMIs Brazil 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.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
9
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 (when
available). 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 fifteen
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.
10
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
|
|
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
|
|
10
Percent
of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
|
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
Brazil
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Practices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
|
|
33
1
/
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cross Hedging of Currencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Equity
Investments
*
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity, Index and Currency Swaps and Options on Such
Swaps
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Currency Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts
(including index futures)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Company Securities (including exchange-traded
funds)
**
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Foreign
Currencies
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Securities and Securities
Indices
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchase Agreements
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unseasoned Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
**
|
|
This percentage limitation does
not apply to the Funds investments 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.
|
1
|
|
The Fund may purchase and sell
call and put options on foreign currencies.
|
2
|
|
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.
|
11
|
|
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
Brazil
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
American, European and Global Depositary Receipts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset-Backed
and Mortgage-Backed
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
Obligations
1,2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Convertible Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate Debt
Obligations
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emerging Country Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Investments
|
|
|
80+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed Income
Securities
3,4
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign
Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment
Grade Fixed Income
Securities
1,3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Structured Securities (which may include equity linked
notes)
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temporary Investments
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
1
|
|
Limited by the amount the Fund
invests in fixed income securities.
|
2
|
|
Issued by U.S. or foreign
banks.
|
3
|
|
May be BB or lower by Standard
& Poors, Ba or lower by Moodys or have a
comparable rating by another NRSRO at the time of
investment.
|
4
|
|
The Fund may invest in the
aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in: (i) fixed income
securities of private and government Brazil issuers; and
(ii) equity and fixed income investments in non-Brazil
issuers.
|
12
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
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Brazil
|
ü
Principal
Risk
|
|
Equity
|
Additional
Risk
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
Brazil
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Credit/Default
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currency
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Depositary Receipts
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Derivatives
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Emerging Countries
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign Custody
|
|
|
|
|
|
Industry Concentration Risk
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Style
|
|
|
|
|
|
IPO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value (NAV)
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Diversification
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment
Grade Fixed Income Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Brazil
Risk
Investing
in Brazil involves a higher degree of risk and special
considerations not typically associated with investing in more
established economies
|
13
|
|
|
or securities markets. The economy, industries, and securities
and currency markets of Brazil may be adversely affected by
protectionist trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide,
political and social instability, environmental events and
natural disasters, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and
war, including actions that are contrary to the interests of
the U.S.
|
Investments in Brazil are subject to political risks including
governmental restrictions on the outflow of profits to investors
abroad, restrictions on the exchange or export of Brazilian
currency, seizure of foreign investment and imposition of high
taxes. Since the Brazilian securities markets are smaller, less
liquid and more volatile than domestic markets, buying and
selling investments may be more difficult and costly. Brazilian
issuers generally differ from U.S. public issuers in the
lack of comparable publicly available information; disclosure;
regulatory, accounting, auditing and financial standards;
government regulation; and legal remedies for investors.
Brazils economy outweighs that of all other South American
countries and is characterized by large and well-developed
agricultural, mining, manufacturing and service sectors. A
significant economic vulnerability is the governments
large debt in relation to Brazils small (but growing)
export base.
|
|
n
|
Credit/Default
Risk
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.
|
The credit quality of the Funds portfolio securities may
meet the Funds credit quality requirements at the time of
purchase but then deteriorate thereafter, and such a
deterioration can occur rapidly. In certain instances, the
downgrading or default of a single holding or guarantor of the
Funds holding may impair the Funds liquidity and
have the potential to cause significant NAV deterioration.
|
|
n
|
Currency
Risk
Changes in
currency exchange rates may adversely affect the value of the
Funds securities denominated in foreign currencies.
Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among
other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the
actions of the U.S. and
non-U.S. governments
or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and
speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is
different from the currency of the country where the issuer is
domiciled. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the
U.S. dollar, the value of securities denominated in that
foreign currency generally decreases in terms of
U.S. dollars. If the Fund does not correctly anticipate
changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a
result. The Fund may from time to time attempt to hedge all or a
portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques,
including currency futures, forwards and options. However, these
instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain
cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used a
hedging instrument. For most emerging market currencies,
suitable hedging instruments may not be available.
|
14
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
n
|
Depositary Receipts
Risk
Foreign
securities may trade in the form of Depositary Receipts. 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.
|
n
|
Derivatives
Risk
The risk
that loss may result from the Funds investments in equity
swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes, options
and 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.
|
n
|
Emerging Countries
Risk
The
securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid, are
especially subject to greater price volatility, have smaller
market capitalizations, have more or 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. Further, investment in
equity securities of issuers located in certain emerging
countries involves risk of loss resulting from problems in share
registration and custody and substantial economic and political
disruptions. These risks are not normally associated with
investment in more developed countries.
|
n
|
Foreign
Risk
When the
Fund invests in foreign securities, it may 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 or
from problems in security registration or settlement and
custody. Foreign risks will normally be greatest when the Fund
invests in issuers located in emerging countries.
|
n
|
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
|
15
|
|
|
ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters
bankruptcy. Investment 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 underdeveloped 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.
|
|
|
n
|
Industry Concentration
Risk
The Fund
will not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds
total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry, except
that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of
the Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the
Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
|
|
|
n
|
Interest Rate
Risk
When
interest rates increase, fixed income securities held by the
Fund may decline in value. Long-term fixed income securities
will normally have more price volatility because of this risk
than short-term fixed income securities.
|
n
|
Investment Style
Risk
Different
investment styles (
e.g.
, growth,
value or quantitative) tend to shift in
and out of favor depending upon market and economic conditions
as well as investor sentiment. The Fund intends to employ a
blend of growth and value investment styles depending on market
conditions, either of which may fall out of favor from time to
time. The Fund may outperform or underperform other funds that
invest in similar asset classes but employ different investment
styles.
|
n
|
IPO
Risk
The market
value of IPO shares may 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.
|
n
|
Liquidity
Risk
The Fund
may invest to a greater degree in securities or instruments that
trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less
liquid than other investments. Also, 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
|
16
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
be able to sell the security or instrument at all. An inability
to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the
Funds value or prevent the Fund from being able to take
advantage of other investment opportunities.
|
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. The Fund
reserves the right to meet redemption requests through in-kind
distributions. While the Fund may pay redemptions in-kind in the
future, the Fund may instead choose to raise cash to meet
redemption requests through sales of portfolio securities or
permissible borrowings. If the Fund is forced to sell securities
at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, such
sales may adversely affect the Funds NAV.
Certain shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the
Investment Adviser and/or other funds managed by the Investment
Adviser, may from time to time own or control a significant
percentage of the Funds shares. Redemptions by these
shareholders of their shares of the Fund may further increase
the Funds liquidity risk and may impact the Funds
NAV. These shareholders may include, for example, institutional
investors, fund-of-funds, discretionary advisory clients, and
other shareholders whose buy-sell decisions are controlled by a
single decision-maker.
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.
|
|
n
|
Management
Risk
A strategy
used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended
results.
|
n
|
Market
Risk
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.
|
n
|
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap
Risk
The
securities of mid-capitalization and
small-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-capitalization and small-capitalization
companies often have
|
17
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
n
|
NAV
Risk
The NAV of
the Fund and the value of your investment may fluctuate.
|
n
|
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.
|
n
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed
Income Securities
Risk
The Fund
may invest in non-investment grade fixed income securities
(commonly known as junk bonds) that are considered
speculative. Non-investment grade fixed income securities and
unrated securities of comparable credit quality are subject to
the increased risk of an issuers inability to meet
principal and interest payment obligations. These securities may
be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as
specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate
sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets
generally and less secondary market liquidity.
|
n
|
Participation Notes
Risk
The Fund
will use participation notes to gain exposure to certain markets
it cannot invest directly in. 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 Fund 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.
|
n
|
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.
|
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.
18
Service Providers
INVESTMENT
ADVISER
|
|
|
Investment
Adviser
|
|
Fund
|
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International
(GSAMI)
Christchurch Court
10-15
Newgate Street
London, England EC1A 7HD
|
|
Brazil Equity
|
|
|
|
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
December 31, 2010, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.
(GSAM), including its investment advisory
affiliates, one of which is GSAMI, had assets under management
of $17.1 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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Supervises all non-advisory
operations of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides personnel to perform
necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the
Fund
|
|
n
|
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
|
|
n
|
Maintains the records of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services
|
19
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fee
|
|
Average Daily
|
Fund
|
|
Annual
Rate
|
|
Net
Assets
|
Brazil Equity
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
First $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.99
|
%
|
|
Next $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.94
|
%
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.92
|
%
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.90
|
%
|
|
Over $8 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Investment Adviser may waive a portion of its management fee
from time to time, and may discontinue or modify any such
waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee
waiver arrangements in place.
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 for the period
ended April 30, 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 and transfer agent fee credit reductions) to
0.364% of the Funds average daily net assets through at
least April 29, 2012, and prior to such date the Investment
Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval
of the Board of Trustees. This expense limitation may be
modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its
discretion and without shareholder approval after such date,
although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do
so.
FUND
MANAGERS
Brazil
Equity Portfolio Management Team
|
|
|
|
n
|
Our investment philosophy is
reflected in our intensive research culture and our strong
commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources. Our research team comprises 5 investment
professionals, including portfolio managers and research
analysts, based on the ground in São Paulo.
|
20
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
|
|
|
|
n
|
We believe our
on-the-ground
research presence better positions our research analysts to
generate strong and compelling investment ideas through a keener
understanding of local customs, greater and more frequent access
to corporate managements, and immediate access to local capital
markets and news flow.
|
|
n
|
The Portfolio Managers are
responsible for leading and working closely with the research
analysts to foster discussion, debate and analysis of investment
ideas. This
first-hand
intensive research effort is captured in our portfolios through
a disciplined investment process which results in highly focused
portfolios comprising our most compelling individual stock ideas.
|
|
n
|
For 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Primarily
|
|
|
Name and
Title
|
|
Fund
Responsibility
|
|
Responsible
|
|
Five Year
Employment History
|
Gabriella Antici
Managing Director,
CIO and Head of
GSAM Brazil
|
|
Portfolio Manager
Brazil Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Ms. Antici joined GSAM in March 1997 as Head of Latin
America Equity. In 2001, Ms. Antici became Head of Global
Emerging Markets and in 2008 CIO & Head of GSAM
Brazil. She has been in the investment management industry since
1988.
|
|
|
Andrea Cardia
Vice President,
Senior Equity Portfolio Manager
|
|
Portfolio Manager
Brazil Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Ms. Cardia joined GSAM in March 2008 as Equity Portfolio
Manager. Prior to that Ms. Cardia worked from 2004 to 2008
as Senior Equity Analyst for the emerging markets growth funds.
She has been in the investment management industry since
1994.
|
|
|
Marcia Zugaib, CFA
Vice President,
Senior Equity Portfolio Manager
|
|
Portfolio Manager
Brazil Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Ms. Zugaib joined GSAM in January 2008 as Equity
Portfolio Manager. Prior to that Ms. Zugaib was the Head of
Research at Gavea Investimentos from 2004 to 2008. She has been
in the investment management industry since 1981.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gabriella Antici, Head and Chief Investment Officer of GSAM
Brazil, is ultimately responsible for the Funds investment
process. Marcia Zugaib and Andrea Cardia are senior portfolio
managers for the Fund. Together with Ms. Antici, they
perform stock selection and analysis, as well as parameters
monitoring.
21
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 the
Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with
respect to the Class A, Class C and Class IR
Shares.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may
purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates reserve the right to redeem at any time some or all
of the shares acquired for their own accounts.
|
|
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 worldwide
full service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management
and financial services organization and a major participant in
global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial
services to a substantial and diversified client base that
includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and
high-net-worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, financier,
advisor, market maker, prime broker, derivatives dealer, lender,
counterparty, agent and principal. In those and other
capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and
transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad
array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans,
commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets
and other financial instruments and products for its own account
or for the accounts of its customers, and has other direct and
indirect interests, in the global fixed income, currency,
commodity, equities, bank loan and other markets and the
securities and issuers in which the Fund may directly and
indirectly invest. 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 certain of its affiliates are the
managers of the
22
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
Goldman Sachs Funds. The Investment Adviser and its affiliates
earn fees from this and other relationships with the Fund.
Although these fees are generally based on asset levels, the
fees are not directly contingent on Fund performance, and
Goldman Sachs would still receive significant compensation from
the Fund even if shareholders lose money. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates engage in 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 activities or
strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other
accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of
the Fund. 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 Goldman Sachs
or other accounts. In addition, the Fund may 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, individually or in the
aggregate, adversely impact the Fund. 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 effect
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 or who engage in transactions
with or for the Fund. For more information about conflicts of
interest, see the SAI.
The Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs
and its affiliates in connection with the Funds portfolio
investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.
23
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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Cash
|
|
n
|
Additional shares of the same class
of the same Fund
|
|
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 (either directly or through your
Authorized Institution) at any time before the record date for a
particular dividend or distribution. If you do not indicate any
choice, your dividends and distributions will be reinvested
automatically in the Fund. If cash dividends are elected with
respect to the Funds annual dividends from net investment
income, then cost 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.
Distributions from net investment income and net capital gains,
if any, 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.
24
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.
Note: Authorized Institutions may receive different
compensation for selling different class shares.
The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the
amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and
your personal situation. You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss which share class option 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, or cash or
cash equivalents;
e.g.
, cashiers
25
checks, official bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or
credit card checks. 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 Fund.
Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established
under 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 IR Shares are not available to
traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts
(IRAs), SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual
403(b) plans; except that Class IR Shares are available to
such accounts to the extent they are purchased through an
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
*
|
Regular Accounts
|
|
|
$1,000
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employer Sponsored Benefit Plans
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Accounts (UGMA/UTMA)
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Retirement Accounts and Coverdell ESAs
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Automatic Investment Plan Accounts
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
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.
|
26
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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
|
|
|
n
Corporations
with at least $100 million in assets or in outstanding publicly
traded securities
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares or additional investments in Institutional
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
27
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 (
i.e.
, accounts maintained and serviced by your
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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
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 other 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.
|
|
n
|
Authorized Institutions and 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 another
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 such fees, if any, may affect the return such customers
realize with respect to their investments.
28
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may
make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries (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.
29
What
Else Should I Know About Share Purchases?
The Trust reserves the right to:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Refuse to open an account or
require an Authorized Institution to 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).
|
|
n
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Close the Fund to new investors
from time to time and reopen the Fund whenever it is deemed
appropriate by the Funds Investment Adviser.
|
|
n
|
Provide for, modify or waive the
minimum investment requirements.
|
|
n
|
Modify the manner in which shares
are offered.
|
|
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.
Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for
certain states (to which your account may be subject) require
financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property
(including shares of the Fund) to the appropriate state if no
activity occurs in an account for a period of time specified by
state law.
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, for each investor who opens an account
directly with the Fund. Applications without the required
information may not be accepted by the Fund. After accepting an
application, to the extent permitted by
30
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 obtain all required information.
The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in
an investors account or any tax liability resulting from
the investors delay in providing all 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
31
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 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 its
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:
|
|
|
|
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
32
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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, the Funds 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
|
%
|
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|
5.00
|
%
|
$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000
|
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4.75
|
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4.99
|
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|
4.00
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$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000
|
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3.75
|
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|
3.90
|
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|
3.00
|
|
$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000
|
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2.75
|
|
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|
2.83
|
|
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2.25
|
|
$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million
|
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2.00
|
|
|
|
2.04
|
|
|
|
1.75
|
|
$1 million or more
|
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|
0.00
|
**
|
|
|
0.00
|
**
|
|
|
***
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Dealers allowance may be
changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire
sales charge may be allowed to Authorized Institutions.
Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales
charge is allowed 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.
|
33
|
|
|
***
|
|
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 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 further
below and in the 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 $1 million or more 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
34
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
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:
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|
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;
|
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n
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Qualified employee benefit plans of
Goldman Sachs;
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n
|
Trustees or directors of investment
companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as
sponsor;
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n
|
Any employee or registered
representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective
spouses, children and parents;
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n
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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:
|
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|
|
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
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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;
|
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|
|
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 an underlying investment in
certain group annuity contracts;
|
35
|
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|
|
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;
|
|
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?
|
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|
|
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
|
36
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
|
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, Class B 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, 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. 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. You must, however, inform the Transfer Agent (either
directly or through your Authorized Institution) 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. The SAI has more
information about the Statement of Intention, which you should
read carefully.
|
37
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 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. A commission 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 or 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.
|
|
n
|
Information about sales charges and
sale charge waivers is available on the Funds website at
www.goldmansachsfunds.com.
|
38
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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;
|
|
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
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;
|
|
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 Employee Benefit Plans.
|
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
39
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.
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 (a Medallion signature guarantee may be
required). 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 via check;
|
|
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 and 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
40
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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. 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 via check 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:
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n
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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.
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n
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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
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41
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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.
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n
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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By Check:
A shareholder may elect in writing
to receive 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
Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?
The following generally applies to redemption requests:
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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.
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Authorized Institutions 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.
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The Trust reserves the right to:
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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.
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42
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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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.
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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.
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n
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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.
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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.
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Charge an additional fee in the
event a redemption is made via wire transfer.
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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 at NAV. To be eligible for this
privilege, you must have held the shares you want to redeem for
at least 30 days and you must reinvest the share proceeds
within 90 days after you redeem.
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n
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You should obtain and read the
applicable prospectuses before investing in any other Goldman
Sachs Funds.
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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.
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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.
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43
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n
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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.
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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, if
applicable, 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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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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Currently, the Fund does not impose
any charge for exchanges, although the Fund may impose a charge
in the future.
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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.
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n
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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.
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n
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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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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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Exchanges are available only in
states where exchanges may be legally made.
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44
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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n
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It may be difficult to make
telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market
conditions.
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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.
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n
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Normally, a telephone exchange will
be made only to an identically registered account.
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Exchanges into Goldman Sachs Funds
or certain share classes of Goldman Sachs Funds that are closed
to new investors may be restricted.
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n
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Exchanges into the Fund from
another Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to any redemption fee
imposed by the other Goldman Sachs Fund.
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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 from
Goldman Sachs 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 Goldman Sachs Fund in shares of the same
class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.
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Shares will be purchased at NAV.
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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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You cannot make cross-reinvestments
into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Funds minimum
initial investment requirement is met.
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You should obtain and read the
prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which dividends are
invested.
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45
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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Shares will be purchased at NAV if
a sales charge had been imposed on the initial purchase.
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You may elect to exchange 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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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.
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Automatic exchanges are made
monthly on the
15
th
day
of each month or the first business day thereafter.
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Minimum dollar amount: $50 per
month.
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n
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You cannot make automatic exchanges
into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Funds minimum
initial investment requirement is met.
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You should obtain and read the
prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which automatic
exchanges are made.
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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.
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n
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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
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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.
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Each systematic withdrawal is a
redemption and therefore may be a taxable transaction.
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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% each of the value of
Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A
shares.
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46
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 The
Funds Shares?
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a
Plan) under which Class A and Class C
Shares bear distribution
and/or
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
47
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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Compensation paid to and expenses
incurred by Authorized Institutions, Goldman Sachs and their
respective officers, employees and sales representatives;
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Commissions paid to Authorized
Institutions;
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Allocable overhead;
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Telephone and travel expenses;
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Interest and other costs associated
with the financing of such compensation and expenses;
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Printing of prospectuses for
prospective shareholders;
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Preparation and distribution of
sales literature or advertising of any type; and
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All other expenses incurred in
connection with activities primarily intended to result in the
sale of Class A and Class C Shares.
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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 on ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions
immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee
on a quarterly basis.
CLASS
C PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND
FEES
Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to
receive a separate fee equal on an annual basis to 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
48
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plan exceed its
expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this
arrangement.
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 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 other Goldman
Sachs Funds offered in other 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 equity securities 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
49
excessive. Excessive trading activity in the Fund is measured by
the number of round trip transactions in a
shareholders account. A round trip includes a
purchase or exchange into the Fund followed or preceded by a
redemption or exchange out of the same Fund. If the Fund detects
that a shareholder has completed two or more round trip
transactions in a single Fund within a rolling
90-day
period, the Fund may reject or restrict subsequent purchase or
exchange orders by that shareholder permanently. In addition,
the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permanently reject or
restrict purchase or exchange orders by a shareholder if the
Fund detects other trading activity that is deemed to be
disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise harmful to
the Fund. For purposes of these transaction surveillance
procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity in multiple
accounts under common ownership, control, or influence. A
shareholder that has been restricted from participation in the
Fund pursuant to this policy will be allowed to apply for
re-entry after one year. A shareholder applying for re-entry
must provide assurances acceptable to the Fund that the
shareholder will not engage in excessive trading activities in
the future.
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,
Eligible Fee-Based Programs 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 financial 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 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
50
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
51
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 taxable to you as ordinary
income while any distributions of long-term capital gains 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%. 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 of 15%, 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
date. The amount of the Funds distributions that would
otherwise qualify for this favorable tax treatment will be
reduced as a result of 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 2012.
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
52
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 as a result of 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, subject to applicable
limitations, (i) to credit that proportionate amount of
taxes against your 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 long-term 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.
Exchanges within an IRA or other tax-advantaged account will not
result in capital gain or loss for federal or state income tax
purposes.
53
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% (currently
scheduled to increase to 31% after 2012) 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 may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate
tax. However, withholding is generally not required on properly
reported distributions to
non-U.S.
investors of long-term capital gains and, for distributions
before November 1, 2012, of short-term capital gains and
qualified interest income. Although this report will be made for
short-term capital gain distributions, the Fund does not
anticipate making any qualified interest income reports.
Therefore, all distributions of interest income will be subject
to withholding when paid to
non-U.S. investors.
More information about U.S. taxation of
non-U.S. investors
is included in the SAI.
54
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, American, European, and Global
Depository Receipts, shares of ETFs and synthetic and derivative
instruments (such as participation notes, swaps, options 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
55
increase. Conversely, if mortgage loan interest rates rise above
the interest rates on 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 Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as junk bonds), which are
rated below investment grade (or determined to be of equivalent
quality, if not rated) at the time of purchase and are therefore
considered speculative. Because non-investment grade fixed
income securities are issued by issuers with low credit ratings,
they pose a greater risk of default than investment grade
securities.
The Investment Adviser will not consider 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 is also likely 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.
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 Investing in Mid-Capitalization and
Small-Capitalization Companies.
The Fund may, to
the extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in
mid- and small-capitalization companies. Investments in mid- and
small-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. Mid- and small-
56
APPENDIX
A
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. Mid- and small-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. Mid- and small-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 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 mid- and small-capitalization companies may be
more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities
because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.
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
57
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.
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, EDRs or other similar instruments
representing securities of foreign issuers. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs
represent the right to receive securities of foreign
58
APPENDIX
A
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.
Risks of Emerging Countries.
The Fund may
invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries.
The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer
is located in an emerging country. Emerging countries are
generally located in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and Central and South America. 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
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,
59
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 of restrictions on foreign investments and on
repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past,
some Eastern European 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 occur in 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.
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
60
APPENDIX
A
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 Funds
currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by
these techniques.
Risks Specific to Brazil.
In addition to the
risks listed above, investing in Brazil presents additional
risks. Inflationary, political, economic, legal and currency
risks have contributed to a high level of price volatility in
the Brazilian equity and currency markets and could adversely
affect the Funds investments. Brazil is heavily dependent
upon commodity prices and international trade and suffers from
high inflation rates. Unanticipated political, economic or
social developments, or environmental risks and natural
disasters may result in sudden and significant investment losses.
The Brazilian government has exercised and continues to exercise
substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector
through legislation and regulation, including regulation of
prices and wages. Foreign investors in Brazil are affected by
Brazilian laws that impose certain additional limitations and
controls. Exchange control regulations may limit the Funds
ability to make sufficient distributions, within applicable time
periods, to qualify for the favorable U.S. tax treatment
afforded to regulated investment companies. Additional economic
reforms or modifications by the Brazilian government to their
existing monetary and fiscal policies may adversely affect the
liquidity of the Brazilian capital markets in the future.
Additionally, the market for Brazilian securities is influenced
by the flow of international capital, and economic and market
conditions of certain countries. Adverse economic conditions or
developments in other emerging market countries have at times
significantly affected the availability of credit in the
Brazilian economy and resulted in considerable outflows of funds
and declines in the amount of foreign currency invested in
Brazil.
61
Brazil has historically experienced high rates of inflation and
may continue to do so in the future. Increased prices for
commodities, the depreciation of the Brazilian currency and
future government measures seeking to maintain the value of
Brazilian currency in relation to the U.S. dollar may
trigger increases in inflation in Brazil and may slow the rate
of growth of the Brazilian economy. Inflationary pressures also
may limit the ability of certain Brazilian issuers to access
foreign financial markets and may lead to further government
intervention in the economy.
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 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,
62
APPENDIX
A
the values of assets or economic factors, the Fund may suffer a
loss, which may be substantial.
Risks of Derivative Investments.
The Fund may
invest in derivative instruments including without limitation,
equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes,
options, 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. Losses may also arise if the Funds receive
cash collateral under the transactions and some or all of that
collateral is invested in the market. To the extent that cash
collateral is so invested, such collateral will be subject to
market depreciation or appreciation, and the Fund may be
responsible for any loss that might result from its investment
of the counterpartys cash collateral. 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 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 as are associated
with a direct investment in the underlying security, currency or
market that they seek to replicate. In addition,
63
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.
Risks of Large Shareholder
Redemptions.
Certain funds, accounts, individuals
or Goldman Sachs affiliates 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.
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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Both domestic and foreign
securities that are not readily marketable
|
|
n
|
Certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities
|
|
n
|
Repurchase agreements and time
deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
|
|
n
|
Certain over-the-counter options
|
|
n
|
Certain private investments in
public equity (PIPEs)
|
|
n
|
Certain structured securities and
swap transactions
|
|
n
|
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).
|
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
64
APPENDIX
A
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% 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% 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?
Non-Diversification and Geographic Concentration
Risks.
The Fund is classified as a
nondiversified fund under the Investment Company Act
and is, therefore, 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. In addition, the Fund is expected to invest
primarily in a portfolio of equity investments in Brazil or in
issuers that participate in the markets of Brazil. Concentration
of the investments of this Fund in issuers located in a
particular country or region will subject the Fund, to a greater
extent than if investments were less concentrated, to losses
arising from adverse developments affecting those issuers or
countries.
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, 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
65
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.
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities rated BB or Ba or
below (or comparable unrated securities) which are commonly
referred to as junk bonds. Junk bonds are considered
speculative and may be questionable as to principal and interest
payments.
In some cases, junk bonds may be highly speculative, have poor
prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in
default. As a result, investment in such bonds will present
greater speculative risks than those associated with investment
in investment grade bonds. Also, to the extent that the rating
assigned to a security in the Funds portfolio is
downgraded by a rating organization, the market price and
liquidity of such security may be adversely affected.
Risks of IPOs.
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
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APPENDIX
A
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 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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n
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U.S. Government Securities
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n
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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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n
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Certificates of deposit
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n
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Bankers acceptances
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n
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Repurchase agreements
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n
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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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n
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Cash
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n
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Cash Equivalents
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n
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Certain ETFs
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When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments,
the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
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 objectives and
policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
Other Investment Companies.
The Fund may
invest in securities of other investment companies, including
ETFs, 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 the Funds total
assets in securities of any one investment company or more than
10% of its
67
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 passively-managed 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 also invest in
certain 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 (including ETFs), in addition to the fees and expenses
regularly borne by the Fund. 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.
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
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APPENDIX
A
companies are more speculative and entail greater risk than do
investments in companies with an established operating record.
Direct Equity Investment.
The Fund may invest
up to 5% of its total assets in direct equity investments. 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. 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.
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 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.
69
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
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
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APPENDIX
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.
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 may issue
securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and
Euro obligations) as well as other non-U.S. dollar
currencies. 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.).
Bank Obligations.
The Fund may invest in
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank
obligations, including without limitation, time deposits,
bankers acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be
general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the
issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by
government regulations. Banks are subject to extensive but
different governmental regulations which may limit both the
amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates
which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the
banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and
cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations
under prevailing money market conditions. General economic
conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from
possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important
part in the operation of this industry.
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 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.
U.S. Government Securities are deemed to include
(a) securities for which the payment of principal and
interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of
71
credit issued by the U.S. government, its agencies,
authorities or instrumentalities; and (b) participations in
loans made to foreign governments or their agencies that are so
guaranteed. Certain of these participations may be regarded as
illiquid.
U.S. Government Securities have historically involved
little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However,
no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will
provide financial support to U.S. government agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is
not obligated to do so by law.
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 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.
Mortgage-Backed Securities.
The Fund may
invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities
represent direct or indirect participations in, or are
collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by
real property. Mortgage-backed securities can be backed by
either fixed rate mortgage loans or adjustable rate mortgage
loans, and may be issued by either a governmental or
non-governmental entity. The value of some mortgage-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. The value of these securities may
also fluctuate in response to the markets perception of
the creditworthiness of the issuers. Early repayment of
principal on mortgage- or asset-backed securities may expose the
Fund to the risk of earning a lower rate of return upon
reinvestment of principal.
Privately-issued mortgage pass-through securities generally
offer a higher yield than similar securities issued by a
government entity because of the absence of any direct or
indirect government or agency payment guarantees. However,
timely payment of interest and principal on mortgage loans in
these pools may be supported by various other forms of insurance
or guarantees, including individual loan, pool and hazard
insurance, subordination and letters of credit. Such insurance
and guarantees may be
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APPENDIX
A
issued by private insurers, banks and mortgage poolers. There is
no assurance that private guarantors or insurers, if any, will
meet their obligations. Mortgage-backed securities without
insurance or guarantees may also be purchased by the Fund if
they have the required rating from an NRSRO. Some
mortgage-backed securities issued by private organizations may
not be readily marketable, may be more difficult to value
accurately and may be more volatile than similar securities
issued by a government entity.
Mortgage-backed securities may include multiple class
securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations
(CMOs) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit
(REMIC) pass-through or participation certificates.
A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment and
invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in
real property and other permitted investments. CMOs provide an
investor with a specified interest in the cash flow from a pool
of underlying mortgages or of other mortgage-backed securities.
CMOs are issued in multiple classes each with a specified fixed
or floating interest rate and a final scheduled distribution
rate. In many cases, payments of principal are applied to the
CMO classes in the order of their respective stated maturities,
so that no principal payments will be made on a CMO class until
all other classes having an earlier stated maturity date are
paid in full.
Sometimes, however, CMO classes are parallel pay,
i.e.
, payments of principal are made to two or more
classes concurrently. In some cases, CMOs may have the
characteristics of a stripped mortgage-backed security whose
price can be highly volatile. CMOs may exhibit more or less
price volatility and interest rate risk than other types of
mortgage-related obligations, and under certain interest rate
and payment scenarios, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its
investment in certain of these securities regardless of their
credit quality.
Mortgaged-backed securities also include stripped
mortgage-backed securities (SMBS), which are
derivative multiple class mortgage-backed securities. SMBS are
usually structured with two different classes: one that receives
substantially all of the interest payments and the other that
receives substantially all of the principal payments from a pool
of mortgage loans. The market value of SMBS consisting entirely
of principal payments generally is unusually volatile in
response to changes in interest rates. The yields on SMBS that
receive all or most of the interest from mortgage loans are
generally higher than prevailing market yields on other
mortgage-backed securities because their cash flow patterns are
more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial
investment will not be fully recouped. Throughout 2008, the
market for mortgage-backed securities began experiencing
substantially, often dramatically, lower valuations and greatly
reduced liquidity. Markets for other asset-backed securities
have also been affected. These instruments
73
are increasingly subject to liquidity constraints, price
volatility, credit downgrades and unexpected increases in
default rates and, therefore, may be more difficult to value and
more difficult to dispose of than previously. These events may
have an adverse effect on the Fund to the extent it invests in
mortgage-backed or other fixed income securities or instruments
affected by the volatility in the fixed income markets.
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Fund may invest
in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are
securities whose principal and interest payments are
collateralized by pools of assets such as auto loans, credit
card receivables, leases, installment contracts and personal
property. Asset-backed securities may also include home equity
line of credit loans and other second-lien mortgages.
Asset-backed 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. Asset-backed securities
present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed
securities. This is because asset-backed securities generally do
not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that
is comparable to mortgage assets. Some asset-backed securities
have only a subordinated claim or security interest in
collateral. 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. In the event of a default, the Fund may
suffer a loss if it cannot sell collateral quickly and receive
the amount it is owed. There is no guarantee that private
guarantors, or insurers of an asset-backed security, if any,
will meet their obligations. The value of some asset-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. Asset-backed securities may also be
subject to increased volatility and may become illiquid and more
difficult to value even when there is no default or threat of
default due to the markets perception of the credit
worthiness of the issuers and market conditions impacting
asset-backed securities more generally.
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 net assets.
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APPENDIX
A
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.
Structured securities include, but are not limited to, equity
linked notes. An equity linked note is a note whose performance
is tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks.
Equity linked notes combine the principal protection normally
associated with fixed income investments with the potential for
capital appreciation normally associated with equity
investments. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally
receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation
of the linked securities. Depending on the terms of the note,
equity linked notes may also have a cap or
floor on the maximum principal amount to be repaid
to holders, irrespective of the performance of the underlying
linked securities. For example, a note may guarantee the
repayment of the original principal amount invested (even if the
underlying linked securities have negative performance during
the notes term), but may cap the maximum payment at
maturity at a certain percentage of the issuance price or the
return of the underlying linked securities. Alternatively, the
note may not guarantee a full return on the original principal,
but may offer a greater participation in any capital
appreciation of the underlying linked securities. The terms of
an equity linked note may also provide for periodic interest
payments to holders at either a fixed or floating rate. The
secondary market for
75
equity linked notes may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in
the secondary market may make these securities difficult to
dispose of and to value. Equity linked notes will be considered
equity securities for purposes of the Funds investment
objective and policies.
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
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.
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APPENDIX
A
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 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, and 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 Investment Company 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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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 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.
Equity Swaps, Index Swaps and Currency
Swaps.
The Fund may invest in equity swaps, index
swaps and currency 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. Index
swaps allow one party or both parties to a swap agreement to
receive one or more payments based off of the return,
performance or volatility of an index or of certain securities
which comprise the index. Currency swaps involve the exchange of
the parties respective rights to make or receive payments
in specified currencies.
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
a swap (such as the dividends on a common stock of an equity
swap) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Furthermore, the Fund may suffer a loss if the
78
APPENDIX
A
counterparty defaults. Because 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 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.
79
Short Sales Against-the-Box.
The Fund may
make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box
means that at all times when a short position is open the Fund
will own an equal amount of securities sold short, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any
further consideration, an equal amount of the securities of the
same issuer as the securities sold short.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase
Rights.
The Fund may invest in preferred stock,
warrants and stock purchase rights (or 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 holders of warrants and
rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no
rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
80
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of
this Prospectus, financial highlights are not available.
81
[This page intentionally left
blank]
Brazil 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 reports, 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 (and 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 Fund 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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n
By
telephone:
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1-800-621-2550
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1-800-526-7384
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n
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
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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 811-5349.
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
BRAZILPRO11
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Prospectus
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April 29,
2011
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GOLDMAN
SACHS SINGLE COUNTRY FUNDS
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n
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Goldman Sachs
China Equity Fund
n
Class A
Shares: GNIAX
n
Class C
Shares: GNICX
n
Institutional
Shares: GNIIX
n
Class IR
Shares: GNIRX
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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 THE FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT
INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND INVOLVES
INVESTMENT RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN THE FUND.
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Table of
Contents
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1
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Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund Summary
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8
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Investment Management Approach
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14
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Risks of the Fund
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21
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Service Providers
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26
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Dividends
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27
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Shareholder Guide
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27
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How
To Buy Shares
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41
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How
To Sell Shares
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54
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Taxation
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57
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Appendix A
Additional Information on Portfolio Risks, Securities and
Techniques
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85
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Appendix B
Financial Highlights
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86
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Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the
Investment Adviser
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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 China Equity FundSummary
Investment
Objective
The Goldman Sachs China 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 38 of this Prospectus and Other Information
Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions,
Exchanges and Dividends beginning on page B-84 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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5.5%
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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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1.0%
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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
(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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1.10%
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1.10%
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1.10%
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1.10%
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
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0.25%
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1.00%
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None
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None
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Other
Expenses
2
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0.96%
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0.96%
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0.81%
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0.96%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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2.31%
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3.06%
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1.91%
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2.06%
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Expense Limitation
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(0.41)%
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(0.41)%
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(0.41)%
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(0.41)%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense
Limitation
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1.90%
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2.65%
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1.50%
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1.65%
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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 Other
Expenses have been estimated to reflect expenses expected
to be incurred during the first fiscal year.
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3
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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
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1
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custody and transfer agent fee
credit reductions) to 0.364% of the Funds average daily
net assets through at least April 29, 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 $10,000 in Class A,
Class C, Institutional and/or Class IR Shares of the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
Class A, Class C, Institutional and/or Class IR
Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes
that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Funds operating expenses remain the same (except that the
Example incorporates expense limitation arrangements for only
the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or
lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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Class A Shares
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$
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732
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$
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1,195
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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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368
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$
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907
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Assuming no redemption
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$
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268
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$
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907
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Institutional Shares
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$
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153
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$
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560
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Class IR Shares
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$
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168
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$
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606
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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 will be reflected in the Funds
performance.
Principal
Strategy
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 that are tied economically to
China or in issuers that participate in the markets of China.
The Investment Adviser considers an equity investment to be tied
economically to China if the investment is included in an index
representative of China, the investments returns are
linked to the performance of such an index, or the investment is
exposed to the economic risks and returns of China.
An issuer participates in the markets of China if the issuer:
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n
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in China;
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in China;
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2
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n
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Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
China; or
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n
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in China.
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The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs), Taiwanese Depositary Receipts
(TDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in investments in developed countries and
emerging countries other than China, including non-investment
grade fixed income securities.
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
Currency Risk.
Changes in currency exchange
rates may adversely affect the value of the Funds
securities denominated in foreign currencies. Currency exchange
rates can be volatile. The Fund may from time to time attempt to
hedge all or a portion of its currency risk using a variety of
techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options.
However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and
in certain cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not
used a hedging instrument.
Depositary Receipts Risk.
Foreign securities
may trade in the form of depositary receipts, including ADRs,
GDRs, EDRs and TDRs (collectively, Depositary
Receipts). In addition to the risks inherent in the
underlying securities represented by the Depositary Receipts, in
some situations there may be an increased possibility that the
Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to
corporate actions involving the foreign issuer in a timely
manner. Also, a 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.
Derivatives Risk.
Loss may result from the
Funds investments in equity swaps, equity index swaps,
futures, participation notes, options and structured securities
and other derivative instruments. These instruments may be
illiquid, difficult to price and 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.
Emerging Countries Risk.
The securities
markets of 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.
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.
Greater China Risk.
Investing in Greater
China (the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong and
Taiwan) involves a higher degree of risk and special
considerations not typically associated with investing in other
more established economies or securities markets. The
Funds investment exposure to Greater China may subject the
Fund, to a greater extent than if investments were made in
developed countries, to the risks of adverse securities markets,
exchange rates and social, political, regulatory, economic or
environmental events or natural disasters which may occur in the
China region. The economy, industries, and securities and
currency markets of Greater China may be adversely impacted by
protectionist trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide,
dependence on exports and international trade, increasing
competition from Asias other low-cost emerging economies,
political and social instability, regional and global
4
conflicts, terrorism and war, including actions that are
contrary to the interests of the U.S.
The securities markets of the Peoples Republic of China
and Taiwan are emerging markets characterized by a relatively
small number of equity issues and relatively low trading volume,
resulting in substantially less liquidity and greater price
volatility and potentially fewer investment opportunities for
the Fund. The government of the Peoples Republic of China
exercises significant control over the economy, and may alter
laws or policies or discontinue economic reforms at any time.
Taiwan and Hong Kong do not exercise the same level of control
over their economies as does the Peoples Republic of
China, but changes to their political and economic relationships
with the Peoples Republic of China could adversely impact
the Funds investments in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Industry Concentration Risk.
The Fund will
not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds total
assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their
principal business activities in the same industry, except that,
to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the
Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the Fund
may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
Liquidity Risk.
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.
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.
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Risk.
The securities of
mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve
greater risks than those associated with 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.
NAV Risk.
The net asset value
(NAV) of the Fund and the value of your investment
may fluctuate.
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.
5
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.
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.
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:
Alina Chiew, CFA, Managing
Director, Head of Greater China Equity, has managed the Fund
since 2011; and Nathan Lin, Executive Director, Greater China
Equity, has managed the Fund since 2011.
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 alone or in combination with other
assets under the management of GSAMI and its affiliates for
certain other types of investors. There may be no minimum for
initial purchases of Institutional Shares for certain retirement
accounts or for initial purchases of 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. Investments through tax-deferred
arrangements may become taxable upon withdrawal.
6
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.
7
Investment Management Approach
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The China Equity Fund seeks long term capital appreciation. The
Funds investment objective may be changed without
shareholder approval upon sixty days notice.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its Net Assets in a portfolio of equity investments that are
tied economically to China or in issuers that participate in the
markets of China. The Investment Adviser considers an equity
investment to be tied economically to China if the investment is
included in an index representative of China, the
investments returns are linked to the performance of such
an index, or the investment is exposed to the economic risks and
returns of China.
