As filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on
July 23, 2008
1933 Act Registration. No. 002-58287
1940 Act Registration. No. 811-02729
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM N-1A REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X] Pre-Effective Amendment No. ___ [ ] Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 [X] |
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 57
(Check appropriate box or boxes.)
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77046-1173
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code (713) 626-1919
John M. Zerr, Esquire
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, TX 77046-1173
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Melanie Ringold, Esquire E. Carolan Berkley, Esquire Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. Stradley Ronon, Stevens & Young, LLP 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100 2600 One Commerce Square Houston, Texas 77046-1173 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 Approximate Date of Proposed Public As soon as practicable after the Offering: effective date of this Amendment |
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
[ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] on (July 28, 2008) pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] on (Date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
[ ] this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
July 28, 2008
CASH MANAGEMENT CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Cash Management Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-3 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income
as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund
invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt
obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its
agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits
from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal
securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Cash Management Class shares from year to year. Cash Management Class shares are not subject to front-end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.53% 1999................................................................................ 5.17% 2000................................................................................ 6.44% 2001................................................................................ 4.09% 2002................................................................................ 1.71% 2003................................................................................ 1.04% 2004................................................................................ 1.24% 2005................................................................................ 3.12% 2006................................................................................ 4.97% 2007................................................................................ 5.19% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.51% 1999................................................................................ 5.12% 2000................................................................................ 6.40% 2001................................................................................ 3.97% 2002................................................................................ 1.59% 2003................................................................................ 1.01% 2004................................................................................ 1.22% 2005................................................................................ 3.14% 2006................................................................................ 4.99% 2007................................................................................ 5.18% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.39% 1999................................................................................ 4.91% 2000................................................................................ 6.18% 2001................................................................................ 3.96% 2002................................................................................ 1.63% 2003................................................................................ 1.00% 2004................................................................................ 1.14% 2005................................................................................ 2.97% 2006................................................................................ 4.80% 2007................................................................................ 4.80% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1999................................................................................ 5.05% 2000................................................................................ 6.37% 2001................................................................................ 4.01% 2002................................................................................ 1.66% 2003................................................................................ 1.02% 2004................................................................................ 1.20% 2005................................................................................ 3.07% 2006................................................................................ 4.90% 2007................................................................................ 5.05% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 2000................................................................................ 5.88% 2001................................................................................ 3.86% 2002................................................................................ 1.61% 2003................................................................................ 0.95% 2004................................................................................ 1.16% 2005................................................................................ 3.00% 2006................................................................................ 4.82% 2007................................................................................ 4.95% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 2000................................................................................ 3.93% 2001................................................................................ 2.57% 2002................................................................................ 1.23% 2003................................................................................ 0.80% 2004................................................................................ 0.94% 2005................................................................................ 2.14% 2006................................................................................ 3.19% 2007................................................................................ 3.40% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND -------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.61% STIC Prime Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.49% Treasury Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.11% Government & Agency Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.40% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.30% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Cash Management Class 1.06% -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Cash 1.65% September 30, 2000 and 0.23% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Management Class December 31, 2000 March 31, 2004, and June 30, 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime Portfolio--Cash 1.64% September 30, 2000 and 0.21% March 31, 2004 Management Class December 31, 2000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury Portfolio--Cash 1.60% December 31, 2000 0.21% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Management Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.64% December 31, 2000 0.22% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Portfolio--Cash Management Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.59% December 31, 2000 0.20% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Cash Management Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 1.03% December 31, 2000 0.16% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Cash Management Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Cash
Management shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Cash Management Class 5.19% 3.10% 3.83% -- 01/17/96 STIC Prime Portfolio--Cash Management Class 5.18% 3.09% 3.80% -- 06/30/94 Treasury Portfolio--Cash Management Class 4.80% 2.93% 3.66% -- 08/18/93 Government & Agency Portfolio--Cash Management Class 5.05% 3.03% -- 3.63% 09/01/98 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Cash Management Class 4.95% 2.96% -- 3.26% 12/30/99 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Cash Management Class 3.40% 2.09% -- 2.36% 01/04/99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Cash Management Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (fees paid directly from your ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None (Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.10 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.28 0.29 0.29 0.25 0.40 0.35 Fee Waiver(2) 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.05 0.20 0.05 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.30 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The distributor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive 0.02% of Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments. In addition, the
funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the funds' Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund
has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset
arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees'
fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could
cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected
above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund
benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where
each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds
uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by
each fund.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year;
and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $20 $ 82 $149 $348 STIC Prime Portfolio 20 84 154 359 Treasury Portfolio 20 84 154 359 Government & Agency Portfolio 20 75 136 313 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 20 108 204 486 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 31 107 191 438 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Cash Management Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.20% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.80% 9.75% 14.93% 20.35% 26.03% End of Year Balance $10,480.00 $10,974.66 $11,492.66 $12,035.11 $12,603.17 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 20.48 $ 30.04 $ 31.45 $ 32.94 $ 34.49 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.98% 38.21% 44.73% 51.56% 58.72% End of Year Balance $13,198.04 $13,820.99 $14,473.34 $15,156.48 $15,871.87 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 36.12 $ 37.83 $ 39.61 $ 41.48 $ 43.44 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.20% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.80% 9.74% 14.90% 20.32% 25.98% End of Year Balance $10,480.00 $10,973.61 $11,490.46 $12,031.67 $12,598.36 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 20.48 $ 31.11 $ 32.57 $ 34.11 $ 35.71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.92% 38.13% 44.64% 51.45% 58.58% End of Year Balance $13,191.74 $13,813.07 $14,463.67 $15,144.91 $15,858.23 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 37.40 $ 39.16 $ 41.00 $ 42.93 $ 44.95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.20% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.80% 9.74% 14.90% 20.32% 25.98% End of Year Balance $10,480.00 $10,973.61 $11,490.46 $12,031.67 $12,598.36 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 20.48 $ 31.11 $ 32.57 $ 34.11 $ 35.71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.92% 38.13% 44.64% 51.45% 58.58% End of Year Balance $13,191.74 $13,813.07 $14,463.67 $15,144.91 $15,858.23 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 37.40 $ 39.16 $ 41.00 $ 42.93 $ 44.95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.20% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.80% 9.78% 14.99% 20.45% 26.18% End of Year Balance $10,480.00 $10,977.80 $11,499.25 $12,045.46 $12,617.62 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 20.48 $ 26.82 $ 28.10 $ 29.43 $ 30.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.17% 38.45% 45.02% 51.91% 59.13% End of Year Balance $13,216.96 $13,844.76 $14,502.39 $15,191.25 $15,912.84 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 32.29 $ 33.83 $ 35.43 $ 37.12 $ 38.88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.20% 0.40% 0.40% 0.40% 0.40% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.80% 9.62% 14.66% 19.94% 25.46% End of Year Balance $10,480.00 $10,962.08 $11,466.34 $11,993.79 $12,545.50 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 20.48 $ 42.88 $ 44.86 $ 46.92 $ 49.08 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.40% 0.40% 0.40% 0.40% 0.40% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.23% 37.26% 43.58% 50.18% 57.09% End of Year Balance $13,122.59 $13,726.23 $14,357.64 $15,018.09 $15,708.92 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 51.34 $ 53.70 $ 56.17 $ 58.75 $ 61.45 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.30% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.70% 9.57% 14.66% 20.00% 25.58% End of Year Balance $10,470.00 $10,956.86 $11,466.35 $11,999.53 $12,557.51 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 30.71 $ 37.50 $ 39.24 $ 41.07 $ 42.97 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.41% 37.53% 43.92% 50.61% 57.62% End of Year Balance $13,141.44 $13,752.51 $14,392.01 $15,061.23 $15,761.58 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 44.97 $ 47.06 $ 49.25 $ 51.54 $ 53.94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury
bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities
(agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith
and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to
purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit
of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current
intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by
its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to
distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many
states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify
as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to
Section 107(7), 107(8) and 107(15) of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of
the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA
Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund invests only in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short term debt obligations, including: (i) municipal securities, which may include tax- exempt commercial paper; and (ii) cash equivalents.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to
some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the funds' Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the funds' Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays sub-advisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of each fund as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close
time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day.
The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Cash Management Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and information prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 =================================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 =================================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- =================================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) =================================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.33% 5.29% 4.48% 2.42% 0.97% 1.24% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $2,822,804 $3,397,869 $2,713,882 $3,409,326 $4,341,262 $4,473,591 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.20%(b) 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.19% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.28% 0.29% 0.28% 0.27% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.63%(b) 5.17% 4.42% 2.36% 0.96% 1.26% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $2,856,469,088.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.00) -- ================================================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ================================================================================================================================ Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 2.28% 5.30% 4.51% 2.44% 0.94% 1.19% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $1,621,233 $2,146,528 $1,378,964 $909,054 $570,064 $536,685 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.20%(b) 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.18% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.29%(b) 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29% 0.28% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.51%(b) 5.17% 4.45% 2.40% 0.93% 1.20% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $1,712,238,470.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 0.00 (0.00) =================================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 =================================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.00) -- =================================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) =================================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 1.91% 5.08% 4.29% 2.29% 0.90% 1.20% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $4,748,860 $2,833,734 $1,357,547 $1,780,680 $1,226,797 $2,259,951 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.20%(b) 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.19% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.29% 0.30% 0.30% 0.29% 0.29% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.68%(b) 4.95% 4.19% 2.25% 0.87% 1.19% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $4,058,293,512.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, -------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- ---------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 =============================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 =============================================================================================================================== Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) =============================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.17% 5.22% 4.41% 2.36% 0.95% 1.22% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $951,503 $730,316 $656,356 $653,382 $1,005,027 $740,833 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.20%(b) 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.24%(b) 0.25% 0.26% 0.27% 0.25% 0.25% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.27%(b) 5.10% 4.37% 2.34% 0.95% 1.20% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $956,793,999.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ----------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------- ------- ------ ------ Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ========================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.00) (0.00) ========================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.09% 5.12% 4.33% 2.31% 0.91% 1.16% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $47,479 $93,310 $32,251 $34,654 $5,073 $2,563 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.20%(b) 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.21% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.33%(b) 0.40% 0.47% 0.51% 0.43% 0.43% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.11%(b) 5.00% 4.23% 2.32% 0.90% 1.13% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $76,002,492.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ==================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ==================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 3.19% 3.33% 2.45% 1.16% 0.76% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ==================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $789,753 $721,351 $683,659 $725,124 $768,141 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ==================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.30%(b) 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.35%(b) 0.35% 0.37% 0.37% 0.37% ==================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.15%(b) 3.28% 2.41% 1.16% 0.75% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ==================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $517,524,755.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12B-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class other than the
Institutional Class that allows each fund to pay distribution and service fees
to Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and
distribution of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because
each fund pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Cash Management Class accounts are as follows:
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash Management Class $1 million no minimum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on
a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
PURCHASE OPTIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Same The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer agent must generally receive your redemption request before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If a fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or a fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, a fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders for such purchases and redemption orders received by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and (ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds has not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost, and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the funds' current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-3 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO TREASURY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ------------------ PROSPECTUS ------------------ July 28, 2008 |
CORPORATE CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Corporate Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 7 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 9 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 10 Government & Agency Portfolio 10 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 11 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 13 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 14 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 14 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 16 OTHER INFORMATION 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 17 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-2 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income
as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund
invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt
obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its
agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits
from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal
securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Among the principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Corporate Class shares from year to year. Corporate Class shares are not subject to front-end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2006.......................................................................... 5.02% 2007.......................................................................... 5.24% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2006.......................................................................... 5.04% 2007.......................................................................... 5.24% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2006.......................................................................... 4.85% 2007.......................................................................... 4.85% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2006.......................................................................... 4.95% 2007.......................................................................... 5.11% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2007.......................................................................... 5.00% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2006.......................................................................... 3.25% 2007.......................................................................... 3.45% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND -------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.64% STIC Prime Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.52% Treasury Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.13% Government & Agency Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.43% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.32% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Corporate Class 1.09% -------------------------------------------------------------- |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets 1.32% September 30, 2006 1.09% March 31, 2006 Portfolio--Corporate Class December 31, 2006 and September 30, 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime 1.32% September 30, 2006, 1.09% March 31, 2006 Portfolio--Corporate Class December 31, 2006 and September 30, 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury Portfolio--Corporate 1.29% December 31, 2006 1.04% March 31, 2006 Class -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.31% December 31, 2006 1.07% March 31, 2006 Portfolio--Corporate Class -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.27% June 30, 2007 1.13% December 31, 2007 Portfolio--Corporate Class -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 0.88% June 30, 2007 and 0.70% March 31, 2006 Portfolio--Corporate Class September 30, 2007 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Corporate Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Corporate Class 5.24% -- -- 4.67% 3/29/05 STIC Prime Portfolio--Corporate Class 5.24% -- -- 4.68% 03/31/05 Treasury Portfolio--Corporate Class 4.85% -- -- 4.64% 08/01/05 Government & Agency Portfolio--Corporate Class 5.11% -- -- 4.75% 6/30/05 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Corporate Class 5.00% -- -- 5.00% 02/23/06 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Corporate Class 3.45% -- -- 3.25% 09/08/05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Corporate Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (fees paid directly from your ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.21 0.22 0.22 0.18 0.33 0.28 Fee Waiver(2) 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.18 0.03 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.25 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009,
to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the fund's Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund
has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset
arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees'
fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could
cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected
above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund
benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where
each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds
uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by
each fund.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year; and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $15 $62 $112 $262 STIC Prime Portfolio 15 64 117 273 Treasury Portfolio 15 64 117 273 Government & Agency Portfolio 15 55 98 227 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 15 88 167 401 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 26 87 154 353 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco AIM Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Corporate Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.85% 9.87% 15.14% 20.65% 26.43% End of Year Balance $10,485.00 $10,987.23 $11,513.52 $12,065.02 $12,642.93 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 15.36 $ 22.55 $ 23.63 $ 24.76 $ 25.94 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% 0.21% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.49% 38.83% 45.48% 52.45% 59.75% End of Year Balance $13,248.53 $13,883.13 $14,548.13 $15,244.99 $15,975.23 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 27.19 $ 28.49 $ 29.85 $ 31.28 $ 32.78 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.85% 9.86% 15.11% 20.62% 26.38% End of Year Balance $10,485.00 $10,986.18 $11,511.32 $12,061.56 $12,638.11 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 15.36 $ 23.62 $ 24.75 $ 25.93 $ 27.17 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.42% 38.75% 45.38% 52.33% 59.62% End of Year Balance $13,242.21 $13,875.19 $14,538.42 $15,233.36 $15,961.51 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.47 $ 29.83 $ 31.25 $ 32.75 $ 34.31 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.85% 9.86% 15.11% 20.62% 26.38% End of Year Balance $10,485.00 $10,986.18 $11,511.32 $12,061.56 $12,638.11 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 15.36 $ 23.62 $ 24.75 $ 25.93 $ 27.17 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.42% 38.75% 45.38% 52.33% 59.62% End of Year Balance $13,242.21 $13,875.19 $14,538.42 $15,233.36 $15,961.51 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.47 $ 29.83 $ 31.25 $ 32.75 $ 34.31 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.85% 9.90% 15.20% 20.75% 26.57% End of Year Balance $10,485.00 $10,990.38 $11,520.11 $12,075.38 $12,657.42 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 15.36 $ 19.33 $ 20.26 $ 21.24 $ 22.26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.68% 39.07% 45.77% 52.80% 60.16% End of Year Balance $13,267.50 $13,907.00 $14,577.31 $15,279.94 $16,016.43 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 23.33 $ 24.46 $ 25.64 $ 26.87 $ 28.17 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.33% 0.33% 0.33% 0.33% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.85% 9.75% 14.87% 20.24% 25.85% End of Year Balance $10,485.00 $10,974.65 $11,487.17 $12,023.62 $12,585.12 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 15.36 $ 35.41 $ 37.06 $ 38.79 $ 40.60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.33% 0.33% 0.33% 0.33% 0.33% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.73% 37.88% 44.32% 51.06% 58.11% End of Year Balance $13,172.84 $13,788.02 $14,431.92 $15,105.89 $15,811.33 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 42.50 $ 44.49 $ 46.56 $ 48.74 $ 51.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.25% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.75% 9.69% 14.87% 20.29% 25.97% End of Year Balance $10,475.00 $10,969.42 $11,487.18 $12,029.37 $12,597.16 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 25.59 $ 30.02 $ 31.44 $ 32.92 $ 34.48 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.92% 38.14% 44.66% 51.49% 58.64% End of Year Balance $13,191.74 $13,814.39 $14,466.43 $15,149.25 $15,864.29 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 36.10 $ 37.81 $ 39.59 $ 41.46 $ 43.42 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify as
eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to Sections 107(7), 107(8) and 107(15) of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees, are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a
downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As
a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or
to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the fund's Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays sub-advisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of each fund as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Corporate Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information, other than for the period ended February 29, 2008, has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ----------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED SIX MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, MARCH 29, 2005 FEBRUARY 29, -------------------- (COMMENCEMENT DATE) 2008 2007 2006 TO AUGUST 31, ---------------- -------- ------- 2005 Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.05 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 ================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.01 ================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.01) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- ================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.01) ================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.35% 5.34% 4.54% 1.31% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $1,220,873 $636,222 $56,634 $466,432 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.15%(b) 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%(c) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.21%(b) 0.21% 0.21% 0.22%(c) ================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.68%(b) 5.22% 4.47% 2.41%(c) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $620,970,517.
(c) Annualized.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2005 SIX MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, (COMMENCEMENT DATE) FEBRUARY 29, --------------------- TO AUGUST 31, 2008 2007 2006 2005 ---------------- -------- -------- ------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- =================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.01 =================================================================================================================== Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.01) =================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.31% 5.35% 4.56% 1.29% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $275,312 $616,436 $525,682 $53,962 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.15%(b) 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%(c) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.22%(b) 0.22% 0.22% 0.22%(c) =================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.56%(b) 5.22% 4.50% 2.45%(c) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $306,761,875.
(c) Annualized.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 1, 2005 SIX MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, (COMMENCEMENT DATE) FEBRUARY 29, ------------------- TO AUGUST 31, 2008 2007 2006 2005 ---------------- -------- ------ ------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000 ================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.003 ================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.003) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- -- ================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.003) ================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 1.93% 5.14% 4.34% 0.28% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $1,947,001 $448,144 $1,855 $ 869 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.15%(b) 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%(c) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.21%(b) 0.22% 0.23% 0.23%(c) ================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.73%(b) 5.00% 4.24% 2.30%(c) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $964,095,215.
(c) Annualized.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ----------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2005 SIX MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, (COMMENCEMENT DATE) FEBRUARY 29, -------------------- TO AUGUST 31, 2008 2007 2006 2005 ---------------- -------- ------- ------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) ================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.01 ================================================================================================================== Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.01) ================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.20% 5.28% 4.46% 1.50% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $523,427 $317,772 $28,722 $62,008 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.15%(b) 0.15% 0.15% 0.15%(c) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.17%(b) 0.18% 0.19% 0.20%(c) ================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.32%(b) 5.15% 4.42% 2.39%(c) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $391,563,722.
(c) Annualized.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------- FEBRUARY 23, 2006 SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED (COMMENCEMENT DATE) FEBRUARY 29, AUGUST 31, TO AUGUST 31, 2008 2007 2006 ---------------- ---------- ------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.02 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 ============================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.02 ============================================================================================================ Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.02) ============================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================ Total return(a) 2.12% 5.18% 2.49% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $36,600 $ 14 $ 13 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.15%(b) 0.15% 0.15%(c) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.26%(b) 0.33% 0.28%(c) ============================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.16%(b) 5.05% 4.28%(c) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $10,255,834.
(c) Annualized.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- CORPORATE CLASS ---------------------------------------------- SEPTEMBER 8, 2005 YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, (COMMENCEMENT ------------------------ DATE) TO 2008 2007 MARCH 31, 2006 -------- -------- ----------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.01) =========================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================== Total return(a) 3.24% 3.38% 1.52% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $146,677 $160,208 $8,017 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.25%(b) 0.25% 0.25%(c) =========================================================================================================== Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.30%(c) =========================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.20%(b) 3.33% 2.46%(c) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $181,138,455.
(c) Annualized.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12b-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class, other than the
Institutional Class, that allows each fund to pay distribution and service fees
to Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and
distribution of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because
each fund pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Corporate Class accounts are as follows:
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corporate Class $1 million no minimum -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Contact your financial Same Intermediary intermediary. The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the Trademark-- application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer agent must generally receive your redemption request before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and size of redemption, for a redemption request received by
the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If a fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or a fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, a fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion,
refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of
redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its
discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day
settlement of redemption orders for such purchase and redemption orders received
by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and
(ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during
the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds has not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost, and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT
& AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the fund's current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-2 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO TREASURY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ------------------ PROSPECTUS ------------------ July 28, 2008 |
INSTITUTIONAL CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Institutional Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 11 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 12 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 14 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 17 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-3 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income
as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund
invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt
obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its
agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits
from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal
securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other
securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Institutional Class shares from year to year. Institutional Class shares are not subject to front-end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.61% 1999................................................................................ 5.24% 2000................................................................................ 6.52% 2001................................................................................ 4.17% 2002................................................................................ 1.79% 2003................................................................................ 1.12% 2004................................................................................ 1.32% 2005................................................................................ 3.20% 2006................................................................................ 5.05% 2007................................................................................ 5.28% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.59% 1999................................................................................ 5.21% 2000................................................................................ 6.49% 2001................................................................................ 4.06% 2002................................................................................ 1.67% 2003................................................................................ 1.09% 2004................................................................................ 1.30% 2005................................................................................ 3.23% 2006................................................................................ 5.07% 2007................................................................................ 5.27% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.48% 1999................................................................................ 5.00% 2000................................................................................ 6.27% 2001................................................................................ 4.04% 2002................................................................................ 1.72% 2003................................................................................ 1.08% 2004................................................................................ 1.22% 2005................................................................................ 3.05% 2006................................................................................ 4.88% 2007................................................................................ 4.88% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1999................................................................................ 5.14% 2000................................................................................ 6.45% 2001................................................................................ 4.09% 2002................................................................................ 1.74% 2003................................................................................ 1.10% 2004................................................................................ 1.28% 2005................................................................................ 3.15% 2006................................................................................ 4.98% 2007................................................................................ 5.14% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.11% 1999................................................................................ 4.60% 2000................................................................................ 5.96% 2001................................................................................ 3.94% 2002................................................................................ 1.69% 2003................................................................................ 1.03% 2004................................................................................ 1.24% 2005................................................................................ 3.08% 2006................................................................................ 4.90% 2007................................................................................ 5.03% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 3.34% 1999................................................................................ 3.14% 2000................................................................................ 4.01% 2001................................................................................ 2.65% 2002................................................................................ 1.31% 2003................................................................................ 0.88% 2004................................................................................ 1.02% 2005................................................................................ 2.22% 2006................................................................................ 3.28% 2007................................................................................ 3.48% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND ------------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.65% STIC Prime Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.53% Treasury Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.15% Government & Agency Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.44% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.34% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Institutional Class 1.10% ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets 1.67% September 30, 2000 and 0.25% September 30, 2003, Portfolio--Institutional December 31, 2000 December 31, 2003, Class March 31, 2004, and June 30, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime 1.67% September 30, 2000 0.23% March 31, 2004 Portfolio--Institutional Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury 1.62% September 30, 2000 and 0.23% March 31, 2004 and Portfolio--Institutional December 31, 2000 June 30, 2004 Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.66% December 31, 2000 0.24% March 31, 2004 and Portfolio--Institutional June 30, 2004 Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.61% December 31, 2000 0.22% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Institutional Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 1.05% December 31, 2000 0.18% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Institutional Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's
Institutional Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Institutional Class 5.28% 3.18% 3.91% -- 11/04/93 STIC Prime Portfolio--Institutional Class 5.27 3.18 3.88 -- 11/10/80 Treasury Portfolio--Institutional Class 4.88 3.01 3.75 -- 04/12/84 Government & Agency Portfolio--Institutional Class 5.14 3.12 -- 3.72% 09/01/98 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Institutional Class 5.03 3.04 3.64 -- 08/17/90 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Institutional Class 3.48 2.17 2.53 -- 04/18/83 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Institutional Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (fees paid directly from your ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None (Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TAX-FREE LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT CASH (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees None None None None None None Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.18 0.19 0.19 0.15 0.30 0.25 Fee Waiver(2) 0.06 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.18 0.03 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The fund's advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009,
to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) interest; (ii) taxes; (iii) extraordinary items; (iv) expenses related
to a merger or reorganization, as approved by the funds' Board of Trustees;
and (v) expenses that each fund has incurred but did not actually pay
because of an expense offset arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash
Reserve Portfolio, trustees' fees and federal registration fees are not
taken into account and could cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to
exceed the number reflected above. Currently, the only expense offset
arrangements from which each fund benefits are in the form of credits that
each fund receives from banks where each fund or its transfer agent has
deposit accounts in which it holds uninvested cash. These credits are used
to pay certain expenses incurred by the fund.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year;
and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $12 $52 $ 95 $224 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 54 100 236 Treasury Portfolio 12 54 100 236 Government & Agency Portfolio 12 45 82 189 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 12 78 150 363 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 23 77 138 315 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Institutional Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.12% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.88% 9.94% 15.23% 20.79% 26.61% End of Year Balance $10,488.00 $10,993.52 $11,523.41 $12,078.84 $12,661.04 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 12.29 $ 19.33 $ 20.27 $ 21.24 $ 22.27 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% 0.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.71% 39.11% 45.81% 52.84% 60.21% End of Year Balance $13,271.30 $13,910.98 $14,581.49 $15,284.31 $16,021.02 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 23.34 $ 24.46 $ 25.64 $ 26.88 $ 28.17 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.12% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.88% 9.92% 15.21% 20.75% 26.56% End of Year Balance $10,488.00 $10,992.47 $11,521.21 $12,075.38 $12,656.21 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 12.29 $ 20.41 $ 21.39 $ 22.42 $ 23.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.65% 39.03% 45.72% 52.73% 60.07% End of Year Balance $13,264.97 $13,903.02 $14,571.75 $15,272.65 $16,007.27 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 24.63 $ 25.81 $ 27.05 $ 28.35 $ 29.72 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.12% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.88% 9.92% 15.21% 20.75% 26.56% End of Year Balance $10,488.00 $10,992.47 $11,521.21 $12,075.38 $12,656.21 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 12.29 $ 20.41 $ 21.39 $ 22.42 $ 23.50 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.65% 39.03% 45.72% 52.73% 60.07% End of Year Balance $13,264.97 $13,903.02 $14,571.75 $15,272.65 $16,007.27 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 24.63 $ 25.81 $ 27.05 $ 28.35 $ 29.72 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.12% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.88% 9.97% 15.30% 20.89% 26.76% End of Year Balance $10,488.00 $10,996.67 $11,530.01 $12,089.21 $12,675.54 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 12.29 $ 16.11 $ 16.90 $ 17.71 $ 18.57 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.90% 39.35% 46.11% 53.19% 60.62% End of Year Balance $13,290.30 $13,934.88 $14,610.72 $15,319.34 $16,062.33 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 19.47 $ 20.42 $ 21.41 $ 22.45 $ 23.54 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.12% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.88% 9.81% 14.97% 20.37% 26.03% End of Year Balance $10,488.00 $10,980.94 $11,497.04 $12,037.40 $12,603.16 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 12.29 $ 32.20 $ 33.72 $ 35.30 $ 36.96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% 0.30% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.96% 38.16% 44.65% 51.45% 58.57% End of Year Balance $13,195.51 $13,815.70 $14,465.03 $15,144.89 $15,856.70 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 38.70 $ 40.52 $ 42.42 $ 44.41 $ 46.50 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.22% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.78% 9.76% 14.97% 20.43% 26.15% End of Year Balance $10,478.00 $10,975.71 $11,497.05 $12,043.16 $12,615.21 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 22.53 $ 26.82 $ 28.09 $ 29.43 $ 30.82 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% 0.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 32.14% 38.42% 45.00% 51.88% 59.10% End of Year Balance $13,214.43 $13,842.12 $14,499.62 $15,188.35 $15,909.80 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 32.29 $ 33.82 $ 35.43 $ 37.11 $ 38.87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury
bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities
(agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith
and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to
purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit
of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current
intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by
its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to
distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many
states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify
as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to
Section 107(7), 107(8) and 107(15) of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of
the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA
Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an
investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not
backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities an individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or other related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sough in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to
its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the fund's Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays subadvisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of each fund as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Institutional Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and information prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, SIX MONTHS ENDED ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 ================================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ================================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- ================================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.37% 5.37% 4.57% 2.50% 1.05% 1.32% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $19,152,296 $18,081,351 $15,058,664 $12,281,976 $13,426,786 $21,240,699 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.12%(b) 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.11% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.18%(b) 0.18% 0.18% 0.19% 0.18% 0.17% ================================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.71%(b) 5.25% 4.50% 2.44% 1.04% 1.34% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $19,679,196,674.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, SIX MONTHS ENDED ------------------------------------------------------------------ FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.00) -- ================================================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.05 0.02 0.01 0.01 ================================================================================================================================ Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.05) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 2.32% 5.38% 4.59% 2.52% 1.02% 1.27% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $4,628,914 $3,479,266 $4,723,582 $4,567,205 $5,038,960 $5,589,108 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.12%(b) 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.10% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.19%(b) 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.19% 0.18% ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.59%(b) 5.25% 4.53% 2.48% 1.01% 1.28% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $3,612,054,038.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, SIX MONTHS ENDED ------------------------------------------------------------------ FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) ================================================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ================================================================================================================================ Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.00) -- ================================================================================================================================ Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 1.95% 5.17% 4.37% 2.37% 0.98% 1.28% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $4,818,424 $3,306,283 $2,101,790 $2,101,143 $2,564,540 $4,367,382 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.12%(b) 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.11% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.18%(b) 0.19% 0.20% 0.20% 0.19% 0.19% ================================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.76%(b) 5.03% 4.27% 2.33% 0.95% 1.27% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $3,733,528,731.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, SIX MONTHS ENDED -------------------------------------------------------------------- FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ---------- ---------- -------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 =================================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 =================================================================================================================================== Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) =================================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.21% 5.31% 4.49% 2.44% 1.03% 1.30% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $2,120,247 $1,328,964 $1,812,271 $999,532 $1,271,847 $1,503,729 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.12%(b) 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.14%(b) 0.15% 0.16% 0.17% 0.15% 0.15% =================================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.35%(b) 5.18% 4.45% 2.42% 1.03% 1.28% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $1,597,065,174.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, SIX MONTHS ENDED ---------------------------------------------------- FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- -------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ========================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================== Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.00) (0.00) ========================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.13% 5.21% 4.41% 2.39% 0.99% 1.24% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $690,812 $321,456 $80,104 $82,845 $56,192 $84,989 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.12%(b) 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.12% 0.13% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.23%(b) 0.30% 0.37% 0.41% 0.33% 0.33% ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.19%(b) 5.08% 4.31% 2.40% 0.98% 1.21% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $477,058,555.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- INSTITUTIONAL CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.01 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.03) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 3.28% 3.41% 2.53% 1.24% 0.84% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $3,256,572 $2,870,218 $1,892,111 $2,117,055 $1,953,769 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.22%(b) 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% 0.22% ========================================================================================================================== Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.25%(b) 0.25% 0.27% 0.27% 0.27% ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.23%(b) 3.36% 2.49% 1.24% 0.83% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $2,800,351,785.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Institutional Class accounts are as follows:
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Institutional Class $10 million no minimum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO, GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO, GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Institutional Class $1 million no minimum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below or, if you are investing directly, by sending your completed account application and purchase amount to the transfer agent. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Same The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will Intermediary be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must generally receive your redemption request before Trademark-- 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day.
If the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day. If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If a fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or the fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, the fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders for such purchases and redemption orders received by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and (ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds have not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each funds' portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost, and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the fund's current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-1 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO TREASURY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ------------------ PROSPECTUS ------------------ July 28, 2008 |
PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Personal Investment Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-3 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income
as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund
invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt
obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its
agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits
from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal
securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Personal Investment Class shares from year to year. Personal Investment Class shares are not subject to front-end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 2000................................................................................ 5.99% 2001................................................................................ 3.66% 2002................................................................................ 1.26% 2003................................................................................ 0.57% 2004................................................................................ 0.77% 2005................................................................................ 2.64% 2006................................................................................ 4.48% 2007................................................................................ 4.70% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 5.07% 1999................................................................................ 4.68% 2000................................................................................ 5.96% 2001................................................................................ 3.54% 2002................................................................................ 1.15% 2003................................................................................ 0.53% 2004................................................................................ 0.74% 2005................................................................................ 2.66% 2006................................................................................ 4.50% 2007................................................................................ 4.69% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 1998................................................................................ 4.95% 1999................................................................................ 4.48% 2000................................................................................ 5.74% 2001................................................................................ 3.53% 2002................................................................................ 1.19% 2003................................................................................ 0.53% 2004................................................................................ 0.67% 2005................................................................................ 2.48% 2006................................................................................ 4.31% 2007................................................................................ 4.31% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 2001................................................................................ 3.57% 2002................................................................................ 1.21% 2003................................................................................ 0.54% 2004................................................................................ 0.73% 2005................................................................................ 2.59% 2006................................................................................ 4.41% 2007................................................................................ 4.56% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 2002................................................................................ 1.17% 2003................................................................................ 0.47% 2004................................................................................ 0.68% 2005................................................................................ 2.52% 2006................................................................................ 4.33% 2007................................................................................ 4.46% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------------ 2001................................................................................ 2.14% 2002................................................................................ 0.79% 2003................................................................................ 0.33% 2004................................................................................ 0.47% 2005................................................................................ 1.66% 2006................................................................................ 2.71% 2007................................................................................ 2.92% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 1.38% STIC Prime Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 1.25% Treasury Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 0.87% Government & Agency Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 1.16% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 1.06% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 0.83% ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets 1.54% September 30 2000 and 0.11% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Personal December 31, 2000 March 31, 2004, and June 30, 2004 Investment Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime Portfolio--Personal 1.54% September 30, 2000 0.10% September 30, 2003, March 31, 2004 and Investment Class June 30, 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury Portfolio--Personal 1.49% September 30, 2000 and 0.09% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Investment Class December 31, 2000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.28% March 31, 2001 0.11% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Personal March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Investment Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.15% December 31, 2006 0.08% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Personal Investment Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 0.75% June 30, 2007 and 0.04% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Personal September 30, 2007 Investment Class ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Personal
Investment Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 4.70% 2.62% -- 3.18% 01/04/99 STIC Prime Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 4.69% 2.61% 3.34% -- 08/20/91 Treasury Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 4.31% 2.45% 3.20% -- 08/08/91 Government & Agency Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 4.56% 2.55% -- 2.90% 01/31/00 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 4.46% 2.48% -- 2.33% 05/31/01 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Personal Investment Class 2.92% 1.61% -- 1.59% 12/04/00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Personal Investment Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (fees paid directly from your ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID STIC GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.90 1.05 1.00 Fee Waiver(2) 0.26 0.27 0.27 0.23 0.38 0.23 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.67 0.77 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The distributor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive 0.20% of Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments. In addition, the
funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the fund's Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund
has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset
arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees'
fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could
cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected
above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund
benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where
each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds
uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by
each fund.
As a result of 12b-1 fees, long term shareholders in the fund may pay more than the maximum permitted initial sales charge.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year;
and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $68 $270 $489 $1,119 STIC Prime Portfolio 68 273 494 1,130 Treasury Portfolio 68 273 494 1,130 Government & Agency Portfolio 68 264 476 1,087 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 68 296 542 1,248 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 79 296 530 1,204 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Personal Investment Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.67% 0.93% 0.93% 0.93% 0.93% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.33% 8.58% 13.00% 17.59% 22.38% End of Year Balance $10,433.00 $10,857.62 $11,299.53 $11,759.42 $12,238.03 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 68.45 $ 99.00 $ 103.03 $ 107.22 $ 111.59 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.93% 0.93% 0.93% 0.93% 0.93% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 27.36% 32.54% 37.94% 43.55% 49.40% End of Year Balance $12,736.12 $13,254.48 $13,793.93 $14,355.35 $14,939.61 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 116.13 $ 120.86 $ 125.78 $ 130.89 $ 136.22 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.67% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.33% 8.57% 12.97% 17.56% 22.33% End of Year Balance $10,433.00 $10,856.58 $11,297.36 $11,756.03 $12,233.32 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 68.45 $ 100.06 $ 104.12 $ 108.35 $ 112.75 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 27.30% 32.47% 37.85% 43.44% 49.27% End of Year Balance $12,730.00 $13,246.84 $13,784.66 $14,344.31 $14,926.69 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 117.33 $ 122.09 $ 127.05 $ 132.21 $ 137.57 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.67% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.33% 8.57% 12.97% 17.56% 22.33% End of Year Balance $10,433.00 $10,856.58 $11,297.36 $11,756.03 $12,233.32 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 68.45 $ 100.06 $ 104.12 $ 108.35 $ 112.75 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 27.30% 32.47% 37.85% 43.44% 49.27% End of Year Balance $12,730.00 $13,246.84 $13,784.66 $14,344.31 $14,926.69 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 117.33 $ 122.09 $ 127.05 $ 132.21 $ 137.57 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.67% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.33% 8.61% 13.06% 17.70% 22.52% End of Year Balance $10,433.00 $10,860.75 $11,306.04 $11,769.59 $12,252.14 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 68.45 $ 95.82 $ 99.75 $ 103.84 $ 108.10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 27.54% 32.77% 38.22% 43.88% 49.78% End of Year Balance $12,754.48 $13,277.42 $13,821.79 $14,388.48 $14,978.41 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 112.53 $ 117.14 $ 121.95 $ 126.95 $ 132.15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.67% 1.05% 1.05% 1.05% 1.05% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.33% 8.45% 12.73% 17.19% 21.82% End of Year Balance $10,433.00 $10,845.10 $11,273.49 $11,718.79 $12,181.68 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 68.45 $ 111.71 $ 116.12 $ 120.71 $ 125.48 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.05% 1.05% 1.05% 1.05% 1.05% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 26.63% 31.63% 36.83% 42.23% 47.85% End of Year Balance $12,662.86 $13,163.04 $13,682.98 $14,223.46 $14,785.28 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 130.43 $ 135.59 $ 140.94 $ 146.51 $ 152.30 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.77% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.23% 8.40% 12.74% 17.24% 21.93% End of Year Balance $10,423.00 $10,839.92 $11,273.52 $11,724.46 $12,193.44 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 78.63 $ 106.31 110.57 $ 114.99 $ 119.59 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% 1.00% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 26.81% 31.88% 37.16% 42.65% 48.35% End of Year Balance $12,681.17 $13,188.42 $13,715.96 $14,264.60 $14,835.18 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 124.37 $ 129.35 $ 134.52 $ 139.90 $ 145.50 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to Sections 107(7), 107(8) and 107(15) of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Investment Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the funds' Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays sub-advisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day.
The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Personal Investment Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and information prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.000) 0.00 =========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 =========================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.005) (0.01) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- =========================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.005) (0.01) =========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.09% 4.80% 4.00% 1.94% 0.50% 0.77% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $89,421 $81,408 $64,434 $46,190 $48,166 $47,266 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.67%(b) 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.66% --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.93%(b) 0.93% 0.93% 0.94% 0.93% 0.92% =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.16%(b) 4.70% 3.95% 1.89% 0.49% 0.79% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $79,108,908.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.000) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 ============================================================================================================================= Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.005) (0.01) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.04% 4.81% 4.02% 1.96% 0.47% 0.72% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $449,377 $409,936 $299,205 $162,749 $111,925 $133,719 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.67%(b) 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.65% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.94%(b) 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.94% 0.93% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.04%(b) 4.70% 3.98% 1.93% 0.46% 0.73% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $437,253,197.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.004 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000 (0.00) ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.004 0.01 ============================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.004) (0.01) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.000) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.004) (0.01) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 1.67% 4.59% 3.80% 1.81% 0.42% 0.73% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $358,812 $414,629 $332,351 $273,461 $304,225 $324,638 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.67%(b) 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.65% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.93%(b) 0.94% 0.95% 0.95% 0.94% 0.94% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.21%(b) 4.48% 3.72% 1.78% 0.40% 0.73% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $399,445,898.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 (0.000) 0.00 =========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.005 0.01 =========================================================================================================================== Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.005) (0.01) =========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 1.93% 4.73% 3.92% 1.88% 0.48% 0.74% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $31,570 $26,598 $39,599 $38,024 $29,147 $21,132 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.67%(b) 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.89%(b) 0.90% 0.91% 0.92% 0.90% 0.90% =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.80%(b) 4.63% 3.90% 1.87% 0.48% 0.73% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $38,183,044.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ---------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------ ------ ------- ------ Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.004 0.01 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000 0.00 ========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.004 0.01 ========================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.004) (0.01) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.000) (0.00) ========================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.004) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 1.86% 4.63% 3.84% 1.83% 0.43% 0.69% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $12,443 $10,986 $6,543 $5,607 $ 6,087 $6,415 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.67%(b) 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.67% 0.68% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.98%(b) 1.05% 1.12% 1.16% 1.08% 1.08% ========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.64%(b) 4.53% 3.76% 1.85% 0.43% 0.66% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $12,489,594.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, ------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (0.003) ================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.71% 2.84% 1.97% 0.68% 0.28% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $34,464 $33,670 $20,902 $10,877 $10,394 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.77%(b) 0.77% 0.77% 0.77% 0.77% ================================================================================================================== Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.00%(b) 1.00% 1.02% 1.02% 1.02% ================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 2.68%(b) 2.81% 1.94% 0.69% 0.28% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $35,436,404.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12b-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class other than the
Institutional Class, that allows each fund to pay distribution and service fees
to Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and
distribution of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because
each fund pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Personal Investment accounts are as follows:
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personal Investment Class $10,000 no minimum -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO, GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personal Investment Class $1,000 no minimum -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA
PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
PURCHASE OPTIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Same The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer agent must generally receive your redemption request before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If the fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or the fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, the fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders for such purchases and redemption orders received by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and (ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the fund has not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the fund's shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must
perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be
able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment
options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will
be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost,
and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there
are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors
expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the
fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor
expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT
& AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the funds' current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-6 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO TREASURY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ------------------ PROSPECTUS ------------------ July 28, 2008 |
PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Private Investment Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-2 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income
as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund
invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt
obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its
agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits
from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal
securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional
information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net
asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Private Investment Class shares from year to year. Private Investment Class shares are not subject to front-end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.30% 1999................................................................................ 4.92% 2000................................................................................ 6.20% 2001................................................................................ 3.86% 2002................................................................................ 1.48% 2003................................................................................ 0.82% 2004................................................................................ 1.02% 2005................................................................................ 2.90% 2006................................................................................ 4.74% 2007................................................................................ 4.96% |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.28% 1999................................................................................ 4.89% 2000................................................................................ 6.17% 2001................................................................................ 3.74% 2002................................................................................ 1.36% 2003................................................................................ 0.78% 2004................................................................................ 1.00% 2005................................................................................ 2.92% 2006................................................................................ 4.76% 2007................................................................................ 4.95% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.16% 1999................................................................................ 4.68% 2000................................................................................ 5.95% 2001................................................................................ 3.73% 2002................................................................................ 1.41% 2003................................................................................ 0.78% 2004................................................................................ 0.92% 2005................................................................................ 2.74% 2006................................................................................ 4.57% 2007................................................................................ 4.57% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1999................................................................................ 4.82% 2000................................................................................ 6.13% 2001................................................................................ 3.78% 2002................................................................................ 1.43% 2003................................................................................ 0.79% 2004................................................................................ 0.98% 2005................................................................................ 2.84% 2006................................................................................ 4.67% 2007................................................................................ 4.82% |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 4.85% 1999................................................................................ 4.34% 2000................................................................................ 5.70% 2001................................................................................ 3.69% 2002................................................................................ 1.44% 2003................................................................................ 0.77% 2004................................................................................ 0.98% 2005................................................................................ 2.82% 2006................................................................................ 4.64% 2007................................................................................ 4.77% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL TOTAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ---------------------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 3.08% 1999................................................................................ 2.88% 2000................................................................................ 3.75% 2001................................................................................ 2.40% 2002................................................................................ 1.06% 2003................................................................................ 0.63% 2004................................................................................ 0.77% 2005................................................................................ 1.97% 2006................................................................................ 3.02% 2007................................................................................ 3.23% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets Portfolio--Private Investment Class 1.50% STIC Prime Portfolio--Private Investment Class 1.38% Treasury Portfolio--Private Investment Class 1.00% Government & Agency Portfolio--Private Investment Class 1.29% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Private Investment Class 1.21% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Private Investment Class 0.98% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets 1.59% September 30, 2000 and 0.17% December 31, 2003, March 31, 2004, and Portfolio--Private December 31, 2000 June 30, 2004 Investment Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime Portfolio--Private 1.59% September 30, 2000 and 0.16% March 31, 2004 and Investment Class December 31, 2000 June 30, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury Portfolio--Private 1.54% September 30, 2000 and 0.15% March 31, 2004 and Investment Class December 31, 2000 June 30, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.58% December 31, 2000 0.17% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Private March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Investment Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.54% December 31, 2000 0.16% September 30, 2003 and March 31, 2004 Portfolio--Private Investment Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 0.99% December 31, 2000 0.11% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Private Investment Class ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Private
Investment Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (for the periods ended SINCE INCEPTION December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Private Investment Class 4.96% 2.87% 3.60% -- 02/16/96 STIC Prime Portfolio--Private Investment Class 4.95% 2.87% 3.57% -- 07/08/93 Treasury Portfolio--Private Investment Class 4.57% 2.70% 3.44% -- 11/22/91 Government & Agency Portfolio--Private Investment Class 4.82% 2.81% -- 3.41% 09/01/98 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Private Investment Class 4.77% 2.78% 3.39% -- 12/21/94 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Private Investment Class 3.23% 1.92% 2.27% -- 04/01/92 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Private Investment Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (fees paid directly from your ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None (Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.68 0.69 0.69 0.65 0.80 0.75 Fee Waiver(2) 0.26 0.27 0.27 0.23 0.43 0.28 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.37 0.47 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as that shown in the table.
(2) The distributor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to waive 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.20%, 0.20%, 0.20% and 0.25% of Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments on Private Investment Class shares of Government & Agency Portfolio, Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio respectively. In addition, the funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax- Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above: (i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv) extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as approved by the funds' Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees' fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by each fund.
As a result of 12b-1 fees, long term shareholders in the fund may pay more than the maximum permitted initial sales charge.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each
year; and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $43 $191 $353 $822 STIC Prime Portfolio 43 194 357 833 Treasury Portfolio 43 194 357 833 Government & Agency Portfolio 43 185 339 789 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 38 212 402 950 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 48 212 389 904 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Private Investment Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.42% 0.68% 0.68% 0.68% 0.68% 0.68% 0.68% 0.68% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.58% 9.10% 13.81% 18.73% 23.86% 29.21% 34.79% 40.61% End of Year Balance $10,458.00 $10,909.79 $11,381.09 $11,872.75 $12,385.65 $12,920.71 $13,478.89 $14,061.18 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 42.96 $ 72.65 $ 75.79 $ 79.06 $ 82.48 $ 86.04 $ 89.76 $ 93.64 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.68% 0.68% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 46.69% 53.02% End of Year Balance $14,668.62 $15,302.30 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 97.68 $ 101.90 ---------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.42% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.58% 9.09% 13.79% 18.69% 23.81% 29.15% 34.71% 40.52% End of Year Balance $10,458.00 $10,908.74 $11,378.91 $11,869.34 $12,380.91 $12,914.52 $13,471.14 $14,051.74 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 42.96 $ 73.72 $ 76.89 $ 80.21 $ 83.66 $ 87.27 $ 91.03 $ 94.95 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.69% 0.69% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 46.57% 52.89% End of Year Balance $14,657.38 $15,289.11 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 99.05 $ 103.32 ---------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.42% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.58% 9.09% 13.79% 18.69% 23.81% 29.15% 34.71% 40.52% End of Year Balance $10,458.00 $10,908.74 $11,378.91 $11,869.34 $12,380.91 $12,914.52 $13,471.14 $14,051.74 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 42.96 $ 73.72 $ 76.89 $ 80.21 $ 83.66 $ 87.27 $ 91.03 $ 94.95 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.69% 0.69% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 46.57% 52.89% End of Year Balance $14,657.38 $15,289.11 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 99.05 $ 103.32 ---------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.42% 0.65% 0.65% 0.65% 0.65% 0.65% 0.65% 0.65% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.58% 9.13% 13.88% 18.83% 24.00% 29.39% 35.02% 40.90% End of Year Balance $10,458.00 $10,912.92 $11,387.64 $11,883.00 $12,399.91 $12,939.30 $13,502.16 $14,089.51 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 42.96 $ 69.46 $ 72.48 $ 75.63 $ 78.92 $ 82.35 $ 85.93 $ 89.67 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.65% 0.65% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 47.02% 53.42% End of Year Balance $14,702.40 $15,341.96 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 93.57 $ 97.64 ---------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.37% 0.80% 0.80% 0.80% 0.80% 0.80% 0.80% 0.80% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.63% 9.02% 13.60% 18.37% 23.35% 28.53% 33.93% 39.55% End of Year Balance $10,463.00 $10,902.45 $11,360.35 $11,837.48 $12,334.66 $12,852.71 $13,392.53 $13,955.01 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 37.86 $ 85.46 $ 89.05 $ 92.79 $ 96.69 $ 100.75 $ 104.98 $ 109.39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.80% 0.80% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 45.41% 51.52% End of Year Balance $14,541.12 $15,151.85 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 113.98 $ 118.77 ---------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.47% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.53% 8.97% 13.60% 18.43% 23.47% 28.71% 34.18% 39.89% End of Year Balance $10,453.00 $10,897.25 $11,360.39 $11,843.20 $12,346.54 $12,871.27 $13,418.29 $13,988.57 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 48.06 $ 80.06 83.47 $ 87.01 $ 90.71 $ 94.57 $ 98.59 $ 102.78 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS YEAR 9 YEAR 10 ---------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.75% 0.75% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 45.83% 52.03% End of Year Balance $14,583.09 $15,202.87 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 107.14 $ 111.70 ---------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to Sections 107(7), 107(8), and 107(15), of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the funds' first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the funds' Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays sub-advisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to sharefolders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day.
The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Private Investment Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. Information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and information prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, -------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 =============================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 =============================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- =============================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) =============================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.22% 5.06% 4.26% 2.19% 0.75% 1.02% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $985,695 $885,779 $980,681 $808,821 $1,078,780 $978,383 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.42%(b) 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.41% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.68%(b) 0.68% 0.68% 0.69% 0.68% 0.67% =============================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.41%(b) 4.95% 4.20% 2.14% 0.74% 1.04% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =============================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $945,695,610.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.00) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ============================================================================================================================= Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.17% 5.07% 4.28% 2.21% 0.72% 0.97% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $768,972 $632,811 $591,306 $556,709 $393,619 $560,825 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.42%(b) 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.40% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.69%(b) 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.69% 0.68% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.29%(b) 4.95% 4.23% 2.18% 0.71% 0.98% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $698,960,954.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) ============================================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ============================================================================================================================ Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.00) -- ============================================================================================================================ Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ============================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 1.80% 4.85% 4.06% 2.06% 0.68% 0.98% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $1,138,270 $1,250,648 $972,350 $1,229,249 $808,852 $1,100,857 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.42%(b) 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.41% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.68%(b) 0.69% 0.70% 0.70% 0.69% 0.69% ============================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.46%(b) 4.73% 3.97% 2.03% 0.65% 0.97% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $1,036,789,391.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 ========================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.06% 4.99% 4.18% 2.14% 0.73% 0.99% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $543,292 $599,041 $518,524 $750,824 $484,967 $503,365 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.42%(b) 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% 0.42% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.64%(b) 0.65% 0.66% 0.67% 0.65% 0.65% ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.05%(b) 4.88% 4.15% 2.12% 0.73% 0.98% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $559,120,628.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, -------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ======================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ======================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.00) (0.00) ======================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ======================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.01% 4.95% 4.15% 2.13% 0.74% 0.99% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $39,996 $43,318 $89,063 $69,277 $276,400 $85,138 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.37%(b) 0.37% 0.37% 0.37% 0.37% 0.38% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.73%(b) 0.80% 0.87% 0.91% 0.83% 0.83% ======================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.94%(b) 4.83% 4.06% 2.15% 0.73% 0.96% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $43,002,630.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 3.02% 3.15% 2.27% 0.99% 0.59% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $249,372 $185,163 $220,988 $196,617 $150,399 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.47%(b) 0.47% 0.47% 0.47% 0.47% ================================================================================================================ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.75%(b) 0.75% 0.77% 0.77% 0.77% ================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 2.98%(b) 3.11% 2.24% 0.99% 0.58% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $201,012,148.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12b-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class other than the
Institutional Class, that allows each fund to pay distribution and service fees
to Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and
distribution of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because
each fund pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Private Investment Class accounts are as follows:
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Private Investment Class $100,000 no minimum --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Contact your financial Same Intermediary intermediary. The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the Trademark-- application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer agent must generally receive your redemption request before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If the fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or the fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, the fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
EACH FUND AND ITS AGENT RESERVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO:
- REJECT OR CANCEL ALL OR ANY PART OF ANY PURCHASE ORDER;
- MODIFY ANY TERMS OR CONDITIONS OF PURCHASE OF SHARES OF ANY FUND; OR
- SUSPEND, CHANGE OR WITHDRAW ALL OR ANY PART OF THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS
PROSPECTUS.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing. The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing. Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders for such purchases and redemption orders received by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, between
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and (ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds has not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must
perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be
able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment
options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will
be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost,
and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there
are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors
expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the
fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor
expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT
& AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO - STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December -- if paid to you by the end of January -- are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the funds' current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 IN THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-5
[INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE]
--Service Mark--
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
July 28, 2008
RESERVE CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Reserve Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-3 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-7 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other
securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Reserve Class shares from year to year. Reserve Class shares are not subject to front- end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2001................................................................................ 3.35% 2002................................................................................ 0.96% 2003................................................................................ 0.25% 2004................................................................................ 0.44% 2005................................................................................ 2.31% 2006................................................................................ 4.15% 2007................................................................................ 4.37% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2000................................................................................ 5.64% 2001................................................................................ 3.23% 2002................................................................................ 0.84% 2003................................................................................ 0.21% 2004................................................................................ 0.42% 2005................................................................................ 2.33% 2006................................................................................ 4.17% 2007................................................................................ 4.36% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2000................................................................................ 5.43% 2001................................................................................ 3.22% 2002................................................................................ 0.89% 2003................................................................................ 0.21% 2004................................................................................ 0.35% 2005................................................................................ 2.16% 2006................................................................................ 3.98% 2007................................................................................ 3.98% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2001................................................................................ 3.26% 2002................................................................................ 0.91% 2003................................................................................ 0.22% 2004................................................................................ 0.40% 2005................................................................................ 2.26% 2006................................................................................ 4.07% 2007................................................................................ 4.23% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2004................................................................................ 0.37% 2005................................................................................ 2.19% 2006................................................................................ 3.99% 2007................................................................................ 4.13% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2000................................................................................ 3.18% 2001................................................................................ 1.84% 2002................................................................................ 0.49% 2003................................................................................ 0.09% 2004................................................................................ 0.20% 2005................................................................................ 1.34% 2006................................................................................ 2.38% 2007................................................................................ 2.59% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND ------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets Portfolio--Reserve Class 1.22% STIC Prime Portfolio--Reserve Class 1.09% Treasury Portfolio--Reserve Class 0.71% Government & Agency Portfolio--Reserve Class 1.00% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Reserve Class 0.90% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Reserve Class 0.67% ------------------------------------------------------------ |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Liquid Assets 1.23% March 31, 2001 0.03% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Reserve Class March 31, 2004, and June 30, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC Prime 1.46% September 30, 2000 and 0.02% September 30, 2003, March 31, 2004 and Portfolio--Reserve Class December 31, 2000 June 30, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Treasury 1.41% September 30, 2000 and 0.01% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Portfolio--Reserve Class December 31, 2000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Government & Agency 1.21% March 31, 2001 0.03% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Reserve Class March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Government TaxAdvantage 1.07% December 31, 2006 0.02% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Portfolio--Reserve Class ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tax-Free Cash Reserve 0.85% December 31, 2000 0.01% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Reserve Class March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Reserve
Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Reserve Class 4.37% 2.29% -- 2.66% 01/14/00 STIC Prime Portfolio--Reserve Class 4.36% 2.28% -- 2.82% 01/04/99 Treasury Portfolio--Reserve Class 3.98% 2.12% -- 2.69% 01/04/99 Government & Agency Portfolio--Reserve Class 4.23% 2.22% -- 2.59% 01/26/00 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Reserve Class 4.13% -- -- 2.37% 06/23/03 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Reserve Class 2.59% 1.32% -- 1.57% 06/01/99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Reserve Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE CASH (fees paid directly from your ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY & AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE CASH (expenses that are deducted from fund ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY & AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE RESERVE assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.18 1.19 1.19 1.15 1.30 1.25 Fee Waiver(2) 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.16 0.31 0.16 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.99 0.99 0.99 0.99 0.99 1.09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The distributor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive 0.13% of Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments. In addition, the
funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to
waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the funds' Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund
has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset
arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees'
fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could
cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected
above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund
benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where
each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds
uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by
each fund.
As a result of 12b-1 fees, long term shareholders in the fund may pay more than the maximum permitted initial sales charge.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year;
and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $101 $356 $631 $1,415 STIC Prime Portfolio 101 358 635 1,425 Treasury Portfolio 101 358 635 1,425 Government & Agency Portfolio 101 350 618 1,383 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 101 382 683 1,541 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 111 381 671 1,497 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Reserve Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios, your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.99% 1.18% 1.18% 1.18% 1.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.01% 7.98% 12.11% 16.39% 20.84% End of Year Balance $10,401.00 $10,798.32 $11,210.81 $11,639.07 $12,083.68 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 100.98 $ 125.08 $ 129.85 $ 134.81 $ 139.96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.18% 1.18% 1.18% 1.18% 1.18% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 25.45% 30.25% 35.22% 40.39% 45.75% End of Year Balance $12,545.28 $13,024.51 $13,522.04 $14,038.58 $14,574.86 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 145.31 $ 150.86 $ 156.62 $ 162.61 $ 168.82 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.99% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.01% 7.97% 12.09% 16.36% 20.79% End of Year Balance $10,401.00 $10,797.28 $11,208.65 $11,635.70 $12,079.02 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 100.98 $ 126.13 $ 130.94 $ 135.92 $ 141.10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 25.39% 30.17% 35.13% 40.28% 45.62% End of Year Balance $12,539.24 $13,016.98 $13,512.93 $14,027.77 $14,562.23 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 146.48 $ 152.06 $ 157.85 $ 163.87 $ 170.11 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.99% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.01% 7.97% 12.09% 16.36% 20.79% End of Year Balance $10,401.00 $10,797.28 $11,208.65 $11,635.70 $12,079.02 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 100.98 $ 126.13 $ 130.94 $ 135.92 $ 141.10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 25.39% 30.17% 35.13% 40.28% 45.62% End of Year Balance $12,539.24 $13,016.98 $13,512.93 $14,027.77 $14,562.23 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 146.48 $ 152.06 $ 157.85 $ 163.87 $ 170.11 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.99% 1.15% 1.15% 1.15% 1.15% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.01% 8.01% 12.17% 16.49% 20.98% End of Year Balance $10,401.00 $10,801.44 $11,217.29 $11,649.16 $12,097.65 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 100.98 $ 121.91 $ 126.61 $ 131.48 $ 136.54 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.15% 1.15% 1.15% 1.15% 1.15% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 25.63% 30.47% 35.49% 40.71% 46.13% End of Year Balance $12,563.41 $13,047.10 $13,549.42 $14,071.07 $14,612.81 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 141.80 $ 147.26 $ 152.93 $ 158.82 $ 164.93 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.99% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.01% 7.86% 11.85% 15.99% 20.28% End of Year Balance $10,401.00 $10,785.84 $11,184.91 $11,598.75 $12,027.91 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 100.98 $ 137.71 $ 142.81 $ 148.09 $ 153.57 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% 1.30% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 24.73% 29.34% 34.13% 39.09% 44.24% End of Year Balance $12,472.94 $12,934.44 $13,413.01 $13,909.30 $14,423.94 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 159.26 $ 165.15 $ 171.26 $ 177.60 $ 184.17 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.09% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 3.91% 7.81% 11.85% 16.04% 20.40% End of Year Balance $10,391.00 $10,780.66 $11,184.94 $11,604.37 $12,039.54 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 111.13 $ 132.32 $ 137.28 $ 142.43 $ 147.77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 24.91% 29.59% 34.45% 39.50% 44.73% End of Year Balance $12,491.02 $12,959.43 $13,445.41 $13,949.61 $14,472.72 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 153.32 $ 159.07 $ 165.03 $ 171.22 $ 177.64 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to Sections 107(7), 107(8), and 107(15), of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the fund's portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION OF WEBSITE POSTING POSTED ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits, in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the funds' Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays subadvisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of each fund as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by a funds prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are
eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Reserve Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and information prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ------- ------- -------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.04 0.05 0.02 0.002 0.005 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 (0.01) 0.00 (0.000) 0.000 ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.002 0.005 ============================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.04) (0.04) (0.02) (0.002) (0.005) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- ============================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.04) (0.04) (0.02) (0.002) (0.005) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 1.93% 4.46% 3.66% 1.61% 0.17% 0.45% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $26,663 $39,244 $17,424 $128,244 $64,942 $57,082 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.99%(b) 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.98% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.18%(b) 1.18% 1.18% 1.19% 1.18% 1.17% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.84%(b) 4.38% 3.63% 1.57% 0.17% 0.47% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $34,289,747.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ------- ------- ------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.001 0.004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.000) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.001 0.004 ============================================================================================================================= Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.04) (0.04) (0.02) (0.001) (0.004) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 1.88% 4.47% 3.69% 1.63% 0.15% 0.40% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $118,085 $30,950 $55,892 $66,695 $108,319 $103,681 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.99%(b) 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.97% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.19%(b) 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.19% 1.18% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.72%(b) 4.38% 3.66% 1.61% 0.14% 0.41% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $39,904,395.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ------- -------- ------- ------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.01 0.002 0.004 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000 (0.000) ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.01 0.002 0.004 ============================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.04) (0.03) (0.01) (0.002) (0.004) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.000) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.04) (0.03) (0.01) (0.002) (0.004) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 1.51% 4.26% 3.47% 1.48% 0.11% 0.41% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $71,672 $69,762 $133,700 $77,702 $79,975 $119,660 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.99%(b) 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.98% 0.97% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.18%(b) 1.19% 1.20% 1.20% 1.19% 1.19% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 2.89%(b) 4.16% 3.40% 1.46% 0.09% 0.41% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $73,659,544.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ----------------- ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.002 0.004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 0.00 (0.00) (0.000) 0.000 ============================================================================================================================ Total from investment operations 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.002 0.004 ============================================================================================================================ Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.04) (0.04) (0.02) (0.002) (0.004) ============================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 1.77% 4.40% 3.59% 1.56% 0.15% 0.43% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $85,550 $16,949 $21,889 $4,640 $ 2,839 $ 4,166 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.99%(b) 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.98% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.14%(b) 1.15% 1.16% 1.17% 1.15% 1.15% ============================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.48%(b) 4.31% 3.58% 1.55% 0.16% 0.42% ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $62,146,941.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JUNE 23, 2003 (COMMENCEMENT SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, DATE) TO FEBRUARY 29, ----------------------------------------- AUGUST 31, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------ ------ ------- ------------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.01 0.002(a) 0.004 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.000 0.000 =========================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.04 0.03 0.01 0.002 0.004 =========================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.04) (0.03) (0.01) (0.002) (0.004) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.000) (0.000) =========================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.04) (0.03) (0.01) (0.002) (0.004) =========================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Total return(b) 1.69% 4.30% 3.51% 1.50% 0.15% 0.44% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $15,257 $11,944 $ 438 $ 0 $ 1 $15,794 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.99%(c) 0.99% 0.99% 0.99% 0.92% 0.93%(d) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.23%(c) 1.30% 1.37% 1.41% 1.33% 1.32%(d) =========================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.32%(c) 4.21% 3.44% 1.53% 0.18% 0.41%(d) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =========================================================================================================================== |
(a) Calculated using average shares outstanding.
(b) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(c) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $14,097,466.
(d) Annualized.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESERVE CLASS ---------------------------------------------------------- YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 ---------- ------- ------- ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.004 0.001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.02) (0.03) (0.02) (0.004) (0.001) =================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.38% 2.52% 1.64% 0.38% 0.08% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $60,789 $12,733 $19,052 $ 9,308 $14,030 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.09%(b) 1.09% 1.09% 1.07% 0.98% =================================================================================================================== Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 1.25%(b) 1.25% 1.27% 1.27% 1.27% =================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 2.36%(b) 2.49% 1.62% 0.39% 0.07% ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ =================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $18,328,577.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares and have a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12B-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class other than the
Institutional Class that allows each fund to pay distribution and service fees
to Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and
distribution of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because
each fund pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Reserve Class accounts are as follows:
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reserve Class $10,000 no minimum -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO, GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reserve Class $1,000 no minimum -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA
PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
PURCHASE OPTIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Contact your financial Same Intermediary intermediary. The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston, TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described Call the transfer agent at (800) above. 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK-- Open your account as described Complete an AIM LINK--Registered Registered above. Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the Trademark-- application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary If placing a redemption request through your financial intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will Intermediary be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must generally receive your redemption request before Trademark-- 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption
proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable
procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine
and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be
genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If a fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or a fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, a fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net
asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders for such purchases and redemption orders received by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and (ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds has not adopted any policies and procedures that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must
perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be
able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment
options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will
be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost,
and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there
are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors
expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the
fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor
expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserves the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT
& AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short- term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non- corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the fund's current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-7 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO TREASURY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ------------------ PROSPECTUS ------------------ July 28, 2008 |
RESOURCE CLASSES
Liquid Assets Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
STIC Prime Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Treasury Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government & Agency Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
This prospectus contains important information about the Resource Class shares of the funds. Please read it before investing and keep it for future reference.
As with all other mutual fund securities, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether the information in this prospectus is adequate or accurate. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a crime.
There can be no assurance that the funds will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
An investment in the funds:
- is not FDIC insured;
- may lose value; and
- is not guaranteed by a bank.
RISK/RETURN SUMMARY 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 1 STIC Prime Portfolio 1 Treasury Portfolio 1 Government & Agency Portfolio 2 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 2 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 3 PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Annual Total Returns 3 Performance Table 6 FEE TABLE AND EXPENSE EXAMPLE 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fee Table 6 Expense Example 7 HYPOTHETICAL INVESTMENT AND EXPENSE INFORMATION 7 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 8 STIC Prime Portfolio 9 Treasury Portfolio 9 Government & Agency Portfolio 9 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 10 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 10 RISKS 11 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Liquid Assets Portfolio 11 STIC Prime Portfolio 12 Treasury Portfolio 12 Government & Agency Portfolio 13 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 13 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 13 DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 14 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FUND MANAGEMENT 15 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Advisors 15 Advisor Compensation 15 OTHER INFORMATION 16 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dividends and Distributions 16 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GENERAL INFORMATION A-1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees A-1 Purchasing Shares A-1 Redeeming Shares A-2 Pricing of Shares A-5 Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares A-6 Taxes A-6 OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Back Cover - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
The AIM Family of Funds, AIM and Design, AIM, AIM Funds, AIM Funds and Design, AIM Investments, AIM Investor, AIM Lifetime America, AIM LINK, AIM Institutional Funds, aimfunds.com, La Familia AIM de Fondos, La Familia AIM de Fondos and Design, Invierta con DISCIPLINA, Invest with DISCIPLINE, The AIM College Savings Plan, AIM Solo 401(k), AIM Investments and Design and Your goals. Our solutions. are registered service marks and AIM Bank Connection, AIM Internet Connect, AIM Private Asset Management, AIM Private Asset Management and Design, AIM Stylized and/or Design, AIM Alternative Assets and Design and myaim.com are service marks of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. AIM Trimark is a registered service mark of Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.
No dealer, salesperson or any other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on such other information or representations.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short-term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Securities Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Industry Focus Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund invests in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Industry Focus Risk Interest Rate Risk Municipal Securities Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk Repurchase Agreement Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with
the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities).
The fund also seeks to distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many states.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and yield, are:
Money Market Fund Risk U.S. Government Obligations Risk Interest Rate Risk Management Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt
income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of
liquidity.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for additional information regarding the fund's investment strategies.
Among the principal risks of investing in the fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value, yield and total return are:
Market Risk Credit Risk Foreign Credit Exposure Risk Management Risk Money Market Fund Risk Municipal Securities Risk Derivatives Risk Interest Rate Risk Industry Focus Risk Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk |
Please see "Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks" for a description of these risks.
Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold, and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates. An investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency.
The bar charts and tables shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in each of the funds. A fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of its future performance.
The following bar charts show changes in the performance of each fund's Resource Class shares from year to year. Resource Class shares are not subject to front- end or back-end sales loads.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.40% 1999................................................................................ 5.03% 2000................................................................................ 6.31% 2001................................................................................ 3.97% 2002................................................................................ 1.58% 2003................................................................................ 0.92% 2004................................................................................ 1.12% 2005................................................................................ 3.00% 2006................................................................................ 4.85% 2007................................................................................ 5.07% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.43% 1999................................................................................ 5.04% 2000................................................................................ 6.32% 2001................................................................................ 3.89% 2002................................................................................ 1.51% 2003................................................................................ 0.93% 2004................................................................................ 1.14% 2005................................................................................ 3.06% 2006................................................................................ 4.91% 2007................................................................................ 5.10% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 1998................................................................................ 5.31% 1999................................................................................ 4.83% 2000................................................................................ 6.10% 2001................................................................................ 3.88% 2002................................................................................ 1.55% 2003................................................................................ 0.92% 2004................................................................................ 1.06% 2005................................................................................ 2.88% 2006................................................................................ 4.72% 2007................................................................................ 4.71% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 1999................................................................................ 4.97% 2000................................................................................ 6.28% 2001................................................................................ 3.92% 2002................................................................................ 1.58% 2003................................................................................ 0.94% 2004................................................................................ 1.12% 2005................................................................................ 2.99% 2006................................................................................ 4.81% 2007................................................................................ 4.97% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
YEAR ENDED ANNUAL TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------------ 2000................................................................................ 5.80% 2001................................................................................ 3.78% 2002................................................................................ 1.53% 2003................................................................................ 0.87% 2004................................................................................ 1.07% 2005................................................................................ 2.91% 2006................................................................................ 4.73% 2007................................................................................ 4.87% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
ANNUAL YEAR ENDED TOTAL DECEMBER 31 RETURNS ----------- ------- 2000................................................................................ 3.85% 2001................................................................................ 2.49% 2002................................................................................ 1.15% 2003................................................................................ 0.72% 2004................................................................................ 0.86% 2005................................................................................ 2.06% 2006................................................................................ 3.11% 2007................................................................................ 3.32% |
The year-to-date total return for each fund as of June 30, 2008 was as follows:
FUND ------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Resource Class 1.55% STIC Prime Portfolio--Resource Class 1.45% Treasury Portfolio--Resource Class 1.07% Government & Agency Portfolio--Resource Class 1.36% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Resource Class 1.26% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Resource Class 1.02% ------------------------------------------------------------- |
During the periods shown in the bar charts, the highest quarterly returns and the lowest quarterly returns were as follows:
HIGHEST QUARTERLY RETURN LOWEST QUARTERLY RETURN FUND (QUARTER ENDED) (QUARTER ENDED) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets 1.62% September 30, 2000 and 0.20% September 30, 2003, December 31, 2003, Portfolio--Resource Class December 31, 2000 March 31, 2004, and June 30, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STIC Prime 1.62% September 30, 2000 and 0.19% March 31, 2004 Portfolio--Resource Class December 31, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Treasury Portfolio--Resource 1.58% December 31, 2000 0.19% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Class --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government & Agency 1.62% December 31, 2000 0.20% March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004 Portfolio--Resource Class --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Government TaxAdvantage 1.57% December 31, 2000 0.18% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Resource Class --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve 1.01% December 31, 2000 0.14% September 30, 2003 Portfolio--Resource Class --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
PERFORMANCE TABLE
The following performance table reflects the performance of each fund's Resource
Class shares over the periods indicated.
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SINCE INCEPTION (for the periods ended December 31, 2007) 1 YEAR 5 YEARS 10 YEARS INCEPTION DATE --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio--Resource Class 5.07% 2.97% 3.71% -- 09/23/96 STIC Prime Portfolio--Resource Class 5.10 3.01 3.71 -- 01/16/96 Treasury Portfolio--Resource Class 4.71 2.85 3.58 -- 03/06/96 Government & Agency Portfolio--Resource Class 4.97 2.95 -- 3.55% 09/01/98 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio--Resource Class 4.87 2.88 -- 3.18 12/30/99 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio--Resource Class 3.32 2.01 -- 2.27 04/06/99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
For the current seven-day yield, call (800) 659-1005, option 2.
FEE TABLE
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
Resource Class shares of the funds.
SHAREHOLDER FEES - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (fees paid directly from your ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE investment) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) None None None None None None (Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is less) None None None None None None ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES(1) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIQUID GOVERNMENT & GOVERNMENT TAX-FREE (expenses that are deducted from ASSETS STIC PRIME TREASURY AGENCY TAXADVANTAGE CASH RESERVE fund assets) PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Management Fees 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 0.10% 0.18% 0.21% Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.20 Other Expenses 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.05 0.12 0.04 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses None None None None None None Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.38 0.39 0.39 0.35 0.50 0.45 Fee Waiver(2,3) 0.06 0.11 0.11 0.07 0.22 0.07 Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.32 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.38 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) There is no guarantee that actual expenses will be the same as those shown in the table.
(2) The distributor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009, to waive 0.04% of Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments on Resource Class shares of STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
(3) The funds' advisor has contractually agreed, through at least June 30, 2009,
to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to
limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding certain items
discussed below) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio,
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government
TaxAdvantage Portfolio and 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. In
determining the advisor's obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse
expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account, and could cause
the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected above:
(i) Rule 12b-1 plan fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the funds' Board of Trustees; and (vi) expenses that each fund
has incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset
arrangement. Additionally, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, trustees'
fees and federal registration fees are not taken into account and could
cause the Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses to exceed the number reflected
above. Currently, the only expense offset arrangements from which each fund
benefits are in the form of credits that each fund receives from banks where
each fund or its transfer agent has deposit accounts in which it holds
uninvested cash. Those credits are used to pay certain expenses incurred by
the funds.
If a financial institution is managing your account, you may also be charged a transaction or other fee by such financial institution. Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses. The Statement of Additional Information contains more detailed information about each of the classes of each fund, including information about the Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses of the classes.
EXPENSE EXAMPLE
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the funds
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The expense example assumes you:
(i) invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated;
(ii) redeem all your shares at the end of the periods indicated;
(iii) earn a 5% return on your investment before operating expenses each year;
and
(iv) incur the same amount in operating expenses each year (after giving
effect to any applicable contractual fee waivers and/or expense
reimbursements).
To the extent fees are waived and/or expenses are reimbursed voluntarily, your expenses will be lower. Although your actual returns and costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $33 $116 $207 $475 STIC Prime Portfolio 29 114 208 482 Treasury Portfolio 29 114 208 482 Government & Agency Portfolio 29 105 189 436 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 29 138 258 607 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 39 137 245 560 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The settlement agreement between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its
affiliates and the New York Attorney General requires Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
and certain of its affiliates to provide certain hypothetical information
regarding investment and expense information. The chart below is intended to
reflect the annual and cumulative impact of each fund's expenses, including
investment advisory fees and other fund costs, on each fund's return over a 10-
year period. The example reflects the following:
- You invest $10,000 in a fund and hold it for the entire 10-year period;
- Your investment has a 5% return before expenses each year; and
- Each fund's current annual expense ratio includes any applicable contractual
fee waiver or expense reimbursement for the period committed.
There is no assurance that the annual expense ratio will be the expense ratio for each fund's Resource Class for any of the years shown. To the extent that Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and certain of its affiliates make any fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements pursuant to a voluntary arrangement, your actual expenses may be less. This is only a hypothetical presentation made to illustrate what expenses and returns would be under the above scenarios; your actual returns and expenses are likely to differ (higher or lower) from those shown below.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.32% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.68% 9.52% 14.58% 19.87% 25.41% End of Year Balance $10,468.00 $10,951.62 $11,457.59 $11,986.93 $12,540.72 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 32.75 $ 40.70 $ 42.58 $ 44.54 $ 46.60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.20% 37.26% 43.60% 50.24% 57.18% End of Year Balance $13,120.10 $13,726.25 $14,360.41 $15,023.86 $15,717.96 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 48.76 $ 51.01 $ 53.36 $ 55.83 $ 58.41 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.72% 9.55% 14.60% 19.88% 25.41% End of Year Balance $10,472.00 $10,954.76 $11,459.77 $11,988.07 $12,540.72 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.66 $ 41.78 $ 43.71 $ 45.72 $ 47.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.19% 37.24% 43.56% 50.18% 57.10% End of Year Balance $13,118.85 $13,723.63 $14,356.28 $15,018.11 $15,710.44 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 50.04 $ 52.34 $ 54.76 $ 57.28 $ 59.92 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.72% 9.55% 14.60% 19.88% 25.41% End of Year Balance $10,472.00 $10,954.76 $11,459.77 $11,988.07 $12,540.72 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.66 $ 41.78 $ 43.71 $ 45.72 $ 47.83 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.19% 37.24% 43.56% 50.18% 57.10% End of Year Balance $13,118.85 $13,723.63 $14,356.28 $15,018.11 $15,710.44 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 50.04 $ 52.34 $ 54.76 $ 57.28 $ 59.92 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.72% 9.59% 14.69% 20.02% 25.60% End of Year Balance $10,472.00 $10,958.95 $11,468.54 $12,001.83 $12,559.91 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.66 $ 37.50 $ 39.25 $ 41.07 $ 42.98 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% 0.35% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 31.44% 37.55% 43.95% 50.64% 57.65% End of Year Balance $13,143.95 $13,755.14 $14,394.75 $15,064.11 $15,764.59 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 44.98 $ 47.07 $ 49.26 $ 51.55 $ 53.95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.28% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.72% 9.43% 14.36% 19.50% 24.88% End of Year Balance $10,472.00 $10,943.24 $11,435.69 $11,950.29 $12,488.05 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 28.66 $ 53.54 $ 55.95 $ 58.46 $ 61.10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 30.50% 36.37% 42.51% 48.92% 55.62% End of Year Balance $13,050.02 $13,637.27 $14,250.95 $14,892.24 $15,562.39 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 63.85 $ 66.72 $ 69.72 $ 72.86 $ 76.14 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3 YEAR 4 YEAR 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.38% 0.45% 0.45% 0.45% 0.45% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 5.00% 10.25% 15.76% 21.55% 27.63% Cumulative Return After Expenses 4.62% 9.38% 14.36% 19.56% 25.00% End of Year Balance $10,462.00 $10,938.02 $11,435.70 $11,956.03 $12,500.02 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 38.88 $ 48.15 $ 50.34 $ 52.63 $ 55.03 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS YEAR 6 YEAR 7 YEAR 8 YEAR 9 YEAR 10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Annual Expense Ratio(1) 0.45% 0.45% 0.45% 0.45% 0.45% Cumulative Return Before Expenses 34.01% 40.71% 47.75% 55.13% 62.89% Cumulative Return After Expenses 30.69% 36.63% 42.85% 49.35% 56.15% End of Year Balance $13,068.78 $13,663.40 $14,285.09 $14,935.06 $15,614.61 Estimated Annual Expenses $ 57.53 $ 60.15 $ 62.88 $ 65.75 $ 68.74 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
(1) Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.
OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund invests primarily in high-quality U.S. dollar-denominated short- term debt obligations, including: (i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from U.S. or foreign banks; (iii) repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi) master notes.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities. The fund may also invest in securities, whether or not considered foreign securities, which carry foreign credit exposure.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing in high-quality U.S.
dollar denominated obligations with maturities of 60 days or less, including:
(i) securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies; (ii) bankers'
acceptances, certificates of deposit, and time deposits from banks; (iii)
repurchase agreements; (iv) commercial paper; (v) municipal securities; and (vi)
master notes.
The fund may purchase delayed delivery and when-issued securities that have a maturity of up to 75 days, calculated from trade date. The fund normally maintains a weighted average maturity of 40 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. At the present time, the fund has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, including bills, notes and bonds, and repurchase agreements secured by those obligations.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that offer favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when any of the factors above materially change.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury and other securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its
agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities), as well as repurchase
agreements secured by those obligations. Agency securities may be supported by
(1) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer
to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S.
Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or
(4) the credit of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund
has no current intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations
of the U.S. Treasury and other securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities
(agency securities), as well as repurchase agreements secured by those
obligations.
The fund maintains a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to maximize current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of
its assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, which include Treasury
bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal
and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies or instrumentalities
(agency securities). Agency securities may be supported by (1) the full faith
and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (2) the right of the issuer to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury; (3) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to
purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; or (4) the credit
of the agency or instrumentality. At the present time, the fund has no current
intention to invest in securities other than direct obligations of the U.S.
Treasury, which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities
issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by
its agencies or instrumentalities (agency securities). The fund also seeks to
distribute dividends that are exempt from state and local taxation in many
states. Shares of the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio are intended to qualify
as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to
Section 107(7), 107(8) and 107(15) of the Federal Credit Union Act, Part 703 of
the National Credit Union Administration ("NCUA") Rules and Regulations and NCUA
Letter Number 155.
The fund will maintain a weighted average maturity of 90 days or less.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds regarding the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for current income consistent with the preservation of capital and the maintenance of liquidity.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The fund's investment objective is to provide as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The fund's investment objective may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.
The fund seeks to meet its investment objective by investing, normally, at least 80% of its assets in debt securities, the interest of which is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and does not constitute an item of preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax.
The fund invests in accordance with industry-standard requirements for money market funds for the quality, maturity and diversification of investments.
The fund primarily invests in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies, issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Synthetic municipal securities, which include variable rate instruments that are created when fixed rate bonds are coupled with a third party tender feature and variable tender fees, are treated as municipal securities. The securities held by the fund may be structured with demand features that have the effect of shortening the security's maturity and may have credit and liquidity enhancements provided by banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions.
The fund's investments in the types of securities described in this prospectus vary from time to time, and, at any time, the fund may not be invested in all types of securities described in this prospectus. Any percentage limitations with respect to assets of the fund are applied at the time of purchase.
In selecting securities for the fund's portfolio, the portfolio managers focus on securities that have favorable prospects for providing as high a level of tax-exempt income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. The portfolio structure is driven to some extent by the supply and availability of municipal obligations. The portfolio managers manage liquidity by trading in daily and weekly variable-rate demand notes.
The portfolio managers normally hold portfolio securities to maturity, but may sell a particular security when they deem it advisable, such as when market or credit factors materially change.
RISKS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Foreign Securities Risk--The dollar value of the fund's foreign investments will be affected by changes in the exchange rates between the dollar and the currencies in which those investments are traded. The value of the fund's foreign investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability in their home countries, by changes in economic or taxation policies in those countries, or by the difficulty in enforcing obligations in those countries. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls. As a result, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies than about U.S. companies. Trading in many foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities due to the size of the market or other factors. Foreign withholding taxes may reduce the amount of income available to distribute to fund shareholders.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers whose securities are owned by the fund; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and currency and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--Credit risk is the risk of loss on an investment due to the deterioration of an issuer's financial health. Such a deterioration of financial health may result in a reduction of the credit rating of the issuer's securities and may lead to the issuer's inability to honor its contractual obligations including making timely payment of interest and principal. Credit ratings are a measure of credit quality. Although a downgrade or upgrade of a bond's credit ratings may or may not affect its price, a decline in credit quality may make bonds less attractive, thereby driving up the yield on the bond and driving down the price. Declines in credit quality can result in bankruptcy for the issuer and permanent loss of investment.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund may invest in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Industry Focus Risk--To the extent that the fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by companies in the banking and financial services industries, the fund's performance will depend to a greater extent on the overall condition of those industries. Financial services companies are highly dependent on the supply of short-term financing. The value of securities of issuers in the banking and financial services industry can be sensitive to changes in government regulation and interest rates and to economic downturns in the United States and abroad.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Repurchase Agreement Risk--The fund enters into repurchase agreements. If the seller of a repurchase agreement in which the fund invests defaults on its obligation or declares bankruptcy, the fund may experience delays in selling the securities underlying the repurchase agreement. As a result, the fund may incur losses arising from a decline in the value of those securities, reduced levels of income and expenses of enforcing its rights.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
U.S. Government Obligations Risk--The fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. These obligations vary in the level of support they receive from the U.S. Government. They may be: (i) supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association; (ii) supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association; (iii) supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligation, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association; or (iv) supported only by the credit of the issuer, such as those of the Federal Farm Credit Bureau. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to the U.S. Government sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so, in which case, if the issuer defaulted, the fund holding securities of such issuer might not be able to recover its investment from the U.S. Government.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio managers will produce the desired results.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The principal risks of investing in the fund are:
Market Risk--The prices of and the income generated by securities held by the fund may decline in response to certain events, including those directly involving the issuers, or in the case of industrial development revenue bonds, the company for whose benefit the bonds are being issued; general economic and market conditions; regional or global economic instability; and interest rate fluctuations.
Money Market Fund Risk--The fund is a money market fund, and an investment in the fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Although the fund seeks to preserve the value of an investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the fund. Additionally, the fund's yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature or are sold and the proceeds are reinvested in other securities.
Interest Rate Risk--Interest rate risk refers to the risk that bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise; conversely, bond prices generally rise as interest rates fall. Specific bonds differ in their sensitivity to changes in interest rates depending on specific characteristics of each bond.
Credit Risk--There is a possibility that the issuers of instruments in which the fund invests will be unable to meet interest payments or repay principal. Changes in the financial strength of an issuer may reduce the credit rating of its securities and may decrease their value. Changes in the credit quality of financial institutions providing liquidity and credit enhancements could cause the fund to experience a loss and may effect its share price.
Municipal Securities Risk--The value of, payment of interest and repayment of principal with respect to, and the ability of the fund to sell, a municipal security may be affected by constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations and voter initiatives as well as the economics of the regions in which the issuers in which the fund invests are located. Revenue bonds are generally not backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. To the extent that a municipal security in which the fund invests is not heavily followed by the investment community or such security issue is relatively small, the security may be difficult to value or sell at a fair price.
Industry Focus Risk--Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal securities market and the fund. Moreover, sizeable investments in securities issued to finance similar projects could involve an increased risk to the fund if economic or other factors adversely effect the viability of these projects.
Foreign Credit Exposure Risk--U.S. dollar denominated securities which carry foreign credit exposure may be affected by unfavorable political, economic or governmental developments that could affect the repayment of principal or the payment of interest.
Derivatives Risk--The value of "derivatives" or "synthetics"--so-called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset (including an underlying security), reference rate or index--may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. For some derivatives, it is possible to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative. Derivatives may be used to create synthetic exposure to an underlying asset or to hedge portfolio risk. If the fund uses derivatives to "hedge" a portfolio risk, it is possible that the hedge may not succeed. This may happen for various reasons, including unexpected changes in the value of the rest of the fund's portfolio. Over the counter derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the fund.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk--The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on synthetic municipal securities is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. The Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on this issue and could deem income derived from synthetic municipal securities to be taxable.
Management Risk--There is no guarantee that the investment techniques and risk analyses used by the fund's portfolio manager(s) will produce the desired results.
Each fund makes available to institutions that maintain accounts with the funds, beneficial owners of the fund's shares and prospective investors (collectively, Qualified Persons) information regarding the funds' portfolio holdings as detailed below. Each fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed on a regular basis in its semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders, and on Form N-Q, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) within 60 days of the fund's first and third fiscal quarter-ends. In addition, portfolio holdings information for each fund is available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. To locate each fund's portfolio holdings information, access the fund's overview page, and links to the following fund information will be found in the upper right side of this website page:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION REMAINS INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity Next business day Until posting of the following information; thirty-day, seven- business day's information day and one-day yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal month-end and information derived quarter holdings for the months from holdings included in the fiscal quarter ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
A description of each fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio holdings is available in the fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available to Qualified Persons at http://www.invescoaim.com.
THE ADVISORS
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the advisor or Invesco Aim) serves as the funds' investment advisor and manages the investment operations of the funds and has agreed to perform or arrange for the performance of the funds' day-to-day management. The advisor is located at 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. The advisor has acted as an investment advisor since its organization in 1976. Today, the advisor, together with its subsidiaries, advises or manages over 225 investment portfolios, including the funds, encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Investment decisions for the funds are made by the investment management team at Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Institutional).
The following affiliates of the advisor (collectively, the affiliated sub- advisors) serve as sub-advisors to the funds and may be appointed by the advisor from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the funds:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH (Invesco Deutschland), located at Bleichstrasse 60-62, Frankfurt, Germany 60313, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1998.
Invesco Asset Management Limited (Invesco Asset Management), located at 30 Finsbury Square, London, EC2A 1AG, United Kingdom, which has acted as an investment advisor since 2001.
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited (Invesco Japan), located at 25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower, 3-1, Toranomon 4-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6025, Japan, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1996.
Invesco Australia Limited (Invesco Australia), located at 333 Collins Street, Level 26, Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1983.
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (Invesco Global), located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1997.
Invesco Hong Kong Limited (Invesco Hong Kong), located at 32nd Floor, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen's Road East, Hong Kong, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994.
Invesco Institutional, located at One Midtown Plaza, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1988.
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (Invesco Senior Secured), located at 1166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1992.
AIM Funds Management Inc. (AFMI), located at 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2N 6X7, which has acted as an investment advisor since 1994. AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008.
Civil lawsuits, including a regulatory proceeding and purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against certain AIM funds, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (IFG) (the former investment advisor to certain AIM funds), Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (Invesco Aim Distributors) (the distributor of the AIM funds) and/or related entities and individuals, depending on the lawsuit, alleging among other things: (i) that the defendants permitted improper market timing and related activity in the funds; and (ii) that certain funds inadequately employed fair value pricing.
Additional civil lawsuits related to the above or other matters may be filed by regulators or private litigants against AIM funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and/or related entities and individuals in the future. You can find more detailed information concerning all of the above matters, including the parties to the civil lawsuits and summaries of the various allegations and remedies sought in such lawsuits in the funds' Statement of Additional Information.
As a result of the matters discussed above, investors in the AIM funds might react by redeeming their investments. This might require the funds to sell investments to provide for sufficient liquidity and could also have an adverse effect on the investment performance of the funds.
ADVISOR COMPENSATION
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the advisor received compensation after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at the following rates:
ANNUAL RATE (AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE DAILY FUND NET ASSETS) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Liquid Assets Portfolio 0.09% STIC Prime Portfolio 0.08% Treasury Portfolio 0.08% Government & Agency Portfolio 0.07% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio -- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio 0.18% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
The advisor, the distributor, or one of their affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries for marketing support and/or administrative support. These marketing support payments and administrative support payments are in addition to the payments by each fund described in this prospectus. Because they are not paid by a fund, these marketing support payments and administrative support payments will not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a fund's shares or the amount that each fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. In certain cases these cash payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries. These cash payments may also create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of a fund to its customers. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments it or its firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to each fund. Also, please see the fund's Statement of Additional Information for more information on these types of payments.
Invesco Aim, not the funds, pays sub-advisory fees, if any.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of each fund is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the six-month period ended September 30.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the sub-advisory agreements of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is available in the fund's most recent report to shareholders for the twelve-month period ended March 31.
Investors in the funds have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of diversification, economies of scale and same-day liquidity.
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund expects that its distributions, if any, will consist primarily of income (most of which, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, is expected to be exempt from federal income taxes).
DIVIDENDS
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Each fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of each fund as of 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If fund closes early on a business day, such fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase order have been accepted by a fund prior to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that a fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of a fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The fund generally declares dividends on each business day and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the fund's business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the fund as of 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the fund will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the fund prior to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the fund closes early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the fund will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The funds generally declare dividends on each business day and pay dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. See "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" for a description of the funds' business days. Dividends are paid on settled shares of the funds as of 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If the funds close early on a business day, the funds will pay dividends on settled shares at such earlier closing time. Generally, shareholders whose purchase orders have been accepted by the funds prior to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, or an earlier close time on any day that the funds close early, and shareholders whose redemption proceeds have not been wired to them on any business day are eligible to receive dividends on that business day. The dividend declared on any day preceding a non-business day or days of the funds will include the net income accrued on such non-business day or days. Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash.
CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS
Each fund generally distributes net realized capital gains (including net short- term capital gains), if any, annually, but may declare and pay capital gains distributions more than once per year as permitted by law. The funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each fund's financial performance of the Resource Class. Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share.
The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each of the funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The six month period ended February 29, 2008 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government Tax-Advantage Portfolio was unaudited. The information for the fiscal years ended 2007, 2006 and 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the fiscal years 2008, 2007 and 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with each fund's financial statements, is included in the fund's annual report, which is available upon request. Information prior to fiscal year 2005 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and prior to fiscal year 2006 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was audited by other independent registered public accountants.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ---------- ---------- -------- -------- ---------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) 0.00 ================================================================================================================================== Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ================================================================================================================================== Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- (0.00) -- -- -- ================================================================================================================================== Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================================== Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Total return(a) 2.27% 5.16% 4.36% 2.29% 0.85% 1.12% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $890,921 $1,128,499 $1,089,107 $902,832 $952,193 $1,239,380 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.32%(b) 0.32% 0.32% 0.32% 0.32% 0.31% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.38%(b) 0.38% 0.38% 0.39% 0.38% 0.37% ================================================================================================================================== Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.51%(b) 5.05% 4.30% 2.24% 0.84% 1.14% __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================================== |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $925,098,728.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ----------------------------------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 -- -- -- (0.00) -- ============================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ============================================================================================================================= Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ============================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.24% 5.21% 4.42% 2.35% 0.86% 1.11% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $519,633 $570,226 $325,328 $271,872 $151,783 $88,259 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.26% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.39%(b) 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.39% 0.38% ============================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.43%(b) 5.09% 4.37% 2.32% 0.85% 1.12% _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $551,265,207.
TREASURY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 (0.00) ========================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ========================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains (0.00) -- -- (0.00) (0.00) -- ========================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 1.87% 5.00% 4.21% 2.21% 0.82% 1.12% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $514,359 $375,750 $352,874 $301,176 $337,798 $624,053 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.27% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.38%(b) 0.39% 0.40% 0.40% 0.39% 0.39% ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.60%(b) 4.87% 4.11% 2.17% 0.79% 1.11% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $463,427,207.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains (losses) on securities (both realized and unrealized) -- 0.00 (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) 0.00 ========================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ========================================================================================================================= Less dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ========================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.13% 5.14% 4.32% 2.28% 0.87% 1.13% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $308,684 $297,561 $293,839 $230,735 $387,168 $371,428 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.34%(b) 0.35% 0.36% 0.37% 0.35% 0.35% ========================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.19%(b) 5.02% 4.29% 2.26% 0.87% 1.12% _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ========================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $288,345,498.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIX MONTHS ENDED YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, FEBRUARY 29, ------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 ---------------- ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Net gains on securities (both realized and unrealized) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 ======================================================================================================================= Total from investment operations 0.02 0.05 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.01 ======================================================================================================================= Less distributions: Dividends from net investment income (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions from net realized gains -- -- -- -- (0.00) (0.00) ======================================================================================================================= Total distributions (0.02) (0.05) (0.04) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ======================================================================================================================= Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Total return(a) 2.05% 5.04% 4.24% 2.22% 0.83% 1.08% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $101,348 $53,228 $25,859 $6,906 $10,557 $15,236 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.28%(b) 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.28% 0.29% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.43%(b) 0.50% 0.57% 0.61% 0.53% 0.53% ======================================================================================================================= Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 4.03%(b) 4.92% 4.15% 2.24% 0.82% 1.05% _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ======================================================================================================================= |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and is not annualized for periods less than one year.
(b) Ratios are annualized and based on average daily net assets of $76,382,198.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO -- RESOURCE CLASS ------------------------------------------------------------ YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, ------------------------------------------------------------ 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- Net asset value, beginning of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income from investment operations: Net investment income 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Less distributions from net investment income (0.03) (0.03) (0.02) (0.01) (0.01) ================================================================================================================ Net asset value, end of period $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 $ 1.00 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Total return(a) 3.11% 3.24% 2.37% 1.08% 0.68% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Ratios/supplemental data: Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) $242,372 $381,047 $341,384 $289,621 $299,205 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ Ratio of expenses to average net assets: With fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.38%(b) 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% 0.38% ================================================================================================================ Without fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements 0.45%(b) 0.45% 0.47% 0.47% 0.47% ================================================================================================================ Ratio of net investment income to average net assets 3.07%(b) 3.20% 2.33% 1.08% 0.67% ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================================================ |
(a) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
(b) Ratios are based on average daily net assets of $261,720,679.
Each fund consists of seven classes of shares that share a common investment objective and portfolio of investments. The seven classes differ only with respect to distribution arrangements and any applicable associated Rule 12b-1 fees and expenses.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12B-1) FEES
Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan with respect to each class other than the
Institutional Class that allows the fund to pay distribution and service fees to
Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (the distributor) for the sale and distribution
of its shares and fees for services provided to investors. Because each fund
pays these fees out of its 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 sales charges.
PURCHASING SHARES
MINIMUM INVESTMENTS PER FUND ACCOUNT
The minimum investments for Resource Class accounts are as follows:
INITIAL ADDITIONAL CLASS INVESTMENTS* INVESTMENTS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resource Class $1,000,000 no minimum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
* An intermediary may aggregate its master accounts and subaccounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If a fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM funds verify and record your identifying information.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. Unless the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent will generally accept any purchase order placed until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day and may accept a purchase order placed until 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day. If you wish to place an order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day, you must place such order by telephone; however, the transfer agent reserves the right to reject or limit the amount of orders placed during this time. If the fund closes early on a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order prior to such closing time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the AIM fund verify and record your identifying information.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
You may purchase shares using one of the options below. The transfer agent must generally receive your purchase order before 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the purchase at that day's closing price. If attempting to place a purchase order between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, you must call or send your request by a pre-arranged AIM LINK data transmission to the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the purchase order at that day's closing price. If the fund closes early on
a business day, the transfer agent must receive your purchase order at such earlier time. Purchase orders will not be processed unless the account application and purchase payment are received in good order. In accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act, if you fail to provide all the required information requested in the current account application, your purchase order will not be processed. Additionally, Federal law requires that the fund verify and record your identifying information.
OPENING AN ACCOUNT ADDING TO AN ACCOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Through a Financial Intermediary Contact your financial intermediary. Same The financial intermediary should forward your completed account application to the transfer agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. P.O. Box 0843 Houston TX 77001-0843 The financial intermediary should call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 to receive an account number. Then, the intermediary should use the following wire instructions: The Bank of New York ABA/Routing #: 021000018 DDA: 8900118377 Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. For Further Credit to Your Account # If you do not know your account # or settle on behalf of multiple accounts, please contact the transfer agent for assistance. By Telephone Open your account as described above. Call the transfer agent at (800) 659-1005 and wire payment for your purchase order in accordance with the wire instructions noted above. By AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- Open your account as described above. Complete an AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- Agreement. Mail the application and agreement to the transfer agent. Once your request for this option has been processed, you may place your order via AIM LINK. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AUTOMATIC DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTION INVESTMENT
All of your dividends and distributions may be paid in cash or invested in the same fund at net asset value. Unless you specify otherwise, your dividends and distributions will automatically be reinvested in the same fund in the form of full and fractional shares at net asset value.
REDEEMING SHARES
REDEMPTION FEES
We will not charge you any fees to redeem your shares. Your broker or financial intermediary may charge service fees for handling redemption transactions.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 5:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 4:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial If placing a redemption request through your financial Intermediary intermediary, redemption proceeds will be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day in order to effect the redemption on that day. If the financial intermediary wishes to place a redemption order between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day it must do so by telephone. By Telephone If placing a redemption request by telephone, you or any person authorized to make account transactions, must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the redemption transaction on that day. By AIM LINK-- If placing a redemption request through AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must receive your redemption request before 3:00 p.m. Trademark-- Eastern Standard Time on a business day to effect the transaction on that day. |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
Through a Financial Contact your financial intermediary. Redemption proceeds will Intermediary be transmitted electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. The transfer agent must receive your financial intermediary's instructions before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By Telephone A person who has been authorized to make transactions in the account application may make redemptions by telephone. You must call the transfer agent before 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. By AIM LINK-- If you place your redemption request via AIM LINK, the transfer Registered agent must generally receive your redemption request before Trademark-- 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in order to effect the redemption at that day's closing price. Redemption orders of shares placed between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time must be transmitted by telephone or a pre-arranged data transmission. |
PAYMENT OF REDEMPTION PROCEEDS
All redemption orders are processed at the net asset value next determined after the transfer agent receives a redemption order.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 5:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 5:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of each fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If a fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, a fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 4:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 4:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and the size of redemption, for a redemption request received
by the transfer agent between 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid by wire transfer on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
We will normally wire payment for redemptions received prior to 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time on the same day. However, depending on such factors as
market liquidity and size of redemption, for a redemption request received by
the transfer agent between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, proceeds may not be wired until the next business day. If
the transfer agent receives a redemption request on a business day after 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the redemption will be effected at the net asset
value of the fund determined on the next business day, and the transfer agent
will normally wire redemption proceeds on such next business day.
If the fund exercises its discretion to close early on a business day, as described in the "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders" section of this prospectus, the fund may not provide same-day settlement of redemption orders.
If proceeds are not wired on the same day, shareholders will normally accrue dividends until the day the proceeds are wired. Dividends payable up to the date of redemption on redeemed shares will normally be paid on the next dividend payment date. However, if all of the shares in your account were redeemed, you may request that dividends payable up to the date of redemption accompany the proceeds of the redemption.
REDEMPTIONS BY TELEPHONE
If you redeem by telephone, we will transmit the amount of the redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We use reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine and are not liable for telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY AIM LINK--REGISTERED TRADEMARK--
If you redeem via AIM LINK, we will transmit your redemption proceeds electronically to your pre-authorized bank account. We are not liable for AIM LINK instructions that are not genuine.
REDEMPTIONS BY THE FUNDS
If a fund determines that you have not provided a correct Social Security or other tax ID number on your account application, or the fund is not able to verify your identity as required by law, the fund may, at its discretion, redeem the account and distribute the proceeds to you.
PRICING OF SHARES
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
The price of the fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. The fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If the fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
The fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO AND TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
The price of each fund's shares is the fund's net asset value per share. Each fund determines the net asset value of its shares every fifteen minutes throughout each business day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The last net asset value determination on a business day will generally occur at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
If a fund closes early on a business day, as described below under "Pricing of Shares--Timing of Orders", the last net asset value calculation will occur as of the time of such closing.
Each fund values portfolio securities on the basis of amortized cost, which approximates market value.
TIMING OF ORDERS
Each fund prices purchase and redemption orders on each business day at the net asset value calculated after the transfer agent receives an order in good form.
A business day is any day that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and The Bank of New York, the funds' custodian, are open for business. Each fund is authorized not to open for trading on a day that is otherwise a business day if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) recommends that government securities dealers not open for trading; any such day will not be considered a business day. Each fund also may close early on a business day if the SIFMA recommends that government securities dealers close early.
If the financial intermediary through which you place purchase and redemption orders, places its orders to the transfer agent through the NSCC, the transfer agent may not receive those orders until the next business day after the order has been entered into the NSCC.
Each fund may postpone the right of redemption under unusual circumstances, as allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as when the New York Stock Exchange restricts or suspends trading.
Each fund reserves the right to change the time for which purchase and redemption orders must be submitted to and received by the transfer agent for execution on the same day.
During the thirty-minute period between the last three net asset value determinations, Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may, in their discretion, limit or refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day payment of redemption proceeds.
During the period between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and 3:30 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may, in its discretion,
refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same-day settlement of
redemption orders. On days that the fund closes early, the fund may, in its
discretion, refuse to accept purchase orders and may not provide same day
settlement of redemption orders for such purchase and redemption orders received
by the transfer agent (i) if the fund closes after 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, between 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and the time the fund closes, and
(ii) if the fund closes on or before 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, during
the thirty minute period prior to the last net asset value determination.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES
The Board of the funds has not adopted any policies and procedures, that would
limit frequent purchases and redemptions of the funds' shares. The Board does
not believe that it is appropriate to adopt any such policies and procedures for
the following reasons:
- Each fund is offered to investors as a cash management vehicle. Investors must
perceive an investment in such fund as an alternative to cash, and must be
able to purchase and redeem shares regularly and frequently.
- One of the advantages of a money market fund as compared to other investment
options is liquidity. Any policy that diminishes the liquidity of a fund will
be detrimental to the continuing operations of the fund.
- Each fund's portfolio securities are valued on the basis of amortized cost,
and the fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value. As a result, there
are no price arbitrage opportunities.
- Because each fund seeks to maintain a constant net asset value, investors
expect to receive upon redemption the amount they originally invested in the
fund. Imposition of redemption fees would run contrary to investor
expectations.
The Board considered the risks of not having a specific policy that limits frequent purchases and redemptions, and it determined that those risks are minimal, especially in light of the reasons for not having such a policy as described above. Nonetheless, to the extent that each fund must maintain additional cash and/or securities with shorter-term durations than may otherwise be required, the fund's yield could be negatively impacted.
Each fund and its agent reserve the right at any time to reject or cancel any part of any purchase order. This could occur if each fund determines that such purchase may disrupt the fund's operation or performance.
TAXES
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO, TREASURY PORTFOLIO AND GOVERNMENT
& AGENCY PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from each fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the funds are money market funds, no fund anticipates realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the dividends paid by a fund will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax adviser before investing in a fund.
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
- Distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- None of the fund's dividends will qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders or as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because the fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- Fund distributions and gains from sale or exchange of your fund shares generally are subject to state and local income taxes. However, you will not be required to include the portion of dividends paid by the fund derived from interest on federal obligations in your gross income for purposes of personal and, in some cases, corporate income taxes in many state and local tax jurisdictions. The percentage of dividends that constitutes dividends derived from interest on federal obligations will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of interest received by the fund on federal obligations for the particular days on which you hold shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
In general, if you are a taxable investor, dividends and distributions you receive are taxable to you as tax-exempt interest (exempt-interest dividends) or ordinary income (ordinary income dividends) for federal income tax purposes. This is true whether you reinvest distributions in
additional fund shares or take them in cash. Every year, you will be sent information showing the amount of dividends and distributions you received from the fund during the prior year. In addition, investors should be aware of the following basic tax points:
Exempt-Interest Dividends:
- You will not be required to include the "exempt-interest" portion of dividends paid by the fund in your gross income for federal income tax purposes. You will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends and other tax-exempt interest on your federal income tax return. Because of these tax exemptions, a tax-free fund may not be a suitable investment for retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors.
- The fund may invest in municipal securities the interest on which constitutes an item of tax preference and could give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax liability for you.
- Exempt-interest dividends from the fund are taken into account when determining the taxable portion of your social security or railroad retirement benefits, may be subject to state and local income taxes, may affect the deductibility of interest on certain indebtedness, and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences for you.
- The percentage of dividends that constitutes exempt-interest dividends will be determined annually. This percentage may differ from the actual percentage of exempt interest received by the fund for the particular days in which you hold shares.
Ordinary Income Dividends:
- The fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities that pay income that is not tax-exempt. The fund also may distribute to you any net short-term capital gains from the sale of its portfolio securities. If you are a taxable investor, fund distributions from this income are taxable to you as ordinary income, and generally will neither qualify for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders nor as qualified dividend income subject to reduced rates of taxation in the case of non-corporate shareholders.
- Because the fund is a money market fund, it does not anticipate realizing any long-term capital gains.
- Distributions declared to shareholders with a record date in December--if paid to you by the end of January--are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received in December.
Other Tax Considerations:
- Any long-term or short-term capital gains realized from redemptions of fund shares will be subject to federal income tax. For tax purposes, an exchange of your shares for shares of another fund is the same as a sale. Because each fund expects to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share, investors should not have any gain or loss on sale or exchange of fund shares.
- By law, if you do not provide a fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications, you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your shares. A fund also must withhold if the IRS instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
- From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that would have the effect of reducing or eliminating the federal tax exemption on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of the fund to pay exempt-interest dividends might be adversely affected.
- Foreign investors should be aware that U.S. withholding, special certification requirements to avoid U.S. backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits and estate taxes may apply to an investment in a fund.
You should consult your tax advisor before investing in the fund.
OBTAINING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information may be obtained free of charge upon request. The Statement of Additional Information (SAI), a current version of which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), contains more details about each fund and is incorporated by reference into the prospectus (is legally a part of this prospectus). Annual and semiannual reports to shareholders contain additional information about the funds' investments. Each fund's annual report also discusses the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected such fund's performance during its last fiscal year. Each fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the 1st and 3rd quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Each fund's most recent portfolio holdings, as filed on Form N-Q, are also available at http://www.invescoaim.com.
If you have questions about the funds, another fund in The AIM Family of Funds-- Registered Trademark-- or your account, or wish to obtain free copies of the fund's current SAI or annual or semiannual reports, please contact us by mail at Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 0843, Houston, TX 77001-0843, or,
BY TELEPHONE: (800) 659-1005 ON THE INTERNET: You can send us a request by e-mail or download prospectuses, annual or semiannual reports via our website: http://www.invescoaim.com |
You also can review and obtain copies of each fund's SAI, financial reports, each fund's Forms N-Q and other information at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC; on the EDGAR database on the SEC's Internet website (http://www.sec.gov); or, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending a letter to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102 or by sending an electronic mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov. Please call the SEC at 1-202-942- 8090 for information about the Public Reference Room.
invescoaim.com STIT-PRO-4 [INVESCO AIM LOGO APPEARS HERE] --Service Mark-- |
STATEMENT OF
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
11 GREENWAY PLAZA
SUITE 100
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77046-1173
(800) 659-1005
THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATES TO EACH PORTFOLIO (EACH A "PORTFOLIO", COLLECTIVELY THE "PORTFOLIOS") OF SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST LISTED BELOW. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT A PROSPECTUS, AND IT SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PROSPECTUSES FOR THE PORTFOLIOS LISTED BELOW. PORTIONS OF EACH PORTFOLIO'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE INCORPORATED INTO THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY REFERENCE TO SUCH PORTFOLIO'S MOST RECENT ANNUAL REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS. YOU MAY OBTAIN, WITHOUT CHARGE, A COPY OF ANY PROSPECTUS AND/OR ANNUAL REPORT FOR ANY PORTFOLIO LISTED BELOW BY WRITING TO:
INVESCO AIM INVESTMENT SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 0843
HOUSTON, TEXAS 77001-0843
OR BY CALLING (800) 659-1005
OR ON THE INTERNET: www.invescoaim.com
THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, DATED JULY 28, 2008, RELATES TO THE CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS, CORPORATE CLASS, INSTITUTIONAL CLASS, PERSONAL INVESTMENT CLASS, PRIVATE INVESTMENT CLASS, RESERVE CLASS AND RESOURCE CLASS OF THE FOLLOWING PROSPECTUSES:
PORTFOLIO DATED --------------------------------- ------------- LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 TREASURY PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO JULY 28, 2008 |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE ---- GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST...................................... 1 Portfolio History..................................................... 1 Shares of Beneficial Interest......................................... 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIOS AND THEIR INVESTMENTS AND RISKS............ 3 Classification........................................................ 3 Rule 2a-7 Requirements................................................ 3 Investment Strategies and Risks....................................... 4 Investment Types...................................................... 4 Investment Techniques............................................. 10 Portfolio Policies.................................................... 13 Temporary Defensive Position.......................................... 15 Policies and Procedures for Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.......... 15 MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST.................................................. 18 Board of Trustees..................................................... 18 Management Information................................................ 19 Trustee Ownership of Portfolio Shares.............................. 22 Compensation.......................................................... 22 Retirement Plan For Trustees....................................... 23 Deferred Compensation Agreements................................... 23 Code of Ethics........................................................ 23 Proxy Voting Policies................................................. 24 CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES...................... 24 INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES................................... 24 Investment Advisor.................................................... 24 Investment Sub-Advisors............................................... 26 Marketing Support and Administrative Support Payments................. 26 Service Agreements.................................................... 27 Other Service Providers............................................... 27 BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES................................. 28 Brokerage Transactions................................................ 28 Commissions........................................................... 29 Broker Selection...................................................... 29 Regular Brokers....................................................... 32 Allocation of Portfolio Transactions.................................. 33 PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES............................... 33 Purchase and Redemption of Shares..................................... 33 Offering Price........................................................ 34 Calculation of Net Asset Value..................................... 34 Redemptions in Kind................................................... 34 Backup Withholding.................................................... 34 DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX MATTERS................................. 35 Dividends and Distributions........................................... 35 Tax Matters........................................................... 36 DISTRIBUTION OF SECURITIES............................................... 41 Distribution Plan..................................................... 41 Distributor........................................................... 43 |
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..................................................... 44 PENDING LITIGATION....................................................... 44 APPENDICES: RATINGS OF DEBT SECURITIES............................................... A-1 PERSONS TO WHOM INVESCO AIM PROVIDES NON-PUBLIC PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS ON AN ONGOING BASIS......................................................... B-1 TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS.................................................... C-1 TRUSTEE COMPENSATION TABLE............................................... D-1 PROXY VOTING POLICIES.................................................... E-1 CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES...................... F-1 MANAGEMENT FEES.......................................................... G-1 CERTAIN FINANCIAL ADVISORS THAT RECEIVE ONE OR MORE TYPES OF PAYMENTS.... H-1 ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FEES............................................. I-1 PURCHASES OF SECURITIES OF REGULAR BROKERS OR DEALERS.................... J-1 AMOUNTS PAID TO INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC. PURSUANT TO DISTRIBUTION PLANS................................................................. K-1 ALLOCATION OF ACTUAL FEES PAID PURSUANT TO DISTRIBUTION PLAN............. L-1 PENDING LITIGATION....................................................... M-1 |
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST
PORTFOLIO HISTORY
Short-Term Investments Trust (the "Trust") is a Delaware statutory trust and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end series management investment company. The Trust currently consists of six separate portfolios: Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio (each a "portfolio" and collectively, the "Portfolios"). Under the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, dated September 14, 2005, as amended (the "Trust Agreement"), the Board of Trustees (the "Board") is authorized to create new series of shares without the necessity of a vote of shareholders of the Trust.
The Trust was originally organized on January 24, 1977 as a Maryland corporation and had no operations prior to November 10, 1980. The Trust reorganized as a Commonwealth of Massachusetts business trust on December 31, 1986. The Trust was again reorganized as a business trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on October 15, 1993. On October 15, 1993, the Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio succeeded to the assets and assumed the liabilities of the Treasury TaxAdvantage Portfolio and the Treasury Portfolio succeeded to the assets and assumed the liabilities of the Treasury Portfolio (the "Predecessor Portfolio") of Short-Term Investments Co., a Massachusetts business trust ("STIC"), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between the Trust and STIC. On November 24, 2003, Liquid Assets Portfolio succeeded to the assets and assumed the liabilities of Liquid Assets Portfolio and STIC Prime Portfolio succeeded to the assets and assumed the liabilities of Prime Portfolio (the "Predecessor Portfolios") of Short-Term Investments Co., a Maryland corporation ("STIC"), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between the Trust and STIC. All historical financial and other information contained in this Statement of Additional Information for periods prior to October 15, 1993 relating to Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio (or a class thereof), Treasury Portfolio (or a class thereof) and periods prior to November 24, 2003 relating to Liquid Assets Portfolio and STIC Prime Portfolio (or a class thereof) is that of the Predecessor Portfolios (or the corresponding class thereof).
On April 30, 2008, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio succeeded to the assets and assumed the liabilities of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio (the "Predecessor Portfolio") of Tax-Free Investments Trust, a Delaware statutory trust ("TFIT"), pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization between the Trust and TFIT.
SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST
Shares of beneficial interest of the Trust are redeemable at their net asset value at the option of the shareholder or at the option of the Trust in certain circumstances.
The Trust allocates moneys and other property it receives from the issue or sale of shares of each of its series of shares, and all income, earnings and profits from such issuance and sales, subject only to the rights of creditors, to the appropriate portfolio. These assets constitute the underlying assets of each portfolio, are segregated on the portfolio's books of account, and are charged with the expenses of such portfolio and its respective classes. Each portfolio allocates any general expenses of the Trust not readily identifiable as belonging to a particular portfolio by or under the direction of the Board, primarily on the basis of relative net assets, or other relevant factors.
The Portfolios each have seven share classes: Cash Management Class, Corporate Class, Institutional Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class.
Each class of shares represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments. Differing sales charges and expenses will result in differing net asset values and dividends and distributions. Upon any liquidation of the Trust, shareholders of each class are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets
belonging to the applicable Portfolio allocable to such class available for distribution after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities of the Portfolio allocable to such class.
All classes of shares of each portfolio have identical voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights on the same terms and conditions except that each class of shares has different shareholder qualifications, bears differing class-specific expenses, and has exclusive voting rights on matters pertaining to that class' distribution plan, if any.
Except as specifically noted above, shareholders of each portfolio are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares), irrespective of the relative net asset value of the shares of a portfolio. On matters affecting an individual portfolio or class of shares, a separate vote of shareholders of that portfolio or class is required. Shareholders of a portfolio or class are not entitled to vote on any matter which does not affect that portfolio or class but that requires a separate vote of another portfolio or class. An example of a matter that would be voted on separately by shareholders of each portfolio is the approval of the advisory agreement with Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. ("Invesco Aim"), and an example of a matter that would be voted on separately by shareholders of each class of shares is approval of the distribution plans. When issued, shares of each portfolio are fully paid and nonassessable, have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights, and are freely transferable. Shares do not have cumulative voting rights, which means that in situations in which shareholders elect trustees, holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of trustees can elect all of the trustees of the Trust, and the holders of fewer than 50% of the shares voting for the election of trustees will not be able to elect any trustees.
Under Delaware law, shareholders of a Delaware statutory trust shall be entitled to the same limitations of liability extended to shareholders of private for-profit corporations. There is a remote possibility, however, that shareholders could, under certain circumstances, be held liable for the obligations of the Trust to the extent the courts of another state which does not recognize such limited liability were to apply the laws of such state to a controversy involving such obligations. The Trust Agreement disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of such disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the trustees to all parties, and each party thereto must expressly waive all rights of action directly against shareholders of the Trust. The Trust Agreement provides for indemnification out of the property of a portfolio for all losses and expenses of any shareholder of such portfolio held liable on account of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring direct financial loss due to shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which a complaining party is not held to be bound by the disclaimer and the applicable portfolio is unable to meet its obligations.