An issuer participates in the markets of China if the issuer:
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|
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|
n
|
Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in China;
|
|
n
|
Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in China;
|
|
n
|
Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
China; or
|
|
n
|
Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in China.
|
To the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission
(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.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs), Taiwanese Depositary Receipts
(TDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics, to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
8
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in developed country investments and other
emerging country investments, including non-investment grade
fixed income securities.
The Funds benchmark index is the
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD). The
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) is a free-float
adjusted market capitalization weighted index that is designed
to measure the equity market performance of China. The
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) offers an
exhaustive representation of the Chinese market by targeting all
companies with a market capitalization within the top 85% of the
China investable equity universe, subject to a global minimum
size requirement. The
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) is based on the
Global Investable Market Indices methodology. As of the end of
January 2011, it consisted of 141 constituents and its
three largest sectors by component weighting were financials,
energy and telecommunications services. The
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) does not reflect
any deductions of expenses associated with mutual funds such as
management fees and other expenses.
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
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (U.S.
Government Securities), commercial paper rated at
9
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
Greater China Equity Investment Philosophy:
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Belief
|
|
How the
Investment Adviser Acts on This Belief
|
n
|
|
Excess returns can be generated by conducting thorough
fundamental research and individual stock selection
|
|
Seeks to generate excess returns through an intensive research
culture and a strong commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources around the world.
|
n
|
|
A team-based approach enriches debate and enhances the quality
of investment decisions
|
|
Conducts proprietary stock level research in a team-orientated
regional structure with frequent, open communication and
frontline decision-making.
|
n
|
|
Focused and differentiated portfolios provide the greatest
potential to generate excess returns
|
|
Builds portfolios that are reflective of the teams best
investment ideas so that the majority of excess returns are
driven by stock selection.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GSAMIs Greater China 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.
10
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
|
|
|
|
|
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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|
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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 objectives.
Numbers in the tables show allowable usage only; for actual
usage, consult the Funds annual/semi-annual reports (when
available). 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 fifteen
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.
11
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
China
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Practices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
|
33
1
/
3
|
|
|
|
Cross Hedging of Currencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
|
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|
|
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|
Direct Equity
Investments
*
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
Equity, Index and Currency Swaps and Options on Such
Swaps
*
|
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|
|
|
|
Foreign Currency Transactions (including forward contracts)
|
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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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|
|
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|
Investment Company Securities (including exchange-traded
funds)
**
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
Options on
Foreign
Currencies
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Securities and Securities
Indices
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchase Agreements
|
|
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|
Unseasoned Companies
|
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|
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|
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
**
|
|
This percentage limitation does
not apply to the Funds investments 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.
|
1
|
|
The Fund may purchase and sell
call and put options on foreign currencies.
|
2
|
|
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.
|
12
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
China
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
American, European and Global Depositary Receipts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
Obligations
1,2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Convertible Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate Debt
Obligations
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emerging Country Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Investments
|
|
80+
|
|
|
|
Fixed Income
Securities
4
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
Foreign Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed Income
Securities
1,3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Structured Securities (which may include equity linked
notes)
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temporary Investments
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
U.S. Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
1
|
|
Limited by the amount the Fund
invests in fixed income securities.
|
2
|
|
Issued by U.S. or foreign
banks.
|
3
|
|
May be BB or lower by Standard
& Poors, Ba or lower by Moodys or have a
comparable rating by another NRSRO at the time of
investment.
|
4
|
|
The Fund may invest in the
aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in: (i) fixed income
securities of private and government Chinese issuers;
(ii) equity and fixed income investments in non-Chinese
issuers.
|
13
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
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.
|
|
|
|
|
China
|
ü
Principal
Risk
|
|
Equity
|
Additional
Risk
|
|
Fund
|
Credit/Default
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currency
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Depositary Receipts
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Derivatives
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Emerging Countries
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign Custody
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greater China
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Industry Concentration
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Style
|
|
|
|
|
|
IPO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value (NAV)
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Diversification
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed-Income Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
Credit/Default
Risk
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.
|
14
RISKS
OF THE FUND
The credit quality of the Funds portfolio securities may
meet the Funds credit quality requirements at the time of
purchase but then deteriorate thereafter, and such a
deterioration can occur rapidly. In certain instances, the
downgrading or default of a single holding or guarantor of the
Funds holding may impair the Funds liquidity and
have the potential to cause significant NAV deterioration.
|
|
n
|
Currency
Risk
Changes in
currency exchange rates may adversely affect the value of the
Funds securities denominated in foreign currencies.
Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among
other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the
actions of the U.S. and
non-U.S. governments
or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and
speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is
different from the currency of the country where the issuer is
domiciled. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the
U.S. dollar, the value of securities denominated in that
foreign currency generally decreases in terms of
U.S. dollars. If the Fund does not correctly anticipate
changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a
result. The Fund may from time to time attempt to hedge all or a
portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques,
including currency futures, forwards and options. However, these
instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain
cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used a
hedging instrument. For most emerging market currencies,
suitable hedging instruments may not be available.
|
n
|
Depositary Receipts
Risk
Foreign
securities may trade in the form of Depositary Receipts. 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.
|
n
|
Derivatives
Risk
Loss may
result from the Funds investments in equity swaps, equity
index swaps, futures, participation notes, options and
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.
|
n
|
Emerging Countries
Risk
The
securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid, are
especially subject to greater price volatility, have smaller
market
|
15
|
|
|
capitalizations, have more or 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. Further, investment in equity
securities of issuers located in certain emerging countries
involves risk of loss resulting from problems in share
registration and custody and substantial economic and political
disruptions. These risks are not normally associated with
investment in more developed countries.
|
|
|
n
|
Foreign
Risk
When the
Fund invests in foreign securities, it may 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 or
from problems in security registration or settlement and
custody. Foreign risks will normally be greatest when the Fund
invests in issuers located in emerging countries.
|
n
|
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, or 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 China and other
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.
|
n
|
Greater China
Risk
Investing
in Greater China (the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong
and Taiwan) involves a higher degree of risk and special
considerations not typically associated with investing in other
more established economies or securities markets. The
Funds investment exposure to Greater China may subject the
Fund, to a greater extent than if investments were made in
developed countries, to the risks of adverse securities markets,
exchange rates and social, political, regulatory, economic or
environmental events and natural disasters which may occur in
the China region. The economy, industries, and securities and
currency markets of Greater China may be adversely affected by
protectionist trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide,
dependence on exports and international trade, increasing
competition from Asias other low-cost emerging economies,
political and social instability, regional and global conflicts,
terrorism and war, including actions that are contrary to the
interests of the U.S. In addition, currency fluctuations,
currency convertibility, interest rate fluctuations and higher
rates of inflation as a result of internal social unrest or
conflicts with other countries have
|
16
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies
and securities markets of Greater China.
|
The securities markets of the Peoples Republic of China
and Taiwan are emerging markets characterized by a relatively
small number of equity issues and relatively low trading volume,
resulting in substantially less liquidity and greater price
volatility and potentially fewer investment opportunities for
the Fund. The universe of share issues currently available to
foreign investors in the Peoples Republic of China may be
limited as compared with the universe of equity securities
available in other markets. The government of the Peoples
Republic of China exercises significant control over the
economy, and may at any time alter or discontinue economic
reforms. Investments in Greater China are subject to the risk of
confiscatory taxation, nationalization or expropriation of
assets, potentially frequent changes in the law, and imperfect
information because companies in the China region may not be
subject to the same disclosure, accounting, auditing and
financial reporting standards and practices as
U.S. companies. The willingness and ability of the Chinese
government to support Hong Kong and Chinese markets is
uncertain. Taiwan and Hong Kong do not exercise the same level
of control over their economies as does the Peoples
Republic of China, but changes to their political and economic
relationships with the Peoples Republic of China could
adversely impact the Funds investments in Taiwan and Hong
Kong.
|
|
n
|
Industry Concentration
Risk
The Fund
will not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds
total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry, except
that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of
the Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the
Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
|
|
|
n
|
Interest Rate
Risk
When
interest rates increase, fixed income securities held by the
Fund may decline in value. Long-term fixed income securities
will normally have more price volatility because of this risk
than short-term fixed income securities.
|
n
|
Investment Style
Risk
Different
investment styles (
e.g.
, growth,
value or quantitative) tend to shift in
and out of favor depending upon market and economic conditions
as well as investor sentiment. The Fund intends to employ a
blend of growth and value investment styles depending on market
conditions, either of which may fall out of favor from time to
time. The Fund may outperform or underperform other funds that
invest in similar asset classes but employ different investment
styles.
|
17
|
|
n
|
IPO
Risk
The market
value of IPO shares may 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.
|
n
|
Liquidity
Risk
The Fund
may invest to a greater degree in securities or instruments that
trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less
liquid than other investments. Also, 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 security or instrument at all. An
inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely
affect the Funds value or prevent the Fund from being able
to take advantage of other investment opportunities.
|
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. The Fund
reserves the right to meet redemption requests through in-kind
distributions. While the Fund may pay redemptions in-kind in the
future, the Fund may instead choose to raise cash to meet
redemption requests through sales of portfolio securities or
permissible borrowings. If the Fund is forced to sell securities
at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, such
sales may adversely affect the Funds NAV.
Certain shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the
Investment Adviser and/or other funds managed by the Investment
Adviser, may from time to time own or control a significant
percentage of the Funds shares. Redemptions by these
shareholders of their shares of the Fund may further increase
the Funds liquidity risk and may impact the Funds
NAV. These shareholders may include, for example, institutional
investors, fund-of-funds, discretionary advisory clients, and
other shareholders whose buy-sell decisions are controlled by a
single decision-maker.
Because the Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities, small and mid- capitalization stocks, REITs and
emerging country issuers, it is 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
18
RISKS
OF THE FUND
disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of adverse
economic, market or political events, or adverse investor
perceptions whether or not accurate.
|
|
n
|
Management
Risk
A strategy
used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended
results.
|
n
|
Market
Risk
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.
|
n
|
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap
Risk
The
securities of
mid-capitalization
and
small-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-capitalization and small-capitalization
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.
|
n
|
NAV
Risk
The NAV of
the Fund and the value of your investment may fluctuate.
|
n
|
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.
|
n
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed
Income Securities
Risk
The Fund
may invest in non-investment grade fixed income securities
(commonly known as junk bonds) that are considered
speculative. Non-investment grade fixed income securities and
unrated securities of comparable credit quality are subject to
the increased risk of an issuers inability to meet
principal and interest payment obligations. These securities may
be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as
specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate
sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets
generally and less secondary market liquidity.
|
n
|
Participation Notes
Risk
The Fund
will use participation notes to gain exposure to certain markets
it cannot invest directly in. 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.
|
19
|
|
|
The Fund 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.
|
|
|
n
|
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.
|
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.
20
Service Providers
INVESTMENT
ADVISER
|
|
|
Investment
Adviser
|
|
Fund
|
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International
(GSAMI)
Christchurch Court
10-15
Newgate Street
London, England EC1A 7HD
|
|
China Equity
|
|
|
|
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
December 31, 2010, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.
(GSAM), including its investment advisory
affiliates, one of which is GSAMI, had assets under management
of $717.1 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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Supervises all non-advisory
operations of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides personnel to perform
necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the
Fund
|
|
n
|
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
|
|
n
|
Maintains the records of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services
|
21
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fee
|
|
Average Daily
|
Fund
|
|
Annual
Rate
|
|
Net
Assets
|
China Equity
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
First $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.99
|
%
|
|
Next $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.94
|
%
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.92
|
%
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
0.90
|
%
|
|
Over $8 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Investment Adviser may waive a portion of its management fee
from time to time, and may discontinue or modify any such
waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee
waiver arrangements in place.
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 for the period
ended April 30, 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 and transfer agent fee credit reductions) to
0.364% of the Funds average daily net assets through at
least April 29, 2012, and prior to such date the Investment
Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval
of the Board of Trustees. This expense limitation may be
modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its
discretion and without shareholder approval after such date,
although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do
so.
FUND
MANAGERS
Greater
China Equity Portfolio Management Team
|
|
|
|
n
|
Our investment philosophy is
reflected in our intensive research culture and our strong
commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources. Our research team comprises
7 investment professionals, including portfolio managers
and research analysts, organized into regional teams and based
on the ground in Hong Kong and Shanghai. These professionals
provide research, monitor portfolio positions,
|
22
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
|
|
|
|
|
and give portfolio construction advice. However, GSAMI is
ultimately responsible for the investment decisions in the
portfolio.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
We believe our
on-the-ground
research presence better positions our research analysts to
generate strong and compelling investment ideas through a keener
understanding of local customs, greater and more frequent access
to corporate managements, and immediate access to local capital
markets and news flow.
|
|
n
|
The Portfolio Manager is
responsible for leading and working closely with the research
analysts to foster discussion, debate and analysis of investment
ideas. This
first-hand
intensive research effort is captured in our portfolios through
a disciplined investment process which results in highly focused
portfolios comprising our most compelling individual stock ideas.
|
|
n
|
For 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Primarily
|
|
|
Name and
Title
|
|
Fund
Responsibility
|
|
Responsible
|
|
Five Year
Employment History
|
Alina Chiew, CFA
Managing Director; Head of Greater China Equity
|
|
Portfolio Manager
China Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Ms. Chiew is responsible for GSAMs Greater China
Equity strategies. She joined the GSAM Greater China Equity team
as a Research Analyst in April 2006 and became the Head of
Greater China Equity in 2010. Prior to joining GSAM,
Ms. Chiew was Head of Research with CITIC Frontier China
Research in Shanghai beginning March 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nathan Lin,
Executive Director; Greater China Equity
|
|
Portfolio Manager
China Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Mr. Lin joined the GSAM Greater China Equity Research
Team as a Research Analyst in April 2008. Before joining GSAM,
Mr. Lin was an analyst at RCM Asset Management (Hong Kong)
responsible for technology stocks within the Asian region
beginning August 2006. Prior to that he was a portfolio manager
covering the technology sector at Alliance Global Investors
(Taiwan) beginning in 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alina Chiew, CFA, Head of the Greater China Equity team, is
ultimately responsible for the Funds investment process.
Nathan Lin, member of the Greater China Equity team, is
responsible for the Funds Technology and Telecom sector.
23
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 the
Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with
respect to the Class A, Class C and Class IR
Shares.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may
purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates reserve the right to redeem at any time some or all
of the shares acquired for their own accounts.
|
|
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 worldwide
full service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management
and financial services organization and a major participant in
global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial
services to a substantial and diversified client base that
includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and
high-net-worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, financier,
advisor, market maker, prime broker, derivatives dealer, lender,
counterparty, agent and principal. In those and other
capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and
transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad
array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans,
commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets
and other financial instruments and products for its own account
or for the accounts of its customers and has other direct and
indirect interests, in the global fixed income, currency,
commodity, equities, bank loan and other markets and the
securities and issuers in which the Fund may directly and
indirectly invest. 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 certain of its affiliates are the
managers of the Goldman Sachs Funds. The Investment Adviser and
24
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
its affiliates earn fees from this and other relationships with
the Fund. Although these fees are generally based on asset
levels, the fees are not directly contingent on Fund
performance, and Goldman Sachs would still receive significant
compensation from the Fund even if shareholders lose money.
Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in 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 activities or strategies, or the activities or
strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the
benefit of the management of the Fund. 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 Goldman Sachs or other accounts. In addition,
the Fund may 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,
individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact the Fund.
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 effect 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 or
who engage in transactions with or for the Fund. For more
information about conflicts of interest, see the SAI.
The Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs
and its affiliates in connection with the Funds portfolio
investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.
25
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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Cash
|
|
n
|
Additional shares of the same class
of the same Fund
|
|
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 (either directly or through your
Authorized Institution) at any time before the record date for a
particular dividend or distribution. If you do not indicate any
choice, your dividends and distributions will be reinvested
automatically in the Fund. If cash dividends are elected with
respect to the Funds annual dividends from net investment
income, 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.
Distributions from net investment income and net capital gains,
if any, 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.
26
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.
Note: Authorized Institutions may receive different
compensation for selling different class shares.
The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the
amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and
your personal situation. You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss which share class option 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, or cash or
cash equivalents;
e.g.
, cashiers
27
checks, official bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or
credit card checks. 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 Fund.
Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established
under 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 IR Shares are not available to
traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts
(IRAs), SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual
403(b) plans; except that Class IR Shares are available to
such accounts to the extent they are purchased through an
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
*
|
Regular Accounts
|
|
|
$1,000
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employer Sponsored Benefit Plans
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Accounts (UGMA/UTMA)
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Retirement Accounts and Coverdell ESAs
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Automatic Investment Plan Accounts
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
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.
|
28
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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
|
|
|
n
Corporations
with at least $100 million in assets or in outstanding publicly
traded securities
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares or additional investments in Institutional
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
29
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 (
i.e.
, accounts maintained and serviced by your
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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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 other 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
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Authorized Institutions and 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 another
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 such fees, if any, may affect the return such customers
realize with respect to their investments.
30
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may
make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries (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.
31
What
Else Should I Know About Share Purchases?
The Trust reserves the right to:
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Refuse to open an account or
require an Authorized Institution to 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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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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Provide for, modify or waive the
minimum investment requirements.
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Modify the manner in which shares
are offered.
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Modify the sales charge rate
applicable to future purchases of shares.
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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.
Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for
certain states (to which your account may be subject) require
financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property
(including shares of the Fund) to the appropriate state if no
activity occurs in an account for a period of time specified by
state law.
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, for each investor who opens an account
directly with the Fund. Applications without the required
information may not be accepted by the Fund. After accepting an
application, to the extent permitted by
32
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 obtain all required information.
The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in
an investors account or any tax liability resulting from
the investors delay in providing all 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:
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NAV =
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(Value of Assets of the Class)
(Liabilities of the Class)
Number
of Outstanding Shares of the Class
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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
33
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 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 its
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
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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.
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n
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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.
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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.
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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
34
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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, the Funds 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
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Maximum Dealer
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Sales Charge
as
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as Percentage
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Allowance as
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Amount of
Purchase
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Percentage of
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of Net Amount
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Percentage of
|
(including sales
charge, if any)
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Offering
Price
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Invested
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Offering
Price
*
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Less than $50,000
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5.50
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%
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5.82
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%
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5.00
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%
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$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000
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4.75
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4.99
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4.00
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$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000
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3.75
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3.90
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3.00
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$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000
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2.75
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2.83
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2.25
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$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million
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2.00
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2.04
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1.75
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$1 million or more
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0.00
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**
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0.00
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**
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***
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*
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Dealers allowance may be
changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire
sales charge may be allowed to Authorized Institutions.
Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales
charge is allowed may be deemed to be underwriters
under the Securities Act of 1933.
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**
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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.
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35
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***
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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 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 further
below and in the 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:
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(i)
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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;
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(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
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(iii)
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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 $1 million or more 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
36
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
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:
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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;
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Qualified employee benefit plans of
Goldman Sachs;
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Trustees or directors of investment
companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as
sponsor;
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Any employee or registered
representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective
spouses, children and parents;
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Banks, trust companies or other
types of depository institutions;
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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;
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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:
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Buy shares of Goldman Sachs Funds
worth $500,000 or more; or
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Have 100 or more eligible employees
at the time of purchase; or
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Certify that they expect to have
annual plan purchases of shares of Goldman Sachs Funds of
$200,000 or more; or
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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
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Have at the time of purchase
aggregate assets of at least $2,000,000.
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These requirements may be waived at
the discretion of the Trusts officers;
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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;
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Insurance company separate accounts
that make the Fund available as an underlying investment in
certain group annuity contracts;
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37
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n
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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;
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Registered investment advisers
investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees;
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Accounts over which GSAM or its
advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
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n
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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;
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n
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State sponsored 529 college savings
plans; or
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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?
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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
|
38
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
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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, Class B 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, 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.
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n
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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. 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. You must, however, inform the Transfer Agent (either
directly or through your Authorized Institution) 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. The SAI has more
information about the Statement of Intention, which you should
read carefully.
|
39
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 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. A commission 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?
|
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|
n
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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).
|
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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.
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|
n
|
When counting the number of months
since a purchase of Class A or 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.
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|
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.
|
|
n
|
Information about sales charges and
sale charge waivers is available on the Funds website at
www.goldmansachsfunds.com.
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40
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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:
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|
n
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Mandatory retirement distributions
or loans to participants or beneficiaries from Employee Benefit
Plans;
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n
|
Hardship withdrawals by a
participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
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n
|
The separation from service by a
participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
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n
|
Excess contributions distributed
from an Employee Benefit Plan;
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|
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;
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n
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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;
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n
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Satisfying the minimum distribution
requirements of the Code;
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n
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Establishing substantially
equal periodic payments as described under
Section 72(t)(2) of the Code;
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|
n
|
Redemption proceeds which are to be
reinvested in accounts or non-registered products over which
GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
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|
n
|
A systematic withdrawal plan. 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;
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|
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
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n
|
Other redemptions, at the
discretion of the Trusts officers, relating to shares
purchased through Employee Benefit Plans.
|
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
41
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.
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 (a Medallion signature guarantee may be
required). 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:
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|
|
n
|
A request is made in writing to
redeem Class A, Class C or Class IR Shares in an
amount over $50,000 via check;
|
|
n
|
You would like the redemption
proceeds sent to an address that is not your address of record;
or
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|
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 and 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
42
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
be liable for any loss due to unauthorized or fraudulent
transactions. The following general policies are currently in
effect:
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|
n
|
Telephone requests are recorded.
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|
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).
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|
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 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.
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|
n
|
The telephone redemption option
does not apply to shares held in a street name
account. If your account is held in street name, you
should contact your registered representative of record, who may
make telephone redemptions on your behalf.
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|
n
|
The telephone redemption option may
be modified or terminated at any time without prior notice.
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|
n
|
The Fund may redeem via check 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:
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|
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
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43
|
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|
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.
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|
|
|
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.
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|
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.
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|
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:
A shareholder may elect in writing
to receive 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
Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?
The following generally applies to redemption requests:
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|
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 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:
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|
|
|
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.
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44
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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|
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.
|
|
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.
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|
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 at NAV. To be eligible for this
privilege, you must have held the shares you want to redeem for
at least 30 days and you must reinvest the share proceeds
within 90 days after you redeem.
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|
|
|
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.
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|
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.
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45
|
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|
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.
|
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, if
applicable, 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.
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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.
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|
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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46
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
n
|
It may be difficult to make
telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market
conditions.
|
|
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.
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|
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 from
Goldman Sachs 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 Goldman Sachs Fund in shares of the same
class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.
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|
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|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV.
|
|
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.
|
|
n
|
You cannot make cross-reinvestments
into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Funds minimum
initial investment requirement is met.
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|
n
|
You should obtain and read the
prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which dividends are
invested.
|
47
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 to exchange into an
identically registered account or a similarly registered account
provided that at least one name on the account is registered
identically.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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% each of the value of
Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A
shares.
|
48
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 The
Funds Shares?
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a
Plan) under which Class A and Class C
Shares bear distribution
and/or
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
49
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;
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|
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;
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|
n
|
Printing of prospectuses for
prospective shareholders;
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|
n
|
Preparation and distribution of
sales literature or advertising of any type; and
|
|
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 on ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions
immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee
on a quarterly basis.
CLASS
C PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND
FEES
Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to
receive a separate fee equal on an annual basis to 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
50
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plan exceed its
expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this
arrangement.
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 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 other Goldman
Sachs Funds offered in other 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 equity securities 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
51
excessive. Excessive trading activity in the Fund is measured by
the number of round trip transactions in a
shareholders account. A round trip includes a
purchase or exchange into the Fund followed or preceded by a
redemption or exchange out of the same Fund. If the Fund detects
that a shareholder has completed two or more round trip
transactions in a single Fund within a rolling
90-day
period, the Fund may reject or restrict subsequent purchase or
exchange orders by that shareholder permanently. In addition,
the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permanently reject or
restrict purchase or exchange orders by a shareholder if the
Fund detects other trading activity that is deemed to be
disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise harmful to
the Fund. For purposes of these transaction surveillance
procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity in multiple
accounts under common ownership, control, or influence. A
shareholder that has been restricted from participation in the
Fund pursuant to this policy will be allowed to apply for
re-entry after one year. A shareholder applying for re-entry
must provide assurances acceptable to the Fund that the
shareholder will not engage in excessive trading activities in
the future.
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,
Eligible Fee-Based Programs 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 financial 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 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
52
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
53
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 taxable to you as ordinary
income while any distributions of long-term capital gains 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%. 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 of 15%, 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
date. The amount of the Funds distributions that would
otherwise qualify for this favorable tax treatment will be
reduced as a result of 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 2012.
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
54
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 as a result of 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, subject to applicable
limitations, (i) to credit that proportionate amount of
taxes against your U.S. Federal income tax liability as a
foreign tax credit, subject to applicable limitations, 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 long-term 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.
Exchanges within an IRA or other tax-advantaged account will not
result in capital gain or loss for federal or state income tax
purposes.
55
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% (currently
scheduled to increase to 31% after 2012) 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 may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate
tax. However, withholding is generally not required on properly
reported distributions to
non-U.S.
investors of long-term capital gains and, for distributions
before November 1, 2012, of short-term capital gains and
qualified interest income. Although this report will be made for
short-term capital gain distributions, the Fund does not
anticipate making any qualified interest income reports.
Therefore, all distributions of interest income will be subject
to withholding when paid to
non-U.S. investors.
More information about U.S. taxation of
non-U.S. investors
is included in the SAI.
56
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, American, European and Global
Depository Receipts, shares of ETFs and synthetic and derivative
instruments (such as participation notes, swaps, options 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
57
increase. Conversely, if mortgage loan interest rates rise above
the interest rates on 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 Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as junk bonds), which are
rated below investment grade (or determined to be of equivalent
quality, if not rated) at the time of purchase and are therefore
considered speculative. Because non-investment grade fixed
income securities are issued by issuers with low credit ratings,
they pose a greater risk of default than investment grade
securities.
The Investment Adviser will not consider 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 is also likely 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.
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 Investing in Mid-Capitalization and
Small-Capitalization Companies.
The Fund may, to
the extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in
mid- and small-capitalization companies. Investments in mid- and
small-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. Mid- and small-
58
APPENDIX
A
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. Mid- and small-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. Mid- and small-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 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 mid- and small-capitalization companies may be
more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities
because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.
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
59
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.
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, EDRs, TDRs or other similar
instruments representing securities of foreign issuers. ADRs,
GDRs, EDRs and TDRs represent the right to receive
60
APPENDIX
A
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 and TDRs are traded primarily outside the
United States. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars.
EDRs, GDRs and TDRs are not necessarily quoted in the same
currency as the underlying security.
Risks of Emerging Countries.
The Fund may
invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries.
The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer
is located in an emerging country. Emerging countries are
generally located in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and Central and South America. 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
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,
61
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 of restrictions on foreign investments and on
repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past,
some Eastern European 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 occur in 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.
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
62
APPENDIX
A
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 Funds
currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by
these techniques.
Risks Specific to Greater China.
In addition
to the risks listed above, investing in Greater China presents
additional legal, regulatory, monetary economic and
environmental risks.
The Peoples Republic of China is dominated by the
one-party rule of the Communist Party. Investments in the
Peoples Republic of China involve the risk of greater
control over the economy, political and legal uncertainties and
currency fluctuations or blockage. The government of the
Peoples Republic of China exercises significant control
over economic growth through the allocation of resources,
controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations,
setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to
particular industries or companies. For over three decades, the
government of the Peoples Republic of China has been
reforming economic and market practices and providing a larger
sphere for private ownership of property. While currently
contributing to growth and prosperity, the government may decide
not to continue to support these economic reform programs and
could possibly return to the completely centrally planned
economy that existed prior to 1978.
The Chinese government has yet to develop comprehensive
securities, corporate, or commercial laws, and the Chinese
markets are relatively new and undeveloped. Because the legal
system is still developing, it may be more difficult to obtain
or enforce judgments. Chinese companies may not be subject to
the same disclosure, accounting, auditing and financial
reporting standards and practices as U.S. companies. Thus,
there may be less information publicly available about Chinese
companies than about most U.S. companies. Government
supervision and regulation of Chinese stock exchanges, currency
markets, trading systems and brokers may be more or less
rigorous than that present in the U.S. The procedures and
rules governing transactions and custody in Greater China also
may involve delays in
63
payment, delivery or recovery of money or investments. The legal
and regulatory regime in Greater China, especially as it relates
to the securities markets, is constantly evolving, and any
changes may either positively or negatively affect the
performance of the Fund.
Foreign investments in the Peoples Republic of China are
somewhat restricted. Securities listed on the Shanghai and
Shenzhen Stock Exchanges are divided into two classes of shares:
A shares, ownership of which is restricted to Chinese investors
and Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors
(QFIIs) who have obtained QFII quota, and B shares,
which may be owned by Chinese and foreign investors. The Fund
may obtain exposure to the A share market in the Peoples
Republic of China by investing in participatory notes issued by
banks, broker-dealers and other financial institutions, or other
structured or derivative instruments that are designed to
replicate, or otherwise provide exposure to, the performance of
A shares of Chinese companies. The Fund may also invest directly
in B shares on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges.
The economies of the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong
and Taiwan may differ favorably or unfavorably from the
U.S. economy in terms of the rate of growth of gross
domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment,
resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position,
among other measures.
Rapid industrialization in Greater China has led to widespread
environmental degradation. Greater China is also at risk of
certain environmental events and natural disasters including
earthquakes, droughts, floods, and tsunamis and may demonstrate
economic sensitivity to such events.
Hong Kong.
Since Hong Kong reverted to
Chinese sovereignty in 1997, it has been governed by the Basic
Law, a quasi-constitution. The Basic Law guarantees
a high degree of autonomy in certain matters, including
economic, until 2047. Attempts by the government of the
Peoples Republic of China to exert control over Hong
Kongs economic, political or legal structures or its
existing social policy, could negatively affect investor
confidence in Hong Kong, which in turn could negatively affect
markets and business performance. The economy of Hong Kong may
be significantly and adversely affected by increasing
competition from the emerging economies of Asia, including that
of the Peoples Republic of China itself. In addition, the
Hong Kong dollar trades within a fixed trading band rate to (or
is pegged to) the U.S. dollar. This fixed
exchange rate has contributed to the growth and stability of the
economy, but could be discontinued. It is uncertain what affect
any discontinuance of the currency peg and the establishment of
an alternative exchange rate system would have on the Hong Kong
economy.
64
APPENDIX
A
Taiwan.
The political reunification of the
Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan is a highly
problematic issue and is unlikely to be settled in the near
future. This situation, and the continuing hostility between the
Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan, poses a threat to
Taiwans economy and may have an adverse impact on the
value of the Funds investments in both the Peoples
Republic of China and Taiwan. Any escalation of hostility
between the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan would
likely distort Taiwans capital accounts, as well as have a
significant adverse impact on the value of investments in both
countries and in the region.
Taxation.
As a result of investing in the
Peoples Republic of China, the Fund may be subject to
withholding and various other taxes imposed by the Peoples
Republic of China. To date, a 10% withholding tax has been
levied on cash dividends, distributions and interest payments
from companies listed in the Peoples Republic of China to
foreign investors.
However, tax authorities in the Peoples Republic of China
have not clarified certain aspects of the tax treatment of
capital gains arising from securities trading. It is therefore
possible that the relevant tax authorities may in the future
clarify the tax position and impose an income tax or withholding
tax on realized gains from dealing in Peoples Republic of
China equities. In light of this uncertainty and in order to
meet this potential tax liability for capital gains, the
Investment Adviser reserves the right to provide for the
withholding tax on such gains or income and withhold the tax for
the account of the Fund.
The tax law and regulations of the Peoples Republic of
China are constantly changing, and they may be changed with
retrospective effect to the advantage or disadvantage of
shareholders. The interpretation and applicability of the tax
law and regulations by tax authorities may not be as consistent
and transparent as those of more developed nations, and may vary
from region to region. It should also be noted that any
provision for taxation made by the Investment Adviser may be
excessive or inadequate to meet final tax liabilities.
Consequently, shareholders may be advantaged or disadvantaged
depending upon the final tax liabilities, the level of provision
and when they subscribed and/or redeemed their shares of the
Fund.
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.
65
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 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 Derivative Investments.
The Fund may
invest in derivative instruments including without limitation,
equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes,
options, 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. Losses may also arise if the Funds receive
cash collateral under the transactions and some
66
APPENDIX
A
or all of that collateral is invested in the market. To the
extent that cash collateral is so invested, such collateral will
be subject to market depreciation or appreciation, and a Fund
may be responsible for any loss that might result from its
investment of the counterpartys cash collateral. 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 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 as are 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.
Risks of Large Shareholder
Redemptions.
Certain funds, accounts, individuals
or Goldman Sachs affiliates 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.
67
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, including
A shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges
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Certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities
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n
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Repurchase agreements and time
deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
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n
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Certain over-the-counter options
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n
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Certain private investments in
public equity (PIPEs)
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n
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Certain structured securities and
swap transactions
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n
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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% 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% 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
68
APPENDIX
A
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?
Non-Diversification and Geographic Concentration
Risks.
The Fund is classified as a
nondiversified fund under the Investment Company Act
and is, therefore, 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. In addition, the Fund is expected to invest
primarily in a portfolio of equity investments in China or in
issuers that participate in the markets of China. Concentration
of the investments of the Fund in issuers located in a
particular country or region will subject the Fund, to a greater
extent than if investments were less concentrated, to losses
arising from adverse developments affecting those issuers or
countries.
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, 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
69
Adviser will consider which action, including the sale of the
security, is in the best interest of the Fund and its
shareholders.
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities rated BB or Ba or
below (or comparable unrated securities) which are commonly
referred to as junk bonds. Junk bonds are considered
speculative and may be questionable as to principal and interest
payments.
In some cases, junk bonds may be highly speculative, have poor
prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in
default. As a result, investment in such bonds will present
greater speculative risks than those associated with investment
in investment grade bonds. Also, to the extent that the rating
assigned to a security in the Funds portfolio is
downgraded by a rating organization, the market price and
liquidity of such security may be adversely affected.
Risks of IPOs.
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 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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70
APPENDIX
A
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n
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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
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Cash Equivalents
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Certain ETFs
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When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments,
the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
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 objectives and
policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
Other Investment Companies.
The Fund may
invest in securities of other investment companies, including
ETFs, 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 the 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 passively-managed 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
71
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 also invest in
certain 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 (including ETFs), in addition to the fees and expenses
regularly borne by the Fund. 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.
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.
Direct Equity Investment.
The Fund may invest
up to 5% of its total assets in direct equity investments. 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
72
APPENDIX
A
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. 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 Chinese companies 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, particularly in China, 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.
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 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
73
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
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
74
APPENDIX
A
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.
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 may issue
securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and
Euro obligations) as well as other non-U.S. dollar
currencies. 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.).
Bank Obligations.
The Fund may invest in
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank
obligations, including without limitation, time deposits,
bankers acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be
general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the
issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by
government regulations. Banks are subject to extensive but
different governmental regulations which may limit both the
amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates
which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the
banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and
cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations
under prevailing money market conditions. General economic
conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from
possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important
part in the operation of this industry.
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 are traded independently. U.S.
Government Securities may also include Treasury
inflation-protected securities whose principal value is
periodically adjusted according to the
75
rate of inflation. U.S. Government Securities are deemed to
include (a) securities for which the payment of principal
and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued
by the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or
instrumentalities; and (b) participations in loans made to
foreign governments or their agencies that are so guaranteed.
Certain of these participations may be regarded as illiquid.
U.S. Government Securities have historically involved
little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However,
no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will
provide financial support to U.S. government agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is
not obligated to do so by law.
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 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.
Mortgage-Backed Securities.
The Fund may
invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities
represent direct or indirect participations in, or are
collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by
real property. Mortgage-backed securities can be backed by
either fixed rate mortgage loans or adjustable rate mortgage
loans, and may be issued by either a governmental or
non-governmental entity. The value of some mortgage-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. The value of these securities may
also fluctuate in response to the markets perception of
the creditworthiness of the issuers. Early repayment of
principal on mortgage- or asset-backed securities may expose the
Fund to the risk of earning a lower rate of return upon
reinvestment of principal.
Privately-issued mortgage pass-through securities generally
offer a higher yield than similar securities issued by a
government entity because of the absence of any direct or
indirect government or agency payment guarantees. However,
timely payment of interest and principal on mortgage loans in
these pools may be supported by various
76
APPENDIX
A
other forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual
loan, pool and hazard insurance, subordination and letters of
credit. Such insurance and guarantees may be issued by private
insurers, banks and mortgage poolers. There is no assurance that
private guarantors or insurers, if any, will meet their
obligations. Mortgage-backed securities without insurance or
guarantees may also be purchased by the Fund if they have the
required rating from an NRSRO. Some mortgage-backed securities
issued by private organizations may not be readily marketable,
may be more difficult to value accurately and may be more
volatile than similar securities issued by a government entity.
Mortgage-backed securities may include multiple class
securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations
(CMOs) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit
(REMIC) pass-through or participation certificates.
A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment and
invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in
real property and other permitted investments. CMOs provide an
investor with a specified interest in the cash flow from a pool
of underlying mortgages or of other mortgage-backed securities.
CMOs are issued in multiple classes each with a specified fixed
or floating interest rate and a final scheduled distribution
rate. In many cases, payments of principal are applied to the
CMO classes in the order of their respective stated maturities,
so that no principal payments will be made on a CMO class until
all other classes having an earlier stated maturity date are
paid in full.
Sometimes, however, CMO classes are parallel pay,
i.e.
, payments of principal are made to two or more
classes concurrently. In some cases, CMOs may have the
characteristics of a stripped mortgage-backed security whose
price can be highly volatile. CMOs may exhibit more or less
price volatility and interest rate risk than other types of
mortgage-related obligations, and under certain interest rate
and payment scenarios, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its
investment in certain of these securities regardless of their
credit quality.
Mortgaged-backed securities also include stripped
mortgage-backed securities (SMBS), which are
derivative multiple class mortgage-backed securities. SMBS are
usually structured with two different classes: one that receives
substantially all of the interest payments and the other that
receives substantially all of the principal payments from a pool
of mortgage loans. The market value of SMBS consisting entirely
of principal payments generally is unusually volatile in
response to changes in interest rates. The yields on SMBS that
receive all or most of the interest from mortgage loans are
generally higher than prevailing market yields on other
mortgage-backed securities because their cash flow patterns are
more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial
investment will not be fully recouped. Throughout 2008, the
market for mortgage-backed securities began experiencing
77
substantially, often dramatically, lower valuations and greatly
reduced liquidity. Markets for other asset-backed securities
have also been affected. These instruments are increasingly
subject to liquidity constraints, price volatility, credit
downgrades and unexpected increases in default rates and,
therefore, may be more difficult to value and more difficult to
dispose of than previously. These events may have an adverse
effect on the Fund to the extent it invests in mortgage-backed
or other fixed income securities or instruments affected by the
volatility in the fixed income markets.
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Fund may invest
in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are
securities whose principal and interest payments are
collateralized by pools of assets such as auto loans, credit
card receivables, leases, installment contracts and personal
property. Asset-backed securities may also include home equity
line of credit loans and other second-lien mortgages.
Asset-backed 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. Asset-backed securities
present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed
securities. This is because asset-backed securities generally do
not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that
is comparable to mortgage assets. Some asset-backed securities
have only a subordinated claim or security interest in
collateral. 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. In the event of a default, the Fund may
suffer a loss if it cannot sell collateral quickly and receive
the amount it is owed. There is no guarantee that private
guarantors, or insurers of an asset-backed security, if any,
will meet their obligations. The value of some asset-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. Asset-backed securities may also be
subject to increased volatility and may become illiquid and more
difficult to value even when there is no default or threat of
default due to the markets perception of the credit
worthiness of the issuers and market conditions impacting
asset-backed securities more generally.
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
78
APPENDIX
A
emergency purposes. The Fund may not make additional investments
if borrowings exceed 5% of its net assets.
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.
Structured Securities include, but are not limited to, equity
linked notes. An equity linked note is a note whose performance
is tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks.
Equity linked notes combine the principal protection normally
associated with fixed income investments with the potential for
capital appreciation normally associated with equity
investments. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally
receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation
of the linked securities. Depending on the terms of the note,
equity linked notes may also have a cap or
floor on the maximum principal amount to be repaid
to holders, irrespective of the performance of the underlying
linked securities. For example, a note may guarantee the
repayment of the original principal amount invested (even if the
underlying linked securities have negative performance during
the notes term), but may cap the maximum payment at
maturity at a certain percentage of the issuance price or the
return of the underlying linked securities. Alternatively, the
note may not guarantee a full return on the original principal,
but
79
may offer a greater participation in any capital appreciation of
the underlying linked securities. The terms of an equity linked
note may also provide for periodic interest payments to holders
at either a fixed or floating rate. The secondary market for
equity linked notes may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in
the secondary market may make these securities difficult to
dispose of and to value. Equity linked notes will be considered
equity securities for purposes of the Funds investment
objective and policies.
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
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
80
APPENDIX
A
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 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, and 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 Investment Company Act with
respect to the Fund.
Futures contracts and related options and swaps present the
following risks:
|
|
|
|
n
|
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.
|
|
n
|
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.
|
81
|
|
|
|
n
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Futures markets are highly volatile
and the use of futures may increase the volatility of the
Funds NAV.
|
|
n
|
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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n
|
Futures contracts and options and
swaps on futures may be illiquid, and exchanges may limit
fluctuations in futures contract prices during a single day.
|
|
n
|
Foreign exchanges may not provide
the same protection as U.S. exchanges.
|
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 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.
Equity Swaps, Index Swaps and Currency
Swaps.
The Fund may invest in equity swaps, index
swaps and currency 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. Index
swaps allow one party or both parties to a swap agreement to
receive one or more payments based off of the return,
performance or volatility of an index or of certain securities
which comprise the index. Currency swaps involve the exchange of
the parties respective rights to make or receive payments
in specified currencies.
82
APPENDIX
A
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
a swap (such as the dividends on a common stock of an equity
swap) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Furthermore, the Fund may suffer a loss if the counterparty
defaults. Because 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 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
83
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.
Short Sales Against-the-Box.
The Fund may
make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box
means that at all times when a short position is open the Fund
will own an equal amount of securities sold short, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any
further consideration, an equal amount of the securities of the
same issuer as the securities sold short.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase
Rights.
The Fund may invest in preferred stock,
warrants and stock purchase rights or (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 holders of warrants and
rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no
rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
84
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced investment operations as of
the date of this Prospectus, financial highlights are not
available.
85
Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised
Accounts of the Investment Adviser
China Equity
Fund
The Investment Adviser has other advisory accounts that have
investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially
similar to those of the Fund. The following tables set forth the
historical performance data of all accounts managed by the
Investment Adviser with investment objectives, policies and
strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund (the
Composite Account). The information is provided to
illustrate the past performance of the Investment Adviser in
managing the Composite Account as measured against the
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD), and does not
represent the performance of the Fund, which has not commenced
operations. Investors should not consider this performance data
a substitute for the performance of the Fund, nor should
investors consider this data an indication of the future
performance of Fund or of the Investment Adviser. The
MSCI
®
China Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) is unmanaged, and
investors cannot invest directly in the index.
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Composite
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Composite
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Composite
|
|
Account
|
|
Composite
|
|
Account
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|
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|
|
Account
|
|
Performance
|
|
Account
|
|
Performance
|
|
Composite
|
|
Composite
|
|
MSCI
®
|
|
|
Performance
|
|
(applying
|
|
Performance
|
|
(applying
|
|
Account
|
|
Account
|
|
China
|
|
|
(applying
|
|
Class A
|
|
(applying
|
|
Class C
|
|
Performance
|
|
Performance
|
|
Index
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
expenses
|
|
Class C
|
|
expenses
|
|
(applying
|
|
(applying
|
|
(net, total
|
|
|
expenses
|
|
and excluding
|
|
expenses
|
|
and excluding
|
|
Institutional
|
|
Class IR
|
|
return,
|
|
|
and sales
|
|
sales
|
|
and sales
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|
sales
|
|
Shares
|
|
Shares
|
|
unhedged,
|
Calendar
Years
|
|
charge)
|
|
charge)
|
|
charge)
|
|
charge)
|
|
expenses)
|
|
expenses)
|
|
USD)
|
2009
|
|
|
50
|
.31%
|
|
|
59.06%
|
|
|
56
|
.91%
|
|
|
|
57
|
.91%
|
|
|
|
59
|
.67%
|
|
|
|
59
|
.44%
|
|
|
|
62
|
.29%
|
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|
|
|
|
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|
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|
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|
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
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|
|
2010
|
|
|
0
|
.00%
|
|
|
5.82%
|
|
|
4
|
.03%
|
|
|
|
5
|
.03%
|
|
|
|
6
|
.24%
|
|
|
|
6
|
.08%
|
|
|
|
4
|
.63%
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
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86
APPENDIX C
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|
|
Average Annual Total
Returns
|
|
|
for the Periods
Ended 12/31/10
|
|
|
|
|
Since
|
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|
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|
|
|
Inception
|
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|
|
|
1 Year
|
|
03/01/08
*
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
0.00
|
%
|
|
|
-0.92
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
5.82
|
%
|
|
|
1.07
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
4.03
|
%
|
|
|
0.31
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
5.03
|
%
|
|
|
0.31
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Institutional Shares
expenses)
|
|
|
6.24
|
%
|
|
|
1.48
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class IR Shares
expenses)
|
|
|
6.08
|
%
|
|
|
1.32
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Index
|
|
|
4.63
|
%
|
|
|
-1.40
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
This table shows the performance
of the Composite Account since its inception on March 1,
2008. However, the Investment Adviser also managed accounts with
investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially
similar to those of the Fund from September 1, 2007 through
December 31, 2007. During this four-month period, the
performance of this composite, net of the Funds
Class A total annual operating expenses was 6.42% applying
the Class A sales load and 12.62% (excluding the
Class A sales load); the performance of this composite, net
of the Funds Class C total annual operating expenses
and sales charge, was 11.34% (applying the Class C sales
load) and 12.34% (excluding the Class C sales load); the
performance of this composite, net of the Funds
Institutional total annual operating expenses was 12.77%; the
performance of this composite, net of the Funds Class IR
total annual operating expenses was 12.71%; and the performance
of the Index was 15.56%.
|
All returns presented are time-weighted based on monthly
valuations and include the reinvestment of earnings. The
performance information with respect to the Composite Account is
in each instance net of applicable estimated total annual
operating expenses of the Funds Class A.
Class C, Institutional or Class IR Shares (rather than
the actual expenses of the accounts comprising the Composite
Account), without provision for federal and state taxes, if any.
Where indicated, performance reflects the deduction of the
maximum 5.5% front-end sales charge with respect to Class A
Shares and the maximum 1% CDSC with respect to Class C
Shares (the Funds Institutional and Class IR Shares
impose no sales charges). Since fees, commissions, and taxes
will differ for the Composite Account and the Fund, performance
data for identical periods may differ going forward.
The Composite Account is not subject to the same diversification
requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment
limitations imposed on Fund by the Investment Company Act and
Subchapter M of the Code. Consequently, the performance results
of the Investment Advisers Composite Account could have
87
been adversely affected if the Composite Account had been
regulated as an investment company under the federal securities
laws. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be
identical to the securities held by the Composite Account for
the periods shown above. Accordingly, the future performance of
the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite
Account.
88
[This page intentionally left
blank]
China 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 reports, 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 (and 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 Fund 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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n
By
telephone:
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1-800-621-2550
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1-800-526-7384
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n
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
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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 811-5349.
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
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CHINAPRO11
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Prospectus
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April 29, 2011
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GOLDMAN
SACHS SINGLE COUNTRY FUNDS
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n
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Goldman Sachs
India Equity Fund
n
Class A
Shares: GIAAX
n
Class C
Shares: GIACX
n
Institutional
Shares: GNAIX
n
Class IR
Shares: GAIRX
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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 THE FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT
INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND INVOLVES
INVESTMENT RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN THE FUND.
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Table of
Contents
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1
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Goldman Sachs India Equity Fund Summary
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9
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Investment Management Approach
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15
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Risks of the Fund
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23
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Service Providers
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28
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Dividends
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29
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Shareholder Guide
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29
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How
To Buy Shares
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43
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How
To Sell Shares
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56
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Taxation
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59
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Appendix A
Additional Information on Portfolio Risks, Securities and
Techniques
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85
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Appendix B
Financial Highlights
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86
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Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the
Investment Adviser
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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 India Equity FundSummary
Investment
Objective
The Goldman Sachs India 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 36 of this Prospectus and Other Information
Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions,
Exchanges and Dividends beginning on
page B-83
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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5.5
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%
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No
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ne
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No
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ne
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No
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ne
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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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No
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ne
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1.0
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%
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No
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ne
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No
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ne
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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
(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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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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1.10
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%
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Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
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0.25
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%
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1.00
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%
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No
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ne
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No
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ne
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Other
Expenses
2
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0.87
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%
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0.87
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%
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0.72
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%
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0.87
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%
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Acquired Fund
(Subsidiary) Fees and
Expenses
3
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1.00
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%
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1.00
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%
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1.00
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%
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1.00
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%
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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3.22
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%
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3.97
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%
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2.82
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%
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2.97
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%
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Expense
Limitation
4
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(1.32
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)%
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(1.32
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)%
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(1.32
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)%
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(1.32
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)%
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Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Expense
Limitation
4
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1.90
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%
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2.65
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%
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1.50
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%
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1.65
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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 Other
Expenses have been estimated to reflect expenses expected
to be incurred during the first fiscal year.
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3
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Acquired Fund (Subsidiary) Fees
and Expenses reflect the expenses borne by the Fund as the sole
shareholder of the Subsidiary (as defined below). The Subsidiary
pays certain other expenses,
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1
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including service and custody
fees. The Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit the
Subsidiarys expenses to 0.004% of the Subsidiarys
average daily net assets.
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4
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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 and transfer
agent fee credit reductions) to 0.364% of the Funds
average daily net assets through at least April 29, 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 $10,000 in Class A,
Class C, Institutional
and/or
Class IR Shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated
and then redeem all of your Class A, Class C,
Institutional
and/or
Class IR Shares at the end of those periods. The Example
also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and
that the Funds operating expenses remain the same (except
that the Example incorporates expense limitation arrangements
for only the first year). Although your actual costs may be
higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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1 Year
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3 Years
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Class A Shares
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$
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732
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$
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1,371
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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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368
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$
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1,090
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Assuming no redemption
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$
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268
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$
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1,090
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Institutional Shares
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$
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153
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$
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749
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Class IR Shares
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$
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168
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$
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795
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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 will be reflected in the Funds
performance.
Principal Strategy
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 that are tied economically to
India or in issuers that participate in the markets of India.
The Investment Adviser considers an equity investment to be tied
economically to India if the investment is included in an
2
index representative of India, the investments returns are
linked to the performance of such an index, or the investment is
exposed to the economic risks and returns of India.
An issuer participates in the markets of India if the issuer:
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n
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Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in India;
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n
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Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in, India;
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n
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Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
India; or
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n
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Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in India.
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The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depository Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Fund will gain exposure to the investments described above
primarily through a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund
organized as a company under the laws of the Republic of
Mauritius (the Subsidiary). The Subsidiary is
advised by the Investment Adviser, and has the same investment
objective and strategies as the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics, to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in investments in developed countries and
emerging countries other than India, including non-investment
grade fixed income securities.
3
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.
Currency Risk.
Changes in currency exchange
rates may adversely affect the value of the Funds
securities denominated in foreign currencies. Currency exchange
rates can be volatile. The Fund may from time to time attempt to
hedge all or a portion of its currency risk using a variety of
techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options.
However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and
in certain cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not
used a hedging instrument.
Depositary Receipts Risk.
Foreign securities
may trade in the form of depositary receipts, including American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary
Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs) (collectively, Depositary
Receipts). In addition to the risks inherent in the
underlying securities represented by the Depositary Receipts, in
some situations there may be an increased possibility that the
Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to
corporate actions involving the foreign issuer in a timely
manner. Also, a 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.
Derivatives Risk.
Loss may result from the
Funds investments in equity swaps, equity index swaps,
futures, participation notes, options and structured securities
and other derivative instruments. These instruments may be
illiquid, difficult to price and 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.
Emerging Countries Risk.
The securities
markets of 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.
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.
4
India Risk.
Investing in India may involve a
higher degree of risk and special considerations not typically
associated with investing in more established economies or
securities markets. The Funds investment exposure to India
may subject the Fund, to a greater extent than if investments
were not made in India, to the risks of adverse securities
markets, exchange rates and social, political, regulatory,
economic or environmental events and natural disasters which may
occur in India. Securities laws in India 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. Global factors and foreign actions may inhibit the flow
of foreign capital on which India is dependent to sustain its
growth. The economy, industries, and securities and currency
markets of India may be adversely affected by protectionist
trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide, dependence on
exports and international trade, competition from Asias
other low-cost emerging economies, political and social
instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war,
including actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
Indias economy encompasses traditional village farming,
modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern
industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major
source of economic growth, accounting for half of Indias
output with less than one quarter of its labor force. About
two-thirds of the workforce is in agriculture. Despite strong
growth, the World Bank and others express concern about the
combined state and federal budget deficit.
Industry Concentration Risk.
The Fund will
not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds total
assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their
principal business activities in the same industry, except that,
to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the
Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the Fund
may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
Liquidity Risk.
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.
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.
Mid-Cap and Small Cap Risk.
The securities of
mid-capitalization and
small-capitalization
companies involve greater risks than those associated with
larger, more established companies. These securities may be
subject to more abrupt or erratic
5
price movements and may lack sufficient market liquidity, and
these issuers often face greater business risks.
NAV Risk.
The net asset value
(NAV) of the Fund and the value of your investment
may fluctuate.
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 replicate 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
they seek to replicate. The Fund has no rights under
participation notes against the issuer of the underlying
security and must instead rely on the creditworthiness of the
counterparty to the transaction.
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.
Subsidiary Risk.
By investing in the
Subsidiary, the Fund will be indirectly exposed to the risks
associated with the Subsidiarys investments. The
Subsidiary will invest only in instruments in which the Fund is
permitted to invest directly and will be subject to the risks
that are described in this Prospectus. There can be no assurance
that the Subsidiarys investment objective will be
achieved. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (Investment Company Act), and,
unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is not subject to all
the investor protections of the Investment Company Act. Changes
in the laws or policies of the United States, India
and/or
the
Republic of Mauritius could result in the inability of the Fund
and/or
the
Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and the
SAI and could adversely affect the Fund.
The Funds investments in the Subsidiary are not protected
by any statutory compensation arrangements in the Republic of
Mauritius in the event of the Subsidiarys failure. The
Mauritius Financial Services Commission does not vouch for the
financial soundness of the Subsidiary or for the correctness of
any statements made or opinions expressed with regard to it.
Tax Risk.
The Fund may invest in the
Subsidiary and will seek to obtain benefits from favorable tax
treatment by the Indian government pursuant to a tax treaty
between India and the Republic of Mauritius. The Supreme Court
of India has upheld the validity of a tax treaty with respect to
entities such as the Fund. However, there can be no assurance
that any future challenge will result in a favorable outcome, or
that the terms of a treaty will not be subject to re-negotiation
or a different interpretation, or that the Subsidiarys
favorable tax treatment will continue. Any change in the
provisions of a tax treaty or in its applicability to the
Subsidiary could result in the imposition of
6
withholding and other taxes on the Subsidiary by India, which
would reduce the return to the Fund on its investments. Certain
shareholders, including some
non-U.S. shareholders,
are not entitled to the benefit of a deduction or credit with
respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund, which the Fund
intends to elect to pass through to its shareholders.
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:
Rick Loo, CFA Executive
Director, Portfolio ManagerSingapore, has managed the Fund
since 2011.
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 alone or in combination with other
assets under the management of GSAMI and its affiliates for
certain other types of investors. There may be no minimum for
initial purchases of Institutional Shares for certain retirement
accounts or for initial purchases of 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).
Please note that you cannot invest in the Fund if you are
resident in India under the provisions of The Foreign Exchange
Management Act of 1999, as amended, and the regulations
thereunder.
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. Investments through tax-deferred
arrangements may become taxable upon withdrawal.
7
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 Institution website for more information.
8
Investment Management Approach
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The Fund seeks long term capital appreciation. The Funds
investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval
upon sixty days notice.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund invests under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its
Net Assets in a portfolio of equity investments that are tied
economically to Indian issuers or in issuers that participate in
the markets of India. The Investment Adviser considers an equity
investment to be tied economically to India if the investment is
included in an index representative of India, the
investments returns are linked to the performance of such
an index, or the investment is exposed to the economic risks and
returns of India.
An issuer participates in the markets of India if the issuer:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in India;
|
|
n
|
Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in, India;
|
|
n
|
Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made, or services provided in
India; or
|
|
n
|
Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in India.
|
To the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission
(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.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depository Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Fund will gain exposure to the investments described above
primarily through a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund
organized as a company under the laws of the
9
Republic of Mauritius (the Subsidiary). The
Subsidiary is advised by the Investment Adviser, and has the
same investment objective and strategies as the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics, to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in developed country investments and other
emerging country investments, including non-investment grade
fixed income securities.
The Funds benchmark index is the
MSCI
®
India IMI Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD). The
MSCI
©
India IMI Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) offers a
representation of the India market by targeting all companies
with a market capitalization within the top 99% of their
investable equity universe, subject to a global minimum size
requirement. The
MSCI
®
India IMI Index (net, total return, unhedged, USD) does not
reflect any deductions of expenses associated with mutual funds
such as management fees and other expenses.
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
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (U.S.
Government Securities), commercial paper rated at
10
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
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
India Equity Investment Philosophy:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Belief
|
|
How the
Investment Adviser Acts on This Belief
|
n
|
|
Excess returns can be generated by conducting thorough
fundamental research and individual stock selection
|
|
Seeks to generate excess returns through an intensive research
culture and a strong commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources around the world.
|
n
|
|
A team-based approach enriches debate and enhances the quality
of investment decisions
|
|
Conducts proprietary stock level research in a team-orientated
regional structure with frequent, open communication and
frontline decision-making.
|
n
|
|
Focused and differentiated portfolios provide the greatest
potential to generate excess returns
|
|
Builds portfolios that are reflective of the teams best
investment ideas so that the majority of excess returns are
driven by stock selection.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GSAMI India 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.
11
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 (when
available). 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 fifteen
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.
12
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
India
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Practices
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
|
33
1
/
3
|
|
|
|
Cross Hedging of Currencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Equity
Investments
*
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
Equity, Index and Currency Swaps and Options on Such
Swaps
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Currency Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts
(including index futures)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Company Securities (including exchange-traded
funds)
**
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
Options on
Foreign
Currencies
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Securities and Securities
Indices
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchase Agreements
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unseasoned Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
**
|
|
This percentage limitation does
not apply to the Funds investments 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.
|
1
|
|
The Fund may purchase and sell
call and put options on foreign currencies.
|
2
|
|
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.
|
13
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
India
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
American, European and Global Depositary Receipts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset-Backed
and Mortgage-Backed
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
Obligations
1,2
|
|
|
|
|
|
Convertible Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate Debt
Obligations
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emerging Country Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Investments
|
|
80+
|
|
|
|
Fixed Income
Securities
4
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
Foreign
Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment
Grade Fixed Income
Securities
1,3
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Structured Securities (which may include equity linked
notes)
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Subsidiary Shares
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temporary Investments
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
U.S. Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
1
|
|
Limited by the amount the Fund
invests in fixed income securities.
|
2
|
|
Issued by U.S. or foreign
banks.
|
3
|
|
May be BB or lower by Standard
& Poors, Ba or lower by Moodys or have a
comparable rating by another NRSRO at the time of
investment.
|
4
|
|
The Fund may invest in the
aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in: (i) fixed income
securities of private and government Indian issuers; and
(ii) equity and fixed income investments in non-Indian
issuers.
|
14
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
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.
|
|
|
|
|
India
|
ü
Principal
risk
|
|
Equity
|
Additional
risk
|
|
Fund
|
Credit/Default
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currency
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Depositary Receipts
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Derivatives
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Emerging Countries
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign Custody
|
|
|
|
|
|
India
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Industry Concentration
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Style
|
|
|
|
|
|
IPO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Mid Cap and Small Cap
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value (NAV)
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Diversification
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Tax
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
15
|
|
n
|
Credit/Default
Risk
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.
|
The credit quality of the Funds portfolio securities may
meet the Funds credit quality requirements at the time of
purchase but then deteriorate thereafter, and such a
deterioration can occur rapidly. In certain instances, the
downgrading or default of a single holding or guarantor of the
Funds holding may impair the Funds liquidity and
have the potential to cause significant NAV deterioration.
|
|
n
|
Currency
Risk
Changes in
currency exchange rates may adversely affect the value of the
Funds securities denominated in foreign currencies.
Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among
other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the
actions of the U.S. and
non-U.S. governments
or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and
speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is
different from the currency of the country where the issuer is
domiciled. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the
U.S. dollar, the value of securities denominated in that
foreign currency generally decreases in terms of
U.S. dollars. If the Fund does not correctly anticipate
changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a
result. The Fund may from time to time attempt to hedge all or a
portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques,
including currency futures, forwards, and options. However,
these instruments may not always work as intended, and in
certain cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used
a hedging instrument. For most emerging market currencies,
suitable hedging instruments may not be available.
|
n
|
Depositary Receipts
Risk
Foreign
securities may trade in the form of Depositary Receipts. 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.
|
n
|
Derivatives
Risk
Loss may
result from the Funds investments in equity swaps, equity
index swaps, futures, participation notes, options and
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
|
16
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other
party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual
obligation.
|
|
|
n
|
Emerging Countries
Risk
The
securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid, are
especially subject to greater price volatility, have smaller
market capitalizations, have more or 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. Further, investment in
equity securities of issuers located in certain emerging
countries involves risk of loss resulting from problems in share
registration and custody and substantial economic and political
disruptions. These risks are not normally associated with
investment in more developed countries.
|
n
|
Foreign
Risk
When the
Fund invests in foreign securities, it may 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 or
from problems in security registration or settlement and
custody. Foreign risks will normally be greatest when the Fund
invests in issuers located in emerging countries.
|
n
|
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, or 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 India and other
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.
|
n
|
India
Risk
Investing
in India involves a higher degree of risk and special
considerations not typically associated with investing in more
established economies or securities markets. Concentration of
the investments of the Fund in issuers located in India 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, economic or
environmental events and natural disasters which may occur in
India. The economy, industries, and securities and currency
markets of India may be adversely affected by protectionist
trade policies, slow economic activity worldwide, dependence on
exports and international trade, competition from Asias
other low-cost emerging economics political and social
instability, regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war,
including actions that
|
17
|
|
|
are contrary to the interests of the U.S. Securities laws
in India 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. Global factors and foreign
actions may inhibit the flow of foreign capital on which India
is dependent to sustain its growth.
|
Investments in India are subject to risks of: greater political,
economic and social uncertainty; greater price volatility and
less liquidity; less publicly available company disclosure;
difficulty in enforcing judgments; restrictions on foreign
investment and expropriation of capital; exchange control
regulations; currency exchange rate fluctuations; and higher
rates of inflation. Regulations in India prescribe rules for the
transfer of Indian securities between foreign, domestic, Indian
and non-Indian security holders. Such transfers may require the
approval of either the Indian government or the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI). Foreign institutional investors
(FII) are required to register with the Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Goldman Sachs
Asset Management, L.P. (GSAM) is a registered FII
and the inclusion of the Fund in GSAMs registration was
approved by SEBI. FIIs are required to observe certain
investment restrictions, including an account ownership ceiling
of 5% of the total issued share capital of any one company. The
shareholdings of all registered FIIs, together with the
shareholdings of non-resident Indian individuals and foreign
corporate bodies substantially owned by non-resident Indians,
may not exceed a specified percentage of the issued share
capital of any one company (subject to that companys
approval).
Only registered FIIs and non-Indian mutual funds that comply
with certain statutory conditions may make direct portfolio
investments in exchange-traded Indian securities. Income, gains
and initial capital with respect to such investments are freely
repatriable, subject to payment of applicable Indian taxes. A
tax is currently imposed on gains from sales of equities held
not more than one year and sold on a recognized stock exchange
in India. Gains from sales of equity securities in other cases
may also be taxed. Securities transaction tax applies for
specified transactions at specified rates. India imposes a tax
on interest and on dividends. Indias economy encompasses
traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a
wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services.
Services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for
half of Indias output with less than one quarter of its
labor force. About two-thirds of the workforce is in
agriculture. Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others
express concern about the combined state and federal budget
deficit.
|
|
n
|
Industry Concentration
Risk
The Fund
will not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds
total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry, except
that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of
the Funds benchmark index at the time of
|
18
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that
industry. Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of
issuers conducting business in the same industry will subject
the Fund to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse
economic, business or other developments affecting that industry
than if its investments were not so concentrated.
|
|
|
n
|
Interest Rate
Risk
When
interest rates increase, fixed income securities held by the
Fund may decline in value. Long-term fixed income securities
will normally have more price volatility because of this risk
than short-term fixed income securities.
|
n
|
Investment Style
Risk
Different
investment styles (
e.g.
, growth,
value or quantitative) tend to shift in
and out of favor depending upon market and economic conditions
as well as investor sentiment. The Fund intends to employ a
blend of growth and value investment styles depending on market
conditions, either of which may fall out of favor from time to
time. The Fund may outperform or underperform other funds that
invest in similar asset classes but employ different investment
styles.
|
n
|
IPO
Risk
The market
value of IPO shares may 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.
|
n
|
Liquidity
Risk
The Fund
may invest to a greater degree in securities or instruments that
trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less
liquid than other investments. Also, 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 security or instrument at all. An
inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely
affect the Funds value or prevent the Fund from being able
to take advantage of other investment opportunities.
|
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. The Fund
reserves the right to meet redemption requests through in-kind
distributions. While the Fund may pay redemptions in-kind in the
future, the Fund may instead choose to raise cash to meet
redemption requests through sales of portfolio
19
securities or permissible borrowings. If the Fund is forced to
sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable
conditions, such sales may adversely affect the Funds NAV.
Certain shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the
Investment Adviser and/or other funds managed by the Investment
Adviser, may from time to time own or control a significant
percentage of the Funds shares. Redemptions by these
shareholders of their shares of the Fund may further increase
the Funds liquidity risk and may impact the Funds
NAV. These shareholders may include, for example, institutional
investors, fund-of-funds, discretionary advisory clients, and
other shareholders whose buy-sell decisions are controlled by a
single decision-maker.
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.
|
|
n
|
Management
Risk
A strategy
used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended
results.
|
n
|
Market
Risk
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.
|
n
|
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap
Risk
The
securities of mid-capitalization and
small-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-capitalization and small-capitalization
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.
|
n
|
NAV
Risk
The NAV of
the Fund and the value of your investment may fluctuate.
|
n
|
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
|
20
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
any single issuer held in its portfolio, and may be more
susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.
|
|
|
n
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed
Income Securities
Risk
The Fund
may invest in non-investment grade fixed income securities
(commonly known as junk bonds) that are considered
speculative. Non-investment grade fixed income securities and
unrated securities of comparable credit quality are subject to
the increased risk of an issuers inability to meet
principal and interest payment obligations. These securities may
be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as
specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate
sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets
generally and less secondary market liquidity.
|
n
|
Participation Notes
Risk
The Fund
will use Participation notes to gain exposure to certain markets
it cannot invest directly in. 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 Fund 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.
|
n
|
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.
|
n
|
Subsidiary
Risk
By
investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund will be indirectly exposed
to the risks associated with the Subsidiarys investments.
The Subsidiary will invest only in instruments in which the Fund
is permitted to invest directly and will be subject to the risks
that are described in this Prospectus. There can be no assurance
that the investment objective of the Subsidiary will be
achieved. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment
Company Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this Prospectus, is
not subject to all the investor protections of the Investment
Company Act. Changes in the laws or policies of the United
States, India
and/or
the
Republic of Mauritius could result in the inability of the Fund
and/or
the
Subsidiary to operate as described in this Prospectus and the
SAI and could adversely affect the Fund.
|
The Funds investments in the Subsidiary are not protected
by any statutory compensation arrangements in the Republic of
Mauritius in the event of the Subsidiarys failure. The
Mauritius Financial Services Commission does not vouch for the
financial soundness of the Subsidiary or for the correctness of
any statements made or opinions expressed with regard to it.
|
|
n
|
Tax
Risk
The Fund
may invest in the Subsidiary and will seek to obtain benefits
from favorable tax treatment by the Indian government pursuant
to a treaty between India and the Republic of Mauritius. The
Supreme Court of India has upheld the
|
21
|
|
|
validity of a treaty in response to a challenge in a lower court
contesting its applicability to entities such as the Fund;
however, there can be no assurance that any future challenge
will result in a favorable outcome. There can be no assurance
that the terms of a treaty will not be subject to re-negotiation
in the future or subject to a different interpretation or that
the Subsidiary will continue to be eligible for favorable tax
treatment. Moreover, tax rates currently applicable to entities
in the Republic of Mauritius may be modified in the future and
benefits from a tax treaty between the Republic of Mauritius and
India may not be available. Any change in the provisions of a
treaty or in its applicability to the Subsidiary could result in
the imposition of withholding and other taxes on the Subsidiary
by India, which would reduce the return to the Fund on its
investments. The Fund intends to elect to
pass-through to the Funds shareholders as a
deduction or credit the amount of foreign taxes paid by the
Fund. The taxes passed through to shareholders are included in
each shareholders income. Certain shareholders, including
some
non-U.S. shareholders,
are not entitled to the benefit of a deduction or credit with
respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Other foreign taxes,
such as transfer taxes, may be imposed on the Fund, but would
not give rise to a credit, or be eligible to be passed through
to shareholders.
|
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.
22
Service Providers
INVESTMENT
ADVISER
|
|
|
Investment
Adviser
|
|
Fund
|
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International
(GSAMI)
Christchurch Court
10-15
Newgate Street
London, England EC1A 7HD
|
|
India Equity
|
|
|
|
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
December 31, 2010, GSAM, including its investment advisory
affiliates, one of which is GSAMI, had assets under management
of $717.1 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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Supervises all non-advisory
operations of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides personnel to perform
necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the
Fund
|
|
n
|
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
|
|
n
|
Maintains the records of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services
|
23
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fee
|
|
Average Daily
|
Fund
|
|
Annual
Rate
|
|
Net
Assets
|
India Equity
|
|
|
1
|
.10%
|
|
|
|
First $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
.99%
|
|
|
|
Next $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
.94%
|
|
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
.92%
|
|
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
.90%
|
|
|
|
Over $8 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Investment Adviser may waive a portion of its management fee
from time to time, and may discontinue or modify any such
waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee
waiver arrangements in place.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees
approval of the Management Agreement for the Funds will be
available in the Funds Semi-Annual Report for the period
ended April 30, 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 and transfer agent fee credit reductions) to
0.364% of the Funds average daily net assets through at
least April 29, 2012, and prior to such date the Investment
Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval
of the Board of Trustees. This expense limitation may be
modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its
discretion and without shareholder approval after such date,
although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do
so.
FUND
MANAGERS
India
Equity Portfolio Management Team
|
|
|
|
n
|
Our investment philosophy is
reflected in our intensive research culture and our strong
commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources. Our research team comprises 7 investment
professionals, including portfolio managers and research
analysts, organized into regional teams and based on the ground
in Singapore and Mumbai. These professionals provide research,
monitor portfolio positions,
|
24
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
|
|
|
|
|
and give portfolio construction advice. However, GSAMI is
ultimately responsible for the investment decisions in the
portfolio.
|
|
|
|
|
n
|
We believe our
on-the-ground
research presence better positions our research analysts to
generate strong and compelling investment ideas through a keener
understanding of local customs, greater and more frequent access
to corporate managements, and immediate access to local capital
markets and news flow.
|
|
n
|
The Portfolio Manager is
responsible for leading and working closely with the research
analysts to foster discussion, debate and analysis of investment
ideas. This
first-hand
intensive research effort is captured in our portfolios through
a disciplined investment process which results in highly focused
portfolios comprising our most compelling individual stock ideas.
|
|
n
|
For 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Years
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Primarily
|
|
|
Name and
Title
|
|
Fund
Responsibility
|
|
Responsible
|
|
Five Year
Employment History
|
Rick Loo
Executive Director, Portfolio ManagerSingapore
|
|
Portfolio ManagerIndia Equity
|
|
Since
2011
|
|
Mr. Loo is a Portfolio Manager for GSAMs Asia ex
Japan strategy and is based in Singapore. Mr. Loo has
primary research responsibility for the ASEAN markets.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 the
Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with
respect to the Class A, Class C and Class IR
Shares.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may
purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates reserve the right to redeem at any time some or all
of the shares acquired for their own accounts.
25
|
|
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 worldwide
full service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management
and financial services organization and a major participant in
global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial
services to a substantial and diversified client base that
includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and
high-net worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, financier,
advisor, market maker, prime broker, derivatives dealer, lender,
counterparty, agent and principal. In those and other
capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and
transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad
array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans,
commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets
and other financial instruments for its own account or for the
accounts of its customers and has other direct and indirect
interests, in the global fixed income, currency, commodity,
equities, bank loan and other markets and the securities and
issuers in which the Fund may directly and indirectly invest.
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 certain of its affiliates are the managers of the
Goldman Sachs Funds. The Investment Adviser and its affiliates
earn fees from this and other relationships with the Fund.
Although these fees are generally based on asset levels, the
fees are not directly contingent on Fund performance, and
Goldman Sachs would still receive significant compensation from
the Fund even if shareholders lose money. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates engage in 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 activities or
strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other
accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of
the Fund. 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 Goldman Sachs
or other accounts. In addition, the Fund may enter into
transactions in which Goldman Sachs
26
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
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,
individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact the Fund.
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 effect 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 or
who engage in transactions with or for the Fund. For more
information about conflicts of interest, see the SAI.
The Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs
and its affiliates in connection with the Funds portfolio
investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.
27
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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Cash
|
|
n
|
Additional shares of the same class
of the same Fund
|
|
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 (either directly or through your
Authorized Institution) at any time before the record date for a
particular dividend or distribution. If you do not indicate any
choice, your dividends and distributions will be reinvested
automatically in the Fund. If cash dividends are elected with
respect to the Funds annual dividends from net investment
income, 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.
Distributions from net investment income and net capital gains,
if any, 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.
28
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. Please note that you cannot invest in the Fund if
you are resident in India under the provisions of The Foreign
Exchange Management Act of 1999, as amended, and the regulations
thereunder.
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.
Note: Authorized Institutions may receive different
compensation for selling different class shares.
The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the
amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and
your personal situation. You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss which share class option 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.
29
For purchases by check, the Fund will not accept checks drawn on
foreign banks, third party checks, temporary checks, or cash or
cash equivalents;
e.g.
, cashiers checks, official
bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or credit card
checks. 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 Fund.
Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established
under 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 IR Shares are not available to
traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts
(IRAs), SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual
403(b) plans; except that Class IR Shares are available to
such accounts to the extent they are purchased through an
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial
|
|
Additional
*
|
Regular Accounts
|
|
|
$1,000
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employer Sponsored Benefit Plans
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
No Minimum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Accounts (UGMA/UTMA)
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Individual Retirement Accounts and Coverdell ESAs
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Automatic Investment Plan Accounts
|
|
|
$250
|
|
|
|
$50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
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.
|
30
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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
|
|
|
n
Corporations
with at least $100 million in assets or in outstanding publicly
traded securities
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares or additional investments in Institutional
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
31
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 (
i.e.
, accounts maintained and serviced by your
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 other 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
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Authorized Institutions and 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 another
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 such fees, if any, may affect the return such customers
realize with respect to their investments.
32
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may
make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries (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.
33
What
Else Should I Know About Share Purchases?
The Trust reserves the right to:
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Refuse to open an account or
require an Authorized Institution to 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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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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Provide for, modify or waive the
minimum investment requirements.
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n
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Modify the manner in which shares
are offered.
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n
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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.
Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for
certain states (to which your account may be subject) require
financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property
(including shares of the Fund) to the appropriate state if no
activity occurs in an account for a period of time specified by
state law.
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, for each investor who opens an account
directly with the Fund. Applications without the required
information may not be accepted by the Fund. After accepting an
application, to the extent permitted by
34
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 obtain all required information.
The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in
an investors account or any tax liability resulting from
the investors delay in providing all 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:
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NAV =
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(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. These
procedures also apply to the Subsidiary.
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
35
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 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 its
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
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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.
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n
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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.
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n
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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
36
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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, the Funds 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
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Maximum Dealer
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Sales Charge
as
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as Percentage
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Allowance as
|
Amount of
Purchase
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Percentage of
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of Net Amount
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Percentage of
|
(including sales
charge, if any)
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Offering
Price
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Invested
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Offering
Price
*
|
Less than $50,000
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5.50
|
%
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5.82
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%
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5.00
|
%
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$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000
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4.75
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4.99
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4.00
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$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000
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3.75
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3.90
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3.00
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$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000
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2.75
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2.83
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2.25
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$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million
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2.00
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2.04
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1.75
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$1 million or more
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0.00
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**
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0.00
|
**
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***
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*
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Dealers allowance may be
changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire
sales charge may be allowed to Authorized Institutions.
Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales
charge is allowed may be deemed to be underwriters
under the Securities Act of 1933.
|
**
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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.
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37
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***
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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 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 further
below and in the 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:
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(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;
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(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
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(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 $1 million or more 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
38
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
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:
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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;
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Qualified employee benefit plans of
Goldman Sachs;
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n
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Trustees or directors of investment
companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as
sponsor;
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n
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Any employee or registered
representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective
spouses, children and parents;
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n
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Banks, trust companies or other
types of depository institutions;
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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;
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n
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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:
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Buy shares of Goldman Sachs Funds
worth $500,000 or more; or
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n
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Have 100 or more eligible employees
at the time of purchase; or
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Certify that they expect to have
annual plan purchases of shares of Goldman Sachs Funds of
$200,000 or more; or
|
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n
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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
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Have at the time of purchase
aggregate assets of at least $2,000,000.
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These requirements may be waived at
the discretion of the Trusts officers;
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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;
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n
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Insurance company separate accounts
that make the Fund available as an underlying investment in
certain group annuity contracts;
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39
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n
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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;
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n
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Registered investment advisers
investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees;
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Accounts over which GSAM or its
advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
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n
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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;
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n
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State sponsored 529 college savings
plans; or
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n
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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?
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n
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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
|
40
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
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|
|
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, Class B
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, 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.
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n
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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. 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. You must, however, inform the Transfer Agent (either
directly or through your Authorized Institution) 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. The SAI has more
information about the Statement of Intention, which you should
read carefully.
|
41
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 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. A commission 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?
|
|
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|
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).
|
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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 or 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.
|
|
n
|
Information about sales charges and
sale charge waivers is available on the Funds website at
www.goldmansachsfunds.com.
|
42
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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:
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|
|
n
|
Mandatory retirement distributions
or loans to participants or beneficiaries from Employee Benefit
Plans;
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|
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;
|
|
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;
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|
n
|
Satisfying the minimum distribution
requirements of the Code;
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|
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
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;
|
|
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 Employee Benefit Plans.
|
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
43
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.
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 (a Medallion signature guarantee may be
required). 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 via check;
|
|
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 and 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
44
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
be liable for any loss due to unauthorized or fraudulent
transactions. The following general policies are currently in
effect:
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|
|
|
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 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. 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 via check 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:
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|
|
|
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
|
45
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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:
A shareholder may elect in writing
to receive 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
Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?
The following generally applies to redemption requests:
|
|
|
|
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 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
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46
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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 at NAV. To be eligible for this
privilege, you must have held the shares you want to redeem for
at least 30 days 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.
|
47
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, if
applicable, 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:
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Exchanges are available only in
states where exchanges may be legally made.
|
|
n
|
It may be difficult to make
telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market
conditions.
|
48
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
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 from
Goldman Sachs 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 Goldman Sachs Fund in shares of the same
class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.
|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
49
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.
|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV if
a sales charge had been imposed on the initial purchase.
|
|
n
|
You may elect to exchange into an
identically registered account or a similarly registered account
provided that at least one name on the account is registered
identically.
|
|
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 changes 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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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% each of the value of
Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A
shares.
|
50
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
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. The Subsidiarys financial statements will be
included with those of the Fund on a consolidated basis. 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 The
Funds Shares?
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a
Plan) under which Class A and Class C
Shares bear distribution
and/or
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
51
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;
|
|
n
|
Allocable overhead;
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|
n
|
Telephone and travel expenses;
|
|
n
|
Interest and other costs associated
with the financing of such compensation and expenses;
|
|
n
|
Printing of prospectuses for
prospective shareholders;
|
|
n
|
Preparation and distribution of
sales literature or advertising of any type; and
|
|
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 on ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions
immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee
on a quarterly basis.
CLASS
C PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND
FEES
Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to
receive a separate fee equal on an annual basis to 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
52
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plan exceed its
expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this
arrangement.
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 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 other Goldman
Sachs Funds offered in other 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 equity securities 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
53
excessive. Excessive trading activity in the Fund is measured by
the number of round trip transactions in a
shareholders account. A round trip includes a
purchase or exchange into the Fund followed or preceded by a
redemption or exchange out of the same Fund. If the Fund detects
that a shareholder has completed two or more round trip
transactions in a single Fund within a rolling
90-day
period, the Fund may reject or restrict subsequent purchase or
exchange orders by that shareholder permanently. In addition,
the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permanently reject or
restrict purchase or exchange orders by a shareholder if the
Fund detects other trading activity that is deemed to be
disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise harmful to
the Fund. For purposes of these transaction surveillance
procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity in multiple
accounts under common ownership, control, or influence. A
shareholder that has been restricted from participation in the
Fund pursuant to this policy will be allowed to apply for
re-entry after one year. A shareholder applying for re-entry
must provide assurances acceptable to the Fund that the
shareholder will not engage in excessive trading activities in
the future.
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,
Eligible Fee-Based Programs 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 financial 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 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
54
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
55
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 taxable to you as ordinary
income, while any distributions of long-term capital gains 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%. 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 of 15%, 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
date. The amount of the Funds distributions that would
otherwise qualify for this favorable tax treatment will be
reduced as a result of 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 2012.
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
56
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 as a result of 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, subject to applicable
limitations, (i) to credit that proportionate amount of
taxes against your 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 long-term 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. Exchanges within an IRA or other
tax-advantaged account will not result in capital gain or loss
for federal or state income tax purposes.