The trustees and officers of the Trust will not be liable for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust or any trustee or officer; however, a trustee or officer is not protected against any liability to the Trust or to the shareholders to which a trustee or officer 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 with the Trust ("Disabling Conduct"). The Trust's Bylaws generally provide for indemnification by the Trust of the trustees, the officers and employees or agents of the Trust, provided that such persons have not engaged in Disabling Conduct. Indemnification does not extend to judgments or amounts paid in settlement in any action by or in the right of the Trust. The Trust's Bylaws provide for the advancement of payments of expenses to current and former trustees, officers and employees or agents of the Trust, or anyone serving at their request, in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding, for which such person would be entitled to indemnification; provided that any advancement of payments would be reimbursed unless it is ultimately determined that such person is entitled to indemnification for such expenses.
Shareholders of the Portfolios do not have the right to demand or require the Trust to issue share certificates and share certificates are not issued.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIOS AND THEIR INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
CLASSIFICATION
The Trust is an open-end management investment company. The Portfolios are "diversified" for purposes of the 1940 Act.
RULE 2A-7 REQUIREMENTS
As permitted by Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, each Portfolio seeks to maintain a stable price of $1.00 per share by using the amortized cost method to value portfolio securities and rounding the share value to the nearest cent. Rule 2a-7 imposes requirements as to the diversification of each Portfolio, quality of portfolio securities and maturity of the Portfolio and of individual securities.
DIVERSIFICATION. In summary, Rule 2a-7 requires that a Portfolio may not invest in the securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in that issuer, subject to exceptions. Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio has an exception from this requirement which permits it to invest up to 25% of its total assets in securities which satisfy Rule 2a-7's definition of "First Tier Security." This term is defined in the following paragraph. Each of the other Portfolios has an exception that permits it to invest up to 25% of its total assets in the First Tier Securities of a single issuer for up to three business days. Certain securities are not subject to this diversification requirement. These include: a security subject to a guarantee from a non-controlled person (as defined in Rule 2a-7) of the issuer of the security; U.S. Government securities; certain repurchase agreements; and shares of certain money market funds. Rule 2a-7 imposes a separate diversification test upon the acquisition of a guarantee or demand feature. (A demand feature is, in summary, a right to sell a security at a price equal to its approximate amortized cost plus accrued interest.)
In summary, a "First Tier Security" is rated (or issued by an issuer that is rated) in the highest short-term rating category by the "Requisite NRSROs," or, if unrated, is determined by the Portfolios' investment advisor (under the supervision of and pursuant to guidelines established by the Board) to be of comparable quality to such a rated security. Securities issued by a registered investment company that is a money market fund and U.S. Government securities are also considered to be "First Tier Securities." The term "Requisite NRSRO" means (a) any two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSROs) that have issued a rating with respect to a security or class of debt obligations of an issuer, or (b) if only one NRSRO has issued a rating with respect to such security or issuer at the time a Portfolio acquires the security, that NRSRO.
QUALITY. The Portfolios may invest only in U.S. dollar denominated securities that the Portfolio's investment adviser (under the supervision of and pursuant to guidelines established by the Board) determines present minimal credit risk and that are "Eligible Securities" as defined in Rule 2a-7. Rule 2a-7 defines an Eligible Security, in summary, as a security with a remaining maturity of 397 calendar days or less that has been rated (or whose issuer has been rated) by the Requisite NRSROs in one of the two highest short-term rating categories. Eligible Securities may also include unrated securities determined by the Portfolios' investment advisor (under the supervision of and pursuant to guidelines established by the Board) to be of comparable quality to such rated securities. The eligibility of a security with a guarantee may be determined based on whether the guarantee is an Eligible Security.
The Portfolios will limit investments to those which are First Tier Securities at the time of acquisition.
MATURITY. Each Portfolio invests only in securities having remaining maturities of 397 days or less and maintains a dollar weighted average portfolio maturity of 90 days or less. The maturity of a security is determined in compliance with Rule 2a-7, which permits, among other things, certain securities bearing adjustable interest rates to be deemed to have a maturity shorter than their stated maturity.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
Set forth below are detailed descriptions of the various types of securities and investment techniques that the Portfolio's advisor, Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors (as defined herein) may use in managing the Portfolios, as well as the risks associated with those types of securities and investment techniques. The descriptions of the types of securities and investment techniques below supplement the discussion of principal investment strategies and risks contained in the Portfolios' prospectuses. If a particular type of security or investment technique is not discussed in a Portfolio's prospectus it is not a principal investment strategy of that Portfolio.
The Portfolios may not invest in all of these types of securities or use all of these techniques at any one time. The Portfolios' transactions in a particular type of security or use of a particular technique is subject to limitations imposed by the Portfolios' investment objective, policies and restrictions described in the Portfolios' Prospectuses and/or this Statement of Additional Information, as well as the federal securities laws. In addition to those described below, Invesco Aim may invest in other types of securities and may use other investment techniques in managing the Portfolios, including those described below for the Portfolios not specifically mentioned as investing in the security or using the investment technique, as well as securities and techniques not described, subject to limitations imposed by the Portfolios' investment objective, policies and restrictions described in the Portfolios' Prospectuses and/or this Statement of Additional Information, as well as the federal securities laws.
The Portfolios' investment objectives, policies, strategies and practices described below are non-fundamental unless otherwise indicated.
INVESTMENT TYPES
U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS. All Portfolios, except for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, may invest in U.S. Government obligations. U. S. Government Obligations are obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities and include bills, notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury, as well as "stripped" or "zero coupon" U.S. Treasury obligations representing future interest or principal payments on U.S. Treasury notes or bonds. Stripped securities are sold at a discount to their "face value," and may exhibit greater price volatility than interest-bearing securities since investors receive no payment until maturity. Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, such as the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the former Student Loan Marketing Association ("SLMA"), are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others, though issued by an instrumentality chartered by the U.S. Government, like the Federal Farm Credit Bureau ("FFCB"), are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality. The U.S. Government may choose not to provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities if it is not legally obligated to do so.
BANK INSTRUMENTS. Liquid Assets Portfolio may invest in certificates of deposits, time deposits, and bankers' acceptances from U.S. or foreign banks. STIC Prime Portfolio may invest in certificates of deposits, time deposits and bankers' acceptances from U.S. banks. Certificates of deposit are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds, and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. A time deposit is a non-negotiable receipt issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. A bankers' acceptance is a bill of exchange or time draft drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. A certificate of deposit is a negotiable interest-bearing instrument with a specific maturity.
Liquid Assets Portfolio may also invest in certificates of deposit ("Eurodollar CDs") and time deposits ("Eurodollar time deposits") of foreign branches of domestic banks. Accordingly, an investment in the Portfolio may involve risks that are different in some respects from those incurred by an investment company which invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers. Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and the possible imposition of foreign country withholding taxes on interest income.
COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENTS. Liquid Assets Portfolio and STIC Prime Portfolio intend to invest in commercial instruments, including commercial paper, master notes and other short-term corporate instruments, that are denominated in U.S. dollars. Commercial paper consists of short-term promissory notes issued by corporations. Commercial paper may be traded in the secondary market after its issuance. Master notes are demand notes that permit the investment of fluctuating amounts of money at varying rates of interest pursuant to arrangements with issuers who meet the quality criteria of the Portfolios. The interest rate on a master note may fluctuate based upon changes in specified interest rates or be reset periodically according to a prescribed formula or may be a set rate. Although there is no secondary market in master demand notes, if such notes have a demand feature, the payee may demand payment of the principal amount of the note upon relatively short notice.
PARTICIPATION INTERESTS. Liquid Assets Portfolio and STIC Prime Portfolio may purchase participations in corporate loans. Participation interests generally will be acquired from a commercial bank or other financial institution (a "Lender") or from other holders of a participation interest (a "Participant"). The purchase of a participation interest either from a Lender or a Participant will not result in any direct contractual relationship with the borrowing company (the "Borrower"). The Portfolios generally will have no right directly to enforce compliance by the Borrower with the terms of the credit agreement. Instead, the Portfolios will be required to rely on the Lender or the Participant that sold the participation interest both for the enforcement of the Portfolios' rights against the Borrower and for the receipt and processing of payments due to the Portfolios under the loans. Under the terms of a participation interest, the Portfolios may be regarded as a creditor of the Participant and thus the Portfolios are subject to the credit risk of both the Borrower and a Participant. Participation interests are generally subject to restrictions on resale. The Portfolios consider participation interests to be illiquid and therefore subject to the Portfolios' percentage limitations for investments in illiquid securities.
MUNICIPAL SECURITIES. Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio and Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may invest in municipal securities. Municipal securities include debt obligations of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, authorities thereof, and multi-state agencies. Municipal securities are issued to raise funds to develop or refinance public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets and water and sewer works. There is a risk that some or all of the interest received by tax-free municipal securities might become taxable as a result of tax law changes or determinations of the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). See "Dividends, Distributions and Tax Matters--Tax Matters."
The two major classifications of Municipal Securities are bonds and notes. Bonds may be further categorized as "general obligation" or "revenue" issues. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities and in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power. Tax-exempt industrial development bonds are in most cases revenue bonds and do not generally carry the pledge of the credit of the issuing municipality. Notes are short-term instruments which usually mature in less than two years. Most notes are general obligations of the issuing municipalities or agencies and are sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or receipt of other revenues. There are, of course, variations in the risks associated with Municipal Securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications. A Portfolio's assets may consist of any combination of general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial revenue bonds and notes.
Specific municipal securities in which the Portfolios invest include:
- Industrial development bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds to provide for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated housing facilities, airport, mass transit, industrial, port or parking facilities, air or water pollution control facilities and certain local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity or sewage or solid waste disposal. The principal and interest payments for industrial development bonds or pollution control bonds are often the sole responsibility of the industrial user and therefore may not be backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. The interest paid on such bonds may be exempt from federal income tax, although current federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the purposes and size of such issues. Industrial Development Bonds will be considered tax-free if the interest paid thereon, in the opinion of bond counsel, qualifies as exempt from federal income tax. The interest on Municipal Securities may give rise to a federal alternative minimum tax ("AMT") liability and may have other collateral federal income tax consequences.
- Bond Anticipation Notes usually are general obligations of state and local governmental issuers which are sold to obtain interim financing for projects that will eventually be funded through the sale of long-term debt obligations or bonds.
- Municipal lease obligations are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities such as state and municipal vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment, and other capital assets. Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sales contract. Interest payments on qualifying municipal leases are exempt from federal income taxes. Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may purchase these obligations directly, or it may purchase participation interests in such obligations. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds. State laws set forth requirements that states or municipalities must meet in order to issue municipal obligations, and such obligations may contain a covenant by the issuer to budget for, appropriate, and make payments due under the obligation. However, certain municipal lease obligations may contain "non-appropriation" clauses which provide that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to "non-appropriation" risk. While municipal leases are secured by the underlying capital asset, it may be difficult to dispose of such assets in the event of non-appropriation or other default. All direct investments by the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio in municipal lease obligations shall be deemed illiquid and shall be valued according to the Portfolio's Procedures for Valuing Securities current at the time of such valuation.
- Tax Anticipation Notes are issued by state and local governments to finance the current operations of such governments. Repayment is generally to be derived from specific future tax revenues. Tax anticipation notes are usually general obligations of the issuer.
- Revenue Anticipation Notes are issued by governments or governmental bodies with the expectation that future revenues from a designated source will be used to repay the notes. In general, they also constitute general obligations of the issuer.
- Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper (Municipal Paper) is similar to taxable commercial paper, except that tax-exempt commercial paper is issued by states, municipalities and their agencies.
- Variable-rate demand obligations are securities that require the issuer or a third party, such as a dealer or bank, to repurchase the security for its face value upon demand. The securities also pay interest at a variable rate intended to cause the securities to trade at their
face value. The Portfolios treat variable rate demand instruments as short-term securities even though their maturity may extend beyond 397 days, because, within 397 days, their variable interest rate adjusts in response to changes in market rates and the repayment of their principal amount can be demanded.
Tax Free Cash Reserve Portfolio limits its investment in certain types of Municipal Securities as follows: (i) less than 25% of its total assets will be invested in securities of issuers who are located in the same state; (ii) less than 25% of its total assets will be invested in industrial development bonds; and (iii) less than 25% of its total assets will be invested in securities the interest on which is paid from revenues of similar type projects (similar project securities). However, industrial development bonds and similar project securities will not be counted towards the applicable 25% limit if they are subject to a guarantee, including a letter of credit, financial guaranty insurance, or are refunded securities (meaning that payments of principal and interest on such securities are paid by U.S. Government securities that have been irrevocably placed in an escrow account and are pledged only to such payments).
An issue of municipal securities may cease to be rated by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or Standard and Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P"), or another NRSRO, or the rating of such a security may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by a Portfolio once purchased. Neither event would require a Portfolio to dispose of the security, but Invesco Aim will consider such events to be relevant in determining whether a Portfolio should continue to hold the security.
The yields on municipal securities depend on a variety of factors, including general economic and monetary conditions, money market factors, conditions of the municipal securities market, size of a particular offering, and maturity and rating of the obligation. The market values of the municipal securities held by a Portfolio will be affected by changes in the yields available on similar securities. If yields increase following the purchase of a municipal security, the market value of such municipal security will generally decrease. Conversely, if yields decrease, the market value of a municipal security will generally increase.
SYNTHETIC MUNICIPAL INSTRUMENTS. Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may invest in synthetic municipal instruments, the value of and return on which are derived from underlying securities. Invesco Aim believes that certain synthetic municipal instruments provide opportunities for mutual funds to invest in high credit quality securities providing attractive returns, even in market conditions where the supply of short-term tax-exempt instruments may be limited. Synthetic municipal instruments comprise a large percentage of tax-exempt securities eligible for purchase by tax-exempt money market funds. The types of synthetic municipal instruments in which the Portfolio may invest include tender option bonds and variable rate trust certificates. Both types of instruments involve the deposit into a trust or custodial account of one or more long-term tax-exempt bonds or notes ("Underlying Bonds"), and the sale of certificates evidencing interests in the trust or custodial account to investors such as the Portfolio. The trustee or custodian receives the long-term fixed rate interest payments on the Underlying Bonds, and pays certificate holders short-term floating or variable interest rates that are reset periodically. A "tender option bond" provides a certificate holder with the conditional right to sell its certificate to a liquidity provider at specified intervals and receive the par value of the certificate plus accrued interest (a demand feature). A "variable rate trust certificate" evidences an interest in a trust entitling the certificate holder to receive variable rate interest based on prevailing short-term interest rates and also typically providing the certificate holder with the conditional demand feature the right to tender its certificate at par value plus accrued interest.
All synthetic municipal instruments must meet the minimum quality standards required for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's investments and must present minimal credit risks. In selecting synthetic municipal instruments for the Portfolio, Invesco Aim considers the creditworthiness of the issuer of the Underlying Bond, a liquidity provider and the party providing certificate holders with a conditional right to sell their certificates at stated times and prices (a demand feature). Typically, a certificate holder cannot exercise the demand feature upon the occurrence of certain conditions, such as where the issuer of the Underlying Bond defaults on interest payments. Moreover, because synthetic municipal instruments
involve a trust or custodial account and a third party conditional demand feature, they involve complexities and potential risks that may not be present where a municipal security is owned directly.
The tax-exempt character of the interest paid to certificate holders is based on the assumption that the holders have an ownership interest in the Underlying Bonds; however, the IRS has not issued a ruling addressing this issue. In the event the IRS issues an adverse ruling or successfully litigates this issue, it is possible that the interest paid to Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio on certain synthetic municipal instruments would be deemed to be taxable. The Portfolio relies on opinions of special tax counsel on this ownership question delivered to the advisor and opinions of bond counsel regarding the tax-exempt character of interest paid on the Underlying Bonds.
ILLIQUID SECURITIES. Each Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities that are illiquid. Illiquid securities are securities that may not be disposed of within seven days in the normal course of business at the price at which they are valued. Illiquid securities may include securities that are subject to restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). Restricted securities may, in certain circumstances, be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, and thus may or may not constitute illiquid securities.
Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on their marketability, which may prevent the Portfolios from disposing of them promptly at reasonable prices. The Portfolios may have to bear the expense of registering such securities for resale, and the risk of substantial delays in effecting such registrations.
RULE 144A SECURITIES. Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio and Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may purchase Rule 144A securities. Rule 144A securities are securities which, while privately placed, are eligible for purchase and resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. This rule permits qualified institutional buyers, such as the Portfolios, to trade in privately placed securities even though such securities are not registered under the 1933 Act. Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors, under the supervision of the Board, will consider whether securities purchased under Rule 144A are illiquid and thus subject to the Portfolios' restrictions on investment in illiquid securities. Determination of whether the Rule 144A security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors will consider the trading markets for the specific security taking into account the unregistered nature of a Rule 144A security. In addition, Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors could consider the (i) frequency of trades and quotes; (ii) number of dealers and potential purchasers; (iii) dealer undertakings to make a market; and (iv) nature of the security and of market place trades (for example, the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer). Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors will also monitor the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and, if as a result of changed conditions, Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors determines that a Rule 144A security is no longer liquid, Invesco Aim and/or the Sub-Advisors will review the Portfolios' holdings of illiquid securities to determine what, if any, action is required to assure that the Portfolios comply with their restrictions on investment in illiquid securities. Investing in Rule 144A securities could increase the amount of the Portfolios investments in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.
INVESTMENTS IN ENTITIES WITH RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PORTFOLIO/ADVISOR. Each Portfolio may invest in securities issued, sponsored or guaranteed by the following types of entities or their affiliates: (i) entities that sell shares of the AIM Funds; (ii) entities that rate or rank the AIM Funds; (iii) exchanges on which the AIM Funds buy or sell securities; and (iv) entities that provide services to the AIM Funds (e.g., custodian banks). The Portfolios will decide whether to invest in or sell securities issued by these entities based on the merits of the specific investment opportunity.
INVESTMENT GRADE DEBT OBLIGATIONS. Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio may invest in taxable short-term investments ("Taxable Investments") consisting of obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, banks and corporations, short-term fixed income securities; commercial paper rated within the highest rating category by a recognized rating agency; and certificates of deposit of
domestic banks. The Portfolio may invest in Taxable Investments, for example, due to market conditions or pending the investment of proceeds from the sale of its shares or proceeds from the sale of portfolio securities or in anticipation of redemptions. Although interest earned from Taxable Investments will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, the Portfolio generally intends to minimize taxable income through investment, when possible, in short-term tax-exempt securities, which may include shares of other investment companies whose dividends are tax-exempt. See also "Dividends, Distributions and Tax Matters."
Descriptions of debt securities ratings are found in Appendix A.
OTHER DEBT OBLIGATIONS. Liquid Assets Portfolio and STIC Prime Portfolio may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. corporations or U.S. commercial banks. Liquid Asset Portfolio may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign issuers. Such debt obligations include, among others, bonds, notes, debentures and variable rate demand notes.
FOREIGN SECURITIES. Liquid Assets Portfolio may invest in foreign securities. Foreign securities are securities issued outside the United States. The Portfolio will limit its investments in foreign securities to debt obligations denominated in U.S. dollars.
Investments by Liquid Assets Portfolio in foreign securities, although denominated in U.S. dollars, may entail some or all of the risks set forth below.
Political and Economic Risk. The economies of many of the countries in which Liquid Assets Portfolio may invest may not be as developed as the United States' economy and may be subject to political or social instability, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, and limitations on the removal of funds or other assets could also adversely affect the value of Liquid Assets Portfolio's investments.
Regulatory Risk. Foreign companies may or may not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and are generally not subject to the regulatory controls and disclosure requirements imposed on United States issuers. Foreign companies may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, corporate governance practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies. As a result, there is generally less publicly available information about foreign securities than is available about domestic securities. Income from foreign securities owned by Liquid Assets Portfolio may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source, which tax would reduce dividend income payable to Liquid Assets Portfolio's shareholders.
Market Risk. The securities markets in many of the countries in which Liquid Assets Portfolio may invest will have substantially less trading volume than the major United States markets. As a result, the securities of some foreign companies may be less liquid and experience more price volatility than comparable domestic securities. Increased custodian costs as well as administrative costs (such as the need to use foreign custodians) may be associated with the maintenance of assets in foreign jurisdictions. There is generally less government regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and issuers which may make it difficult to enforce contractual obligations.
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS. For Liquid Assets Portfolio, these are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by one or more foreign governments or any of their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities that are determined by Invesco Aim to be of comparable quality to the other obligations in which Liquid Assets Portfolio may invest. These obligations are often, but not always, supported by the full faith and credit of the foreign governments, or their subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, that issue them. Such securities also include debt obligations of supranational entities. Such debt obligations are ordinarily backed by the full faith and credit of the entities that issue them. Supranational entities include international organizations designated or supported by government entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples of supranational entities include the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank. The percentage of Liquid Assets Portfolio's assets invested in securities issued by foreign governments will vary depending on the relative yields of such securities, the economic and financial markets of the countries in which the investments are made and the interest rate climate of such countries.
OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES. STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio may purchase shares of other investment companies. For these Portfolios, the 1940 Act imposes the following restrictions on investments in other investment companies: (i) each Portfolio may not purchase more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of another investment company; (ii) each Portfolio may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities issued by another investment company; and (iii) each Portfolio may not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities issued by other investment companies. These restrictions do not apply to investments by the Portfolios in investment companies that are money market funds, including money market funds that have Invesco Aim or an affiliate of Invesco Aim as an investment advisor (the "Affiliated Money Market Funds").
With respect to the Portfolios' purchase of shares of another investment company, including an Affiliated Money Market Fund, the Portfolios will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the advisory fees and other operating expenses of such investment company.
VARIABLE OR FLOATING RATE INSTRUMENTS. Each Portfolio may invest in Eligible Securities which have variable or floating interest rates which are readjusted on set dates (such as the last day of the month or calendar quarter) in the case of variable rates or whenever a specified interest rate change occurs in the case of a floating rate instrument. Variable or floating interest rates generally reduce changes in the market price of securities from their original purchase price because, upon readjustment, such rates approximate market rates. Accordingly, as interest rates decrease or increase, the potential for capital appreciation or depreciation is less for variable or floating rate securities than for fixed rate obligations.
Many Municipal Securities with variable or floating interest rates purchased by a Portfolio are subject to payment of principal and accrued interest (usually within seven days) on a Portfolio's demand. The terms of such demand instruments require payment of principal and accrued interest by the issuer, a guarantor, and/or a liquidity provider. All variable or floating rate instruments will meet the applicable quality standards of a Portfolio. Invesco Aim will monitor the pricing, quality and liquidity of the variable or floating rate Municipal Securities held by a Portfolio.
INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES
DELAYED DELIVERY TRANSACTIONS. Delayed delivery transactions, also referred to as forward commitments, involve commitments by each Portfolio to dealers or issuers to acquire or sell securities at a specified future date beyond the customary settlement for such securities. These commitments may fix the payment price and interest rate to be received or paid on the investment. The Portfolios may purchase securities on a delayed delivery basis to the extent it can anticipate having available cash on settlement date. Delayed delivery agreements will not be used as a speculative or leverage technique.
Investment in securities on a delayed delivery basis may increase the Portfolios' exposure to market fluctuation and may increase the possibility that the Portfolios will incur short-term gains subject to federal taxation or short-term losses if the Portfolios must engage in portfolio transactions in order to honor a delayed delivery commitment. Until the settlement date, the Portfolios will segregate liquid assets of a dollar value sufficient at all times to make payment for the delayed delivery transactions. Such segregated liquid assets will be marked-to-market daily, and the amount segregated will be increased if necessary to maintain adequate coverage of the delayed delivery commitments. No additional delayed delivery agreements or when-issued commitments (as described below) will be made by a Portfolio if, as a result, more than 25% of such Portfolio's total assets would become so committed.
The delayed delivery securities, which will not begin to accrue interest or dividends until the settlement date, will be recorded as an asset of the Portfolios and will be subject to the risk of market fluctuation. The purchase price of the delayed delivery securities is a liability of the Portfolios until settlement. Absent extraordinary circumstances, the Portfolios will not sell or otherwise transfer the delayed delivery securities prior to settlement. For STIC Prime Portfolio, the delayed delivery securities may have a maturity of up to 75 days calculated from trade date.
WHEN-ISSUED SECURITIES. The Portfolios may purchase when-issued securities. Purchasing securities on a "when-issued" basis means that the time of payment and yield accrued shall be fixed at the date of purchase but the price of the security shall not be fixed until after the securities are issued. Each Portfolio will only make commitments to purchase such securities with the intention of actually acquiring such securities, but the Portfolios may sell these securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable.
Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and the securities held in a Portfolio are subject to changes in market value based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and, if applicable, changes in the level of interest rates. Therefore, if a Portfolio is to remain substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities on a when-issued basis, there will be a possibility that the market value of a Portfolio's assets will fluctuate to a greater degree. Furthermore, when the time comes for a Portfolio to meet its obligations under when-issued commitments, a Portfolio will do so by using then available cash flow, by sale of the segregated liquid assets, by sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, by directing the sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than a Portfolio's payment obligation).
Investment in securities on a when-issued basis may increase a Portfolio's exposure to market fluctuation and may increase the possibility that each Portfolio will incur short-term gains subject to federal taxation or short-term losses if the Portfolios must engage in portfolio transactions in order to honor a when-issued commitment. The Portfolios will employ techniques designed to reduce such risks. If the Portfolios purchase a when-issued security, the Portfolios will segregate liquid assets in an amount equal to the when-issued commitment. If the market value of such segregated assets declines, additional liquid assets will be segregated on a daily basis so that the market value of the segregated assets will equal the amount of the Portfolios' when-issued commitments. No additional delayed delivery agreements (as described above) or when-issued commitments will be made by a Portfolio if, as a result, more than 25% of the Portfolios' total assets would become so committed.
INTERFUND LOANS. Each Portfolio may lend uninvested cash up to 15% of its net assets to other funds advised by Invesco Aim (the "AIM Funds") and may borrow from other AIM Funds to the extent permitted under the Portfolio's investment restrictions. During temporary or emergency periods, the percentage of the Portfolio's net assets that may be loaned to other AIM Funds may be increased as permitted by the SEC. If any interfund loans are outstanding, the Portfolios cannot make any additional investments. If a Portfolio has borrowed from other AIM Funds and has aggregate borrowings from all sources that exceed 10% of the Portfolio's total assets, a Portfolio will secure all of its loans from other AIM Funds. The ability of the Portfolios to lend their securities to other AIM Funds is subject to certain other terms and conditions.
BORROWING. Each Portfolio may borrow money to a limited extent for temporary or emergency purposes. If there are unusually heavy redemptions because of changes in interest rates or for any other reason, the Portfolios may have to sell a portion of their investment portfolio at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Selling portfolio securities under these circumstances may result in a lower net asset value per share or decreased dividend income, or both. The Trust believes that, in the event of abnormally heavy redemption requests, the Portfolio's borrowing ability would help to mitigate any such effects and could make the forced sale of their portfolio securities less likely.
The Portfolio is permitted to temporarily overdraft or lease balances in its account with its custodian bank, the Bank of New York Mellon (BNYMellon). The parties compensate one another for any overdraft or remaining balance in the account by earning either the interest that accrues on the overdrawn or balance amount in the account or by paying the other contractually agreed upon fee.
REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Government & Agency Portfolio may engage in transactions pursuant to a repurchase agreement collateralized by securities in which the Portfolio may invest. In a repurchase transaction a portfolio acquires ownership of a security from a broker-dealer or bank that agrees to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed upon time and price (which is higher than the purchase price), thereby determining the yield during the Portfolios' holding period. The Portfolios may, however, enter into a "continuing contract" or "open" repurchase agreement under which the seller is under a continuing obligation to repurchase the underlying securities from the Portfolios on demand and the effective interest rate is negotiated on a daily basis. For Government & Agency Portfolio, repurchase transactions are limited to a term of 180 days or less. For Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio, repurchase transactions are limited to a term of 365 days or less.
If the seller of a repurchase agreement fails to repurchase the security in accordance with the terms of the agreement, the Portfolios might incur expenses in enforcing its rights, and could experience losses, including a decline in the value of the underlying security and loss of income. The securities underlying a repurchase agreement will be marked-to-market every business day so that the value of such securities is at least equal to the investment value of the repurchase agreement, including any accrued interest thereon.
The Portfolios may invest their cash balances in joint accounts with other AIM Funds for the purpose of investing in repurchase agreements with maturities not to exceed 60 days, and in certain other money market instruments with remaining maturities not to exceed 90 days. Repurchase agreements are considered loans by the Portfolios under the 1940 Act.
REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime
Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Government & Agency Portfolio may enter into
reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are agreements that
involve the sale of securities held by the Portfolios to financial institutions
such as banks and broker-dealers, with an agreement that the Portfolios will
repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price and date. The Portfolios may
employ reverse repurchase agreements (i) for temporary emergency purposes, such
as to meet unanticipated net redemptions so as to avoid liquidating other
portfolio securities during unfavorable market conditions; (ii) to cover
short-term cash requirements resulting from the timing of trade settlements; or
(iii) to take advantage of market situations where the interest income to be
earned from the investment of the proceeds of the transaction is greater than
the interest expense of the transaction. At the time they enter into a reverse
repurchase agreement, the Portfolios will segregate liquid assets having a
dollar value equal to the repurchase price, and will subsequently continually
monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained at all
times. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of
securities to be purchased by a Portfolio may decline below the price at which
it is obligated to repurchase the securities, or that the other party may
default on its obligation, so that the Portfolio is delayed or prevented from
completing the transaction. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered
borrowings by the Portfolios under the 1940 Act.
The STIC Prime Portfolio must notify shareholders of its intent to enter into a reverse repurchase agreement to permit shareholders to redeem their investments prior to the reverse repurchase transaction.
SALE OF MONEY MARKET SECURITIES. Each Portfolio will generally hold portfolio securities to maturity. However, Invesco Aim may seek to enhance the yield of the Portfolios by taking advantage of yield disparities or other factors that occur in the money markets. For example, market conditions frequently result in similar securities trading at different prices. In addition, Invesco Aim will continually
monitor the creditworthiness of issuers whose securities are held by the Portfolios, and securities held by the Portfolios may be disposed of prior to maturity as a result of a revised credit evaluation of the issuer or other circumstances or considerations. The Portfolios' policy of investing in securities with maturities of 397 days or less will result in high portfolio turnover. Since brokerage commissions are not normally paid on investments of the type made by the Portfolios, the high turnover rate should not adversely affect the Portfolios' net income from operations.
PORTFOLIO POLICIES
FUNDAMENTAL RESTRICTIONS. The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by each Portfolio and, unless identified as non-fundamental policies, may not be changed without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolios. As provided in the 1940 Act, a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Portfolio means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (1) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio or (2) 67% or more of the shares present at a meeting, if more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. Except with respect to borrowing, changes in values of a Portfolio's assets will not cause a violation of the following investment restrictions as long as percentage restrictions are observed by the Portfolio at the time it purchases any security.
(1) The Portfolio is a "diversified company" as defined in the 1940 Act. The Portfolio will not purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result, the Portfolio would fail to be a diversified company within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as such statute, rules and regulations are amended from time to time or are interpreted from time to time by the SEC staff (collectively, the "1940 Act Laws and Interpretations") or except to the extent that the Portfolio may be permitted to do so by exemptive order or similar relief (collectively, with the 1940 Act Laws and Interpretations, the "1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions"). In complying with this restriction, however, the Portfolio may purchase securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
(2) The Portfolio may not borrow money or issue senior securities, except as permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
(3) The Portfolio may not underwrite the securities of other issuers. This restriction does not prevent the Portfolio from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Portfolio may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.
(4) The Portfolio will not make investments that will result in the concentration (as that term may be defined or interpreted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions) of its investments in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry. This restriction does not limit the Portfolio's investments in (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) tax-exempt obligations issued by governments or political subdivisions of governments; of (iii) bank instruments. In complying with this restriction, the Portfolio will not consider a bank-issued guaranty or financial guaranty insurance as a separate security.
(5) The Portfolio may not purchase real estate or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction does not prevent the Portfolio from investing in issuers that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein.
(6) The Portfolio may not purchase physical commodities or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction does not prevent the Portfolio from engaging in transactions involving futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities.
(7) The Portfolio may not make personal loans or loans of its assets to persons who control or are under common control with the Portfolio, except to the extent permitted by 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions. This restriction does not prevent the Portfolios from, among other things, purchasing debt obligations, entering into repurchase agreements, loaning its assets to broker-dealers or institutional investors, or investing in loans, including assignments and participation interests.
(8) The Portfolio may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment policy or limitation, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Portfolio.
(9) Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio will limit its purchases of municipal securities to "First Tier" securities, as such term is defined from time to time in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act.
(10) Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's assets will be invested so that at least 80% of the Portfolio's income will be exempt from federal income taxes.
The investment restrictions set forth above provide each of the Portfolios with the ability to operate under new interpretations of the 1940 Act or pursuant to exemptive relief from the SEC without receiving prior shareholder approval of the change. Even though each of the Portfolios has this flexibility, the Board has adopted non-fundamental restrictions, for each of the Portfolios relating to certain of these restrictions which Invesco Aim and the Sub-Advisors, when applicable, must follow in managing the Portfolios. Any changes to these non-fundamental restrictions, which are set forth below, require the approval of the Board.
NON-FUNDAMENTAL RESTRICTIONS. In addition, each Portfolio has the following non-fundamental policies, which may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval:
(1) In complying with the fundamental restriction regarding issuer diversification, the Portfolio will not, with respect to 100% of its total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, and securities issued by other investment companies), if, as a result, (i) more than 5% of the Portfolio's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer except as permitted by Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, or (ii) the Portfolio would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. The Portfolio may purchase securities of other investment companies as permitted by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
(2) In complying with the fundamental restriction regarding borrowing money and issuing senior securities, the Portfolio may borrow money in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings). The Portfolio may borrow from banks, broker-dealers or an Invesco Aim advised Fund. The Portfolio may not borrow for leveraging, but may borrow for temporary or emergency purposes, in anticipation of or in response to adverse market conditions, or for cash management purposes. The Portfolio may not purchase additional securities when any borrowings from banks exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets or when any borrowings from an Invesco Aim advised Fund are outstanding.
(3) In complying with the fundamental restriction regarding industry concentration, the Portfolio may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry.
(4) In complying with the fundamental restriction with regard to making loans, the Portfolio may lend up to 33 1/3% of its total assets and may lend money to an Invesco Aim advised Fund, on such terms and conditions as the SEC may require in an exemptive order.
(5) Notwithstanding the fundamental restriction with regard to investing all assets in an open-end fund, the Portfolio may not invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management
investment company with the same fundamental investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Portfolio.
(6) Notwithstanding the fundamental restriction with regard to engaging in transactions involving futures contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by physical commodities, the Portfolio currently may not invest in any security (including futures contracts or options thereon) that are secured by physical commodities.
(7) The Portfolio may not acquire any securities of registered unit investment trusts in reliance on sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.
Each Portfolio does not consider currencies or other financial commodities or contracts and financial instruments to be physical commodities (which include, for example, oil, precious metals and grains). Accordingly, the Portfolios will interpret the restriction and the related non-fundamental restriction to permit the Portfolios, subject to each Portfolio's investment objectives and general investment policies (as stated in the Portfolios' prospectuses and herein), to invest directly in foreign currencies and other financial commodities and to purchase, sell or enter into commodity futures contracts and options thereon, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency options, currency-, commodity- and financial instrument-related swap agreements, hybrid instruments, interest rate or securities-related or foreign currency-related hedging instruments or other currency-, commodity- or financial instrument-related derivatives, subject to compliance with any applicable provisions of the federal securities or commodities laws. The Portfolios also will interpret their fundamental restriction regarding purchasing and selling physical commodities and their related non-fundamental restriction to permit the Portfolios to invest in exchange-traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities, subject to the limits described in the Portfolios' prospectuses and herein.
ADDITIONAL NON-FUNDAMENTAL POLICY. As a non-fundamental policy:
Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio normally invest at least 80% of their assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury which include Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or by its agencies and instrumentalities (agency securities). Treasury Portfolio and Government & Agency Portfolio may invest in the foregoing securities as well as repurchase agreements secured by those obligations. For purposes of the foregoing sentences, "assets" means net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes. Each Portfolio will provide written notice to its shareholders prior to any change to this policy, as required by the 1940 Act Laws, Interpretations and Exemptions.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITION
In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions, or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Portfolios may temporarily hold all or a portion of their assets in cash.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolios' portfolio holdings (the "Holdings Disclosure Policy"). Invesco Aim and the Board may amend the Holdings Disclosure Policy at any time without prior notice. Details of the Holdings Disclosure Policy and a description of the basis on which employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates may release information about portfolio securities are provided below.
PUBLIC RELEASE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS. The Portfolios make available to institutions that maintain accounts with the Portfolios, beneficial owners of the Portfolios' shares and prospective investors
(collectively, "Qualified Persons") information regarding or derived from the Portfolios' portfolio holdings. The Portfolios disclose the following holdings information on http://www.invescoaim.com(1):
APPROXIMATE DATE OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE POSTING TO WEBSITE INFORMATION REMAINS AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE -------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------------------------------------------- Weighted average maturity information; Next business day Until posting of the following business day's thirty-day, seven-day and one-day information yield information; daily dividend factor and total net assets Complete portfolio holdings as of 1 day after month-end Until posting of the fiscal quarter holdings month-end and information derived from for the months included in the fiscal quarter holdings Complete portfolio holdings as of 60-70 days after fiscal For one year fiscal quarter-end quarter-end |
Qualified Persons may obtain access to the website, as well as the information noted above, by calling the distributor toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 2. The Portfolios' distributor's vice president/sale and administration manager are authorized to determine whether any entity or individual is a Qualified Person or is acting on behalf of a Qualified Person, and to disclose portfolio information to such Qualified Person. If a beneficial owner who is not a record owner requests portfolio information, such information will be sent to the record owner for distribution to the beneficial owner. Existing shareholders can also obtain portfolio information (other than portfolio holdings) by calling the transfer agent toll free at 1-800-659-1005, option 1. Generally, employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates may not disclose such portfolio holdings until one day after they have been posted on http://www.invescoaim.com.
SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS PURSUANT TO NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. Employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates may disclose non-public full portfolio holdings on a selective basis only if the Internal Compliance Controls Committee (the "ICCC") of Invesco Aim Management Group Inc. ("Invesco Aim Management") approves the parties to whom disclosure of non-public full portfolio holdings will be made. The ICCC must determine that the proposed selective disclosure will be made for legitimate business purposes of the applicable Fund and address any perceived conflicts of interest between shareholders of such Fund and Invesco Aim or its affiliates as part of granting its approval.
The Board exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Holdings Disclosure Policy and the AIM Funds Code of Ethics by the Chief Compliance Officer (or his designee) of Invesco Aim and the AIM Funds and (2) considering reports and recommendations by the Chief Compliance Officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended) that may arise in connection with the Holdings Disclosure Policy. Pursuant to the Holdings Disclosure Policy, the Board reviews the types of situations in which Invesco Aim provides selective disclosure and approves situations involving perceived conflicts of interest between shareholders of the Portfolios and Invesco Aim or its affiliates brought to the Board's attention by Invesco Aim.
Invesco Aim discloses non-public full portfolio holdings information to the following persons in connection with the day-to-day operations and management of the AIM Funds:
- Attorneys and accountants;
- Securities lending agents;
- Lenders to the AIM Funds;
- Rating and rankings agencies;
- Persons assisting in the voting of proxies;
- AIM Funds' custodians;
- The AIM Funds' transfer agent(s) (in the event of a redemption in kind);
- Pricing services, market makers, or other persons who provide systems or software support in connection with AIM Funds' operations (to determine the price of securities held by an AIM Fund);
- Financial printers;
- Brokers identified by an AIM Funds' portfolio management team who provide execution and research services to the team; and
- Analysts hired to perform research and analysis to the AIM Funds' portfolio management team.
In many cases, Invesco Aim will disclose current portfolio holdings on a daily basis to these persons. In these situations, Invesco Aim has entered into non-disclosure agreements which provide that the recipient of the portfolio holdings will maintain the confidentiality of such portfolio holdings and will not trade on such information ("Non-disclosure Agreements"). Please refer to Appendix B for a list of examples of persons to whom Invesco Aim provides non-public portfolio holdings on an ongoing basis.
Invesco Aim will also disclose non-public portfolio holdings information if such disclosure is required by applicable laws, rules or regulations, or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over Invesco Aim and its affiliates or the Portfolios.
The Holdings Disclosure Policy provides that Invesco Aim will not request, receive or accept any compensation (including compensation in the form of the maintenance of assets in the Portfolios or other mutual fund or account managed by Invesco Aim or one of its affiliates) for the selective disclosure of portfolio holdings information.
DISCLOSURE OF CERTAIN PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS AND RELATED INFORMATION WITHOUT NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. Invesco Aim and its affiliates that provide services to the Portfolios, the Sub-Advisors and each of their employees may receive or have access to portfolio holdings as part of the day-to-day operations of the Portfolios.
From time to time, employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates may express their views orally or in writing on one or more of the Portfolios' portfolio securities or may state that the Portfolios have recently purchased or sold, or continues to own, one or more securities. The securities subject to these views and statements may be ones that were purchased or sold since the Portfolios' most recent month-end and therefore may not be reflected on the list of the Portfolios' most recent month-end portfolio holdings
disclosed on the website. Such views and statements may be made to various persons, including members of the press, brokers and other financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Portfolios, shareholders in the Portfolios, persons considering investing in the Portfolios or representatives of such shareholders or potential shareholders, such as fiduciaries of a 401(k) plan or a trust and their advisers, and other entities for which Invesco Aim or its affiliates provides or may provide investment advisory services. The nature and content of the views and statements provided to each of these persons may differ.
From time to time, employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates also may provide oral or written information ("portfolio commentary") about the Portfolios, including, but not limited to, how the Portfolios' investments are divided among various sectors, industries, and countries, investment styles and capitalization sizes, and among stocks, bonds, currencies and cash, security types, bond maturities, and bond coupons and bond credit quality ratings. This portfolio commentary may also include information on how these various weightings and factors contributed to Portfolio performance. Invesco Aim may also provide oral or written information ("statistical information") about various financial characteristics of the Portfolios or their underlying portfolio securities including, but not limited to, alpha, beta, R-squared, coefficient of determination, duration, maturity, information ratio, sharpe ratio, earnings growth, payout ratio, price/book value, projected earnings growth, return on equity, standard deviation, tracking error, weighted average quality, market capitalization, percent debt to equity, price to cash flow, dividend yield or growth, default rate, portfolio turnover, and risk and style characteristics. This portfolio commentary and statistical information about the Portfolios may be based on the Portfolios' most recent quarter-end portfolio as of the most recent quarter-end or the end of some other interim period, such as month-end. The portfolio commentary and statistical information may be provided to various persons, including those described in the preceding paragraph. The nature and content of the information provided to each of these persons may differ.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS BY TRADERS. Additionally, employees of Invesco Aim and its affiliates may disclose one or more of the portfolio securities of a Portfolio when purchasing and selling securities through broker-dealers, requesting bids on securities, obtaining price quotations on securities, or in connection with litigation involving the AIM Funds' portfolio securities. Invesco Aim does not enter into formal Non-disclosure Agreements in connection with these situations; however, the AIM Funds would not continue to conduct business with a person who Invesco Aim believed was misusing the disclosed information.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF OTHER INVESCO AIM-MANAGED PRODUCTS. Invesco Aim and its affiliates manage products sponsored by companies other than Invesco Aim, including investment companies, offshore funds, and separate accounts. In many cases, these other products are managed in a similar fashion to certain AIM Funds and thus have similar portfolio holdings. The sponsors of these other products managed by Invesco Aim and its affiliates may disclose the portfolio holdings of their products at different times than Invesco Aim discloses portfolio holdings for the AIM Funds.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Trustees have the authority to take all actions necessary in connection with the business affairs of the Trust. The Trustees, among other things, approve the investment objectives, policies and procedures for the Portfolios. The Trust enters into agreements with various entities to manage the day-to-day operations of the Portfolios, including the Portfolios' investment advisers, administrator, transfer agent, distributor and custodians. The Trustees are responsible for selecting these service providers, and approving the terms of their contracts with the Portfolios. On an ongoing basis, the Trustees exercise general oversight of these service providers.
Certain trustees and officers of the Trust are affiliated with Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Management, the parent corporation of Invesco Aim. All of the Trust's executive officers hold similar offices with some or all of the other AIM Funds.
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION
The trustees and officers of the Trust, their principal occupations during at least the last five years and certain other information concerning them are set forth in Appendix C.
The standing committees of the Board are the Audit Committee, the Compliance Committee, the Governance Committee, the Investments Committee, the Valuation Committee and the Special Market Timing Litigation Committee (the "Committees").
The members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. James T. Bunch (Vice Chair),
Bruce L. Crockett, Lewis F. Pennock, Raymond Stickel, Jr. (Chair) and Dr. Larry
Soll. The Audit Committee's primary purposes are to: (i) oversee qualifications
and performance of the Board in oversight of the independent registered public
accountants; (ii) appoint independent registered public accountants for the
Portfolios; (iii) pre-approve all permissible audit and non-audit services that
are provided to the Portfolios by their independent registered public
accountants to the extent required by Section 10A(h) and (i) of the Exchange
Act; (iv) pre-approve, in accordance with Rule 2-01(c)(7)(ii) of Regulation S-X,
certain non-audit services provided by the Portfolios' independent registered
public accountants to the Portfolios' investment adviser and certain other
affiliated entities; (v) review the audit and tax plans prepared by the
independent registered public accountants; (vi) review the Portfolios' audited
financial statements; (vii) review the process that management uses to evaluate
and certify disclosure controls and procedures in Form N-CSR; (viii) review the
process for preparation and review of the Portfolios' shareholder reports; (ix)
review certain tax procedures maintained by the Portfolios; (x) review modified
or omitted officer certifications and disclosures; (xi) review any internal
audits of the Portfolios; (xii) establish procedures regarding questionable
accounting or auditing matters and other alleged violations; (xiii) set hiring
policies for employees and proposed employees of the Portfolios who are
employees or former employees of the independent registered public accountants;
and (xiv) remain informed of (a) the Portfolios accounting systems and controls,
(b) regulatory changes and new accounting pronouncements that affect the
Portfolios' net asset value calculations and financial statement reporting
requirements, and (c) communications with regulators regarding accounting and
financial reporting matters that pertain to the Portfolios. During the fiscal
year ended August 31, 2007, the Audit Committee held six meetings on behalf of
Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the
Audit Committee held five meetings on behalf of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
The members of the Compliance Committee are Messrs. Frank S. Bayley,
Crockett (Chair), Albert R. Dowden (Vice Chair) and Stickel. The Compliance
Committee is responsible for: (i) recommending to the Board and the independent
trustees the appointment, compensation and removal of the Portfolios' Chief
Compliance Officer; (ii) recommending to the independent trustees the
appointment, compensation and removal of the Portfolios' Senior Officer
appointed pursuant to the terms of the Assurances of Discontinuance entered into
by the New York Attorney General, Invesco Aim and INVESCO Funds Group, Inc.
("IFG"); (iii) recommending to the independent trustees the appointment and
removal of Invesco Aim's independent Compliance Consultant (the "Compliance
Consultant") and reviewing the report prepared by the Compliance Consultant upon
its compliance review of Invesco Aim (the "Report") and any objections made by
Invesco Aim with respect to the Report; (iv) reviewing any report prepared by a
third party who is not an interested person of Invesco Aim, upon the conclusion
by such third party of a compliance review of Invesco Aim; (v) reviewing all
reports on compliance matters from the Portfolios' Chief Compliance Officer;
(vi) reviewing all recommendations made by the Senior Officer regarding Invesco
Aim's compliance procedures; (vii) reviewing all reports from the Senior Officer
of any violations of state and federal securities laws, the Colorado Consumer
Protection Act, or breaches of Invesco Aim's fiduciary duties to Portfolios'
shareholders and of Invesco Aim's Code of Ethics; (viii) overseeing all of the
compliance policies and procedures of the Portfolios and their service providers
adopted pursuant to Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act; (ix) from time to time,
reviewing certain matters related
to redemption fee waivers and recommending to the Board whether or not to approve such matters; (x) receiving and reviewing quarterly reports on the activities of Invesco Aim's ICCC; (xi) reviewing all reports made by Invesco Aim's Chief Compliance Officer; (xii) reviewing and recommending to the independent trustees whether to approve procedures to investigate matters brought to the attention of Invesco Aim's ombudsman; (xiii) risk management oversight with respect to the Portfolios and, in connection therewith, receiving and overseeing risk management reports from Invesco Ltd. ("Invesco") that are applicable to the Portfolios or their service providers; and (xiv) overseeing potential conflicts of interest that are reported to the Compliance Committee by the Invesco Aim, the Chief Compliance Officer, the Senior Officer and/or the Compliance Consultant. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the Compliance Committee held seven meetings on behalf of Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the Compliance Committee held seven meetings on behalf of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
The members of the Governance Committee are Messrs. Bob R. Baker, Bayley,
Dowden (Chair), Jack M. Fields (Vice Chair), Carl Frischling. and Dr. Prema
Mathai-Davis. The Governance Committee is responsible for: (i) nominating
persons who will qualify as independent trustees for (a) election as trustees in
connection with meetings of shareholders of the Portfolios that are called to
vote on the election of trustees; (b) appointment by the Board as trustees in
connection with filling vacancies that arise in between meetings of
shareholders; (ii) reviewing the size of the Board, and recommending to the
Board whether the size of the Board shall be increased or decreased; (iii)
nominating the Chair of the Board; (iv) monitoring the composition of the Board
and each committee of the Board, and monitoring the qualifications of all
trustees; (v) recommending persons to serve as members of each committee of the
Board (other than the Compliance Committee), as well as persons who shall serve
as the chair and vice chair of each such committee; (vi) reviewing and
recommending the amount of compensation payable to the independent trustees;
(vii) overseeing the selection of independent legal counsel to the independent
trustees; (viii) reviewing and approving the compensation paid to independent
legal counsel to the independent trustees; (ix) reviewing and approving the
compensation paid to counsel and other advisers, if any, to the Committees of
the Board; and (x) reviewing as they deem appropriate administrative and/or
logistical matters pertaining to the operations of the Board.
The Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by a
shareholder to serve as trustees, provided: (i) that such person is a
shareholder of record at the time he or she submits such names and is entitled
to vote at the meeting of shareholders at which trustees will be elected; and
(ii) that the Governance Committee or the Board, as applicable, shall make the
final determination of persons to be nominated. During the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2007, the Governance Committee held eight meetings on behalf of
Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the
Governance Committee held seven meetings on behalf of Tax-Free Cash Reserve
Portfolio.
Notice procedures set forth in the Trust's bylaws require that any shareholder of a Portfolio desiring to nominate a trustee for election at a shareholder meeting must submit to the Trust's Secretary the nomination in writing not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such shareholder meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is made of the shareholder meeting and not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the shareholder meeting.
The members of the Investments Committee are Messrs. Baker (Vice Chair), Bayley (Chair), Bunch, Crockett, Dowden, Fields, Martin L. Flanagan, Frischling, Pennock, Stickel, Philip A. Taylor, and Drs. Mathai-Davis (Vice Chair) and Soll. The Investments Committee's primary purposes are to: (i) assist the Board in its oversight of the investment management services provided by Invesco Aim and the Sub-Advisors; and (ii) review all proposed and existing advisory, sub-advisory and distribution arrangements for the Portfolios, and to recommend what action the Board and the independent trustees take regarding the approval of all such proposed arrangements and the continuance of all such existing arrangements. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the Investments Committee held six meetings on behalf of Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the Investments Committee held six meetings on behalf of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
The Investments Committee has established three Sub-Committees, one of which relates to the Portfolios (the "Portfolio's Sub-Committee"). The Portfolios' Sub-Committee is responsible for: (i) reviewing the performance, fees and expenses of the Portfolios, unless the Investments Committee takes such action directly; (ii) reviewing with the Portfolios' portfolio managers from time to time the investment objective(s), policies, strategies and limitations of the Portfolios; (iii) evaluating the investment advisory, sub-advisory and distribution arrangements in effect or proposed for the Portfolios, unless the Investments Committee takes such action directly; (iv) being familiar with the registration statements and periodic shareholder reports applicable to the Portfolios; and (v) such other investment-related matters as the Investments Committee may delegate to the Portfolios' Sub-Committee from time to time.
The members of the Valuation, Distribution and Proxy Oversight Committee are Messrs. Baker, Bunch, Fields, Frischling (Chair), Pennock (Vice Chair), Taylor and Drs. Mathai-Davis and Soll. The primary purposes of the Valuation, Distribution and Proxy Oversight Committee are: (a) to address issues requiring action or oversight by the Board of the AIM Funds (i) in the valuation of the AIM Funds' portfolio securities consistent with the Pricing Procedures, (ii) in oversight of the creation and maintenance by the principal underwriters of the AIM Funds of an effective distribution and marketing system to build and maintain an adequate asset base and to create and maintain economies of scale for the AIM Funds, (iii) in the review of existing distribution arrangements for the AIM Funds under Rule 12b-1 and Section 15 of the 1940 Act, and (iv) in the oversight of proxy voting on portfolio securities of the Funds; and (b) to make regular reports to the full Boards of the AIM Funds.
The Valuation, Distribution and Proxy Oversight Committee is responsible
for: (a) with regard to valuation, (i) developing an understanding of the
valuation process and the Pricing Procedures; (ii) reviewing the Pricing
Procedures and making recommendations to the full Board with respect thereto;
(iii) reviewing the reports described in the Pricing Procedures and other
information from Invesco Aim regarding fair value determinations made pursuant
to the Pricing Procedures by Invesco Aim's internal valuation committee and
making reports and recommendations to the full Board with respect thereto; (iv)
receiving the reports of Invesco Aim's internal valuation committee requesting
approval of any changes to pricing vendors or pricing methodologies as required
by the Pricing Procedures and the annual report of Invesco Aim evaluating the
pricing vendors, approving changes to pricing vendors and pricing methodologies
as provided in the Pricing Procedures, and recommending annually the pricing
vendors for approval by the full Board; (v) upon request of Invesco Aim,
assisting Invesco Aim's internal valuation committee or the full Board in
resolving particular fair valuation issues; (vi) reviewing the reports described
in the Procedures for Determining the Liquidity of Securities (the "Liquidity
Procedures") and other information from Invesco Aim regarding liquidity
determinations made pursuant to the Liquidity Procedures by Invesco Aim and
making reports and recommendations to the full Board with respect thereto; and
(vii) overseeing actual or potential conflicts of interest by investment
personnel or others that could affect their input or recommendations regarding
pricing or liquidity issues; (b) with regard to distribution, (i) developing an
understanding of mutual fund distribution and marketing channels and legal,
regulatory and market developments regarding distribution; (ii) reviewing
periodic distribution and marketing determinations and annual approval of
distribution arrangements and making reports and recommendations to the full
Board with respect thereto; and (iii) reviewing other information from the
principal underwriters to the AIM Funds regarding distribution and marketing of
the AIM Funds and making recommendations to the full Board with respect thereto;
and (c) with regard to proxy voting, (i) overseeing the implementation of the
Proxy Voting Guidelines (the "Guidelines") and the Proxy Policies and Procedures
(the "Proxy Procedures") by Invesco Aim and the Sub-Advisors, reviewing the
Quarterly Proxy Voting Report and making recommendations to the full Board with
respect thereto; (ii) reviewing the Guidelines and the Proxy Procedures and
information provided by Invesco Aim and the Sub-Advisors regarding industry
developments and best practices in connection with proxy voting and making
recommendations to the full Board with respect thereto; and (iii) in
implementing its responsibilities in this area, assisting Invesco Aim in
resolving particular proxy voting issues. The Valuation, Distribution and Proxy
Oversight Committee was formed effective January 1, 2008. It succeeded the
Valuation Committee, which existed prior to 2008. During the fiscal year ended
August 31, 2007 the Valuation Committee held five meetings on behalf of
Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2008, the Valuation Committee held four meetings on behalf of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
The members of the Special Market Timing Litigation Committee are Messrs.
Bayley, Bunch (Chair), Crockett and Dowden (Vice Chair). The Special Market
Timing Litigation Committee is responsible: (i) for receiving reports from time
to time from management, counsel for management, counsel for the AIM Funds and
special counsel for the independent trustees, as applicable, related to (a) the
civil lawsuits, including purported class action and shareholder derivative
suits, that have been filed against the AIM Funds concerning alleged excessive
short term trading in shares of the AIM Funds ("market timing") and (b) the
civil enforcement actions and investigations related to market timing activity
in the AIM Funds that were settled with certain regulators, including without
limitation the SEC, the New York Attorney General and the Colorado Attorney
General, and for recommending to the independent trustees what actions, if any,
should be taken by the AIM Funds in light of all such reports; (ii) for
overseeing the investigation(s) on behalf of the independent trustees by special
counsel for the independent trustees and the independent trustees' financial
expert of market timing activity in the AIM Funds, and for recommending to the
independent trustees what actions, if any, should be taken by the AIM Funds in
light of the results of such investigation(s); (iii) for (a) reviewing the
methodology developed by Invesco Aim's Independent Distribution Consultant (the
"Distribution Consultant") for the monies ordered to be paid under the
settlement order with the SEC and making recommendations to the independent
trustees as to the acceptability of such methodology and (b) recommending to the
independent trustees whether to consent to any firm with which the Distribution
Consultant is affiliated entering into any employment, consultant,
attorney-client, auditing or other professional relationship with Invesco Aim,
or any of its present or former affiliates, directors, officers, employees or
agents acting in their capacity as such for the period of the Distribution
Consultant's engagement and for a period of two years after the engagement; and
(iv) for taking reasonable steps to ensure that any AIM Fund which the Special
Market Timing Litigation Committee determines was harmed by improper market
timing activity receives what the Special Market Timing Litigation Committee
deems to be full restitution. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for
Short-Term Investments Trust and during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for
Tax-Free Investments Trust, the Special Market Timing Litigation Committee did
not meet.
Trustee Ownership of Portfolio Shares
The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each trustee
(i) in the Portfolios and (ii) on an aggregate basis, in all registered
investment companies overseen by the trustee within the AIM Funds complex, is
set forth in Appendix C.
COMPENSATION
Each trustee who is not affiliated with Invesco Aim is compensated for his or her services according to a fee schedule which recognizes the fact that such trustee also serves as a trustee of other AIM Funds. Each such trustee receives a fee, allocated among the AIM Funds for which he or she serves as a trustee, which consists of an annual retainer component and a meeting fee component. The Chair of the Board and Chairs and Vice Chairs of certain committees receive additional compensation for their services.
Information regarding compensation paid or accrued for each trustee of the Trust who was not affiliated with Invesco Aim during the year ended December 31, 2007 is set forth in Appendix D. Appendix D also provides information for Short-Term Investments Trust regarding compensation paid to Russell Burk, the Portfolios' Senior Vice-President and Senior Officer, during the year ended December 31, 2007.
Retirement Plan For Trustees
The trustees have adopted a retirement plan for the trustees of the Trust who are not affiliated with Invesco Aim.
The trustees have also adopted a retirement policy that permits each non-Invesco Aim-affiliated trustee to serve until December 31 of the year in which the trustee becomes 75. A majority of the trustees may extend from time to time the retirement date of a trustee.
Annual Retirement benefits are available to each non-Invesco Aim-affiliated trustee of the Trust and/or the other AIM Funds (each, a "Covered Fund") who has at least five years of credited service as a trustee (including service to a predecessor portfolio) for a Covered Fund. Effective January 1, 2006, for retirements after December 31, 2005, the annual retirement benefits will equal 75% of the trustee's annual retainer paid to or accrued by any Covered Fund with respect to such trustee during the twelve-month period prior to retirement, including the amount of ay retainer deferred under a separate deferred compensation agreement between the Covered Fund and the trustee. The amount of the annual retirement benefit does not include additional compensation paid for Board meeting fees or compensation paid to the Chair of the Board and the Chairs and Vice Chairs of certain Board committees, whether such amounts are paid directly to the trustee or deferred. The annual retirement benefits are payable in quarterly installments for a number of years equal to the lesser of (i) sixteen years or (ii) the number of such trustee's credited years of service. If a trustee dies prior to receiving the full amount of retirement benefits, the remaining payments will be made to the deceased trustee's designated beneficiary for the same length of time that the trustee would have received the payment based on his or her service. A trustee must have attained the age of 65 (60 in the event of death or disability) to receive any retirement benefit. A trustee may make an irrevocable election to commence payment of retirement benefits upon retirement from the Board before age 72, in such a case, the annual retirement benefit is subject to a reduction for early payment.