57
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% (currently
scheduled to increase to 31% after 2012) 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 may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate
tax. However, withholding is generally not required on properly
reported distributions to
non-U.S.
investors of long-term capital gains and, for distributions
before November 1, 2012, of short-term capital gains and
qualified interest income. Although this report will be made for
short-term capital gain distributions, the Fund does not
anticipate making any qualified interest income reports.
Therefore, all distributions of interest income will be subject
to withholding when paid to
non-U.S. investors.
More information about U.S. taxation of
non-U.S. investors
is included in the SAI.
58
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 American, European, and Global
Depositary Receipts, shares of ETFs and synthetic and derivative
instruments (such as participation notes, swaps, options 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
59
increase. Conversely, if mortgage loan interest rates rise above
the interest rates on 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 Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as junk bonds), which are
rated below investment grade (or determined to be of equivalent
quality, if not rated) at the time of purchase and are therefore
considered speculative. Because non-investment grade fixed
income securities are issued by issuers with low credit ratings,
they pose a greater risk of default than investment grade
securities.
The Investment Adviser will not consider 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 is also likely 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.
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 Investing in Mid-Capitalization and
Small-Capitalization Companies.
The Fund may, to
the extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in
mid- and small-capitalization companies. Investments in mid and
small-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. Mid- and small-
60
APPENDIX
A
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. Mid and small-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. Mid- and small-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 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 mid- and small-capitalization companies may be
more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities
because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.
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
61
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.
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, EDRs or other similar instruments
representing securities of foreign issuers. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs
represent the right to receive securities of foreign
62
APPENDIX
A
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.
Risks of Emerging Countries.
The Fund may
invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries.
The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer
is located in an emerging country. Emerging countries are
generally located in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and Central and South America. 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
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,
63
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 of restrictions on foreign investments and on
repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past,
some Eastern European 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 occur in 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.
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
64
APPENDIX
A
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 Funds
currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by
these techniques.
Risks Specific to India.
In addition to the
risks listed above, investing in India presents additional
risks. India is an emerging market and as such investments in
India have significantly higher volatility from time to time in
comparison to more developed markets. India, like other emerging
markets, tends to develop unevenly and may never fully develop.
Political and legal uncertainty may offer higher potential for
losses.
Foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended
securities laws and regulations. In addition, 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.
Transaction settlement practices in India involve greater risks
than those in developed markets, which arises from such factors
as the capitalization of brokers and counterparties and the
reliability of custody and registration of assets.
The RBI has imposed limits on foreign ownership which may
decrease the liquidity of the Funds portfolio and result
in extreme volatility in the prices of Indian securities.
Additionally, investment in India may be subject to a greater
degree of risk associated with governmental approval in
connection with the repatriation of investment income, capital
or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors.
Moreover, there is the risk that if Indias balance of
payments declines, the government may impose temporary
restrictions on foreign capital remittances. Consequently, the
Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to
grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of
capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any
restrictions on investments.
65
The high concentration of ownership in the shares of many Indian
issuers may limit the number of shares available for investment
by the Fund. Sales of securities by an issuers major
shareholders, or the perception that such sales may occur, may
also significantly and adversely affect the value of the
Funds investment. A limited number of issuers represent a
disproportionately large percentage of market capitalization and
trading value. For example, companies in the technology sector
and related software sectors represent a significant portion of
the total capitalization of the Indian securities markets. The
value of these companies will generally fluctuate in response to
technological and regulatory developments.
The Indian government has exercised and continues to exercise
significant influence over many aspects of the economy, and the
number of public sector enterprises in India is substantial.
Accordingly, Indian government actions in the future could have
a significant effect on the Indian economy, which could affect
private sector companies and the Fund, market conditions, and
prices and yields of securities in the Funds portfolio.
Agriculture occupies a more prominent position in the Indian
economy than in the United States, and the Indian economy
therefore is more susceptible to adverse changes in weather.
Furthermore, monsoons and other natural disasters in India and
surrounding regions also can affect the value of Fund
investments.
India has experienced religious, cultural and military disputes
with neighboring countries, such as Pakistan, as well as with
sectarian groups within each country. Escalating tensions
between India and Pakistan could impact the broader region. In
particular, India and Pakistan have tested nuclear arms, and the
threat of deployment of such weapons could hinder development of
the Indian economy.
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
66
APPENDIX
A
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 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 Derivative Investments.
The Fund may
invest in derivative instruments including without limitation,
equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes,
options, 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. Losses may also arise if the Fund receives
cash collateral under the transactions and some or all of that
collateral is invested in the market. To the extent that cash
collateral is so invested, such collateral will be subject to
market depreciation or appreciation, and the Fund may be
responsible for any loss that might result from its investment
of the counterpartys cash collateral. 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
67
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 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 as are 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.
Risks of Large Shareholder
Redemptions.
Certain funds, accounts, individuals
or Goldman Sachs affiliates 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.
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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n
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Both domestic and foreign
securities that are not readily marketable
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n
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Certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities
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68
APPENDIX
A
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n
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Repurchase agreements and time
deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
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n
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Certain over-the-counter options
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n
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Certain private investments in
public equity (PIPEs)
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n
|
Certain structured securities and
swap transactions
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n
|
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% 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% 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
69
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?
Non-Diversification and Geographic Concentration
Risks.
The Fund is classified as a
nondiversified fund under the Investment Company Act
and is, therefore, 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. In addition, the Fund is expected to invest
primarily in a portfolio of equity investments in India or in
issuers that participate in the markets of India. Concentration
of the investments of the Fund in issuers located in a
particular country or region will subject the Fund, to a greater
extent than if investments were less concentrated, to losses
arising from adverse developments affecting those issuers or
countries.
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, 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.
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities rated BB or Ba or
below (or comparable unrated securities) which are commonly
referred to as junk bonds. Junk bonds are considered
speculative and may be questionable as to principal and interest
payments.
70
APPENDIX
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In some cases, junk bonds may be highly speculative, have poor
prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in
default. As a result, investment in such bonds will present
greater speculative risks than those associated with investment
in investment grade bonds. Also, to the extent that the rating
assigned to a security in the Funds portfolio is
downgraded by a rating organization, the market price and
liquidity of such security may be adversely affected.
Risks of IPOs.
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 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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n
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U.S. Government Securities
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n
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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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n
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Certificates of deposit
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n
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Bankers acceptances
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n
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Repurchase agreements
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n
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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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n
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Cash
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71
|
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n
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Cash Equivalents
|
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n
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Certain ETFs
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When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments,
the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
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 objectives and
policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
Other Investment Companies.
The Fund may
invest in securities of other investment companies, including
ETFs, 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 the 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 passively-managed 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
72
APPENDIX
A
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 also invest in
certain 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 (including ETFs), in addition to the fees and expenses
regularly borne by the Fund. 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.
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.
Direct Equity Investment.
The Fund may invest
up to 5% of its total assets in direct equity investments. 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
73
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. 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.
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 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.
74
APPENDIX
A
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
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.
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 may issue
securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and
Euro obligations) as well as other non-U.S. dollar currencies.
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.).
Bank Obligations.
The Fund may invest in
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank
obligations, including without limitation, time deposits,
bankers acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be
general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the
issuing branch by the terms of the specific
75
obligations or by government regulations. Banks are subject to
extensive but different governmental regulations which may limit
both the amount and types of loans which may be made and
interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the
profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon
the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing
lending operations under prevailing money market conditions.
General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses
arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play
an important part in the operation of this industry.
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 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.
U.S. Government Securities are deemed to include
(a) securities for which the payment of principal and
interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by
the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or
instrumentalities; and (b) participations in loans made to
foreign governments or their agencies that are so guaranteed.
Certain of these participations may be regarded as illiquid.
U.S. Government Securities have historically involved
little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However,
no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will
provide financial support to U.S. government agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is
not obligated to do so by law.
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
76
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.
Mortgage-Backed Securities.
The Fund may
invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities
represent direct or indirect participations in, or are
collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by
real property. Mortgage-backed securities can be backed by
either fixed rate mortgage loans or adjustable rate mortgage
loans, and may be issued by either a governmental or
non-governmental entity. The value of some mortgage-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. The value of these securities may
also fluctuate in response to the markets perception of
the creditworthiness of the issuers. Early repayment of
principal on mortgage- or asset-backed securities may expose the
Fund to the risk of earning a lower rate of return upon
reinvestment of principal.
Privately-issued mortgage pass-through securities generally
offer a higher yield than similar securities issued by a
government entity because of the absence of any direct or
indirect government or agency payment guarantees. However,
timely payment of interest and principal on mortgage loans in
these pools may be supported by various other forms of insurance
or guarantees, including individual loan, pool and hazard
insurance, subordination and letters of credit. Such insurance
and guarantees may be issued by private insurers, banks and
mortgage poolers. There is no assurance that private guarantors
or insurers, if any, will meet their obligations.
Mortgage-backed securities without insurance or guarantees may
also be purchased by the Fund if they have the required rating
from an NRSRO. Some mortgage-backed securities issued by private
organizations may not be readily marketable, may be more
difficult to value accurately and may be more volatile than
similar securities issued by a government entity.
Mortgage-backed securities may include multiple class
securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations
(CMOs) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit
(REMIC) pass-through or participation certificates.
A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment and
invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in
real property and other permitted investments. CMOs provide an
investor with a specified interest in the cash flow from a pool
of underlying mortgages or of other mortgage-backed securities.
CMOs are issued in multiple classes each with a specified fixed
or floating interest rate and a final scheduled distribution
rate. In many cases, payments of principal are applied to the
CMO classes in the order of their respective stated maturities,
so that no principal
77
payments will be made on a CMO class until all other classes
having an earlier stated maturity date are paid in full.
Sometimes, however, CMO classes are parallel pay,
i.e.
, payments of principal are made to two or more
classes concurrently. In some cases, CMOs may have the
characteristics of a stripped mortgage-backed security whose
price can be highly volatile. CMOs may exhibit more or less
price volatility and interest rate risk than other types of
mortgage-related obligations, and under certain interest rate
and payment scenarios, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its
investment in certain of these securities regardless of their
credit quality.
Mortgaged-backed securities also include stripped
mortgage-backed securities (SMBS), which are
derivative multiple class mortgage-backed securities. SMBS are
usually structured with two different classes: one that receives
substantially all of the interest payments and the other that
receives substantially all of the principal payments from a pool
of mortgage loans. The market value of SMBS consisting entirely
of principal payments generally is unusually volatile in
response to changes in interest rates. The yields on SMBS that
receive all or most of the interest from mortgage loans are
generally higher than prevailing market yields on other
mortgage-backed securities because their cash flow patterns are
more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial
investment will not be fully recouped. Throughout 2008, the
market for mortgage-backed securities began experiencing
substantially, often dramatically, lower valuations and greatly
reduced liquidity. Markets for other asset-backed securities
have also been affected. These instruments are increasingly
subject to liquidity constraints, price volatility, credit
downgrades and unexpected increases in default rates and,
therefore, may be more difficult to value and more difficult to
dispose of than previously. These events may have an adverse
effect on the Fund to the extent it invests in mortgage-backed
or other fixed income securities or instruments affected by the
volatility in the fixed income markets.
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Fund may invest
in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are
securities whose principal and interest payments are
collateralized by pools of assets such as auto loans, credit
card receivables, leases, installment contracts and personal
property. Asset-backed securities may also include home equity
line of credit loans and other second-lien mortgages.
Asset-backed 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
78
APPENDIX
A
prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of
principal at comparable yields is subject to generally
prevailing interest rates at that time. Asset-backed securities
present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed
securities. This is because asset-backed securities generally do
not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that
is comparable to mortgage assets. Some asset-backed securities
have only a subordinated claim or security interest in
collateral. 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. In the event of a default, the Fund may
suffer a loss if it cannot sell collateral quickly and receive
the amount it is owed. There is no guarantee that private
guarantors, or insurers of an asset-backed security, if any,
will meet their obligations. The value of some asset-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. Asset-backed securities may also be
subject to increased volatility and may become illiquid and more
difficult to value even when there is no default or threat of
default due to the markets perception of the credit
worthiness of the issuers and market conditions impacting
asset-backed securities more generally.
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 net assets.
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
79
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.
Structured securities include, but are not limited to, equity
linked notes. An equity linked note is a note whose performance
is tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks.
Equity linked notes combine the principal protection normally
associated with fixed income investments with the potential for
capital appreciation normally associated with equity
investments. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally
receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation
of the linked securities. Depending on the terms of the note,
equity linked notes may also have a cap or
floor on the maximum principal amount to be repaid
to holders, irrespective of the performance of the underlying
linked securities. For example, a note may guarantee the
repayment of the original principal amount invested (even if the
underlying linked securities have negative performance during
the notes term), but may cap the maximum payment at
maturity at a certain percentage of the issuance price or the
return of the underlying linked securities. Alternatively, the
note may not guarantee a full return on the original principal,
but may offer a greater participation in any capital
appreciation of the underlying linked securities. The terms of
an equity linked note may also provide for periodic interest
payments to holders at either a fixed or floating rate. The
secondary market for equity linked notes may be limited, and the
lack of liquidity in the secondary market may make these
securities difficult to dispose of and to value. Equity linked
notes will be considered equity securities for purposes of the
Funds investment objective and policies.
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
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.
80
APPENDIX
A
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 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, and purchase
and write call and put options on futures contracts, and enter
into swaps on futures contracts in order
81
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
Investment Company Act with respect to the Fund.
Futures contracts and related options and swaps present the
following risks:
|
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n
|
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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n
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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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n
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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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n
|
Futures markets are highly volatile
and the use of futures may increase the volatility of the
Funds NAV.
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n
|
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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n
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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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n
|
Foreign exchanges may not provide
the same protection as U.S. exchanges.
|
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 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
82
APPENDIX
A
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.
Equity Swaps, Index Swaps and Currency
Swaps.
The Fund may invest in equity swaps, index
swaps and currency 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. Index
swaps allow one party or both parties to a swap agreement to
receive one or more payments based off of the return,
performance or volatility of an index or of certain securities
which comprise the index. Currency swaps involve the exchange of
the parties respective rights to make or receive payments
in specified currencies.
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
a swap (such as the dividends on a common stock of an equity
swap) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Furthermore, the Fund may suffer a loss if the counterparty
defaults. Because 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 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
83
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.
Short Sales Against-the-Box.
The Fund may
make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box
means that at all times when a short position is open the Fund
will own an equal amount of securities sold short, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any
further consideration, an equal amount of the securities of the
same issuer as the securities sold short.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase
Rights.
The Fund may invest in preferred stock,
warrants and stock purchase rights (or 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 holders of warrants and
rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no
rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
84
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of
this Prospectus, financial highlights are not available.
85
Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised
Accounts of the Investment Adviser
India Equity
Fund
The Investment Adviser has other advisory accounts that have
investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially
similar to those of the Fund. The following tables set forth the
historical performance data of all accounts managed by the
Investment Adviser with investment objectives, policies and
strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund (the
Composite Account). The information is provided to
illustrate the past performance of the Investment Adviser in
managing the Composite Account as measured against the MSCI
India IMI Index (net), and does not represent the performance of
the Fund, which has not commenced operations. Investors should
not consider this performance data a substitute for the
performance of the Fund, nor should investors consider this data
an indication of the future performance of the Fund or of the
Investment Adviser. The MSCI India IMI Index (net) is unmanaged,
and investors cannot invest directly in the index.
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Composite
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Composite
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Composite
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Account
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Composite
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Account
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Account
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Performance
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Account
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Performance
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Composite
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Performance
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(applying
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Performance
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(applying
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|
Account
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Composite
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|
(applying
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Class A
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(applying
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Class C
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Performance
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Account
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Class A
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expenses
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Class C
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expenses
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(applying
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Performance
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expenses
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and excluding
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expenses
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and excluding
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Institutional
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(applying
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MSCI India
|
Calendar
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and sales
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sales
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and sales
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sales
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Shares
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Class IR
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IMI Index
|
Years
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charge)
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charge)
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charge)
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charge)
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expenses)
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|
expenses)
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(net)
|
2008
|
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|
−68
|
.78%
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|
−66.96%
|
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|
−67
|
.56%
|
|
|
|
−67
|
.24%
|
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|
|
−66
|
.82%
|
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|
−66
|
.87%
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|
−66
|
.16%
|
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2009
|
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105
|
.51%
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|
117.48%
|
|
|
114
|
.94%
|
|
|
|
115
|
.94%
|
|
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|
118
|
.30%
|
|
|
|
117
|
.99%
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|
106
|
.69%
|
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2010
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12
|
.63%
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19.19%
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17
|
.31%
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|
18
|
.31%
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19
|
.66%
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19
|
.48%
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20
|
.91%
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86
APPENDIX C
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Average Annual
Total Returns for the Periods Ended 12/31/10
|
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Since
Inception
|
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|
1 Year
|
|
3 Years
|
|
04/01/07
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
12.63
|
%
|
|
|
−6.80
|
%
|
|
|
16.08
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
19.19
|
%
|
|
|
−5.03
|
%
|
|
|
17.84
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
17.31
|
%
|
|
|
−5.75
|
%
|
|
|
16.97
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
18.31
|
%
|
|
|
−5.75
|
%
|
|
|
16.97
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Institutional Shares
expenses)
|
|
|
19.66
|
%
|
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|
−4.65
|
%
|
|
|
18.31
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class IR expenses)
|
|
|
19.48
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%
|
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|
−4.79
|
%
|
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|
18.13
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
MSCI India IMI Index (net)
|
|
|
20.91
|
%
|
|
|
−5.43
|
%
|
|
|
12.62
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
All returns presented are time-weighted based on monthly
valuations and include the reinvestment of earnings. The
performance information with respect to the Composite Account in
each instance is net of applicable estimated total annual
operating expenses of the Funds Class A, Class C
Institutional or Class IR Shares (rather than the actual
expenses of the accounts comprising the Composite Account),
without provision for federal and state taxes, if any. Where
indicated, performance reflects the deduction of the maximum
5.5% front-end sales charge with respect to Class A Shares
and the maximum 1% CDSC with respect to Class C Shares (the
Funds Institutional and Class IR Shares impose no sales
charges). Since fees, commissions, and taxes will differ for the
Composite Account and the Fund, performance data for identical
periods may differ going forward.
The composite account is not subject to the same diversification
requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment
limitations imposed on the Fund by the Investment Company Act
and Subchapter M of the Code. Consequently, the performance
results of the Investment Advisers Composite Account could
have been adversely affected if the Composite Account had been
regulated as an investment company under the federal securities
laws. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be
identical to the securities held by the Composite Account for
the periods shown above. Accordingly, the future performance of
the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite
Account.
87
[This page intentionally left
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[This page intentionally left
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India 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 reports, 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 (and 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 Fund 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
|
|
Class A, C and IR
|
n
By
telephone:
|
|
1-800-621-2550
|
|
1-800-526-7384
|
n
By
mail:
|
|
Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 06050
Chicago, IL 60606
|
|
Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 219711
Kansas City, MO 64121
|
n
On
the Internet:
|
|
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
811-5349.
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
INDIAPRO11
|
|
|
|
|
Prospectus
|
|
April 29,
2011
|
GOLDMAN
SACHS SINGLE COUNTRY FUNDS
|
|
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n
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Goldman Sachs
Korea Equity Fund
n
Class A
Shares: GWIAX
n
Class C
Shares: GWICX
n
Institutional
Shares: GWIIX
n
Class IR
Shares: GWIRX
|
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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 THE FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT
INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND INVOLVES
INVESTMENT RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN THE FUND.
|
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|
Table of
Contents
|
|
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|
1
|
|
Goldman Sachs Korea Equity Fund Summary
|
|
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|
8
|
|
Investment Management Approach
|
|
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|
14
|
|
Risks of the Fund
|
|
|
|
20
|
|
Service Providers
|
|
|
|
25
|
|
Dividends
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
Shareholder Guide
|
|
|
26
|
|
How
To Buy Shares
|
|
|
40
|
|
How
To Sell Shares
|
|
|
|
53
|
|
Taxation
|
|
|
|
56
|
|
Appendix A
Additional Information on
Portfolio Risks, Securities
and Techniques
|
|
|
|
82
|
|
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
|
|
|
|
83
|
|
Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised Accounts of the
Investment Adviser
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOT FDIC-INSURED
|
|
|
May Lose Value
|
|
|
No Bank Guarantee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldman
Sachs Korea Equity FundSummary
Investment
Objective
The Goldman Sachs Korea 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 33 of this Prospectus and Other Information
Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions,
Exchanges and Dividends beginning on page B-84 of the
Funds Statement of Additional Information
(SAI).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
Class C
|
|
Institutional
|
|
Class IR
|
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your
investment)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a
percentage of offering price)
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
Maximum
Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of
original purchase price or sale
proceeds)
1
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
1.0
|
%
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
Class C
|
|
Institutional
|
|
Class IR
|
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as
a percentage of the value of your investment)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fees
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees
|
|
|
0.25
|
%
|
|
|
1.00
|
%
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
|
|
No
|
ne
|
Other
Expenses
2
|
|
|
1.55
|
%
|
|
|
1.55
|
%
|
|
|
1.40
|
%
|
|
|
1.55
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
|
|
|
2.90
|
%
|
|
|
3.65
|
%
|
|
|
2.50
|
%
|
|
|
2.65
|
%
|
Expense
Limitation
3
|
|
|
(1.00
|
)%
|
|
|
(1.00
|
)%
|
|
|
(1.00
|
)%
|
|
|
(1.00
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses After Expense
Limitation
3
|
|
|
1.90
|
%
|
|
|
2.65
|
%
|
|
|
1.50
|
%
|
|
|
1.65
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
A contingent deferred sales
charge (CDSC) of 1% is imposed on Class C
Shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.
|
|
2
|
|
The Funds Other
Expenses have been estimated to reflect expenses expected
to be incurred during the first fiscal year.
|
|
3
|
|
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 and transfer
agent fee credit reductions) to 0.364% of the Funds
average daily net assets
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
through at least April 29,
2012, and prior to such date, the Investment Adviser may not
terminate the arrangement without the approval of the Board of
Trustees.
|
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/or Class IR Shares of the
Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
Class A, Class C, Institutional and/or 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 incorporates expense limitation arrangement for only the
first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower,
based on these assumptions your costs would be:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Year
|
|
3 Years
|
Class A Shares
|
|
$
|
732
|
|
|
$
|
1,309
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class C Shares
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming complete redemption at end of period
|
|
$
|
368
|
|
|
$
|
1,025
|
|
Assuming no redemption
|
|
$
|
268
|
|
|
$
|
1,025
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Institutional Shares
|
|
$
|
153
|
|
|
$
|
683
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class IR Shares
|
|
$
|
168
|
|
|
$
|
728
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 will be reflected in the Funds
performance.
Principal Strategy
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 that are tied economically to
Korea or in issuers that participate in the markets of Republic
of Korea (referred to in this prospectus as Korea,
or South Korea). The Investment Adviser considers an
equity investment to be tied economically to Korea if the
investment is included in an index representative of Korea, the
investments returns are linked to the performance of such
an index, or the investment is exposed to the economic risks and
returns of Korea.
An issuer participates in the markets of Korea if the issuer:
|
|
n
|
Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in Korea;
|
n
|
Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in Korea;
|
2
|
|
n
|
Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
Korea; or
|
n
|
Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in Korea.
|
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depository Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are
well-positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in investments in developed countries and
emerging countries other than Korea, including non-investment
grade fixed income securities.
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
Currency Risk.
Changes in currency exchange
rates may adversely affect the value of the Funds
securities denominated in foreign currencies. Currency exchange
rates can be volatile. The Fund may from time to time attempt to
hedge all or a portion of its currency risk using a variety of
techniques, including currency futures, forwards, and options.
However, these instruments may not always work as intended, and
in certain cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not
used a hedging instrument.
Depositary Receipts Risk.
Foreign securities
may trade in the form of depositary receipts, including American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary
Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts
(EDRs) (collectively, Depositary
Receipts). In addition to the risks inherent in the
underlying securities represented by the Depositary Receipts, in
some situations there may be an increased possibility that the
Fund would not become aware of and be able to respond to
corporate actions involving the foreign issuer in a timely
manner. Also, a 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.
Derivatives Risk.
Loss may result from the
Funds investments in equity swaps, equity index swaps,
futures, participation notes, options and structured securities
and other derivative instruments. These instruments may be
illiquid, difficult to price and 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.
Emerging Countries Risk.
The securities
markets of 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.
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.
Industry Concentration Risk.
The Fund will
not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds total
assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their
principal business activities in the same industry, except that,
to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the
Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the Fund
may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
Korea Risk.
Investing in Korea may involve a
higher degree of risk and special considerations not typically
associated with investing in more established economies or
4
securities markets. The Funds investment exposure to Korea
may subject the Fund, to a greater extent, to the risks of
adverse securities markets, exchange rates and social,
political, regulatory, economic, or environmental events and
natural disasters which may occur in Korea. The economy,
industries, and securities and currency markets of Korea may be
adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, slow
economic activity worldwide, political and social instability,
regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war, including
actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S. In
particular, South Koreas relations with North Korea remain
tense and volatile, particularly as North Korea appears to
continue to develop nuclear and other military capabilities.
Military action or the risk of military action, or strains on
the economy of North Korea, could have an adverse effect on
South Korea and the Fund. The market capitalization and trading
volume of issuers in South Korean securities markets are
concentrated in a relatively small number of issuers, resulting
in substantially less liquidity and greater price volatility and
potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund. The
economy of South Korea is heavily reliant on international
trade, and it is sensitive to the economic health of its trading
partners and the world economy. Downturns in worldwide economic
activity have at times led to capital outflows from South Korea,
resulting in deterioration of the currency and financial and
credit markets. South Koreas aging population and rigid
labor relations are also risks to the countrys long-term
economic viability. South Korea is dependent on foreign sources
for its energy needs, and a significant increase in energy
prices could have an adverse impact on its economy.
Liquidity Risk.
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.
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.
Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Risk.
The securities of
mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve
greater risks than those associated with 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.
NAV Risk.
The net asset value
(NAV) of the Fund and the value of your investment
may fluctuate.
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.
5
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 Fund 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.
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.
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:
Rick Loo, CFA, Executive
Director, Portfolio ManagerSingapore, has managed the Fund
since 2011.
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 alone or in combination with other
assets under the management of GSAMI and its affiliates for
certain other types of investors. There may be no minimum for
initial purchases of Institutional Shares for certain retirement
accounts or for initial purchases of 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. Investments through tax-deferred
arrangements may become taxable upon withdrawal.
6
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 Institution website for more information.
7
Investment Management Approach
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The Fund seeks long term capital appreciation. The Funds
investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval
upon sixty days notice.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its Net Assets in a portfolio of equity investments that are
tied economically to Korea or in issuers that participate in the
markets of Korea. The Investment Adviser considers an equity
investment to be tied economically to Korea if the investment is
included in an index representative of Korea, the
investments returns are linked to the performance of such
an index, or the investment is exposed to the economic risks and
returns of Korea.
An issuer participates in the markets of Korea if the issuer:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Has a class of its securities whose
principal securities market is in Korea;
|
|
n
|
Is organized under the laws of, or
has a principal office in Korea;
|
|
n
|
Derives 50% or more of its total
revenue from goods produced, sales made or services provided in
Korea; or
|
|
n
|
Maintains 50% or more of its assets
in Korea.
|
To the extent required by Securities and Exchange Commission
(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.
The Fund expects to invest primarily in equity securities,
including common or ordinary stocks, American Depositary
Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts
(GDRs), European Depository Receipts
(EDRs), 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. Only securities open to
U.S. investors are eligible for investment by the Fund.
The Funds investments are selected using a strong
valuation discipline based on industry specific metrics to
purchase what the Investment Adviser believes are well-
8
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
positioned, cash-generating businesses run by
shareholder-oriented management teams. From a valuation
perspective, the Investment Adviser generally looks for
companies where its proprietary estimate of their earnings,
asset value or cash flow is meaningfully different from
consensus; or where the Investment Adviser believes growth in
intrinsic value is not reflected in the share price. 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 other
holdings, and how the addition will impact sector and industry
weightings. The largest overweights 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 will not invest more than 25% of the value of the
Funds total assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry
represents 20% or more of the Funds benchmark index at the
time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets
in that industry. The Fund may invest in the aggregate up to 20%
of its Net Assets in developed country investments and other
emerging country investments, including non-investment grade
fixed income securities.
The Funds benchmark index is the Korea Composite Stock
Price Index (USD) (the KOSPI). The KOSPI is a
capitalization-weighted index of all common shares on the Korean
Stock Exchanges. The KOSPI is a price-only index (
i.e.
,
its return does not take into account the dividends paid by its
constituents). The KOSPI does not reflect any deductions of
expenses associated with mutual funds such as management fees
and other expenses.
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
securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (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
9
invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be achieving
its investment objective.
GSAMIs
Korean Equity Investment Philosophy:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Belief
|
|
How the
Investment Adviser Acts on This Belief
|
n
|
|
Excess returns can be generated by conducting thorough
fundamental research and individual stock selection
|
|
Seeks to generate excess returns through an intensive research
culture and a strong commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources around the world.
|
n
|
|
A team-based approach enriches debate and enhances the quality
of investment decisions
|
|
Conducts proprietary stock level research in a team-orientated
regional structure with frequent, open communication and
frontline decision-making.
|
n
|
|
Focused and differentiated portfolios provide the greatest
potential to generate excess returns
|
|
Builds portfolios that are reflective of the teams best
investment ideas so that the majority of excess returns are
driven by stock selection.
|
GSAMIs Korea 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.
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.
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.
10
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
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 (when
available). 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 fifteen
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.
11
|
|
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
|
|
10
Percent
of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
|
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
Korea
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Practices
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Borrowings
|
|
|
33
1
/
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cross Hedging of Currencies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Direct Equity
Investments
*
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity, Index and Currency Swaps and Options on such
Swaps
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Currency Transactions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts
(including index futures)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Company Securities (including exchange-traded
funds)
**
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Foreign
Currencies
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Options on
Securities and Securities
Indices
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repurchase Agreements
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unseasoned Companies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
**
|
|
This percentage limitation does
not apply to the Funds investments 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.
|
1
|
|
The Fund may purchase and sell
call and put options on foreign currencies.
|
2
|
|
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.
|
12
INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT APPROACH
|
|
|
|
|
10
Percent
of total assets (
italic type
)
|
10
Percent
of net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes)
(roman type)
|
No
specific percentage limitation on usage;
|
|
Korea
|
limited
only by the objectives and strategies
|
|
Equity
|
of
the Fund
|
|
Fund
|
Investment Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
American, European and Global Depositary Receipts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bank
Obligations
1,2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Convertible Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate Debt
Obligations
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Emerging Country Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Investments
|
|
|
80+
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fixed Income
Securities
4
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment
Grade Fixed Income
Securities
1,3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Real Estate Investment Trusts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Structured Securities (which may include equity linked
notes)
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temporary Investments
|
|
|
100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. Government
Securities
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
Limited to 15% of net assets
(together with other illiquid securities) for all investments
that are not deemed liquid.
|
1
|
|
Limited by the amount the Fund
invests in fixed income securities.
|
2
|
|
Issued by U.S. or foreign
banks.
|
3
|
|
May be BB or lower by Standard
& Poors, Ba or lower by Moodys or have a
comparable rating by another NRSRO at the time of
investment.
|
4
|
|
The Fund may invest in the
aggregate up to 20% of its Net Assets in: (i) fixed income
securities of private and government Korean issuers; and
(ii) equity and fixed income investments in non-Korean
issuers.
|
13
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
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Korea
|
ü
Principal
Risk
|
|
Equity
|
Additional
Risk
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
Credit/Default
|
|
|
|
|
|
Currency
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Depositary Receipts
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Derivatives
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Emerging Countries
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Foreign Custody
|
|
|
|
|
|
Industry Concentration
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Interest Rate
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment Style
|
|
|
|
|
|
IPO
|
|
|
|
|
|
Korea
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Liquidity
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Management
|
|
|
|
|
|
Market
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Mid-Cap
and
Small-Cap
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value (NAV)
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Diversification
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities
|
|
|
|
|
|
Participation Notes
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
ü
|
|
|
|
14
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
n
|
Credit/Default
Risk
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.
|
The credit quality of the Funds portfolio securities may
meet the Funds credit quality requirements at the time of
purchase but then deteriorate thereafter, and such a
deterioration can occur rapidly. In certain instances, the
downgrading or default of a single holding or guarantor of the
Funds holding may impair the Funds liquidity and
have the potential to cause significant NAV deterioration.
|
|
n
|
Currency
Risk
Changes in
currency exchange rates may adversely affect the value of the
Funds securities denominated in foreign currencies.
Currency exchange rates can be volatile and affected by, among
other factors, the general economic conditions of a country, the
actions of the U.S. and
non-U.S. governments
or central banks, the imposition of currency controls, and
speculation. A security may be denominated in a currency that is
different from the currency of the country where the issuer is
domiciled. If a foreign currency grows weaker relative to the
U.S. dollar, the value of securities denominated in that
foreign currency generally decreases in terms of
U.S. dollars. If the Fund does not correctly anticipate
changes in exchange rates, its share price could decline as a
result. The Fund may from time to time attempt to hedge all or a
portion of its currency risk using a variety of techniques,
including currency futures, forwards and options. However, these
instruments may not always work as intended, and in certain
cases the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used a
hedging instrument. For most emerging market currencies,
suitable hedging instruments may not be available.
|
n
|
Depositary Receipts
Risk
Foreign
securities may trade in the form of Depositary Receipts. 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.
|
n
|
Derivatives
Risk
Loss may
result from the Funds investments in equity swaps, equity
index swaps, futures, participation notes, options and
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
|
15
|
|
|
subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other
party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual
obligation.
|
|
|
n
|
Emerging Countries
Risk
The
securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid, are
especially subject to greater price volatility, have smaller
market capitalizations, have more or 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. Further, investment in
equity securities of issuers located in certain emerging
countries involves risk of loss resulting from problems in share
registration and custody and substantial economic and political
disruptions. These risks are not normally associated with
investment in more developed countries.
|
n
|
Foreign
Risk
When the
Fund invests in foreign securities, it may 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 or
from problems in security registration or settlement and
custody. Foreign risks will normally be greatest when the Fund
invests in issuers located in emerging countries.
|
n
|
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, or 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 China and other
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.
|
n
|
Interest Rate
Risk
When
interest rates increase, fixed income securities held by the
Fund may decline in value. Long-term fixed income securities
will normally have more price volatility because of this risk
than short-term fixed income securities.
|
n
|
Investment Style
Risk
Different
investment styles (e.g., growth, value
or quantitative) tend to shift in and out of favor
depending upon market and economic conditions as well as
investor sentiment. The Fund intends to employ a blend of growth
and value investment styles depending on market conditions,
either of which may fall out of favor from time to time. The
Fund may outperform or underperform other funds that invest in
similar asset classes but employ different investment styles.
|
16
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
n
|
IPO
Risk
The market
value of IPO shares may 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.
|
|
|
n
|
Industry Concentration
Risk
The Fund
will not invest more than 25% of the value of the Funds
total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting
their principal business activities in the same industry, except
that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of
the Funds benchmark index at the time of investment, the
Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry.
Concentrating Fund investments in a limited number of issuers
conducting business in the same industry will subject the Fund
to a greater risk of loss as a result of adverse economic,
business or other developments affecting that industry than if
its investments were not so concentrated.
|
|
|
n
|
Korea
Risk
Investing
in Korea involves a higher degree of risk and special
considerations not typically associated with investing in more
established economies or securities markets. The Funds
investment exposure to Korea may subject the Fund, to a greater
extent, to the risks of adverse securities markets, exchange
rates and social, political, regulatory, economic, or
environmental events and natural disasters. The economy,
industries, and securities and currency markets of Korea may be
adversely affected by protectionist trade policies, slow
economic activity worldwide, political and social instability,
regional and global conflicts, terrorism and war, including
actions that are contrary to the interests of the U.S.
|
In particular, South Koreas relations with North Korea
remain tense and volatile, particularly as North Korea appears
to continue to develop nuclear and other military capabilities.
Military action or the risk of military action, or strains on
the economy of North Korea, could have an adverse effect on
South Korea and the Fund. The market capitalization and trading
volume of issuers in South Korean securities markets are
concentrated in a relatively small number of issuers, resulting
in substantially less liquidity and greater price volatility and
potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund. The
economy of South Korea is heavily reliant on international
trade, and it is sensitive to the economic health of its trading
partners and the world economy. Downturns in worldwide economic
activity have at times led to capital outflows from South Korea,
resulting in deterioration of the currency and financial and
credit markets. South Koreas aging population and rigid
labor relations are also risks to the countrys long-term
economic viability. South
17
Korea is dependent on foreign sources for its energy needs, and
a significant increase in energy prices could have an adverse
impact on its economy.
|
|
n
|
Liquidity
Risk
The Fund
may invest to a greater degree in securities or instruments that
trade in lower volumes and may make investments that may be less
liquid than other investments. Also, 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 security or instrument at all. An
inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely
affect the Funds value or prevent the Fund from being able
to take advantage of other investment opportunities.
|
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. The Fund
reserves the right to meet redemption requests through in-kind
distributions. While the Fund may pay redemptions in-kind in the
future, the Fund may instead choose to raise cash to meet
redemption requests through sales of portfolio securities or
permissible borrowings. If the Fund is forced to sell securities
at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, such
sales may adversely affect the Funds NAV.
Certain shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the
Investment Adviser and/or other funds managed by the Investment
Adviser, may from time to time own or control a significant
percentage of the Funds shares. Redemptions by these
shareholders of their shares of the Fund may further increase
the Funds liquidity risk and may impact the Funds
NAV. These shareholders may include, for example, institutional
investors, fund-of-funds, discretionary advisory clients, and
other shareholders whose buy-sell decisions are controlled by a
single decision-maker.
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.
|
|
n
|
Management
Risk
A strategy
used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended
results.
|
n
|
Market
Risk
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
|
18
RISKS
OF THE FUND
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
n
|
Mid-Cap
and
Small-Cap
Risk
The
securities of mid-capitalization and
small-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-capitalization and small-capitalization
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.
|
n
|
NAV
Risk
The NAV of
the Fund and the value of your investment may fluctuate.
|
n
|
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.
|
n
|
Non-Investment Grade Fixed
Income Securities
Risk
The Fund
may invest in non-investment grade fixed income securities
(commonly known as junk bonds) that are considered
speculative. Non-investment grade fixed income securities and
unrated securities of comparable credit quality are subject to
the increased risk of an issuers inability to meet
principal and interest payment obligations. These securities may
be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as
specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate
sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets
generally and less secondary market liquidity.
|
n
|
Participation Notes
Risk
The Fund
will use participation notes to gain exposure to certain markets
it cannot invest directly in. 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 Fund 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.
|
n
|
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.
|
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.
19
Service Providers
INVESTMENT
ADVISER
|
|
|
Investment
Adviser
|
|
Fund
|
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International
(GSAMI)
Christchurch Court
10-15
Newgate Street
London, England EC1A 7HD
|
|
Korea Equity
|
|
|
|
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
December 31, 2010, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.
(GSAM), including its investment advisory
affiliates, one of which is GSAMI, had assets under management
of $717.1 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:
|
|
|
|
n
|
Supervises all non-advisory
operations of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides personnel to perform
necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the
Fund
|
|
n
|
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
|
|
n
|
Maintains the records of the Fund
|
|
n
|
Provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services
|
20
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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contractual
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fee
|
|
Average Daily
|
Fund
|
|
Annual
Rate
|
|
Net
Assets
|
Korea Equity
|
|
|
1.10
|
%
|
|
|
First $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.99
|
%
|
|
|
Next $1 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.94
|
%
|
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.92
|
%
|
|
|
Next $3 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.90
|
%
|
|
|
Over $8 Billion
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Investment Adviser may waive a portion of its management fee
from time to time, and may discontinue or modify any such
waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee
waiver arrangements in place.
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 for the period
ended April 30, 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 and transfer agent fee credit reductions) to
0.364% of the Funds average daily net assets through at
least April 29, 2012, and prior to such date the Investment
Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval
of the Board of Trustees. This expense limitation may be
modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its
discretion and without shareholder approval after such date,
although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do
so.
FUND
MANAGERS
Korea
Equity Portfolio Management Team
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n
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Our investment philosophy is
reflected in our intensive research culture and our strong
commitment to
on-the-ground
research resources. Our research team comprises 7 investment
professionals, including portfolio managers and research
analysts, organized into regional teams and based on the ground
in Singapore and Seoul. These professionals provide research,
monitor portfolio positions, and
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21
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give portfolio construction advice. However, GSAMI is ultimately
responsible for the investment decisions in the portfolio.
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n
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We believe our
on-the-ground
research presence better positions our research analysts to
generate strong and compelling investment ideas through a keener
understanding of local customs, greater and more frequent access
to corporate managements, and immediate access to local capital
markets and news flow.
|
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n
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The Portfolio Manager is
responsible for leading and working closely with the research
analysts to foster discussion, debate and analysis of investment
ideas. This
first-hand
intensive research effort is captured in our portfolios through
a disciplined investment process which results in highly focused
portfolios comprising our most compelling individual stock ideas.
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n
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For information about the portfolio
managers compensation, other accounts managed by the
portfolio manager and the portfolio managers ownership of
securities in the Fund, see the SAI.
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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
|
Rick Loo, CFA, Executive
Director, Portfolio Manager
Singapore
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|
Portfolio Manager
Korea Equity
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|
Since
2011
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|
Mr. Loo is a Portfolio Manager for GSAMs Asia
ex-Japan strategy and is based in Singapore. Mr. Loo has primary
research responsibility for the ASEAN markets. 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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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 the
Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with
respect to the Class A, Class C and Class IR
Shares.
From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may
purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its
affiliates reserve the right to redeem at any time some or all
of the shares acquired for their own accounts.
22
SERVICE
PROVIDERS
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ACTIVITIES
OF GOLDMAN SACHS AND ITS AFFILIATES AND OTHER
ACCOUNTS MANAGED BY GOLDMAN
SACHS
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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 worldwide
full service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management
and financial services organization and a major participant in
global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial
services to a substantial and diversified client base that
includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and
high-net worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investment
banker, research provider, investment manager, financier,
advisor, market maker, prime broker, derivatives dealer, lender,
counterparty, agent and principal. In those and other
capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and
transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad
array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans,
commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets
and other financial instruments and products for its own account
or for the accounts of its customers and has other direct and
indirect interests, in the global fixed income, currency,
commodity, equities, bank loan and other markets and the
securities and issuers in which the Fund may directly and
indirectly invest. 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 certain of its affiliates are the
managers of the Goldman Sachs Funds. The Investment Adviser and
its affiliates earn fees from this and other relationships with
the Fund. Although these fees are generally based on asset
levels, the fees are not directly contingent on Fund
performance, and Goldman Sachs would still receive significant
compensation from the Fund even if shareholders lose money.
Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in 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 activities or strategies, or the activities or
strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the
benefit of the management of the Fund. 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 Goldman Sachs or other accounts. In addition,
the Fund may enter into transactions in which Goldman Sachs
23
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,
individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact the Fund.
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 effect 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 or
who engage in transactions with or for the Fund. For more
information about conflicts of interest, see the SAI.
The Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs
and its affiliates in connection with the Funds portfolio
investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.
24
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
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Additional shares of the same class
of the same 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 (either directly or through your
Authorized Institution) at any time before the record date for a
particular dividend or distribution. If you do not indicate any
choice, your dividends and distributions will be reinvested
automatically in the Fund. If cash dividends are elected with
respect to the Funds annual dividends from net investment
income, 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.
Distributions from net investment income and net capital gains,
if any, 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.
25
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.
Note: Authorized Institutions may receive different
compensation for selling different class shares.
The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the
amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and
your personal situation. You should contact your Authorized
Institution to discuss which share class option 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, or cash or
cash equivalents;
e.g.
, cashiers
26
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
checks, official bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or
credit card checks. 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 Fund.
Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established
under 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 IR Shares are not available to
traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts
(IRAs), SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and individual
403(b) plans; except that Class IR Shares are available to
such accounts to the extent they are purchased through an
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
*
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Regular Accounts
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$1,000
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$50
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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.
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27
For Institutional Shares the following minimum investments apply:
|
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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)
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n
Registered
investment advisers investing for accounts for which they
receive asset-based fees
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n
Qualified
non-profit organizations, charitable trusts, foundations and
endowments
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n
Individual
investors
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$10,000,000
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n
Accounts
over which GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment
discretion
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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
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No minimum
|
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|
No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in
Class IR Shares or additional investments in Institutional
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
28
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 (
i.e.
, accounts maintained and serviced by your
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
|
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 other 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.
|
|
n
|
Authorized Institutions and 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 another
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 such fees, if any, may affect the return such customers
realize with respect to their investments.
29
The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may
make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions and
other financial intermediaries (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 Intermediaries for more information
about the payments it receives and any potential conflicts of
interest.
30
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 or
require an Authorized Institution to 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).
|
|
n
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Close the Fund to new investors
from time to time and reopen the Fund whenever it is deemed
appropriate by the Funds Investment Adviser.
|
|
n
|
Provide for, modify or waive the
minimum investment requirements.
|
|
n
|
Modify the manner in which shares
are offered.
|
|
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.
Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for
certain states (to which your account may be subject) require
financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property
(including shares of the Fund) to the appropriate state if no
activity occurs in an account for a period of time specified by
state law.
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, for each investor who opens an account
directly with the Fund. Applications without the required
information may not be accepted by the Fund. After accepting an
application, to the extent permitted by
31
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 obtain all required information.
The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in
an investors account or any tax liability resulting from
the investors delay in providing all 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
32
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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 its
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.
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|
n
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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.
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n
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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
33
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 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, the Funds 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
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Maximum Dealer
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Sales Charge
as
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|
as Percentage
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Allowance as
|
Amount of
Purchase
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Percentage of
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of Net Amount
|
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Percentage of
|
(including sales
charge, if any)
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Offering
Price
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Invested
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Offering
Price
*
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Less than $50,000
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5.50
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%
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5.82
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%
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5.00
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%
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$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000
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4.75
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4.99
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4.00
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$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000
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3.75
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3.90
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3.00
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$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000
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2.75
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2.83
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2.25
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$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million
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2.00
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2.04
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1.75
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$1 million or more
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0.00
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**
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0.00
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**
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***
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*
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Dealers allowance may be
changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire
sales charge may be allowed to Authorized Institutions.
Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales
charge is allowed may be deemed to be underwriters
under the Securities Act of 1933.
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**
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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.
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34
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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***
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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 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 further
below and in the 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:
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(i)
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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;
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(ii)
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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
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(iii)
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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 $1 million or more 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
35
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.
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:
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n
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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;
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n
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Qualified employee benefit plans of
Goldman Sachs;
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n
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Trustees or directors of investment
companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as
sponsor;
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n
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Any employee or registered
representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective
spouses, children and parents;
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n
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Banks, trust companies or other
types of depository institutions;
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n
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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;
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n
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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:
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n
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Buy shares of Goldman Sachs Funds
worth $500,000 or more; or
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n
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Have 100 or more eligible employees
at the time of purchase; or
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n
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Certify that they expect to have
annual plan purchases of shares of Goldman Sachs Funds of
$200,000 or more; or
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n
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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
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n
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Have at the time of purchase
aggregate assets of at least $2,000,000.
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n
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These requirements may be waived at
the discretion of the Trusts officers;
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n
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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;
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n
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Insurance company separate accounts
that make the Fund available as an underlying investment in
certain group annuity contracts;
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36
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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n
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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;
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n
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Registered investment advisers
investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees;
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n
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Accounts over which GSAM or its
advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
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n
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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;
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n
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State sponsored 529 college savings
plans; or
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n
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Investors who qualify under other
exemptions that are stated from time to time in the SAI.
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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?
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n
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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
|
37
|
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|
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, Class B
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, 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.
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n
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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. 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. You must, however, inform the Transfer Agent (either
directly or through your Authorized Institution) 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. The SAI has more
information about the Statement of Intention, which you should
read carefully.
|
38
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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 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. A commission 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?
|
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|
|
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).
|
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|
|
|
n
|
No CDSC is charged on shares
acquired from reinvested dividends or capital gains
distributions.
|
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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 or 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.
|
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|
|
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Information about sales charges and
sale charge waivers is available on the Funds website at
www.goldmansachsfunds.com.
|
39
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:
|
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|
|
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;
|
|
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
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Satisfying the minimum distribution
requirements of the Code;
|
|
n
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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
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A systematic withdrawal plan. 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;
|
|
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
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Other redemptions, at the
discretion of the Trusts officers, relating to shares
purchased through Employee Benefit Plans.
|
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
40
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
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.
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 (a Medallion signature guarantee may be
required). 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:
|
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|
n
|
A request is made in writing to
redeem Class A, Class C, or Class IR Shares in an
amount over $50,000 via check;
|
|
n
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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 and 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
41
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 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. 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 via check 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
|
42
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
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|
|
|
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.
|
|
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:
A shareholder may elect in writing
to receive 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
Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?
The following generally applies to redemption requests:
|
|
|
|
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 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.
|
43
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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 at NAV. To be eligible for this
privilege, you must have held the shares you want to redeem for
at least 30 days 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.
|
44
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
|
|
|
|
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.
|
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, if
applicable, 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:
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
n
|
Exchanges are available only in
states where exchanges may be legally made.
|
45
|
|
|
|
n
|
It may be difficult to make
telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market
conditions.
|
|
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 from
Goldman Sachs 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 Goldman Sachs Fund in shares of the same
class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.
|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
46
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.
|
|
|
|
n
|
Shares will be purchased at NAV if
a sales charge had been imposed on the initial purchase.
|
|
n
|
You may elect to exchange into an
identically registered account or a similarly registered account
provided that at least one name on the account is registered
identically.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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% each of the value of
Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A
shares.
|
47
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 The
Funds Shares?
The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a
Plan) under which Class A and Class C
Shares bear distribution
and/or
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
48
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:
|
|
|
|
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;
|
|
n
|
Allocable overhead;
|
|
n
|
Telephone and travel expenses;
|
|
n
|
Interest and other costs associated
with the financing of such compensation and expenses;
|
|
n
|
Printing of prospectuses for
prospective shareholders;
|
|
n
|
Preparation and distribution of
sales literature or advertising of any type; and
|
|
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 on ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions
immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee
on a quarterly basis.
CLASS
C PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND
FEES
Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to
receive a separate fee equal on an annual basis to 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
49
fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plan exceed its
expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this
arrangement.
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 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 other Goldman
Sachs Funds offered in other 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 equity securities 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
50
SHAREHOLDER
GUIDE
excessive. Excessive trading activity in the Fund is measured by
the number of round trip transactions in a
shareholders account. A round trip includes a
purchase or exchange into the Fund followed or preceded by a
redemption or exchange out of the same Fund. If the Fund detects
that a shareholder has completed two or more round trip
transactions in a single Fund within a rolling
90-day
period, the Fund may reject or restrict subsequent purchase or
exchange orders by that shareholder permanently. In addition,
the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permanently reject or
restrict purchase or exchange orders by a shareholder if the
Fund detects other trading activity that is deemed to be
disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise harmful to
the Fund. For purposes of these transaction surveillance
procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity in multiple
accounts under common ownership, control, or influence. A
shareholder that has been restricted from participation in the
Fund pursuant to this policy will be allowed to apply for
re-entry after one year. A shareholder applying for re-entry
must provide assurances acceptable to the Fund that the
shareholder will not engage in excessive trading activities in
the future.
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,
Eligible Fee-Based Programs 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 financial 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 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
51
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.
52
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 taxable to you as ordinary
income, while any distributions of long-term capital gains 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%. 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 of 15% 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
date. The amount of the Funds distributions that would
otherwise qualify for this favorable tax treatment will be
reduced as a result of the Funds 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 2012.
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
53
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 as a result of 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, subject to applicable
limitations, (i) to credit that proportionate amount of
taxes against your 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 long-term 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.
Exchanges within an IRA or other tax-advantaged account will not
result in capital gain or loss for federal or state income tax
purposes.
54
TAXATION
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% (currently
scheduled to increase to 31% after 2012) 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 may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate
tax. However, withholding is generally not required on properly
reported distributions to
non-U.S.
investors of long-term capital gains and, for distributions
before November 1, 2012, of short-term capital gains and
qualified interest income. Although this report will be made for
short-term capital gain distributions, the Fund does not
anticipate making any qualified interest income reports.
Therefore, all distributions of interest income will be subject
to withholding when paid to
non-U.S. investors.
More information about U.S. taxation of
non-U.S. investors
is included in the SAI.
55
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, American, European, and Global
Depositary Receipts, shares of exchange traded funds and
synthetic and derivative instruments (such as participation
notes, swaps, options 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
56
APPENDIX
A
increase. Conversely, if mortgage loan interest rates rise above
the interest rates on 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 Fund may invest in non-investment grade fixed income
securities (commonly known as junk bonds), which are
rated below investment grade (or determined to be of equivalent
quality, if not rated) at the time of purchase and are therefore
considered speculative. Because non-investment grade fixed
income securities are issued by issuers with low credit ratings,
they pose a greater risk of default than investment grade
securities.
The Investment Adviser will not consider 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 is also likely 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.
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 Investing in Mid-Capitalization and
Small-Capitalization Companies.
The Fund may, to
the extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in
mid- and small-capitalization companies. Investments in mid- and
small-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. Mid- and small-
57
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. Mid- and small-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. Mid- and small-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 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 mid- and small-capitalization companies may be
more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities
because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.
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
58
APPENDIX
A
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.
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, EDRs or other similar instruments
representing securities of foreign issuers. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs
represent the right to receive securities of foreign
59
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.
Risks of Emerging Countries.
The Fund may
invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries.
The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer
is located in an emerging country. Emerging countries are
generally located in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle
East and Central and South America. 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
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,
60
APPENDIX
A
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 of restrictions on foreign investments and on
repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past,
some Eastern European 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 occur in 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.
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
61
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 Funds
currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by
these techniques.
Risks Specific to Korea.
In addition to the
risks listed above, investing in South Korea presents certain
unique risks, including political, economic and social
instability, environmental risks and natural disasters that may
occur in South Korea, and the potential for increasing
militarization in North Korea. South Koreas relations with
North Korea remain tense and volatile, particularly as North
Korea appears to continue to develop nuclear and other military
capabilities. Negotiations to ease tensions and resolve the
political division of the Korean peninsula have been carried on
from time to time, producing sporadic and inconsistent results.
There can be no assurance that negotiations or efforts to
improve relations between the countries will continue or will
ease tensions in the region. Military action or the risk of
military action, or strains on the economy of North Korea, could
have an adverse effect on South Korea and the Fund.
The market capitalization and trading volume of issuers in South
Korean securities markets are concentrated in a relatively small
number of issuers, resulting in substantially less liquidity and
greater price volatility and potentially fewer investment
opportunities for the Fund. South Koreas financial sector
has shown certain signs of systemic weakness and illiquidity,
which, if exacerbated, could increase the risk of investing in
South Korea.
There are also a number of risks associated with the South
Korean government, which has historically exercised (and
continues to exercise) substantial influence over many aspects
of the private sector. The South Korean government from time to
time has informally influenced the prices of certain products,
encouraged companies to invest or to concentrate in particular
industries and induced mergers between companies in industries
experiencing excess capacity. The South Korean government has
sought to minimize excessive price volatility on the South
Korean Stock Exchange through various steps, including the
imposition of limitations on daily
62
APPENDIX
A
price movements of securities, although there is no assurance
that this would prevent the value of an investment from
declining over time.
The economy of South Korea is heavily reliant on international
trade, and it is sensitive to the economic health of its trading
partners and the world economy. Downturns in worldwide economic
activity have at times led to capital outflows from South Korea,
resulting in deterioration of the currency and financial and
credit markets. South Koreas aging population and rigid
labor relations are also risks to the countrys long-term
economic viability. South Korea is dependent on foreign sources
for its energy needs, and a significant increase in energy
prices could have an adverse impact on its economy.
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 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
63
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 Derivative Investments.
The Fund may
invest in derivative instruments including without limitation,
equity swaps, equity index swaps, futures, participation notes,
options, 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. Losses may also arise if the Funds receive
cash collateral under the transactions and some or all of that
collateral is invested in the market. To the extent that cash
collateral is so invested, such collateral will be subject to
market depreciation or appreciation, and a Fund may be
responsible for any loss that might result from its investment
of the counterpartys cash collateral. 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 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
64
APPENDIX
A
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 as are 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.
Risks of Large Shareholder
Redemptions.
Certain funds, accounts, individuals
or Goldman Sachs affiliates 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.
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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|
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n
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Both domestic and foreign
securities that are not readily marketable
|
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n
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Certain stripped mortgage-backed
securities
|
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n
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Repurchase agreements and time
deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
|
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n
|
Certain over-the-counter options
|
|
n
|
Certain private investments in
public equity (PIPEs)
|
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n
|
Certain structured securities and
swap transactions
|
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n
|
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).
|
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
65
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% 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% 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?
Non-Diversification and Geographic Concentration
Risks.
The Fund is classified as a
nondiversified fund under the Investment Company Act
and is, therefore, 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. In addition, the Fund is expected to invest
primarily in a portfolio of equity investments in Korea or in
issuers that participate in the markets of Korea. Concentration
of the investments of this Fund in issuers located in a
particular country or region will subject the Fund, to a greater
extent than if investments were less concentrated, to losses
arising from adverse developments affecting those issuers or
countries.
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,
66
APPENDIX
A
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, 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.
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities rated BB or Ba or
below (or comparable unrated securities) which are commonly
referred to as junk bonds. Junk bonds are considered
speculative and may be questionable as to principal and interest
payments.
In some cases, junk bonds may be highly speculative, have poor
prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in
default. As a result, investment in such bonds will present
greater speculative risks than those associated with investment
in investment grade bonds. Also, to the extent that the rating
assigned to a security in the Funds portfolio is
downgraded by a rating organization, the market price and
liquidity of such security may be adversely affected.
Risks of IPOs.
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
67
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 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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n
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U.S. Government Securities
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n
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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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n
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Certificates of deposit
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n
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Bankers acceptances
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n
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Repurchase agreements
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n
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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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n
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Cash
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n
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Cash Equivalents
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n
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Certain ETFs
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When the Funds assets are invested in such instruments,
the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.
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 objectives and
policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
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APPENDIX
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Other Investment Companies.
The Fund may
invest in securities of other investment companies, including
ETFs, 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 the 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 passively-managed 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 also invest in
certain 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 (including ETFs), in addition to the fees and expenses
regularly borne by the Fund. 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
69
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.
Direct Equity Investment.
The Fund may invest
up to 5% of its total assets in direct equity investments. 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. 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.
Convertible Securities.
The Fund may invest
in convertible securities. Convertible securities are preferred
stock or debt obligations that are convertible into common
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APPENDIX
A
stock. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or
dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar
quality. Convertible securities in which the 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.
71
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
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.
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 may issue
securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and
Euro obligations) as well as other non-U.S. dollar
currencies. 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.).
Bank Obligations.
The Fund may invest in
obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank
obligations, including without limitation, time deposits,
bankers acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be
general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the
issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by
government regulations. Banks are subject to extensive but
different governmental regulations which may limit both the
amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates
which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the
banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and
cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations
under prevailing money market conditions. General economic
conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from
possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important
part in the operation of this industry.
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
72
APPENDIX
A
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 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. U.S. Government Securities are deemed to include
(a) securities for which the payment of principal and
interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by
the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or
instrumentalities; and (b) participations in loans made to
foreign governments or their agencies that are so guaranteed.
Certain of these participations may be regarded as illiquid.
U.S. Government Securities have historically involved
little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However,
no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will
provide financial support to U.S. government agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is
not obligated to do so by law.
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 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.
Mortgage-Backed Securities.
The Fund may
invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities
represent direct or indirect participations in, or are
collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by
real property. Mortgage-backed securities can be backed by
either fixed rate mortgage loans or adjustable rate mortgage
loans, and may be issued by either a governmental or
non-governmental entity. The value of some mortgage-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. The value of these securities may
also fluctuate in response to the markets perception of
the creditworthiness of the issuers. Early repayment of
principal on mortgage- or asset-backed securities
73
may expose the Fund to the risk of earning a lower rate of
return upon reinvestment of principal.
Privately-issued mortgage pass-through securities generally
offer a higher yield than similar securities issued by a
government entity because of the absence of any direct or
indirect government or agency payment guarantees. However,
timely payment of interest and principal on mortgage loans in
these pools may be supported by various other forms of insurance
or guarantees, including individual loan, pool and hazard
insurance, subordination and letters of credit. Such insurance
and guarantees may be issued by private insurers, banks and
mortgage poolers. There is no assurance that private guarantors
or insurers, if any, will meet their obligations.
Mortgage-backed securities without insurance or guarantees may
also be purchased by the Fund if they have the required rating
from an NRSRO. Some mortgage-backed securities issued by private
organizations may not be readily marketable, may be more
difficult to value accurately and may be more volatile than
similar securities issued by a government entity.
Mortgage-backed securities may include multiple class
securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations
(CMOs) and Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit
(REMIC) pass-through or participation certificates.
A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment and
invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in
real property and other permitted investments. CMOs provide an
investor with a specified interest in the cash flow from a pool
of underlying mortgages or of other mortgage-backed securities.
CMOs are issued in multiple classes each with a specified fixed
or floating interest rate and a final scheduled distribution
rate. In many cases, payments of principal are applied to the
CMO classes in the order of their respective stated maturities,
so that no principal payments will be made on a CMO class until
all other classes having an earlier stated maturity date are
paid in full.
Sometimes, however, CMO classes are parallel pay,
i.e.
, payments of principal are made to two or more
classes concurrently. In some cases, CMOs may have the
characteristics of a stripped mortgage-backed security whose
price can be highly volatile. CMOs may exhibit more or less
price volatility and interest rate risk than other types of
mortgage-related obligations, and under certain interest rate
and payment scenarios, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its
investment in certain of these securities regardless of their
credit quality.
Mortgaged-backed securities also include stripped
mortgage-backed securities (SMBS), which are
derivative multiple class mortgage-backed securities. SMBS are
usually structured with two different classes: one that receives
substantially all of the interest payments and the other that
receives substantially all of the principal payments from a pool
of mortgage loans. The market value of SMBS consisting
74
APPENDIX
A
entirely of principal payments generally is unusually volatile
in response to changes in interest rates. The yields on SMBS
that receive all or most of the interest from mortgage loans are
generally higher than prevailing market yields on other
mortgage-backed securities because their cash flow patterns are
more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial
investment will not be fully recouped. Throughout 2008, the
market for mortgage-backed securities began experiencing
substantially, often dramatically, lower valuations and greatly
reduced liquidity. Markets for other asset-backed securities
have also been affected. These instruments are increasingly
subject to liquidity constraints, price volatility, credit
downgrades and unexpected increases in default rates and,
therefore, may be more difficult to value and more difficult to
dispose of than previously. These events may have an adverse
effect on the Fund to the extent it invests in mortgage-backed
or other fixed income securities or instruments affected by the
volatility in the fixed income markets.
Asset-Backed Securities.
The Fund may invest
in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are
securities whose principal and interest payments are
collateralized by pools of assets such as auto loans, credit
card receivables, leases, installment contracts and personal
property. Asset-backed securities may also include home equity
line of credit loans and other second-lien mortgages.
Asset-backed 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. Asset-backed securities
present credit risks that are not presented by mortgage-backed
securities. This is because asset-backed securities generally do
not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that
is comparable to mortgage assets. Some asset-backed securities
have only a subordinated claim or security interest in
collateral. 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. In the event of a default, the Fund may
suffer a loss if it cannot sell collateral quickly and receive
the amount it is owed. There is no guarantee that private
guarantors, or insurers of an asset-backed security, if any,
will meet their obligations. The value of some asset-backed
securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in
prevailing interest rates. Asset-backed securities may also be
subject to increased volatility and may become
75
illiquid and more difficult to value even when there is no
default or threat of default due to the markets perception
of the credit worthiness of the issuers and market conditions
impacting asset-backed securities more generally.
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 net assets.
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.
Structured securities include, but are not limited to, equity
linked notes. An equity linked note is a note whose performance
is tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks.
Equity linked notes combine the principal protection normally
associated with fixed income investments with the potential for
capital appreciation normally associated with equity
investments. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally
receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation
of the linked securities. Depending on the terms of the note,
equity linked notes may also have a cap or
floor on the maximum principal amount to be repaid
to holders, irrespective of the performance of the underlying
linked securities. For
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APPENDIX
A
example, a note may guarantee the repayment of the original
principal amount invested (even if the underlying linked
securities have negative performance during the notes
term), but may cap the maximum payment at maturity at a certain
percentage of the issuance price or the return of the underlying
linked securities. Alternatively, the note may not guarantee a
full return on the original principal, but may offer a greater
participation in any capital appreciation of the underlying
linked securities. The terms of an equity linked note may also
provide for periodic interest payments to holders at either a
fixed or floating rate. The secondary market for equity linked
notes may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in the secondary
market may make these securities difficult to dispose of and to
value. Equity linked notes will be considered equity securities
for purposes of the Funds investment objective and
policies.
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
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
77
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 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, and 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 Investment Company 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
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78
APPENDIX
A
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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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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.
|
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 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.
Equity Swaps, Index Swaps and Currency
Swaps.
The Fund may invest in equity swaps, index
swaps and currency 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. Index
swaps allow one party or both parties to a swap agreement to
receive one or more
79
payments based off of the return, performance or volatility of
an index or of certain securities which comprise the index.
Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties
respective rights to make or receive payments in specified
currencies.
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
a swap (such as the dividends on a common stock of an equity
swap) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Furthermore, the Fund may suffer a loss if the counterparty
defaults. Because 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 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.
80
APPENDIX
A
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.
Short Sales Against-the-Box.
The Fund may
make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box
means that at all times when a short position is open the Fund
will own an equal amount of securities sold short, or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any
further consideration, an equal amount of the securities of the
same issuer as the securities sold short.
Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase
Rights.
The Fund may invest in preferred stock,
warrants and stock purchase rights (or 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 holders of warrants and
rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no
rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
81
Appendix B
Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of
this Prospectus, financial highlights are not available.
82
Appendix C
Prior Performance of Similarly Advised
Accounts of the Investment Adviser
Korea Equity
Fund
The Investment Adviser has other advisory accounts that have
investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially
similar to those of the Fund. The following tables set forth the
historical performance data of all accounts managed by the
Investment Adviser with investment objectives, policies and
strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund (the
Composite Account). The information is provided to
illustrate the past performance of the Investment Adviser in
managing the Composite Account as measured against the Korea
Composite Stock Price Index (USD) (the KOSPI), and
does not represent the performance of the Fund, which has not
commenced operations. Investors should not consider this
performance data a substitute for the performance of the Fund,
nor should investors consider this data an indication of the
future performance of the Fund or of the Investment Adviser. The
KOSPI is unmanaged, and investors cannot invest directly in the
index.
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|
|
Composite
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Composite
|
|
Account
|
|
Composite
|
|
Composite
|
|
Composite
|
|
Composite
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Account
|
|
Performance
|
|
Account
|
|
Account
|
|
Account
|
|
Account
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Performance
|
|
(applying
|
|
Performance
|
|
Performance
|
|
Performance
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(applying
|
|
Class A
|
|
(applying
|
|
(applying
Class C
|
|
(applying
|
|
(applying
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class A
|
|
expenses and
|
|
Class C
|
|
expenses and
|
|
Institutional
|
|
Class IR
|
|
|
|
|
Calendar
|
|
expenses and
|
|
excluding
|
|
expenses and
|
|
excluding
|
|
Shares
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Years
|
|
sales
charge)
|
|
sales
charge)
|
|
sales
charge)
|
|
sales
charge)
|
|
expenses)
|
|
expenses)
|
|
KOSPI
|
|
|
2003
|
|
|
32
|
.82
|
%
|
|
|
40
|
.55
|
%
|
|
|
38
|
.52
|
%
|
|
|
39
|
.52
|
%
|
|
|
41
|
.09
|
%
|
|
|
40
|
.89
|
%
|
|
|
16
|
.09
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
|
|
15
|
.99
|
%
|
|
|
22
|
.74
|
%
|
|
|
20
|
.83
|
%
|
|
|
21
|
.83
|
%
|
|
|
23
|
.22
|
%
|
|
|
23
|
.04
|
%
|
|
|
24
|
.09
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
61
|
.74
|
%
|
|
|
71
|
.16
|
%
|
|
|
68
|
.93
|
%
|
|
|
69
|
.93
|
%
|
|
|
71
|
.81
|
%
|
|
|
71
|
.57
|
%
|
|
|
45
|
.34
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
1
|
.52
|
%
|
|
|
7
|
.42
|
%
|
|
|
5
|
.62
|
%
|
|
|
6
|
.62
|
%
|
|
|
7
|
.85
|
%
|
|
|
7
|
.69
|
%
|
|
|
13
|
.24
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
27
|
.59
|
%
|
|
|
35
|
.02
|
%
|
|
|
33
|
.03
|
%
|
|
|
34
|
.03
|
%
|
|
|
35
|
.54
|
%
|
|
|
35
|
.35
|
%
|
|
|
27
|
.63
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
(57
|
.95
|
)%
|
|
|
(55
|
.50
|
)%
|
|
|
(56
|
.30
|
)%
|
|
|
(55
|
.86
|
)%
|
|
|
(55
|
.31
|
)%
|
|
|
(55
|
.38
|
)%
|
|
|
(55
|
.42
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
47
|
.75
|
%
|
|
|
56
|
.35
|
%
|
|
|
54
|
.21
|
%
|
|
|
55
|
.21
|
%
|
|
|
56
|
.96
|
%
|
|
|
56
|
.73
|
%
|
|
|
61
|
.87
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
26
|
.81
|
%
|
|
|
34
|
.19
|
%
|
|
|
32
|
.21
|
%
|
|
|
33
|
.21
|
%
|
|
|
34
|
.72
|
%
|
|
|
34
|
.52
|
%
|
|
|
25
|
.06
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
83
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Average Annual
Total Returns
|
|
|
for the Periods
Ended 12/31/10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since
Inception
|
|
|
1 Year
|
|
3 Years
|
|
5 Years
|
|
(5/1/02)
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
26.81
|
%
|
|
|
(4.08
|
)%
|
|
|
5.05
|
%
|
|
|
13.62
|
%
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class A expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
34.19
|
%
|
|
|
(2.26
|
)%
|
|
|
6.25
|
%
|
|
|
14.36
|
%
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and sales charge)
|
|
|
32.21
|
%
|
|
|
(3.00
|
)%
|
|
|
5.45
|
%
|
|
|
13.51
|
%
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class C expenses
and excluding sales charge)
|
|
|
33.21
|
%
|
|
|
(3.00
|
)%
|
|
|
5.45
|
%
|
|
|
13.51
|
%
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying
Institutional Shares expenses)
|
|
|
34.72
|
%
|
|
|
(1.86
|
)%
|
|
|
6.67
|
%
|
|
|
14.82
|
%
|
|
|
Composite Account Performance (applying Class IR Shares
expenses)
|
|
|
34.52
|
%
|
|
|
(2.01
|
)%
|
|
|
6.51
|
%
|
|
|
14.65
|
%
|
|
|
KOSPI
|
|
|
25.06
|
%
|
|
|
(3.36
|
)%
|
|
|
5.45
|
%
|
|
|
9.71
|
%
|
|
|
All returns presented are time-weighted based on monthly
valuations and include the reinvestment of earnings. The
performance information with respect to the Composite Account is
in each instance net of applicable estimated total annual
operating expenses of the Funds Class A,
Class C, Institutional or Class IR Shares (rather than
the actual expenses of the accounts comprising the Composite
Account), without provision for federal and state taxes, if any.
Where indicated, performance reflects the deduction of the
maximum 5.5% front-end sales charge with respect to Class A
Shares and the maximum 1% CDSC with respect to Class C
Shares (the Funds Institutional and Class IR Shares
impose no sales charges). Since fees, commissions, and taxes
will differ for the Composite Account and the Fund, performance
data for identical periods may differ going forward.
The Composite Account is not subject to the same diversification
requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment
limitations imposed on the Fund by the Investment Company Act
and Subchapter M of the Code. Consequently, the performance
results of the Investment Advisers Composite Account could
have
84
APPENDIX
C
been adversely affected if the Composite Account had been
regulated as an investment company under the federal securities
laws. In addition, the securities held by the Fund will not be
identical to the securities held by the Composite Account for
the periods shown above. Accordingly, the future performance of
the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite
Account.
85
[This page intentionally left
blank]
Korea 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 reports, 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 (and 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 Fund 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:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Institutional
|
|
Class A, C & IR
|
n
By
telephone:
|
|
1-800-621-2550
|
|
1-800-526-7384
|
n
By
mail:
|
|
Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 06050
Chicago, IL 60606
|
|
Goldman Sachs Funds
P.O. Box 219711
Kansas City, MO 64121
|
n
On
the Internet:
|
|
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 811-5349.
GSAM
®
is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.
KOREAPRO11
PART B
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DATED APRIL 29, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSTITUTIONAL
|
FUND
|
|
CLASS A SHARES
|
|
CLASS C SHARES
|
|
CLASS IR SHARES
|
|
SHARES
|
GOLDMAN SACHS BRAZIL EQUITY FUND
|
|
GZIAX
|
|
GZICX
|
|
GIRZX
|
|
GZIIX
|
GOLDMAN SACHS INDIA EQUITY FUND
|
|
GIAAX
|
|
GIACX
|
|
GAIRX
|
|
GNAIX
|
GOLDMAN SACHS CHINA EQUITY FUND
|
|
GNIAX
|
|
GNICX
|
|
GNIRX
|
|
GNIIX
|
GOLDMAN SACHS KOREA EQUITY FUND
|
|
GWIAX
|
|
GWICX
|
|
GWIRX
|
|
GWIIX
|
(Single Country Funds 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 Prospectuses for the appropriate share classes of the Goldman Sachs
Brazil Equity Fund, Goldman Sachs India Equity Fund, Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund, and Goldman
Sachs Korea Equity Fund dated April 29, 2011 (the Prospectuses), as they may be further amended
and/or supplemented from time to time, and which may be obtained without charge from Goldman, Sachs
& Co. by calling the applicable 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
The date of this SAI is April __, 2011.
-i-
GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET
MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL
Investment Adviser
Christchurch Court
10-15 Newgate Street
London, England EC1A7HD
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
Distributor
85 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
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)
-ii-
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 are described in this SAI: Goldman Sachs
Brazil Equity Fund (Brazil Equity Fund), Goldman Sachs India Equity Fund (India Equity Fund),
Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund (China Equity Fund) and Goldman Sachs Korea Equity Fund (Korea
Equity Fund) (collectively referred to herein as the Funds).
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 Funds and other
series pursuant thereto. Additional series may be added in the future from time to time. The Funds
currently offer four classes of shares: Class A, Class C, Class IR, and Institutional Shares. See
SHARES OF THE TRUST.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (GSAMI), an affiliate of Goldman Sachs, serves
as the Investment Adviser to the Funds. GSAMI is referred to herein as the Investment Adviser. In
addition, Goldman Sachs serves as each Funds distributor and transfer agent. The Funds custodian
is State Street Bank and Trust Company.
The following information relates to and supplements the description of each Funds investment
policies contained in the Prospectuses. See the Prospectuses for a more complete description of the
Funds investment objectives and policies. Investing in the Funds entails certain risks and there
is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its objective. Capitalized terms used but not defined
herein have the same meaning as in the Prospectuses.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
Each Fund has a distinct investment objective and policies. There can be no assurance that a
Funds objective will be achieved. Each Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management company (as
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Act)). The investment objective
and policies of each Fund, and the associated risks of each 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, with respect to each Fund, to the extent required by U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (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 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 Funds, their policies, and the investment instruments they may hold is provided below.
Each Funds share price will fluctuate with market, economic and foreign exchange conditions,
so that an investment in any of the Funds may be worth more or less when redeemed than when
purchased. None of the Funds should be relied upon as a complete investment program.
The following discussion supplements the information in the Funds Prospectuses.
General Information Regarding The Funds
The Investment Adviser may purchase for the Funds 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 a 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 a Funds portfolio will
B-1
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 Funds are managed using an active international
approach, which utilizes a consistent process of stock selection undertaken by regional portfolio
management teams. 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
these Funds are evaluated based on three key factorsbusiness, management and 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.
DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND PRACTICES
Corporate Debt Obligations
Each 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.
The Funds may invest in bonds rated BB or below by Standard & Poors or Ba or below by Moodys
(or comparable rated and unrated securities). These bonds are commonly referred to as junk bonds
and are considered speculative. An economic downturn could severely affect the ability of highly
leveraged issuers of junk bond securities to service their debt obligations or to repay their
obligations upon maturity. Factors having an adverse impact on the market value of junk bonds will
have an adverse effect on a Funds net asset value (NAV) to the extent it invests in such
securities. In addition, a Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek
recovery upon a default in payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.
The secondary market for junk bonds, which is concentrated in relatively few market makers,
may not be as liquid as the secondary market for more highly rated securities. This reduced
liquidity may have an adverse effect on the ability of the Funds to dispose of a particular
security when necessary to meet their redemption requests or other liquidity needs. Under adverse
market or economic conditions, the secondary market for junk bonds could contract further,
independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. As a result,
the Investment Advisers could find it difficult to sell these securities or may be able to sell the
securities only at prices lower than if such securities were widely traded. Prices realized upon
the sale of such lower rated or unrated securities, under such circumstances, may be less than the
prices used in calculating a Funds net asset value.
Because investors generally perceive that there are greater risks associated with the medium
to lower rated securities of the type in which the Funds may invest, the yields and prices of such
securities may tend to fluctuate more than those for higher rated securities. In the lower quality
segments of the fixed income securities market, changes in perceptions of issuers creditworthiness
tend to occur more frequently and in a more pronounced manner than do changes in higher quality
segments of the fixed income securities market, resulting in greater yield and price volatility.
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 a Funds net asset value.
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.
B-2
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 a 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 Funds 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
Each 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.
Each 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). Each 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.
Bank Obligations
Each Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank
obligations, including without limitation, time deposits, bankers acceptances and certificates of
deposit, may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by
the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Banks are subject to extensive
but different governmental regulations which may limit both the amount and types of loans which may
be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking
industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing
lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as
exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an
important part in the operation of this industry.
B-3
Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the obligation of a bank to repay funds
deposited with it for a specified period of time at a specified rate. Certificates of deposit are
negotiable instruments and are similar to saving deposits but have a definite maturity and are
evidenced by a certificate instead of a passbook entry. Banks are required to keep reserves
against all certificates of deposit. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated
maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand
by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market
conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. The Funds may invest in deposits in U.S.
and European banks satisfying the standards set forth above.
Zero Coupon Bonds
Each 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 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 a
Fund defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. A 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 a 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
Each 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 Funds 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 Funds will bear their proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the
custodial account or trust. The Funds 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 Funds would typically
be authorized to assert their rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the
Funds 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 Funds may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater
than those that would have been involved if the Funds 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
B-4
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 Loans and Mortgage-Backed Securities
Each Fund may invest in mortgage loans and mortgage pass-through securities and other
securities representing an interest in or collateralized by adjustable and fixed rate mortgage
loans (Mortgage-Backed Securities).
Mortgage-Backed Securities are subject to both call risk and extension risk. Because of these
risks, these securities can have significantly greater price and yield volatility than traditional
fixed income securities.
General Characteristics of Mortgage Backed Securities
.
In general, 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, multi-family (i.e., five-units or more) properties,
agricultural properties, commercial properties and mixed use properties (the Mortgaged
Properties). The Mortgaged Properties may consist of detached individual dwelling units,
multi-family dwelling units, individual condominiums, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes,
row houses, individual units in planned unit developments, other attached dwelling units
(Residential Mortgaged Properties) or commercial properties, such as office properties, retail
properties, hospitality properties, industrial properties, healthcare related properties or other
types of income producing real property (Commercial Mortgaged Properties). Residential Mortgaged
Properties may also include residential investment properties and second homes. In addition, the
Mortgage-Backed Securities which are residential mortgage-backed securities may also consist of
mortgage loans evidenced by promissory notes secured entirely or in part by second priority
mortgage liens on Residential Mortgaged Properties.
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 a 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, increasing yield to
maturity and market value. Conversely, if a 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 value. To the extent that a Fund invests in
Mortgage-Backed Securities, the Investment Adviser may seek to manage these potential risks by
investing in a variety of Mortgage-Backed Securities and by using certain hedging techniques.
Prepayments on a pool of mortgage loans are influenced by changes in current interest rates
and a variety of economic, geographic, social and other factors (such as changes in mortgagor
housing needs, job transfers, unemployment, mortgagor equity in the mortgage properties and
servicing decisions). The timing and level of prepayments cannot be predicted. A predominant factor
affecting the prepayment rate on a pool of mortgage loans is the difference between the interest
rates on outstanding mortgage loans and prevailing mortgage loan interest rates (giving
consideration to the cost of any refinancing). Generally, prepayments on mortgage loans will
increase during a period of falling mortgage interest rates and decrease during a period of rising
mortgage interest rates. Accordingly, the amounts of prepayments available for reinvestment by a
Fund are likely to be greater during a period of declining mortgage interest rates. If general
interest rates decline, such prepayments are likely to be reinvested at lower interest rates than a
Fund was earning on the mortgage-backed securities that were prepaid. Due to these factors,
mortgage-backed securities may be less effective than U.S. Treasury and other types of debt
securities of similar maturity at maintaining yields during periods of declining interest rates.
Because a Funds investments in Mortgage-Backed Securities are interest-rate sensitive, a Funds
performance will depend in part upon the ability of the Fund to anticipate and respond to
fluctuations in market interest rates and to utilize appropriate strategies to maximize returns to
the Fund, while attempting to minimize the associated risks to its investment capital. Prepayments
may have a disproportionate effect on certain mortgage-backed securities and other multiple class
pass-through securities, which are discussed below.
B-5
The rate of interest paid on mortgage-backed securities is normally lower than the rate of
interest paid on the mortgages included in the underlying pool due to (among other things) the fees
paid to any servicer, special servicer and trustee for the trust fund which holds the mortgage
pool, other costs and expenses of such trust fund, fees paid to any guarantor, such as Ginnie Mae
(as defined below) or to any credit enhancers, mortgage pool insurers, bond insurers and/or hedge
providers, and due to any yield retained by the issuer. Actual yield to the holder may vary from
the coupon rate, even if adjustable, if the mortgage-backed securities are purchased or traded in
the secondary market at a premium or discount. In addition, there is normally some delay between
the time the issuer receives mortgage payments from the servicer and the time the issuer (or the
trustee of the trust fund which holds the mortgage pool) makes the payments on the mortgage-backed
securities, and this delay reduces the effective yield to the holder of such securities.