Deferred Compensation Agreements
Messrs. Crockett, Edward K. Dunn (a former trustee), Fields, Frischling, and Drs. Mathai-Davis and Soll (for purposes of this paragraph only, the "Deferring Trustees") have each executed a Deferred Compensation Agreement (collectively, the "Compensation Agreements"). Pursuant to the Compensation Agreements, the Deferring Trustees have the option to elect to defer receipt of up to 100% of their compensation payable by the Trust, and such amounts are placed into a deferral account and deemed to be invested in one or more of the AIM Funds selected by the Deferring Trustees. Distributions from the Deferring Trustees' deferral accounts will be paid in cash, generally in equal quarterly installments over a period of up to ten (10) years (depending on the Compensation Agreement) beginning on the date selected under the Compensation Agreement. If a Deferring Trustee dies prior to the distribution of amounts in his or her deferral account, the balance of the deferral account will be distributed to his or her designated beneficiary. The Compensation Agreements are not funded and, with respect to the payments of amounts held in the deferral accounts, the Deferring Trustees have the status of unsecured creditors of the Trust and of each other AIM Fund from which they are deferring compensation.
CODE OF ETHICS
Invesco Aim, the Trust, and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. ("Invesco Aim Distributors") and the Sub-Advisors have adopted Codes of Ethics which apply to all AIM Fund trustees and officers, employees of Invesco Aim, the Sub-Advisors and their affiliates and governs among other things, personal trading activities of all such persons. The Codes of Ethics are intended to address conflicts of interest with the Trust that may arise from personal trading, including personal trading in most of the funds within The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--. Personal trading, including personal trading involving securities that may be purchased or held by the Portfolios within The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--, is permitted under the Code subject to certain restrictions; however employees are required to pre-clear all security transactions with the Compliance Officer or a designee and to report transactions on a regular basis.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting securities held by the Portfolios to Invesco Institutional (as defined herein). Invesco Institutional will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy policies and procedures, which have been reviewed and approved by the Board, and which are found in Appendix E.
Any material changes to the proxy policies and procedures will be submitted to the Board for approval. The Board will be supplied with a summary quarterly report of each Portfolio's proxy voting record.
Information regarding how the Portfolios voted proxies related to their Portfolio securities during the 12 months ended June 30, 2007 is available, without charge, at our website, http://www.invescoaim.com. This information is also available at the SEC website, http://www.sec.gov.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
Information about the ownership of each class of each Portfolio's shares by beneficial or record owners of such Portfolio and by trustees and officers as a group is set forth in Appendix F. A shareholder who owns beneficially 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Portfolio is presumed to "control" that Portfolio.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
Organized in 1976, Invesco Aim serves as the investment advisor to the Portfolios. Along with its subsidiaries, Invesco Aim manages or advises over 225 investment portfolios encompassing a broad range of investment objectives. Invesco Aim is a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Aim Management, a holding company that has been engaged in the financial services business since 1976. Invesco Aim Management is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco. Invesco and its subsidiaries are an independent global investment management group. Certain of the trustees and officers of Invesco Aim are also executive officers of the Trust and their affiliations are shown under "Management Information" herein.
As investment advisor, Invesco Aim supervises all aspects of the Portfolios' operations and provides investment advisory services to the Portfolios. Invesco Aim obtains and evaluates economic, statistical and financial information to formulate and implement investment programs for the Portfolios.
Invesco Aim is also responsible for furnishing to the Portfolios, at Invesco Aim's expense, the services of persons believed to be competent to perform all supervisory and administrative services required by the Portfolios, in the judgment of the trustees, to conduct their respective businesses effectively, as well as the offices, equipment and other facilities necessary for their operations. Such functions include the maintenance of the Portfolios' accounts and records, and the preparation of all requisite corporate documents such as tax returns and reports to the SEC and shareholders.
The Master Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Portfolios will pay or cause to be paid all expenses of the Portfolios not assumed by Invesco Aim, including, without limitation: brokerage commissions, taxes, legal, auditing or governmental fees, the cost of preparing share certificates, custodian, transfer and shareholder service agent costs, expenses of issue, sale, redemption, and repurchase of shares, expenses of registering and qualifying shares for sale, expenses relating to Trustees and shareholder meetings, the cost of preparing and distributing reports and notices to
shareholders, the fees and other expenses incurred by the trust on behalf of the Portfolios in connection with membership in investment company organizations, and the cost of printing copies of prospectuses and statements of additional information distributed to the Portfolios' shareholders.
Invesco Aim, at its own expense, furnishes to the Trust office space and facilities. Invesco Aim furnishes to the Trust all personnel for managing the affairs of the Trust and each of its series of shares.
Pursuant to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement with the Trust, Invesco Aim receives a monthly fee from the Portfolios calculated at the following annual rates, based on the average daily net assets of the Portfolios during the year. Each Portfolio allocates advisory fees to a class based on the relative net assets of each class.
FUND NAME NET ASSETS ANNUAL RATE --------------------------------- --------------------------------- ----------- Liquid Assets Portfolio All Assets 0.15% STIC Prime Portfolio All Assets 0.15% Treasury Portfolio All Assets 0.15% Government & Agency Portfolio All Assets 0.10% Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio First $250 million 0.20% Over $250 million to $500 million 0.15% Amount over $500 million 0.10% Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio First $500 million 0.25% Amount over $500 million 0.20% |
Invesco Aim may from time to time waive or reduce its fee. Voluntary fee waivers or reductions may be rescinded at any time without further notice to investors. During periods of voluntary fee waivers or reductions, Invesco Aim will retain its ability to be reimbursed for such fee prior to the end of each fiscal year. Contractual fee waivers or reductions set forth in the Fee Table in a Prospectus may not be terminated or amended to the Portfolios' detriment during the period stated in the agreement between Invesco Aim and the Portfolios.
For each Portfolio, Invesco Aim has contractually agreed through at least June 30, 2009 to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to limit total annual fund operating expenses (excluding (i) Rule 12b-1 fees, if any; (ii) interest; (iii) taxes; (iv) extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as approved by the Portfolios' Board; and (vi) expenses that the Portfolios have incurred but did not actually pay because of an expense offset arrangement) to 0.12% for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and to 0.22% for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio. Contractual fee waivers or reductions may not be terminated or amended to the Portfolios' detriment during the period stated in the agreement between Invesco Aim and the Portfolios.
For STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio, Invesco Aim has contractually agreed through at least June 30, 2009 to waive advisory fees payable by each Portfolio in an amount equal to 100% of the advisory fee Invesco Aim receives from the Affiliated Money Market Funds as a result of the Portfolios' investment of uninvested cash in the Affiliated Money Market Funds. See "Description of the Portfolios and Their Investments and Risks - Investment Strategies and Risks - Other Investments - Other Investment Companies".
The management fees payable by the Portfolios, the amounts waived by Invesco Aim and the net fee paid by the Portfolios for the last three fiscal years ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last fiscal years ended March 31, 2008, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, are found in Appendix G.
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORS
Invesco Aim has entered into a Master Intergroup Sub-Advisory Contract (the "Sub-Advisory Agreement") with certain affiliates to serve as Sub-Advisors to the Funds, pursuant to which these affiliated Sub-Advisors may be appointed by Invesco Aim from time to time to provide discretionary investment management services, investment advice, and/or order execution services to the Funds. These affiliated Sub-Advisors, each of which is a registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 are:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH ("Invesco Deutschland");
Invesco Asset Management Limited ("Invesco Asset Management");
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited ("Invesco Japan");
Invesco Australia Limited ("Invesco Australia");
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. ("Invesco Global");
Invesco Hong Kong Limited ("Invesco Hong Kong");
Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. ("Invesco Institutional");
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. ("Invesco Senior Secured"); and
AIM Funds Management Inc. ("AFMI") (AFMI anticipates changing its name to Invesco Trimark, Ltd. on or prior to December 31, 2008); (each a "Sub-Advisor" and collectively, the "Sub-Advisors").
Invesco Aim and each Sub-Advisor are indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Invesco.
The only fees payable to the Sub-Advisors under the Sub-Advisory Agreement are for providing discretionary investment management services. For such services, Invesco Aim will pay each Sub-Advisor a fee, computed daily and paid monthly, equal to (i) 40% of the monthly compensation that Invesco Aim receives from the Trust, multiplied by (ii) the fraction equal to the net assets of such Fund as to which such Sub-Advisor shall have provided discretionary investment management services for that month divided by the net assets of such Fund for that month. Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, this fee is reduced to reflect contractual or voluntary fee waivers or expense limitations by Invesco Aim, if any, in effect from time to time. In no event shall the aggregate monthly fees paid to the Sub-Advisors under the Sub-Advisory Agreement exceed 40% of the monthly compensation that Invesco Aim receives from the Trust pursuant to its advisory agreement with the Trust, as reduced to reflect contractual or voluntary fees waivers or expense limitations by Invesco Aim, if any.
MARKETING SUPPORT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT PAYMENTS
Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, or one of their affiliates ("Invesco Aim Affiliates") may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries that sell shares of the AIM Funds or provide promotional and/or sales support on behalf of Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors with respect to the AIM Funds. Financial intermediaries receiving marketing support payments may agree to provide a variety of services and activities that benefit Invesco Aim and its affiliates, such as including the AIM Funds on a preferred or select sales list or in other sales programs, providing access to the financial intermediaries' registered representatives, providing assistance in training and education of personnel, providing marketing support, and other services. In addition, Invesco Aim Affiliates may, from time to time, at their expense out of their own financial resources make cash payments to financial intermediaries that provide administrative services to
their customers. These administrative support payments may be made for recordkeeping, sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder processing and similar services.
Marketing and administrative support payments are in addition to any fees paid by an AIM Fund, including Rule 12b-1 fees. Marketing and administrative support payments, whether a fixed payment or calculated as a percentage of assets attributable to a financial intermediary in a given AIM Fund, may be different for different financial intermediaries, and shall not exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of all shares attributable to the financial intermediary in any AIM Fund during a particular period. Moreover, where financial intermediaries provide services to the AIM Funds or an Invesco Aim Affiliate, the costs of providing the services and the package of services provided may differ. The Invesco Aim Affiliates do not make an independent assessment of the cost of such services. A list of financial intermediaries to whom Invesco Aim Affiliates paid marketing and/or administrative support payments during the prior calendar year is attached hereto as Appendix H. This list may not be current and changes over time.
These payments could be significant to the financial intermediaries and may create an incentive for a financial intermediary to recommend or sell shares of the AIM Funds to its customers, thereby increasing the assets in the AIM Funds. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about any payments they or their firm may receive in connection with the sale of Portfolio shares or the provision of services to the Portfolios.
SERVICE AGREEMENTS
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT. Invesco Aim and the Trust have entered into a Master Administrative Services Agreement ("Administrative Services Agreement") pursuant to which Invesco Aim may perform or arrange for the provision of certain accounting and other administrative services to the Portfolios which are not required to be performed by Invesco Aim under the advisory agreement. The Administrative Services Agreement provides that it will remain in effect and continue from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at last annually by the Board, including the independent trustees, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Under the Administrative Services Agreement, Invesco Aim is entitled to receive from the Portfolios reimbursement of its costs or such reasonable compensation as may be approved by the Board. Currently, Invesco Aim is reimbursed for the services of the Trust's principal financial officer and her staff, and any expenses related to fund accounting services.
Administrative services fees paid to Invesco Aim by the Portfolios for the last three fiscal years ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last three fiscal years ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, are found in Appendix I.
OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
TRANSFER AGENT. Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. ("Invesco Aim Investment Services"), 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046, a wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Aim, is the Trust's transfer agent.
The Transfer Agency and Service Agreement (the "TA Agreement") between the Trust and Invesco Aim Investment Services will perform certain services related to the servicing of shareholders of the Portfolios. Other such services may be performed by third party intermediaries, as described below. For servicing accounts holding shares of the Portfolios, the TA Agreement provides that the Trust, on behalf of the Portfolio, will pay Invesco Aim Investment Services an asset-based fee. Invesco Aim Investment Services may impose certain copying charges for requests for copies of shareholder account statements and other historical account information older than the current year and the immediately preceding year.
SUB-TRANSFER AGENT. AFMI, 5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario M2N6X7, a wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Invesco, began providing services to the Trust as a sub-transfer agent, pursuant to an agreement between AFMI and Invesco Aim Investment Services. The Trust does not pay a fee to AFMI for these services. Rather AFMI is compensated by Invesco Aim Investment Services, as a sub-contractor.
SUB-ACCOUNTING. The Trust and Invesco Aim Distributors have arranged for Invesco Aim Investment Services to offer sub-accounting services to shareholders of the Portfolios and to maintain information with respect to the underlying beneficial ownership of the shares of each class of the Portfolios. Investors who purchase shares of the Portfolios for the account of others can make arrangements through the Trust or Invesco Aim Distributors for these sub-accounting services. In addition, shareholders utilizing AIM LINK--Registered Trademark-- may receive sub-accounting services.
CUSTODIAN. The Bank of New York ("Custodian"), 2 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217-1431, is custodian of all securities and cash of the Portfolios. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., 712 Main, Houston, Texas 77002, serves as sub-custodian for purchases of shares of the Portfolios.
Under its contract with the Trust, the Custodian maintains the portfolio securities of the Portfolios, administers the purchases and sales of portfolio securities, collects interest and dividends and other distributions made on the securities held in the Portfolios and performs other ministerial duties. These services do not include any supervisory function over management or provide any protection against any possible depreciation of assets.
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM. The Portfolios' independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the financial statements of the Portfolios. The Audit Committee of the Board appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, 1201 Louisiana Street, Suite 2900, Houston, Texas 77002, as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the financial statements of the Portfolios. Such appointment was ratified and approved by the Board.
COUNSEL TO THE TRUST. Legal matters for the Trust have been passed upon by Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, 2600 One Commerce Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES
The Sub-Advisors have adopted compliance procedures that cover, among other items, brokerage allocation and other trading practices. If all or a portion of a Portfolio's assets are managed by one or more Sub-Advisors, the decision to buy and sell securities and broker selection will be made by the Sub-Advisor for the assets it manages. Unless specifically noted, the Sub-Advisors' procedures do not materially differ from Invesco Aim's procedures discussed below.
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS
Invesco Aim or the Sub-Advisor makes decisions to buy and sell securities for the Portfolios, selects broker-dealers (each, a "Broker"), effects the Portfolios' investment portfolio transactions, and where applicable, negotiates spreads on transactions. Invesco Aim and the Sub-Advisor's primary consideration in effecting a security transaction is to obtain best execution, which is defined as prompt and efficient execution of the transaction at the best obtainable price with payment of commissions, mark-ups or mark-downs which are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage services provided by the Broker.
Some of the securities in which the Portfolios invest are traded in over-the-counter markets. Portfolio transactions placed in such markets may be effected on a principal basis at net prices without commissions, but which include compensation to the Broker in the form of a mark-up or mark-down, or on an agency basis, which involves the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions to the Broker,
including electronic communication networks. Purchases of underwritten issues include a commission or concession paid by the issuer (not the Portfolios) to the underwriter. Purchases of money market instruments may be made directly from issuers without the payment of commissions.
Traditionally, commission rates have not been negotiated on stock markets outside the United States. Although in recent years many overseas stock markets have adopted a system of negotiated rates, a number of markets maintain an established schedule of minimum commission rates.
The Portfolios do not seek to profit from short-term trading, and will generally (but not always) hold portfolio securities to maturity, however Invesco Aim may seek to enhance the yield of the Portfolios by taking advantage of yield disparities or other factors that occur in the money markets. For example, market conditions frequently result in similar securities trading at different prices. Invesco Aim may dispose of any portfolio security prior to its maturity if Invesco Aim believes such disposition and reinvestment of proceeds will enhance yield consistent with Invesco Aim's judgment as to desirable portfolio maturity structure or if Invesco Aim believes such disposition is advisable due to other circumstances or conditions. The amortized cost method of valuing portfolio securities requires that the Portfolios maintain an average weighted portfolio maturity of ninety days or less. Thus, there is likely to be relatively high portfolio turnover, but because brokerage commissions are not normally paid on money market instruments, the high rate of portfolio turnover is not expected to have a material effect on the net income or expenses of the Portfolios.
COMMISSIONS
There were no brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolios for the last three fiscal years ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last three fiscal years ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, to any Brokers affiliated with the Portfolios, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors, the Sub-Advisors or any affiliates of such entities.
The Portfolios may engage in certain principal and agency transactions with banks and their affiliates that own 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of an AIM Fund, provided the conditions of an exemptive order received by the AIM Funds from the SEC are met. In addition, the Portfolios may purchase or sell a security from or to certain other AIM Funds or accounts (and may invest in Affiliated Money Market Funds) provided the Portfolios follows procedures adopted by the Boards of Trustees of the various AIM Funds, including the Trust. These inter-fund transactions do not generate brokerage commissions but may result in custodial fees or taxes or other related expenses.
BROKER SELECTION
Invesco Aim's primary consideration in selecting Brokers to execute portfolio transactions for the Portfolios is to obtain best execution. In selecting a Broker to execute a portfolio transaction in equity securities for the Portfolios, Invesco Aim considers the full range and quality of a Broker's services, including the value of research and/or brokerage services provided, execution capability, commission rate, willingness to commit capital, anonymity and responsiveness. Invesco Aim's primary consideration when selecting a Broker to execute a portfolio transaction in fixed income securities for the Portfolios is the Broker's ability to deliver or sell the relevant fixed income securities; however, Invesco Aim will also consider the various factors listed above. In each case, the determinative factor is not the lowest commission or spread available but whether the transaction represents the best qualitative execution for the Portfolios. Invesco Aim will not select Brokers based upon their promotion or sale of Portfolio shares.
In choosing Brokers to execute portfolio transactions for the Portfolios, Invesco Aim may select Brokers that provide brokerage and/or research services ("Soft Dollar Products") to the Portfolios and/or the other accounts over which Invesco Aim and its affiliates have investment discretion.
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, provides that Invesco Aim, under certain circumstances, lawfully may cause an account to pay a higher commission than the lowest available. Under Section 28(e)(1), Invesco Aim must make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are "reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided . . . viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or [Invesco Aim's] overall responsibilities with respect to the accounts as to which [it] exercises investment discretion." The services provided by the Broker also must lawfully and appropriately assist Invesco Aim in the performance of its investment decision-making responsibilities. Accordingly, the Portfolios may pay a Broker higher commissions than those available from another Broker in recognition of such Broker's provision of Soft Dollar Products to Invesco Aim.
Invesco Aim faces a potential conflict of interest when it uses client trades to obtain Soft Dollar Products. This conflict exists because Invesco Aim is able to use the Soft Dollar Products to manage client accounts without paying cash for the Soft Dollar Products, which reduces Invesco Aim's expenses to the extent that Invesco Aim would have purchased such products had they not been provided by Brokers. Section 28(e) permits Invesco Aim to use Soft Dollar Products for the benefit of any account it manages. Certain Invesco Aim-managed accounts may generate soft dollars used to purchase Soft Dollar Products that ultimately benefit other Invesco Aim-managed accounts, effectively cross subsidizing the other Invesco Aim-managed accounts that benefit directly from the product. Invesco Aim may not use all of the Soft Dollar Products provided by Brokers through which a Portfolio effects securities transactions in connection with managing such Portfolio.
Invesco Aim and certain of its affiliates presently engage in the following instances of cross-subsidization:
1. Fixed income funds normally do not generate soft dollar commissions to pay for Soft Dollar Products. Therefore, soft dollar commissions used to pay for Soft Dollar Products which are used to manage certain fixed income AIM Funds are generated entirely by equity AIM Funds and other equity client accounts managed by Invesco Aim or Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. ("Invesco Aim Capital"), a subsidiary of Invesco Aim. In other words, certain fixed income AIM Funds are cross-subsidized by the equity AIM Funds, in that the fixed income AIM Funds receive the benefit of Soft Dollar Products services for which they do not pay.
2. The investment models used to manage many of the AIM Funds are also used to manage other accounts of Invesco Aim and/or Invesco Aim Capital. The Soft Dollar Products obtained through the use of soft dollar commissions generated by the transactions of the AIM Funds and/or other accounts managed by Invesco Aim and/or Invesco Aim Capital are used to maintain the investment models relied upon by both of these advisory affiliates.
This type of cross-subsidization occurs in both directions. For example, soft dollar commissions generated by transactions of the AIM Funds and/or other accounts managed by Invesco Aim are used for Soft Dollar Products which may benefit those AIM Funds and/or accounts as well as accounts managed by Invesco Aim Capital. Additionally, soft dollar commissions generated by transactions of accounts managed by Invesco Aim Capital are used for Soft Dollar Products which may benefit those accounts as well as accounts managed by Invesco Aim. In certain circumstances, Invesco Aim Capital accounts may indicate that their transactions should not be used to generate soft dollar commissions but may still receive the benefits of Soft Dollar Products received by Invesco Aim or Invesco Aim Capital.
3. Some of the common investment models used to manage various AIM Funds and other accounts of Invesco Aim and/or Invesco Aim Capital are also used to manage accounts of Invesco Aim Private Asset Management, Inc. ("IAPAM"), another Invesco Aim subsidiary. The Soft Dollar Products obtained through the use of soft dollar commissions generated by
the transactions of the AIM Funds and/or other accounts managed by Invesco Aim and/or Invesco Aim Capital are used to maintain the investment models relied upon by Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Capital and IAPAM. This cross-subsidization occurs in only one direction. Most of IAPAM's accounts do not generate soft dollar commissions which can be used to purchase Soft Dollar Products. The soft dollar commissions generated by transactions of the AIM Funds and/or other accounts managed by Invesco Aim and/or Invesco Aim Capital are used for Soft Dollar Products which may benefit the accounts managed by Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Capital and IAPAM; however, IAPAM does not provide any soft dollar research benefit to the Funds and/or other accounts managed by Invesco Aim or Invesco Aim Capital.
Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Capital attempt to reduce or eliminate the potential conflicts of interest concerning the use of Soft Dollar Products by directing client trades for Soft Dollar Products only if Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Capital conclude that the Broker supplying the product is capable of providing best execution.
Certain Soft Dollar Products may be available directly from a vendor on a hard dollar basis; other Soft Dollar Products are available only through Brokers in exchange for soft dollars. Invesco Aim uses soft dollars to purchase two types of Soft Dollar Products:
- proprietary research created by the Broker executing the trade, and
- other products created by third parties that are supplied to Invesco Aim through the Broker executing the trade.
Proprietary research consists primarily of traditional research reports, recommendations and similar materials produced by the in house research staffs of broker-dealer firms. This research includes evaluations and recommendations of specific companies or industry groups, as well as analyses of general economic and market conditions and trends, market data, contacts and other related information and assistance. Invesco Aim periodically rates the quality of proprietary research produced by various Brokers. Based on the evaluation of the quality of information that Invesco Aim receives from each Broker, Invesco Aim develops an estimate of each Broker's share of Invesco Aim clients' commission dollars. Invesco Aim attempts to direct trades to the firms to meet these estimates.
Invesco Aim also uses soft dollars to acquire products from third parties that are supplied to Invesco Aim through Brokers executing the trades or other Brokers who "step in" to a transaction an receive a portion of the brokerage commission for the trade. Invesco Aim may from time to time instruct the executing Broker to allocate or "step out" a portion of a transaction to another Broker. The Broker to which Invesco Aim has "stepped out" would then settle and complete the designated portion of the transaction, and the executing Broker would settle and complete the remaining portion of the transaction that has not been "stepped out." Each Broker may receive a commission or brokerage fee with respect to that portion of the transaction that it settles and completes.
Soft Dollar Products received from Brokers supplement Invesco Aim's own research (and the research of certain of its affiliates), and may include the following types of products and services:
- Database Services - comprehensive databases containing current and/or historical information on companies and industries and indices. Examples include historical securities prices, earnings estimates and financial data. These services may include software tools that allow the user to search the database or to prepare value-added analyses related to the investment process (such as forecasts and models used in the portfolio management process).
- Quotation/Trading/News Systems - products that provide real time market data information, such as pricing of individual securities and information on current trading, as well as a variety of news services.
- Economic Data/Forecasting Tools - various macro economic forecasting tools, such as economic data or currency and political forecasts for various countries or regions.
- Quantitative/Technical Analysis - software tools that assist in quantitative and technical analysis of investment data.
- Fundamental/Industry Analysis - industry specific fundamental investment research.
- Fixed Income Security Analysis - data and analytical tools that pertain specifically to fixed income securities. These tools assist in creating financial models, such as cash flow projections and interest rate sensitivity analyses, which are relevant to fixed income securities.
- Other Specialized Tools - other specialized products such as consulting analyses, access to industry experts, and distinct investment expertise such as forensic accounting or custom built investment-analysis software.
If Invesco Aim determines that any service or product has a mixed use (i.e., it also serves functions that do not assist the investment decision-making or trading process), Invesco Aim will allocate the costs of such service or product accordingly in its reasonable discretion. Invesco Aim will allocate brokerage commissions to Brokers only for the portion of the service or product that Invesco Aim determines assists it in the investment decision-making or trading process and will pay for the remaining value of the product or service in cash.
Outside research assistance is useful to Invesco Aim since the Brokers used by Invesco Aim tend to follow a more in-depth analysis of a broader universe of securities and other matters than Invesco Aim's staff can follow. In addition, such services provide Invesco Aim with a diverse perspective on financial markets. Some Brokers may indicate that the provision of research services is dependent on the generation of certain specified levels of commissions and underwriting concessions by Invesco Aim's clients, including the Portfolios. However, the Portfolios are not under any obligation to deal with any broker-dealer in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities. In some cases, Soft Dollar Products are available only from the Broker providing them. In other cases, Soft Dollar Products may be obtainable from alternative sources in return for cash payments. Invesco Aim believes that because Broker research supplements rather than replaces Invesco Aim's research, the receipt of such research tends to improve the quality of Invesco Aim's investment advice. The advisory fee paid by the Funds is not reduced because Invesco Aim receives such services. To the extent the Portfolios' transactions are used to obtain Soft Dollar Products, the brokerage commissions obtained by the Portfolios might exceed those that might otherwise have been paid.
Invesco Aim may determine target levels of brokerage business with various Brokers on behalf of its clients (including the Portfolios) over a certain time period. The target levels will be based upon the following factors, among others: (1) the execution services provided by the Broker; and (2) the research services provided by the Broker. Portfolio transactions may be effected through Brokers that recommend the Portfolios to their clients, or that act as agent in the purchase of a Portfolio's shares for their clients, provided that Invesco Aim believes such Brokers provide best execution and such transactions are executed in compliance with Invesco Aim's policy against using directed brokerage to compensate Brokers for promoting or selling AIM Fund shares. Invesco Aim will not enter into a binding commitment with Brokers to place trades with such Brokers involving brokerage commissions in precise amounts.
REGULAR BROKERS
Information concerning the Portfolios' acquisition of securities of its regular broker or dealers during the last fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and during the last fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is found in Appendix J.
ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Invesco Aim and its affiliates manage numerous AIM Funds and other accounts. Some of these accounts or investment companies may have investment objectives similar to the Portfolios. Occasionally, identical securities will be appropriate for investment by the Portfolios and also by another portfolio or one or more other accounts. However, the position of each account in the same security and the length of time that each account may hold its investment in the same securities may vary. The timing and amount of purchase by each account will also be determined by its cash position. If the purchase or sale of a security is consistent with the investment policies of more than one portfolio or by the Portfolios and one or more other accounts or investment companies, and is considered at or about the same time, Invesco Aim will allocate transactions in such securities among the Portfolios and these accounts on a pro rata basis based on order size or in such other manner believed by Invesco Aim to be fair and equitable. Invesco Aim may combine such transactions, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, to obtain the most favorable execution. Simultaneous transactions could, however, adversely affect a Portfolio's ability to obtain or dispose of the full amount of a security which it seeks to purchase or sell.
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Before the initial purchase of shares, an investor must submit a completed account application either directly or through its financial intermediary, to Invesco Aim Investment Services at P.O. Box 0843, Houston, Texas 77001-0843. An investor may change information in his account application by submitting written changes or a new account application to his intermediary or to Invesco Aim Investment Services.
Purchase and redemption orders must be received in good order. To be in good order, the investor, either directly or through his financial intermediary must give Invesco Aim Investment Services all required information and documentation. Additionally, purchase payment must be made in federal funds. If the intermediary fails to deliver the investor's payment on the required settlement date, the intermediary must reimburse the Portfolios for any overdraft charges incurred.
An investor or a financial intermediary may submit a written request to Invesco Aim Investment Services for correction of transactions involving Portfolio shares. If Invesco Aim Investment Services agrees to correct a transaction, and the correction requires a dividend adjustment, the investor or the intermediary must agree in writing to reimburse the Portfolios for any resulting loss.
Payment for redeemed shares is normally made by Federal Reserve wire to the bank account designated in the investor's account application, but may be sent by check at the investor's request. Any changes to wire instructions must be submitted to Invesco Aim Investment Services in writing. Invesco Aim Investment Services may request additional documentation.
Invesco Aim Investment Services may request that an intermediary maintain
separate master accounts in the Portfolios for shares held by the intermediary
(a) for its own account, for the account of other institutions and for accounts
for which the intermediary acts as a fiduciary; and (b) for accounts for which
the intermediary acts in some other capacity. An intermediary may aggregate its
master accounts and sub-accounts to satisfy the minimum investment requirement.
Additional information regarding purchases and redemptions is located in each class' prospectus, under the headings "Purchasing Shares" and "Redeeming Shares."
OFFERING PRICE
The offering price per share of each Portfolio is $1.00. There can be no assurance that the Portfolios will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Board has established procedures designed to stabilize each Portfolio's net asset value per share at $1.00, to the extent reasonably possible. Such procedures include review of portfolio holdings by the Trustees at such intervals as they may deem appropriate. The reviews are used to determine whether net asset value, calculated by using available market quotations, deviates from $1.00 per share and, if so, whether such deviation may result in material dilution or is otherwise unfair to investors or existing shareholders. In the event the trustees determine that a material deviation exists, they intend to take such corrective action as they deem necessary and appropriate. Such actions may include selling portfolio securities prior to maturity in order to realize capital gains or losses or to shorten average portfolio maturity, withholding dividends, redeeming shares in kind, or establishing a net asset value per share by using available market quotations. When available, market quotations are used to establish net asset value, the net asset value could possibly be more or less than $1.00 per share. The Portfolios intend to comply with any amendments made to Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act which may require corresponding changes in the Portfolios' procedures which are designed to stabilize each Portfolio's price per share at $1.00.
Under the amortized cost method, each investment is valued at its cost and thereafter any discount or premium is amortized on a constant basis to maturity. Although this method provides certainty of valuation, it may result in periods in which the amortized cost value of the Portfolios' investments is higher or lower than the price that would be received if the investments were sold.
REDEMPTIONS IN KIND
The Portfolios do not intend to redeem shares representing an interest in the Portfolios in kind (i.e., by distributing its portfolio securities).
BACKUP WITHHOLDING
Accounts submitted without a correct, certified taxpayer identification number ("TIN") or, alternatively, a correctly completed and currently effective Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") Form W-8 (for non-resident aliens) or Form W-9 (for U.S. persons including resident aliens) accompanying the registration information will generally be subject to backup withholding.
Each AIM Fund, and other payers, generally must withhold 28% of reportable dividends (whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Fund shares), including exempt-interest dividends, in the case of any shareholder who fails to provide the Portfolios with a TIN and a certification that he is not subject to backup withholding.
An investor is subject to backup withholding if:
1. the investor fails to furnish a correct TIN to the Portfolios;
2. the IRS notifies the Portfolios that the investor furnished an incorrect TIN;
3. the investor or a Portfolio is notified by the IRS that the investor is subject to backup withholding because the investor failed to report all of the interest and dividends on such investor's tax return (for reportable interest and dividends only);
4. the investor fails to certify to the Portfolio that the investor is not subject to backup withholding under (3) above (for reportable interest and dividend accounts opened after 1983 only); or
5. the investor does not certify his TIN. This applies only to non-exempt mutual fund accounts opened after 1983.
Interest and dividend payments are subject to backup withholding in all five situations discussed above. Redemption proceeds are subject to backup withholding only if (1), (2) or (5) above applies.
Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding and information reporting. Invesco Aim or Invesco Aim Investment Services will not provide Form 1099 to those payees.
Investors should contact the IRS if they have any questions concerning withholding.
IRS PENALTIES - Investors who do not supply the AIM Funds with a correct TIN will be subject to a $50 penalty imposed by the IRS unless such failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect. If an investor falsifies information on this form or makes any other false statement resulting in no backup withholding on an account which should be subject to backup withholding, such investor may be subject to a $500 penalty imposed by the IRS and to certain criminal penalties including fines and/or imprisonment.
NON-RESIDENT ALIENS - Non-resident alien individuals and foreign entities with a valid Form W-8 are not subject to the backup withholding previously discussed. The Form W-8 generally remains in effect for a period starting on the date the Form is signed and ending on the last day of the third succeeding calendar year. Such shareholders may, however, be subject to federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate on ordinary income dividends and other distributions. Under applicable treaty law, residents of treaty countries may qualify for a reduced rate of withholding or a withholding exemption. Non-resident alien individuals and some foreign entities failing to provide a valid Form W-8 may be subject to backup withholding and Form 1099 reporting.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX MATTERS
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Each Portfolio intends to declare any dividends on each business day and pay any dividends monthly; however, the Portfolios may declare and pay capital gain distributions more than once per year, if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on a Portfolio. Each Portfolio intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Portfolios do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains and losses.
Dividends and distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional shares at net asset value unless the shareholder has elected to have such dividends and distributions paid in cash. Such election, or any revocation thereof, must be made in writing and sent by the shareholder to Invesco Aim Investment Services at P.O. Box 0843, Houston, Texas 77001-0843. Such election or revocation will be effective with dividends paid after it is received by the transfer agent.
Distributions paid in cash will normally be paid by wire transfer. Payment will normally be made on the first business day of the following month. If a shareholder redeems all the shares in his account at any time during the month, the shareholder may request that all dividends declared up to the date of redemption be paid to the shareholder along with the proceeds of the redemption. If no request is made, dividends will be paid on the next dividend date. Information concerning the amount of the dividends declared on any particular day will normally be available by 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on that day for Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio, 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on that day for STIC Prime Portfolio and
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on that day for Liquid Assets Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Government & Agency Portfolio.
The dividends accrued and paid for each class of shares of the Portfolios will consist of (a) income accrued and discounts earned less amortization of premiums, if any, for the Portfolios to which such class relates, allocated based upon such class' pro rata share of the total settled shares outstanding which relate to such Portfolios, less (b) expenses accrued for the applicable dividend period attributable to such Portfolios, such as custodian fees and accounting expenses, allocated based upon each such class' pro rata share of the net assets of such Portfolios, less (c) expenses directly attributable to each class which are accrued for the applicable dividend period, such as distribution expenses, if any.
Should the Trust incur or anticipate any unusual expense, loss or depreciation which would adversely affect the net asset value per share of the Portfolios or the net income per share of a class of the Portfolios for a particular period, the Board would at that time consider whether to adhere to the present dividend policy described above or to revise it in light of then prevailing circumstances. For example, if the net asset value per share of the Portfolios was reduced, or was anticipated to be reduced, below $1.00, the Board might suspend further dividend payments on shares of the Portfolios until the net asset value returns to $1.00. Thus, such expense, loss or depreciation might result in a shareholder receiving no dividends for the period during which it held shares of the Portfolios and/or its receiving upon redemption a price per share lower than that which it paid.
TAX MATTERS
The following is only a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Portfolios and its shareholders not described in the Prospectus. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Portfolios or their shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning.
QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY. Each Portfolio has elected to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and intends to maintain its qualification as such in each of its taxable years. As a regulated investment company, each Portfolio is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income (i.e., taxable interest, dividends and other taxable ordinary income, net of expenses) and capital gain net income that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes an amount equal to (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (i.e., net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and (ii) at least 90% of the excess of its tax-exempt interest income under Code Section 103(a) over its deductions disallowed under Code Sections 265 and 171(a)(2) for the taxable year (the "Distribution Requirement"), and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below. Distributions by the Portfolios made during the taxable year or, under specified circumstances, within twelve months after the close of the taxable year, will be considered distributions of income and gain of the taxable year and can therefore satisfy the Distribution Requirement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Trustees reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of a Portfolio as a regulated investment company if it determines such a course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.
Each Portfolio presently intends to elect under applicable Treasury regulations to treat any net capital loss and any net long-term capital loss incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining its taxable income for the current taxable year. Each Portfolio may also elect under the same regulations to treat all or part of any net foreign currency loss incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year.
In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, a regulated investment company must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities, or foreign currencies (to the extent such foreign currency gains are directly related to the regulated investment company's principal business of investing in stock or securities), or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived from its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net
income derived from certain publicly traded partnerships (the "Income Requirement"). Under certain circumstances, a Portfolio may be required to sell portfolio holdings to meet this requirement.
In addition to satisfying the requirements described above, each Portfolio must satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company (the "Asset Diversification Test"). Under this test, at the close of each quarter of a Portfolio's taxable year, at least 50% of the value of a Portfolio's assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and securities of other issuers, as to which the Portfolio has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which such Portfolio does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and no more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in the securities of any other issuer (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies) or of two or more issuers which the Portfolio controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or, collectively, in the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.
Under an IRS revenue procedure, a Portfolio may treat its position as lender under a repurchase agreement as a U.S. Government security for purposes of the Asset Diversification Test where the repurchase agreement is fully collateralized (under applicable SEC standards) with securities that constitute U.S. Government securities.
If for any taxable year a Portfolio does not qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain (net long-term capital gain over any net short-term capital loss)) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of such Portfolio's current and accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions generally would be eligible for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders and would be included in the qualified dividend income of non-corporate shareholders. See "Portfolio Distributions" below.
DETERMINATION OF TAXABLE INCOME OF A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY. In general, gain or loss recognized by the Portfolios on the disposition of an asset will be a capital gain or loss. However, gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation (including, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, in general, a disposition of a Municipal Security) purchased by the Portfolios at a market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount which accrued during the period of time the Portfolios held the debt obligation unless the Portfolios made an election to accrue market discount into income. If the Portfolios purchase a debt obligation that was originally issued at a discount, the Portfolios are generally required to include in gross income each year the portion of the original issue discount which accrues during such year.
EXCISE TAX ON REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANIES. A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company that fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to 98% of ordinary taxable income for the calendar year and 98% of capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year (a "taxable year election")). The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year. For the foregoing purposes, a regulated investment company is treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to income tax for any taxable year ending in such calendar year.
Each Portfolio generally intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax. However, investors should note that the Portfolios may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability. In addition, under certain circumstances the Portfolios may elect to pay a minimal amount of excise tax.
PORTFOLIO DISTRIBUTIONS (ALL PORTFOLIOS). The Portfolios anticipate distributing substantially all of their investment company taxable income for each taxable year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income and treated as dividends for federal income tax purposes, but they will not qualify for the 70% dividends received deduction for corporations or be included in the qualified dividend income of non-corporate shareholders.
A Portfolio may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain (net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for each taxable year. The Portfolios currently intend to distribute any such amounts. If net capital gain is distributed and designated as a "capital gain dividend," it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain (currently taxable at a maximum rate of 15% or 25%, depending on the nature of the capital gain, for non-corporate shareholders) regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held his shares or whether such gain was recognized by a Portfolio prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired his shares. Conversely, if a Portfolio elects to retain its net capital gain, the Portfolio will be taxed thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carry forwards) at the 35% corporate tax rate. If a Portfolio elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Portfolio also will elect to have shareholders treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report its pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by its Portfolio on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for its shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit. As discussed above for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, realized market discount on Municipal Securities, will generally be treated as ordinary income and not as capital gain.
Subject to applicable Code limitations, the Portfolios will be allowed to take into account a net capital loss (excess of losses over gains from the sale of capital assets) from a prior taxable year as a short-term capital loss for the current taxable year in determining their investment company taxable income and net capital gain.
Distributions by the Portfolios that do not constitute ordinary income dividends, exempt-interest dividends or capital gains will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder's tax basis in his shares, any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares.
Distributions by the Portfolios will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolios (or of another portfolio). Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the ex-dividend date.
Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by the Portfolios into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and made by the Portfolios) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year in accordance with the guidance that has been provided by the IRS.
Income earned on certain U.S. government obligations is exempt from state and local personal income taxes if earned directly by you. States also grant tax-free status to dividends paid to you from interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. government, subject in some states to minimum investment or reporting requirements that must be met by the Portfolio. Income on investments by the Portfolio in certain other obligations, such as repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government obligations, commercial paper and federal agency-backed obligations (e.g., Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) or Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) obligations), generally does not qualify for tax-free treatment. The rules on exclusion of this income are different for corporations.
PORTFOLIO DISTRIBUTIONS (TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO ONLY). Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio intends to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends by satisfying the requirement that at the close of each quarter of the Portfolio's taxable year at least 50% of the Portfolio's total assets consists of Municipal Securities, which are exempt from federal income tax. Distributions from the Portfolio will constitute exempt-interest dividends to the extent of the Portfolio's tax-exempt interest income (net of allocable expenses and amortized bond premium). Exempt-interest dividends distributed to shareholders of the Portfolio are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes. However, shareholders required to file a federal income tax return will be required to report the receipt of exempt-interest dividends on their returns. Moreover, while exempt-interest dividends are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes, they may be subject to AMT in certain circumstances and may have other collateral tax consequences as discussed below. Distributions by the Portfolio of any investment company taxable income or of any net capital gain will be taxable to shareholders as discussed below.
AMT is imposed in addition to, but only to the extent it exceeds, the regular tax and is computed at a maximum rate of 28% for non-corporate taxpayers and 20% for corporate taxpayers on the excess of
the taxpayer's alternative minimum taxable income ("AMTI") over an exemption amount. However, the AMT on capital gain dividends paid by the Portfolio to a non-corporate shareholder may not exceed the maximum applicable capital gains rate to non-corporate taxpayers. Exempt-interest dividends derived from certain "private activity" Municipal Securities issued after August 7, 1986 will generally constitute an item of tax preference includable in AMTI for both corporate and non-corporate taxpayers. In addition, exempt-interest dividends derived from all Municipal Securities regardless of the date of issue, must be included in adjusted current earnings, which are used in computing an additional corporate preference item (i.e., 75% of the excess of a corporate taxpayer's adjusted current earnings over its AMTI (determined without regard to this item and the AMT net operating loss deduction)) includable in AMTI. Certain small corporations are wholly exempt from the AMT.
Exempt-interest dividends must be taken into account in computing the portion, if any, of social security or railroad retirement benefits that must be included in an individual shareholder's gross income subject to federal income tax. Further, a shareholder of the Portfolio is denied a deduction for interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry shares of the Portfolio. Moreover, a shareholder who is (or is related to) a "substantial user" of a facility financed by industrial development bonds held by the Portfolio will likely be subject to tax on dividends paid by the Portfolio which are derived from interest on such bonds. Receipt of exempt-interest dividends may result in other collateral federal income tax consequences to certain taxpayers, including financial institutions, property and casualty insurance companies and foreign corporations engaged in a trade or business in the United States. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisers as to such consequences.
SALE OR REDEMPTION OF SHARES. A shareholder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of a class in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the shares. Because shares in the Portfolios are offered and redeemed at a constant net asset value per share, a shareholder will generally recognize neither gain nor loss on a redemption of shares.
BACKUP WITHHOLDING. The Portfolios may be required to withhold 28% of distributions. For more information refer to "Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares -- Backup Withholding."
FOREIGN SHAREHOLDERS. Shareholders who, as to the United States, are a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership ("foreign shareholder"), may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.
Taxation of a foreign shareholder depends on whether the income from a Portfolio is "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.
If the income from a Portfolio is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, distributions to such shareholder (other than certain capital gain dividends and, in the case of the Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, exempt-interest dividends) will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the distribution. Such a foreign shareholder would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on gains realized on the redemption of shares of a Portfolio, capital gain dividends, exempt-interest dividends and amounts retained by a Portfolio that are designated as undistributed net capital gains. The exemption for capital gains does not apply if you are a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year.
The exemptions from U.S. withholding for short-term capital gain and interest-related dividends paid by a Portfolio to foreign shareholders terminate and are no longer available for dividends paid by a Portfolio with respect to its taxable years beginning after August 31, 2008, unless such exemptions are extended or made permanent. Even if such exemptions are extended, a Portfolio or intermediary may not support such exemptions.
If the income from a Portfolio is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends and any gains realized upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Portfolio will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations and require the filing of a nonresident U.S. income tax return.
In the case of foreign non-corporate shareholders, a Portfolio may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 28% on distributions that are otherwise exempt from
withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless such shareholders furnish the Portfolio with proper notification of their foreign status.
Foreign persons who file a United States tax return to obtain a U.S. tax refund and who are not eligible to obtain a social security number must apply to the IRS for an individual taxpayer identification number, using IRS Form W-7. For a copy of the IRS Form W-7 and accompanying instructions, please contact your tax adviser or go to www.irs.gov and search forms.
Transfers by gift of shares of a Portfolio by a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual will not be subject to U.S. federal gift tax. An individual who, at the time of death, is a foreign shareholder will nevertheless be subject to U.S. federal estate tax with respect to shares at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens and residents, unless a treaty exception applies. If a treaty exemption is available, a decedent's estate may nonetheless need to file a U.S. estate tax return to claim the exemption in order to obtain a U.S. federal transfer certificate. The transfer certificate will identify the property (i.e., Portfolio shares) as to which the U.S. federal estate tax lien has been released. In the absence of a treaty, there is a $13,000 statutory estate tax credit (equivalent to U.S. situs assets with a value of $60,000). Estates of non-resident alien shareholders dying after December 31, 2004 and before January 1, 2008 (unless such provision is extended or made permanent), will be able to exempt from federal estate tax the proportion of the value of a Portfolio's shares attributable to "qualifying assets" held by the Portfolio at the end of the quarter immediately preceding the non-resident alien shareholder"s death (or such other time as the IRS may designate in regulations). Qualifying assets include bank deposits, and other debt obligations that pay interest or accrue original issue discount that is exempt from withholding tax, debt obligations of a domestic corporation that are treated as giving rise to foreign source income, and other investments that are not treated for tax purposes as being within the United States. Through December 31, 2007, shareholders will be advised annually of the portion of a Portfolio's assets that constituted qualifying assets at the end of each quarter of its taxable year.
The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Portfolio, including the applicability of foreign tax.
FOREIGN INCOME TAX. Investment income received by a Portfolio and, in particular, by Liquid Assets Portfolio, from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income tax withheld at the source, and the amount of tax withheld will generally be treated as an expense of the Portfolio. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which entitle the Portfolios to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, tax on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Portfolio's assets to be invested in various countries is not known.
EFFECT OF FUTURE LEGISLATION; LOCAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS. The foregoing general discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on date of this Registration Statement. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Rules of state and local taxation of ordinary income, qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation described above. Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder's particular situation. Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the Portfolios.
DISTRIBUTION OF SECURITIES
DISTRIBUTION PLAN
The Trust has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Portfolios' Cash Management Class, Corporate Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class (the "Plan"). The Portfolios, pursuant to the Plan, pay Invesco Aim Distributors the annual rate of 0.10% for Cash Management Class, 0.03% for Corporate Class, 0.75% for Personal Investment Class, 0.50% for Private Investment Class, 1.00% for Reserve Class and 0.20% for Resource Class of each Portfolio's average daily net assets.
The Plan permits the Portfolios to expend amounts to finance any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Portfolios ("distribution-related services"). Such distribution-related services may include, but are not limited to the following: (i) organizing and conducting sales seminars; (ii) implementing advertising programs; (iii) engaging finders and paying finders fees; (iv) printing prospectuses and statements of additional information (and supplements thereto) and annual and semi-annual reports for other than existing shareholders; (v) preparing and distributing advertising material and sales literature; and (vi) administering the Plan.
The Plan also permits the Portfolios to expend amounts to finance
arrangements for personal continuing shareholder services ("shareholder
services"). Such shareholder services may include, but are not limited to the
following: (i) distributing sales literature to customers; (ii) answering
routine customer inquiries concerning the Portfolios and their Classes; (iii)
assisting customers in changing dividend options, account designations and
addresses; (iv) assisting customers in enrolling in any of several retirement
plans offered in connection with the purchase of shares of the Portfolios; (v)
assisting customers in the establishment and maintenance of customer accounts
and records; (vi) assisting customers in the placement of purchase and
redemption transactions; (vii) assisting customers in investing dividends and
capital gains distributions automatically in shares of the Portfolios; and
(viii) providing such other services as the Portfolios or the customers may
reasonably request, so long as such other services are covered by the term
"service fee" as such term is defined and interpreted by the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") (formerly, NASD, Inc.).
All amounts expended pursuant to the Plan are paid in the form of either:
(i) compensation to Invesco Aim Distributors for providing distribution-related
and/or shareholder services directly; (ii) compensation to certain
broker-dealers, banks and other financial institutions ("Service Providers") for
providing distribution-related and/or shareholder services directly; or (iii)
compensation to Invesco Aim Distributors for arranging for the provision of
distribution-related and/or shareholder services through Service Providers. The
first 0.25% of amounts paid out under the Plan is considered to be service fees
for the provision of shareholder services.
The Plan is a "compensation-type" plan which means that the Portfolios will pay out the amount authorized by the Plan regardless of the actual expenses incurred in providing distribution-related services and/or shareholder services. Thus, even if actual expenses exceed the fees payable to Invesco Aim Distributors and/or Service Providers at any given time, the Portfolios will not be obligated to pay more than that fee provided for under the Plan. On the other hand, if expenses are less than the fees paid by the Portfolios pursuant to the Plan, Invesco Aim Distributors or the Service Providers, as applicable, will retain the full amount of the fees.
From time to time waivers or reductions of any portion of the 12b-1 fee of a particular class of the Portfolios may be put in place. Voluntary fee waivers or reductions may be rescinded at any time without further notice to investors. During periods of voluntary fee waivers or reductions, Invesco Aim Distributors will retain its ability to be reimbursed for such fee prior to the end of each fiscal year. Contractual fee waivers or reductions set forth in the Fee Table in a Prospectus may not be terminated or amended to each Portfolio's detriment during the period stated in the agreement between Invesco Aim Distributors and the Trust.
Invesco Aim Distributors has contractually agreed through at least June 30, 2009 to waive 0.02%, 0.20%, 0.20% and 0.13% of average net assets of Liquid Assets Portfolio's Cash Management Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class and Reserve Class, respectively; 0.02%, 0.20%, 0.20%, 0.13% and 0.04% of average net assets of STIC Prime Portfolio's, Treasury Portfolio's and Government & Agency Portfolio's Cash Management Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class, respectively; and 0.02%, 0.20%, 025%, 0.13% and 0.04% of average net assets of Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio's Cash Management Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class, respectively, Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments.
Invesco Aim Distributors has contractually agreed through at least June 30, 2009, to waive 0.02%, 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.13% and 0.04% of average net assets of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio's Cash Management Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class, respectively, Rule 12b-1 distribution plan payments. This contractual fee waiver is set forth in the Fee Table to the Portfolio's Prospectuses and may not be terminated or amended to each Portfolio's detriment during the period stated in the agreement between Invesco Aim Distributors and the Portfolios.
Fees payable directly to Invesco Aim Distributors and Service Providers will be calculated at the end of each payment period for each business day of the Portfolios during such period at the annual rate specified in each agreement based on the average daily net asset value of the Portfolios shares purchased. Fees shall be paid only to those Service Providers who are dealers or institutions of record at the close of business on the last business day of the applicable payment period for the account in which the Portfolios' shares are held. These payments are an obligation of the Portfolios and not of Invesco Aim Distributors. With respect to fees payable directly to Invesco Aim Distributors, Invesco Aim Distributors may enter into contractual arrangements with Service Providers pursuant to which such Service Providers will provide distribution-related services and/or shareholder services; payments made under these contractual arrangements are obligations of Invesco Aim Distributors and not of the Portfolios.
Payments pursuant to the Plan are subject to any applicable limitations imposed by rules of FINRA.
See Appendix K for a list of the amounts paid by each class of shares of the Portfolios to Invesco Aim Distributors pursuant to the Plan for the year, or period, ended August 31, 2007 and Appendix L for an estimate by activity of the allocation of actual fees paid by each class of shares of the Portfolios pursuant to the Plan for the year, or period, ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and year or period ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio.
As required by Rule 12b-1, the Plan and related forms of shareholder service agreements were approved by the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreement related to the Plan (the "Rule 12b-1 Trustees"). In approving the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Rule 12b-1, the trustees considered various factors and determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan would benefit the Cash Management Class, Corporate Class, Personal Investment Class, Private Investment Class, Reserve Class and Resource Class of the Portfolios and their respective shareholders.
The anticipated benefits that may result from the Plan with respect to the applicable classes of the Portfolios and their shareholders include but are not limited to the following: (1) that Invesco Aim Distributors, brokerage firms and financial institutions will provide a shareholder with rapid access to his account for the purpose of effecting executions of purchase and redemption orders; (2) that Invesco Aim Distributors and shareholder service agents will provide prompt, efficient and reliable responses to shareholder inquiries concerning account status; (3) that the Portfolio's ability to sustain a relatively
predictable flow of cash for investment purposes and to meet redemption requests facilitates more successful, efficient portfolio management and the achievement of its fundamental policies and objectives and is enhanced by a stable network of distribution; (4) that a successful distribution effort will assist Invesco Aim Distributors in maintaining and increasing the organizational strength needed to service the Portfolios; and (5) that a well-developed, dependable network of shareholder service agents may help to curb sharp fluctuations in rates of redemptions and sales, thereby reducing the chance that an unanticipated increase in net redemptions could adversely affect the performance of the Portfolios.
Unless terminated earlier in accordance with its terms, the Plan continues from year to year as long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board, including a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting upon the Plan. The Plan may be terminated as to the Portfolios or any class by the vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or, with respect to a particular class, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class.
Any amendment to the Plan that would increase materially the distribution expenses paid by the applicable class requires shareholder approval; otherwise, the Plan may be amended by the trustees, including a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting upon such amendment. As long as the Plan is in effect, the selection or nomination of the Independent Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees and the Trust must otherwise satisfy the fund governance standards set forth in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the 1940 Act.
DISTRIBUTOR
The Trust has entered into a master distribution agreement relating to the Portfolios (the "Distribution Agreement") with Invesco Aim Distributors, a registered broker-dealer and a wholly owned subsidiary of Invesco Aim, pursuant to which Invesco Aim Distributors acts as the distributor of the shares of each class of the Portfolios. The address of Invesco Aim Distributors is 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. Mail addressed to Invesco Aim Distributors should be sent to P.O. Box 4497, Houston, Texas 77210-4497. Certain trustees and officers of the Trust are affiliated with Invesco Aim Distributors. See "Management of the Trust."
The Distribution Agreement provides Invesco Aim Distributors with the exclusive right to distribute the shares of each class of the Portfolios on a continuous basis directly and through other broker dealers with whom Invesco Aim Distributors has entered into selected dealer agreements. Invesco Aim Distributors has not undertaken to sell any specified number of shares of any classes of the Portfolios. The Distribution Agreement also provides that Invesco Aim Distributors will pay promotional expenses, including the incremental costs of printing prospectuses and statements of additional information, annual reports and other periodic reports for distribution to persons who are not shareholders of the Trust and the costs of preparing and distributing any other supplemental sales literature.
The Trust (on behalf of any class of the Portfolios) or Invesco Aim Distributors may terminate the Distribution Agreement on sixty (60) days' written notice without penalty. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
Invesco Aim Distributors may, from time to time at its expense, pay a fee to broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for operations and/or marketing support, including support for distribution programs or platforms. Such fees will not impose additional expenses on a class, nor will they change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the applicable classes' shares or the amount that any particular class will receive as proceeds from such sales.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Portfolios' Financial Statements for the period ended August 31, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio, and for the period ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, including the Financial Highlights and the reports of the independent registered public accounting firm pertaining thereto, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") from each Portfolio's Annual Report to shareholders contained in the Trust's Form N-CSR filed on November 9, 2007 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and June 6, 2008, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolios un-audited Semi-Annual report to shareholders, contained in the Trust's Form N-CSRs, filed on December 7, 2007, for the period ended September 30, 2007, including the Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into this SAI.
The portions of such Annual Report that are not specifically listed above are not incorporated by reference into this SAI and are not a part of this Registration Statement.
PENDING LITIGATION
Settled Enforcement Actions Related to Market Timing
On October 8, 2004, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. ("IFG") (the former investment advisor to certain AIM Funds), Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors reached final settlements with certain regulators, including the SEC, the New York Attorney General and the Colorado Attorney General, to resolve civil enforcement actions and/or investigations related to market timing and related activity in the AIM Funds, including those formerly advised by IFG. As part of the settlements, a $325 million fair fund ($110 million of which is civil penalties) has been created to compensate shareholders harmed by market timing and related activity in funds formerly advised by IFG. Additionally, Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors created a $50 million fair fund ($30 million of which is civil penalties) to compensate shareholders harmed by market timing and related activity in funds advised by Invesco Aim, which was done pursuant to the terms of the settlements. These two fair funds will be distributed in accordance with a methodology determined by Invesco Aim's independent distribution consultant ("IDC Plan"), in consultation with Invesco Aim and the independent trustees of the AIM Funds and approved by the staff of the SEC. Further details regarding the IDC Plan and planned distributions thereunder are available under the "About Us - SEC Settlement" section of Invesco Aim's website, available at http://www.invescoaim.com. Invesco Aim's website is not a part of this Statement of Additional Information or the prospectus of any AIM Fund.
Regulatory Action Alleging Market Timing
On August 30, 2005, the West Virginia Office of the State Auditor - Securities Commission ("WVASC") issued a Summary Order to Cease and Desist and Notice of Right to Hearing to Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors (Order No. 05-1318). The WVASC makes findings of fact that Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors entered into certain arrangements permitting market timing of the AIM Funds and failed to disclose these arrangements in the prospectuses for such Funds, and conclusions of law to the effect that Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors violated the West Virginia securities laws. The WVASC orders Invesco Aim and Invesco Aim Distributors to cease any further violations and seeks to impose monetary sanctions, including restitution to affected investors, disgorgement of fees, reimbursement of investigatory, administrative and legal costs and an "administrative assessment," to be determined by the Commissioner. Initial research indicates that these damages could be limited or capped by statute. By agreement with the Commissioner of Securities, Invesco Aim's time to respond to that Order has been indefinitely suspended.
Private Civil Actions Alleging Market Timing
Multiple civil lawsuits, including purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, have been filed against various parties (including, depending on the lawsuit, certain AIM Funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Management and certain related entities, certain of their current and former officers and/or certain unrelated third parties) based on allegations of improper market timing and related activity in the AIM Funds. These lawsuits allege a variety of theories of recovery, including but not limited to: (i) violation of various provisions of the Federal and state securities laws; (ii) violation of various provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"); (iii) breach of fiduciary duty; and/or (iv) breach of contract. These lawsuits were initiated in both Federal and state courts and seek such remedies as compensatory damages; restitution; injunctive relief; disgorgement of management fees; imposition of a constructive trust; removal of certain directors and/or employees; various corrective measures under ERISA; rescission of certain Funds' advisory agreements; interest; and attorneys' and experts' fees. A list identifying such lawsuits (excluding those lawsuits that have been recently transferred as mentioned herein) that have been served on IFG, Invesco Aim, the AIM Funds or related entities, or for which service of process has been waived is set forth in Appendix M-1.
All lawsuits based on allegations of market timing, late trading, and related issues have been transferred to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (the "MDL Court") for consolidated or coordinated pre-trial proceedings. Pursuant to an Order of the MDL Court, plaintiffs in these lawsuits consolidated their claims for pre-trial purposes into three amended complaints against various Invesco Aim- and IFG-related parties. A list identifying the amended complaints in the MDL Court is included in Appendix M-1. Plaintiffs in two of the underlying lawsuits transferred to the MDL Court continue to seek remand of their action to state court. These lawsuits are identified in Appendix M-1.
Private Civil Actions Alleging Improper Use of Fair Value Pricing
Multiple civil class action lawsuits have been filed against various parties (including, depending on the lawsuit, certain AIM Funds, IFG and/or Invesco Aim) alleging that certain AIM Funds inadequately employed fair value pricing. These lawsuits allege a variety of theories of recovery, including but not limited to: (i) violations of various provisions of the Federal securities laws; (ii) common law breach of duty; and (iii) common law negligence and gross negligence. These lawsuits have been filed in both Federal and state courts and seek such remedies as compensatory and punitive damages; interest; and attorneys' fees and costs. A list identifying such lawsuits that have been served on IFG, Invesco Aim, the AIM Funds or related entities, or for which service of process has been waived is set forth in Appendix M-2.
APPENDIX A
RATINGS OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following is a description of the factors underlying the debt ratings of Moody's, S&P and Fitch.
MOODY'S LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS
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.
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: Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in 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.
MOODY'S SHORT-TERM PRIME RATING SYSTEM
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
Not Prime
Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Note: In addition, in certain countries the prime rating may be modified by the issuer's or guarantor's senior unsecured long-term debt rating.
Moody's municipal ratings are as follows:
MOODY'S U.S. LONG-TERM MUNICIPAL BOND RATING DEFINITIONS
Municipal Ratings are opinions of the investment quality of issuers and issues in the US municipal and tax-exempt markets. As such, these ratings incorporate Moody's assessment of the default probability and loss severity of these issuers and issues.
Municipal Ratings are based upon the analysis of four primary factors relating to municipal finance: economy, debt, finances, and administration/management strategies. Each of the factors is evaluated individually and for its effect on the other factors in the context of the municipality's ability to repay its debt.
AAA: Issuers or issues rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
AA: Issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
A: Issuers or issues rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
BAA: Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
BA: Issuers or issues rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
B: Issuers or issues rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
CAA: Issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
CA: Issuers or issues rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
C: Issuers or issues rated C demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.
Note: Also, Moody's applied numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa to Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the issue ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic category.
MOODY'S MIG/VMIG US SHORT-TERM RATINGS
In municipal debt issuance, there are three rating categories for short-term obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Moody's 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.
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the demand feature, using the MIG rating scale.
The short-term rating assigned to the demand feature of VRDOs is designated as VMIG. 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.
MIG ratings expire at note maturity. By contrast, VMIG rating expirations will be a function of each issue's specific structural or credit features.
Gradations of investment quality are indicated by rating symbols, with each symbol representing a group in which the quality characteristics are broadly the same.
MIG 1/VMIG 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/VMIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3/VMIG 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.
STANDARD & POOR'S LONG-TERM CORPORATE AND MUNICIPAL RATINGS
Issue credit ratings are based in varying degrees, on the following considerations: likelihood of payment - capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; nature of and provisions of the obligation; and protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.
The issue ratings definitions are expressed in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above.
S&P describes its ratings for corporate and municipal bonds as follows:
AAA: Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA: Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in a small degree.
A: Debt rated A has a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB: Debt rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB-B-CCC-CC-C: Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
NR: Not Rated.
S&P DUAL RATINGS
S&P assigns "dual" ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure.
The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term debt rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the commercial paper rating symbols for the put option (for example, AAA/A-1+). With short-term demand debt, the not rating symbols are used with the commercial paper rating symbols (for example, SP-1+/A-1+).
S&P COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days.
These categories are as follows:
A-1: This highest category indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.
A-2: Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
A-3: Issues carrying this designation have adequate capacity for timely payment. They are, however, more vulnerable to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.
B: Issues rated "B" are regarded as having only speculative capacity for timely payment.
C: This rating is assigned to short-term debt obligations with a doubtful capacity for payment.
D: Debt rated "D" is in payment default. The "D" rating category is used when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due, even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes such payments will be made during such grace period.
S&P SHORT-TERM MUNICIPAL RATINGS
An S&P note rating reflect 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:
amortization schedule (the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note); and 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).
Note rating symbols are as follows:
SP-1: Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2: Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3: Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
FITCH LONG-TERM CREDIT RATINGS
Fitch Ratings provides an opinion on the ability of an entity or of a securities issue to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, or repayment of principal, on a timely basis. These credit ratings apply to a variety of entities and issues, including but not limited to sovereigns, governments, structured financings, and corporations; debt, preferred/preference stock, bank loans, and counterparties; as well as the financial strength of insurance companies and financial guarantors.
Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of
getting their money back in accordance with the terms on which they invested.
Thus, the use of credit ratings defines their function: "investment grade"
ratings (international Long-term "AAA" - "BBB" categories; Short-term "F1" -
"F3") indicate a relatively low probability of default, while those in the
"speculative" or "non-investment grade" categories (international Long-term "BB"
- "D"; Short-term "B" - "D") either signal a higher probability of default or
that a default has already occurred. Ratings imply no specific prediction of
default probability. However, for example, it is relevant to note that over the
long term, defaults on "AAA" rated U.S. corporate bonds have averaged less than
0.10% per annum, while the equivalent rate for "BBB" rated bonds was 0.35%, and
for "B" rated bonds, 3.0%.
Fitch ratings do not reflect any credit enhancement that may be provided by insurance policies or financial guaranties unless otherwise indicated.
Entities or issues carrying the same rating are of similar but not necessarily identical credit quality since the rating categories do not fully reflect small differences in the degrees of credit risk.
Fitch credit and research are not recommendations to buy, sell or hold any security. Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature of taxability of payments of any security.
The ratings are based on information obtained from issuers, other obligors, underwriters, their experts, and other sources Fitch Ratings believes to be reliable. Fitch Ratings does not audit or verify the truth or accuracy of such information. Ratings may be changed or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or the unavailability of, information or for other reasons.
Our program ratings relate only to standard issues made under the program concerned; it should not be assumed that these ratings apply to every issue made under the program. In particular, in the case of non-standard issues, i.e., those that are linked to the credit of a third party or linked to the performance of an index, ratings of these issues may deviate from the applicable program rating.
Credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. In particular, these ratings do not deal with the risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates and other market considerations.
AAA: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, which is unlikely to be affected by foreseeable events.
AA: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The obligor has a very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments which is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
BBB: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of good credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to impair this capacity.
PLUS (+) MINUS (-): Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus signs, however, are not used in the "AAA" category.
NR: Indicates that Fitch does not rate the specific issue.
WITHDRAWN: A rating will be withdrawn when an issue matures or is called or refinanced and at Fitch's discretion, when Fitch Ratings deems the amount of information available to be inadequate for ratings purposes.
RATINGWATCH: Ratings are placed on RatingWatch to notify investors that there is a reasonable possibility of a rating change and the likely direction of such change. These are designated as "Positive," indicating a potential upgrade, "Negative," for potential downgrade, or "Evolving," if ratings may be raised, lowered or maintained. RatingWatch is typically resolved over a relatively short period.
FITCH SPECULATIVE GRADE BOND RATINGS
BB: Bonds are considered speculative. There is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic changes over time. However, business and financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
B: Bonds are considered highly speculative. Significant credit risk is present but a limited margin of safety remains. While bonds in this class are currently meeting financial commitments, the capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC: Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments.
CC: Default of some kind appears probable.
C: Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal.
DDD, DD, AND D: Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and are valued on the basis of their prospects for achieving partial or full recovery value in liquidation or reorganization of the obligor. "DDD" represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds, and "D" represents the lowest potential for recovery.
PLUS (+) MINUS (-): Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus signs, however, are not used in categories below CCC.
FITCH SHORT-TERM CREDIT RATINGS
The following ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A Short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 12 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance securities, and thus places greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner.
F-1+: Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-1-: Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated "F-1+;"
F-2: Good Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have a satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payment, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.
F-3: Fair Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have characteristics suggesting that the degree of assurance for timely payment is adequate, however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.
B: Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C: High default risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
D: Default. Issues assigned this rating are in actual or imminent payment default.
APPENDIX B
PERSONS TO WHOM INVESCO AIM PROVIDES
NON-PUBLIC PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS ON AN ONGOING BASIS
(AS OF JUNE 30, 2008)
SERVICE PROVIDER DISCLOSURE CATEGORY ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- ABN AMRO Financial Services, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Anglemyer & Co. Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) BB&T Capital Markets Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Bear, Stearns Pricing Direct, Inc. Pricing Vendor (for certain AIM Funds) BOSC, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) BOWNE & Co. Financial Printer Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Securities Lender (for certain AIM Funds) Cabrera Capital Markets Broker (for certain AIM Funds) CENVEO Financial Printer Charles River Systems, Inc. System Provider Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Classic Printers Inc. Financial Printer Color Dynamics Financial Printer Commerce Capital Markets Broker (for certain AIM Funds) D.A. Davidson & Co. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Dechert LLP Legal Counsel Earth Color Houston Financial Printer EMCO Press Financial Printer Empirical Research Partners Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) Finacorp Securities Broker (for certain AIM Funds) First Albany Capital Broker (for certain AIM Funds) First Tryon Securities Broker (for certain AIM Funds) F T Interactive Data Corporation Pricing Vendor GainsKeeper Software Provider (for certain AIM Funds) GCom2 Solutions Software Provider (for certain AIM Funds) George K. Baum & Company Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Glass, Lewis & Co. System Provider (for certain AIM Funds) Global Trend Alert Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) Greater Houston Publishers, Inc. Financial Printer Grover Printing Financial Printer Gulfstream Graphics Corp. Financial Printer Hattier, Sanford & Reynoir Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Hutchinson, Shockey, Erley & Co. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Imageset Financial Printer iMoneyNet, Inc. Rating & Ranking Agency (for certain AIM Funds) Infinity Web, Inc. Financial Printer Initram Data, Inc. Pricing Vendor Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. Proxy Voting Service (for certain AIM Funds) Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. Transfer Agent Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. System Provider (for certain AIM Funds) Investortools, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) ITG, Inc. Pricing Vendor (for certain AIM Funds) J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc. Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) JPMorgan Securities Inc.\Citigroup Global Markets Inc.\JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Lender (for certain AIM Funds) |
SERVICE PROVIDER DISCLOSURE CATEGORY ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- Janney Montgomery Scott LLC Broker (for certain AIM Funds) John Hancock Investment Management Services, LLC Sub-advisor (for certain sub-advised accounts) Jorden Burt LLP Special Insurance Counsel Kramer, Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Legal Counsel Lipper, Inc. Rating & Ranking Agency (for certain AIM Funds) Loan Pricing Corporation Pricing Service (for certain AIM Funds) Loop Capital Markets Broker (for certain AIM Funds) MarkIt Group Limited Pricing Vendor (for certain AIM Funds) Merrill Communications, LLC Financial Printer Mesirow Financial, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Moody's Investors Service Rating & Ranking Agency (for certain AIM Funds) Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Morrison Foerster LLP Legal Counsel M.R. Beal Broker (for certain AIM Funds) MS Securities Services, Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated Securities Lender (for certain AIM Funds) Muzea Insider Consulting Services, LLC Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) Ness USA System provider Noah Financial, LLC Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) OMGEO Oasys Trading System Page International Financial Printer PCP Publishing Financial Printer Piper Jaffray Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) Prager, Sealy & Co. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (for all AIM Funds) Protective Securities Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Ramirez & Co., Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) RBC Capital Markets Analyst (for certain AIM Funds) RBC Dain Rauscher Incorporated Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Reuters America, LLC Pricing Service (for certain AIM Funds) Rice Financial Products Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated Broker (for certain AIM Funds) RR Donnelley Financial Financial Printer Ryan Beck & Co. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Seattle-Northwest Securities Corporation Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., L.L.C. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Signature Financial Printer Simon Printing Company Financial Printer Southwest Precision Printers, Inc. Financial Printer Standard and Poor's/Standard and Poor's Securities Evaluations, Inc. Pricing Service and Rating and Ranking Agency (each, respectively, for certain AIM Funds) StarCompliance, Inc. System Provider State Street Bank and Trust Company Custodian, Lender, Securities Lender, and System Provider (each, respectively, for certain AIM Funds) Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP Legal Counsel The Bank of New York Custodian and Securities Lender (each, respectively, for certain AIM Funds) |
SERVICE PROVIDER DISCLOSURE CATEGORY ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- The MacGregor Group, Inc. Software Provider The Savader Group Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Thomson Information Services Incorporated Software Provider UBS Financial Services, Inc. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) VCI Group Inc. Financial Printer Wachovia National Bank, N.A. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) Western Lithograph Financial Printer Wiley Bros. Aintree Capital L.L.C. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) William Blair & Co. Broker (for certain AIM Funds) XSP, LLC\Solutions PLUS, Inc. Software Provider |
APPENDIX C
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
As of June 30, 2008
The address of each trustee and officer is 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. Each trustee oversees 103 portfolios in the AIM Funds complex. The trustees serve for the life of the Trust, subject to their earlier death, incapacitation, resignation, retirement or removal as more specifically provided in the Trust's organizational documents. Each officer serves for a one year term or until their successors are elected and qualified. Column two below includes length of time served with predecessor entities, if any.
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ INTERESTED PERSONS Martin L. Flanagan(1) - 1960 2007 Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer and None Trustee President, Invesco Ltd. (ultimate parent of Invesco Aim and a global investment management firm); Chairman, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (registered investment advisor); Director, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, IVZ Inc. (holding company), INVESCO North American Holdings, Inc. (holding company); and INVESCO Group Services, Inc. (service provider); Trustee, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--; Vice Chairman, Investment Company Institute; and Member of Executive Board, SMU Cox School of Business Formerly: Director, Chief Executive Officer and President, Invesco Holding Company Limited (parent of Invesco Aim and a global investment management firm); Director, Invesco Ltd.; Chairman, Investment Company Institute; and President, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Co-President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Franklin Resources, Inc. (global investment management organization) Philip A. Taylor(2) - 1954 2006 Director, Chief Executive Officer and President, AIM None Trustee and Executive Vice Mutual Fund Dealer Inc. (registered broker dealer), President Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., AIM Funds Management Inc. d/b/a INVESCO Enterprise Services (registered investment advisor and registered transfer agent), 1371 Preferred Inc. (holding company), Trimark Corporate Class Inc. (formerly AIM Trimark Global Fund Inc.) (corporate mutual fund company) and AIM Trimark Canada Fund Inc. (corporate mutual fund company); Director, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. (financial services holding company) and Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. (registered investment advisor); Director and President, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. (registered investment advisor and registered transfer agent) and AIM GP Canada Inc. (general partner for limited partnerships) Director, |
(2) Mr. Taylor is considered an interested person of the Trust because he is an officer and a director of the advisor to, and a director of the principal underwriter of, the Trust.
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. (registered broker dealer); Director and Chairman, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. (registered transfer agent) and INVESCO Distributors, Inc. (registered broker dealer); Director, President and Chairman, IVZ Callco Inc. (holding company), INVESCO Inc. (holding company) and AIM Canada Holdings Inc. (holding company); Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (other than AIM Treasurer's Series Trust and Short-Term Investments Trust); Trustee and Executive Vice President, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (AIM Treasurer's Series Trust and Short-Term Investments Trust); and Manager, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC Formerly: Trustee and Executive Vice President, Tax-Free Investments Trust; Director and Chairman, Fund Management Company (former registered broker dealer); President and Principal Executive Officer, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust only); Chairman, AIM Canada Holdings, Inc.; President, AIM Trimark Global Fund Inc. and AIM Trimark Canada Fund Inc.; and Director, Trimark Trust (federally regulated Canadian trust company) INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES Bruce L. Crockett - 1944 1993 Chairman, Crockett Technology Associates (technology ACE Limited (insurance Trustee and Chair consulting company) company); and Captaris, Inc. (unified messaging provider) Bob R. Baker - 1936 2003 Retired None Trustee Frank S. Bayley - 1939 2001 Retired None Trustee Formerly: Partner, law firm of Baker & McKenzie and Director, Badgley Funds, Inc. (registered investment company) (2 portfolios) James T. Bunch - 1942 2003 Founder, Green, Manning & Bunch Ltd. (investment banking None Trustee firm) Formerly: Director, Policy Studies, Inc. and Van Gilder Insurance Corporation |
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Albert R. Dowden - 1941 2000 Director of a number of public and private business None Trustee corporations, including the Boss Group, Ltd. (private investment and management), Reich & Tang Funds (Chairman) (registered investment company) (7 portfolios), Daily Income Fund (4 portfolios), California Daily Tax Free Income Fund, Inc., Connecticut Daily Tax Free Income Fund, Inc. and New Jersey Daily Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Annuity and Life Re (Holdings), Ltd. (insurance company), and Homeowners of America Holding Corporation (property casualty company) Formerly: Director, CompuDyne Corporation (provider of product and services to the public security market); Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Group North America, Inc.; Senior Vice President, AB Volvo; Director of various affiliated Volvo companies; and Director, Magellan Insurance Company Jack M. Fields - 1952 1997 Chief Executive Officer, Twenty First Century Group, Administaff Trustee Inc. (government affairs company); and Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Dos Angelos Ranch, L.P. (cattle, hunting, corporate entertainment) Formerly: Chief Executive Officer, Texana Timber LP (sustainable forestry company) and Discovery Global Education Fund (non-profit) Carl Frischling - 1937 1980 Partner, law firm of Kramer Levin Naftalis and Frankel Director, Reich & Tang Trustee LLP Funds (15 portfolios) Prema Mathai-Davis - 1950 1998 Formerly: Chief Executive Officer, YWCA of the USA None Trustee Lewis F. Pennock - 1942 1981 Partner, law firm of Pennock & Cooper None Trustee Larry Soll - 1942 2003 Retired None Trustee Raymond Stickel, Jr. - 1944 2005 Retired None Trustee Formerly: Partner, Deloitte & Touche; and Director, Mainstay VP Series Funds, Inc. (25 portfolios) |
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ OTHER OFFICERS Karen Dunn Kelley - 1960 1989 Head of Invesco's World Wide Fixed Income and Cash N/A President and Principal Management Group; Director of Cash Management and Senior Executive Officer Vice President, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc.; Executive Vice President, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc.; President and Principal Executive Officer, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (AIM Treasurer's Series Trust and Short-Term Investments Trust); and Vice President, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (other than AIM Treasurer's Series Trust and Short-Term Investments Trust) Formerly: President and Principal Executive Officer, Tax-Free Investments Trust, Director and President, Fund Management Company; Chief Cash Management Officer and Managing Director, Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc.; and Vice President, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- (AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust only) Russell C. Burk - 1958 2005 Senior Vice President and Senior Officer, The AIM Family N/A Senior Vice President and of Funds--Registered Trademark-- Senior Officer Formerly: Director of Compliance and Assistant General Counsel, ICON Advisers, Inc.; Financial Consultant, Merrill Lynch; and General Counsel and Director of Compliance, ALPS Mutual Funds, Inc. |
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ John M. Zerr - 1962 2006 Director, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General N/A Senior Vice President, Chief Counsel, Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc., Invesco Aim Legal Officer and Secretary Advisors, Inc. and Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc.; Director, Senior Vice President and Secretary, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.; Director, Vice President and Secretary, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. and INVESCO Distributors, Inc.; Director and Vice President, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--; and Manager, Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC Formerly: Director, Vice President and Secretary, Fund Management Company; Vice President, Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc.; Chief Operating Officer, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Liberty Ridge Capital, Inc. (an investment adviser); Vice President and Secretary, PBHG Funds (an investment company); Vice President and Secretary, PBHG Insurance Series Fund (an investment company); Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, Old Mutual Investment Partners (a broker-dealer); General Counsel and Secretary, Old Mutual Fund Services (an administrator); General Counsel and Secretary, Old Mutual Shareholder Services (a shareholder servicing center); Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Old Mutual Capital, Inc. (an investment adviser); and Vice President and Secretary, Old Mutual Advisors Funds (an investment company) Lisa O. Brinkley - 1959 2004 Global Compliance Director, Invesco Ltd.; and Vice N/A Vice President President, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- Formerly: Senior Vice President, Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc.; Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--; Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.; Vice President, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. and Fund Management Company; and Senior Vice President and Compliance Director, Delaware Investments Family of Funds |
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Kevin M. Carome - 1956 2003 General Counsel, Secretary and Senior Managing Director, N/A Vice President Invesco Ltd.; Director and Secretary, Invesco Holding Company Limited, IVZ, Inc. and INVESCO Group Services, Inc.; Director, INVESCO Funds Group, Inc.; Secretary, INVESCO North American Holdings, Inc.; and Vice President, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- Formerly: Director, Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Invesco Aim Management Group, Inc. and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.; Director, General Counsel and Vice President, Fund Management Company; Vice President, Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. and Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--; Director and Vice President, INVESCO Distributors, Inc.; and Chief Executive Officer and President, INVESCO Funds Group Sidney M. Dilgren - 1961 2004 Vice President, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and Invesco N/A Vice President, Treasurer and Aim Capital Management, Inc.; and Vice President, Principal Financial Officer Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- Formerly: Fund Treasurer, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.; Senior Vice President, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. and Vice President, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. Lance A. Rejsek - 1967 2005 Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer, Invesco Aim N/A Anti-Money Laundering Advisors, Inc., Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc., Compliance Officer Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc., Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., Invesco Aim Private Asset Management, Inc. and The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark-- Formerly: Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer, Fund Management Company; and Manager of the Fraud Prevention Department, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. |
NAME, YEAR OF BIRTH AND OTHER TRUSTEESHIP(S)/ POSITION(S) HELD WITH TRUSTEE AND/OR DIRECTORSHIP(S) THE TRUST OFFICER SINCE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) DURING PAST 5 YEARS HELD BY TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR ----------------------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Todd L. Spillane - 1958 2006 Senior Vice President, Invesco Aim Management Group, N/A Chief Compliance Officer Inc.; Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer, Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. and Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc.; Chief Compliance Officer, The AIM Family of Funds--Registered Trademark--, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (registered investment advisor), Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. (registered investment advisor), INVESCO Private Capital Investments, Inc. (holding company), Invesco Private Capital, Inc. (registered investment advisor) and Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (registered investment advisor); and Vice President, Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. and Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. Formerly: Vice President, Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc. and Fund Management Company; Global Head of Product Development, AIG-Global Investment Group, Inc. |
TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF FUND SHARES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2007
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Dollar Range of Equity Securities Trustee in The AIM Family of Name of Trustee Per Fund Funds--Registered Trademark-- -------------------- --------------------------------- ----------------------------- Martin L. Flanagan -0- Over $100,000 Philip A. Taylor -0- -0- Bob R. Baker -0- Over $100,000 Frank S. Bayley -0- Over $100,000 James T. Bunch -0- Over $100,000(3) Bruce L. Crockett -0- Over $100,000(3) Albert R. Dowden -0- Over $100,000 Jack M. Fields -0- Over $100,000(3) Carl Frischling -0- Over $100,000(3) Prema Mathai-Davis -0- Over $100,000(3) Lewis F. Pennock -0- Over $100,000 Larry Soll -0- Over $100,000(3) Raymond Stickel, Jr. -0- Over $100,000 |
APPENDIX D
TRUSTEE COMPENSATION TABLE
Set forth below is information regarding compensation paid or accrued for each trustee of the Trust who was not affiliated with Invesco Aim during the year ended December 31, 2007:
RETIREMENT TOTAL BENEFITS ESTIMATED COMPENSATION ACCRUED BY ANNUAL FROM AGGREGATE COMPENSATION FROM THE ALL AIM BENEFITS UPON ALL AIM TRUSTEE TRUSTS(1)(2) FUNDS(3)(4) RETIREMENT(5) FUNDS(6) -------------------------------------------- -------------------- ----------- ------------- ------------ SHORT-TERM TAX-FREE INVESTMENTS TRUST(1) INVESTMENTS TRUST(2) -------------------- -------------------- Bob R. Baker $41,767 $4,762 $234,974 $188,144 $232,400 Frank S. Bayley 44,796 5,108 164,614 126,750 249,300 James T. Bunch 38,739 4,416 159,121 126,750 215,500 Bruce L. Crockett 79,197 9,262 85,879 126,750 452,100 Albert R. Dowden 44,796 5,108 115,299 126,750 249,300 Jack M. Fields 38,739 4,416 110,194 126,750 215,500 Carl Frischling(7) 38,739 4,587 96,518 126,750 215,500 Prema Mathai-Davis 40,571 4,704 109,077 126,750 232,400 Lewis F. Pennock 38,739 4,416 88,793 126,750 215,500 Ruth H. Quigley(8) 44,796 4,937 192,521 126,750 249,300 Larry Soll, Ph.D. 38,739 4,502 203,535 147,748 215,500 Raymond Stickel, Jr. 44,796 5,280 85,977 126,750 249,300 OFFICER Russell Burk 79,384 N/A N/A N/A 456,019 |
(1) Amounts shown are based on the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007. The total amount of compensation deferred by all trustees of Short-Term Investments Trust during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, including earnings, was $144,358.
(2) Amounts shown are based upon the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008. The total amount of compensation deferred by all trustees of Tax-Free Investments Trust during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, including earnings, was $19,956.
(3) During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the total amount of expenses allocated to Short-Term Investments Trust in respect of such retirement benefits was $616,797.
(4) During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, the total amount of expenses allocated to Tax-Free Investments Trust in respect of such retirement benefits was $58,557.
(5) These amounts represent the estimated annual benefits payable by the AIM Funds upon the trustees' retirement and assumes each trustee serves until his or her normal retirement date.
(6) All trustees currently serve as trustees of 13 registered investment companies advised by Invesco Aim.
(7) During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the Short-Term Investments Trust paid $179,886 in legal fees to Kramer, Levin, Naftalis & Frankel LLP for services rendered by such firm as counsel to the independent trustees of Short-Term Investments Trust. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, Tax-Free Investments Trust paid $12,722 in legal fees to Kramer Naftalis & Frankel LLP for services rendered by such firm as counsel to the independent trustees of Tax-Free Investments Trust. Mr. Frischling is a partner in such firm.
(8) Miss Quigley retired effective January 1, 2008.
APPENDIX E
PROXY POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
INVESCO AIM PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
(Effective as of March 31, 2008)
The following Invesco Aim Proxy Voting Guidelines are applicable to all funds and other accounts managed by Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., Invesco Aim Capital Management, Inc and Invesco Aim Private Asset Management, Inc. (collectively, "Invesco Aim").(1)
INTRODUCTION
OUR BELIEF
The AIM Funds Boards of Trustees and Invesco Aim's investment professionals expect a high standard of corporate governance from the companies in our portfolios so that Invesco Aim may fulfill its fiduciary obligation to our fund shareholders and other account holders. Well governed companies are characterized by a primary focus on the interests of shareholders, accountable boards of directors, ample transparency in financial disclosure, performance-driven cultures and appropriate consideration of all stakeholders. Invesco Aim believes well governed companies create greater shareholder wealth over the long term than poorly governed companies, so we endeavor to vote in a manner that increases the value of our investments and fosters good governance within our portfolio companies.
In determining how to vote proxy issues, Invesco Aim considers the probable business consequences of each issue and votes in a manner designed to protect and enhance fund shareholders' and other account holders' interests. Our voting decisions are intended to enhance each company's total shareholder value over Invesco Aim's typical investment horizon.
Proxy voting is an integral part of Invesco Aim's investment process. We believe that the right to vote proxies should be managed with the same care as all other elements of the investment process. The objective of Invesco Aim's proxy-voting activity is to promote good governance and advance the economic interests of our clients. At no time will Invesco Aim exercise its voting power to advance its own commercial interests, to pursue a social or political cause that is unrelated to our clients' economic interests, or to favor a particular client or business relationship to the detriment of others.
PROXY ADMINISTRATION
The Invesco Aim Proxy Committee (the "Proxy Committee") consists of members representing Invesco Aim's Investments, Legal and Compliance departments. Invesco Aim's Proxy Voting Guidelines (the "Guidelines") are revised annually by the Proxy Committee, and are approved by the AIM Funds Boards of Trustees. The Proxy Committee implements the Guidelines and oversees proxy voting.
The Proxy Committee has retained outside experts to assist with the analysis and voting of proxy issues. In addition to the advice offered by these experts, Invesco Aim uses information gathered from our own research, company managements, Invesco Aim's portfolio managers and outside shareholder groups to reach our voting decisions.
Generally speaking, Invesco Aim's investment-research process leads us to invest in companies led by management teams we believe have the ability to conceive and execute strategies to outperform their competitors. We select companies for investment based in large part on our assessment of their management teams' ability to create shareholder wealth. Therefore, in formulating our proxy-voting decisions, Invesco Aim gives proper consideration to the recommendations of a company's Board of Directors.
IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE INVESCO AIM PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
I. ACCOUNTABILITY
Management teams of companies are accountable to their boards of directors, and directors of publicly held companies are accountable to their shareholders. Invesco Aim endeavors to vote the proxies of its portfolio companies in a manner that will reinforce the notion of a board's accountability to its shareholders. Consequently, Invesco Aim votes against any actions that would impair the rights of shareholders or would reduce shareholders' influence over the board or over management.
The following are specific voting issues that illustrate how Invesco Aim applies this principle of accountability.
- Elections of directors. In uncontested director elections for companies that do not have a controlling shareholder, Invesco Aim votes in favor of slates if they are comprised of at least a majority of independent directors and if the boards' key committees are fully independent. Key committees include the Audit, Compensation and Governance or Nominating Committees. Invesco Aim's standard of independence excludes directors who, in addition to the directorship, have any material business or family relationships with the companies they serve.
Contested director elections are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are decided within the context of Invesco Aim's investment thesis on a company.
- Director performance. Invesco Aim withholds votes from directors who exhibit a lack of accountability to shareholders, either through their level of attendance at meetings or by enacting egregious corporate-governance or other policies. In cases of material financial restatements, accounting fraud, habitually late filings, adopting shareholder rights plan ("poison pills") without shareholder approval, or other areas of poor performance, Invesco Aim may withhold votes from some or all of a company's directors. In situations where directors' performance is a concern, Invesco Aim may also support shareholder proposals to take corrective actions such as so-called "clawback" provisions.
- Auditors and Audit Committee members. Invesco Aim believes a company's Audit Committee has a high degree of responsibility to shareholders in matters of financial disclosure, integrity of the financial statements and effectiveness of a company's internal controls. Independence, experience and financial expertise are critical elements of a well-functioning Audit Committee. When electing directors who are members of a company's Audit Committee, or when ratifying a company's auditors, Invesco Aim considers the past performance of the Committee and holds its members accountable for the quality of the company's financial statements and reports.
- Majority standard in director elections. The right to elect directors is the single most important mechanism shareholders have to promote accountability. Invesco Aim supports the nascent effort to reform the U.S. convention of electing directors, and votes in favor of proposals to elect directors by a majority vote.
- Classified boards. Invesco Aim supports proposals to elect directors annually instead of electing them to staggered multi-year terms because annual elections increase a board's level of accountability to its shareholders.
- Supermajority voting requirements. Unless proscribed by law in the state of incorporation, Invesco Aim votes against actions that would impose any supermajority voting requirement, and supports actions to dismantle existing supermajority requirements.
- Responsiveness. Invesco Aim withholds votes from directors who do not adequately respond to shareholder proposals that were approved by a majority of votes cast the prior year.
- Cumulative voting. The practice of cumulative voting can enable minority shareholders to have representation on a company's board. Invesco Aim supports proposals to institute the practice of cumulative voting at companies whose overall corporate-governance standards indicate a particular need to protect the interests of minority shareholders.
- Shareholder access. On business matters with potential financial consequences, Invesco Aim votes in favor of proposals that would increase shareholders' opportunities to express their views to boards of directors, proposals that would lower barriers to shareholder action and proposals to promote the adoption of generally accepted best practices in corporate governance.
II. INCENTIVES
Invesco Aim believes properly constructed compensation plans that include equity ownership are effective in creating incentives that induce managements and employees of our portfolio companies to create greater shareholder wealth. Invesco Aim supports equity compensation plans that promote the proper alignment of incentives, and votes against plans that are overly dilutive to existing shareholders, plans that contain objectionable structural features, and plans that appear likely to reduce the value of an account's investment.
Following are specific voting issues that illustrate how Invesco Aim evaluates incentive plans.
- Executive compensation. Invesco Aim evaluates compensation plans for executives within the context of the company's performance under the executives' tenure. Invesco Aim believes independent compensation committees are best positioned to craft executive-compensation plans that are suitable for their company-specific circumstances. We view the election of those independent compensation committee members as the appropriate mechanism for shareholders to express their approval or disapproval of a company's compensation practices. Therefore, Invesco Aim generally does not support shareholder proposals to limit or eliminate certain forms of executive compensation. In the interest of reinforcing the notion of a compensation committee's accountability to shareholders, Invesco Aim supports proposals requesting that companies subject each year's compensation record to an advisory shareholder vote, or so-called "say on pay" proposals.
- Equity-based compensation plans. When voting to approve or reject equity-based compensation plans, Invesco Aim compares the total estimated cost of the plans, including stock options and restricted stock, against a carefully selected peer group and uses multiple performance metrics that help us determine whether the incentive structures in place are creating genuine shareholder wealth. Regardless of a plan's estimated cost relative to its peer group, Invesco Aim votes against plans that contain structural features that would impair the alignment of incentives between shareholders and management. Such features include the ability to reprice or reload options without shareholder approval, the ability to issue options below the stock's current market price, or the ability to automatically replenish shares without shareholder approval.
- Employee stock-purchase plans. Invesco Aim supports employee stock-purchase plans that are reasonably designed to provide proper incentives to a broad base of employees, provided that the price at which employees may acquire stock is at most a 15 percent discount from the market price.
- Severance agreements. Invesco Aim generally votes in favor of proposals requiring advisory shareholder ratification of executives' severance agreements. However, we oppose proposals requiring such agreements to be ratified by shareholders in advance of their adoption.
III. CAPITALIZATION
Examples of management proposals related to a company's capital structure include authorizing or issuing additional equity capital, repurchasing outstanding stock, or enacting a stock split or reverse stock split. On requests for additional capital stock, Invesco Aim analyzes the company's stated reasons for the request. Except where the request could adversely affect the fund's ownership stake or voting rights, AIM generally supports a board's decisions on its needs for additional capital stock. Some capitalization proposals require a case-by-case analysis within the context of Invesco Aim's investment thesis on a company. Examples of such proposals include authorizing common or preferred stock with special voting rights, or issuing additional stock in connection with an acquisition.
IV. MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS AND OTHER CORPORATE ACTIONS
Issuers occasionally require shareholder approval to engage in certain corporate actions such as mergers, acquisitions, name changes, dissolutions, reorganizations, divestitures and reincorporations. Invesco Aim analyzes these proposals within the context of our investment thesis on the company, and determines its vote on a case-by-case basis.
V. ANTI-TAKEOVER MEASURES
Practices designed to protect a company from unsolicited bids can adversely affect shareholder value and voting rights, and they create conflicts of interests among directors, management and shareholders. Except under special issuer-specific circumstances, Invesco Aim votes to reduce or eliminate such measures. These measures include adopting or renewing "poison pills", requiring supermajority voting on certain corporate actions, classifying the election of directors instead of electing each director to an annual term, or creating separate classes of common or preferred stock with special voting rights. Invesco Aim generally votes against management proposals to impose these types of measures, and generally votes for shareholder proposals designed to reduce such measures. Invesco Aim supports shareholder proposals directing companies to subject their anti-takeover provisions to a shareholder vote.
VI. SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Invesco Aim generally votes for shareholder proposals that are designed to protect shareholder rights if a company's corporate-governance standards indicate that such additional protections are warranted.
VII. SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The potential costs and economic benefits of shareholder proposals seeking to amend a company's practices for social reasons are difficult to assess. Analyzing the costs and economic benefits of these proposals is highly subjective and does not fit readily within our framework of voting to create greater shareholder wealth over Invesco Aim's typical investment horizon. Therefore, Invesco Aim abstains from voting on shareholder proposals deemed to be of a purely social, political or moral nature.
VIII. ROUTINE BUSINESS MATTERS
Routine business matters rarely have a potentially material effect on the economic prospects of fund holdings, so we generally support the board's discretion on these items. However, Invesco Aim votes against proposals where there is insufficient information to make a decision about the nature of the proposal. Similarly, Invesco Aim votes against proposals to conduct other unidentified business at shareholder meetings.
SUMMARY
These Guidelines provide an important framework for making proxy-voting decisions, and should give fund shareholders and other account holders insight into the factors driving Invesco Aim's decisions. The Guidelines cannot address all potential proxy issues, however. Decisions on specific issues must be made within the context of these Guidelines and within the context of the investment thesis of the funds and other accounts that own the company's stock. Where a different investment thesis is held by portfolio managers who may hold stocks in common, Invesco Aim may vote the shares held on a fund-by-fund or account-by-account basis.
EXCEPTIONS
In certain circumstances, Invesco Aim may refrain from voting where the economic cost of voting a company's proxy exceeds any anticipated benefits of that proxy proposal.
SHARE-LENDING PROGRAMS
One reason that some portion of Invesco Aim's position in a particular security might not be voted is the securities lending program. When securities are out on loan and earning fees for the lending fund, they are transferred into the borrower's name. Any proxies during the period of the loan are voted by the borrower. The lending fund would have to terminate the loan to vote the company's proxy, an action that is not generally in the best economic interest of fund shareholders. However, whenever Invesco Aim determines that the benefit to shareholders or other account holders of voting a particular proxy outweighs the revenue lost by terminating the loan, we recall the securities for the purpose of voting the fund's full position.
"SHARE-BLOCKING"
Another example of a situation where Invesco Aim may be unable to vote is in countries where the exercise of voting rights requires the fund to submit to short-term trading restrictions, a practice known as "share-blocking." Invesco Aim generally refrains from voting proxies in share-blocking countries unless the portfolio manager determines that the benefit to fund shareholders and other account holders of voting a specific proxy outweighs the fund's or other account's temporary inability to sell the security.
INTERNATIONAL CONSTRAINTS
An additional concern that sometimes precludes our voting non-U.S. proxies is our inability to receive proxy materials with enough time and enough information to make a voting decision. In the great majority of instances, however, we are able to vote non-U.S. proxies successfully. It is important to note that Invesco Aim makes voting decisions for non-U.S. issuers using these Guidelines as our framework, but also takes into account the corporate-governance standards, regulatory environment and generally accepted best practices of the local market.
EXCEPTIONS TO THESE GUIDELINES
Invesco Aim retains the flexibility to accommodate company-specific situations where strictly adhering to the Guidelines would lead to a vote that the Proxy Committee deems not to be in the best interest of the funds' shareholders and other account holders. In these situations, the Proxy Committee will vote the proxy in the manner deemed to be in the best interest of the funds' shareholders and other account holders, and will promptly inform the funds' Boards of Trustees of such vote and the circumstances surrounding it.
RESOLVING POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A potential conflict of interest arises when Invesco Aim votes a proxy for an issuer with which it also maintains a material business relationship. Examples could include issuers that are distributors of Invesco Aim's products, or
issuers that employ Invesco Aim to manage portions of their retirement plans or treasury accounts. Invesco Aim reviews each proxy proposal to assess the extent, if any, to which there may be a material conflict between the interests of the fund shareholders or other account holders and Invesco Aim.
Invesco Aim takes reasonable measures to determine whether a potential conflict may exist. A potential conflict is deemed to exist only if one or more of the Proxy Committee members actually knew or should have known of the potential conflict.
If a material potential conflict is deemed to exist, Invesco Aim may resolve the
potential conflict in one of the following ways: (1) if the proposal that gives
rise to the potential conflict is specifically addressed by the Guidelines,
Invesco Aim may vote the proxy in accordance with the predetermined Guidelines;
(2) Invesco Aim may engage an independent third party to determine how the proxy
should be voted; or (3) Invesco Aim may establish an ethical wall or other
informational barrier between the persons involved in the potential conflict and
the persons making the proxy-voting decision in order to insulate the potential
conflict from the decision makers.
Because the Guidelines are pre-determined and crafted to be in the best economic interest of shareholders and other account holders, applying the Guidelines to vote client proxies should, in most instances, adequately resolve any potential conflict of interest. As an additional safeguard against potential conflicts, persons from Invesco Aim's marketing, distribution and other customer-facing functions are precluded from becoming members of the Proxy Committee.
On a quarterly basis, the AIM Funds Boards of Trustees review a report from Invesco Aim's Internal Compliance Controls Committee. The report contains a list of all known material business relationships that Invesco Aim maintains with publicly traded issuers. That list is cross-referenced with the list of proxies voted over the period. If there are any instances where Invesco Aim's voting pattern on the proxies of its material business partners is inconsistent with its voting pattern on all other issuers, they are brought before the Trustees and explained by the Chairman of the Proxy Committee.
Personal conflicts of interest. If any member of the Proxy Committee has a personal conflict of interest with respect to a company or an issue presented for voting, that Proxy Committee member will inform the Proxy Committee of such conflict and will abstain from voting on that company or issue.
Funds of funds. Some AIM Funds offering diversified asset allocation within one investment vehicle own shares in other AIM Funds. A potential conflict of interest could arise if an underlying AIM Fund has a shareholder meeting with any proxy issues to be voted on, because Invesco Aim's asset-allocation funds or target-maturity funds may be large shareholders of the underlying fund. In order to avoid any potential for a conflict, the asset-allocation funds and target maturity funds vote their shares in the same proportion as the votes of the external shareholders of the underlying fund.
POLICIES AND VOTE DISCLOSURE
A copy of these Guidelines and the voting record of each AIM Fund are available on our web site, www.invescoaim.com. In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, all funds file a record of all proxy-voting activity for the prior 12 months ending June 30th. That filing is made on or before August 31st of each year.
FOOTNOTES
(1) AIM Funds not managed by Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., are governed by the proxy voting policies of their respective sub-advisors. Proxy Voting Guidelines applicable to AIM CHINA FUND, AIM FLOATING RATE FUND, AIM GLOBAL REAL ESTATE FUND, AIM INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND, AIM INTERNATIONAL TOTAL RETURN FUND, AIM JAPAN FUND, AIM LIBOR ALPHA FUND, AIM REAL ESTATE FUND, AIM S&P 500 INDEX FUND, AIM SELECT REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND, AIM STRUCTURED CORE FUND, AIM STRUCTURED GROWTH FUND, AIM STRUCTURED VALUE FUND, AIM TRIMARK ENDEAVOR FUND, AIM TRIMARK FUND, AIM TRIMARK SMALL COMPANIES FUND, SERIES C and SERIES M are available at our website, http://www.invescoaim.com.
Proxy policy applies to the following:
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT DEUTSCHLAND, GMBH
(INVESCO LOGO)
PROXY VOTING POLICY
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
December 2007
GENERAL POLICY
INVESCO has responsibility for making investment decisions that are in the best interests of its clients. As part of the investment management services it provides to clients, INVESCO may be authorized by clients to vote proxies appurtenant to the shares for which the clients are beneficial owners.
INVESCO believes that it has a duty to manage clients' assets in the best economic interests of the clients and that the ability to vote proxies is a client asset.
INVESCO reserves the right to amend its proxy policies and procedures from time to time without prior notice to its clients.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
VOTING OF PROXIES
INVESCO will on a fund by fund basis, decide whether it will vote proxies and if so, for which parts of the portfolio it will voted for. If INVESCO decides to vote proxies, it will do so in accordance with the procedures set forth below. If the client retains in writing the right to vote or if INVESCO determines that any benefit the client might gain from voting a proxy would be outweighed by the costs associated therewith, it will refrain from voting.
BEST ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF CLIENTS
In voting proxies, INVESCO will take into consideration those factors that may affect the value of the security and will vote proxies in a manner in which, in its opinion, is in the best economic interests of clients. INVESCO endeavors to resolve any conflicts of interest exclusively in the best economic interests of clients.
CERTAIN PROXY VOTES MAY NOT BE CAST
In some cases, INVESCO may determine that it is not in the best economic interests of clients to vote proxies. For example, proxy voting in certain countries outside the United States requires share blocking. Shareholders who wish to vote their proxies must deposit their shares 7 to 21 days before the date of the meeting with a designated depositary. During the blocked period, shares to be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares have been returned to the Custodian/Sub-Custodian bank. In addition, voting certain international securities may involve unusual costs to clients. In other cases, it may not be possible to vote certain proxies despite good faith efforts to do so, for instance when inadequate notice of the matter is provided. In the instance of loan securities, voting of proxies typically requires termination of the loan, so it is not usually in the best economic interests of clients to vote proxies on loaned securities. INVESCO typically will not, but reserves the right to, vote where share blocking restrictions, unusual costs or other barriers to efficient voting apply. If INVESCO does not vote, it would have made the determination that the cost of voting exceeds the expected benefit to the client.
ISS SERVICES
INVESCO has contracted with Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), an independent third party service provider, to vote INVESCO's clients' proxies according to ISS's proxy voting recommendations. In addition, ISS will provide proxy analyses, vote recommendations, vote execution and record-keeping services for clients for which INVESCO has proxy voting responsibility. On an annual basis, INVESCO will review information obtained from ISS to ascertain whether ISS (i) has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues, and (ii) can make such recommendations in an impartial manner and in the best economic interest of INVESCO's clients. This may include a review of ISS' Policies, Procedures and Practices Regarding Potential Conflicts of Interests and obtaining information about the work ISS does for corporate issuers and the payments ISS receives from such issuers.
Custodians forward proxy materials for clients who rely on INVESCO to vote proxies to ISS. ISS is responsible for exercising the voting rights in accordance with the ISS proxy voting guidelines. If INVESCO receives proxy materials in connection with a client's account where the client has, in writing, communicated to INVESCO that the client, plan fiduciary or other third party has reserved the right to vote proxies, INVESCO will forward to the party appointed by client any proxy materials it receives with respect to the account. In order to avoid voting proxies in circumstances where INVESCO, or any of its affiliates have or may have any conflict of interest, real or perceived, INVESCO has engaged ISS to provide the proxy analyses, vote recommendations and voting of proxies.
In the event that (i) ISS recuses itself on a proxy voting matter and makes no recommendation or (ii) INVESCO decides to override the ISS vote recommendation, the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group and the Compliance Officer will review the issue and direct ISS how to vote the proxies as described below.
ISS RECUSAL
When ISS makes no recommendation on a proxy voting issue or is recused due to a conflict of interest, the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group and the Compliance Officer will review the issue and, if INVESCO does not have a conflict of interest, direct ISS how to vote the proxies. In such cases where INVESCO has a conflict of interest, INVESCO, in its sole discretion, shall either (a) vote the proxies pursuant to ISS's general proxy voting guidelines, (b) engage an independent third party to provide a vote recommendation, or (c) contact its client(s) for direction as to how to vote the proxies.
OVERRIDE OF ISS RECOMMENDATION
There may be occasions where the INVESCO investment personnel or senior officers seek to override ISS's recommendations if they believe that ISS's recommendations are not in accordance with the best economic interests of clients. In the event that an individual listed above in this section disagrees with an ISS recommendation on a particular voting issue, the individual shall document in writing the reasons that he/she believes that the ISS recommendation is not in accordance with clients' best economic interests and submit such written documentation to the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group. Upon review of the documentation and consultation with the individual and others as the PVC deems appropriate, the PVC together with the Compliance Officer may make a determination to override the ISS voting recommendation if they determine that it is in the best economic interests of clients.
PROXY VOTING RECORDS
Clients may obtain information about how INVESCO voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their client services representative. Alternatively, clients may make a written request for proxy voting information.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND IMPROPER INFLUENCE
In order to avoid voting proxies in circumstances where INVESCO or any of its affiliates have or may have any conflict of interest, real or perceived, INVESCO has contracted with ISS to provide proxy analyses, vote recommendations and voting of proxies. Unless noted otherwise by ISS, each vote recommendation provided by ISS to INVESCO includes a representation from ISS that ISS faces no conflict of interest with respect to the vote. In instances where ISS has recused itself and makes no recommendation on a particular matter or if an override submission is requested, the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group together with the Compliance Officer shall determine how the proxy is to be voted and instruct accordingly in which case the conflict of interest provisions discussed below shall apply.
In effecting the policy of voting proxies in the best economic interests of clients, there may be occasions where the voting of such proxies may present a real or perceived conflict of interest between INVESCO, as the investment manager, and clients.
For each director, officer and employee of INVESCO ("INVESCO person"), the interests of INVESCO's clients must come first, ahead of the interest of INVESCO and any person within the INVESCO organization, which includes INVESCO's affiliates.
Accordingly, each INVESCO person must not put "personal benefit," whether tangible or intangible, before the interests of clients of INVESCO or otherwise take advantage of the relationship to INVESCO's clients. "Personal benefit" includes any intended benefit for oneself or any other individual, company, group or organization of any kind whatsoever, except a benefit for a client of INVESCO, as appropriate. It is imperative that each of INVESCO's directors, officers and employees avoid any situation that might compromise, or call into question, the exercise of fully independent judgment in the interests of INVESCO's clients.
Occasions may arise where a person or organization involved in the proxy voting process may have a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest may also exist if INVESCO has a business relationship with (or is actively soliciting business from) either the company soliciting the proxy or a third party that has a material interest in the outcome of a proxy vote or that is actively lobbying for a particular outcome of a proxy vote. An INVESCO person shall not be considered to have a conflict of interest if the INVESCO person did not know of the conflict of interest and did not attempt to influence the outcome of a proxy vote. Any individual with actual knowledge of a conflict of interest relating to a particular referral item shall disclose that conflict to the Compliance Officer.
The following are examples of situations where a conflict may exist:
- Business Relationships - where INVESCO manages money for a company or an employee group, manages pension assets or is actively soliciting any such business, or leases office space from a company;
- Personal Relationships - where a INVESCO person has a personal relationship with other proponents of proxy proposals, participants in proxy contests, corporate directors, or candidates for directorships; and
- Familial Relationships - where an INVESCO person has a known familial relationship relating to a company (e.g. a spouse or other relative who serves as a director of a public company or is employed by the company).
In the event that INVESCO (or an affiliate) manages assets for a company, its pension plan, or related entity and where clients' funds are invested in that company's shares, it will not take into consideration this relationship and will vote proxies in that company solely in the best economic interest of its clients.
It is the responsibility of the INVESCO person to report any real or potential conflict of interest of which such individual has actual knowledge to the Compliance Officer, who shall present any such information to the Head of Continental Europe Compliance. However, once a particular conflict has been reported to the Compliance Officer, this requirement shall be deemed satisfied with respect to all individuals with knowledge of such conflict.
In addition, any INVESCO person who submits an ISS override recommendation to the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group shall certify as to their compliance with this policy concurrently with the submission of their override recommendation. A form of such certification is attached as Appendix A hereto.
In addition, the Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International
Structured Products Group must notify INVESCO's Compliance Officer with
impunity and without fear of retribution or retaliation, of any direct,
indirect or perceived improper influence made by anyone within INVESCO or
by an affiliated company's representatives with regard to how INVESCO
should vote proxies. The Compliance Officer will investigate the
allegations and will report his or her findings to the INVESCO Risk
Management Committee and to the Head of Continental Europe Compliance. In
the event that it is determined that improper influence was made, the Risk
Management Committee will determine the appropriate action to take which
may include, but is not limited to, (1) notifying the affiliated company's
Chief Executive Officer, its Management Committee or Board of Directors,
(2) taking remedial action, if necessary, to correct the result of any
improper influence where clients have been harmed, or (3) notifying the
appropriate regulatory agencies of the improper influence and to fully
cooperate with these regulatory agencies as required. In all cases, the
Proxy Voting Committee (PVC) of the International Structured Products Group
together with the Compliance Officer shall not take into consideration the
improper influence in determining how to vote proxies and will vote proxies
solely in the best economic interest of clients.
ISS PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
A copy of the most recent ISS Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary can be found on ISS's website at www.issproxy.com. From this website, click on ISS Governance Services tab, next click on "Policy Gateway", next click on "2008 Policy Information", and then click on "Download 2008 U.S. Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary."
APPENDIX A
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CERTIFICATION
I acknowledge that I have read the INVESCO Proxy Voting Policy (a copy of which has been supplied to me, which I will retain for future reference) and agree to comply in all respects with the terms and provisions thereof. I have disclosed or reported all real or potential conflicts of interest to the INVESCO Compliance Officer and will continue to do so as matters arise. I have complied with all provisions of this Policy.
--------------------------------------- Print Name -------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Date Signature |
INVESCO PERPETUAL
POLICY ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
(Updated February 2008)
1. INTRODUCTION
Invesco Perpetual (IP), the trading name of Invesco Asset Management Limited, has adopted a clear and considered policy towards its responsibility as a shareholder. As part of this policy, IP will take steps to satisfy itself about the extent to which the companies in which it invests comply with local recommendations and practices, such as the UK Combined Code issued by the Committee on Corporate Governance and/or the U.S. Department of Labor Interpretive Bulletins.
2. RESPONSIBLE VOTING
IP has a responsibility to optimise returns to its clients. As a core part of the investment process, Fund Managers will endeavour to establish a dialogue with management to promote company decision making that is in the best interests of shareholders, and is in accordance with good Corporate Governance principles.
IP considers that shareholder activism is fundamental to good Corporate Governance. Whilst this does not entail intervening in daily management decisions, it does involve supporting general standards for corporate activity and, where necessary, taking the initiative to ensure those standards are met.
One important means of putting shareholder responsibility into practice is via the exercising of voting rights. In deciding whether to vote shares, IP will take into account such factors as the likely impact of voting on management activity, and where expressed, the preference of clients. As a result of these two factors, IP will tend to vote on all UK and European shares, but to vote on a more selective basis on other shares. (See Appendix I - Voting on non-UK/European shares)
IP considers that the voting rights attached to its clients' investments should be actively managed with the same duty of care as that applied to all other aspects of asset administration. As such, voting rights will be exercised on an informed and independent basis, and will not simply be passed back to the company concerned for discretionary voting by the Chairman. In doing this, IP will have in mind three objectives:
i) To protect the rights of its clients
ii) To minimize the risk of financial or business impropriety within the companies in which its clients are invested, and
iii) To protect the long-term value of its clients' investments.
It is important to note that, when exercising voting rights, a third option of abstention can also be used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction, or lack of support, to a Board on a particular issue. Additionally, in the event of a conflict of interest arising between IP and its clients over a specific issue, IP will either abstain or seek instruction from each client.
IP will exercise actively the voting rights represented by the shares it manages on behalf of its investors.
Note: Share Blocking
Generally, IP will not vote where this results in shares being blocked from trading for a period of more than a few hours. IP considers that it is not in the interest of clients that their shares are blocked at a potentially sensitive time, such as that around a shareholder meeting.
3. VOTING PROCEDURES
IP will endeavour to keep under regular review with trustees, depositaries and custodians the practical arrangements for circulating company resolutions and notices of meetings and for exercising votes in accordance with standing or special instructions.
IP will endeavour to review regularly any standing or special instructions on voting and where possible, discuss with company representatives any significant issues.
IP will take into account the implications of stock lending arrangements where this is relevant (that is, when stock is lent to the extent permitted by local regulations, the voting rights attaching to that stock pass to the borrower). If a stock is on loan and therefore cannot be voted, it will not necessarily be recalled in instances where we would vote with management. Individual IP Fund Managers enter securities lending arrangements at their own discretion and where they believe it is for the potential benefit of their investors.
4. DIALOGUE WITH COMPANIES
IP will endeavour, where practicable in accordance with its investment processes, to enter into a dialogue with companies based on the mutual understanding of objectives. This dialogue is likely to include regular meetings with company representatives to explore any concerns about corporate governance where these may impact on the best interests of clients. In discussion with Company Boards and senior non-Executive Directors, IP will endeavour to cover any matters with particular relevance to shareholder value.
Specifically when considering resolutions put to shareholders, IP will pay attention to the companies' compliance with the relevant local requirements. In addition, when analyzing the company's prospects for future profitability and hence returns to shareholders, IP will take many variables into account, including but not limited to, the following:
- Nomination and audit committees
- Remuneration committee and directors' remuneration
- Board balance and structure
- Financial reporting principles
- Internal control system and annual review of its effectiveness
- Dividend and Capital Management policies
5. NON-ROUTINE RESOLUTIONS AND OTHER TOPICS
These will be considered on a case-by-case basis and where proposals are put to the vote will require proper explanation and justification by (in most instances) the Board. Examples of such would be all SRI issues (i.e. those with social, environmental or ethical connotations), political donations, and any proposal raised by a shareholder or body of shareholders (typically a pressure group).
Apart from the three fundamental voting objectives set out under 'Responsible Voting' above, considerations that IP might apply to non-routine proposals will include:
i) The degree to which the company's stated position on the issue could affect its reputation and/or sales, or leave it vulnerable to boycott or selective purchasing
ii) What other companies have done in response to the issue
iii) Whether implementation would achieve the objectives sought in the proposal
iv) Whether the matter is best left to the Board's discretion.
6. EVALUATION OF COMPANIES' CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS
IP will, when evaluating companies' governance arrangements, particularly those relating to board structure and composition, give due weight to all relevant factors drawn to their attention.
7. DISCLOSURE
On request from clients, IP will in good faith provide records of voting instructions given to third parties such as trustees, depositaries and custodians provided that
(i) in IP's discretion, to do so does not conflict with the best interests of other clients and
(ii) it is understood that IP will not be held accountable for the expression of views within such voting instructions and
(iii) IP are not giving any assurance nor undertaking any obligation to ensure that such instructions resulted in any votes actually being cast. Records of voting instructions within the immediate preceding 3 months will not normally be provided.
Note: The record of votes will reflect the voting instruction of the relevant Fund Manager. This may not be the same as votes actually cast as IP is entirely reliant on third parties complying promptly with such instructions to ensure that such votes are cast correctly. Accordingly, the provision of information relating to an instruction does not mean that a vote was actually cast, just that an instruction was given in accordance with a particular view taken.
APPENDIX I
VOTING ON NON-UK/EUROPEAN SHARES
When deciding whether to exercise the voting rights attached to its clients' non-UK/European shares, IP will take into consideration a number of factors. These will include:
- the likely impact of voting on management activity, versus the cost to the client
- the portfolio management restrictions (e.g. share blocking) that may result from voting
- the preferences, where expressed, of clients
Generally, IP will vote on non-UK/European shares by exception only, except where the client or local regulator expressly requires voting on all shares.
SHARE BLOCKING
Generally, IP will not vote where this results in shares being blocked from trading for a period of more than a few hours. IP considers that it is not in the interest of clients that their shares are blocked at a potentially sensitive time, such as that around a shareholder meeting.
PROXY POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT (JAPAN) LIMITED
(Quick Translation)
INTERNAL RULES ON PROXY VOTING EXECUTION
(PURPOSE)
ARTICLE 1
INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited (referred to as "INVESCO" thereafter)] assumes a fiduciary responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of its trustors and beneficiaries. In addition, INVESCO acknowledges its responsibility as a fiduciary to vote proxies prudently and solely for the purpose of maximizing the economic values of trustors (investors) and beneficiaries. So that it may fulfill these fiduciary responsibilities to trustors (investors) and beneficiaries, INVESCO has adopted and implemented these internal rules reasonably designed to ensure that the business operations of the company to invest are appropriately conducted in the best interest of shareholders and are always monitored by the shareholders.