The issuers of certain mortgage-backed obligations may elect to have the pool of mortgage
loans (or indirect interests in mortgage loans) underlying the securities treated as a REMIC, which
is subject to special federal income tax rules. A description of the types of mortgage loans and
mortgage-backed securities in which certain of the Funds may invest is provided below. The
descriptions are general and summary in nature, and do not detail every possible variation of the
types of securities that are permissible investments for a Fund.
Certain General Characteristics of Mortgage Loans
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loans (ARMs)
. The Funds may invest in ARMs. ARMs generally
provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for a specified period of time. Thereafter, the
interest rates (the Mortgage Interest Rates) may be subject to periodic adjustment based on
changes in the applicable index rate (the Index Rate). The adjusted rate would be equal to the
Index Rate plus a fixed percentage spread over the Index Rate established for each ARM at the time
of its origination. ARMs allow a Fund to participate in increases in interest rates through
periodic increases in the securities coupon rates. During periods of declining interest rates,
coupon rates may readjust downward resulting in lower yields to a Fund.
Adjustable interest rates can cause payment increases that some mortgagors may find difficult
to make. However, certain ARMs may provide that the Mortgage Interest Rate may not be adjusted to a
rate above an applicable lifetime maximum rate or below an applicable lifetime minimum rate for
such ARM. Certain ARMs may also be subject to limitations on the maximum amount by which the
Mortgage Interest Rate may adjust for any single adjustment period (the Maximum Adjustment).
Other ARMs (Negatively Amortizing ARMs) may provide instead or as well for limitations on changes
in the monthly payment on such ARMs. Limitations on monthly payments can result in monthly payments
which are greater or less than the amount necessary to amortize a Negatively Amortizing ARM by its
maturity at the Mortgage Interest Rate in effect in any particular month. In the event that a
monthly payment is not sufficient to pay the interest accruing on a Negatively Amortizing ARM, any
such excess interest is added to the principal balance of the loan, causing negative amortization,
and will be repaid through future monthly payments. It may take borrowers under Negatively
Amortizing ARMs longer periods of time to build up equity and may increase the likelihood of
default by such borrowers. In the event that a monthly payment exceeds the sum of the interest
accrued at the applicable Mortgage Interest Rate and the principal payment which would have been
necessary to amortize the outstanding principal balance over the remaining term of the loan, the
excess (or accelerated amortization) further reduces the principal balance of the ARM. Negatively
Amortizing ARMs do not provide for the extension of their original maturity to accommodate changes
in their Mortgage Interest Rate. As a result, unless there is a periodic recalculation of the
payment amount (which there generally is), the final payment may be substantially larger than the
other payments. After the expiration of the initial fixed rate period and upon the periodic
recalculation of the payment to cause timely amortization of the related mortgage loan, the monthly
payment on such mortgage loan may increase substantially which may, in turn, increase the risk of
the borrower defaulting in respect of such mortgage loan. These limitations on periodic increases
in interest rates and on changes in monthly payments protect borrowers from unlimited interest rate
and payment increases, but may result in increased credit exposure and prepayment risks for
lenders. When interest due on a mortgage loan is added to the principal balance of such mortgage
loan, the related mortgaged property provides proportionately less security for the repayment of
such mortgage loan. Therefore, if the related borrower defaults on such mortgage loan, there is a
greater likelihood that a loss will be incurred upon any liquidation of the mortgaged property
which secures such mortgage loan.
ARMs also have the risk of prepayment. The rate of principal prepayments with respect to ARMs
has fluctuated in recent years. The value of Mortgage-Backed Securities collateralized by ARMs is
less likely to rise during periods of declining interest rates than the value of fixed-rate
securities during such periods. Accordingly, ARMs may be subject to a greater rate of principal
repayments in a declining interest rate environment resulting in lower yields to a Fund. For
example, if prevailing interest rates fall significantly, ARMs could be subject to higher
prepayment rates (than if prevailing interest rates remain constant or increase) because the
availability of low fixed-rate mortgages may encourage mortgagors to refinance their ARMs to
lock-in a fixed-rate mortgage. On the other hand, during periods of rising interest rates, the
value of ARMs will lag behind changes in the market rate. ARMs are also typically subject to
maximum increases and decreases in the interest rate adjustment which can be made on any one
adjustment date,
B-6
in any one year, or during the life of the security. In the event of dramatic increases or
decreases in prevailing market interest rates, the value of a Funds investment in ARMs may
fluctuate more substantially because these limits may prevent the security from fully adjusting its
interest rate to the prevailing market rates. As with fixed-rate mortgages, ARM prepayment rates
vary in both stable and changing interest rate environments.
There are two main categories of indices which provide the basis for rate adjustments on ARMs:
those based on U.S. Treasury securities and those derived from a calculated measure, such as a cost
of funds index or a moving average of mortgage rates. Indices commonly used for this purpose
include the one-year, three-year and five-year constant maturity Treasury rates, the three-month
Treasury bill rate, the 180-day Treasury bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the
11th District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds, the National Median Cost of Funds, the
one-month, three-month, six-month or one-year London Interbank Offered Rate, the prime rate of a
specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity
Treasury rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others, such as the 11th
District Federal Home Loan Bank Cost of Funds index, tend to lag behind changes in market rate
levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile. The degree of volatility in the market value of ARMs
in a Funds portfolio and, therefore, in the net asset value of the Funds shares, will be a
function of the length of the interest rate reset periods and the degree of volatility in the
applicable indices.
Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans
. Generally, fixed-rate mortgage loans included in mortgage
pools (the Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans) will bear simple interest at fixed annual rates and have
original terms to maturity ranging from 5 to 40 years. Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans generally provide
for monthly payments of principal and interest in substantially equal installments for the term of
the mortgage note in sufficient amounts to fully amortize principal by maturity, although certain
Fixed-Rate Mortgage Loans provide for a large final balloon payment upon maturity.
Certain Legal Considerations of Mortgage Loans
. The following is a discussion of
certain legal and regulatory aspects of the mortgage loans in which the Funds may invest. This
discussion is not exhaustive, and does not address all of the legal or regulatory aspects affecting
mortgage loans. These regulations may impair the ability of a mortgage lender to enforce its rights
under the mortgage documents. These regulations may also adversely affect a Funds investments in
Mortgage-Backed Securities (including those issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies or instrumentalities) by delaying the Funds receipt of payments derived from principal or
interest on mortgage loans affected by such regulations.
1.
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Foreclosure
. A foreclosure of a defaulted mortgage loan may be delayed due to
compliance with statutory notice or service of process provisions, difficulties in locating
necessary parties or legal challenges to the mortgagees right to foreclose. Depending upon
market conditions, the ultimate proceeds of the sale of foreclosed property may not equal the
amounts owed on the Mortgage-Backed Securities. Furthermore, courts in some cases have imposed
general equitable principles upon foreclosure generally designed to relieve the borrower from
the legal effect of default and have required lenders to undertake affirmative and expensive
actions to determine the causes for the default and the likelihood of loan reinstatement.
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2.
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Rights of Redemption
. In some states, after foreclosure of a mortgage loan, the
borrower and foreclosed junior lienors are given a statutory period in which to redeem the
property, which right may diminish the mortgagees ability to sell the property.
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3.
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Legislative Limitations
. In addition to anti-deficiency and related legislation,
numerous other federal and state statutory provisions, including the federal bankruptcy laws
and state laws affording relief to debtors, may interfere with or affect the ability of a
secured mortgage lender to enforce its security interest. For example, a bankruptcy court may
grant the debtor a reasonable time to cure a default on a mortgage loan, including a payment
default. The court in certain instances may also reduce the monthly payments due under such
mortgage loan, change the rate of interest, reduce the principal balance of the loan to the
then-current appraised value of the related mortgaged property, alter the mortgage loan
repayment schedule and grant priority of certain liens over the lien of the mortgage loan. If
a court relieves a borrowers obligation to repay amounts otherwise due on a mortgage loan,
the mortgage loan servicer will not be required to advance such amounts, and any loss may be
borne by the holders of securities backed by such loans. In addition, numerous federal and
state consumer protection laws impose penalties for failure to comply with specific
requirements in connection with origination and servicing of mortgage loans.
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4.
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Due-on-Sale Provisions
. Fixed-rate mortgage loans may contain a so-called
due-on-sale clause permitting acceleration of the maturity of the mortgage loan if the
borrower transfers the property. The Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 sets
forth nine specific instances in which no mortgage lender covered by that Act may exercise a
due-on-sale clause upon a transfer of property. The inability to enforce a due-on-sale
clause or the lack of such a clause in mortgage loan
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B-7
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documents may result in a mortgage loan being assumed by a purchaser of the property that
bears an interest rate below the current market rate.
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5.
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Usury Laws
. Some states prohibit charging interest on mortgage loans in excess of
statutory limits. If such limits are exceeded, substantial penalties may be incurred and, in
some cases, enforceability of the obligation to pay principal and interest may be affected.
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6.
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Recent Governmental Action, Legislation and Regulation
. The rise in the rate of
foreclosures of properties in certain states or localities has resulted in legislative,
regulatory and enforcement action in such states or localities seeking to prevent or restrict
foreclosures, particularly in respect of residential mortgage loans. Actions have also been
brought against issuers and underwriters of residential mortgage-backed securities
collateralized by such residential mortgage loans and investors in such residential
mortgage-backed securities. Legislative or regulatory initiatives by federal, state or local
legislative bodies or administrative agencies, if enacted or adopted, could delay foreclosure
or the exercise of other remedies, provide new defenses to foreclosure, or otherwise impair
the ability of the loan servicer to foreclose or realize on a defaulted residential mortgage
loan included in a pool of residential mortgage loans backing such residential mortgage-backed
securities. While the nature or extent of limitations on foreclosure or exercise of other
remedies that may be enacted cannot be predicted, any such governmental actions that interfere
with the foreclosure process could increase the costs of such foreclosures or exercise of
other remedies in respect of residential mortgage loans which collateralize Mortgage-Backed
Securities held by a Fund, delay the timing or reduce the amount of recoveries on defaulted
residential mortgage loans which collateralize Mortgage-Backed Securities held by a Fund, and
consequently, could adversely impact the yields and distributions a Fund may receive in
respect of its ownership of Mortgage-Backed Securities collateralized by residential mortgage
loans. For example, the recently-enacted Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009
authorizes bankruptcy courts to assist bankrupt borrowers by restructuring residential
mortgage loans secured by a lien on the borrowers primary residence. Bankruptcy judges are
permitted to reduce the interest rate of the bankrupt borrowers residential mortgage loan,
extend its term to maturity to up to 40 years or take other actions to reduce the borrowers
monthly payment. As a result, the value of, and the cash flows in respect of, the
Mortgage-Backed Securities collateralized by these residential mortgage loans may be adversely
impacted, and, as a consequence, a Funds investment in such Mortgage-Backed Securities could
be adversely impacted. Other federal legislation, including the Home Affordability
Modification Program (
HAMP
), encourages servicers to modify residential mortgage
loans that are either already in default or are at risk of imminent default. Furthermore,
HAMP provides incentives for servicers to modify residential mortgage loans that are
contractually current. This program, as well other legislation and/or governmental
intervention designed to protect consumers, may have an adverse impact on servicers of
residential mortgage loans by increasing costs and expenses of these servicers while at the
same time decreasing servicing cash flows. Such increased financial pressures may have a
negative effect on the ability of servicers to pursue collection on residential mortgage loans
that are experiencing increased delinquencies and defaults and to maximize recoveries on the
sale of underlying residential mortgaged properties following foreclosure. Other legislative
or regulatory actions include insulation of servicers from liability for modification of
residential mortgage loans without regard to the terms of the applicable servicing agreements.
The foregoing legislation and current and future governmental regulation activities may have
the effect of reducing returns to a Fund to the extent it has invested in Mortgage-Backed
Securities collateralized by these residential mortgage loans.
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Mortgage Pass-Through Securities
To the extent consistent with their investment policies, the Funds may invest in both
government guaranteed and privately issued mortgage pass-through securities (Mortgage
Pass-Throughs) that are 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
generally 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 certain aspects of only a few of the wide variety of
structures of Mortgage Pass-Throughs that are available or may be issued.
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General 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 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. Because 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.
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. Each of the Funds 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.
A 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), Federal National
Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and 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 liquidity and value of a Funds portfolio.
There is risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to its agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. A Fund may purchase U.S. Government
Securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, 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 a Fund may greatly exceed such issuers current resources, including
such issuers 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.
Below is a general discussion of certain types of guaranteed Mortgage-Backed Securities in
which the Funds may invest.
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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), or
guaranteed by the Veterans Administration (VA), 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
provides that the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government is pledged to the timely
payment of principal and interest by Ginnie Mae of amounts due on Ginnie Mae
certificates.
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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. A Pool consists of
residential 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 FHA or guaranteed by the 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. 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. See Certain Additional Information
with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae below.
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Freddie Mac Certificates
. Freddie Mac is a publicly held U.S.
Government sponsored enterprise. A principal activity of Freddie Mac currently is the
purchase of first lien, conventional, residential and multifamily 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
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. See Certain Additional Information with Respect
to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae below.
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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.
These mortgage loans are usually 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.
Certain Additional Information with Respect to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
. The extreme
and unprecedented volatility and disruption that impacted the capital and credit markets during
late 2008 and into 2009 have led to increased market concerns about Freddie Macs and Fannie Maes
ability to withstand future credit losses associated with securities held in their investment
portfolios, and on which they provide guarantees, without the direct support of the federal
government. On September 6, 2008, both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were placed under the
conservatorship of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Under the plan of conservatorship,
the FHFA has assumed control of, and generally has the power to direct, the operations of Freddie
Mac and Fannie Mae, and is empowered to exercise all powers collectively held by their respective
shareholders, directors and officers, including the power to (1) take over the assets of and
operate Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae with all the powers of the shareholders, the directors, and the
officers of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and conduct all business of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; (2)
collect all obligations and money due to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; (3) perform all functions of
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which are consistent with the conservators appointment; (4) preserve
and conserve the assets and property of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; and (5) contract for assistance
in fulfilling any function, activity, action or duty of the conservator. In addition, in connection
with the actions taken by the FHFA, the U.S. Treasury Department (the Treasury) has entered into
certain preferred stock purchase agreements with each of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which establish
the Treasury as the holder of a new class of senior preferred stock in each of Freddie Mac and
Fannie Mae, which stock was issued in connection with financial contributions from the Treasury to
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The conditions attached to the financial contribution made by the
Treasury to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and the issuance of
B-10
this senior preferred stock place significant restrictions on the activities of Freddie Mac
and Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae must obtain the consent of the Treasury to, among other
things, (i) make any payment to purchase or redeem its capital stock or pay any dividend other than
in respect of the senior preferred stock, (ii) issue capital stock of any kind, (iii) terminate the
conservatorship of the FHFA except in connection with a receivership, or (iv) increase its debt
beyond certain specified levels. In addition, significant restrictions are placed on the maximum
size of each of Freddie Macs and Fannie Maes respective portfolios of mortgages and
mortgage-backed securities portfolios, and the purchase agreements entered into by Freddie Mac and
Fannie Mae provide that the maximum size of their portfolios of these assets must decrease by a
specified percentage each year. The future status and role of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae could be
impacted by (among other things) the actions taken and restrictions placed on Freddie Mac and
Fannie Mae by the FHFA in is role as conservator, the restrictions placed on Freddie Macs and
Fannie Maes operations and activities as a result of the senior preferred stock investment made by
the Treasury, market responses to developments at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and future
legislative and regulatory action that alters the operations, ownership, structure and/or mission
of these institutions, each of which may, in turn, impact the value of, and cash flows on, any
Mortgage-Backed Securities guaranteed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, including any such
Mortgage-Backed Securities held by a Fund.
Privately Issued Mortgage-Backed Securities
. The Funds may invest in privately issued
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Privately issued Mortgage-Backed Securities are generally backed by
pools of conventional (i.e., non-government guaranteed or insured) 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 generally will 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.
Ratings
. The ratings assigned by a rating organization to Mortgage Pass-Throughs
generally address the likelihood of the receipt of 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 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. A rating organization may downgrade or withdraw a rating assigned by
it to any Mortgage Pass-Through at any time, and no assurance can be made that any ratings on any
Mortgage Pass-Throughs included in a Fund will be maintained, or that if such ratings are assigned,
they will not be downgraded or withdrawn by the assigning rating organization.
Recently, rating agencies have placed on credit watch or downgraded the ratings previously
assigned to a large number of mortgage-backed securities (which may include certain of the
Mortgage-Backed Securities in which certain of the Funds may have invested or may in the future be
invested), and may continue to do so in the future. In the event that any Mortgage-Backed Security
held by a Fund is placed on credit watch or downgraded, the value of such Mortgage-Backed Security
may decline and the Fund may consequently experience losses in respect of such Mortgage-Backed
Security.
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
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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 to 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 result. In the event that 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 through bond insurers, or at the mortgage loan-level through mortgage insurance, hazard
insurance, or through 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 bond insurers, guarantees or letters of credit, the
security is subject to credit risk because of its exposure to the credit risk of 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 may agree 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
at any time 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
.
Each 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 or 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.
B-12
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. See Certain Additional Information with Respect to
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
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.
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.
Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities
. Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS).
are a type of Mortgage Pass-Through that are primarily backed by a pool of commercial mortgage
loans. The commercial mortgage loans are, in turn, generally secured by commercial mortgaged
properties (such as office properties, retail properties, hospitality properties, industrial
properties, healthcare related properties or other types of income producing real property). CMBS
generally entitle the holders thereof to receive payments that depend primarily on the cash flow
from a specified pool of commercial or multifamily mortgage loans. CMBS will be affected by
payments, defaults, delinquencies and losses on the underlying mortgage loans. The underlying
mortgage loans generally are secured by income producing properties such as office properties,
retail properties, multifamily properties, manufactured housing, hospitality properties, industrial
properties and self storage properties. Because issuers of CMBS have no significant assets other
than the underlying commercial real estate loans and because of the significant credit risks
inherent in the underlying collateral, credit risk
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is a correspondingly important consideration with respect to the related CMBS Securities.
Certain of the mortgage loans underlying CMBS Securities constituting part of the collateral
interests may be delinquent, in default or in foreclosure.
Commercial real estate lending may expose a lender (and the related Mortgage-Backed Security)
to a greater risk of loss than certain other forms of lending because it typically involves making
larger loans to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers. In addition, in the case of
certain commercial mortgage loans, repayment of loans secured by commercial and multifamily
properties depends upon the ability of the related real estate project to generate income
sufficient to pay debt service, operating expenses and leasing commissions and to make necessary
repairs, tenant improvements and capital improvements, and in the case of loans that do not fully
amortize over their terms, to retain sufficient value to permit the borrower to pay off the loan at
maturity through a sale or refinancing of the mortgaged property. The net operating income from and
value of any commercial property is subject to various risks, including changes in general or local
economic conditions and/or specific industry segments; declines in real estate values; declines in
rental or occupancy rates; increases in interest rates, real estate tax rates and other operating
expenses; changes in governmental rules, regulations and fiscal policies; acts of God; terrorist
threats and attacks and social unrest and civil disturbances. In addition, certain of the mortgaged
properties securing the pools of commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may have a higher degree
of geographic concentration in a few states or regions. Any deterioration in the real estate market
or economy or adverse events in such states or regions, may increase the rate of delinquency and
default experience (and as a consequence, losses) with respect to mortgage loans related to
properties in such state or region. Pools of mortgaged properties securing the commercial mortgage
loans underlying CMBS may also have a higher degree of concentration in certain types of commercial
properties. Accordingly, such pools of mortgage loans represent higher exposure to risks particular
to those types of commercial properties. Certain pools of commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS
consist of a fewer number of mortgage loans with outstanding balances that are larger than average.
If a mortgage pool includes mortgage loans with larger than average balances, any realized losses
on such mortgage loans could be more severe, relative to the size of the pool, than would be the
case if the aggregate balance of the pool were distributed among a larger number of mortgage loans.
Certain borrowers or affiliates thereof relating to certain of the commercial mortgage loans
underlying CMBS may have had a history of bankruptcy. Certain mortgaged properties securing the
commercial mortgage loans underlying CMBS may have been exposed to environmental conditions or
circumstances. The ratings in respect of certain of the CMBS comprising the Mortgage-Backed
Securities may have been withdrawn, reduced or placed on credit watch since issuance. In addition,
losses and/or appraisal reductions may be allocated to certain of such CMBS and certain of the
collateral or the assets underlying such collateral may be delinquent and/or may default from time
to time.
CMBS held by a Fund may be subordinated to one or more other classes of securities of the same
series for purposes of, among other things, establishing payment priorities and offsetting losses
and other shortfalls with respect to the related underlying mortgage loans. Realized losses in
respect of the mortgage loans included in the CMBS pool and trust expenses generally will be
allocated to the most subordinated class of securities of the related series. Accordingly, to the
extent any CMBS is or becomes the most subordinated class of securities of the related series, any
delinquency or default on any underlying mortgage loan may result in shortfalls, realized loss
allocations or extensions of its weighted average life and will have a more immediate and
disproportionate effect on the related CMBS than on a related more senior class of CMBS of the same
series. Further, even if a class is not the most subordinate class of securities, there can be no
assurance that the subordination offered to such class will be sufficient on any date to offset all
losses or expenses incurred by the underlying trust. CMBS are typically not guaranteed or insured,
and distributions on such CMBS generally will depend solely upon the amount and timing of payments
and other collections on the related underlying commercial mortgage loans.
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities
. The Funds may invest in stripped mortgage-backed
securities (SMBS), which are derivative multiclass mortgage securities, issued or guaranteed by
the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or non-governmental originators. SMBS are
usually structured with two different classes: one that receives substantially all of the interest
payments (the interest-only, or IO and/or the high coupon rate with relatively low principal
amount, or IOette), and the other that receives substantially all of the principal payments (the
principal-only, or PO), from a pool of mortgage loans.
Certain SMBS may not be readily marketable and will be considered illiquid for purposes of a
Funds limitation on investments in illiquid securities. The Investment Adviser may determine that
SMBS which are U.S. Government Securities are liquid for purposes of a Funds limitation on
investments in illiquid securities. The market value of POs generally is unusually volatile in
response to changes in interest rates. The yields on IOs and IOettes are generally higher than
prevailing market yields on other Mortgage-Backed Securities because their cash flow patterns are
more volatile and there is a greater risk that the initial investment will not be fully recouped. A
Funds investment in SMBS may require the Fund to sell certain of its portfolio securities to
generate sufficient cash to satisfy certain income distribution requirements.
B-14
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.
Each Fund may invest in asset-backed securities. 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,
a 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 a 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, a Fund will be unable to possess
and sell the underlying collateral or the Funds recoveries on repossessed collateral may not be
available to support payments on these securities.
Recent Events Relating to the Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Markets and the Overall Economy
The recent and unprecedented disruption in the residential mortgage-backed securities market
(and in particular, the subprime residential mortgage market), the broader mortgage-backed
securities market and the asset-backed securities market have resulted (and continue to result) in
downward price pressures and increasing foreclosures and defaults in residential and commercial
real estate. Concerns over inflation, energy costs, geopolitical issues, the availability and cost
of credit, the mortgage market and a declining real estate market have contributed to increased
volatility and diminished expectations for the economy and markets going forward, and have
contributed to dramatic declines in the housing market, with falling home prices and increasing
foreclosures and unemployment, and significant asset write-downs by financial institutions. These
conditions have prompted a number of financial institutions to seek additional capital, to merge
with other institutions and, in some cases, to fail or seek bankruptcy protection. Since 2008, the
market for Mortgage-Backed Securities (as well as other asset-backed securities) has been
particularly adversely impacted by, among other factors, the failure and subsequent sale of Bear,
Stearns & Co. Inc. to J.P. Morgan Chase, the merger of Bank of America Corporation and Merrill
Lynch & Co., the insolvency of Washington Mutual Inc., the failure and subsequent bankruptcy of
Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., the extension of approximately $152 billion in emergency credit by
the U.S. Department of the Treasury to American International Group Inc., and, as described above,
the conservatorship and the control by the U.S. government of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Furthermore, the global markets have seen an increase in volatility due to uncertainty surrounding
the level and sustainability of sovereign debt of certain countries that are part of the European
Union, including Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy, as well as the sustainability of the European
Union itself. No assurance can be made that this uncertainty will not lead to further disruption
of the credit markets in the United States or around the globe. These events, coupled with the
general global economic downturn, have resulted in a substantial level of uncertainty in the
financial markets, particularly with respect to mortgage-related investments.
The continuation or worsening of this general economic downturn may lead to further declines
in income from, or the value of, real estate, including the real estate which secures the
Mortgage-Backed Securities held by certain of the Funds. Additionally, a lack of credit liquidity,
higher mortgage rates and decreases in the value of real property have occurred and may continue to
occur or worsen, and potentially prevent borrowers from refinancing their mortgages, which may
increase the likelihood of default on their
B-15
mortgage loans. These economic conditions may also adversely affect the amount of proceeds the
holder of a mortgage loan or mortgage-backed securities (including the Mortgaged-Backed Securities
in which the Funds may invest) would realize in the event of a foreclosure or other exercise of
remedies. Moreover, even if such Mortgage-Backed Securities are performing as anticipated, the
value of such securities in the secondary market may nevertheless fall or continue to fall as a
result of deterioration in general market conditions for such Mortgage-Backed Securities or other
asset-backed or structured products. Trading activity associated with market indices may also drive
spreads on those indices wider than spreads on Mortgage-Backed Securities, thereby resulting in a
decrease in value of such Mortgage-Backed Securities, including the Mortgage-Backed Securities
owned by a Fund.
The U.S. Government, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and other governmental and regulatory bodies
have recently taken or are considering taking actions to address the financial crisis. These
actions include, but are not limited to, the enactment by the United States Congress of the
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law on July 21,
2010 and imposes a new regulatory framework over the U.S. financial services industry and the
consumer credit markets in general, and proposed regulations by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which, if enacted, would significantly alter the manner in which asset-backed
securities, including Mortgage-Backed Securities, are issued. Given the broad scope, sweeping
nature, and relatively recent enactment of some of these regulatory measures, the potential impact
they could have on any of the asset-backed or Mortgage-Backed Securities held by the Funds is
unknown. There can be no assurance that these measures will not have an adverse effect on the
value or marketability of any asset-backed or Mortgage-Backed Securities held by the Funds.
Furthermore, no assurance can be made that the U.S. Government or any U.S. regulatory body (or
other authority or regulatory body) will not continue to take further legislative or regulatory
action in response to the economic crisis or otherwise, and the effect of such actions, if taken,
cannot be known.
Recently, delinquencies, defaults and losses on residential mortgage loans have increased
substantially and may continue to increase, which may affect the performance of the Mortgage-Backed
Securities in which the Funds may invest. Mortgage loans backing non-agency Mortgage-Backed
Securities are more sensitive to economic factors that could affect the ability of borrowers to pay
their obligations under the mortgage loans backing these securities. In addition, in recent months
housing prices and appraisal values in many states and localities have declined or stopped
appreciating. A continued decline or an extended flattening of those values may result in
additional increases in delinquencies and losses on Mortgage-Backed Securities generally (including
the Mortgaged-Backed Securities that the Funds may invest in as described above).
The foregoing adverse changes in market conditions and regulatory climate may reduce the cash
flow which the Funds, to the extent they invest in Mortgage-Backed Securities or other asset-backed
securities, receives from such securities, and increase the incidence and severity of credit events
and losses in respect of such securities. In addition, interest rate spreads for Mortgage-Backed
Securities and other asset-backed securities have widened and are more volatile when compared to
the recent past due to these adverse changes in market conditions. In the event that interest rate
spreads for Mortgage-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities continue to widen
following the purchase of such assets by a Fund, the market value of such securities is likely to
decline and, in the case of a substantial spread widening, could decline by a substantial amount.
Furthermore, these adverse changes in market conditions have resulted in a severe liquidity crisis
in the market for Mortgage-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities (including the
Mortgaged-Backed Securities and other asset-backed securities in which the Funds may invest) and
increasing unwillingness by banks, financial institutions and investors to extend credit to
servicers, originators and other participants in the market for Mortgage-Backed and other
asset-backed securities. As a result, the liquidity and/or the market value of any Mortgage-Backed
or asset-backed securities that are owned by the Funds may experience further declines after they
are purchased by the Funds.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts
Each Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and may also purchase and write call and put
options on futures contracts. The Funds may purchase and sell futures contracts based on various
securities, securities indices, foreign currencies and other financial instruments and indices.
Each 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 currency exchange rates,
or to otherwise manage its term structure, sector selection and duration in accordance with its
investment objective and policies. Each Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale
transactions with respect to such contracts and options. The Trust, on behalf of each 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 Funds.
Futures contracts entered into by a 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
B-16
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, a 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, a 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, a 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, each 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, each 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 such Fund has acquired or expects to acquire. As another example, the Funds may
enter into futures transactions to seek a closer correlation between a Funds overall currency
exposures and the currency exposures of a 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 a Fund
will usually liquidate futures contracts on securities or currency in this manner, a 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
. 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 a Fund owns or proposes to acquire. A 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 such Funds portfolio securities.
Similarly, each 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 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 a
Funds portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities
indices or other indices, a Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of a hedging
strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in a 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 a Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts
or by attempting to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting a 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 a Funds portfolio
securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, a Fund may take a long position by purchasing such futures contracts.
This may be done, for example, when a 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.
B-17
Options on Futures Contracts
. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts
will give a 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, a 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 a Funds assets. By writing a call option, a 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 a Fund intends to purchase. However, a 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 a Fund in writing options on futures is
potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. A 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. A 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
. A 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. A 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 a 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 a 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 a Fund
may be exposed to risk of loss.
In addition, it is not possible for a 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 a Funds trading in futures depends upon the ability of
the Investment Adviser to analyze correctly the futures markets.
Options on Securities and Securities Indices
Writing Covered Options.
Each Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options on any
securities in which it may invest. The Funds may also write (sell) put and call options on foreign
currencies. A call option written by a Fund obligates that 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, a 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 a Fund as the
seller of the call option. A 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 a Fund are covered,
which means that such Fund will own the securities subject to the option as long as the option is
outstanding or such Fund will use the other methods described below. A Funds purpose in writing
covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities
transactions alone. However, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the
market price of the underlying security.
B-18
A put option written by a Fund would obligate such 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 a Fund would be covered, which means that such 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, each 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 a 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 a 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. A 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 a 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.
A 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.
A 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. A 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.
A 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.
Each Fund may purchase put and call options on any securities in which it
may invest, any securities index comprised of securities in which it may invest, or on foreign
currencies. A Fund may also enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or
minimize losses on options it had purchased.
A 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 a Fund,
in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the
option period. A 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 such a Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the
purchase of the call option.
A 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 a 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 a Funds securities. Put options may also be
purchased by a Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of
securities which it does not own. A 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 such a 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.
B-19
A 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 Covered 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 a 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 a 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.
A 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 a 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 a 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.
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 manage 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 a
Funds investment portfolio, the Fund may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur. The
writing of options could increase a Funds portfolio turnover rate and, therefore, associated
brokerage commissions or spreads.
Real Estate Investment Trusts
Each 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 Funds, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders
provided they comply
B-20
with certain requirements under the Code. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share
of any expenses paid by REITs in which it invests in addition to the expenses paid by a 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
Each 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. A 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.
Foreign Securities
The Funds 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 Prospectuses 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 exists 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 in foreign
securities usually involve currencies of foreign countries. Accordingly, the Funds 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 Funds may be subject to
currency exposure independent of their securities positions. To the extent that a 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 each 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.
B-21
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 a Funds assets are uninvested and no
return is earned on such assets. The inability of a 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
a Funds investments in those countries.
Each Fund may invest in Depositary Receipts, including ADRs, GDRs, EDRs. The China Equity Fund
may also invest in Taiwan Depositary Receipts (TDRs). 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, GDRs and TDRs 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, GDRs and TDRs are
not necessarily quoted in the same currency as the underlying security.
To the extent a 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, a Fund may avoid currency risks during the
settlement period for purchases and sales.
As described more fully below, each 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, including Brazil, India, China and Korea, below.
Foreign Government Obligations.
Foreign government obligations include 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 Funds) may be requested to participate in the
rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental agencies.
Investing in Emerging Countries, including Brazil, India, China and Korea
. The Funds are
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.
B-22
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 generally 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 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 a 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 Funds. 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.
Custodial and/or settlement systems in emerging countries may not be fully developed. To the
extent a Fund invests in emerging markets, Fund assets that are traded in such markets and which
have been entrusted to such sub-custodians in those markets may be exposed to risks for which the
sub-custodian will have no liability.
Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or
controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit a 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 a Fund. A 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 Funds may invest and adversely affect
the value of the Funds assets. A Funds investments can also be adversely affected by any increase
in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.
B-23
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, particularly exports, 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.
A 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.
Investing in Brazil.
The Brazil Equity Fund expects to invest primarily in equity investments
in Brazilian issuers and issuers that participate in the markets of Brazil. In addition to the
risks listed above under Foreign Securities and Investing in Emerging Countries, including
Brazil, India, China and Korea, investing in Brazil presents additional risks.
Under current Brazilian law, the Fund may repatriate income received from dividends and
interest earned on its investments in Brazilian securities. The Fund may also repatriate net
realized capital gains from its investments in Brazilian securities. Additionally, whenever there
occurs a serious imbalance in Brazils balance of payments or serious reasons to foresee the
imminence of such an imbalance, under current Brazilian law the Monetary Council may, for a limited
period, impose restrictions on foreign capital remittances abroad. Exchange control regulations may
restrict repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of securities sales by foreign
investors.
Brazil suffers from chronic structural public sector deficits. In addition, disparities of
wealth, the pace and success of democratization and capital market development, and ethnic and
racial hostilities have led to social and labor unrest and violence in the past, and may do so
again in the future.
Additionally, the Brazilian securities markets are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than
domestic markets. The market for Brazilian securities is influenced by economic and market
conditions of certain countries, especially emerging market countries in Central and South America.
Brazil has historically experienced high rates of inflation and may continue to do so in the
future. Appreciation of the Brazilian currency (the
real
) relative to the U.S. dollar may lead to
a deterioration of Brazils current account and balance of payments as well as limit the growth of
exports. Inflationary pressures may lead to further government intervention in the economy,
including the introduction of government policies that may adversely affect the overall performance
of the Brazilian economy, which in turn could adversely affect the Funds investments.
Investing in India.
The India Equity Fund expects to invest primarily in equity investments in
Indian issuers and issuers that participate in the markets of India. In addition to the risks
listed above under Foreign Securities and Investing in Emerging Countries, including Brazil,
India, China and Korea, investing in India presents additional risks.
The value of the Funds investments in Indian securities may be affected by political and
economic developments, changes in government regulation and government intervention, high rates of
inflation or interest rates and withholding tax affecting India. The risk of loss may also be
increased because there may be less information available about Indian issuers because they are not
subject to the extensive accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices which
are applicable in the U.S. and other developed countries. There is also a lower level of regulation
and monitoring of the Indian securities market and its participants than in other more developed
markets.
The laws in India 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 States. It may be more difficult to obtain or
enforce a judgment in the courts in India than it is in the United States. India also has less
developed clearance and settlement procedures, and there have been times when settlements have been
unable to keep pace with the volume of securities and have been significantly delayed. The Indian
stock exchanges have in the past been subject to repeated closure and there can be no certainty
that this will not recur. In addition, significant delays are common in registering transfers of
securities and the Fund may be unable to sell securities until the registration process is
completed and may experience delays in receipt of dividends and other entitlements.
B-24
Foreign investment in the securities of issuers in India is usually restricted or controlled
to some degree. In India, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) may predominately invest in
exchange-traded securities (and securities to be listed, or those approved on the over-the-counter
exchange of India) subject to the conditions specified in certain guidelines for direct foreign
investment. FIIs have to apply for registration to the Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) and to the Reserve Bank of India for permission to trade in Indian securities. GSAM is a
registered FII and the inclusion of the Fund in GSAMs registration was approved by SEBI. FIIs are
required to observe certain investment restrictions, including an account ownership ceiling of 5%
of the total issued share capital of any one company. In addition, the shareholdings of all
registered FIIs, together with the shareholdings of non-resident Indian individuals and foreign
bodies corporate substantially owned by non-resident Indians, may not exceed 40% of the issued
share capital of any one company (subject to that companys approval). Only registered FIIs and
non-Indian mutual funds that comply with certain statutory conditions may make direct portfolio
investments in exchange-traded Indian securities. Under the current guidelines, income, gains and
initial capital with respect to such investments are freely repatriable, subject to payment of
applicable Indian taxes. However, the guidelines covering foreign investment are relatively new
and evolving and there can be no assurance that these investment control regimes will not change in
a way that makes it more difficult or impossible for the Fund to implement its investment objective
or repatriate its income, gains and initial capital from India.
A tax of 10% plus surcharges is currently imposed on gains from sales of equities held not
more than one year and sold on a recognized stock exchange in India. There is no tax on gains from
sales of equities held for more than one year and sold on a recognized stock exchange in India.
Gains from sales of equity securities in other cases are taxed at a rate of 30% plus surcharges
(for securities held not more than one year) and 10% (for securities held for more than one
year). Securities transaction tax applies for specified transactions at specified rates.
India imposes a tax on interest on securities at a rate of 20% plus surcharges. This tax is imposed
on the investor. India imposes a tax on dividends paid by an Indian company at a rate of 12.5% plus
surcharges. This tax is imposed on the company that pays the dividends. The Investment
Adviser will take into account the effects of local taxation on investment returns. In the past,
these taxes have sometimes been substantial.
The Indian population is composed of diverse religious, linguistic and ethnic groups.
Religious and border disputes continue to pose problems for India. From time to time, India has
experienced internal disputes between religious groups within the country. In addition, India has
faced, and continues to face, military hostilities with neighboring countries and regional
countries. These events could adversely influence the Indian economy and, as a result, negatively
affect a Funds investments.
Investing
in Greater China.
The China Equity Fund expects to invest primarily in equity investments in
Chinese issuers and issuers that participate in the markets of
Greater China (the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan). In addition to the risks
listed above under Foreign Securities and Investing in Emerging Countries, including Brazil,
India, China and Korea, investing in Greater China presents additional risks.
Investing
in Greater China involves risks and special considerations not typically associated with
investing in other more established economies or securities markets. Such risks may include: (a)
greater social, economic and political uncertainty (including the risk of war); (b) nationalization
or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; (c) dependency on exports and the
corresponding importance of international trade; (d) increasing competition from Asias other
low-cost emerging economies; (e) greater price volatility and significantly smaller market
capitalization of securities markets; (f) substantially less liquidity, particularly of certain
share classes of Chinese securities; (g) currency exchange rate fluctuations and the lack of
available currency hedging instruments; (h) higher rates of inflation; (i) controls on foreign
investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital and on the Funds ability to
exchange local currencies for U.S. dollars; (j) greater governmental involvement in and control
over the economy; (k) uncertainty regarding the Peoples
Republic of Chinas commitment to economic reforms; (l) the fact
that Chinese companies, particularly those located in the China region, may be smaller, less seasoned and
newly-organized companies; (m) the difference in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting
standards which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; (n) the fact
that statistical information regarding the economy of Greater China may be inaccurate or not comparable to
statistical information regarding the U.S. or other economies; (o) the less extensive, and still
developing, regulation of the securities markets, business entities and commercial transactions;
(p) the fact that the settlement period of securities transactions in foreign markets may be
longer; (q) the fact that it may be more difficult, or impossible, to obtain and/or enforce a
judgment than in other countries; and (r) the rapid and erratic nature of growth, particularly
in the Peoples Republic of China, resulting in inefficiencies and dislocations (s) economic sensitivity to environmental
events, including natural disasters such as earthquakes, droughts, floods and tsunamis.
Although
the government of the Peoples Republic of China has more recently been implementing reforms directed at
political and economic liberalization, including efforts to decentralize the economic
decision-making process and move towards a market economy, governmental involvement in the economy
remains significant. Chinese markets generally continue to experience inefficiency, volatility and
pricing anomalies that may be connected to governmental influence, a lack of publicly available
information and/or political and social instability. Also, because China had a centrally planned,
socialist economy for a substantial period of time,
B-25
business
entities in Greater China do not have an extended history of operating in a market-oriented
economy, and the ultimate impact of the Peoples Republic of Chinas attempts to move toward a more market-oriented economy
is currently unclear. Any change in leadership or policies may halt the expansion of or reverse the
liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing
investment opportunities.
Following the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China by the Communist Party in 1949,
the Chinese government renounced various debt obligations incurred by the Peoples
Republic of Chinas predecessor governments, which obligations remain in default, and expropriated assets without compensation.
There can be no assurance that the government will not take similar action in the future.
Greater
Chinas economy, particularly its export-oriented industries, may be adversely impacted by
trade or political disputes with major trading partners, including the U.S. In particular,
the growing trade surplus with the U.S. has increased the risk of trade disputes, which could
potentially have adverse effects on the countrys management of its currency, as well as on some
export dependent sectors. Greater Chinas aging infrastructure, growing income inequality and worsening
environmental conditions also are factors that may affect the Chinese economy. Social cohesion in
Greater China is being tested by growing income inequality and larger scale environmental degradation.
Social instability could threaten Greater Chinas political
systems and economic growth, which could decrease the value of the Funds investments.