(PROXY VOTING POLICY)
ARTICLE 2
INVESCO exercises the voting right in the best interest of its trustors and beneficiaries not in the interests of the third parties. The interests of trustors and beneficiaries are defined as the increase of the value of the enterprise or the expansion of the economic value of the shareholders or to protect these values from the impairment.
(VOTING EXERCISE STRUCTURE)
ARTICLE 3
Please refer to the Article 2 of Proxy Voting basic Policy as per attached.
(PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES)
ARTICLE 4
Please refer to Proxy Voting Guidelines (Attachment 2).
(PROXY VOTING PROCESS)
ARTICLE 5
1. DOMESTIC EQUITIES
(1) Notification on the shareholder meeting will be delivered to Operations from trustee banks which will be in turn forwarded to the person in charge of equities investment. The instruction shall be handled by Operations.
(2) The person in charge of equities investment scrutinizes the subjects according to the "Screening Standard" and forward them to the proxy voting committee ("Committee").
(3) In case of asking for the outside counsel, to forward our proxy voting guidelines("Guidelines") to them beforehand and obtain their advice
(4) In either case of b. or c., the person in charge shall make proposal to the committee to ask for their "For", "Against", "Abstention", etc.
(5) The committee scrutinizes the respective subjects and approves/disapproves with the quorum of two thirds according to the Guidelines.
(6) In case where as to the subject which the Committee judges as inappropriate according to the Guidelines and/or the subject which cannot obtain the quorum, the Committee will be held again to discuss the subject.
2. FOREIGN EQUITIES
(1) As to the voting exercise of the foreign equities, we shall consider the manners and customs of the foreign countries as well as the costs.
(2) As to the voting process, the above process of the domestic equities shall be accordingly adjusted and applied.
(DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION)
ARTICLE 6
In case of the request from the customers, we can disclose the content.
(VOTING RECORD)
ARTICLE 7
- The Committee preserves the record of Attachment 1 for one year.
- The administration office is the Investment Division which shall preserve all the related documents of this voting process.
- Operations which handle the instruction shall preserve the instruction documents for 10 years after the termination of the ITM funds or the termination of the investment advisory contracts.
Article 8 and addendum are omitted.
PROXY VOTING BASIC POLICY
1. Basic Thought on Proxy Voting
- INVESCO makes efforts to maximize the entrusted assets in terms of fiduciary duties in investing the funds entrusted by the trustors (investors) and the beneficiaries.
- For the purpose of maximizing the invested assets and the value of the equities, INVESCO always monitors the invested companies to operate appropriately as a shareholder in the best interests of the shareholders.
- From the above point of view, INVESCO has adopted and implemented this Proxy Voting Basic Policy and Proxy Voting Policy and Procedure to fulfill the proxy voting rights properly.
- In exercising the proxy voting rights, INVESCO fulfills the voting rights in the benefits of the trustors (investors) and the beneficiaries not in the benefits of the third parties.
2. Voting Process and Structure
- INVESCO establishes the Proxy Voting Committee (referred to as "Committee" thereafter) which executes the proxy voting rights.
- The Committee is composed of the chairman who is designated by Japanese Management Committee (referred to as "J-Mac" thereafter) and the members appointed by the chairman. Persons in charge of Investment Division and Legal & Compliance Division shall be mandatory members.
- The Committee has been delegated the judgment power to execute the voting right from the J-Mac.
- The Committee has worked out the subjects according to the pre-determined "Screening Standard" in terms of benefits of the shareholders and executes the voting rights based on the "Proxy Voting Guidelines".
- The Committee is occasionally taken the advice from the outside parties according to the "Proxy Voting Guidelines".
The Committee is held on a monthly basis and the result of the voting execution is to be reported to J-Mac on a monthly basis at least.
3. Screening Standard
For the purpose of efficient voting execution, INVESCO implements the following screening criteria. The companies fallen under this screening criteria shall be scrutinized according to "Voting Guidelines".
(1) Quantitative Standard
1) Low profit margin of operational income and recurrent income for certain periods
2) Negative Net Assets/Insolvency
3) Extremely High Dividend Ratios or Low Dividend Ratios
(2) Qualitative Standard
1) In breach of the substantial laws or anti-social activities for the past one year
2) Impairment of the interests of the shareholders for the past one year
(3) Others
1) External Auditor's Audit Report with the limited auditor's opinion
2) Shareholders' proposals
4. Proxy Voting Guidelines
(1) General Subjects
1) Any violation of laws and anti-social activities?
2) Inappropriate disclosure which impairs the interests of shareholders ?
3) Enough Business Improvement Efforts ?
(2) Subjects on Financial Statements
Any reasonable reasons for Interest Appropriation/Loss Disposal?
(3) Amendments to Articles of Incorporations, etc
Any possibility of the limitation to the shareholder's rights?
(4) Directors/Statutory Auditors Appointment of the unqualified person, or inappropriate amount of payment/gifts to the unqualified person?
(5) Capital Policy/Business Policy
Unreasonable policy in terms of maximization of the shareholders' interests?
(6) Others
1) Shareholder's Proposals
Contribution to the increase of the shareholders' economic interests?
2) Appointment of Auditor
Any problem of independency?
Voting Screening Criteria & Decision Making Documents (Attachment 1)
Company Name: [_] Year Month Screening Criteria [_] Quantitative Criteria [_] consolidated or [_] single [_] [_] Yes No --- --- Consecutive unprofitable settlements for the past 3 years Consecutive Non dividend payments for the past 3 years Operational loss for the most recent fiscal year Negative net assets for the most recent fiscal year Less than 10% or more than 100% of the dividend ratios for the most recent fiscal year |
Screening Criteria/Qualitative Criteria
Yes No --- --- Substantial breach of the laws/anti-social activities for the past one year If Yes, describe the content of the breach of the law/anti-social activities: [_] Others, especially, any impairment of the value of the shareholders for the past one year If Yes, describe the content of the impairment of the value of shareholders: |
Others
Yes No --- --- External Auditor's report with the limited auditor's opinion Shareholder's proposal |
Person in charge of equities investment Initial Signature
- If all Nos (ARROW) No objection to the agenda of the shareholders' meeting
- If one or more Yes (ARROW) (Person in charge of equities investment shall fill Out the blanks below and forward to the Committee)
Proposal on Voting Execution
Reason for judgment
Chairman For Against Initial Signature Member For Against Initial Signature Member For Against Initial Signature Member For Against Initial Signature Member For Against Initial Signature Member For Against Initial Signature |
(Attachment 2)
Proxy Voting Guidelines
1. PURPORT OF GUIDELINES
Pursuant to Article 2 of Proxy Voting Policy and Procedure, INVESCO has adopted and implemented the following guidelines and hereby scrutinizes and decides the subjects one by one in light of the guidelines.
2. GUIDELINES
(1) General Subjects
1) Any violation of laws and anti-social activities ?
- To scrutinize and judge respectively the substantial impact over the company's business operations by the above subjects or the impairment of the shareholders' economic value.
2) Inappropriate disclosure which impairs the interests of shareholders ?
- To scrutinize and judge respectively the potential impairment of the shareholder's economic value.
3) Enough Business Improvement Efforts ?
- Although the continuous extremely unprofitable and the extremely bad performance, the management is in short of business improvement efforts. To scrutinize and judge respectively the cases.
(2) Subjects on Financial Statements
1) Interest Appropriation Plan
1) Interest Appropriation Plan (Dividends)
- To basically approve unless the extremely overpayment or minimum payment of the dividends
2) Interest Appropriation Plan (Bonus payment to corporate officers)
- To basically agree but in case where the extremely unprofitable, for example, the consecutive unprofitable and no dividend payments or it is apparent of the impairment of the shareholder's value, to -- request to decrease the amount or no bonus payment.
3) To basically disagree to the interest appropriation plan if no dividend payments but to pay the bonus to the corporate officers without prior assessment.
2) Loss Disposal Plan
To scrutinize and judge respectively
(3) Amendments to Articles of Incorporation, etc.
1. Company Name Change/Address Change, etc.
2. Change of Purpose/Method of Public Announcement
3. Change of Business Operations, etc.
4. Change of Stipulations on Shareholders/Shareholders Meeting
5. Change of Stipulations on Directors/Board of Directors/Statutory Auditors
- To basically approve however, in case of the possibility of the limitation to the shareholders' rights, to judge respectively
(4) Subjects on Corporate Organization
1) Composition of Board of Directors Meeting, etc
- To basically approve the introduction of "Committee Installation Company "or "Substantial Asset Control Institution"
- To basically approve the introduction of the corporate officer institution. Provided, however, that in case where all directors are concurrent with those committee members and the institutions, to basically disagree. In case of the above introduction, to basically disapprove to the decrease of the board members or adjustment of the remuneration.
2) Appointment of Directors
- To basically disagree in case where the increase of the board members which is deemed to be overstaffed and no explanatory comments on the increase. In case of 21 or more board members, to respectively judge.
- To basically disagree the re-appointment of the existing directors in case where the consecutive unprofitable settlements for the past 3 years and the consecutive 3 year no dividend payments, or the consecutive decrease in the net profits for the past 5 years.
- To basically disagree the re-appointment of the existing directors in case where the scandal of the breach of the laws and the anti-social activities occurred and caused the substantial impact over the business operations during his/her assignment.
3) Appointment of Outside Directors
- To basically agree after the confirmation of its independency based on the information obtained from the possible data sources.
- To basically disagree the decrease in number.
- To basically disagree the job concurrence of the competitors' CEO, COO,CFO or concurrence of the outside directors of 4 or more companies.
- To basically disagree in case of no-independence of the company
- To basically disagree the extension of the board of directors' term.
4) Appointment of Statutory Auditors
- To basically disagree the appointment of the candidate who is appointed as a director and a statutory auditor by turns.
- To basically disagree the re-appointment of the existing directors in case where the scandal of the breach of the laws and the anti-social activities occurred and caused the substantial impact over the business operations during his/her assignment.
5) Appointment of Outside Statutory Auditors
- To basically disagree in case where the outside statutory auditor is not actually the outside auditor (the officer or employee of the parent company, etc.)
- To basically disagree in case where the reason of the decrease in the number is not clearly described.
- To basically agree in case where the introduction of the "Statutory Auditor Appointment Committee" which includes plural outside statutory auditors.
(5) Officer Remuneration/officer Retirement Allowances
1) Officer Remuneration
- To basically disagree the amendment of the officer remuneration (unless the decrease in amount or no payment) in case where the consecutive unprofitable settlements for the past 3 years and the consecutive 3 year no dividend payments, or the consecutive decrease in the net profits for the past 5 years.
- To basically disagree and scrutinize respectively in case where no sufficient explanation of the substantial increase (10% or more per head), or no decrease of the remuneration amount if the number of the officers decrease.
2) Officer Retirement Allowance
- To basically approve
- To basically disapprove in case where the payment of the allowance to the outside statutory auditors and the outside directors.
- To basically disapprove in case where the officer resigned or retired during his/her assignment due to the scandal of the breach of the laws and the anti-social activities.
- To basically disagree in case where the consecutive unprofitable settlements for the past 3 years and the consecutive 3 year no dividend payments, or the consecutive decrease in the net profits for the past 5 years.
(2) Capital Policy/Business Policy
1) Acquisition of Own shares
- To basically approve
- To basically approve the disposition of the own sharers if the disposition ratio of less than 10% of the total issued shares and the shareholders' equities. In case of 10% or more, to respectively scrutinize.
2) Capital Reduction
To basically disagree in case where the future growth of the business might be substantially decreased.
3) Increase of the authorized capital
To basically disagree in case of the substantial increase of the authorized capital taking into consideration the dilution of the voting right (10% or more) and incentive.
4) Granting of the stock options to Directors, Statutory Auditors and Employees
- To basically approve
- To basically disagree in case where the substantial dilution of the value of the stocks (the potential dilution ration is to increase 5% of the total issued stock number) will occur and accordingly decrease of the shareholders' interests.
- To basically disagree in case where the exercise price is deviated by 10% or more from the market value as of the fiscal year-end
_ To basically disagree the decrease of the exercise price
(re-pricing)
- To basically disagree in case where the exercise term remains less than 1 year.
- To basically disagree in case the scope of the option granted objectives (transaction countereparties)is not so closely connected with the better performance.
5) Mergers and Acquisitions
- To basically disagree in case where the terms and conditions are not advantageous and there is no assessment base by the thirdparty.
- To basically disagree in case where the content of the mergers and acquisitions can not be deemed to be reasonable in comparison with the business strategy.
6) Business Transfer/Acceptance
To basically disagree in case where the content of the mergers and acquisitions can not be deemed to be reasonable and extremely unprofitable in comparison with the business strategy.
7) Capital Increase by the allocation to the thirdparties
- To basically analyze on a case by case basis
- Provided, however, that to basically approve in case where the companies under the financial difficulties executes as the restructuring of the business.
(7) Others
1) Appointment of Accountant
- To basically approve
- To basically disapprove on suspicion of its independency.
- To scrutinize the subjects in case where the decline of the re-appointment due to the conflict of the audit policy.
2) Shareholders' proposal
To basically analyze on a case by case basis
The basic judgment criterion is the contribution to the increase of the shareholders' value. However, to basically disapprove in case where to maneuver as a method to resolve the specific social and political problems.
PROXY POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO AUSTRALIA LIMITED
PROXY VOTING POLICY
1. Purpose of this Policy
INVESCO recognises its fiduciary obligation to act in the best interests of all clients, be they superannuation trustees, institutional clients, unit-holders in managed investment schemes or personal investors. One way INVESCO represents its clients in matters of corporate governance is through the proxy voting process.
This document sets out INVESCO's policy in relation to proxy voting. It has been approved by the INVESCO Australia Limited Board.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all INVESCO portfolios with the following exceptions:
- "index" or "index like" funds where, due to the nature of the funds, INVESCO will generally abstain from voting;
- private client or discrete wholesale mandates, where the voting policy has been agreed within the mandate;
- where investment management of an international fund has been delegated to an overseas AMVESCAP or INVESCO company, proxy voting will rest with that delegated manager.
3. Policy
In accordance with industry practices and the IFSA standard on proxy voting, our policy is as follows:
- INVESCO's overriding principle is that votes will be cast in the best economic interests of investors.
- INVESCO's intention is to vote on all Australian Company shareholder resolutions however it recognizes that in some circumstances it would be inappropriate to vote, or its vote may be immaterial. INVESCO will generally abstain from voting on "routine" company resolutions (eg approval of financial accounts or housekeeping amendments to Articles of Association or Constitution) unless its clients' portfolios in aggregate represent a significant proportion of the shareholdings of the company in question (a significant proportion in this context means 5% or more of the market capitalization of the company).
- INVESCO will always vote on the following issues arising in company Annual General Meetings where it has the authority to do so on behalf of clients.
- contentious issues (eg. issues of perceived national interest, or where there has been extensive press coverage or public comment);
- employee and executive share and option schemes;
- approval of changes of substantial shareholdings;
- mergers or schemes of arrangement; and
- approval of major asset sales or purchases.
- Management agreements or mandates for individually-managed clients will provide direction as to who has responsibility for voting.
- In the case of existing management agreements which do not contain a provision concerning voting authority or are ambiguous on the subject, INVESCO will not vote until clear instructions have been received from the client.
- In the case of clients who wish to place special conditions on the delegation of proxy voting powers, INVESCO will endeavour to accommodate those clients' requirements as far as practicable, subject to any administrative obstacles or additional costs that might arise in implementing the conditions.
- In considering proxy voting issues arising in respect of unit-holders in managed investment schemes, INVESCO will act solely in accordance with its fiduciary responsibility to take account of the collective interests of unit-holders in the scheme as a whole. INVESCO cannot accept instructions from individual unit-holders as to the exercise of proxy voting authority in a particular instance.
- In order to facilitate its proxy voting process, INVESCO may retain a professional proxy voting service to assist with in-depth proxy research, vote execution, and the necessary record keeping.
4. Reporting and Disclosure
A written record will be kept of the voting decision in each case, and of the reasons for each decision (including abstentions).
INVESCO will disclose on an annual basis, a summary of its proxy voting statistics on its website as required by IFSA standard No. 13 - Proxy Voting.
5. Conflicts of Interest
All INVESCO employees are under an obligation to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest with respect to voting proxies on behalf of clients.
INVESCO acknowledges that conflicts of interest do arise and where a conflict of interest is considered material, INVESCO will not vote until a resolution has been agreed upon and implemented.
PROXY POLICY APPLIES
TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO HONG KONG LIMITED
INVESCO HONG KONG LIMITED
PROXY VOTING POLICY
8 APRIL 2004
`
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 2 1. Guiding Principles 3 2. Proxy Voting Authority 4 3. Key Proxy Voting Issues 7 4. Internal Admistration and Decision Making Process 10 5. Client Reporting 12 |
INTRODUCTION
This policy sets out Invesco's approach to proxy voting in the context of our broader portfolio management and client service responsibilities. It applies to Asia related equity portfolios managed by Invesco on behalf of individually-managed clients and pooled fund clients
Invesco's proxy voting policy is expected to evolve over time to cater for changing circumstances or unforeseen events.
1. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1.1 Invesco recognizes its fiduciary obligation to act in the best interests of all clients, be they retirement scheme trustees, institutional clients, unitholders in pooled investment vehicles or personal investors. The application of due care and skill in exercising shareholder responsibilities is a key aspect of this fiduciary obligation.
1.2 The sole objective of Invesco's proxy voting policy is to promote the economic interests of its clients. At no time will Invesco use the shareholding powers exercised in respect of its clients' investments to advance its own commercial interests, to pursue a social or political cause that is unrelated to clients' economic interests, or to favor a particular client or other relationship to the detriment of others.
1.3 Invesco also recognizes the broader chain of accountability that exists in the proper governance of corporations, and the extent and limitations of the shareholder's role in that process. In particular, it is recognized that company management should ordinarily be presumed to be best placed to conduct the commercial affairs of the enterprise concerned, with prime accountability to the enterprise's Board of Directors which is in turn accountable to shareholders and to external regulators and exchanges. The involvement of Invesco as an institutional shareholder will not extend to interference in the proper exercise of Board or management responsibilities, or impede the ability of companies to take the calculated commercial risks which are essential means of adding value for shareholders.
1.4 The primary aim of the policy is to encourage a culture of performance among investee companies, rather than one of mere conformance with a prescriptive set of rules and constraints. Rigid adherence to a checklist approach to corporate governance issues is of itself unlikely to promote the maximum economic performance of companies, or to cater for circumstances in which non-compliance with a checklist is appropriate or unavoidable.
1.5 Invesco considers that proxy voting rights are an asset which should be managed with the same care as any other asset managed on behalf of its clients.
2. PROXY VOTING AUTHORITY
2.1 An important dimension of Invesco's approach to corporate governance is the exercise of proxy voting authority at the Annual General Meetings or other decision-making forums of companies in which we manage investments on behalf of clients.
2.2 An initial issue to consider in framing a proxy voting policy is the question of where discretion to exercise voting power should rest - with Invesco as the investment manager, or with each individual client? Under the first alternative, Invesco's role would be both to make voting decisions on clients' behalf and to implement those decisions. Under the second alternative, Invesco would either have no role to play, or its role would be limited solely to implementing voting decisions under instructions from our clients.
2.3 In addressing this issue, it is necessary to distinguish the different legal structures and fiduciary relationships which exist as between individually-managed clients, who hold investments directly on their own accounts, and pooled fund clients, whose investments are held indirectly under a trust structure.
2.4 INDIVIDUALLY-MANAGED CLIENTS
2.4.1 As a matter of general policy, Invesco believes that unless a client's mandate gives specific instructions to the contrary, discretion to exercise votes should normally rest with the investment manager, provided that the discretion is always exercised in the client's interests alone.
2.4.2 The reason for this position is that Invesco believes that, with its dedicated research resources and ongoing monitoring of companies, an investment manager is usually better placed to identify issues upon which a vote is necessary or desirable. We believe it is also more practical that voting discretion rests with the party that has the authority to buy and sell shares, which is essentially what investment managers have been engaged to do on behalf of their clients.
2.4.3 In cases where voting authority is delegated by an individually-managed client, Invesco recognizes its responsibility to be accountable for the decisions it makes. If a client requires, an appropriate reporting mechanism will be put in place.
2.4.4 While it is envisaged that the above arrangements will be acceptable in the majority of cases, it is recognized that some individually-managed clients will wish to retain voting authority for themselves, or to place conditions on the circumstances in which it can be exercised by investment managers. In practice, it is believed that this option is generally only likely to arise with relatively large clients such as trustees of major superannuation funds or statutory corporations which have the resources to develop their own policies and to supervise their implementation by investment managers and custodians. In particular, clients who have multiple equity managers and utilize a master custody arrangement may be more likely to consider retaining voting authority in order to ensure consistency of approach across their total portfolio.
2.4.5 In any event, whatever decision is taken as to where voting authority should lie, Invesco believes that the matter should be explicitly covered by the terms of the investment management agreement and clearly understood by the respective parties.
2.4.6 Accordingly, Invesco will pursue the following policies with respect to the exercise of proxy voting authority for individually-managed clients:
PROXY VOTING AUTHORITY
Individually-Managed Clients
Unless an individually-managed client wishes to retain proxy voting authority, Invesco will assume proxy voting authority by way of delegation from the client, provided that the allocation of proxy voting responsibility is clearly set out in the investment management agreement.
In the case of clients who wish to place special conditions on the delegation of proxy voting powers, Invesco will endeavour to accommodate those clients' requirements as far as practicable, subject to any administrative obstacles or additional costs that might arise in implementing the conditions.
2.5 POOLED FUND CLIENTS
2.5.1 The legal relationship between an investment manager and its pooled fund clients is different in a number of important respects from that applying to individually-managed clients. These differences have a bearing on how proxy voting authority is exercised on behalf of pooled fund clients.
2.5.2 These legal relationships essentially mean that the manager is required to act solely in the collective interests of unitholders at large rather than as a direct agent or delegate of each unitholder. On the issue of proxy voting, as with all other aspects of our client relationships, Invesco will naturally continue to be receptive to any views and concerns raised by its pooled fund clients. However, the legal relationship that exists means it is not possible for the manager to accept instructions from a particular pooled fund client as to how to exercise proxy voting authority in a particular instance.
2.5.3 As in the case of individually-managed clients who delegate their proxy voting authority, Invesco's accountability to pooled fund clients in exercising its fiduciary responsibilities is best addressed as part of the manager's broader client relationship and reporting responsibilities.
2.5.4 Accordingly, Invesco will pursue the following policies with respect to the exercise of proxy voting authority for pooled fund clients:
PROXY VOTING AUTHORITY
Pooled Fund Clients
In considering proxy voting issues arising in respect of pooled fund shareholdings, Invesco will act solely in accordance with its fiduciary responsibility to take account of the collective interests of unitholders in the pooled fund as a whole.
Invesco cannot accept instructions from individual unitholders as to the exercise of proxy voting authority in a particular instance.
3. KEY PROXY VOTING ISSUES
3.1 This section outlines Invesco's intended approach in cases where proxy voting authority is being exercised on clients' behalf.
3.2 Invesco will vote on all material issues at all company meetings where it has the voting authority and responsibility to do so. We will not announce our voting intentions and the reasons behind them.
3.3 Invesco applies two underlying principles. First, our interpretation of 'material voting issues' is confined to those issues which affect the value of shares we hold on behalf of clients and the rights of shareholders to an equal voice in influencing the affairs of companies in proportion to their shareholdings. We do not consider it appropriate to use shareholder powers for reasons other than the pursuit of these economic interests. Second, we believe that a critical factor in the development of an optimal corporate governance policy is the need to avoid unduly diverting resources from our primary responsibilities to add value to our clients' portfolios through investment performance and client service.
3.4 In order to expand upon these principles, Invesco believes it is necessary to consider the role of proxy voting policy in the context of broader portfolio management and administrative issues which apply to our investment management business as a whole. These are discussed as follows.
3.5 PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT ISSUES - ACTIVE EQUITY PORTFOLIOS
3.5.1 While recognizing in general terms that issues concerning corporate governance practices can have a significant bearing on the financial performance of companies, the primary criterion for the selection and retention of a particular stock in active equity portfolios remains our judgment that the stock will deliver superior investment performance for our clients, based on our investment themes and market analysis.
3.5.2 In view of these dynamics, Invesco does not consider it feasible or desirable to prescribe in advance comprehensive guidelines as to how it will exercise proxy voting authority in all circumstances. The primary aim of Invesco's approach to corporate governance is to encourage a culture of performance among the companies in which we manage investments in order to add value to our clients' portfolios, rather than one of mere conformance with a prescriptive set of rules and constraints.
3.5.3 Nevertheless, Invesco has identified a limited range of issues upon which it will always exercise proxy voting authority - either to register disapproval of management proposals or to demonstrate support for company initiatives through positive use of voting powers. These issues are outlined as follows:
KEY VOTING ISSUES
Major Corporate Proposals
Invesco will always vote on the following issues arising in company General Meetings where it has the authority to do so on behalf of clients.
- contentious issues (eg. issues of perceived national interest, or where there has been extensive press coverage or public comment);
- approval of changes of substantial shareholdings;
- mergers or schemes of arrangement; and
- approval of major asset sales or purchases.
As a general rule, Invesco will vote against any actions that will reduce the rights or options of shareholders, reduce shareholder influence over the board of directors and management, reduce the alignment of interests between management and shareholders, or reduce the value of shareholders' investments, unless balanced by reasonable increase in net worth of the shareholding.
Where appropriate, Invesco will also use voting powers to influence companies to adopt generally accepted best corporate governance practices in areas such as board composition, disclosure policies and the other areas of recommended corporate governance practice.
Invesco's approach to significant proxy voting issues which fall outside these areas will be addressed on their merits.
3.6 ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES
3.6.1 In addition to the portfolio management issues outlined above, Invesco's proxy voting policy also takes account of administrative and cost implications, together with the size of our holdings as compared to the issue size, involved in the exercise of proxy voting authority on our clients' behalf.
3.6.2 There are practical constraints to the implementation of proxy voting decisions. Proxy voting is a highly seasonal activity, with most company Annual General Meetings being collapsed into a few months, with short deadlines for the distribution and return of notice papers, multiple resolutions from multiple companies being considered simultaneously, and under a legal system which is essentially dependent upon paper-based communication and record-keeping.
3.6.3 In addition, for investment managers such as Invesco who do not invest as principals and who consequently do not appear directly on the share registers of companies, all of these communications are channeled through external custodians, among whom there is in turn a considerable variation in the nature and quality of systems to deal with the flow of information.
3.6.4 While Invesco has the systems in place to efficiently implement proxy voting decisions when required, it can be seen that administrative and cost considerations by necessity play an important role in the application of a responsible proxy voting policy. This is particularly so bearing in mind the extremely limited time period within which voting decisions must often be made and implemented (which can in practice be as little as a few days). This factor also explains why Invesco resists any suggestion that there should be compulsory proxy voting on all issues, as in our view this would only increase the costs to be borne by our clients with very little practical improvement in corporate performance in most cases.
3.6.5 These administrative constraints are further highlighted by the fact that many issues on which shareholders are in practice asked to vote are routine matters relating to the ongoing administration of the company - eg. approval of financial accounts or housekeeping amendments to Articles of Association. Generally in such cases, we will be in favor of the motion as most companies take seriously their duties and are acting in the best interests of shareholders. However, the actual casting of a "yes" vote on all such resolutions in our view would entail an unreasonable administrative workload and cost.
3.6.6 Accordingly, Invesco believes that an important consideration in the framing of a proxy voting policy is the need to avoid unduly diverting resources from our primary responsibilities to add value to our clients' investments through portfolio management and client service. The policies outlined below have been prepared on this basis.
KEY PROXY VOTING ISSUES
Administrative Constraints
In view of the administrative constraints and costs involved in the exercise of proxy voting powers, Invesco may (depending on circumstances) not exercise its voting right unless its clients' portfolios in aggregate represent a significant proportion of the shareholdings of the company in question.
A significant proportion in this context means 5% or more of the market capitalization of the company.
4. INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION & DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
4.1 The following diagram illustrates the procedures adopted by Invesco for the administration of proxy voting:
----------------------- | | | COMPANY | | | ----------------------- | | \|/ Notice Paper | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Custodian | Custodian | Custodian | Custodian | Custodian | Custodian | Custodian | | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 | No. 6 | No. 7 | (etc) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Courier/Fax advice | /|\ INSTRUCTION OF VOTING \|/ | | | -------------------------- | | | IAL Settlement Team |(----- | | | -------------------------- /|\ | | | | \|/ Memo | | | -------------------------- | | Primary Equity | | ADVISE DECISION | Investment Manager for | | (RETURN EMAIL) | relevant market | | -------------------------- | | | | | \|/ Decision | | | -------------------------- | | | | | Vote |------ | | -------------------------- |
4.2 As shown by the diagram, a central administrative role is performed by our Settlement Team, located within the Client Administration section. The initial role of the Settlement Team is to receive company notice papers via the range of custodians who hold shares on behalf of our clients, to ascertain which client portfolios hold the stock, and to initiate the decision-making process by distributing the company notice papers to the Primary Investment Manager responsible for the company in question.
4.3 A voting decision on each company resolution (whether a yes or no vote, or a recommended abstention) is made by the Primary Investment Manager responsible for the company in question. Invesco believes that this approach is preferable to the appointment of a committee with responsibility for handling voting issues across all companies, as it takes advantage of the expertise of individuals whose professional lives are occupied by analyzing particular companies and sectors, and who are familiar with the issues facing particular companies through their regular company visits.
4.4 Moreover, the Primary Equity Manager has overall responsibility for the relevant market and this ensures that similar issues which arise in different companies are handled in a consistent way across the relevant market.
4.5 The voting decision is then documented and passed back to the Settlement Team, who issue the voting instructions to each custodian in advance of the closing date for receipt of proxies by the company. At the same time, the Settlement Team logs all proxy voting activities for record keeping or client reporting purposes.
4.6 A key task in administering the overall process is the capture and dissemination of data from companies and custodians within a time frame that makes exercising votes feasible in practice. This applies particularly during the company Annual General Meeting "season", when there are typically a large number of proxy voting issues under consideration simultaneously. Invesco has no
control over the former dependency and Invesco's ability to influence a custodian's service levels are limited in the case of individually-managed clients, where the custodian is answerable to the client.
4.7 The following policy commitments are implicit in these administrative and decision-making processes:
INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
Invesco will consider all resolutions put forward in the Annual General Meetings or other decision-making forums of all companies in which investments are held on behalf of clients, where it has the authority to exercise voting powers. This consideration will occur in the context of our policy on Key Voting Issues outlined in Section 3.
The voting decision will be made by the Primary Investment Manager responsible for the market in question.
A written record will be kept of the voting decision in each case, and in case of an opposing vote, the reason/comment for the decision.
Voting instructions will be issued to custodians as far as practicable in advance of the deadline for receipt of proxies by the company. Invesco will monitor the efficiency with which custodians implement voting instructions on clients' behalf.
Invesco's ability to exercise proxy voting authority is dependent on timely receipt of notification from the relevant custodians.
5. CLIENT REPORTING
5.1 Invesco will keep records of its proxy voting activities.
5.2 Upon client request, Invesco will regularly report back to the client on proxy voting activities for investments owned by the client.
5.2 The following points summarise Invesco's policy commitments on the reporting of proxy voting activities to clients (other than in cases where specific forms of client reporting are specified in the client's mandate):
CLIENT REPORTING
Where proxy voting authority is being exercised on a client's behalf, a statistical summary of voting activity will be provided on request as part of the client's regular quarterly report.
Invesco will provide more detailed information on particular proxy voting issues in response to requests from clients wherever possible.
PROXY POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO INSTITUTIONAL (N.A.), INC.
INVESCO GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (N.A.), INC.
INVESCO SENIOR SECURED MANAGEMENT, INC.
(INVESCO LOGO)
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
AND
PROCEDURES
April 1, 2006
GENERAL POLICY
INVESCO Institutional (N.A.), Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and INVESCO Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc. (collectively, "INVESCO"), each has responsibility for making investment decisions that are in the best interests of its clients. As part of the investment management services it provides to clients, INVESCO may be authorized by clients to vote proxies appurtenant to the shares for which the clients are beneficial owners.
INVESCO believes that it has a duty to manage clients' assets in the best economic interests of the clients and that the ability to vote proxies is a client asset.
INVESCO reserves the right to amend its proxy policies and procedures from time to time without prior notice to its clients.
PROXY VOTING POLICIES
VOTING OF PROXIES
INVESCO will vote client proxies in accordance with the procedures set forth below unless the client for non-ERISA clients retains in writing the right to vote, the named fiduciary (e.g., the plan sponsor) for ERISA clients retains in writing the right to direct the plan trustee or a third party to vote proxies or INVESCO determines that any benefit the client might gain from voting a proxy would be outweighed by the costs associated therewith.
BEST ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF CLIENTS
In voting proxies, INVESCO will take into consideration those factors that may affect the value of the security and will vote proxies in a manner in which, in its opinion, is in the best economic interests of clients. INVESCO endeavors to resolve any conflicts of interest exclusively in the best economic interests of clients.
ISS SERVICES
INVESCO has contracted with Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), an
independent third party service provider, to vote INVESCO's clients' proxies
according to ISS's proxy voting recommendations. In addition, ISS will provide
proxy analyses, vote recommendations, vote execution and record-keeping services
for clients for which INVESCO has proxy voting responsibility. On an annual
basis, INVESCO will review information obtained from ISS to ascertain whether
ISS (i) has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy issues, and
(ii) can make such recommendations in an impartial manner and in the best
economic interest of INVESCO's clients. This may include a review of ISS'
Policies, Procedures and Practices Regarding Potential Conflicts of Interests
and obtaining information about the work ISS does for corporate issuers and the
payments ISS receives from such issuers.
Custodians forward proxy materials for clients who rely on INVESCO to vote proxies to ISS. ISS is responsible for exercising the voting rights in accordance with the ISS proxy voting guidelines. If INVESCO receives proxy materials in connection with a client's account where the client has, in writing, communicated to INVESCO that the client, plan fiduciary or other third party has reserved the right to vote proxies, INVESCO will forward to the party appointed by client any proxy materials it receives with respect to the account. In order to avoid voting proxies in circumstances where INVESCO, or any of its affiliates have or may have any conflict of interest, real or perceived, INVESCO has engaged ISS to provide the proxy analyses, vote recommendations and voting of proxies.
In the event that (i) ISS recuses itself on a proxy voting matter and makes no recommendation or (ii) INVESCO decides to override the ISS vote recommendation, the Proxy Committee will review the issue and direct ISS how to vote the proxies as described below.
PROXY COMMITTEE
The Proxy Committee shall have seven (7) members, which shall include representatives from portfolio management, operations, and legal/compliance or other functional departments as deemed appropriate who are knowledgeable regarding the proxy process. A majority of the members of the Proxy Committee shall constitute a quorum and the Proxy Committee shall act by a majority vote. The chair of the Proxy Committee shall be chosen by the Chief Compliance Officer of INVESCO. The Proxy Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings that shall be kept with the proxy voting records of INVESCO. The Proxy Committee will appoint a Proxy Manager to manage the proxy voting process, which includes the voting of proxies and the maintenance of appropriate records.
Proxy Committee meetings shall be called by the Proxy Manager when override submissions are made and in instances when ISS has recused itself from a vote recommendation. In these situations, the Proxy Committee shall meet and determine how proxies are to be voted in the best interests of clients.
The Proxy Committee periodically reviews new types of corporate governance issues, evaluates proposals not addressed by the ISS proxy voting guidelines in instances when ISS has recused itself, and determines how INVESCO should vote. The Committee monitors adherence to these Procedures, industry trends and reviews the ISS proxy voting guidelines.
ISS RECUSAL
When ISS makes no recommendation on a proxy voting issue or is recused due to a conflict of interest, the Proxy Committee will review the issue and, if INVESCO does not have a conflict of interest, direct ISS how to vote the proxies. In such cases where INVESCO has a conflict of interest, INVESCO, in its sole discretion, shall either (a) vote the proxies pursuant to ISS's general proxy voting guidelines, (b) engage an independent third party to provide a vote recommendation, or (c) contact its client(s) for direction as to how to vote the proxies.
OVERRIDE OF ISS RECOMMENDATION
There may be occasions where the INVESCO investment personnel, senior officers or a member of the Proxy Committee seek to override ISS's recommendations if they believe that ISS's recommendations are not in accordance with the best economic interests of clients. In the event that an individual listed above in this section disagrees with an ISS recommendation on a particular voting issue, the individual shall document in writing the reasons that he/she believes that the ISS recommendation is not in accordance with clients' best economic interests and submit such written documentation to the Proxy Manager for consideration by the Proxy Committee. Upon review of the documentation and consultation with the individual and others as the Proxy Committee deems appropriate, the Proxy Committee may make a determination to override the ISS voting recommendation if the Committee determines that it is in the best economic interests of clients and the Committee has addressed conflict of interest issues as discussed below.
PROXY COMMITTEE MEETINGS
When a Proxy Committee Meeting is called, whether because of an ISS recusal or request for override of an ISS recommendation, the Proxy Committee shall review the report of the Chief Compliance Officer as to whether any INVESCO person has reported a conflict of interest.
The Proxy Committee shall review the information provided to it to determine if a real or perceived conflict of interest exists and the minutes of the Proxy Committee shall:
(1) describe any real or perceived conflict of interest,
(2) discuss any procedure used to address such conflict of interest,
(3) report any contacts from outside parties (other than routine communications from proxy solicitors), and
(4) include confirmation that the recommendation as to how the proxies are to be voted is in the best economic interests of clients and was made without regard to any conflict of interest.
Based on the above review and determinations, the Proxy Committee will direct ISS how to vote the proxies.
CERTAIN PROXY VOTES MAY NOT BE CAST
In some cases, INVESCO may determine that it is not in the best economic interests of clients to vote proxies. For example, proxy voting in certain countries outside the United States requires share blocking. Shareholders who wish to vote their proxies must deposit their shares 7 to 21 days before the date of the meeting with a designated depositary. During the blocked period, shares to be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares have been returned to the Custodian/Sub-Custodian bank. In addition, voting certain international securities may involve unusual costs to clients. In other cases, it may not be possible to vote certain proxies despite good faith efforts to do so, for instance when inadequate notice of the matter is provided. In the instance of loan securities, voting of proxies typically requires termination of the loan, so it is not usually in the best economic interests of clients to vote proxies on loaned securities. INVESCO typically will not, but reserves the right to, vote where share blocking restrictions, unusual costs or other barriers to efficient voting apply. If INVESCO does not vote, it would have made the determination that the cost of voting exceeds the expected benefit to the client. The Proxy Manager shall record the reason for any proxy not being voted, which record shall be kept with the proxy voting records of INVESCO.
PROXY VOTING RECORDS
Clients may obtain information about how INVESCO voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their client services representative. Alternatively, clients may make a written request for proxy voting information to: Proxy Manager, 1360 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND IMPROPER INFLUENCE
In order to avoid voting proxies in circumstances where INVESCO or any of its affiliates have or may have any conflict of interest, real or perceived, INVESCO has contracted with ISS to provide proxy analyses, vote recommendations and voting of proxies. Unless noted otherwise by ISS, each vote recommendation provided by ISS to INVESCO includes a representation from ISS that ISS faces no conflict of interest with respect to the vote. In instances where ISS has recused itself and makes no recommendation on a particular matter or if an override submission is requested, the Proxy Committee shall determine how the proxy is to be voted and instruct the Proxy Manager accordingly in which case the conflict of interest provisions discussed below shall apply.
In effecting the policy of voting proxies in the best economic interests of clients, there may be occasions where the voting of such proxies may present a real or perceived conflict of interest between INVESCO, as the investment manager, and clients.
For each director, officer and employee of INVESCO ("INVESCO person"), the interests of INVESCO's clients must come first, ahead of the interest of INVESCO and any person within the INVESCO organization, which includes INVESCO's affiliates.
Accordingly, each INVESCO person must not put "personal benefit," whether tangible or intangible, before the interests of clients of INVESCO or otherwise take advantage of the relationship to INVESCO's clients. "Personal benefit" includes any intended benefit for oneself or any other individual, company, group or organization of any kind whatsoever, except a benefit for a client of INVESCO, as appropriate. It is imperative that each of INVESCO's directors, officers and employees avoid any situation that might compromise, or call into question, the exercise of fully independent judgment in the interests of INVESCO's clients.
Occasions may arise where a person or organization involved in the proxy voting process may have a conflict of interest. A conflict of interest may also exist if INVESCO has a business relationship with (or is actively soliciting business from) either the company soliciting the proxy or a third party that has a material interest in the outcome of a proxy vote or that is actively lobbying for a particular outcome of a proxy vote. An INVESCO person (excluding members of the Proxy Committee) shall not be considered to have a conflict of interest if the INVESCO person did not know of the conflict of interest and did not attempt to influence the outcome of a proxy vote. Any individual with actual knowledge of a conflict of interest relating to a particular referral item shall disclose that conflict to the Chief Compliance Officer.
The following are examples of situations where a conflict may exist:
- Business Relationships - where INVESCO manages money for a company or an employee group, manages pension assets or is actively soliciting any such business, or leases office space from a company;
- Personal Relationships - where a INVESCO person has a personal relationship with other proponents of proxy proposals, participants in proxy contests, corporate directors, or candidates for directorships; and
- Familial Relationships - where an INVESCO person has a known familial relationship relating to a company (e.g. a spouse or other relative who serves as a director of a public company or is employed by the company).
In the event that INVESCO (or an affiliate) manages assets for a company, its pension plan, or related entity or where any member of the Proxy Committee has a personal conflict of interest, and where clients' funds are invested in that company's shares, the Proxy Committee will not take into consideration this relationship and will vote proxies in that company solely in the best economic interest of its clients.
It is the responsibility of the Proxy Manager and each member of the Proxy Committee to report any real or potential conflict of interest of which such individual has actual knowledge to the Chief Compliance Officer, who shall present any such information to the Proxy Committee. However, once a particular conflict has been reported to the Chief Compliance Officer, this requirement shall be deemed satisfied with respect to all individuals with knowledge of such conflict.
In addition, the Proxy Manager and each member of the Proxy Committee shall certify annually as to their compliance with this policy. In addition, any INVESCO person who submits an ISS override recommendation to the Proxy Committee shall certify as to their compliance with this policy concurrently with the submission of their override recommendation. A form of such certification is attached as Appendix A hereto.
In addition, members of the Proxy Committee must notify INVESCO's Chief Compliance Officer, with impunity and without fear of retribution or retaliation, of any direct, indirect or perceived improper influence made by anyone within INVESCO or by an affiliated company's representatives with regard to how INVESCO should vote proxies. The Chief Compliance Officer will investigate the allegations and will report his or her findings to the INVESCO Risk Management Committee. In the event that it is determined that improper influence was made,
the Risk Management Committee will determine the appropriate action to take which may include, but is not limited to, (1) notifying the affiliated company's Chief Executive Officer, its Management Committee or Board of Directors, (2) taking remedial action, if necessary, to correct the result of any improper influence where clients have been harmed, or (3) notifying the appropriate regulatory agencies of the improper influence and to fully cooperate with these regulatory agencies as required. In all cases, the Proxy Committee shall not take into consideration the improper influence in determining how to vote proxies and will vote proxies solely in the best economic interest of clients.
Furthermore, members of the Proxy Committee must advise INVESCO's Chief Compliance Officer and fellow Committee members of any real or perceived conflicts of interest he or she may have with regard to how proxies are to be voted regarding certain companies (e.g., personal security ownership in a company, or personal or business relationships with participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or candidates for corporate directorships). After reviewing such conflict, upon advice from the Chief Compliance Officer, the Committee may require such Committee member to recuse himself or herself from participating in the discussions regarding the proxy vote item and from casting a vote regarding how INVESCO should vote such proxy.
ISS PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
A copy of the most recent ISS US Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary can be found on ISS's website at www.issproxy.com. From this website, click on ISS Governance Services tab, next click on "Policy Gateway", next click on "2008 Policy Information", and then click on "Download 2008 U.S. Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary."
APPENDIX A
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CERTIFICATION
I acknowledge that I have read the INVESCO Proxy Voting Policy (a copy of which has been supplied to me, which I will retain for future reference) and agree to comply in all respects with the terms and provisions thereof. I have disclosed or reported all real or potential conflicts of interest to the INVESCO Compliance Officer and will continue to do so as matters arise. I have complied with all provisions of this Policy.
PROXY POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING:
INVESCO TRIMARK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
- PROXY VOTING
Policy Number: B-6 Effective Date: May 1, 2001 Revision Date: November 6, 2006
PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
In its trusteeship and management of mutual funds, AIM Trimark acts as fiduciary to the unitholders and must act in their best interests.
APPLICATION
AIM Trimark will make every effort to exercise all voting rights with respect to securities held in the mutual funds that it manages in Canada or to which it provides sub-advisory services, including a Fund registered under and governed by the US Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "US Funds") (collectively, the "Funds"). Proxies for the funds distributed by AIM Trimark Investments and managed by an affiliate or a third party (a "Sub-Advisor") will be voted in accordance with the Sub-Advisor's policy, unless the sub-advisory agreement provides otherwise.
The portfolio managers have responsibility for exercising all proxy votes and in doing so, for acting in the best interest of the Fund. Portfolio managers must vote proxies in accordance with the Guidelines, as amended from time to time, a copy of which is attached to this policy.
When a proxy is voted against management's recommendation, the portfolio manager will provide to the CIO the reasons in writing for any vote in opposition to management's recommendation.
AIM Trimark may delegate to a third party the responsibility to vote proxies on behalf of all or certain Funds, in accordance with the Guidelines.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
The Investment Department will endeavour to ensure that all proxies and notices are received from all issuers on a timely basis, and will maintain for all Funds
- A record of all proxies received;
- a record of votes cast;
- a copy of the reasons for voting against management; and for the US Funds
- the documents mentioned above; and
- a copy of any document created by AIM Trimark that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies on behalf of a US Fund and that memorializes the basis of that decision.
AIM Trimark has a dedicated Central Proxy Administrator who manages all proxy voting materials. Proxy voting circulars for all companies are received electronically through an external service provider. Circulars for North American companies and ADRs are generally also received in paper format.
Once a circular is received, the Administrator verifies that all shares and Funds affected are correctly listed. The Administrator then gives a copy of the proxy summary to each affected portfolio manager and maintains a tracking list to ensure that all proxies are voted within the prescribed deadlines.
Once voting information has been received from the portfolio managers, voting instructions are sent electronically to the service provider who then forwards the instructions to the appropriate proxy voting agent or transfer agent. The external service provider retains on behalf of AIM Trimark a record of the votes cast and agrees to provide AIM Trimark with a copy of proxy records promptly upon request. The service provider must make all documents available to AIM Trimark for a period of 6 years.
In the event that AIM Trimark ceases to use an external service provider, all documents would be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place i) for a period of 2 years where AIM Trimark carries on business in Canada and ii) for a period of 3 years thereafter at the same location or at any other location.
REPORTING
The CIO will report on proxy voting to the Fund Boards on an annual basis with respect to all funds managed in Canada or distributed by AIM Trimark Investments and managed by a Sub-Advisor. The CIO will report on proxy voting to the Board of Directors of the US Funds as required from time to time.
In accordance with NI 81-106, proxy voting records for all Canadian mutual funds for years ending June 30th are posted on AIM Trimark's websites. The AIM Trimark Compliance department will review the proxy voting records held by AIM Trimark on an annual basis.
AIM TRIMARK INVESTMENTS
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES (APRIL 17, 2006)
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to describe AIM Trimark's general guidelines for voting proxies received from companies held in AIM Trimark's Toronto-based funds. Proxy voting for the funds managed on behalf of AIM Trimark on a sub-advised basis (i.e. by other AMVESCAP business units or on a third party basis) are subject to the proxy voting policies & procedures of those other entities. As part of its regular due diligence, AIM Trimark will review the proxy voting policies & procedures of any new sub-advisors to ensure that they are appropriate in the circumstances.
INTRODUCTION
AIM Trimark has the fiduciary obligation to ensure that the long-term economic best interest of unitholders is the key consideration when voting proxies of portfolio companies.
As a general rule, AIM Trimark shall vote against any actions that would:
- reduce the rights or options of shareholders,
- reduce shareholder influence over the board of directors and management,
- reduce the alignment of interests between management and shareholders, or
- reduce the value of shareholders' investments.
At the same time, since AIM Trimark's Toronto-based portfolio managers follow an investment discipline that includes investing in companies that are believed to have strong management teams, the portfolio managers will generally support the management of companies in which they invest, and will accord proper weight to the positions of a company's board of directors. Therefore, in most circumstances, votes will be cast in accordance with the recommendations of the company's board of directors.
While AIM Trimark's proxy voting guidelines are stated below, the portfolio managers will take into consideration all relevant facts and circumstances (including country specific considerations), and retain the right to vote proxies as deemed appropriate.
These guidelines may be amended from time to time.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
When voting proxies, AIM Trimark's portfolio managers assess whether there are material conflicts of interest between AIM Trimark's interests and those of unitholders. A potential conflict of interest situation may include where AIM Trimark or an affiliate manages assets for, provides other financial services to, or otherwise has a material business relationship with, a company whose management is soliciting proxies, and failure to vote in favor of management of the company may harm AIM Trimark's relationship with the company. In all situations, the portfolio managers will not take AIM Trimark's relationship with the company into account, and will vote the proxies in the best interest of the unitholders. To the extent that a portfolio manager has any conflict of interest with respect to a company or an issue presented, that portfolio manager should abstain from voting on that company or issue. Portfolio managers are required to report to the Chief Investment Officer any such conflicts of interest and/or attempts by outside parties to improperly influence the voting process.
BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
We believe that a board that has at least a majority of independent directors is integral to good corporate governance. Unless there are restrictions specific to a company's home jurisdiction, key board committees, including audit and compensation committees, should be completely independent.
VOTING ON DIRECTOR NOMINEES IN UNCONTESTED ELECTIONS
Votes in an uncontested election of directors are evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors that may include:
- Long-term company performance relative to a market index,
- Composition of the board and key board committees,
- Nominee's attendance at board meetings,
- Nominee's time commitments as a result of serving on other company boards,
- Nominee's investments in the company,
- Whether the chairman is also serving as CEO, and
- Whether a retired CEO sits on the board.
VOTING ON DIRECTOR NOMINEES IN CONTESTED ELECTIONS
Votes in a contested election of directors are evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors that may include:
- Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry,
- Management's track record,
- Background to the proxy contest,
- Qualifications of director nominees (both slates),
- Evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as the likelihood that the proposed objectives and goals can be met, and
- Stock ownership positions.
MAJORITY THRESHOLD VOTING FOR DIRECTOR ELECTIONS
We will generally vote FOR proposals that require directors to be elected with an affirmative majority of votes cast unless the relevant portfolio manager believes that the company has adopted formal corporate governance principles that present a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard and provide an adequate and timely response to both new nominees as well as incumbent nominees who fail to receive a majority of votes cast.
REIMBURSEMENT OF PROXY SOLICITATION EXPENSES
Decisions to provide reimbursement for dissidents waging a proxy contest are made on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
SEPARATING CHAIRMAN AND CEO
Shareholder proposals to separate the chairman and CEO positions should be evaluated on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
While we generally support these proposals, some companies have governance structures in place that can satisfactorily counterbalance a combined position. Voting decisions will take into account factors such as:
- Designated lead director, appointed from the ranks of the independent board members with clearly delineated duties;
- Majority of independent directors;
- All-independent key committees;
- Committee chairpersons nominated by the independent directors;
- CEO performance is reviewed annually by a committee of outside directors; and
- Established governance guidelines.
MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
While we generally support shareholder proposals asking that a majority of directors be independent, each proposal should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
We generally vote for shareholder proposals that request that the board's audit, compensation, and/or nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.
STOCK OWNERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
We believe that individual directors should be appropriately compensated and motivated to act in the best interests of shareholders. Share ownership by directors better aligns their interests with those of other shareholders. Therefore, we believe that meaningful share ownership by directors is in the best interest of the company.
We generally vote FOR proposals that require a certain percentage of a director's compensation to be in the form of common stock.
SIZE OF BOARDS OF DIRECTORS
We believe that the number of directors is important to ensuring the board's effectiveness in maximizing long-term shareholder value. The board must be large enough to allow it to adequately discharge its responsibilities, without being so large that it becomes cumbersome.
While we will prefer a board of no fewer than 5 and no more than16 members, each situation will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis taking into consideration the specific company circumstances.
CLASSIFIED OR STAGGERED BOARDS
In a classified or staggered board, directors are typically elected in two or more "classes", serving terms greater than one year.
We prefer the annual election of all directors and will generally NOT SUPPORT proposals that provide for staggered terms for board members. We recognize that there may be jurisdictions where staggered terms for board members is common practice and, in such situations, we will review the proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
DIRECTOR INDEMNIFICATION AND LIABILITY PROTECTION
We recognize that many individuals may be reluctant to serve as corporate directors if they were to be personally liable for all lawsuits and legal costs. As a result, limitations on directors' liability can benefit the corporation and its shareholders by helping to attract and retain qualified directors while providing recourse to shareholders on areas of misconduct by directors.
We generally vote FOR proposals that limit directors' liability and provide indemnification as long as the arrangements are limited to the director acting honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the corporation and, in criminal matters, are limited to the director having reasonable grounds for believing the conduct was lawful.
AUDITORS
A strong audit process is a requirement for good corporate governance. A significant aspect of the audit process is a strong relationship with a knowledgeable and independent set of auditors.
RATIFICATION OF AUDITORS
We believe a company should limit its relationship with its auditors to the audit engagement, and certain closely related activities that do not, in the aggregate, raise an appearance of impaired independence.
We generally vote FOR the reappointment of the company's auditors unless:
- It is not clear that the auditors will be able to fulfill their function;
- There is reason to believe the auditors have rendered an opinion that is neither accurate nor indicative of the company's financial position; or
- The auditors have a significant professional or personal relationship with the issuer that compromises their independence.
DISCLOSURE OF AUDIT VS. NON-AUDIT FEES
Understanding the fees earned by the auditors is important for assessing auditor independence. Our support for the re-appointment of the auditors will take into consideration whether the management information circular contains adequate disclosure about the amount and nature of audit vs. non-audit fees.
There may be certain jurisdictions that do not currently require disclosure of audit vs. non-audit fees. In these circumstances, we will generally SUPPORT proposals that call for this disclosure.
COMPENSATION PROGRAMS
Appropriately designed equity-based compensation plans, approved by shareholders, can be an effective way to align the interests of long-term shareholders and the interests of management, employees and directors. Plans should not substantially dilute shareholders' ownership interests in the company, provide participants with excessive awards or have objectionable structural features. We will consider each compensation plan in its entirety (including all incentives, awards and other compensation) to determine if the plan provides the right incentives to managers and directors and is reasonable on the whole.
While we generally encourage companies to provide more transparent disclosure related to their compensation programs, the following are specific guidelines dealing with some of the more common features of these programs (features not specifically itemized below will be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis taking into consideration the general principles described above):
CASH COMPENSATION AND SEVERANCE PACKAGES
We will generally SUPPORT the board's discretion to determine and grant appropriate cash compensation and severance packages.
EQUITY BASED PLANS - DILUTION
We will generally vote AGAINST equity-based plans where the total dilution (including all equity-based plans) is excessive.
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLANS
We will generally vote FOR the use of employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value. It is recognized that country specific circumstances may exist (e.g. tax issues) that require proposals to be reviewed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
LOANS TO EMPLOYEES
We will vote AGAINST the corporation making loans to employees to allow employees to pay for stock or stock options. It is recognized that country specific circumstances may exist that require proposals to be reviewed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - BOARD DISCRETION
We will vote AGAINST stock option plans that give the board broad discretion in setting the terms and conditions of the programs. Such programs should be submitted with detail and be reasonable in the circumstances regarding their cost, scope, frequency and schedule for exercising the options.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - INAPPROPRIATE FEATURES
We will generally vote AGAINST plans that have any of the following structural features:
- ability to re-price "underwater" options without shareholder approval,
- ability to issue options with an exercise price below the stock's current market price,
- ability to issue "reload" options, or
- automatic share replenishment ("evergreen") features.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - DIRECTOR ELIGIBILITY
While we prefer stock ownership by directors, we will SUPPORT stock option plans for directors as long as the terms and conditions of director options are clearly defined and are reasonable.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - REPRICING
We will vote FOR proposals to re-price options if there is a value-for-value (rather than a share-for-share) exchange.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - VESTING
We will vote AGAINST stock option plans that are 100% vested when granted.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - AUTHORIZED ALLOCATIONS
We will generally vote AGAINST stock option plans that authorize allocation of 25% or more of the available options to any one individual.
STOCK OPTION PLANS - CHANGE IN CONTROL PROVISIONS
We will vote AGAINST stock option plans with change in control provisions that allow option holders to receive more for their options than shareholders would receive for their shares.
CORPORATE MATTERS
We will review management proposals relating to changes to capital structure, reincorporation, restructuring and mergers & acquisitions on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the impact of the changes on corporate governance and shareholder rights, anticipated financial and operating benefits, portfolio manager views, level of dilution, and a company's industry and performance in terms of shareholder returns.
COMMON STOCK AUTHORIZATION
We will review proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issue on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
DUAL CLASS SHARE STRUCTURES
Dual class share structures involve a second class of common stock with either superior or inferior voting rights to those of another class of stock.
We will generally vote AGAINST proposals to create or extend dual class share structures where certain stockholders have superior or inferior voting rights to another class of stock.
STOCK SPLITS
We will vote FOR proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split, provided that the increase in authorized shares would not result in excessive dilution given a company's industry and performance in terms of shareholder returns.
REVERSE STOCK SPLITS
We will vote FOR management proposals to implement a reverse stock split, provided that the reverse split does not result in an increase of authorized but unissued shares of more than 100% after giving effect to the shares needed for the reverse split.
SHARE REPURCHASE PROGRAMS
We will vote AGAINST proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans if all shareholders do not participate on an equal basis.
REINCORPORATION
Reincorporation involves re-establishing the company in a different legal jurisdiction.
We will generally vote FOR proposals to reincorporate the company provided that the board and management have demonstrated sound financial or business reasons for the move. Proposals to reincorporate will NOT BE SUPPORTED if solely as part of an anti-takeover defense or as a way to limit directors' liability.
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
We will vote FOR merger & acquisition proposals that the relevant portfolio managers believe, based on their review of the materials:
- will result in financial and operating benefits,
- have a fair offer price,
- have favourable prospects for the combined companies, and
- will not have a negative impact on corporate governance or shareholder rights.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We recognize that to effectively manage a corporation, directors and management must consider not only the interests of shareholders, but the interests of employees, customers, suppliers, and creditors, among others.
We believe that companies and their boards must give careful consideration to social responsibility issues in order to enhance long-term shareholder value.
We SUPPORT efforts by companies to develop policies and practices that consider social responsibility issues related to their businesses.
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
Shareholder proposals can be extremely complex, and the impact on the interests of all stakeholders can rarely be anticipated with a high degree of confidence. As a result, shareholder proposals will be reviewed on a CASE-BY-CASE basis with consideration of factors such as:
- the proposal's impact on the company's short-term and long-term share value,
- its effect on the company's reputation,
- the economic effect of the proposal,
- industry and regional norms applicable to the company,
- the company's overall corporate governance provisions, and
- the reasonableness of the request.
We will generally SUPPORT shareholder proposals that require additional disclosure regarding corporate responsibility issues where the relevant portfolio manager believes:
- the company has failed to adequately address these issues with shareholders,
- there is information to suggest that a company follows procedures that are not in compliance with applicable regulations, or
- the company fails to provide a level of disclosure that is comparable to industry peers or generally accepted standards.
We will generally NOT SUPPORT shareholder proposals that place arbitrary or artificial constraints on the board, management or the company.
ORDINARY BUSINESS PRACTICES
We will generally SUPPORT the board's discretion regarding shareholder proposals that involve ordinary business practices.
PROTECTION OF SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS
We will generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that are designed to protect shareholder rights if the company's corporate governance standards indicate that such additional protections are warranted.
BARRIERS TO SHAREHOLDER ACTION
We will generally vote FOR proposals to lower barriers to shareholder action.
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLANS
We will generally vote FOR proposals to subject shareholder rights plans to a shareholder vote.
OTHER
We will vote AGAINST any proposal where the proxy materials lack sufficient information upon which to base an informed decision.
We will vote AGAINST any proposals to authorize the company to conduct any other business that is not described in the proxy statement (including the authority to approve any further amendments to an otherwise approved resolution).
APPENDIX F
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
To the best knowledge of the Trust, the names and addresses of the record and beneficial holders of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of the Trust's equity securities and the percentage of the outstanding shares held by such holders are set forth below. Unless otherwise indicated below, the Trust has no knowledge as to whether all or any portion of the shares owned of record are also owned beneficially.
A shareholder who owns beneficially 25% or more of the outstanding securities of a portfolio is presumed to "control" that portfolio as defined in the 1940 Act. Such control may affect the voting rights of other shareholders.
All information listed below is as of July 11, 2008.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- AIM Fund of Funds Attn: Brian Smith 11 Greenway Plaza Suite 100 Houston, TX 77046 -- -- 6.47% -- -- -- -- Bank of New York - Brussels Attn: Mario Bautista 35 Avenue des Arts -- -- -- -- 8.24% -- -- Bank of New York Attn: Frank Notaro One Wall Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10286 19.52% -- -- -- 5.40% -- -- Brown Brothers - COMSET Attn: Manny Diaz 525 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 11.42% -- -- -- -- -- -- Citistreet (NSCC) 1 Heritage Dr. North Quincy, MA 02171 -- -- -- -- 5.30% -- -- CoBank CMP PO Box 5110 Denver, CO 80217 -- -- -- 15.10% -- -- 14.69% Credit Suisse Attn: Eileen Duff Eleven Madison Ave. New York, NY 10010 12.42% 39.07% -- -- -- -- -- Fifth Third Securities Attn: John Hoeting 38 Fountain Square Plaza Cincinnati, OH 45263 -- 15.48% -- -- -- -- -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- FNBB-Community First Attn: Sheila Esteve PO Box 80579 Baton Rouge, LA 70898 -- -- -- -- -- 35.54% -- Goldman Sachs Attn: Rene Godin 71 South Wacker Dr. Suite 500 Chicago, IL 60606 -- 7.92% -- -- -- -- 9.60% GPC Securities (NSCC) P.O. Box 105779 Atlanta, GA 30348 -- -- -- 20.93% -- -- -- Guaranty Bank Buck Boyer 8333 Douglas, Ste 820 Dallas, TX 75225 -- -- -- -- 16.35% -- -- Harris Methodist Attn: Sandy Reeves 611 Ryan Plaza Dr 6th Floor, Ste 630 Arlington, TX 76011 -- -- -- -- -- -- 13.20% Kanaly Trust 4550 Post Oak Place Dr., Ste. 139 Houston, TX 77027 -- -- -- -- -- -- 8.95% M&T Securities Appletree Business Park 2875 Union Rd. Ste 30-33 Cheektowaga, NY 14277 -- 6.19% -- -- -- -- -- Mellon Global Cash Management Three Mellon Center Room 2501 Pittsburgh, PA 15259 10.29% -- -- -- -- -- -- Morgan Keegan 150 Forth Ave North Ste 1500 Attn: Mary K. Byrd Nashville, TN 37219 -- -- -- -- 6.13% -- -- Morgan Stanley Attn: Bill Carney 1 Pierrepont Plaza 7th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 5.99% -- 9.77% -- -- -- 11.38% Pershing (NSCC) P.O. Box 2052 Jersey City, NJ 07303 -- -- -- -- -- 6.11% -- Pershing Omnibus Attn: Daniel Quinn 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 -- -- -- -- -- 40.46% -- Scott & Stringfellow 909 E. Main St. Richmond, VA 23219 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10.60% |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Stable Ives Corp Attn: Xiaoyun Jiang 18F New Poly Plaza NO. North Chayangmen St Dongcheng District Beijing 100010 -- -- 11.08% -- -- -- -- State Street Bank FBO Cash Sweep Support Group Josiah Quincy Bldg 5N 200 Newport Ave N. Quincy, MA 02171 8.46% -- -- -- -- -- -- Springfield AAA Attn: Brenda Stroh 3400 West Wabash Springfield, IL 62707 -- -- -- 5.04% -- -- -- SSB Sec Lending Attn: Franco Agapito 2 International Place 31st Floor Boston, MA 02110 -- -- 5.24% -- -- -- -- Sunguard Times Bldg. 336 Fourth Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222 -- 14.28% -- -- -- -- -- Texas Capital Attn: Kitty Ramzy 2100 McKinney Ave. Suite 900 Dallas, TX 75201 -- -- -- 31.20% -- -- -- Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commissions 10700 Wheat First Dr Glen Allen, VA 23060 5.46% -- -- -- 22.52% -- 7.27% WCMLLC Attn: Money Funds 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262-0675 -- 6.19% -- -- -- -- -- Wedbush (NSCC) 1000 Wilshire Blvd 9th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90030 -- -- -- 7.43% -- -- -- Wilmington Trust Co Attn: Tony Snyder 1100 North Market St Wilmington, DE 19890 -- -- -- -- 12.67% -- -- Woodforest Sweep Account 3101 West Davis Conroe, TX 77304 -- -- -- 9.42% -- -- -- |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Bank of NY One Wall Street 2nd Floor Attn: Frank Notaro New York, NY 10286 16.54% -- -- -- 16.82% -- -- Bank of New York Attn: Anne Marie Blondin 101 Barclay St 3W New York, NY 10286 -- -- -- -- -- 7.76% -- Chase Manhattan 4 New York Plaza Attn: Adam Brinton New York, NY 10004 -- -- 23.36% -- -- -- -- Citigroup (NSCC) 333 West 34th St Mutual Funds/ Commission/Trading 3rd Floor New York, NY 10001 14.27% -- -- -- -- -- -- Credit Suisse Attn: Eileen Duff Eleven Madison Ave. New York, NY 10010 -- 68.78% -- -- -- -- -- Frost Direct Attn: Karen Banks PO Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 -- -- -- 6.05% 24.58% -- -- Frost Sweep Attn: Karen Banks PO Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 8.88% -- -- 77.42% 9.15% -- -- Frost National Muir & Co C/O Frost PO Box 2479 San Antonio, TX 78298 15.50% -- 15.77% 8.75% 9.76% -- 6.88% Goldman Sachs Attn: Rene Godin 71 South Wacker Dr Ste 500 Chicago, IL 60606 -- -- -- -- -- 60.57% 12.79% Guaranty Bank Buck Boyer 8333 Douglas Ave. Suite 820 Dallas, TX 75225 -- -- -- -- 9.32% -- -- Huntington Investment 41 S High St., Ninth Fl Columbus, OH 43287 -- -- -- -- 10.97% -- -- Nabank & Co. P.O. Box 2180 Tulsa, OK 74101 -- -- -- -- -- -- 13.79% Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (NSCC) 125 Broad St. 16th Fl New York, NY 10004 -- -- -- -- -- -- 7.26% |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PaineWebber Chicago 1 North Wacker Dr Suite 2500 Chicago, IL 60606 -- -- 5.79% -- -- -- -- Peace Health 15325 S.E. 30th Place Suite 300 Bellevue, WA 98007 -- 26.40% -- -- -- -- -- Provident Savings Sweep Attn: Lorraine Rathjen 830 Bergen Avenue Jersey City, NJ 07306 -- -- -- -- -- 15.14% -- STAR Financial Bank 6230 Bluffton Rd. Ft. Wayne, IN 46809 -- -- -- -- -- 11.14% -- UBS Financial (NSCC) Newport Center III 499 Washington Blvd Jersey City, NJ 07310 7.05% -- -- -- -- -- -- US Bank Attn: ACM Dept PO box 1787 Milwaukee, WI 53201 -- -- 8.07% -- -- -- -- Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commissions 10700 Wheat First Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060 11.64% -- -- -- 8.02% -- 11.41% WCMLLC Attn: Money Funds Mail COD NC 0675 Bldg. 1B1 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262 -- -- -- -- -- -- 32.41% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Bank of New York Attn: Frank Notaro One Wall Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 10286 73.30% -- 10.92% -- 25.35% -- -- Bank of New York Brussels Attn: Mario Bautista 35 Avenue des Arts Brussels B-1040 10.07% -- -- -- -- -- -- Carey and Company c/o Huntington Trust Co. 7 Easton Oval Columbus, OH 43219 -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.26% |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Citigroup (NSCC) 222 West 34th St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10001 -- 5.28% -- -- -- -- -- County of Fairfax 12000 Government Center Parkway Suite 215 Fairfax, VA 22035 -- 11.92% -- -- -- -- -- Fort Peck Tribes 500 Medicine Bear Rd. P.O. Box 1027 Poplar, MT 59255 -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.23% FNBB - Metairie Bank Attn: Sheila Esteve P.O. Box 80579 Baton Rouge, LA 70898 -- -- -- -- -- 6.54% -- Frost Capital Markets P.O. Box 1606 San Antonio, TX 78296 -- 6.48% -- -- -- -- -- Frost Direct Attn: Karen Banks PO Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 -- -- -- 12.88% 6.54% -- -- Frost Sweep Attn: Karen Banks PO Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 -- -- -- 67.49% 7.70% -- -- Frost National Muir &Co C/O Frost PO Box 2479 San Antonio, TX 78298 -- -- 11.42% -- -- -- -- Gardnyr Michael 2281 Lee Road Ste 104 Winter Park, FL 32789 -- 14.07% -- -- -- -- -- Guaranty Bank Attn: Buck Boyer 8333 Douglas Avenue Suite 820 Dallas, TX 75225 -- -- -- 11.19% -- -- -- Mellon Attn: Pam Palmer P.O. Box 710 Pittsburgh, PA 15230 -- 29.06% -- -- -- -- -- Morgan Stanley Attn: Bill Cairney 1 Pierrepont Plaza 7th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 -- -- 26.12% -- -- -- -- Pershing Omnibus Attn: Daniel Quinn 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399 -- -- -- -- -- 42.34% -- Provident Savings Sweep Attn: Lorraine Rathjen 830 Bergen Ave Jersey City, NJ 07306 -- -- -- -- -- 29.53% -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Robert W. Baird (NSCC) PO Box 672 777 E. Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee, WI 53202 -- -- -- -- -- -- 8.47% Sovereign Bank, New England C/O Chase Enterprises 280 Trumbull Street Hartford, CT 06103 -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.19% SunGuard Times Bldg. 336 Fourth Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222 -- 21.87% 10.68% -- -- -- -- TD Bank NA 101 Haddonfield Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 -- -- -- -- -- 9.77% -- US Bank 1555 N. Rivercenter Dr Ste 302 Milwaukee, WI 53212 -- -- -- -- -- -- 26.89% Wachovia Cap Mkts Subaccts Mail COD NC 0675 Bldg 1B1 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262 -- 7.79% -- -- -- -- -- Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commisions 10700 Wheat First Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060 -- -- -- -- 5.84% -- 7.49% WCMLLC Attn: Money Funds Mail COD NC 0675 Bldg. 1B1 1525 West W.T. Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262 -- -- -- -- -- -- 31.66% Zions Attn: Debbie Brown P.O. Box 30880 Salt Lake City, UT 84130 -- -- -- -- 31.28% -- -- |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- AIM Fund of Funds Attn: Brian Smith 11 Greenway Plaza Suite 100 Houston, TX 77046 -- -- 14.05% -- -- -- -- Bank of China Attn: Sylvia Lee 410 Madison Ave New York, NY 10017 -- -- 7.76% -- -- -- -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Bank of N.Y. One Wall Street 2nd Floor Attn: Frank Notaro New York, NY 10286 -- -- -- -- 49.08% -- -- Cantella & Co Attn: Amy Webster 12000 Westheimer Ste 225 Houston, TX 77072 6.30% -- -- -- -- -- -- Community Bank Attn: Lisa Saunders 500 S. Morgan Granbury, TX 76048 -- -- -- 20.22% -- -- -- Frost Capital Markets P.O. Box 1600 San Antonio, TX 78296 5.36% -- -- -- -- -- -- Frost Sweep Attn: Karen Banks P.O. Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.64% FSA Attn: Fund Manager 777 S. Figueroa Street Suite 3200 Los Angeles, CA 90017 11.53% -- -- -- -- -- -- Guaranty Group Attn: Martha Dunn 8333 Douglas Ave Dallas, TX 75250 -- -- -- -- -- -- 8.32% Guaranty Bank Buck Boyer 8333 Douglas Ave. Suite 820 Dallas, TX 75225 -- -- -- 12.67% -- -- -- Henderson Sub Accounts 240 Water Street Henderson, NV 89015 17.75% -- -- -- -- -- -- Huntington Investment Attn: Stan Crisci 201 N. Illinois Street Suite 1800 Indianapolis, IN 46204 -- -- -- -- 5.15% -- -- LaSalle Bank 135 South LaSalle St Chicago, IL 60603 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.11% M&T Securities NSCC Appletree Business Pk. 2875 Union Rd. Suite 30-33 Cheektowaga, NY 14277 -- -- -- -- -- -- 12.20% Mellon Attn: Pam Palmer P.O. Box 710 Pittsburgh, PA 15230 -- 74.51% -- -- -- -- -- Morgan Stanley Attn: Bill Cairney 1 Pierrepont Plaza, 7th Fl Brooklyn, NY 11201 -- -- 8.13% -- -- -- -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Nabank & Co. P.O. Box 2180 Tulsa, OK 74101 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10.60% PaineWebber Chicago 1 North Wacker Drive Suite 2500 Chicago, IL 60606 -- -- 12.39% -- -- -- -- Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (NSCC) 125 Broad St., 16th Fl New York, NY 10004 5.14% -- -- -- -- -- 5.89% Palm Beach County Attn: Candeace Mansfield, Cash Management Clerk 301 N. Olive Ave Government Bldg 2nd Fl West Palm Beach, FL 33401 -- -- 11.40%% -- -- -- -- Pershing Omnibus Attn: Daniel Quinn 1 Pershing Place Jersey City, NJ 07399 -- -- -- -- -- 52.01% -- Simmons First National Attn: Neal Jenkins 8315 Cantrel Road Suite 200 Little Rock, AR 72227 20.07% -- -- -- -- -- -- Sovereign Bank C/O. Chase Enterprises 280 Trumbull Street Hartford, CT 06103 -- -- -- -- -- -- 18.24% Springfield Govt. Attn: Brenda Stroh 3400 West Wabash Springfield, IL 62707 -- -- -- 37.47% -- -- -- Star Financial Bank 6230 Bluffton Road Ft. Wayne, IN 46809 -- -- -- 11.64% -- -- -- Sunguard Times Bldg. 336 Fourth Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15222 -- 17.62% -- -- -- -- -- TD Bank NA 101 Haddenfield Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 -- -- -- -- -- 42.28% -- Trust Manage Net Attn: Kevin Crawford 4300 MacArthur Ave. Ste 170 Dallas, TX 75209 -- -- -- 5.05% -- -- -- US Bank 1555 N Rivercenter Dr Ste 302 Milwaukee, WI 53212 -- -- -- -- -- -- 7.12% Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commissions 10700 Wheat First Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060 7.44% -- -- -- 9.62% -- 6.81% Wilmington Trust Subs 1100 North Market St. Wilmington, DE 19890 -- -- -- -- 14.98% -- -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- WoodForest Sweep Acct. 3101 West Davis Conroe, TX 77304 -- -- -- 11.35% -- -- -- |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- AIG Financial 2300 Windy Ridge Pkwy Ste 1100 Atlanta, GA 30339 -- -- 13.69% -- -- -- -- Bank of N.Y. One Wall Street 2nd Floor Attn: Frank Notaro New York, NY 10286 -- -- -- -- 25.23% -- -- Caray and Company c/o Huntington Trust Co. 7 Easton Oval Columbus, OH 43219 -- -- -- -- -- -- 12.69% Citigroup (NSCC) 333 West 34th St 3rd Floor New York, NY 10001 -- -- -- -- -- -- 25.06% Credit Suisse Attn: Eileen Duff Eleven Madison Ave New York, NY 10010 44.90% -- -- -- -- -- -- East Windsor 5103 Deloache Ave Dallas, TX 75220 -- -- -- -- 6.59% -- -- Four Oaks P.O. Box 309 Four Oaks, NC 27524 -- -- -- -- -- 31.12% -- Frost National Muir & Co. C/O Frost P.O. Box 2479 San Antonio, TX 78298 -- -- -- -- 24.87% -- -- FSC Attn: Pam Dean 2300 Windy Ridge Pkwy Ste 1100 Atlanta, GA 30339 -- -- 13.19% -- -- -- -- Huntington Investment 41 S. High Street Ninth Floor Columbus, OH 43287 -- -- -- -- 21.35% -- -- Morgan Stanley Attn: Bill Cairney 1 Pierrepont Plaza 7th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 47.61% -- 53.61% -- -- -- 18.50% Nabank & Co. Attn: Cathy Latimer P.O. Box 2180 Tulsa, OK 74101 -- -- -- 97.75% -- -- 6.06% |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Sovereign Bank, New England C/O Chase Enterprises 280 Trumbull St. Hartford, CT 06103 -- -- -- -- -- -- 13.11% Texas RSA3 North Prince St. Clovis, NM 88101 -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.91% Trust Manage Net Attn: Kevin Crawford 4300 MacArthur Avenue Suite 170, LB5 Dallas, TX 75209 -- -- -- -- -- 65.65% 15.01% UBS Financial (NSCC) Newport Center III 499 Washington Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07310 -- 100.00% -- -- -- -- -- Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commissions 10700 Wheat First Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060 -- -- -- -- 16.97% -- -- |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Bank of America 411 North Ackard Street Dallas, TX 75201-3307 -- -- 9.20% -- -- -- -- Bank of New York Attn: Anne Marie Blondin 101 Barclay Street 3W New York, NY 10286 -- -- -- -- -- 12.29% -- Citigroup (NSCC) 333 West 34th St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10001 6.14% -- -- -- -- -- -- ENSCO International 500 N. Akard, Suite 4300 Dallas, TX 75201 -- 39.00% -- -- -- -- -- Fifth Third Securities Attn: John Hoeting 38 Fountain Square Plz. Cincinnati, OH 45263 11.98% -- -- -- -- -- -- FNBB-Home Bank 503 Kaliste Saloom Rd Lafayette, LA 70508 -- -- -- -- -- 27.06% -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Frost National Bank TX Muir & Co. c/o Frost P. O. Box 2479 San Antonio, TX 78298-2479 -- -- 23.24% 63.17% -- -- -- Frost Direct Attn: Karen Banks P.O. Box 2358 San Antonio, TX 78299 -- -- -- -- 25.04% -- -- Goldman Sachs Attn: Rene Godin 71 South Wacker Dr. Ste. 500 Chicago, IL 60606 -- -- -- -- -- 50.16% -- Kanaly Trust 4550 Post Oak Place Dr. Houston, TX 77027 -- -- -- -- -- -- 37.03% Mellon Attn: Pam Palmer P.O. Box 710 Pittsburgh, PA 15230 27.81% 27.68% -- -- -- -- -- M&T Securities NSCC Appletree Business Park 2875 Union Rd., Ste 30-33 Cheektowaga, NY 14277 -- -- -- -- -- 6.71% -- Morgan Stanley Attn: Bill Cairney 1 Pierrepont Plaza, 7th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 8.64% -- 17.51% -- 8.20% -- 11.59% Nabank & Co. P.O. box 2180 Tulsa, OK 74101 -- -- -- 26.79% -- -- -- Northern Trust Attttn: Michael Rosa 801 S. Canal St., C2S Chicago, IL 60607 -- -- 7.66% -- -- -- -- Pershing (NSCC) P.O. Box 2052 Jersey City, NJ 07303 -- 10.47% -- -- -- -- -- Robert W. Baird P.O. Box 672 777 E. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53202 -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.14% UBS Securities 1000 Harbor Blvd. 6th Floor Weehawken, NJ 07087 -- -- 11.55% -- -- -- -- Union Bank of California Attn: Cash Management Jeanne Chizek 530 B Street, Suite 242 San Diego, CA 92101 -- -- -- -- 8.53% -- -- |
CASH PERSONAL PRIVATE MANAGEMENT CORPORATE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT INVESTMENT RESERVE RESOURCE CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS CLASS ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE PERCENTAGE NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF OWNED OF PRINCIPAL HOLDER RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD RECORD -------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Wachovia (NSCC) Attn: Commissions 10700 Wheat First Dr. Glen Allen, VA 23060-0000 23.65% -- -- -- 49.47% -- 33.88% |
MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP
As of July 11, 2008 the trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each class of any portfolio.
APPENDIX G
MANAGEMENT FEES
For the last three fiscal years ended August 31, for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last three fiscal years ended March 31, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, the management fees payable by each Portfolio, the amounts waived by Invesco Aim and the net fee paid by each Portfolio were as follows:
PORTFOLIO NAME MANAGEMENT FEE PAYABLE MANAGEMENT FEE WAIVERS NET MANAGEMENT FEE PAID ---------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ----------------------------------- 2007 2006 2005 2007 2006 2005 2007 2006 2005 ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ---------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $32,853,305 $29,796,541 $27,871,580 $12,564,508 $12,836,243 $12,662,908 $20,288,797 $16,960,298 $15,208,672 STIC Prime Portfolio 11,812,872 11,529,681 11,018,543 5,144,943 5,409,562 5,384,841 6,667,929 6,120,119 5,633,702 Treasury Portfolio 8,370,866 7,714,862 7,851,345 3,769,413 3,882,342 4,291,403 4,601,453 3,832,520 3,559,942 Government & Agency Portfolio 2,888,608 2,711,936 2,428,450 938,531 984,201 1,155,340 1,950,077 1,727,735 1,273,110 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 708,216 387,171 311,404 678,136 387,171 311,404 30,080 -0- -0- |
PORTFOLIO NAME MANAGEMENT FEE PAYABLE MANAGEMENT FEE WAIVERS NET MANAGEMENT FEE PAID ---------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------------------- 2008 2007 2006 2008 2007 2006 2008 2007 2006 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio $8,281,026 $8,288,951 $6,919,662 $1,151,284 $1,358,482 $1,762,263 $7,129,742 $6,930,469 $5,157,399 ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- |
APPENDIX H
CERTAIN FINANCIAL ADVISORS THAT RECEIVE ONE OR MORE TYPES OF PAYMENTS
1st Global Capital Corporation
A G Edwards & Sons, Inc.
ADP Broker Dealer, Inc.
Advantage Capital Corporation
American General Securities, Inc.
American Skandia Life Assurance Corporation
American United Life Insurance Company
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
APS Financial
Associated Securities Corporation
AXA Advisors, LLC
Bank of New York
Bank of Oklahoma N.A.
BBVA Investments
Bear Stearns Securities Co
Brown Brothers Harriman
Cadaret Grant & Company, Inc.
Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.
Cantella
Cantor Fitzgerald
Centennial Bank
Charles Schwab & Company, Inc.
Chase Investment Services Corporation
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Citigroup
CitiCorp Investment Services
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Citistreet Equities LLC
Comerica Bank
Commonwealth Financial Network
Compass Brokerage, Inc.
Contemporary Financial Solutions, Inc.
Credit Suisse
CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc.
CUSO Financial Services, Inc.
Equity Services, Inc.
Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC
Fidelity Institutional Operations Company, Inc.
Fifth Third Bank
Financial Network Investment Corporation
Fiserv
Frost Brokerage Services, Inc.
Frost National Bank
FSC Securities Corporation
Fund Services Advisors
Goldman Sachs
Great West Life & Annuity Company
Guaranty Bank & Trust
Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc.
GunnAllen Finanical
Harris Nesbitt Burns
H. D. Vest Investment Securities, Inc.
Hilliard Lyons, Inc.
Hornor Townsend & Kent, Inc.
Huntington
ING Financial Partners, Inc.
ING USA Annuity and Life Insurance Company
Intersecurities, Inc.
INVEST Financial Corporation, Inc.
Investment Centers of America, Inc.
Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation
JM Lummis Securities
JP Morgan Chase
LaSalle
Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation
Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
Linsco/Private Ledger Corporation
M & I Trust
M & T Securities, Inc.
M M L Investors Services, Inc.
Matrix
McDonald Investments, Inc.
Mellon Financial
Merrill Lynch & Company, Inc.
Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Company
Metlife Securities, Inc.
Meyer Financial Group
Money Concepts Capital Corporation
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley DW Inc.
Multi-Financial Securities Corporation
Mutual Service Corporation
N F P Securities, Inc.
NatCity Investments, Inc.
National Planning Corporation
Nationwide Investment Services Corporation
New England Securities Corporation
Next Financial Group, Inc.
Northwestern Mutual Investment Services
NYLIFE Distributors, LLC
Oppenheimer & Company, Inc.
Pershing LLC
PFS Investments, Inc.
Piper Jaffray & Company
PNC Capital Markets
Primevest Financial Services, Inc.
Proequities, Inc.
R B C Centura Securities, Inc.
R B C Dain Rauscher, Inc.
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.
Ross Sinclair and Associates
Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.
SCF Securities
S I I Investments, Inc.
Securities America, Inc.
Sentra Securities Corporation
Signator Investors, Inc.
Simmons 1st Investment Group
Spelman & Company, Inc.
State Farm VP Management Corp
State Street Bank & Trust Company
SunAmerica Securities, Inc.
SunGard Institutional Brokerage, Inc.
Sungard Investment Products, Inc.
SunTrust Bank, Central Florida, N.A.
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey
SWS Financial Services
The (Wilson) William Financial
Tower Square Securities, Inc.
Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.
Transamerica Life Insurance & Annuity Company
Trust Management Network
U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Union Bank of California
United Planner Financial Service
USAllianz Securities, Inc.
US Bank
UVEST Financial Services, Inc.
V S R Financial Services, Inc.
VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc.
vFinance Investments
Wachovia Capital Markets LLC
Wachovia Securities, LLC
Walnut Street Securities, Inc.
Waterstone Financial Group, Inc.
Wells Fargo Investments, LLC
Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.
X C U Capital Corporation, Inc.
Zions Bank
APPENDIX I
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FEES
The Portfolios paid Invesco Aim the following amounts for administrative services for the last three fiscal years ended August 31 for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last three fiscal years ended March 31 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio:
PORTFOLIO NAME 2007 2006 2005 --------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Liquid Assets Portfolio $1,167,066 $1,105,931 $1,061,705 STIC Prime Portfolio 746,257 740,564 724,590 Treasury Portfolio 677,417 664,297 657,877 Government & Agency Portfolio 585,519 562,552 517,425 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio 149,426 50,000 50,000 |
PORTFOLIO NAME 2008 2007 2006 --------------------------------- ---------- ---------- ---------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio $ 630,465 $ 630,584 $ 605,661 |
APPENDIX J
PURCHASES OF SECURITIES OF REGULAR BROKERS OR DEALERS
PURCHASES OF SECURITIES OF REGULAR BROKERS OR DEALERS
During the last fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio and for the last fiscal year ended March 31, 2008, for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, did not purchase securities of its regular brokers or dealers.
During the last fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the Liquid Assets Portfolio purchased securities issued by the following companies, which are "regular" brokers or dealers of the Liquid Assets Portfolio.
MARKET VALUE AS OF ISSUER SECURITY AUGUST 31, 2007 ------------------- -------- ------------------ Goldman Sachs Group Debt $150,000,000 |
APPENDIX K
AMOUNTS PAID TO INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS(1) PURSUANT TO DISTRIBUTION PLANS
A list of amounts paid by each class of shares of Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio, Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio for the year ended August 31, 2007 and for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio for the year ended March 31, 2008, to Invesco Aim Distributors pursuant to the Plans are as follows:
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $2,400,622 Corporate Class ................................................... 145,629 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 376,061 Private Investment Class .......................................... 3,001,688 Reserve Class ..................................................... 320,297 Resource Class .................................................... 2,300,400 |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $1,381,917 Corporate Class ................................................... 98,994 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 1,888,295 Private Investment Class .......................................... 1,995,709 Reserve Class ..................................................... 391,605 Resource Class .................................................... 722,647 |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $1,366,694 Corporate Class ................................................... 25,521 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 1,908,762 Private Investment Class .......................................... 2,690,644 Reserve Class ..................................................... 835,749 Resource Class .................................................... 591,741 |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $ 528,188 Corporate Class ................................................... 23,800 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 147,394 Private Investment Class .......................................... 1,557,963 Reserve Class ..................................................... 234,246 Resource Class .................................................... 500,969 |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $ 61,718 Corporate Class ................................................... 4 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 45,429 Private Investment Class .......................................... 121,629 Reserve Class ..................................................... 104,688 Resource Class .................................................... 92,974 |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
CLASS AMOUNT ------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Cash Management Class ............................................. $414,020 Corporate Class ................................................... 54,341 Personal Investment Class ......................................... 194,900 Private Investment Class .......................................... 502,531 Reserve Class ..................................................... 159,459 Resource Class .................................................... 418,753 |
APPENDIX L
ALLOCATION OF ACTUAL FEES PAID PURSUANT TO DISTRIBUTION PLAN
An estimate by activity of the allocation of actual fees paid by each class of Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio during the year or period ended August 31, 2007 and for the year or period ended March 31, 2008 for Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, are as follows:
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class ............................ $ -- $2,400,622 Corporate Class .................................. 121 145,508 Personal Investment Class ........................ 97,464 278,597 Private Investment Class ......................... 380,474 2,621,214 Reserve Class .................................... 45,528 274,769 Resource Class ................................... 17,493 2,282,907 |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class ............................ $ 9,303 $1,372,614 Corporate Class .................................. 76 98,918 Personal Investment Class ........................ 374,876 1,513,419 Private Investment Class ......................... 245,226 1,750,483 Reserve Class .................................... 44,843 346,762 Resource Class ................................... 6,101 716,546 |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class ............................ $ -- $1,366,694 Corporate Class .................................. 86 25,435 Personal Investment Class ........................ 387,253 1,521,509 Private Investment Class ......................... 104,720 2,585,924 Reserve Class .................................... 93,308 742,441 Resource Class ................................... -- 591,741 |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class............................. $ 2,445 $ 525,743 Corporate Class................................... 21 23,779 Personal Investment Class......................... 29,075 118,319 Private Investment Class.......................... 105,244 1,452,719 Reserve Class..................................... 10,880 223,366 Resource Class.................................... 1,340 499,629 |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class............................. $ 6,413 $ 55,305 Corporate Class................................... -- 4 Personal Investment Class......................... 12,381 33,048 Private Investment Class.......................... 184 121,445 Reserve Class..................................... 14,189 90,499 Resource Class.................................... -- 92,974 |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
UNDERWRITERS DEALERS COMPENSATION COMPENSATION ------------ ------------ Cash Management Class............................. $20,166 $393,854 Corporate Class................................... 2 54,339 Personal Investment Class......................... 53,015 141,885 Private Investment Class.......................... 0 502,531 Reserve Class..................................... 43,434 116,025 Resource Class.................................... 2,266 416,487 |
APPENDIX M-1
PENDING LITIGATION ALLEGING MARKET TIMING
The following civil lawsuits, including purported class action and shareholder derivative suits, involve, depending on the lawsuit, one or more AIM Funds, IFG, Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Management and certain related entities, certain of their current and former officers and/or certain unrelated third parties and are based on allegations of improper market timing and related activity in the AIM Funds. These lawsuits either have been served or have had service of process waived (with the exception of the Sayegh lawsuit discussed below).
RICHARD LEPERA, ON BEHALF OF HIMSELF AND ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V.
INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO STOCK FUNDS, INC., INVESCO BOND FUNDS,
INC., INVESCO SECTOR FUNDS, INC. AND DOE DEFENDANTS 1-100, in the District
Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, (Civil Action No. 03-CV-7600),
filed on October 2, 2003. This claim alleges: common law breach of
fiduciary duty; common law breach of contract; and common law tortious
interference with contract. The plaintiff in this case is seeking:
compensatory and punitive damages; injunctive relief; disgorgement of
revenues and profits; and costs and expenses, including counsel fees and
expert fees.
MIKE SAYEGH, ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, V. JANUS CAPITAL CORPORATION,
JANUS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, JANUS INVESTMENT FUND, EDWARD J. STERN,
CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, CANARY
CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD., KAPLAN & CO. SECURITIES INC., BANK ONE CORPORATION,
BANC ONE INVESTMENT ADVISORS, THE ONE GROUP MUTUAL FUNDS, BANK OF AMERICA
CORPORATION, BANC OF AMERICA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, BANC OF AMERICA
ADVISORS LLC, NATIONS FUND INC., ROBERT H. GORDON, THEODORE H. SIHPOL III,
CHARLES D. BRYCELAND, SECURITY TRUST COMPANY, STRONG CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
INC., JB OXFORD & COMPANY, ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT HOLDING L.P.,
ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT L.P., ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORPORATION,
AXA FINANCIAL INC., ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN REGISTRANTS, GERALD MALONE, CHARLES
SCHAFFRAN, MARSH & MCLENNAN COMPANIES, INC., PUTNAM INVESTMENTS TRUST,
PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, PUTNAM INVESTMENT FUNDS, AND DOES 1-500,
in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles
(Case No. BC304655), filed on October 22, 2003 and amended on December 17,
2003 to substitute INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. and Raymond R. Cunningham for
unnamed Doe defendants. This claim alleges unfair business practices and
violations of Sections 17200 and 17203 of the California Business and
Professions Code. The plaintiff in this case is seeking: injunctive relief;
restitution, including pre-judgment interest; an accounting to determine
the amount to be returned by the defendants and the amount to be refunded
to the public; the creation of an administrative process whereby injured
customers of the defendants receive their losses; and counsel fees.
RAJ SANYAL, DERIVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF NATIONS INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND, V. WILLIAM P. CARMICHAEL, WILLIAM H. GRIGG, THOMAS F. KELLER, CARL E. MUNDY, JR., CORNELIUS J. PINGS, A. MAX WALKER, CHARLES B. WALKER, EDMUND L. BENSON, III, ROBERT H. GORDON, JAMES B. SOMMERS, THOMAS S. WORD, JR., EDWARD D. BEDARD, GERALD MURPHY, ROBERT B. CARROLL, INVESCO GLOBAL ASSET
MANAGEMENT, PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION,
MARSICO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC, BANC OF AMERICA ADVISORS, LLC, BANC OF
AMERICA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC, AND NATIONS FUNDS TRUST, in the Superior
Court Division,
State of North Carolina (Civil Action No. 03-CVS-19622), filed on November 14, 2003. This claim alleges common law breach of fiduciary duty; abuse of control; gross mismanagement; waste of fund assets; and unjust enrichment. The plaintiff in this case is seeking: injunctive relief, including imposition of a constructive trust; damages; restitution and disgorgement; and costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
L. SCOTT KARLIN, DERIVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC. V.
AMVESCAP, PLC, INVESCO, INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, AND CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., in the
United States District Court, District of Colorado (Civil Action No.
03-MK-2406), filed on November 28, 2003. This claim alleges violations of
Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Investment Company
Act"), and common law breach of fiduciary duty. The plaintiff in this case
is seeking damages and costs and expenses, including counsel fees and
expert fees.
RICHARD RAVER, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO STOCK FUNDS, INC, AIM MANAGEMENT
GROUP, INC., AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM STOCK FUNDS, INC., AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO
ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO DYNAMICS
FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INVESCO GOLD &
PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL
CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND,
INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL
COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND,
INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO BALANCED FUND,
INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH YIELD FUND,
INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND,
INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT FUND, INVESCO TAX-FREE
BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S. GOVERNMENT
SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, EDWARD J. STERN, CANARY INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS,
LLC, AND DOES 1-100, in the United States District Court, District of
Colorado (Civil Action No. 03-F-2441), filed on December 2, 2003. This
claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of
1933 (the "Securities Act"); Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"); Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange
Act; and Sections 34(b), 36(a) and 36(b) of the Investment Company Act. The
claim also alleges common law breach of fiduciary duty. The plaintiffs in
this case are seeking: damages; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest;
counsel fees and expert fees; and other relief.
JERRY FATTAH, CUSTODIAN FOR BASIM FATTAH, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND), INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, AIM INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND, INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, AIM MONEY MARKET FUND, AIM INVESCO TAX-FREE MONEY FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURER'S MONEY MARKET RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURER'S TAX-EXEMPT RESERVE
FUND, AIM INVESCO U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND,
INVESCO BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO
HIGH YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO REAL ESTATE
OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT INCOME FUND, INVESCO TAX-FREE BOND FUND,
INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND,
INVESCO VALUE FUND, INVESCO, INVESCO LATIN AMERICAN GROWTH FUND
(COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS"), AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR
SERIES TRUST, AIM SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS INC., AIM COMBINATION
STOCK AND BOND FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL
FUNDS INC. (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS REGISTRANTS"),
AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP INC., TIMOTHY MILLER, RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM,
THOMAS KOLBE, EDWARD STERN, AMERICAN SKANDIA INC., BREAN MURRAY & CO.,
INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC,
CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., AND JOHN DOES 1-100, in the United States
District Court, District of Colorado (Civil Action No. 03-F-2456), filed on
December 4, 2003. This claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of
Securities Act; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5
under the Exchange Act; and Section 206 of the Investment Advisers Act of
1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"). The plaintiffs in this case are
seeking: compensatory damages; rescission; return of fees paid; accounting
for wrongfully gotten gains, profits and compensation; restitution and
disgorgement; and other costs and expenses, including counsel fees and
expert fees.
EDWARD LOWINGER AND SHARON LOWINGER, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL
OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND,
INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND,
INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND,
INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND), INVESCO LEISURE
FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, AIM INVESCO
S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY
FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND, INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, AIM MONEY MARKET
FUND, AIM INVESCO TAX-FREE MONEY FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURER'S MONEY MARKET
RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURER'S TAX-EXEMPT RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO
U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO BALANCED FUND,
INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH-YIELD FUND,
INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO
SELECT INCOME FUND, INVESCO TAX-FREE BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS
FUND, INVESCO U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, INVESCO;
INVESCO LATIN AMERICAN GROWTH FUND (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO
FUNDS"), AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST, AIM SECTOR FUNDS
INC., AIM BOND FUNDS INC., AIM COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND FUNDS INC., AIM
MONEY MARKET FUNDS INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC. (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN
AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS REGISTRANTS"), AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP,
INC., TIMOTHY MILLER, RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM, THOMAS KOLBE, EDWARD J. STERN,
AMERICAN SKANDIA INC., BREAN MURRAY & CO., INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS,
LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., AND
JOHN DOES 1-100, in the United States District Court, Southern District of
New York (Civil Action No. 03-CV-9634), filed on December 4, 2003. This
claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act;
Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange
Act; and Section 206 of the Advisers Act. The
plaintiffs in this case are seeking: compensatory damages; rescission; return of fees paid; accounting for wrongfully gotten gains, profits and compensation; restitution and disgorgement; and other costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
JOEL GOODMAN, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC. AND RAYMOND R. CUNNINGHAM, in the District
Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado (Case Number 03CV9268), filed on
December 5, 2003. This claim alleges common law breach of fiduciary duty
and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty. The plaintiffs in this
case are seeking: injunctive relief; accounting for all damages and for all
profits and any special benefits obtained; disgorgement; restitution and
damages; costs and disbursements, including counsel fees and expert fees;
and equitable relief.
STEVEN B. EHRLICH, CUSTODIAN FOR ALEXA P. EHRLICH, UGTMA/FLORIDA, AND DENNY
P. JACOBSON, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND,
INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES
FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND,
INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL
BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND), INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND,
INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, AIM INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL
COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND,
INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, AIM MONEY MARKET FUND, AIM INVESCO TAX-FREE MONEY
FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURERS MONEY MARKET RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO
TREASURERS TAX-EXEMPT RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO US GOVERNMENT MONEY FUND,
INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND,
INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH-YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND,
INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT INCOME FUND, INVESCO
TAX-FREE BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, INVESCO LATIN AMERICAN
GROWTH FUND (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS"), AIM STOCK FUNDS,
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST, AIM SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS INC., AIM
COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS INC., AIM
INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC. (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS
REGISTRANTS"), AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., TIMOTHY MILLER,
RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM, THOMAS KOLBE, EDWARD J. STERN, AMERICAN SKANDIA INC.,
BREAN MURRAY & CO., INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., AND JOHN DOES 1-100, in the
United States District Court, District of Colorado (Civil Action No.
03-N-2559), filed on December 17, 2003. This claim alleges violations of:
Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the
Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act; and Section 206 of the
Advisers Act. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: compensatory
damages; rescission; return of fees paid; accounting for wrongfully gotten
gains, profits and compensation; restitution and disgorgement; and other
costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
JOSEPH R. RUSSO, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND), INVESCO
LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, AIM
INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO
TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND, INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, AIM
MONEY MARKET FUND, AIM INVESCO TAX-FREE MONEY FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURERS
MONEY MARKET RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURERS TAX-EXEMPT RESERVE FUND,
AIM INVESCO US GOVERNMENT MONEY FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO
BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO
HIGH-YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO REAL ESTATE
OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT INCOME FUND, INVESCO TAX-FREE BOND FUND,
INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND,
INVESCO VALUE FUND, INVESCO LATIN AMERICAN GROWTH FUND (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN
AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS"), AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST, AIM
SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS INC., AIM COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND
FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC.
(COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS REGISTRANTS"), AMVESCAP PLC,
INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., TIMOTHY MILLER, RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM, THOMAS
KOLBE, EDWARD J. STERN, AMERICAN SKANDIA INC., BREAN MURRAY & CO., INC.,
CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY
CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., AND JOHN DOES 1-100, in the United States District
Court, Southern District of New York (Civil Action No. 03-CV-10045), filed
on December 18, 2003. This claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15
of the Securities Act; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule
10b-5 under the Exchange Act; and Section 206 of the Advisers Act. The
plaintiffs in this case are seeking: compensatory damages; rescission;
return of fees paid; accounting for wrongfully gotten gains, profits and
compensation; restitution and disgorgement; and other costs and expenses,
including counsel fees and expert fees.
MIRIAM CALDERON, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY
SITUATED, V. AMVESCAP PLC, AVZ, INC., AMVESCAP RETIREMENT, INC., AMVESCAP
NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, ROBERT F. MCCULLOUGH, GORDON NEBEKER, JEFFREY G.
CALLAHAN, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., RAYMOND R. CUNNINGHAM, AND DOES 1-100,
in the United States District Court, District of Colorado (Civil Action No.
03-M-2604), filed on December 24, 2003. This claim alleges violations of
Sections 404, 405 and 406B of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
("ERISA"). The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: declarations that the
defendants breached their ERISA fiduciary duties and that they are not
entitled to the protection of Section 404(c)(1)(B) of ERISA; an order
compelling the defendants to make good all losses to a particular
retirement plan described in this case (the "Retirement Plan") resulting
from the defendants' breaches of their fiduciary duties, including losses
to the Retirement Plan resulting from imprudent investment of the
Retirement Plan's assets, and to restore to the Retirement Plan all profits
the defendants made through use of the Retirement Plan's assets, and to
restore to the Retirement Plan all profits which the participants would
have made if the defendants had fulfilled their fiduciary obligations;
damages on behalf of the Retirement Plan; imposition of a constructive
trust, injunctive relief, damages suffered by the Retirement Plan, to be
allocated proportionately to the participants in the Retirement Plan;
restitution and other costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert
fees.
PAT B. GORSUCH AND GEORGE L. GORSUCH V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC. AND AIM
ADVISER, INC., in the United States District Court, District of Colorado
(Civil Action No. 03-MK-2612), filed on December 24, 2003. This claim
alleges violations of Sections 15(a), 20(a) and 36(b) of the Investment
Company Act. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: rescission and/or
voiding of the investment advisory agreements;
return of fees paid; damages; and other costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
LORI WEINRIB, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST,
AIM SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS INC., AIM COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND
FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC.,
AMVESCAP PLC, TIMOTHY MILLER, RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM, THOMAS KOLBE, EDWARD J.
STERN, AMERICAN SKANDIA INC., BREAN MURRAY & CO., INC., CANARY CAPITAL
PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS,
LTD., AND JOHN DOES 1-100, in the United States District Court, Southern
District of New York (Civil Action No. 04-CV-00492), filed on January 21,
2004. This claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of the 1933 Act;
Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange
Act; and Section 206 of the Advisers Act. The plaintiffs in this case are
seeking: compensatory damages; rescission; return of fees paid; accounting
for wrongfully gotten gains, profits and compensation; restitution and
disgorgement; and other costs and expenses, including counsel fees and
expert fees.
ROBERT S. BALLAGH, JR., INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY
SITUATED, V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO STOCK FUNDS, INC., AIM
MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC., AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM STOCK FUNDS, INC., AMVESCAP
PLC, INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND,
INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES
FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND,
INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO
MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND,
INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL
RETURN FUND, INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO
BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH
YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP
VALUE FUND, INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT FUND,
INVESCO TAX-FREE BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, EDWARD J. STERN, CANARY
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., CANARY CAPITAL
PARTNERS, LLC, AND DOES 1-100, in the United States District Court,
District of Colorado (Civil Action No. 04-MK-0152), filed on January 28,
2004. This claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of the
Securities Act; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5
under the Exchange Act; and Sections 34(b), 36(a) and 36(b) of the
Investment Company Act. The claim also alleges common law breach of
fiduciary duty. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: damages;
pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; counsel fees and expert fees; and
other relief.
JONATHAN GALLO, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO STOCK FUNDS, INC., AIM MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC., AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM STOCK FUNDS, INC., AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND, INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND, INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO
TOTAL RETURN FUND, INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO
BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND, INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH
YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND, INVESCO INTERNATIONAL BLUE CHIP
VALUE FUND, INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT FUND,
INVESCO TAX-FREE BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, EDWARD J. STERN, CANARY
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., CANARY CAPITAL
PARTNERS, LLC, AND DOES 1-100, in the United States District Court,
District of Colorado (Civil Action No. 04-MK-0151), filed on January 28,
2004. This claim alleges violations of: Sections 11 and 15 of the
Securities Act; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Rule 10b-5
under the Exchange Act; and Sections 34(b), 36(a) and 36(b) of the
Investment Company Act. The claim also alleges common law breach of
fiduciary duty. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: damages;
pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; counsel fees and expert fees; and
other relief.
EILEEN CLANCY, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. INVESCO ADVANTAGE HEALTH SCIENCES FUND, INVESCO CORE EQUITY FUND,
INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO FINANCIAL SERVICES
FUND, INVESCO GOLD & PRECIOUS METALS FUND, INVESCO HEALTH SCIENCES FUND,
INVESCO INTERNATIONAL CORE EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL
BLUE CHIP VALUE FUND), INVESCO LEISURE FUND, INVESCO MID-CAP GROWTH FUND,
INVESCO MULTI-SECTOR FUND, AIM INVESCO S&P 500 INDEX FUND, INVESCO SMALL
COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, INVESCO TOTAL RETURN FUND,
INVESCO UTILITIES FUND, AIM MONEY MARKET FUND, AIM INVESCO TAX-FREE MONEY
FUND, AIM INVESCO TREASURER'S MONEY MARKET RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO
TREASURER'S TAX-EXEMPT RESERVE FUND, AIM INVESCO US GOVERNMENT MONEY FUND,
INVESCO ADVANTAGE FUND, INVESCO BALANCED FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND,
INVESCO GROWTH FUND, INVESCO HIGH-YIELD FUND, INVESCO GROWTH & INCOME FUND,
INVESCO REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITY FUND, INVESCO SELECT INCOME FUND, INVESCO
TAX-FREE BOND FUND, INVESCO TELECOMMUNICATIONS FUND, INVESCO U.S.
GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INVESCO VALUE FUND, INVESCO, INVESCO LATIN
AMERICAN GROWTH FUND (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO FUNDS"), AIM STOCK
FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST, AIM SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS
INC., AIM COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS
INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC. (COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE "INVESCO
FUNDS REGISTRANTS"), AMVESCAP PLC, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., TIMOTHY
MILLER, RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM AND THOMAS KOLBE, in the United States District
Court, Southern District of New York (Civil Action No. 04-CV-0713), filed
on January 30, 2004. This claim alleges violations of Sections 11 and 15 of
the Securities Act. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking: compensatory
damages, rescission; return of fees paid; and other costs and expenses,
including counsel fees and expert fees.
SCOTT WALDMAN, ON BEHALF OF HIMSELF AND ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V.
INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND, INVESCO EUROPEAN FUND,
INVESCO SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND, INVESCO TECHNOLOGY FUND, AIM STOCK
FUNDS, AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST, AIM SECTOR FUNDS INC., AIM BOND FUNDS
INC., AIM COMBINATION STOCK AND BOND FUNDS INC., AIM MONEY MARKET FUNDS
INC., AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS INC., AMVESCAP PLC, AND RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM,
in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York (Civil
Action No. 04-CV-00915), filed on February 3, 2004. This claim alleges
violations of Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act and
common law breach of fiduciary duty. The plaintiffs in this case are seeking compensatory damages; injunctive relief; and costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
CARL E. VONDER HAAR AND MARILYN P. MARTIN, ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND ALL
OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO STOCK
FUNDS, INC. AND DOE DEFENDANTS 1-100, in the United States District Court,
District of Colorado (Civil Action No. 04-CV-812), filed on February 5,
2004. This claim alleges: common law breach of fiduciary duty; breach of
contract; and tortious interference with contract. The plaintiffs in this
case are seeking: injunctive relief; damages; disgorgement; and costs and
expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
HENRY KRAMER, DERIVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF INVESCO ENERGY FUND, INVESCO STOCK
FUNDS, INC., AND INVESCO MUTUAL FUNDS V. AMVESCAP, PLC, INVESCO FUNDS
GROUP, INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT,
LLC, AND CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD., DEFENDANTS, AND INVESCO ENERGY
FUND, INVESCO STOCK FUNDS, INC., AND INVESCO MUTUAL FUNDS, NOMINAL
DEFENDANTS, in the United States District Court, District of Colorado
(Civil Action No. 04-MK-0397), filed on March 4, 2004. This claim alleges
violations of Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act and common law
breach of fiduciary duty. The plaintiff in this case is seeking damages and
costs and expenses, including counsel fees and expert fees.
CYNTHIA L. ESSENMACHER, DERIVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF THE INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND
AND THE REMAINING "INVESCO FUNDS" V. INVESCO FUNDS GROUPS, INC., AMVESCAP
PLC, AIM MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC., RAYMOND CUNNINGHAM, TIMOTHY MILLER, THOMAS
KOLBE AND MICHAEL LEGOSKI, DEFENDANTS, AND INVESCO DYNAMICS FUND AND THE
"INVESCO FUNDS", NOMINAL DEFENDANTS, in the United States District Court,
District of Delaware (Civil Action No. 04-CV-188), filed on March 29, 2004.
This claim alleges: violations of Section 36(b) of the Investment Company
Act; violations of Section 206 of the Advisers Act; common law breach of
fiduciary duty; and civil conspiracy. The plaintiff in this case is
seeking: damages; injunctive relief; and costs and expenses, including
counsel fees and expert fees.
ANNE G. PERENTESIS (WIDOW) V. AIM INVESTMENTS, ET AL (INVESCO FUNDS GROUP,
INC.), in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County (Case No.
080400228152005), filed on July 21, 2005. This claim alleges financial
losses, mental anguish and emotional distress as a result of unlawful
market timing and related activity by the defendants. The plaintiff in this
case is seeking damages and costs and expenses.
Pursuant to an Order of the MDL Court, plaintiffs in the above lawsuits (with the exception of Carl E. Vonder Haar, et al. v. INVESCO Funds Group, Inc. et al. and Mike Sayegh v. Janus Capital Corporation, et al.) consolidated their claims for pre-trial purposes into three amended complaints against various Invesco Aim- and IFG-related parties: (i) a Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint purportedly brought on behalf of shareholders of the AIM Funds (the Lepera lawsuit discussed below); (ii) a Consolidated Amended Fund Derivative Complaint purportedly brought on behalf of the AIM Funds and fund registrants (the Essenmacher lawsuit discussed below); and (iii) an Amended Class Action Complaint for Violations of the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act ("ERISA") purportedly brought on behalf of participants in Invesco's 401(k) plan (the Calderon lawsuit discussed below). The plaintiffs in the Vonder Haar and Sayegh lawsuits continue to seek remand of their lawsuits to state court. Set forth below is detailed information about these three amended complaints.
RICHARD LEPERA, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED
(LEAD PLAINTIFF: CITY OF CHICAGO DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN), V. INVESCO
FUNDS GROUP, INC., AMVESCAP, PLC, AIM INVESTMENTS, AIM ADVISORS, INC.,
INVESCO INSTITUTIONAL (N.A.), INC., INVESCO ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED,
INVESCO GLOBAL ASSETS MANAGEMENT (N.A.), AIM STOCK FUNDS, AIM MUTUAL FUNDS,
AIM COMBINATION STOCK & BOND FUNDS, AIM SECTOR FUNDS, AIM TREASURER'S
SERIES TRUST, INVESCO DISTRIBUTORS, INC., AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC., RAYMOND
R. CUNNINGHAM, TIMOTHY J. MILLER, THOMAS A. KOLBE, MICHAEL D. LEGOSKI,
MICHAEL K. BRUGMAN, MARK WILLIAMSON, EDWARD J. STERN, CANARY CAPITAL
PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS,
LTD., RYAN GOLDBERG, MICHAEL GRADY, CITIGROUP, INC., CITIGROUP GLOBAL
MARKETS HOLDINGS, INC., SALOMON SMITH BARNEY, INC., MORGAN STANLEY DW, ANNA
BRUGMAN, ANB CONSULTING, LLC, KAPLAN & CO. SECURITIES INC., SECURITY TRUST
COMPANY, N.A., GRANT D. SEEGER, JB OXFORD HOLDINGS, INC., NATIONAL CLEARING
CORPORATION, JAMES G. LEWIS, KRAIG L. KIBBLE, JAMES Y. LIN, BANK OF AMERICA
CORPORATION, BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, THEODORE C. SIHPOL, III, BEAR
STEARNS & CO., INC., BEAR STEARNS SECURITIES CORP., CHARLES SCHWAB & CO.,
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (USA) INC., PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL, INC.,
PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES, INC., CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, JP MORGAN
CHASE AND CO., AND JOHN DOE DEFENDANTS 1-100, in the MDL Court (Case No.
04-MD-15864; No. 04-CV-00814-JFM) (originally in the United States District
Court for the District of Colorado), filed on September 29, 2004. This
lawsuit alleges violations of Sections 11, 12(a) (2), and 15 of the
Securities Act; Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5
promulgated thereunder; Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act; Sections 34(b),
36(a), 36(b) and 48(a) of the Investment Company Act; breach of fiduciary
duty/constructive fraud; aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty; and
unjust enrichment. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are seeking: compensatory
damages, including interest; and other costs and expenses, including
counsel and expert fees.
CYNTHIA ESSENMACHER, SILVANA G. DELLA CAMERA, FELICIA BERNSTEIN AS CUSTODIAN FOR DANIELLE BROOKE BERNSTEIN, EDWARD CASEY, TINA CASEY, SIMON DENENBERG, GEORGE L. GORSUCH, PAT B. GORSUCH, L. SCOTT KARLIN, HENRY KRAMER, JOHN E. MORRISEY, HARRY SCHIPPER, BERTY KREISLER, GERSON SMITH, CYNTHIA PULEO, ZACHARY ALAN STARR, JOSHUA GUTTMAN, AND AMY SUGIN, DERIVATIVELY ON BEHALF OF THE MUTUAL FUNDS, TRUSTS AND CORPORATIONS COMPRISING THE INVESCO AND AIM FAMILY OF MUTUAL FUNDS V. AMVESCAP, PLC, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., INVESCO DISTRIBUTORS, INC., INVESCO INSTITUTIONAL (N.A.), INC., INVESCO ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED, INVESCO GLOBAL ASSETS MANAGEMENT (N.A.), AIM MANAGEMENT GROUP, INC., AIM ADVISERS, INC., AIM INVESTMENT SERVICES, INC., AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC., FUND
MANAGEMENT COMPANY, MARK H. WILLIAMSON, RAYMOND R. CUNNINGHAM, TIMOTHY MILLER, THOMAS KOLBE, MICHAEL LEGOSKI, MICHAEL BRUGMAN, FRED A. DEERING, VICTOR L. ANDREWS, BOB R. BAKER, LAWRENCE H. BUDNER, JAMES T. BUNCH, GERALD J. LEWIS, JOHN W. MCINTYRE, LARRY SOLL, RONALD L. GROOMS, WILLIAM J. GALVIN, JR., ROBERT H. GRAHAM, FRANK S. BAYLEY, BRUCE L. CROCKETT, ALBERT R. DOWDEN, EDWARD K. DUNN, JACK M. FIELDS, CARL FRISCHILING, PREMA MATHAI-DAVIS, LEWIS F. PENNOCK, RUTH H. QUIGLEY, LOUIS S. SKLAR, OWEN DALY II, AURUM SECURITIES CORP., AURUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT CORP., GOLDEN GATE FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC, BANK OF AMERICA CORP., BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., BEAR STEARNS & CO., INC., CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, CANARY CAPITAL PARTNERS, LTD.,
CANARY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, EDWARD J. STERN, CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, CIRCLE TRUST COMPANY, RYAN GOLDBERG, MICHAEL GRADY, KAPLAN & CO. SECURITIES, INC., JP MORGAN CHASE & CO., OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC., PRITCHARD CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC, TIJA MANAGEMENT, TRAUTMAN WASSERMAN & COMPANY, INC., DEFENDANTS, AND THE INVESCO FUNDS AND THE AIM FUNDS AND ALL TRUSTS AND CORPORATIONS THAT COMPRISE THE INVESCO FUNDS AND AIM FUNDS THAT WERE MANAGED BY INVESCO AND AIM, NOMINAL DEFENDANTS, in the MDL Court (Case No. 04-MD-15864-FPS; No. 04-819), filed on September 29, 2004. This lawsuit alleges violations of Sections 206 and 215 of the Investment Advisers Act; Sections 36(a), 36(b) and 47 of the Investment Company Act; control person liability under Section 48 of the Investment Company Act; breach of fiduciary duty; aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty; breach of contract; unjust enrichment; interference with contract; and civil conspiracy. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are seeking: removal of director defendants; removal of adviser, sub-adviser and distributor defendants; rescission of management and other contracts between the Funds and defendants; rescission of 12b-1 plans; disgorgement of management fees and other compensation/profits paid to adviser defendants; compensatory and punitive damages; and fees and expenses, including attorney and expert fees.
MIRIAM CALDERON, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. AVZ, INC., AMVESCAP RETIREMENT, INC., AMVESCAP NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., AMVESCAP, ROBERT F. MCCULLOUGH, GORDON NEBEKER, JEFFREY G. CALLAHAN, AND RAYMOND R. CUNNINGHAM, in the MDL Court (Case No. 1:04-MD-15864-FPS), filed on September 29, 2004. This lawsuit alleges violations of ERISA Sections 404, 405 and 406. The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are seeking: declaratory judgment; restoration of losses suffered by the plan; disgorgement of profits; imposition of a constructive trust; injunctive relief; compensatory damages; costs and attorneys' fees; and equitable restitution.