Additionally, internal social unrest or conflicts with other countries, including military
conflicts in response to such events, could disrupt economic
development in Greater China. A state of
hostility continues to exist between the Peoples Republic of China and Taiwan, and territorial border disputes persist with
certain neighboring countries. Chinese economic development is also vulnerable to developments on
the Korean peninsula, including political tension or military actions.
Investing in Korea.
The Korea Equity Fund expects to invest primarily in equity investments in
Korean issuers and issuers that participate in the markets of the Republic of Korea (referred to
herein as Korea or South Korea). In addition to the risks listed above under Foreign
Securities and Investing in Emerging Countries, including Brazil, India, China and Korea,
investing in Korea presents additional risks.
The division of the Korean Peninsula in 1945 left South Korea without most of the peninsulas
natural resources. Since then, this highly industrialized nation has been 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, currency exchange rates and government regulation. Many of these
commodities are traded in U.S. dollars and any change in the exchange rate between the won and the
dollar can have either a positive or negative effect upon corporate profits.
Certain structural weaknesses have made Korea vulnerable to the financial turbulence of the
kind that swept through Asia in 1997-1998. 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, Korea has
experienced a poorly functioning financial system that has been further weakened by a series of
major corporate bankruptcies. Following the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, corporate and
financial sector restructuring was initiated by the Korean government, in conjunction with the
International Monetary Fund.
The Korean government has historically imposed significant restrictions and controls on
foreign investors. As a result, the Fund may be limited in its investments or precluded from
investing in certain Korean companies, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund. In
addition, there is the possibility of the imposition of currency-exchange controls, foreign
withholding tax on the interest income payable on such instruments, foreign controls, seizure or
nationalization of foreign deposits or assets, or the adoption of other foreign government
restrictions that might adversely affect the Korean securities held by the Fund. In addition, the
market capitalization and trading volume of issuers in Korean securities markets are concentrated
in a relatively small number of issuers, resulting in substantially less liquidity and greater
price volatility and potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund.
South Koreas location next to the heavily armed and unpredictable North Korea has been a
constant cause of concern. 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.
South Koreas relations with North Korea remain tense and volatile, and the possibility of military
action between the two countries still exists. North Korea appears to continue to develop nuclear
and other military capabilities.
B-26
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
. The Funds 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 a 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.
A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in several circumstances.
First, when a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated or
quoted in a foreign currency, or when a 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 such 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 a 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 a 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 a Funds foreign assets.
Each 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 Funds may enter into foreign currency transactions to seek a closer correlation
between a Funds overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of a 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 a 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 a Funds commitments with respect to such contracts.
While a 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 a Funds portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in
a particular currency and forward contracts entered into by such Fund. Such imperfect correlation
may cause a 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. Because
a forward foreign currency exchange contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a
default on the contract would deprive a 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. A 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
B-27
investment grade by the Investment Adviser. To the extent that a portion of a 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.
A Fund may 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 a 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 a 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 a Fund obligates a 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 a Fund would obligate a 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 a 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 Options on Securities and Securities
IndicesWriting Covered Options above.
A 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. A Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or
minimize losses on options purchased by the Fund.
A 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 a 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. A 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.
A 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 a 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 a Funds portfolio securities
due to currency exchange rate fluctuations. A 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 Funds may
use options on currency to seek to increase total return. The Funds 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 Funds may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the
underlying currency. Also, when writing put options, the Funds accept, in return for the option
premium, the risk that they 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 a 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
B-28
exist. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular
options, with the result that a 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 a 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.
A 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 a Fund.
The amount of the premiums, which a 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.
Currency Swaps, Mortgage Swaps, Credit Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps, Index Swaps and
Interest Rate Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars
The Funds may enter into currency, mortgage, credit, total return, index and interest rate
swaps and other interest rate swap arrangements such as rate caps, floors and collars, for hedging
purposes or to seek to increase total return. The Funds may also purchase and write (sell) options
contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions. Currency swaps involve the exchange by a
Fund with another party of their respective rights to make or receive payments in specified
currencies. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by a 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 a 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 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 a 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, a swaption or an interest rate floor, cap or collar is covered by the segregation of cash
or liquid assets or otherwise, the Funds 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 a Funds borrowing restrictions.
B-29
A Fund will not enter into transactions involving swaps, caps, floors or collars 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 a 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
Each 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 a
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 a Funds ability to achieve its investment objective,
which, in turn, could result in losses to the Fund.
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 each Funds investment policies.
Preferred Securities
Each 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
Each 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
B-30
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).
A 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 a Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other
party to an equity swap defaults, a Funds risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that
such Fund 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 Funds and their Investment Adviser believe that transactions do not constitute senior
securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to a Funds
borrowing restrictions.
A 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. A Funds ability to enter into certain swap transactions may be limited by
tax considerations.
When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments
Each 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 a 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. A 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, a Fund may dispose of or negotiate a
commitment after entering into it. A Fund may also sell securities it has committed to purchase
before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. A Fund may realize a
capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions. For purposes of determining a Funds
duration, the maturity of when-issued or forward commitment securities will be calculated from the
commitment date. A 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, a 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
Each 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
Each Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs. A 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. A 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
B-31
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 Funds) 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. A
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 Funds 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 a 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 Funds do not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, each 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 any Fund serves as an Underlying Fund
to another Goldman Sachs Fund, that Fund intends to comply with the requirements of Section
12(d)(1)(G)(i)(IV) of the Act.
Each 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 a Funds
shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.
Repurchase Agreements
Each 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 Funds may also enter into repurchase agreements involving certain foreign
government securities. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement under which a Fund purchases
securities and the seller agrees to repurchase the securities within a particular time and at a
specified price for the duration of the agreement. Custody of the securities is maintained by a
Funds custodian (or subcustodian). The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the
difference being income to a Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with
interest at a stated rate due to a Fund together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either
case, the income to a 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 a Fund to the seller of the security. For other purposes, it is not always clear
whether a court would consider the security purchased by a Fund subject to a repurchase agreement
as being owned by a Fund or as being collateral for a loan by a 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, a 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 a Fund
has not perfected a security interest in the security, a 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, a 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), a
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.
B-32
The Funds, 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.
Short Sales Against-the-Box
The Funds may engage in short sales against the box. In a short sale, the seller sells a
borrowed security and has a corresponding obligation to the lender to return the identical
security. The seller does not immediately deliver the securities sold and is said to have a short
position in those securities until delivery occurs. While a short sale is made by selling a
security the seller does not own, a short sale is against the box to the extent that the seller
contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain, at no added cost, securities identical to those
sold short. It may be entered into by a Fund, for example, to lock in a sales price for a security
the Fund does not wish to sell immediately. If a Fund sells securities short against the box, it
may protect itself from loss if the price of the securities declines in the future, but will lose
the opportunity to profit on such securities if the price rises.
If a Fund effects a short sale of securities at a time when it has an unrealized gain on the
securities, it may be required to recognize that gain as if it had actually sold the securities (as
a constructive sale) on the date it effects the short sale. However, such constructive sale
treatment may not apply if a Fund closes out the short sale with securities other than the
appreciated securities held at the time of the short sale and if certain other conditions are
satisfied. Uncertainty regarding the tax consequences of effecting short sales may limit the extent
to which a Fund may effect short sales.
Mortgage Dollar Rolls
A Fund may enter into mortgage dollar rolls, in which a Fund sells securities for delivery in
the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar,
but not identical securities on a specified future date. When a Fund enters into a mortgage dollar
roll, it will segregate cash or liquid assets in an amount equal to the forward purchase price
until the settlement date.
Non-Diversified Status
Because the Funds are non-diversified under the Act, they are subject only to certain
federal tax diversification requirements. Under federal tax laws, the Fund may, with respect to 50%
of its total assets, invest up to 25% of its total assets in the securities of any issuer. With
respect to the remaining 50% of the Funds total assets, (i) the Fund may not invest more than 5%
of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer, and (ii) the Fund may not acquire more
than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer. These tests apply at the end of
each quarter of the taxable year and are subject to certain conditions and limitations under the
Code. These tests do not apply to United States Government Securities and regulated investment
companies.
Temporary Investments
Each 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 a Funds assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be
achieving its investment objective.
Portfolio Turnover
Each 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 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 Funds to receive favorable tax treatment. The Funds are
not restricted by policy with regard to portfolio turnover and will make changes in their
investment portfolio from time to time as business and economic conditions as well as market prices
may dictate.
B-33
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Trust as fundamental
policies that cannot be changed with respect to a Fund without the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the affected Fund.
The investment objective of each Fund and all other investment policies or practices of each Fund
are considered by the Trust not to be fundamental and accordingly may be changed without
shareholder approval. For purposes of the Act, a majority of the outstanding voting securities
means the lesser of the vote of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Trust or a Fund present at a
meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or a Fund are
present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Trust or a 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, a Fund.
With respect to the Funds fundamental investment restriction number (3) 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, a Fund may not:
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(1)
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Invest more than 25% 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), except that a Fund may invest up to 35% of its total
assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities
in the same industry if, at the time of investment, that industry represents 20% or more of
the Funds benchmark index.
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(2)
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Borrow money, except (a) the Funds, 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) each Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up
to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes, (c) each Fund may obtain such
short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio
securities, (d) each Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by
applicable law and (e) each 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)
|
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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 Funds to the extent permitted by law.
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(4)
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Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio
securities by a Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting.
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(5)
|
|
Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although a 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 a Fund as a
result of the ownership of securities.
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(6)
|
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Invest in commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may invest in currency and
financial instruments and contracts that are commodities or commodity contracts.
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(7)
|
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Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would not violate applicable law.
|
|
Each 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-34
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 a Fund.
A Fund may not:
|
(a)
|
|
Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
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(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).
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|
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(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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|
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(d)
|
|
Make short sales of securities, except short sales against the box.
|
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
The business and affairs of the Funds are 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 each 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 April 29, 2011 is set
forth below.
B-35
Independent Trustees
|
|
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|
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|
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Number of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Term of
|
|
|
|
Portfolios in
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office and
|
|
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|
Fund
|
|
|
|
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Position(s)
|
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Length of
|
|
|
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Complex
|
|
Other
|
Name,
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|
Held with
|
|
Time
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Directorships
|
Address and Age
1
|
|
the Trust
|
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Served
2
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee
3
|
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Held by Trustee
4
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Ashok N. Bakhru
Age: 69
|
|
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
|
|
Since 1996
(Trustee
since 1991)
|
|
President, ABN Associates (19941996 and 1998Present); Director, Apollo Investment Corporation (a business development company) (2008-Present); Member of Cornell University Council (19922004 and 2006Present); Trustee, Scholarship America (19982005); Trustee, Institute for Higher Education Policy (20032008); Director, Private Equity InvestorsIII and IV
(19982007), and Equity-Linked Investors II (April 20022007).
|
|
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96
|
|
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Apollo Investment
Corporation (a business
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Chairman of the Board of TrusteesGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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development company)
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Donald C. Burke
Age: 50
|
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Trustee
|
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Since 2010
|
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Mr. Burke is retired (since 2010). Formerly, he was 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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96
|
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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John P. Coblentz, Jr.
Age: 70
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Trustee
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Since 2003
|
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Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP (19752003); Director, Emerging Markets Group, Ltd. (20042006); and Director, Elderhostel, Inc. (2006Present).
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96
|
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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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
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Ms. Daniels is retired (since 2007). Formerly, she was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, The Washington Post Company (19912006). Ms. Daniels is a Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Cornell University (2009Present); Member, Advisory Board, Psychology Without Borders (international humanitarian aid organization) (since 2007), and former Member of the
Legal Advisory Board, New York Stock Exchange (20032006) and of the Corporate Advisory Board, Standish Mellon Management Advisors (20062007).
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96
|
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-36
Independent Trustees
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Number of
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|
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|
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Term of
|
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|
Portfolios in
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|
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|
|
|
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Office and
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
|
|
Complex
|
|
Other
|
Name,
|
|
Held with
|
|
Time
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Directorships
|
Address and Age
1
|
|
the Trust
|
|
Served
2
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee
3
|
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Held by Trustee
4
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|
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|
|
|
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Joseph P. LoRusso
Age: 53
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Trustee
|
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Since 2010
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Mr. LoRusso is retired (since 2008). Formerly, he was 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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96
|
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Jessica Palmer
Age: 62
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Trustee
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Since 2007
|
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Ms. Palmer is retired (since 2006). Formerly, she was Consultant, Citigroup Human Resources Department (2007-2008); Managing Director, Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) (19842006). Ms. Palmer was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Indian Mountain School (private elementary and secondary school) (20042009).
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96
|
|
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None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
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|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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|
|
|
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Richard P. Strubel
Age: 71
|
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Trustee
|
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Since 1987
|
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Director, Cardean Learning Group (provider of educational services via the internet) (20032008); Trustee Emeritus, The University of Chicago (1987Present).
|
|
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96
|
|
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The Northern Trust Mutual Fund Complex (58 Portfolios) (Chairman of the Board of Trustees); Gildan Activewear Inc. (a clothing marketing and manufacturing company)
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|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
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B-37
Interested Trustees
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Number of
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|
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Term of
|
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|
Portfolios in
|
|
|
|
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|
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Office and
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|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Position(s)
|
|
Length of
|
|
|
|
Complex
|
|
Other
|
Name,
|
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Held with
|
|
Time
|
|
Principal Occupation(s)
|
|
Overseen by
|
|
Directorships
|
Address and Age
1
|
|
the Trust
|
|
Served
2
|
|
During Past 5 Years
|
|
Trustee
3
|
|
Held by Trustee
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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James A. McNamara*
Age: 48
|
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President and Trustee
|
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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).
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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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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|
|
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|
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TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex (since November 2007 and December 2002May 2004).
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Alan A. Shuch*
Age: 61
|
|
Trustee
|
|
Since 1990
|
|
Advisory DirectorGSAM (May 1999Present); Consultant to GSAM (December 1994May 1999); and Limited Partner, Goldman Sachs (December 1994May 1999).
|
|
|
96
|
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TrusteeGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
*
|
|
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 74 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 April 29, 2011, the Trust consisted of 83 portfolios (81 of which are currently
offered to the public), Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust consisted of 11 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.
|
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
B-38
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 April 29,
2011 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 the firms Management 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. 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 and its subsidiaries, where she worked for 29
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 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
B-39
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 was also a 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 Emeritus of the University of
Chicago 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-40
Officers of the Trust
Information pertaining to the officers of the Trust as of April 29, 2011 is set forth below:
Officers of the Trust
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Term of Office
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Name, Age And 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 10282
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).
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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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George F. Travers
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 43
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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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Philip V. Giuca, Jr.
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 49
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Assistant Treasurer
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Since 1997
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (May 1992Present).
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Assistant Treasurer Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Peter Fortner
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 53
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Assistant Treasurer
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Since 2000
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (July 2000Present); Principal Financial Officer, Commerce Bank Mutual Fund Complex (2008-Present); Associate, Prudential Insurance Company of America (November 1985June 2000); and Assistant Treasurer, certain closed-end funds administered by Prudential (19992000).
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Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-41
Officers of the Trust
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Term of Office
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Name, Age And 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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Kenneth G. Curran
30 Hudson Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Age: 47
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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).
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Assistant TreasurerGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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James A. Fitzpatrick
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 51
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Vice President
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Since 1997
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (October 1999Present); and Vice President of GSAM (April 1997December 1999).
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Vice PresidentGoldman 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 2006Present); Vice President, GSAM (June 1998Present); and Vice President, AIM Management Group, Inc. (investment adviser) (April 1996June 1998).
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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Kerry K. Daniels
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 48
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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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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Mark Hancock
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Age: 43
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Vice President
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Since 2007
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Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (November 2005Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2000November 2005); Senior Vice PresidentDreyfus Service Corp (19992000); and Vice PresidentDreyfus Service Corp (19961999).
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Vice PresidentGoldman 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).
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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).
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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-42
Officers of the Trust
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Term of Office
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Name, Age And 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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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).
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Vice PresidentGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Mark Heaney
Christchurch Court
10-15 Newgate Street
London, EC1A 7HD, UK
Age: 43
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Vice President
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Since 2010
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Executive Director, GSAM (May 2005 Present); Director of Operations (UK and Ireland), Invesco Asset Management (May 2004 March 2005); Global Head of Investment Administration, Invesco Asset Management (September 2001 May 2004); Managing Director (Ireland), Invesco Asset Management (March 2000 September 2001); Director of Investment Administration, Invesco Asset Management (December 1998
March 2000).
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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 2006Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2002Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (19992006); and Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (1999-2002).
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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).
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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).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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George Djurasovic
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 40
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Assistant Secretary
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Since 2007
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Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2005Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2006Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (20052006); Senior Counsel, TIAA CREF (20042005); and Counsel, TIAA CREF (20002004).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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B-43
Officers of the Trust
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Term of Office
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Position(s) Held
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and Length of
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Name, Age And 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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Patricia Meyer
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 37
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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 (20002006).
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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 2007Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (April 2007Present); Associate, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP (20042007); and Solicitor, Corrs Chambers Westgarth (20022003).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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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 (2005Present); Associate, Goldman Sachs (20012005); and Analyst, Goldman Sachs (19942005).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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Patrick T. OCallaghan
200 West Street
New York, NY 10282
Age: 39
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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).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
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James A. 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).
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Assistant SecretaryGoldman 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).
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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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Standing Board Committees
The Board of Trustees has established six standing committees in connection with their
governance of the Funds 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 and
B-44
recommends annually to 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 four
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
three 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 Funds; and (ii) insofar as they relate to services provided to the Funds, of
the Funds investment advisers, 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 three 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 Funds in accordance with the Trusts Valuation
Procedures. Messrs. McNamara and Shuch serve on the Valuation Committee. The Valuation Committee
met twelve 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 each
Funds Prospectus. Messrs. McNamara and McHugh serve on the Dividend Committee. The Dividend
Committee met twelve times during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
The Contract Review Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the processes
of the Board of Trustees for approving and monitoring the Funds investment management,
distribution, transfer agency and other agreements with the Funds Investment Advisers and their
affiliates. The Contract Review Committee is also responsible for overseeing the Boards 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 three times during the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2010. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Contract Review Committee.
Risk Oversight
The Board is responsible for the oversight of the activities of the Funds, including oversight
of risk management. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Funds is the responsibility of
GSAM or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to supervision by
GSAM. The risks of the Funds include, but are not limited to, investment risk, compliance risk,
operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Each of GSAM and the other
service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and
methods of risk management may differ from the Funds and each others in the setting of priorities,
the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result, the Board
recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Funds or to
develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and that some
risks are simply beyond the control of the Funds or GSAM, its affiliates or other service
providers.
The Board effectuates its oversight role primarily through regular and special meetings of the
Board and Board committees. In certain cases, risk management issues are specifically addressed in
presentations and discussions. For example, GSAM has an independent dedicated Market Risk Group
that assists GSAM in managing investment risk. Representatives from the Market Risk Group
regularly meet with the Board to discuss their analysis and methodologies. In addition, investment
risk is discussed in the context of regular presentations to the Board on Fund strategy and
performance. Other types of risk are addressed as part of
B-45
presentations on related topics (e.g.
compliance policies) or in the context of presentations focused specifically on one or more risks.
The Board also receives reports from GSAM management on operational risks, reputational risks and
counterparty risks relating to the Funds.
Board oversight of risk management is also performed by various Board committees. For
example, the Audit Committee meets with both the Funds independent registered public accounting
firm and the GSAMs internal audit group to review risk controls in place that support the Funds as
well as test results, and the Compliance Committee meets with the CCO and representatives of GSAMs
compliance group to review testing results of the Funds compliance policies and procedures and
other compliance issues. Board oversight of risk is also performed as needed between meetings
through communications between the GSAM and the Board. The Board may, at any time and in its
discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Boards oversight role does
not make the Board a guarantor of the Funds investments or activities.
Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares
The following table shows the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in the
Funds and other portfolios of Goldman Sachs Trust and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust as of
December 31, 2010, unless otherwise noted.
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Aggregate Dollar
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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
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Equity Securities in
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Complex Overseen By
|
|
Name of Trustee
|
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the Funds
(1)
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Trustee
(2)
|
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Ashok N. Bakhru
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Over $100,000
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Donald C. Burke
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Over $100,000
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John P. Coblentz, Jr.
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Over $100,000
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Diana M. Daniels
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Over $100,000
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Joseph P. LoRusso
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|
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Over $100,000
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James A. McNamara
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Over $100,000
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Jessica Palmer
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Over $100,000
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Alan A. Shuch
|
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$50,000 - $100,000
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Richard P. Strubel
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|
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Over $100,000
|
|
|
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1
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Includes the value of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in each Fund described in
this SAI.
|
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2
|
|
As of December 31, 2010, the Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex consists of the Trust, Goldman
Sachs Municipal Opportunity Fund, and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust. The Trust
consisted of 77 portfolios, 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 April 29, 2011, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than
1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of each Fund.
Board Compensation
Each Independent Trustee will be compensated with a unitary annual fee for his or her services
as a Trustee of the Trust and as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Compliance
Committee, Contract Review Committee, and Audit Committee. The Chairman and audit committee
financial expert will receive additional compensation for their services. 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 tables set forth certain information with respect to the compensation of each
Trustee of the Trust for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
B-46
Trustee Compensation
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Fund
|
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Name of Trustee
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Brazil Equity
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India Equity
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China Equity
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Korea Equity
|
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Ashok N. Bakhru
1
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Donald C. Burke
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John P. Coblentz, Jr.
2
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Diana M. Daniels
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Patrick T. Harker
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Joseph P. LoRusso
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James A. McNamara
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jessica Palmer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alan A. Shuch
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard P. Strubel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Aggregate
|
|
|
Pension or Retirement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation
|
|
|
Benefits Accrued as Part
|
|
|
Total Compensation
|
|
Name of Trustee
|
|
from the Funds*
|
|
|
Of the Trusts Expenses
|
|
|
From Fund Complex **
|
|
Ashok N. Bakhru
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
0
|
|
|
$
|
372,416.67
|
|
Donald C. Burke
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
56,366.85
|
|
John P. Coblentz, Jr
.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
282,000.00
|
|
Diana M. Daniels
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
239,833.33
|
|
Patrick T. Harker
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joseph P. LoRusso
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
220,583.33
|
|
James A. McNamara
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56,366.85
|
|
Jessica Palmer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
Alan A. Shuch
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard P. Strubel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
The Funds were not in operation prior to the date of this SAI. Therefore the Trustees
received no compensation from the Funds during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
|
|
**
|
|
Represents fees paid to each Trustee during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010 from the
Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex. As of October 31, 2010, the Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund
Complex consisted of the Trust, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust, Goldman Sachs Credit
Strategies Fund and Goldman Sachs Municipal Opportunity Fund. As of October 31, 2010, the
Trust consisted of 77 portfolios, the Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust consisted of 11
portfolios, and the Goldman Sachs Municipal Opportunity Fund did not offer shares to the
public.
|
|
|
|
Effective September 30, 2010, Mr. Harker resigned from the Board of Trustees.
|
|
1
|
|
Includes compensation as Board Chairman.
|
|
2
|
|
Includes compensation as audit committee financial expert, as defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR.
|
|
3
|
|
Messrs. McNamara and Shuch are Interested Trustees, and as such, receive no compensation from
the Fund or the Goldman Sachs Mutual Fund Complex.
|
Miscellaneous
Class A Shares of the Funds may be sold at NAV 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 Advisers 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 Funds.
B-47
MANAGEMENT SERVICES
As stated in the Funds Prospectuses, Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (GSAMI),
Christchurch Court, 10-15 Newgate Street, London, England EC1A7HD, serves as Investment Adviser to
the Funds. GSAMI is an affiliate of Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Goldman Sachs. See Service
Providers in the Funds Prospectuses for a description of the Investment Advisers duties to the
Funds.
Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a bank 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
Funds to use the name Goldman Sachs or a derivative thereof as part of each Funds name for as
long as each 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 3,000 equity securities, 350 fixed income
securities and 25 stock markets in more than 50 economies and regions. 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 Funds, 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 Funds, 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 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 Funds given its investment
objectives 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 June 17, 2010. 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.
These management arrangements were last approved by the shareholders of the Funds then in
existence on April 21, 1997. The management arrangements for those Funds that commenced investment
operations after April 21, 1997 were last approved by the initial sole shareholder of each such
Fund, prior to the Funds commencement of operations.
B-48
The Management Agreements will remain in effect until June 30, 2011 and will continue in
effect with respect to each Fund from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of such 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 Agreements will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Act).
The Management Agreements are is 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 applicable Fund on 60
days written notice to the applicable Investment Adviser or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days
written notice to the Trust.
Pursuant to the Management Agreements, the Investment Adviser is entitled to receive the fees
set forth below, payable monthly based on each Funds average daily net assets.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actual Rate for the Fiscal
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
Fund
|
|
Management Fee Annual Rate
|
|
October 31, 2010*
|
Brazil Equity Fund
|
|
1.10% on the first $1 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.99% over $1 billion up to $2 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.94% over $2 billion up to $5 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.92% over $5 billion up to $8 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.90% over $8 billion
|
|
|
India Equity Fund
|
|
1.10% on the first $1 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.99% over $1 billion up to $2 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.94% over $2 billion up to $5 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.92% over $5 billion up to $8 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.90% over $8 billion
|
|
|
China Equity Fund
|
|
1.10% on the first $1 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.99% over $1 billion up to $2 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.94% over $2 billion up to $5 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.92% over $5 billion up to $8 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.90% over $8 billion
|
|
|
Korea Equity Fund
|
|
1.10% on the first $1 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.99% over $1 billion up to $2 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.94% over $2 billion up to $5 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.92% over $5 billion up to $8 billion
|
|
|
|
|
0.90% over $8 billion
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
|
|
The Fund was not in operation prior to the date of this SAI. Therefore the Investment Advisor
received no fees during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
|
In addition to providing advisory services, under the Management Agreement, the
Investment Adviser also: (i) supervises all non-advisory operations of the Funds; (ii) provides
personnel to perform such executive, administrative and clerical services as are reasonably
necessary to provide effective administration of each Fund; (iii) arranges for at each 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 each Funds records; and (v) provides office space and all
necessary office equipment and services.
Portfolio Managers 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, as of December 31, 2010.
B-49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of Other Accounts Managed and Total Assets by
|
|
|
Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory Fee is
|
|
|
|
Account Type
|
|
|
Performance Based
|
|
|
|
Registered
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Registered
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment
|
|
|
Other Pooled
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
Investment
|
|
|
Other Pooled
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
Companies
|
|
|
Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Companies
|
|
|
Investment Vehicles
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number
|
|
|
|
|
Name of
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
of
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
Portfolio Manager
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
|
Accounts
|
|
|
Managed
|
|
Brazil Equity Fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gabriella Antici
|
|
|
11
|
|
|
$
|
3,422M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrea Cardia
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
$
|
54M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marcia Zugaib
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
$
|
54M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
India Equity Fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rick K.B. Loo
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
152M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
600M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
China Equity Fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alina Chiew
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
$
|
4,224M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
$
|
865M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nathan Lin
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
440M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
$
|
264M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Korea Equity Fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rick K.B. Loo
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
152M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
$
|
600M
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
B-50
Conflicts of Interest
. The Investment Advisers portfolio managers are often
responsible for managing one or more of the Funds 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. They seek 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 Funds have adopted policies limiting the circumstances under which
cross-trades may be effected between a 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 Funds 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 portfolio managers of the Investment Adviser 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 the
Investment Advisers 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 benchmarks for these Funds are:
Brazil Equity Fund: MSCI
®
Brazil 10/40 Index (Net TR)
India Equity Fund: MSCI
®
India Investable Markets Index (Net)
China Equity Fund: MSCI
®
China Index (Net, Unhedged, USD)
Korea Equity Fund: Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI)
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 Funds They Manage
The Funds were not in operation prior to the date of this SAI. Consequently, the portfolio
managers own no securities issued by the Funds.
Distributor and Transfer Agent
Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, serves as the exclusive distributor
of shares of the Funds pursuant to a best efforts arrangement as provided by a distribution
agreement with the Trust on behalf of each Fund. Shares of the Funds are
B-51
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 Funds. 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
shares.
Dealer Reallowances.
Class A Shares of the Funds are sold subject to a front-end sales charge,
as described in the Prospectuses and in this SAI in the section SHARES OF THE TRUST. Goldman
Sachs pays commissions to Authorized Dealers who sell Class A shares of the Funds in the form of a
reallowance of all or a portion of the sales charge paid on the purchase of those shares. Goldman
Sachs reallows the following amounts, expressed as a percentage of each Funds offering price with
respect to purchases under $50,000:
|
|
|
|
|
Fund
|
|
|
|
|
Brazil Equity Fund
|
|
|
5.00
|
%
|
India Equity Fund
|
|
|
5.00
|
%
|
China Equity Fund
|
|
|
5.00
|
%
|
Korea Equity Fund
|
|
|
5.00
|
%
|
Dealer allowances may be changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire sales
charge may be reallowed to Authorized Dealers. Authorized Dealers to whom substantially the entire
sales charge is reallowed may be deemed to be underwriters under the Securities Act of 1933.
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 each Funds Institutional
Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with respect to each Funds Class A, Class C, and
Class IR Shares. Goldman Sachs may pay to certain intermediaries who perform transfer agent
services to shareholders a networking or sub-transfer agent fee. These payments will be made from
the transfer agency fees noted above and in the Funds Prospectuses.
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 each Fund, is responsible for the payment of each Funds respective
expenses. The expenses include, without limitation, the fees payable to the Investment Adviser, 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 Funds, 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 a Fund pursuant to its
Distribution and Service Plans, compensation and expenses of its non-interested Trustees, the
fees and expenses of pricing services, dividend expenses on short sales and extraordinary expenses,
if any, incurred by the Trust. Except for fees and expenses under any 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.
B-52
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 a Fund, which
would have the effect of lowering that 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 April 29, 2010, the Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit certain Other
Expenses (excluding management fees, distribution and service fees, transfer agency fees, service
fees, shareholder administration fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, and
litigation, indemnification, shareholder meeting and other extraordinary expenses exclusive of any
expense offset arrangements) for the following Funds to the extent such expenses exceed the
following percentage of each Funds average daily net assets through at least April 29, 2010:
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Other
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Fund
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Expenses
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Brazil Equity Fund
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0.364
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%
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India Equity Fund
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0.364
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%
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China Equity Fund
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0.365
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%
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Korea Equity Fund
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0.364
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%
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Such reductions or limits, if any, are calculated monthly on a cumulative basis during each
Funds fiscal year and may be discontinued or modified by the Investment Adviser in its discretion
at any time.
Fees and expenses borne by the Funds relating to legal counsel, registering shares of a Fund,
holding meetings and communicating with shareholders may include an allocable portion of the cost
of maintaining an internal legal and compliance department. Each Fund may also bear an allocable
portion of the Investment Advisers costs of performing certain accounting services not being
provided by a Funds custodian.
Custodian and Sub-Custodians
State Street Bank and Trust Company 225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110 is the custodian of
the Funds portfolio securities and cash. State Street Bank and Trust Company also maintains each
Funds accounting records. State Street Bank and Trust Company 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 that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client
base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth
individuals. 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. In those and other capacities, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the
investment management division of Goldman Sachs, the Investment Advisers (collectively for purposes
of this section, 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) purchase, sell and hold a broad array of investments,
actively trade securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps,
indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products for their own accounts or for the
accounts of their customers and will have other direct and indirect interests in the global fixed
income, currency, commodity, equity, bank loan and other markets in which the Funds directly and
indirectly invest.
B-53
As described in the preceding paragraph, Goldman Sachs, including those personnel who may be
involved in the management, sales, investment activities, business operations or distribution of
the Funds, is engaged in businesses and has interests other than that of managing the Funds. The
Funds 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
Funds or their service providers. These are considerations of which shareholders should be aware,
and which may cause conflicts that could disadvantage the Funds. 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 Funds in accordance
with its obligation to manage the Funds 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 Funds.
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Goldman Sachs, its sales personnel and other financial service providers may
have conflicts associated with their promotion of the Funds or other dealings with the
Funds that would create incentives for them to promote the Funds.
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Goldman Sachs and its personnel may receive greater compensation or greater
profit in connection with the Funds 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 Funds, 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 Funds.
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While the allocation of investment opportunities among Goldman Sachs, the
Funds 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 Funds and the 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 Funds as it believes is in the fiduciary interests of the Funds. Advice given to the
Funds or investment decisions made for the Funds 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 Funds have taken, or will take, a long position in
the same securities. Actions taken with respect to Goldman Sachs or other funds or
accounts may adversely impact the Funds, and actions taken by the Funds may benefit
Goldman Sachs or other funds or accounts (including the Funds).
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The Investment Adviser may buy for the Funds 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 Funds. For example, a 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 Funds, or effect
transactions on behalf of the Funds 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 Funds and may not share that information
with relevant personnel of the Investment Adviser.
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B-54
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To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Funds may enter into
transactions in which Goldman Sachs acts as principal, or in which Goldman Sachs acts on
behalf of the Funds 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
Funds and will retain all commissions, fees and other compensation in connection
therewith.
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Securities traded for the Funds 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 Funds
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 Funds.
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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 Funds 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 Funds 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 a 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 Funds. Information held by Goldman Sachs could have the
effect of restricting investment activities of the Funds.
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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 Other Activities of Goldman Sachs, Ancillary
Benefits, Portfolio Decisions, the Sale of Fund Shares and the Allocation of Investment
Opportunities
Goldman Sachs Other Activities May Have an Impact on the Funds
The Investment Adviser makes decisions for the Funds in accordance with its obligations as the
Investment Adviser of the Funds. However, Goldman Sachs other activities, individually or in the
aggregate, may have a negative effect on the Funds. 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 Funds 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 Funds will undertake transactions in securities in which Goldman Sachs makes a
market or otherwise has other direct or indirect interests. As a result, Goldman Sachs may take
positions that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the investment objectives of the Funds.
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 Funds invest. 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
B-55
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
a 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 Funds.
Goldman Sachs May Derive Ancillary Benefits From Its Relationship With the Funds
Goldman Sachs may derive ancillary benefits from providing investment advisory, distribution,
transfer agency, administrative and other services to the Funds, and providing such services to
the Funds may enhance Goldman Sachs relationships with various parties, facilitate additional
business development, and enable Goldman Sachs to obtain additional business and generate
additional revenue.
In addition, Goldman Sachs may derive ancillary benefits from certain decisions made by the
Investment Adviser. While the Investment Adviser will make decisions for the Funds in accordance
with its obligations to manage the Funds 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 Funds than they would
have been had other decisions been made which also might have been appropriate for the Funds. For
example, the Investment Adviser may recommend to the Board that Goldman Sachs or an affiliate
thereof provide administrative or other services to a Fund instead of hiring an unaffiliated
administrator or other service provider, provided that such engagement is on market terms, as
determined by such Fund or the Funds Board in its discretion.
Goldman Sachs Financial and Other Interests May Incentivize Goldman Sachs 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 Funds. With respect to both Goldman Sachs and its personnel, the
remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of shares of the Funds 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 Funds or their
shareholders.
Goldman Sachs and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of
assets under management. Certain compensation earned by the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs,
for example, may be based on Fund assets under management. These fees will be paid out of Fund
assets before they are applied to make payments to Fund shareholders. Although these fees are
generally based on asset levels, they are not directly contingent on Fund performance, and Goldman
Sachs would still receive significant compensation even if shareholders lose money.
Goldman Sachs and its personnel may receive greater compensation or greater profit in
connection with the Funds 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 Funds over other accounts or products managed by unaffiliated investment advisers or
to effect transactions differently in the Funds as compared to other accounts or products.
In addition, 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 Funds.
Sales Incentives and Related Conflicts Arising from Goldman Sachs Financial and Other
Relationships with Intermediaries
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 Funds, or who
engage in transactions with or for the Funds. For example, Goldman Sachs regularly participates in
industry and consultant sponsored conferences and may purchase educational, data
B-56
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 Funds may receive fees from Goldman Sachs or the Funds in connection with the
distribution of shares in the Funds 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-wide 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 to develop an understanding of the points of view and challenges of the conference
participants, and 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 Funds or that may recommend investments in the Funds or distribute the
Funds. In addition, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may make charitable
contributions to institutions, including those that have 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 Funds or other dealings with the
Funds that create incentives for them to promote the Funds or certain portfolio
transactions.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs or the Funds may make payments
to Authorized Dealers and other financial intermediaries (Intermediaries) from time to time to
promote 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 Funds and other products. In addition
to placement fees, sales loads or similar distribution charges, payments may be made out of Goldman
Sachs assets, or amounts payable to Goldman Sachs rather than a separately identified charge to
the Funds, Client/GS Accounts or other products. Such payments may compensate Intermediaries for,
among other things: marketing the Funds, Client/GS Accounts and other products (which may consist
of payments resulting in or relating to the inclusion of the Funds, Client/GS Accounts and other
products 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; fees for directing investors to the Funds, Client/GS Accounts and other products;
finders fees or referral fees or other fees for providing assistance in promoting the Funds,
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 Funds, 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 Funds 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
B-57
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 Funds and
Other Goldman Sachs Accounts
Goldman Sachs has potential conflicts in connection with the allocation of investments or
transaction decisions for the Funds. For example, the Funds 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 Funds and/or may seek to make investments in securities or other
instruments, sectors or strategies in which the Funds 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 Funds,
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 Funds and other
Client/GS Accounts in a manner that it considers, in its sole discretion and consistent with its
fiduciary obligation to each Fund and Client/GS Account, to be reasonable.
In many cases, these policies result in the pro rata allocation of limited opportunities
across the Funds 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 each 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 Funds.
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 applicable Funds 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
minim
i
s 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 Funds, may be a factor in determining the allocation of
opportunities sourced by such personnel.
B-58
Reputational matters and other such considerations may also be considered. The application of
these principles may cause performance dispersion over time. Funds that do 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 Funds, 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 Funds may differ from, and performance may be lower than,
investments and performance of other Client/GS Accounts.
Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing, the Funds 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 Funds, or such other persons or
entities as determined by Goldman Sachs in its sole discretion. The Funds will have no rights and
will not receive any compensation related to such opportunities.
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 Funds, the Investment
Adviser may follow a strategy that is expected to be similar over time to that delivered by the PWM
Separate Accounts. Each of the Funds 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 Funds) 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 Funds invest.
Other Potential Conflicts Relating to the Management of the Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds. The performance by such persons of obligations related to their
consultation
B-59
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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds based on the Funds investment programs.
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 Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds, 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 Funds. A Fund or 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 Funds to buy and sell investments. The
investment flexibility of the Funds 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 Funds.
Issues Relating to the Valuation of Assets by Multiple Divisions or Units Within Goldman Sachs
Certain securities and other assets in which the Funds 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, however, the manner in which
the Investment Adviser exercises its discretion with respect to valuation decisions will impact
the valuation of Fund securities and, as a result, may adversely affect certain investors in the
Funds and, conversely, may positively affect the Investment Adviser or its affiliates. In
addition, the Investment Adviser may utilize third-party vendors to perform certain functions,
and these vendors may have interests and incentives that differ from those of investors in the
Fund.
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 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 Funds 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 Funds 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
B-60
Client/GS Accounts that may compete or conflict with the advice the Investment Adviser may
give to the Funds, 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 Funds.
Goldman Sachs and one or more Client/GS Accounts may buy or sell positions while the Funds are
undertaking the same or a differing, including potentially opposite, strategy, which could
disadvantage the Funds. For example, a Fund may buy a security and Goldman Sachs or Client/GS
Accounts may establish a short position in that same security or in similar securities. 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 those of the Funds, and events occurring
with respect to such funds or accounts could affect the performance of the Funds. For example, in
the event that withdrawals of capital or performance losses results in such a 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 Funds falling in value, which could have a material adverse
effect on the Funds. Conflicts may also arise because portfolio decisions regarding a 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 a 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 a 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 a Fund, particularly, but not limited to, in small capitalization, emerging market or
less liquid strategies. For example, this may occur when portfolio decisions regarding a 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
Funds (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 a 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
Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds) 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 may sequence and
rotate trades among different client accounts in accordance with its policies and procedures as
they are amended and updated from time to time. For example, the Investment Adviser may utilize an
asset-based trade sequencing and rotation policy for determining the order in which trades for
institutional and wrap accounts are placed. Under this policy, institutional and other accounts
(including the Funds) may trade ahead or behind wrap accounts based generally on relative assets.
Other rotation policies or practices that the Investment Adviser may use can result in the Funds
trading ahead of or behind other types of client accounts with varying frequency. In addition, a
portfolio management team may provide instructions simultaneously regarding
B-61
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
Funds. To reduce the possibility that the Funds will be materially adversely affected by the
personal trading described above, each of the Funds and Goldman Sachs, as each 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. Each of the Funds and Goldman Sachs, as
each Funds Investment Adviser and distributor, has 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 Funds. 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
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 Funds.
The Funds 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 Funds may benefit Goldman Sachs. For example, the
Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds to have to divest certain investments. The
purchase, holding and sale of investments by the Funds 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 Funds) may also invest in
different classes of securities of the same issuer. As a result, Goldman Sachs and/or one or more
Client/GS Accounts may pursue or enforce rights with respect to a particular issuer in which a Fund
has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. For example, if Goldman
Sachs and/or a Client/GS Account holds debt securities of an issuer and a Fund holds equity
securities of the same issuer, if the issuer experiences financial or operational challenges,
Goldman Sachs and/or 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 Goldman Sachs and/or one or
more Client/GS Accounts, the Funds, or Goldman Sachs employees may work together to pursue or
enforce such rights. A 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 Funds.
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Goldman Sachs (including its personnel or Client/GS Accounts) may purchase or sell Fund shares
or securities held in the Funds portfolio at any time and without notice to Fund shareholders. If
Goldman Sachs or a Client/GS Account becomes a holder of securities in an issuer in which a Fund
has invested or of Fund shares, any actions that it takes in its capacity as securityholder,
including voting and provision of consents, will not necessarily be aligned with the interests of
the Fund or of other shareholders 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 Funds or with respect to underlying securities, currencies or
instruments of the Funds, or which may be otherwise based on or seek to replicate or hedge the
performance of the Funds (collectively referred to as Structured Investment Products). The values
of Structured Investment Products may be linked to the net asset value of a Fund or Funds and/or
the values of a 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 Funds and/or Goldman Sachs (including its personnel or Client/GS Accounts) may (i) purchase or
sell investments held by the Funds and/or Client/GS Accounts, (ii) purchase or sell shares in the
Funds, or (iii) hold synthetic positions that seek to replicate or hedge the performance of a Fund
or Funds, a Funds investments, a Client/GS Account or a Client/GS Accounts investments. Such
positions may be significant and may differ from and/or be contra to a Funds or a Client/GS
Accounts positions. These derivative-related activities, as well as such investment and redemption
activities, including any activities taken in respect of the maintenance, adjustment or unwinding
of any derivative-related positions in the future, may, individually or in the aggregate, have an
adverse effect on the investment management of the Funds and the Funds positions (particularly in
illiquid markets), flexibility, diversification strategies and on the amount of fees, expenses and
other costs incurred directly or indirectly through the Funds by investors. Goldman Sachs or other
Client/GS Accounts will have no obligation to take, refrain from taking or cease taking any action
with respect to these activities based on the potential effect on a Fund, and may receive
substantial returns on hedging or other activities while the value of a Funds investment declines.
The structure or other characteristics of the derivative instruments (including the Structured
Investment Products) may have an adverse effect on the Funds. For example, the derivative
instruments could represent leveraged investments in the Funds, 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 Funds 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 Funds and on the amount
of fees, expenses and other costs incurred directly or indirectly for the account of the Funds.
Derivatives and investment related activities may be undertaken to achieve a variety of
objectives, including: facilitating transactions for other Client/GS Accounts or counterparties
with interests, objectives or directional views that are contrary to those of Fund shareholders;
hedging the exposure of Goldman Sachs or other Client/GS Accounts to securities held in or related
to the Funds portfolio or to Fund shares themselves; and enabling Goldman Sachs or other Client/GS
Accounts to manage firmwide, business unit, product or other risks.
Potential Conflicts in Connection with Investments in Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds
To the extent permitted by applicable law, a 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, a 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 a Fund bearing some
additional expenses. All advisory, administrative, or Rule 12b- 1 fees applicable to the
investment and the fees or allocations from the Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds 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
B-63
the Funds 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 Funds
Potential Conflicts Relating to Principal and Cross Transactions
To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Funds 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 Funds may also enter into cross
transactions (
i.e.
, where the Investment Adviser causes a 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
a 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 a Fund on one side of a transaction and another account, including a
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 such 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 a 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 Funds or issuers of
securities held by the Funds. 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 personnel. The Funds 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 Funds 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 Funds as broker, dealer,
agent, lender, advisor or in other commercial capacities and no accounting to the Funds or their
shareholders will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Funds or their
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 Funds, Goldman Sachs may take commercial steps in its own interests,
which may have an adverse effect on the Funds. For example, in connection with lending
arrangements involving the Funds, Goldman Sachs may require repayment of all or part of a loan at
any time or from time to time.
As a result of Goldman Sachs various financial market activities, including acting as a
research provider, investment advisor, market maker or principal investor, personnel in various
businesses throughout Goldman Sachs may have and express research or investment views and make
recommendations that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the objectives of investors in Fund
shares.
The Funds will be required to establish business relationships with their counterparties
based on their 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
their business relationships, nor is it expected that the Funds counterparties will rely on the
credit of Goldman Sachs in evaluating the Funds creditworthiness.
B-64
Potential Conflicts in Connection with Brokerage Transactions and Proxy Voting
To the extent permitted by applicable law, purchases and sales of securities for a 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 Funds 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 Funds. In
addition, under certain circumstances, the Funds 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 Funds, 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 any or all of the Funds 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 Funds based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the
Funds 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 Funds 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.
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 Funds, 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 a 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
B-65
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 Funds 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 Funds in view of Goldman Sachs
client or firm activities. For example, Goldman Sachs may determine that a 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 Funds as well as for Goldman Sachs. A 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 Funds wish 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
Funds 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 Funds. 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 Funds 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 Funds) 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
Funds) 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 Funds,
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.
In placing orders for portfolio securities of a 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)), a 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, a 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
B-66
services provided by brokers or dealers who effect or are parties to portfolio transactions of
a 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 its
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
a 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 a 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 interpretations even 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 a 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 such
Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and
size of the position obtainable for a 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.
Certain Funds 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 particular Fund from which they were generated. The rebated commissions are
expected to be treated as realized capital gains of the Funds.
Subject to the above considerations, the Investment Adviser may use Goldman Sachs or an
affiliate as a broker for a Fund. In order for Goldman Sachs or an affiliate, acting as agent, to
effect any portfolio transactions for a 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.
B-67
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 a 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 each Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to each
class of that 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 later 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, each 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 a Fund for which accurate 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 a 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 the exception of short term securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or
less, will be valued using evaluated prices provided by a recognized pricing service (
e.g.
,
Interactive Data Corp., Reuters, etc.) or dealer-supplied bid
quotations; (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
various factors such as spread and daily yield changes on government
or other securities in the appropriate market (
i.e.
matrix
pricing); (vi) short term fixed income securities with a
remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued 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.
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 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. For Funds that invest 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 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
B-68
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 Funds, 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
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 a 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 each 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 such Fund or particular
series and constitute the underlying assets of that Fund or series. The underlying assets of each
Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in
respect of such Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses of the
Trust with respect to the Funds and the other series of the Trust are generally allocated in
proportion to the net asset values of the respective Funds 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 a 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 a Fund, or
correction of any erroneous NAV, compensation to a 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 a Fund or its shareholders will be paid,
and not all mistakes will result in compensable errors. As a result, neither a 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, a 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 each 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 classify and reclassify
any series of shares into one or more classes of shares. As of April 29, 2011, the Trustees have
classified the shares of the Funds into four classes of shares: Class A, Class C, Institutional,
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 a Fund
represents a proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the applicable class of the Fund.
All expenses of a 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.
B-69
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 Funds 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.
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 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).
It is possible that an institution or its affiliate may offer different classes of shares
(
i.e.
, Institutional, Class IR, Class A and Class C Shares) to its customers and thus receive
different compensation with respect to different classes of shares of each Fund. Dividends paid by
each 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 relevant 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.
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).
B-70
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.
Shareholder and Trustee Liability
Under Delaware Law, the shareholders of the Funds 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.
B-71
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, and state and local, tax
considerations generally affecting the Funds and the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares
of the Funds that are not described in the Prospectuses. The discussions below and in the
Prospectuses 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 each Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on April 29,
2011, which are subject to change.
Fund Taxation
Each Fund is treated as a separate taxable entity and 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 each Fund must follow if it is to avoid federal
taxation. In their efforts to adhere to these requirements, the Funds may have to limit their
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, 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 such Funds total assets and to 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.
For purposes of the 90% gross income test, income that a 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, a 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 a 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 a Funds portfolio or anticipated to be acquired may
not qualify as directly-related under these tests.
If a 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
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(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, a 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 each Fund will avoid corporate-level tax in each year.
Each 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
and may therefore make it more difficult for the Funds to satisfy the distribution requirements
described above, as well as the excise tax distribution requirements described below. Each 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 a 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, without any deduction for dividends paid, and its distributions to
shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of its current and accumulated
earnings and profits.
If a 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, each 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 98.2% 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 a 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. Each 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, each 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 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 Funds do not
have capital losses to carry forward because they have not commenced operations prior to the date
of this SAI.
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 a 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 a 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 a 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 a 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, a Fund may therefore be required
to limit its investments in such transactions and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree
with a Funds tax treatment of such
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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 a Funds income and gains and distributions to
shareholders. Certain tax elections may be available to a 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 a 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 a Funds investment company taxable
income (computed without regard to such 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 a 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.
A Funds investment in zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities, certain
structured securities or other securities bearing original issue discount or, if a 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 a Fund to obtain cash to enable the Fund to distribute any such income
or gain, 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 a 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 a Fund,
in the event it invests in such securities, in order to seek to eliminate or minimize any adverse
tax consequences.
If a 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 those companies
or gain from the sale of stock in those companies, even if all income or gain actually received by
the Fund is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund would not be able to pass through to
its shareholders any credit or deduction for such a tax. In some cases, elections may be available
that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but those elections would require the Fund to
include each year certain amounts as income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements
described above) without a concurrent receipt of cash. Each 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 a 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 a Fund on the portion of any excess inclusion
income allocable to any shareholders that are classified as disqualified organizations.
For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be
imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain
distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of
Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such persons modified
adjusted gross income (in the case of an individual) or adjusted gross income (in the case of an
estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.
Foreign Taxes
Each 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
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some cases. If more than 50% of a 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 a 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 Funds, 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 a 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 Funds may not be able to claim a credit for
the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by such Fund even if the
election is made by that 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 Funds file 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 a Fund cannot or does not make this election, it may
deduct its foreign taxes in computing the amount it is required to distribute.
Country-Specific Taxes
Brazil
The government of Brazil imposes a tax on foreign investment in Brazilian stocks and bonds,
which may affect the value of a funds investments in the securities of Brazilian issuers.
India
A tax of 10% plus surcharges is currently imposed on gains from sales of equities held not
more than one year and sold on a recognized stock exchange in India. There is no tax on gains from
sales of equities held for more than one year and sold on a recognized stock exchange in India.
Gains from sales of equity securities in other cases are taxed at a rate of 30% plus surcharges
(for securities held not more than one year) and 10% (for securities held for more than one
year). Securities transaction tax applies for specified transactions at specified rates.
India imposes a tax on interest on securities at a rate of 20% plus surcharges. This tax is imposed
on the investor. India imposes a tax on dividends paid by an Indian company at a rate of 12.5% plus
surcharges. This tax is imposed on the company that pays the dividends. The Investment
Adviser will take into account the effects of local taxation on investment returns. In the past,
these taxes have sometimes been substantial.
The Fund may invest in the Subsidiary and will seek to obtain benefits from favorable tax
treatment by the Indian government pursuant to a tax treaty between India and the Republic of
Mauritius. The Supreme Court of India has upheld the validity of a
tax treaty with respect to entities such as the Fund. However, there can be no assurance that any
future challenge will result in a favorable outcome, or that the terms of a treaty will not be
subject to re-negotiation or a different interpretation, or that the
Subsidiarys favorable tax treatment will continue. Any change in the provisions of a tax treaty or
in its applicability to the Subsidiary could result in the imposition of withholding and other
taxes on the Subsidiary by India, which would reduce the return to the Fund on its investments.
Certain shareholders, including some non-U.S. shareholders, are not entitled to the benefit of a
deduction or credit with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund, which the Fund intends to elect
to pass through to its shareholders.
China
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China has recently adopted certain revisions to its tax laws and regulations that
may result in holdings of the Fund in companies headquartered in China (whether A shares, B shares,
H shares or shares traded in depositary receipt form) being subject to withholding taxes and taxes
on capital gains. While the application of these changes to the Fund remains subject to
clarification, to the extent that such taxes are imposed on holdings of the Fund in companies
headquartered in China, or withholding is imposed, the Funds returns would be adversely impacted.
Korea
Under the U.S.-South Korea income tax treaty, as presently in effect, the government of South
Korea imposes a non-recoverable withholding tax and resident tax aggregating 16.5% on dividends and
13.2% on interest paid by South Korean issuers. Under a U.S.-South Korea income tax treaty, there
is no South Korean withholding tax on realized capital gains.
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 a Fund which are reported 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 Funds 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.
Under a temporary position, which is in effect for taxable years of a Fund beginning before
January 1, 2012, non-U.S. shareholders generally are not subject to U.S. federal income tax
withholding on certain distributions of U.S. source interest income and/or short-term capital gains
that are reported by a Fund. It is expected that the Funds will generally report short-term gains,
to the extent permitted, but the Funds do not intend to report 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 a Fund.
Any capital gain realized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale or redemption of shares of a
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 a 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.
Effective January 1, 2013, the Funds will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on
payments of dividends and redemption proceeds made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply
with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of
the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide
additional information to the Funds to enable the Funds to determine whether withholding is
required.
Also, non-U.S. shareholders of a 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 Funds.
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State and Local Taxes
Each 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 such a Fund and its shareholders under those jurisdictions tax laws may differ from
the treatment under federal income tax laws, and an investment in such a Fund may have tax
consequences for shareholders that are different from those of a direct investment in such 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 each 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 Funds, 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 Funds. Under the Policy, the Investment Advisers guiding principles in
performing proxy voting are to make decisions that: (i) favor proposals that in the Investment
Advisers view 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.
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
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 Guidelines.
The Investment Adviser 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
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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 a Funds managers based on
their assessment of the particular transactions or other matters at issue.
Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the
most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is 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
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 Funds or their shareholders. The Additional Payments are in
addition to the distribution and service fees paid by the Funds 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 Funds, which may consist of payments relating to Funds included 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 Funds; 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 Funds. 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 Funds. 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 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 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. In certain cases, 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
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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 Funds
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 129 Intermediaries.
During the fiscal year ended October 31,2010, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and their
affiliates paid to Intermediaries approximately $93.7 million in Additional Payments (excluding
payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements) with respect to all funds of
the Trust and an affiliated investment company, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust.
Shareholders should contact their Authorized Institution 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 a Fund nor its Investment Adviser, Distributor or any agent, or
any employee thereof (Fund Representative) will disclose a 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 a Fund nor any Fund
Representative may solicit or accept any compensation or other consideration in connection with the
disclosure of portfolio holdings information. A 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 Funds, 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 Funds,) 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 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 custodian,
the Funds legal counsel- Dechert LLP, the Funds financial printer- Bowne, and the Funds proxy
voting service- ISS. KPMG LLP, an investor in the Funds, also receives certain non-public holdings
information on an ongoing basis in order to facilitate compliance with the auditor independence
requirements to which it is subject. In addition, certain fixed income funds of the Trust provide
non-public portfolio holdings information to Standard & Poors Rating Services to allow such Funds
to be rated by it and certain equity funds provide non-public portfolio holdings information to
FactSet, a provider of global financial and economic information. These entities are obligated to
keep such information confidential. Third party providers of custodial or accounting services to
the Funds may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Funds only with the
permission of Fund Representatives. From time to time portfolio holdings information may be
provided to broker-dealers solely in connection with a 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 Funds currently intend to publish on the Trusts website
(http://www.goldmansachsfunds.com) complete portfolio holdings for each Fund as of the end of each
calendar quarter subject to a fifteen calendar day lag between the date of the information and the
B-79
date on which the information is disclosed. In addition, the Funds intend to publish on their
website month-end top ten holdings subject to a fifteen calendar day lag between the date of the
information and the date on which the information is disclosed. A 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 April 29, 2011, 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
A 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. Each 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 each 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 each 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 such 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 such 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 Funds 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 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 Funds 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.
B-80
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 Funds 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 a Funds shares. The Funds 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 a 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, a 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 Funds may also suffer investment losses on
those portfolio transactions. Conversely, the Funds 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 a 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 a 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 a Funds investment portfolio.
In cases where a Fund or the 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 a Fund or the 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)
Distribution and Service Plans
. As described in the Prospectuses, the Trust has adopted, on
behalf of Class A and Class C Shares of each Fund, Distribution and Service Plans (each a Plan).
See Shareholder Guide Distribution and Service Fees in the Prospectuses. 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 Funds, and enable the Funds to offer investors the
choice of investing in either Class A or Class C Shares when investing in the Funds. In addition,
distribution fees payable under the Plans may be used to assist the Funds in reaching and
maintaining asset levels that are efficient for the Funds operations and investments.
The Plans for Class A and C Shares of each applicable 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 June 17, 2010.
The compensation for distribution services payable under a Plan to Goldman Sachs may not
exceed 0.25% and 0.75% per annum of a Funds average daily net assets attributable to Class A and
Class C Shares, respectively, of such 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 each 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
B-81
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 each 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 affected 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 any 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 affected 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 Funds and their Class A
and Class C Shareholders.
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 Prospectuses under the captions
Shareholder Guide and Dividends. Please see the Prospectuses for more complete information.
Maximum Sales Charges
Class A Shares of each Fund are sold with a maximum sales charge of 5.5%. Using the initial
net asset value per share, the maximum offering price of each Funds Class A Shares would be as
follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maximum
|
|
Offering
|
|
|
Net Asset
|
|
Sales
|
|
Price to
|
|
|
Value
|
|
Charge
|
|
Public
|
Brazil Equity Fund
|
|
$
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
$
|
10.58
|
|
India Equity Fund
|
|
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
|
10.58
|
|
China Equity Fund
|
|
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
|
10.58
|
|
Korea Equity Fund
|
|
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
5.5
|
%
|
|
|
10.58
|
|
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 a 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.
B-82
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.
If shares of a 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. Because the Funds 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.
At the discretion of the Trusts officers and in addition to the NAV purchases permitted in a
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.
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 a Fund and Class A, Class B 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 Funds and Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares
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 Funds and any other Goldman Sachs Fund
purchased by an existing client of Goldman Sachs 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 Wealth Management accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC, respectively. In addition,
Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Funds and Class A, Class B 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 relevant 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, Class B and/or Class C Shares of 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 a 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
B-83
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
a 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 a Fund, or ILA Class C Shares of the Prime Obligations
Portfolio, if they hold Class C Shares of a Fund (the ILA Portfolios).
A 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
A Fund shareholder may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar amount of shares of
a 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. A 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 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 Goldman Sachs Funds
The Investment Advisers manage 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 of 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.
B-84
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
A systematic withdrawal plan (the Systematic Withdrawal Plan) is available to shareholders
of a 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 applicable 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-85
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 A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse
effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating
categories. However, the 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 (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.
2-A
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.
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.
3-A
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.
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.
4-A
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 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).
5-A
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.
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.
6-A
(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.
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.
7-A
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
Effective: March 2011
APPENDIX B
GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary
The following is a summary of the material 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.
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US proxy items
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1.
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Operational Items
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page 1-B
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2.
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Board of Directors
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page 2-B
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3.
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Executive and Director Compensation
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page 4-B
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4.
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Proxy Contests
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page 7-B
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5.
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Shareholder Rights and Defenses
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page 8-B
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6.
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Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
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page 9-B
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7.
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State of Incorporation
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page 9-B
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8.
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Capital Structure
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page 9-B
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9.
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Issues
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page 10-B
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International proxy items
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1.
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Operational Items
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page 11-B
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2.
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Board of Directors
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page 12-B
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3.
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Compensation
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page 14-B
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4.
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Board Structure
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page 15-B
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5.
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Capital Structure
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page 15-B
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6.
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Other
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page 17-B
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7.
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Environmental, Climate Change and Social Issues
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page 17-B
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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 within the last year:
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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; or material weaknesses identified in Section 404
disclosures; or
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Fees for non-audit services are excessive.
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Non-audit fees are excessive if:
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Non-audit 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
1-B
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;
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Whether the company has a periodic renewal process where the auditor is evaluated for
both audit quality and competitive price; and
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Whether the auditors are being changed without explanation.
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2. Board of Directors
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. General definitions are as follows:
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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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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
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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 3 years
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Former CEO or other executive of an acquired company within the past three
years
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Independent Outside Director
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No material connection to the company other than a board seat
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Additionally, GSAM will consider compensation committee interlocking directors to be affiliated
(defined as CEOs who sit on each others compensation committees).
Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections
Vote on director nominees should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from individual directors who:
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Attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed
valid excuse for each of the last two years;
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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.
2-B
In limited circumstances, we may 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 for two or
more years. 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 takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders
tendered their shares;
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If in an extreme situation the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with
sustained poor performance relative to peers.
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Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from Inside Directors and Affiliated Outside Directors (per the
Classification of Directors above) when:
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The inside or affiliated outside director serves on the audit, compensation, or
nominating (vote against affiliated directors only for nominating) committees;
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The company lacks an audit compensation, or nominating (vote against affiliated
directors only for nominating) committee so that the full board functions as that
committee and insiders are participating in voting on matters that independent
committees should be voting on;
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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 members of the appropriate committee for the following reasons (or
independent Chairman or lead director in cases of a classified board and members of appropriate
committee are not up for reelection). Extreme cases may warrant a vote against the entire board.
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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 (members of the
Nominating or Governance Committees);
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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; (members of the committee of the board
that is responsible for the issue under consideration).
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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.
See section 3 on executive and director compensation for reasons to withhold from members of the
Compensation Committee.
Shareholder proposal regarding Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)
3-B
Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
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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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
GSAM will vote FOR proposals requesting that the board adopt majority voting in the election of
directors provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated.
GSAM also looks for companies to adopt a post-election policy outlining how the company will
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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3. Executive and Director Compensation
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: abnormally large bonus payouts without
justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive
severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock
options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites.
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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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Equity Compensation Plans
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based compensation plans. Reasons to vote AGAINST the equity plan
could include any of the following factors:
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The plan is a vehicle for poor pay practices;
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The plan expressly permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights
(SARs) without prior shareholder approval OR does not expressly prohibit the repricing
without shareholder approval;
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4-B
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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 and Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) calculations
both materially exceed industry group metrics; or
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There is a long-term disconnect between CEO pay and the companys total shareholder
return 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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Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay, MSOP) Management Proposals
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. For U.S.
companies, consider the following factors in the context of each companys specific circumstances
and the boards disclosed rationale for its practices. In general two or more of the following in
conjunction with a long-term pay-for-performance disconnect will warrant an AGAINST vote. If there
is not a long-term pay for performance disconnect GSAM will look for multiple problematic factors
to be present to warrant a vote against.
Relative Considerations:
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Assessment of performance metrics relative to business strategy, as discussed and
explained in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) section of a companys
proxy;
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Evaluation of peer groups used to set target pay or award opportunities;
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Alignment of long-term company performance and executive pay trends over time;
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Assessment of disparity between total pay of the CEO and other Named Executive
Officers (NEOs).
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Design Considerations:
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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);
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).
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Other considerations include:
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Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper
disclosure:
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Includes 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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Egregious employment contracts:
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Contracts containing multi-year guarantees for salary increases,
non-performance based bonuses, and equity compensation.
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Excessive severance and/or change in control provisions:
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Change in control cash payments exceeding 3 times base salary plus
target/average/last paid bonus;
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New or materially amended arrangements that provide for change-in-control
payments without loss of job or substantial diminution of job duties
(single-triggered),
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Excessive payments upon an executives termination in connection with
performance failure;
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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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Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock appreciation rights without
prior shareholder approval (including cash buyouts, option exchanges, and certain
voluntary surrender of underwater options where shares surrendered may subsequently be
re-granted).
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Excessive Perquisites:
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Perquisites for former and/or retired executives, such as lifetime benefits,
car allowances, personal use of corporate aircraft, or other inappropriate
arrangements
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Extraordinary relocation benefits (including home buyouts)
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5-B
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Excessive amounts of perquisites compensation
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The following reasons could warrant a vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Compensation
Committee:
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Company has failed to address issues that led to an against vote in an MSOP;
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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; or
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The company has backdated options.
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Golden Parachutes
In cases where the golden parachute vote is incorporated into a companys separate advisory vote on
compensation MSOP), GSAM will incorporate the evaluation and could vote against the MSOP if we find
problematic aspects to the Golden Parachutes. In general, the presence of two or more of the
following factors could warrant a vote against:
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Recently adopted or materially amended agreements that include excise tax gross-up
provisions (since prior annual meeting);
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Recently adopted or materially amended agreements that include modified single
triggers (since prior annual meeting);
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Single trigger payments that will happen immediately upon a change in control,
including cash payment and such items as the acceleration of performance-based equity
despite the failure to achieve performance measures;
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Single-trigger vesting of equity based on a definition of change in control that
requires only shareholder approval of the transaction (rather than consummation);
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Potentially excessive severance payments;
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Recent amendments or other changes that may make packages so attractive as to
influence merger agreements that may not be in the best interests of shareholders;
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In the case of a substantial gross-up from pre-existing/grandfathered contract: the
element that triggered the gross-up (i.e., option mega-grants at low point in stock
price, unusual or outsized payments in cash or equity made or negotiated prior to the
merger); or
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The companys assertion that a proposed transaction is conditioned on shareholder
approval of the golden parachute advisory vote.
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Other Compensation Proposals and Policies
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:
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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;
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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; and
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No discount on the stock price on the date of purchase since there is a company
matching contribution.
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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-pricingwas the stock price decline beyond managements
control?
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Is this a value-for-value exchange?
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6-B
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Are surrendered stock options added back to the plan reserve?
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Option vestingdoes the new option vest immediately or is there a black-out period?
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Term of the optionthe 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.
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Vote FOR shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote.
Other Shareholder Proposals on Compensation
Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Frequency on Pay)
Vote for annual frequency if no management recommendation; otherwise, support two or three year
frequency if a company has an independent compensation committee and no long-term pay for
performance disconnect identified.
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.
Stock retention holding period
Vote FOR Shareholder proposals asking for a policy requiring that senior executives retain a
significant percentage of shares acquired through equity compensation programs if the policy allows
retention for two years or less following the termination of their employment (through retirement
or otherwise)
and
a holding threshold percentage of 50% or less.
Other factors to consider include:
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Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership
requirements in place.
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Elimination of accelerated vesting in the event of a change in control
Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals seeking a policy eliminating the accelerated vesting of
time-based equity awards in the event of a change in control.
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.
4. Proxy Contests
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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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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7-B
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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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5. Shareholders Rights & Defenses
Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent
Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to act by
written consent, unless:
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The company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a
threshold of 25% or lower; and
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The company has a history of strong governance practices.
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Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings
Generally vote FOR management proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special
meetings.
Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special
meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower if the company currently does not give shareholders the
right to call special meetings. However, if a company already gives shareholders the right to call
special meetings at a threshold of at least 25%, do not support shareholder proposals to further
reduce the threshold
.
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.
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.
8-B
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;
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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, 25 percent or less 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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the value of the NOLs;
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the term;
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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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6. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly
available information:
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Valuation;
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Market reaction;
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Strategic rationale;
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Managements track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions;
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Presence of conflicts of interest; and
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Governance profile of the combined company.
|
7. 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.
|
Vote FOR reincorporation when the economic factors outweigh any neutral or negative governance
changes.
8. 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 three years;
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One- and three-year total shareholder return;
|
9-B
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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 increase,
which examines the companys need for shares and total shareholder returns; and
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Risks to shareholders of not approving the request.
|
9. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Issues
Overall Approach
When evaluating social and environmental shareholder proposals, the following factors 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.
|
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
A company should have a clear, public Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement outlining
various factors that are not discriminated against. Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a
companys EEO statement or diversity policies to additionally prohibit discrimination based on
sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
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.
|
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.
|
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to improve the disclosure of a companys political contributions and
trade association spending, considering:
10-B
|
|
|
Recent significant controversy or litigation related to the companys political
contributions or governmental affairs;
|
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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; and
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GSAM will not necessarily vote for the proposal merely to encourage further disclosure of trade
association spending.
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.
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.
|
Sustainability and climate change reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives, and
oversight mechanisms related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, or how the
company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be considered:
|
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|
The companys current level of publicly-available disclosure including if 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 other similar report;
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|
If 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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If the companys current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry
peers; and
|
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|
|
If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated
with the companys environmental performance.
|
The following section is a broad summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with
respect to non-U.S. public equity investments. Applying these guidelines is subject to certain
regional and country-specific exceptions and modifications and is not inclusive of all
considerations in each market.
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.
|
Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees
11-B
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, audit procedures used
or audit opinion rendered;
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The auditors are being changed without explanation; non-audit-related fees are
substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or 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.
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Appointment of 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 low 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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12-B
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There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or
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There have been questionable transactions or 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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There are reservations about:
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Director terms
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Bundling of proposals to elect directors
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Board independence
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Disclosure of named nominees
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Combined Chairman/CEO
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Election of former CEO as Chairman of the Board
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Overboarded directors
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Composition of committees
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Director independence
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Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or
breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or
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Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or
authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper
business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to
service on other boards.
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Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in 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.
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.
Classification of directors
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;
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Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates;
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Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates;
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13-B
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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;
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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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Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under
local corporate governance best practice guidance.
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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 may bring legal action against
the company or its directors; or
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Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where a vote against other agenda items are deemed
inappropriate.
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3. Compensation
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: abnormally large bonus payouts without
justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive
severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock
options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites.
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
singleresolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors.
Compensation Plans
Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
14-B
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.
4. Board Structure
Vote FOR proposals to fix board size.
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)
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.
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5. 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.
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
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.
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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.
15-B
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 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 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
GSAM will generally recommend FOR share repurchase programs if the terms comply with the following
criteria:
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A repurchase limit of up to 10 percent of outstanding issued share capital;
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A holding limit of up to 10 percent of a companys issued share capital in treasury
(on the shelf); and
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Duration of no more than 5 years, or such lower threshold as may be set by applicable
law, regulation, or code of governance best practice.
|
In markets where it is normal practice not to provide a repurchase limit, the proposal will be
evaluated based on the companys historical practice. In such cases, the authority must comply with
the following criteria:
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A holding limit of up to 10 percent of a companys issued share capital in treasury
(on the shelf); and
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Duration of no more than 5 years.
|
In addition, vote AGAINST any proposal where:
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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.
|
16-B
Reissuance of Repurchased Shares
Vote CASE-BY-CASE on 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.
6. 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 based on publicly
available information:
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Valuation;
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Market reaction;
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Strategic rationale;
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Managements track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions;
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Presence of conflicts of interest; and
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|
Governance profile of the combined company.
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Mandatory Takeover Bid Waivers
Vote proposals to waive mandatory takeover bid requirements 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.
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
inappropriately risky areas.
Related-Party Transactions
Vote related-party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
7. Environmental, climate change and social issues
Vote FOR proposals that would improve the companys corporate governance or business profile at a
reasonable cost.
Labor and Human Rights Standards
17-B
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.
|
Sustainability and climate change reporting
Generally vote FOR proposals requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives, and
oversight mechanisms related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, or how the
company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be considered:
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The companys current level of publicly-available disclosure including if 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 other similar report;
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If 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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|
If the companys current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry
peers; and
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|
If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated
with the companys environmental performance.
|
18-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
(a)
|
(1)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
(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-3
|
(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-4
|
(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-5
|
(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
37
/
|
|
|
(60)
|
|
Amendment No. 59 dated January 5, 2011 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
38
/
|
|
|
(61)
|
|
Amendment No. 60 dated February 10, 2011 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
38
/
|
|
|
(62)
|
|
Amendment No. 61 dated February 10, 2011 to the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997
38
/
|
|
(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
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Amendment No. 3 dated February 10, 2011 to Amended and Restated
By-laws of Goldman Sachs Trust dated October 30, 2002
38
/
|
|
(c)
|
|
Instruments defining the rights of holders of Registrants shares of beneficial
interest
39
/
|
(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 Financial Square Tax-Exempt California
and Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds (formerly
Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios), 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
40
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Management Agreement dated January 1, 1998 on behalf of the
Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and Goldman Sachs Asset Management
3
/
|
C-6
|
(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
41
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
Amended Annex A dated February 10, 2011 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
38
/
|
|
|
(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)
42
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Goldman Sachs
Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds (formerly Institutional Liquid
Assets Portfolios))
42
/
|
|
|
(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)
42
/
|
|
|
(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)
42
/
|
|
|
(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)
42
/
|
|
|
(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 February 10, 2011 to the Distribution
Agreement dated April 30, 1997
38
/
|
C-7
(g)
|
(1)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated July 15, 1991, between Registrant and State
Street Bank and Trust Company
43
/
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and
State Street Bank and Trust Company on behalf of Goldman Sachs Capital Growth
Fund
5
/
|
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
Additional Portfolio Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between
Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
10
/
|
|
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Agreement dated
April 6, 1990
10
/
|
|
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant
and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Agreement dated
July 15, 1991
10
/
|
|
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated
April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated
July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
14
/
|
|
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Amendment to the Custodian Agreement dated April 6, 1990
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
45
/
|
|
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Amendment to the Custodian Agreement dated July 15, 1991
between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
45
/
|
|
|
|
|
(17)
|
|
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-8
|
|
(18)
|
|
Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant
and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
46
/
|
|
|
|
|
(19)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(20)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(21)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(22)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(23)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(24)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(25)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(26)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(27)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(28)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(29)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(30)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(31)
|
|
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-9
|
|
(32)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(33)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(34)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(35)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(36)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(37)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(38)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated August 11, 2009 to the Custodian
Agreement dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Technology Tollkeeper Fund (formerly Tollkeeper
Fund ))
49
/
|
|
|
|
|
(39)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
|
|
(40)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated December 31, 2010 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A
(Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund)
38
/
|
|
|
|
|
(41)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated February 15, 2011 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund)
50/
|
|
|
|
|
(42)
|
|
Letter Amendment dated March 31, 2011 to the Custodian
Agreement dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and
Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Brazil Equity Fund, Goldman Sachs India Equity
Fund, Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund, and Goldman Sachs Korea Equity Fund)
50/
|
|
|
|
|
(43)
|
|
Custodian Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between Registrant, Goldman
Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and Bank of New York Trust Company on behalf of the
Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds, filed herewith
|
|
|
(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
51
/
|
|
|
(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
51
/
|
C-10
|
(3)
|
|
Letter Agreement dated June 20, 1987 regarding use of checking
account between Registrant and The Northern Trust Company
43
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Transfer Agency Agreement dated August 9, 2007 between
Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
52
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Amended and Restated Transfer Agency Agreement Fee Schedule
dated February 10, 2011, to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated August 9, 2007
between Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co.
38
/
|
|
|
(6)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
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
53
/
|
|
|
(8)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
(9)
|
|
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
/
|
|
|
(10)
|
|
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
53
/
|
|
|
(11)
|
|
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
54
/
|
|
|
(12)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Shares Administration Plan
amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square
Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
(13)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Cash Management Shares Service Plan amended
and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Tax-Exempt
California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
|
(14)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Select Class Select Plan amended and
restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
|
(15)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Shares Administration Plan
amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining
Financial Square Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
|
(16)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Preferred Class Preferred
Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
C-11
|
|
(17)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Class Administration Plan
amended and restated as of February 4, 2004
46
/
|
|
|
|
(18)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Service Shares Service Plan and Shareholder
Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of
Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York
Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
|
(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 Service Shares Service Plan and Shareholder
Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of
the remaining Financial Square Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
(22)
|
|
Mutual Funds Service Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between
Registrant and J.P. Morgan Investor Services Co.
56
/
|
|
|
(23)
|
|
Form of Fee Waiver Agreement between Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Commodity Strategy
Fund
51
/
|
|
|
(24)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust FST Cash Management Shares Service Plan
dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square Funds)
57
/
|
|
|
(25)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Premier Shares Service Plan and
Administration Plan dated February 11, 2010
57
/
|
|
|
(26)
|
|
Goldman Sachs Trust Resource Shares Service Plan dated February
11, 2010
57
/
|
|
|
|
(27)
|
|
Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement dated April 5,
2011 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and Bank of New
York Trust Company on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds,
filed
herewith
|
|
|
|
(i)
|
|
Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP, filed herewith
|
|
|
|
(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 December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial
Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds)
55
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Class R Distribution and Service Plan dated November 8, 2007
29
/
|
C-12
|
(6)
|
|
Cash Management Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule
12b-1 dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square
Funds)
57
/
|
|
|
(7)
|
|
Resource Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1
dated February 11, 2010
57
/
|
|
(n)
|
(1)
|
|
Plan in Accordance with Rule 18f-3, amended and restated as of December 1,
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, effective November 17, 2010
55
/
|
|
(q)
|
(1)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Messrs. Bakhru, Coblentz, Shuch and Strubel
23
/
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Ms. Daniels and Ms. Palmer
58
/
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Power of Attorney for James A. McNamara
59
/
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Power of Attorney for George F. Travers
34
/
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Powers of Attorney for Donald C. Burke and Joseph P. LoRusso
60
/
|
|
|
|
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.
|
C-13
|
|
|
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.
|
|
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. 33-17619, 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.
|
C-14
|
|
|
29
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, 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.
|
|
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
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 261 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 30, 2010.
|
|
38
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 270 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 16, 2011.
|
|
39
/
|
|
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).
|
|
40
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 25, 1998.
|
|
41
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 29, 2008.
|
|
42
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 13, 2003.
|
|
43
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 1995.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
C-15
|
|
|
|
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. 277 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 5, 2011.
|
|
|
51
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File. No. 33-17619, filed July 28, 2009.
|
|
52
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 175 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 10, 2007.
|
|
53
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 28, 2008.
|
|
54
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2010.
|
|
55
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 263 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 2010.
|
|
56
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 19, 2007.
|
|
57
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 245 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 14, 2010.
|
|
58
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 161 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 10, 2007.
|
|
59
/
|
|
Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 to the Registrants
registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 9, 2007.
|
|
60
/
|
|
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. (the Cayman Subsidiary), a company organized under the
laws of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Subsidiarys financial statements will be included on a
consolidated basis in the Commodity Strategy Funds annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.
Goldman Sachs India Equity Fund, also a series of the Registrant, wholly owns and controls
Goldman Sachs Mauritius India Equity Fund Ltd (the Mauritius Subsidiary), a company organized
under the laws of the Republic of Mauritius. The Mauritius Subsidiarys financial statements will
be included on a consolidated basis in the India Equity Funds annual and semi-annual reports to
shareholders.
Item 30. Indemnification
C-16
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 Financial
Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds 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, 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 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
Managing Director-
GSAM LP
|
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
|
|
Vice Chairman
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
|
|
Managing Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lloyd C. Blankfein
Managing Director-
GSAM LP
|
|
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
|
|
Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
200 West Street
New York, New York 10282
|
|
Managing Director
|
C-17
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.
|
|
|
(b)
|
|
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.
|
GOLDMAN SACHS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
|
|
|
Name and Principal
|
|
|
Business Address
|
|
Position with Goldman, Sachs & Co.
|
Yusuf A. Alireza (1)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Lloyd C. Blankfein (2)
|
|
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
|
Alan M. Cohen (2)
|
|
Global Head of Compliance, Managing Director
|
Gary D. Cohn (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Christopher A. Cole (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Edith Cooper (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Gordon E. Dyal (3)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Isabelle Ealet (4)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Edward K. Eisler (4)
|
|
Managing Director
|
J. Michael Evans (1)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Edward C. Forst (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Richard A. Friedman (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Richard J. Gnodde (3)
|
|
Managing Director
|
David B. Heller (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Kevin W. Kennedy (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Gwen R. Libstag (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Masanori Mochida (5)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Donald R. Mullen, Jr. (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Timothy J. ONeill (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Gregory K. Palm (2)
|
|
General Counsel and Managing Director
|
John F.W. Rogers (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
David C. Ryan (6)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Pablo J. Salame (4)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Jeffrey W. Schroeder (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Harvey M. Schwartz (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Michael S. Sherwood (4)
|
|
Managing Director
|
David M. Solomon (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Esta Stecher (2)
|
|
General Counsel and Managing Director
|
Steven H. Strongin (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
David A. Viniar (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
John S. Weinberg (2)
|
|
Managing Director
|
Yoel Zaoui (3)
|
|
Managing Director
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Cheung Kong Center, 68
th
Floor, 2 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong, China
|
|
(2)
|
|
200 West Street, New York, NY 10282
|
|
(3)
|
|
Peterborough Court, 133 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2BB, England
|
|
(4)
|
|
River Court, 120 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2QQ, England
|
C-18
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
12-32, Akasaka I-chome, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107-6006, Japan
|
|
(6)
|
|
1 Raffles Link, #07-01 South Lobby, Singapore 039393
|
(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, Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street,
New York, New York 10286 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-19
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 279 under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly
caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 279 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 28th day of
April, 2011.
|
|
|
|
|
GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST
|
|
|
(A Delaware statutory trust)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
|
/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
Peter V. Bonanno
|
|
|
|
|
Secretary
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Title
|
|
Date
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
James A. McNamara
James A. McNamara
|
|
President (Chief
Executive
Officer)
and Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
George F. Travers
George F. Travers
|
|
Principal Financial
Officer and
Senior
Vice President
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Ashok N. Bakhru
Ashok N. Bakhru
|
|
Chairman and Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Donald C. Burke
Donald C. Burke
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Diana M. Daniels
Diana M. Daniels
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Joseph P. LoRusso
Joseph P. LoRusso
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Jessica Palmer
Jessica Palmer
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Alan A. Shuch
Alan A. Shuch
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Richard P. Strubel
Richard P. Strubel
|
|
Trustee
|
|
April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
|
|
|
|
Peter V. Bonanno,
|
|
|
|
Attorney-In-Fact
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
Pursuant to powers of attorney previously filed.
|
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: April 28, 2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ Peter V. Bonanno
|
|
|
Peter V. Bonanno,
|
|
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Secretary
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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(g)(43)
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Custodian Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Variable
Insurance Trust and Bank of New York Trust Company on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Money
Market Funds
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(h)(27)
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Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between Registrant,
Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and Bank of New York Trust Company on behalf of
the Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds
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(i)
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Opinion and Consent of Dechert LPP
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