On March 1, 2006, the MDL Court entered orders on Defendants' Motions to dismiss in the derivative (Essenmacher) and class action (Lepera) lawsuits. The MDL Court dismissed all derivative causes of action in the Essenmacher lawsuit but two: (i) the excessive fee claim under Section 36(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and (ii) the "control person liability" claim under Section 48 of the 1940 Act. The MDL Court dismissed all claims asserted in the Lepera class action lawsuit but three: (i) the securities fraud claims under Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; (ii) the excessive fee claim under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act (which survived only insofar as plaintiffs seek recovery of fees associated with the assets involved in market timing); and (iii) the "control person liability" claim under Section 48 of the 1940 Act. On June 14, 2006, the MDL Court entered an order dismissing the Section 48 claim in the derivative (Essenmacher) lawsuit. Based on the MDL Court's March 1, 2006 and June 14, 2006 orders, all claims asserted against the Funds that have been transferred to the MDL Court have been dismissed, although certain Funds remain nominal defendants in the derivative (Essenmacher) lawsuit. Defendants filed their Original Answer in the class action (Lepera) lawsuit on March 31, 2006. The MDL Court has indefinitely deferred Defendants' obligation to answer the derivative (Essenmacher) lawsuit. The Plaintiffs in the class action (Lepera) lawsuit stipulated that their claims against Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc. ("Invesco Aim Investment Services") are based solely on successor liability for alleged timing in the AIM Funds formerly advised by IFG and that they are not making any claims based on alleged timing in the other AIM Funds. Based upon this stipulation, Invesco Aim withdrew its pending Motion to Dismiss the claims against Invesco Aim, Invesco Aim Distributors and Invesco Aim Investment Services. On July 3, 2007, the Defendants filed an Omnibus Motion to Dismiss in both the class action (Lepera) and derivative (Essenmacher) lawsuits based on Plaintiffs' lack of standing to sue for injuries to funds the Plaintiffs do not own. On October 19, 2007, Judge Motz for the MDL Court denied the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss.
On September 15, 2006, Judge Motz for the MDL Court granted the Defendants' motion to dismiss the ERISA (Calderon) lawsuit and dismissed such lawsuit. The Plaintiff appealed this decision. On June 16, 2008, the Fourth Court of Appeals reversed the dismissal and remanded this lawsuit back to the MDL Court for further proceedings.
APPENDIX M-2
PENDING LITIGATION ALLEGING INADEQUATELY EMPLOYED FAIR VALUE PRICING
The following civil class action lawsuits involve, depending on the lawsuit, one or more AIM Funds, IFG and/or Invesco Aim and allege that the defendants inadequately employed fair value pricing. These lawsuits either have been served or have had service of process waived.
T.K. PARTHASARATHY, EDMUND WOODBURY, STUART ALLEN SMITH AND SHARON SMITH,
INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED, V. T. ROWE
PRICE INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC., T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL, INC., ARTISAN
FUNDS, INC., ARTISAN PARTNERS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS,
INC. AND AIM ADVISORS, INC., in the Third Judicial Circuit Court for
Madison County, Illinois (Case No. 2003-L-001253), filed on September 23,
2003. This claim alleges: common law breach of duty and common law
negligence and gross negligence. The plaintiffs in these cases are seeking:
compensatory and punitive damages; interest; and attorneys' fees and costs.
The Third Judicial Circuit Court for Madison County, Illinois has issued an
order severing the claims of plaintiff Parthasarathy from the claims of the
other plaintiffs against Invesco Aim and other defendants. As a result,
Invesco Aim is a defendant in the following severed action: EDMUND
WOODBURY, STUART ALLEN SMITH and SHARON SMITH, Individually and On Behalf
of All Others Similarly Situated, v. AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC., ET AL.,
in the Third Judicial Circuit Court for Madison County, Illinois (Case No.
03-L-1253A). The claims made by Plaintiffs and the relief sought in the
Woodbury lawsuit are identical to those in the Parthasarathy lawsuit. This
case has been through various procedural steps, including complete
dismissal and appeals. The parties were contesting whether the proper venue
for this action is the Federal District Court or the Illinois State Court.
On July 17, 2007, the Federal District Court ordered this case remanded
back to Illinois State Court. On January 1, 2008, the Illinois State Court
denied defendants' Motion to Dismiss. Pursuant to a settlement agreement,
Plaintiffs filed a Motion to Dismiss with prejudice, which was granted on
May 6, 2008.
JOHN BILSKI, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL OTHERS SIMILARLY SITUATED,
V. AIM INTERNATIONAL FUNDS, INC., AIM ADVISORS, INC., INVESCO INTERNATIONAL
FUNDS, INC., INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC., T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL FUNDS,
INC. AND T. ROWE PRICE INTERNATIONAL, INC., in the United States District
Court, Southern District of Illinois (East St. Louis) (Case No. 03-772),
filed on November 19, 2003. This claim alleges: violations of Sections
36(a) and 36(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; common law breach of
duty; and common law negligence and gross negligence. The plaintiff in this
case is seeking: compensatory and punitive damages; interest; and
attorneys' fees and costs. This lawsuit has been transferred to the MDL
Court by order of the United States District Court, Southern District of
Illinois (East St. Louis).
PART C
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 23. Exhibits
a (1) - (a) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(21) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated May 24, 2006, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(19) - (c) Amendment No. 2, dated July 5, 2006, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(19) - (d) Amendment No. 3, dated October 30, 2007, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(21) - (e) Amendment No. 4, dated December 13, 2007, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(21) - (f) Amendment No. 5, dated April 30, 2008, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(23) |
(g) Amendment No. 6, dated May 1, 2008, to Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005.(23)
b (1) - (a) Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant, adopted effective September 14, 2005.(17) - (b) Amendment, adopted August 1, 2006, to Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant.(19) - (c) Amendment No. 2 to Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant, adopted effective March 23, 2007.(21) - (d) Amendment No. 3, adopted effective January 1, 2008, to Amended and Restated Bylaws of Registrant, adopted effective September 14, 2005.(22) c - Articles II, VI, VII, VIII and IX of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, and Articles IV, V and VI of the Amended and Restated Bylaws, as amended, define rights of holders of shares. d (1) - (a) Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between A I M Advisors, Inc. and Registrant.(8) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated January 1, 2002, to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between A I M Advisors, Inc. and Registrant.(12) - (c) Amendment No. 2, dated November 24, 2003, to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between A I M Advisors, Inc. and Registrant.(15) - (d) Amendment No. 3, dated October 30, 2007, to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between A I M Advisors, Inc. and Registrant.(21) |
- (e) Amendment No. 4, dated April 30, 2008, to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., and Registrant.(23)
(2) - Master Intergroup Sub-Advisory Contract for Mutual Funds, dated May 1, 2008 between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., on behalf of Registrant, and each of Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Australia Limited, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc.(23) e (1) - (a) Master Distribution Agreement, dated December 7, 2007, between A I M Distributors, Inc. and Registrant.(21) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated December 13, 2007, to the Master Distribution Agreement, dated December 7, 2007, between A I M Distributors, Inc. and Registrant.(21) - (c) Amendment No. 2, dated April 30, 2008, to the Master Distribution Agreement, dated December 7, 2007, between Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc., formerly A I M Distributors, Inc., and Registrant.(23) f (1) - AIM Funds Retirement Plan for Eligible Directors/Trustees, as restated January 1, 2005.(20) (2) - (a) Form of Trustee Deferred Compensation Agreement for Registrant's Non-Affiliated Trustees, as amended September 26, 2002.(14) - (b) Form of Supplement to Deferred Compensation Plans, dated January 1, 2005.(21) g (1) - (a) Custodian Agreement, dated October 15, 1993, between The Bank of New York and Registrant.(1) - (b) Amendment, dated July 30, 1996, to the Custodian Agreement, dated October 15, 1993, between The Bank of New York and Registrant.(2) h (1) - (a) Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated December 29, 1997, between AIM Investment Services, Inc. (formerly known as A I M Fund Services, Inc.) and Registrant.(3) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated January 1, 1999, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated December 29, 1997, between AIM Investment Services, Inc. (formerly known as A I M Fund Services, Inc.) and Registrant.(3) - (c) Amendment No. 2, dated July 1, 1999, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated December 29, 1997, between AIM Investment Services, Inc. (formerly known as A I M Fund Services, Inc.) and Registrant.(5) - (d) Amendment No. 3, dated July 1, 2005, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated December 29, 1997, between AIM Investment Services, Inc. and Registrant.(18) |
- (e) Amendment No. 4, dated July 1, 2006, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated December 29, 1997, between AIM Investment Services, Inc. and Registrant.(19) (2) - (a) Second Amended and Restated Master Administrative Services Agreement, dated July 1, 2006, between A I M Advisors, Inc. and Registrant.(19) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated April 30, 2008, to the Second Amended and Restated Master Administrative Services Agreement, dated July 1, 2006, between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., and Registrant.(23) |
(3) - Memorandum of Agreement related to expense limitations, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.(23)
(4) - Memorandum of Agreement related to 12b-1 fee waivers, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.(23)
(5) - Memorandum of Agreement regarding Affiliated Money Market Fund Waiver, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.(23) (6) - Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum of Agreement regarding securities lending waiver, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.(23) (7) - Third Amended and Restated Interfund Loan Agreement, dated December 30, 2005, between Registrant and AIM Advisors, Inc.(20) (8) - Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated July 30, 2003, between Short-Term Investments Co., a Maryland corporation, and Short-Term Investments Trust, a Delaware statutory trust previously filed with the Proxy Statement of Short-Term Investments Co. on August 1, 2003 is incorporated herein by reference. i - Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young. (23) j - Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. (23) k - Financial Statements for the period ended August 31, 2007 are incorporated by reference to the Fund's annual reports to shareholders contained in the Registrant's Form N-CSR filed on November 9, 2007. l - Agreement Concerning Initial Capitalization of Registrant's Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, dated April 29, 2008.(23) m (1) - (a) Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1, effective as of December 7, 2007.(21) - (b) Amendment No. 1, dated December 13, 2007, to the Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1, effective as of December 7, 2007.(21) |
- (c) Amendment No. 2, dated April 30, 2008, to the Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1, effective as of December 7, 2007.(23)
(2) - Amended and Restated Master Related Agreement to Third Amended and Restated
Master Distribution Plan, effective as of April 30, 2008.(23)
(3) - (a) Form of Shareholder Service Agreement to be used in connection with Registrant's Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan, as amended.(4) - (b) Form of Shareholder Services Agreement to be used in connection with Registrant's Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan, as amended.(6) - (c) Form of Shareholder Service Agreement for Broker Dealers and Banks to be used in connection with Registrants Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan, as amended.(15) n (1) - (a) Thirteenth Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan of The AIM Family of Funds(R), effective December 12, 2001, and as further amended and restated as of December 13, 2007.(21) o - Reserved. p (1) - AIM Funds, A I M Management Group Inc. Code of Ethics, adopted May 1, 1981, as last amended effective February 16, 2006, relating to A I M Management Group Inc., A I M Advisors, Inc., A I M Capital Management, Inc., AIM Private Asset Management, Inc., A I M Distributors, Inc., Fund Management Company and all of their wholly owned and indirect subsidiaries.(19) (2) - Code of Ethics relating to INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited.(22) (3) - INVESCO Code of Ethics, dated February 2008, relating to Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. and Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc.(23) (4) - Invesco Staff Ethics and Personal Share Dealing, dated April 2007, relating to Invesco Hong Kong Limited.(22) (5) - INVESCO Ltd. Code of Conduct, revised October 2007, AIM Trimark Investments Addendum to the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct, revised April 2, 2007, Policy No. D-6 Gifts and Entertainment, revised April 2007, and Policy No. D-7 AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy, revised March 2007, together the Code of Ethics relating to AIM Funds Management Inc.(23) (6) - Code of Ethics relating to Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH.(22) (7) - Code of Ethics relating to Invesco Asset Management Limited.(22) |
(8) - INVESCO Ltd Code of Conduct, revised October 2007, relating to Invesco Australia Limited.(23)
q - Powers of Attorney for Baker, Bayley, Bunch, Crockett, Dowden, Fields, Flanagan, Frischling, Mathai-Davis, Pennock, Soll, Stickel, and Taylor. (23) |
(2) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 29, filed electronically on December 18, 1996.
(3) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 30, filed electronically on December 17, 1997.
(4) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 32, filed electronically on November 25, 1998.
(5) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 33, filed electronically on November 8, 1999.
(6) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 34, filed electronically on March 31, 2000.
(7) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 35, filed electronically on May 24, 2000.
(8) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA Nos. 36, 37 and 38, filed electronically on December 29, 2000.
(9) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 40, filed electronically on February 16, 2001.
(10) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 41, filed electronically on October 1, 2001.
(11) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 42, filed electronically on October 30, 2001.
(12) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 44, filed electronically on December 18, 2002.
(13) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA No. 45, filed electronically on August 28, 2003.
(14) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 47, filed electronically on November 21, 2003.
(15) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 48, filed electronically on December 2, 2004.
(16) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 49, filed electronically on February 25, 2005.
(17) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 50, filed electronically on October 20, 2005.
(18) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 51, filed electronically on December 19, 2006.
(19) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 52, filed electronically on October 13, 2006.
(20) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 53, filed electronically on December 14, 2006
(21) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 54, filed electronically on December 18, 2007.
(22) Incorporated herein by reference to PEA 55, filed electronically on February 20, 2008.
(23) Filed herewith electronically.
Item 24. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control With the Fund
None.
Item 25. Indemnification
Indemnification provisions for officers, trustees, and employees of the Registrant are set forth in Article VIII of the Registrant's Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Article VIII of its Amended and Restated Bylaws, and are hereby incorporated by reference. See Item 23(a) and (b) above. Under the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, amended and restated effective as of September 14, 2005, as amended, (i) Trustees or officers, when acting in such capacity, shall not be personally liable for any act, omission or obligation of the Registrant or any Trustee or officer except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office with the Trust; (ii) every Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware Statutory Trust act, the Registrant's Bylaws and other applicable law; (iii) in case any shareholder or former shareholder of the Registrant shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a shareholder of the Registrant or any portfolio or class and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the shareholder or former shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives, or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or general successor) shall be entitled, out of the assets belonging to the applicable portfolio (or allocable to the applicable class), to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability in accordance with the Bylaws and applicable law. The Registrant, on behalf of the affected portfolio (or class), shall upon request by the shareholder, assume the defense of any such claim made against the shareholder for any act or obligation of that portfolio (or class).
The Registrant and other investment companies and their respective officers and trustees are insured under a joint Mutual Fund Directors and Officers Liability Policy, issued by ICI Mutual Insurance Company and certain other domestic insurers, with a $60,000,000 (plus an additional $20,000,000 limit that applies to independent directors/trustees only).
Section 16 of the Master Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Invesco Aim provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of Invesco Aim or any of its officers, directors or employees, that Invesco Aim shall not be subject to liability to the Registrant or to any series of the Registrant, or to any shareholder of any series of the Registrant for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security. Any liability of Invesco Aim to any series of the Registrant shall not automatically impact liability on the part of Invesco Aim to any other series of the Registrant. No series of the Registrant shall be liable for the obligations of any other series of the Registrant.
Effective May 1, 2008, Section 9 of the Master Intergroup Sub-Advisory Contract for Mutual Funds (the "Sub-Advisory Contract") between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., on behalf of Registrant, and each of Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Australia Limited, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc. (each a "Sub-Advisor", collectively the "Sub-Advisors") provides that the Sub-Advisor shall not be liable for any costs or liabilities arising from any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by any series of the Registrant or the Registrant in connection with the matters to which the Sub-Advisory Contract relates except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Sub-Advisor in the performance by the Sub-advisor of its duties or from reckless disregard by the Sub-Advisor of its obligations and duties under the Sub-Advisory Contract.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy, as expressed in the Act and will be governed by final adjudication of such issue.
Item 26. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisor
The only employment of a substantial nature of Advisor's directors and officers is with AIM and its affiliated companies. For information as to the business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature of each of the officers and directors of Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Australia Limited, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc. (each a "Sub-Advisor", collectively the "Sub-Advisors") reference is made to Form ADV filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by each Sub-Advisor herein incorporated by reference. Reference is also made to the caption "Fund Management - The Advisors" of the Prospectus which comprises Part A of the Registration Statement, and to the caption "Management of the Trust" of the Statement of Additional Information which comprises Part B of the Registration Statement, and to Item 27(b) of this Part C.
Item 27. Principal Underwriters
(a) Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc., the Registrant's principal underwriter, also acts as a principal underwriter to the following investment companies:
AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series
AIM Counselor Series Trust
AIM Equity Funds
AIM Funds Group
AIM Growth Series
AIM International Mutual Funds
AIM Investment Funds
AIM Investment Securities Funds
AIM Sector Funds
AIM Tax-Exempt Funds
AIM Treasurer's Series Trust
AIM Variable Insurance Funds
PowerShares Exchange -Traded Fund Trust
PowerShares Exchange-Traded Fund Trust II
b) The following table sets forth information with respect to each director, officer or partner of Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.
Name and Principal Positions and Offices Business Address* Position and Offices with Underwriter with Registrant ------------------ ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Philip A. Taylor Director Trustee & Executive Vice President John S. Cooper President None William Hoppe, Jr. Executive Vice President None Karen Dunn Kelley Executive Vice President Principal Executive Officer & President Brian Lee Executive Vice President None Ben Utt Executive Vice President None Patrick R. Bray Senior Vice President None LuAnn S. Katz Senior Vice President None Ivy B. McLemore Senior Vice President None Lyman Missimer III Senior Vice President Assistant Vice President David J. Nardecchia Senior Vice President None Margaret A. Vinson Senior Vice President None |
Name and Principal Positions and Offices Business Address* Position and Offices with Underwriter with Registrant ------------------ ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- Gary K. Wendler Director and Senior Vice President None Scott B. Widder Senior Vice President None John M. Zerr Director, Senior Vice President & Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Secretary Officer & Secretary David A. Hartley Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer None Rebecca Starling-Klatt Chief Compliance Officer & Assistant None Vice President Lance A. Rejsek Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer Officer |
(c) None.
Item 28. Location of Accounts and Records
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173, will maintain physical possession of each such account, book or other document of the Registrant at its principal executive offices, except for those relating to certain transactions in portfolio securities that are maintained by the Registrant's Custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2801, and the Registrant's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent, Invesco Aim Investment Services, Inc., P.O. Box 4739, Houston, Texas 77210-4739.
Records may also be maintained at the offices of:
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH
Bleichstrasse 60-62
Frankfurt, Germany 60313
Invesco Asset Management Limited
30 Finsbury Square
London, United Kingdom
EC2A 1AG
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited
25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower
3-1, Toranoman 4-chome, Minato-Ku
Tokyo, Japan 105-6025
Invesco Australia Limited
333 Collins Street, Level 26
Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc.
One Midtown Plaza
1360 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Invesco Hong Kong Limited
32nd Floor
Three Pacific Place
1 Queen's Road East
Hong Kong
Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc.
One Midtown Plaza
1360 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc.
1166 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
AIM Funds Management Inc.
5140 Yonge Street
Suite 900
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M2N 6X7
Item 29. Management Services
None.
Item 30. Undertakings
Not applicable.
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 Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Houston, Texas on the 23rd day of July, 2008.
REGISTRANT: SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ------------------------------------ Karen Dunn Kelley, President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
SIGNATURES TITLE DATE ------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ------------- /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley President July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Principal Executive Officer) (Karen Dunn Kelley) /s/ Bob R. Baker* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Bob R. Baker) /s/ Frank S. Bayley* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Frank S. Bayley) /s/ James T. Bunch* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (James T. Bunch) /s/ Bruce L. Crockett* Chair & Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Bruce L. Crockett) /s/ Albert R. Dowden* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Albert R. Dowden) /s/ Jack M. Fields* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Jack M. Fields) /s/ Martin L. Flanagan* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Martin L. Flanagan) /s/ Carl Frischling* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Carl Frischling) /s/ Prema Mathai-Davis* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Prema Mathai-Davis) /s/ Lewis F. Pennock* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Lewis F. Pennock) /s/ Larry Soll* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Larry Soll) |
/s/ Raymond Stickel, Jr.* Trustee July 23, 2008 ------------------------------------- (Raymond Stickel, Jr.) /s/ Philip A. Taylor* Trustee & ------------------------------------- Executive Vice President July 23, 2008 (Philip A. Taylor) /s/ Sidney M. Dilgren Vice President & Treasurer ------------------------------------- (Principal Financial and (Sidney M. Dilgren) Accounting Officer) July 23, 2008 *By /s/ Philip A. Taylor --------------------------------- Philip A. Taylor Attorney-in-Fact |
* Philip A. Taylor, pursuant to powers of attorney dated March 26, 2008, filed herewith.
INDEX
Exhibit Number Description ------- ----------- a(1)(f) Amendment No. 5, dated April 30, 2008, to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005 a(1)(g) Amendment No. 6, dated May 1, 2008, to Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated September 14, 2005 d(1)(e) Amendment No. 4, dated April 30, 2008, to the Master Investment Advisory Agreement, dated June 1, 2000, between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., and Registrant d(2) Master Intergroup Sub-Advisory Contract for Mutual Funds, dated May 1, 2008 between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., on behalf of Registrant, and each of Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Australia Limited, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. and AIM Funds Management Inc. e(1)(c) Amendment No. 2, dated April 30, 2008, to the Master Distribution Agreement, dated December 7, 2007, between Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc., formerly A I M Distributors, Inc., and Registrant h(2)(b) Amendment No. 1, dated April 30, 2008, to the Second Amended and Restated Master Administrative Services Agreement, dated July 1, 2006, between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., and Registrant h(3) Memorandum of Agreement related to expense limitations, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. h(4) Memorandum of Agreement related to 12b-1 fee waivers, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. h(5) Memorandum of Agreement regarding Affiliated Money Market Fund Waiver, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. h(6) Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum of Agreement regarding securities lending waiver, dated July 1, 2008, between Registrant and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. i Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP j Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP l Agreement Concerning Initial Capitalization of Registrant's Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio, dated April 30, 2008 m(1)(c) Amendment No. 2, dated April 30, 2008, to the Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1, effective as of December 7, 2007 |
m(2) Amended and Restated Master Related Agreement to Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan, effective as of April 30, 2008 p(3) INVESCO Code of Ethics, dated February 2008, relating to Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc. and Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. p(5) INVESCO Ltd. Code of Conduct, revised October 2007, AIM Trimark Investments Addendum to the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct, revised April 2, 2007, Policy No. D-6 Gifts and Entertainment, revised April 2007, and Policy No. D-7 AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy, revised March 2007, together the Code of Ethics relating to AIM Funds Management Inc. p(8) INVESCO Ltd. Code of Conduct, revised October 2007, relating to Invesco Australia Limited q Powers of Attorney for Baker, Bayley, Bunch, Crockett, Dowden, Fields, Flanagan, Frischling, Mathai-Davis, Pennock, Soll, Stickel, and Taylor |
AMENDMENT NO. 5
TO AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST OF
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
This Amendment No. 5 (the "Amendment") to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Short-Term Investments Trust (the "Trust") amends, effective April 30, 2008, the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of September 14, 2005, as amended (the "Agreement").
Under Section 9.7 of the Agreement, this Amendment may be executed by a duly authorized officer of the Trust.
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to add a new portfolio - Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
1. Schedule A of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as set forth on Exhibit 1 to this Amendment.
2. All references in the Agreement to "this Agreement" shall mean the Agreement as amended by this Amendment.
3. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Agreement is hereby confirmed and remains in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, a duly authorized officer of the Trust, has executed this Amendment as of April 30, 2008.
By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ------------------------------------ Name: Karen Dunn Kelley Title: President |
EXHIBIT 1
"SCHEDULE A
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
PORTFOLIOS AND CLASSES THEREOF
PORTFOLIO CLASSES OF EACH PORTFOLIO --------- ------------------------- Government & Agency Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class Liquid Assets Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class STIC Prime Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class Treasury Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Institutional Class Personal Investment Class Private Investment Class Reserve Class Resource Class" |
AMENDMENT NO. 6
TO AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST OF
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
This Amendment No. 6 (the "Amendment") to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Short-Term Investments Trust (the "Trust") amends, effective May 1, 2008, the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust dated as of September 14, 2005, as amended (the "Agreement").
Under Section 9.7 of the Agreement, this Amendment may be executed by a duly authorized officer of the Trust.
WHEREAS, the Shareholders of the Trust approved this amendment to eliminate the requirement that shareholders approve the termination of the Trust, a Fund or share class if there are 100 or more holders of record of the Trust, Fund or share class;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
1. The first paragraph of Section 6.1 of the Agreement is amended and restated to read as follows:
"Section 6.1 Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote only to: (i) elect Trustees, provided that a meeting of Shareholders has been called for that purpose; (ii) remove Trustees, provided that a meeting of Shareholders has been called for that purpose; (iii) approve the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Trust or any Portfolio or Class, unless the primary purpose of such sale is to change the Trust's domicile or form of organization or form of statutory trust; (iv) approve the merger or consolidation of the Trust or any Portfolio or Class with and into another Company or with and into any Portfolio or Class of the Trust, unless (A) the primary purpose of such merger or consolidation is to change the Trust's domicile or form of organization or form of statutory trust, or (B) after giving effect to such merger or consolidation, based on the number of Outstanding Shares as of a date selected by the Trustees, the Shareholders of the Trust or such Portfolio or Class will have a majority of the outstanding shares of the surviving Company or Portfolio or Class thereof, as the case may be; (v) approve any amendment to this Article VI, Section 6.1; and (vi) approve such additional matters as may be required by law or as the Trustees, in their sole discretion, shall determine."
2. All references in the Agreement to "this Agreement" shall mean the Agreement as amended by this Amendment.
3. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Agreement is hereby confirmed and remains in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, a duly authorized officer of the Trust, has executed this Amendment as of May 1, 2008.
By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ------------------------------------ Name: Karen Dunn Kelley Title: President |
AMENDMENT NO. 4
MASTER INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
This Amendment dated as of April 30, 2008, amends the Master Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Agreement"), dated June 1, 2000, by and between Short-Term Investments Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, and Invesco Aim Advisors Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to add Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows;
1. Schedule A and Schedule B to the Agreement are hereby deleted in their entirety and replaced with the following:
"SCHEDULE A
FUNDS AND EFFECTIVE DATES
NAME OF FUND EFFECTIVE DATE OF ADVISORY AGREEMENT ------------ ------------------------------------ Government & Agency Portfolio June 1, 2000 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio June 1, 2000 Liquid Assets Portfolio November 24, 2003 STIC Prime Portfolio November 24, 2003 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio April 30, 2008 Treasury Portfolio June 1, 2000 |
SCHEDULE B
COMPENSATION TO THE ADVISOR
The Trust shall pay the Advisor, out of the assets of a Fund, as full compensation for all services rendered, an advisory fee for such Fund set forth below. Such fee shall be calculated by applying the following annual rates to the average daily net assets of such Fund for the calendar year computed in the manner used for the determination of the net asset value of shares of such Fund.
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
NET ASSETS ANNUAL RATE ---------- ---------- All Assets ........................................... 0.15% |
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
NET ASSETS ANNUAL RATE ---------- ---------- All Assets ........................................... 0.10% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
NET ASSETS ANNUAL RATE ---------- ---------- First $250 million ................................... 0.20% Over $250 million up to and including $500 million ... 0.15% Over $500 million ........................... 0.10% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
NET ASSETS ANNUAL RATE ---------- ---------- First $500 million ................................... 0.25% Over $500 million .................................... 0.20%" |
2. In all other respects, the Agreement is hereby confirmed and remains in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers on the date first written above.
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Assistant Secretary Karen Dunn Kelley President |
(SEAL)
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ John M. Zerr ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Assistant Secretary John M. Zerr Senior Vice President |
(SEAL)
MASTER INTERGROUP SUB-ADVISORY CONTRACT
FOR MUTUAL FUNDS
This contract is made as of May 1, 2008, by and among Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. (the "Advisor") and each of AIM Funds Management Inc., Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Ltd., Invesco Australia Limited, Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc., Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc., and Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc. (each a "Sub-Advisor" and, collectively, the "Sub-Advisors").
WHEREAS:
A) The Advisor has entered into an investment advisory agreement with Short-Term Investments Trust (the "Trust"), an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), with respect to the funds set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto (each a "Fund");
B) The Advisor is authorized to delegate certain, any or all of its rights, duties and obligations under investment advisory agreements to sub-advisors, including sub-advisors that are affiliated with the Advisor;
C) Each Sub-Advisor represents that it is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as an investment advisor under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 ("Advisors Act") as an investment advisor, or will be so registered prior to providing any services to any of the Funds under this Contract, and engages in the business of acting as an investment advisor; and
D) The Sub-Advisors and their affiliates have personnel in various locations throughout the world and have been formed in part for the purpose of researching and compiling information and recommendations on the economies of various countries and securities of issuers located in such countries or on various types of investments and investment techniques, and providing investment advisory services in connection therewith.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment. The Advisor hereby appoints each Sub-Advisor as a sub-advisor of each Fund for the period and on the terms set forth herein. Each Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.
2. Duties as Sub-Advisor. Subject to paragraph 7 below, the Advisor may, in its discretion, appoint each Sub-Advisor to perform one or more of the following services with respect to all or a portion of the investments of each Fund. The services and the portion of the investments of each Fund to be advised or managed by each Sub-Advisor shall be as agreed upon from time to time by the Advisor and the Sub-Advisors. Each Sub-Advisor shall pay the salaries and fees of all personnel of such Sub-Advisor performing services for the Funds related to research, statistical and investment activities.
(a) Investment Advice. If and to the extent requested by the Advisor, each Sub-Advisor shall provide investment advice to one or more of the Funds and the Advisor with respect to all or a portion of the investments of such Fund(s) or with respect to various investment techniques, and in connection with such advice shall furnish such Fund(s) and the Advisor with such factual information, research reports and investment recommendations as the Advisor may reasonably require.
(b) Order Execution. If and to the extent requested by the Advisor, each Sub-Advisor shall place orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities or other investments for one or more of the Funds. In so doing, each Sub-Advisor agrees that it shall comply with paragraph 3 below.
(c) Discretionary Investment Management. If and to the extent requested by
the Advisor, each Sub-Advisor shall, subject to the supervision of the Trust's
Board of Trustees (the "Board") and the Advisor, manage all or a portion of the
investments of one or more of the Funds in accordance with the investment
objectives, policies and limitations provided in the Trust's Registration
Statement and such other limitations as the Trust or the Advisor may impose with
respect to such Fund(s) by notice to the applicable Sub-Advisor(s) and otherwise
in accordance with paragraph 5 below. With respect to the portion of the
investments of a Fund under its management, each Sub-Advisor is authorized to:
(i) make investment decisions on behalf of the Fund with regard to any stock,
bond, other security or investment instrument, including but not limited to
foreign currencies, futures, options and other derivatives, and with regard to
borrowing money; (ii) place orders for the purchase and sale of securities or
other investment instruments with such brokers and dealers as the Sub-Advisor
may select; and (iii) upon the request of the Advisor, provide additional
investment management services to the Fund, including but not limited to
managing the Fund's cash and cash equivalents and lending securities on behalf
of the Fund. In selecting brokers or dealers to execute trades for the Funds,
each Sub-Advisor will comply with its written policies and procedures regarding
brokerage and trading, which policies and procedures shall have been approved by
the Board. All discretionary investment management and any other activities of
each Sub-Advisor shall at all times be subject to the control and direction of
the Advisor and the Board.
3. Broker-Dealer Relationships. Each Sub-Advisor agrees that, in placing orders with brokers and dealers, it will attempt to obtain the best net result in terms of price and execution. Consistent with this obligation, each Sub-Advisor may, in its discretion, purchase and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers and dealers who sell shares of the Funds or provide the Funds, the Advisor's other clients, or a Sub-Advisor's other clients with research, analysis, advice and similar services. Each Sub-Advisor may pay to brokers and dealers, in return for such research and analysis, a higher commission or spread than may be charged by other brokers and dealers, subject to such Sub-Advisor determining in good faith that such commission or spread is reasonable in terms either of the particular transaction or of the overall responsibility of the Advisor and such Sub-Advisor to the Funds and their other clients and that the total commissions or spreads paid by each Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund over the long term. In no instance will portfolio securities be purchased from or sold to a Sub-Advisor, or any affiliated person thereof, except in accordance with the applicable securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive orders currently in effect. Whenever a Sub-Advisor simultaneously places orders to purchase or sell the same security on behalf of a Fund and one or more other accounts advised by such Sub-Advisor, such orders will be allocated as to price and amount among all such accounts in a manner believed to be equitable to each account.
4. Books and Records. Each Sub-Advisor will maintain all required books and records with respect to the securities transactions of the Funds, and will furnish the Board and the Advisor with such periodic and special reports as the Board or the Advisor reasonably may request. Each Sub-Advisor hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Advisor are the property of the Advisor, and agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by applicable law any records which it maintains for the Advisor and which are required to be maintained, and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Advisor any records which it maintains for the Advisor upon request by the Advisor.
5. Further Duties.
(a) In all matters relating to the performance of this Contract, each Sub-Advisor will act in conformity with the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and Registration Statement of the Trust and with the instructions and directions of the Advisor and the Board and will comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the rules, regulations, exemptive orders and no-action positions thereunder, and all other applicable laws and regulations.
(b) Each Sub-Advisor shall maintain compliance procedures for the Funds that it and the Advisor reasonably believe are adequate to ensure compliance with the federal securities laws (as
defined in Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act) and the investment objective(s) and policies as stated in the Funds' prospectuses and statements of additional information. Each Sub-Advisor at its expense will provide the Advisor or the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer with such compliance reports relating to its duties under this Contract as may be requested from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Sub-Advisor will promptly report to the Advisor any material violations of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act) that it is or should be aware of or of any material violation of the Sub-Advisor's compliance policies and procedures that pertain to the Funds.
(c) Each Sub-Advisor at its expense will make available to the Board and the Advisor at reasonable times its portfolio managers and other appropriate personnel, either in person or, at the mutual convenience of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor, by telephone, in order to review the investment policies, performance and other investment related information regarding the Funds and to consult with the Board and the Advisor regarding the Funds' investment affairs, including economic, statistical and investment matters related to the Sub-Advisor's duties hereunder, and will provide periodic reports to the Advisor relating to the investment strategies it employs. Each Sub-Advisor and its personnel shall also cooperate fully with counsel and auditors for, and the Chief Compliance Officer of, the Advisor and the Trust.
(d) Each Sub-Advisor will assist in the fair valuation of portfolio securities held by the Funds. The Sub-Advisor will use its reasonable efforts to provide, based upon its own expertise, and to arrange with parties independent of the Sub-Advisor such as broker-dealers for the provision of, valuation information or prices for securities for which prices are deemed by the Advisor or the Trust's administrator not to be readily available in the ordinary course of business from an automated pricing service. In addition, each Sub-Advisor will assist the Funds and their agents in determining whether prices obtained for valuation purposes accurately reflect market price information relating to the assets of the Funds at such times as the Advisor shall reasonably request, including but not limited to, the hours after the close of a securities market and prior to the daily determination of a Fund's net asset value per share.
(e) Each Sub-Advisor represents and warrants that it has adopted a code of ethics meeting the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and the requirements of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisors Act and has provided the Advisor and the Board a copy of such code of ethics, together with evidence of its adoption, and will promptly provide copies of any changes thereto, together with evidence of their adoption. Upon request of the Advisor, but in any event no less frequently than annually, each Sub-Advisor will supply the Advisor a written report that (A) describes any issues arising under the code of ethics or procedures since the Sub-Advisor's last report, including but not limited to material violations of the code of ethics or procedures and sanctions imposed in response to the material violations; and (B) certifies that the procedures contained in the Sub-Advisor's code of ethics are reasonably designed to prevent "access persons" from violating the code of ethics.
(f) Upon request of the Advisor, each Sub-Advisor will review draft reports to shareholders and other documents provided or available to it and provide comments on a timely basis. In addition, each Sub-Advisor and each officer and portfolio manager thereof designated by the Advisor will provide on a timely basis such certifications or sub-certifications as the Advisor may reasonably request in order to support and facilitate certifications required to be provided by the Trust's Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and will adopt such disclosure controls and procedures in support of the disclosure controls and procedures adopted by the Trust as the Advisor, on behalf of the Trust, deems are reasonably necessary.
(g) Unless otherwise directed by the Advisor or the Board, each Sub-Advisor will vote all proxies received in accordance with the Advisor's proxy voting policy or, if the Sub-Advisor has a proxy voting policy approved by the Board, the Sub-Advisor's proxy voting policy. Each Sub-Advisor shall maintain and shall forward to the Funds or their designated agent such proxy voting information as is necessary for the Funds to timely file proxy voting results in accordance with Rule 30b1-4 of the 1940 Act.
(h) Each Sub-Advisor shall provide the Funds' custodian on each business day with information relating to all transactions concerning the assets of the Funds and shall provide the Advisor with such information upon request of the Advisor.
6. Services Not Exclusive. The services furnished by each Sub-Advisor hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and such Sub-Advisor shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Contract are not impaired thereby. Nothing in this Contract shall limit or restrict the right of any director, officer or employee of a Sub-Advisor, who may also be a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust, to engage in any other business or to devote his or her time and attention in part to the management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar nature or a dissimilar nature.
7. Use of Subsidiaries and Affiliates. Each Sub-Advisor may perform any or all of the services contemplated hereunder, including but not limited to providing investment advice to the Funds pursuant to paragraph 2(a) above and placing orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities or other investments for the Funds pursuant to paragraph 2(b) above, directly or through such of its subsidiaries or other affiliates, including each of the other Sub-Advisors, as such Sub-Advisor shall determine; provided, however, that performance of such services through such subsidiaries or other affiliates shall have been approved, when required by the 1940 Act, by (i) a vote of a majority of the independent Trustees who are not parties to this Contract or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a party to this Contract, other than as Board members ("Independent Trustees"), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and/or (ii) a vote of a majority of that Fund's outstanding voting securities.
8. Compensation.
(a) The only fees payable to the Sub-Advisors under this Contract are for providing discretionary investment management services pursuant to paragraph 2(c) above. For such services, the Advisor will pay each Sub-Advisor a fee, computed daily and paid monthly, equal to (i) 40% of the monthly compensation that the Advisor receives from the Trust pursuant to its advisory agreement with the Trust, multiplied by (ii) the fraction equal to the net assets of such Fund as to which the Sub-Advisor shall have provided discretionary investment management services pursuant to paragraph 2(c) above for that month divided by the net assets of such Fund for that month. This fee shall be payable on or before the last business day of the next succeeding calendar month. This fee shall be reduced to reflect contractual or voluntary fee waivers or expense limitations by the Advisor, if any, in effect from time to time as set forth in paragraph 9 below. In no event shall the aggregate monthly fees paid to the Sub-Advisors under this Contract exceed 40% of the monthly compensation that the Advisor receives from the Trust pursuant to its advisory agreement with the Trust, as reduced to reflect contractual or voluntary fee waivers or expense limitations by the Advisor, if any.
(b) If this Contract becomes effective or terminates before the end of any month, the fees for the period from the effective date to the end of the month or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination, as the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full month in which such effectiveness or termination occurs.
(c) If a Sub-Advisor provides the services under paragraph 2(c) above to a Fund for a period that is less than a full month, the fees for such period shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to the applicable full month.
9. Fee Waivers and Expense Limitations. If, for any fiscal year of a Fund, the amount of the advisory fee which such Fund would otherwise be obligated to pay to the Advisor is reduced because of contractual or voluntary fee waivers or expense limitations by the Advisor, the fee payable to each Sub-Advisor pursuant to paragraph 8 above shall be reduced proportionately; and to the extent that the Advisor reimburses the Fund as a result of such expense limitations, such Sub-Advisor shall reimburse the Advisor that proportion of such reimbursement payments which the fee payable to each Sub-Advisor pursuant to paragraph 8 above bears to the advisory fee under this Contract.
10. Limitation of Liability of Sub-Advisor and Indemnification. No Sub-Advisor shall be liable for any costs or liabilities arising from any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by a Fund or the Trust in connection with the matters to which this Contract relates except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of such Sub-Advisor in the performance by such
Sub-Advisor of its duties or from reckless disregard by such Sub-Advisor of its obligations and duties under this Contract. Any person, even though also an officer, partner, employee, or agent of a Sub-Advisor, who may be or become a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be deemed, when rendering services to a Fund or the Trust or acting with respect to any business of a Fund or the Trust, to be rendering such service to or acting solely for the Fund or the Trust and not as an officer, partner, employee, or agent or one under the control or direction of such Sub-Advisor even though paid by it.
11. Duration and Termination.
(a) This Contract shall become effective with respect to each Sub-Advisor upon the later of the date hereabove written and the date that such Sub-Advisor is registered with the SEC as an investment advisor under the Advisors Act, if a Sub-Advisor is not so registered as of the date hereabove written; provided, however, that this Contract shall not take effect with respect to any Fund unless it has first been approved (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by vote of a majority of that Fund's outstanding voting securities, when required by the 1940 Act.
(b) Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Contract shall continue in force and effect until June 30, 2009. Thereafter, if not terminated, with respect to each Fund, this Contract shall continue automatically for successive periods not to exceed twelve months each, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by a vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Fund(s) or any Sub-Advisor(s), this Contract may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, (i) by vote of the Board or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund(s) on sixty days' written notice to such Sub-Advisor(s); or (ii) by the Advisor on sixty days' written notice to such Sub-Advisor(s); or (iii) by a Sub-Advisor on sixty days' written notice to the Trust. Should this Contract be terminated with respect to a Sub-Advisor, the Advisor shall assume the duties and responsibilities of such Sub-Advisor unless and until the Advisor appoints another Sub-Advisor to perform such duties and responsibilities. Termination of this Contract with respect to one or more Fund(s) or Sub-Advisor(s) shall not affect the continued effectiveness of this Contract with respect to any remaining Fund(s) or Sub-Advisor(s). This Contract will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.
12. Amendment. No provision of this Contract may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and, when required by the 1940 Act, no amendment of this Contract shall be effective until approved by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.
13. Notices. Any notices under this Contract shall be in writing, addressed and delivered, telecopied or mailed postage paid, to the other party entitled to receipt thereof at such address as such party may designate for the receipt of such notice. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the address of the Trust and the Advisor shall be 11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77046-1173. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the address of each Sub-Advisor shall be set forth in Exhibit B attached hereto.
14. Governing Law. This Contract shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Texas conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.
15. Multiple Sub-Advisory Agreements. This Contract has been signed by multiple parties; namely the Advisor, on one hand, and each Sub-Advisor, on the other. The parties have signed one document for administrative convenience to avoid a multiplicity of documents. It is understood and agreed that this document shall constitute a separate sub-advisory agreement between the Advisor and each Sub-Advisor
with respect to each Fund, as if the Advisor and such Sub-Advisor had executed a separate sub-advisory agreement naming such Sub-Advisor as a sub-Advisor to each Fund. With respect to any one Sub-Advisor, (i) references in this Contract to "a Sub-Advisor" or to "each Sub-Advisor" shall be deemed to refer only to such Sub-Advisor, and (ii) the term "this Contract" shall be construed according to the foregoing provisions.
16. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Contract are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any provision of this Contract shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Contract shall not be affected thereby. This Contract shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Contract having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act or the Advisors Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act or the Advisors Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States Courts or in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC issued pursuant to said Acts. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisors Act reflected in any provision of the Contract is revised by rule, regulation or order of the SEC, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Contract to be executed by their officers designated as of the day and year first above written.
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
Advisor
BY: /s/ John M. Zerr --------------------------------- NAME: John M. Zerr TITLE: Senior Vice President |
AIM FUNDS MANAGEMENT INC.
Sub-Advisor
BY: /s/ Julianna Ahn ------------------------------------ NAME: Julianna Ahn TITLE: Assistant Secretary BY: /s/ Wayne J. Bolton ------------------------------------ NAME: Wayne J. Bolton TITLE: Vice President, Compliance |
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT DEUTSCHLAND
GMBH
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Michael Ballhausen ------------------------------------ Name: Michael Ballhausen Title: Director By: /s/ Berhnard Langer ------------------------------------ Name: Berhnard Langer Title: Managing Director |
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Graeme Proudfoot ------------------------------------ Name: Graeme Proudfoot Title: Director |
INVESCO ASSET MANAGEMENT (JAPAN) LTD.
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Masakazu Hasegawa ------------------------------------ Name: Masakazu Hasegawa Title: Managing Director |
INVESCO AUSTRALIA LIMITED
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Mark Yesberg ------------------------------------ Name: Mark Yesberg Title: Head of Product & Marketing By: /s/ Ian Coltman ------------------------------------ Name: Ian Coltman Title: Company Secretary |
INVESCO GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (N.A.),
INC.
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Kirk F. Holland ------------------------------------ Name: Kirk F. Holland Title: President and CEO |
INVESCO HONG KONG LIMITED
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Anna Tong ------------------------------------ Name: Anna Tong Title: Director By: /s/ Gracie Liu ------------------------------------ Name: Gracie Liu Title: Director |
INVESCO INSTITUTIONAL (N.A.), INC.
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Kirk F. Holland ------------------------------------ Name: Kirk F. Holland Title: Vice President |
INVESCO SENIOR SECURED MANAGEMENT, INC.
Sub-Advisor
By: /s/ Greg Stoeckle ------------------------------------ Name: Greg Stoeckle Title: --------------------------------- |
EXHIBIT A
FUNDS
Government & Agency Portfolio
Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio
Liquid Assets Portfolio
STIC Prime Portfolio
Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
EXHIBIT B
ADDRESSES OF SUB-ADVISORS
AIM Funds Management Inc.
5140 Yonge Street, Suite 900
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M2N 6X7
Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH
Bleichstrasse 60-62
Frankfurt, Germany 60313
Invesco Asset Management Limited
30 Finsbury Square
London, United Kingdom
EC2A 1AG
ENGLAND
Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Ltd.
25th Floor, Shiroyama Trust Tower
3-1, Toranoman 4-chome, Minato-Ku
Tokyo, Japan 105-6025
Invesco Australia Limited
333 Collins Street, Level 26
Melbourne Vic 3000, Australia
Invesco Global Asset Management (N.A.), Inc.
One Midtown Plaza
1360 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
USA
Invesco Hong Kong Limited
32nd Floor
Three Pacific Place
1 Queen's Road East
Hong Kong
Invesco Institutional (N.A.), Inc.
One Midtown Plaza
1360 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
USA
Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc.
1166 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
USA
AMENDMENT NO. 2
TO
MASTER DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
AND
INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
The Master Distribution Agreement (the "Agreement"), dated December 7, 2007, by and between SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST, a Delaware statutory trust, and INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC., formerly A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware corporation, is hereby amended to add Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio shares as follows:
Appendix A of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirely and replaced with the following:
"APPENDIX A
TO
MASTER DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
OF
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class
TREASURY PORTFOLIO
Cash Management Class
Corporate Class
Institutional Class
Personal Investment Class
Private Investment Class
Reserve Class
Resource Class"
All other terms and provisions of the Agreement not amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.
Dated: April 30, 2008
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Name: Stephen R. Rimes Name: Karen Dunn Kelley Title: Assistant Secretary Title: President (SEAL) INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC. Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ John S. Cooper ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Name: Stephen R. Rimes Name: John S. Cooper Title: Assistant Secretary Title: President (SEAL) |
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MASTER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
The Second Amended and Restated Master Administrative Services Agreement (the "Agreement"), dated July 1, 2006, by and between Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc., formerly A I M Advisors, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Short-Term Investments Trust, a Delaware statutory trust is hereby amended as follows:
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement to add Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio to the Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows;
1. Appendix A of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
"APPENDIX A
FEE SCHEDULE TO
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED MASTER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
OF
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
PORTFOLIOS EFFECTIVE DATE OF AGREEMENT ---------- --------------------------- Government & Agency Portfolio July 1, 2006 Government Tax Advantage Portfolio July 1, 2006 Liquid Assets Portfolio July 1, 2006 STIC Prime Portfolio July 1, 2006 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio April 30, 2008 Treasury Portfolio July 1, 2006 |
The Administrator may receive from each Portfolio reimbursement for costs or reasonable compensation for such services as follows:
Rate* Net Assets ----- ------------------ 0.023% First $1.5 billion 0.013% Next $1.5 billion 0.003% Over $3 billion |
* Annual minimum fee is $50,000. An additional $10,000 per class of shares is charged for each class other than the initial class. The $10,000 class fee is waived for any of the above Portfolios with insufficient assets to result in the payment of more than the minimum fee of $50,000."
All other terms and provisions of the Agreement not amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.
Dated: April 30, 2008
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ John M. Zerr ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Assistant Secretary John M. Zerr Senior Vice President |
(SEAL)
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
Attest: /s/ Stephen R. Rimes By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ----------------------------- ------------------------------------ Assistant Secretary Karen Dunn Kelley President |
(SEAL)
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
(EXPENSE LIMITATIONS)
This Memorandum of Agreement is entered into as of the Effective Date on the attached exhibits (the "Exhibits"), between AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Growth Series, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Variable Insurance Funds and Short-Term Investments Trust (each a "Trust" or, collectively, the "Trusts"), on behalf of the funds listed on the Exhibits to this Memorandum of Agreement (the "Funds"), and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. ("Invesco Aim"). Invesco Aim shall and hereby agrees to waive fees or reimburse expenses of each Fund, on behalf of its respective classes as applicable, severally and not jointly, as indicated in the attached Exhibits.
For and in consideration of the mutual terms and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Trusts and Invesco Aim agree as follows:
For the Contractual Limits (listed in Exhibits A - D), the Trusts and
Invesco Aim agree until at least the expiration date set forth on the attached
Exhibits A - D (the "Expiration Date") that Invesco Aim will waive its fees or
reimburse expenses to the extent that expenses of a class of a Fund (excluding
(i) interest; (ii) taxes; (iii) dividend expense on short sales; (iv)
extraordinary items; (v) expenses related to a merger or reorganization, as
approved by the Funds' Boards of Trustees; (vi) expenses of the underlying funds
that are paid indirectly as a result of share ownership of the underlying funds;
and (vii) expenses that each Fund has incurred but did not actually pay because
of an expense offset arrangement, if applicable) exceed the rate, on an
annualized basis, set forth on the Exhibits of the average daily net assets
allocable to such class. Acquired fund fees and expenses are not fees or
expenses incurred by a fund directly but are expenses of the investment
companies in which a fund invests. These fees and expenses are incurred
indirectly through the valuation of a fund's investment in these investment
companies. Acquired fund fees and expenses are required to be disclosed and
included in the total annual fund operating expenses in the prospectus fee
table. As a result, the net total annual fund operating expenses shown in the
prospectus fee table may exceed the expense limits reflected in Exhibits A-D.
With regard to the Contractual Limits, the Board of Trustees of the Trust and
Invesco Aim may terminate or modify this Memorandum of Agreement prior to the
Expiration Date only by mutual written consent. Invesco Aim will not have any
right to reimbursement of any amount so waived or reimbursed.
For the Contractual Limits, each of the Trusts and Invesco Aim agree to review the then-current expense limitations for each class of each Fund listed on the Exhibits on a date prior to the Expiration Date to determine whether such limitations should be amended, continued or terminated. The expense limitations will expire upon the Expiration Date unless the Trusts and Invesco Aim have agreed to continue them. The Exhibits will be amended to reflect any such agreement.
For the Voluntary Limits (listed in Exhibits A - D), the Trusts and Invesco Aim agree that these are not contractual in nature and that Invesco Aim may establish, amend and/or terminate such expense limitations at any time in its sole discretion after consultation with the Funds' Boards of Trustees. Any delay or failure by Invesco Aim to update this Memorandum of Agreement with regards to the terminations, extensions, or expirations of the Voluntary Limits shall have no effect on the term of such Voluntary Limitations; the Voluntary Limitations are listed herein for informational purposes only.
It is expressly agreed that the obligations of each Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Trusts personally, but shall only bind the assets and property of each Fund, as provided in each Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The execution and delivery of this Memorandum of Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trusts, and this Memorandum of Agreement has been executed and delivered by an authorized officer of the Trusts acting as such; neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the assets and property of the Funds, as provided in each Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Trusts and Invesco Aim have entered into this Memorandum of Agreement as of the Effective Dates on the attached Exhibits.
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
AIM GROWTH SERIES
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
on behalf of the Funds listed in the Exhibits
to this Memorandum of Agreement
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ----------------------------------------- Title: Senior Vice President |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
on behalf of the Funds listed in the Exhibits
to this Memorandum of Agreement
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ----------------------------------------- Title: Senior Vice President |
Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc.
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ----------------------------------------- Title: Senior Vice President |
as of July 1, 2008
EXHIBIT "A" - RETAIL FUNDS(1)
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF MARCH 31
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM Technology Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.55% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.30% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.30% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Investor Class Shares Contractual 1.55% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.30% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 |
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM High Income Municipal Fund Class A Shares Voluntary 0.75% May 1, 2008 N/A(2) Class B Shares Voluntary 1.50% May 1, 2008 N/A(2) Class C Shares Voluntary 1.50% May 1, 2008 N/A(2) Institutional Class Shares Voluntary 0.50% May 1, 2008 N/A(2) |
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF JULY 31
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM Core Bond Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.00% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 1.75% July 1, 2002 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 1.75% July 1, 2002 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.25% April 30, 2004 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 0.75% April 30, 2004 June 30, 2009 AIM Short Term Bond Fund Class A Shares Contractual 0.85% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 1.10%(3) February 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.10% August 30, 2002 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 0.60% August 30, 2002 June 30, 2009 |
See page 5 for footnotes to Exhibit A.
as of July 1, 2008
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF AUGUST 31
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM Floating Rate Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.50% April 14, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.00% April 14, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.75% April 14, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.25% April 14, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Core Fund Class A Contractual 0.60% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 Class B Contractual 1.35% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 Class C Contractual 1.35% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 Class R Contractual 0.85% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 Investor Class Contractual 0.60% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.35% April 28, 2008 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Growth Fund Class A Contractual 1.00% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class B Contractual 1.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Contractual 1.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class R Contractual 1.25% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Value Fund Class A Contractual 1.00% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class B Contractual 1.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Contractual 1.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class R Contractual 1.25% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.75% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 |
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF OCTOBER 31
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM Large Cap Basic Value Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.22% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 1.97% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 1.97% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.47% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Investor Class Shares Contractual 1.22% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 0.97% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 AIM Large Cap Growth Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.32% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.07% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.07% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.57% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Investor Class Shares Contractual 1.32% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.07% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 |
See page 5 for footnotes to Exhibit A.
as of July 1, 2008
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM China Fund Class A Shares Contractual 2.05% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.80% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.80% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.80% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM Developing Markets Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.75% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.50% July 1, 2002 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.50% July 1, 2002 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.50% October 25, 2005 June 30, 2009 AIM International Total Return Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.10% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 1.85% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 1.85% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 0.85% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM Japan Fund Class A Shares Contractual 1.70% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.45% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.45% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.45% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM LIBOR Alpha Fund Class A Shares Contractual 0.85% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 1.10%(3) March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 1.10% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 0.60% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 AIM Trimark Fund Class A Shares Contractual 2.15% July 1, 2005 June 30, 2009 Class B Shares Contractual 2.90% November 1, 2004 June 30, 2009 Class C Shares Contractual 2.90% November 1, 2004 June 30, 2009 Class R Shares Contractual 2.40% November 1, 2004 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Shares Contractual 1.90% November 1, 2004 June 30, 2009 |
(1) The total operating expenses of any class of shares established after the date of this Memorandum of Agreement will be limited to the amount established for Class A Shares plus the difference between the new class 12b-1 rate and the Class A 12b-1 rate.
(2) AIM may establish, amend or terminate voluntary waivers at any time in its sole discretion after consultation with the Trust.
(3) The expense limit shown is the expense limit after Rule 12b-1 fee waivers by Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc.
as of July 1, 2008
EXHIBIT "B" - ASSET ALLOCATION FUNDS(1)
AIM GROWTH SERIES
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION(2) CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ -------------------------------- ----------------- ------------- AIM Conservative Allocation Fund Class A Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.23% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.23% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.23% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.23% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.23% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Growth Allocation Fund Class A Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.21% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.21% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.21% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.21% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.21% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Income Allocation Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.03% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.03% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.03% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.03% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.03% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets |
See page 10 for footnotes to Exhibit B.
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION(2) CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ -------------------------------- ----------------- ------------- AIM Independence Now Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.02% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.02% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.02% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.02% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.02% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Independence 2010 Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.04% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.04% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.04% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.04% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.04% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Independence 2020 Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.07% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.07% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.07% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.07% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.07% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets |
See page 10 for footnotes to Exhibit B.
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION(2) CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ -------------------------------- ----------------- ------------- AIM Independence 2030 Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.10% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.10% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.10% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.10% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.10% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Independence 2040 Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.09% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.09% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.09% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.09% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.09% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Independence 2050 Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.08% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.08% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.08% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.08% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.08% of May 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets |
See page 10 for footnotes to Exhibit B.
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION(2) CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ -------------------------------- ----------------- ------------- AIM International Allocation Fund Class A Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.18% of October 31, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.18% of October 31, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.18% of October 31, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.18% of October 31, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.18% of October 31, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Moderate Allocation Fund Class A Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of January 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets AIM Moderate Growth Allocation Fund Class A Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daiy net assets Class B Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.12% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets |
See page 10 for footnotes to Exhibit B.
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION(2) CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ -------------------------------- ----------------- ------------- AIM Moderately Conservative Allocation Fund Class A Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.14% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class B Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.14% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class C Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.14% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Class R Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.14% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets Institutional Class Shares Contractual Limit Other Expenses to 0.14% of April 29, 2005 June 30, 2009 average daily net assets |
(1) Other Expenses of any class of shares established after the date of this Memorandum of Agreement will be limited to the same amount established for Class A shares.
(2) Other Expenses are defined as all normal operating expenses of the fund, excluding management fees and 12b-1 expenses, if any. The expense limitation is subject to the exclusions as listed in the Memorandum of Agreement.
as of July 1, 2008
EXHIBIT "C" - INSTITUTIONAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS(1,2)
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF AUGUST 31
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- Government & Agency Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Corporate Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio Cash Management Class Corporate Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Liquid Assets Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Corporate Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 STIC Prime Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Corporate Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio(3) Cash Management Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Corporate Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.22% April 30, 2008 June 30, 2009 |
See page 12 for footnotes to Exhibit C.
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- Treasury Portfolio Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Cash Management Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Corporate Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Institutional Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.12% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class |
(1) The expense limit shown excludes Rule 12b-1 fees.
(2) The expense rate excluding 12b-1 fees of any class of shares established after the date of this Memorandum of Agreement will be the same as existing classes.
(3) The expense limitation also excludes Trustees' fees and federal registration expenses. As of the date of this agreement, the fiscal year end of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is 3/31. Effective April 30, 2008, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was reorganized as a portfolio of Tax-Free Investments Trust ("TFIT") to Short-Term Investments Trust following shareholder approval at a meeting held on February 29, 2008. The Board of Trustees of TFIT previously approved this expense limitation at a meeting on June 26-27, 2007 to be effective until at least June 30, 2008. As a portfolio of TFIT, this limitation has been in effect since June 30, 2005.
as of July 1, 2008
EXHIBIT "D" - VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM V.I. Basic Balanced Fund Series I Shares Contractual 0.91% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.16% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Basic Value Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Capital Appreciation Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Capital Development Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Core Equity Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Diversified Income Fund Series I Shares Contractual 0.75% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.00% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Dynamics Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Financial Services Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Global Health Care Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Global Real Estate Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Government Securities Fund Series I Shares Contractual 0.73% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 0.98% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 |
as of July 1, 2008
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPENSE EFFECTIVE DATE OF EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY LIMITATION CURRENT LIMIT DATE ---- ------------ ---------- ------------------ -------------- AIM V.I. High Yield Fund Series II Shares Contractual 0.95% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.20% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. International Growth Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Large Cap Growth Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.01% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.26% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Leisure Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.01% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.26% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Mid Cap Core Equity Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% September 10, 2001 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% September 10, 2001 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Money Market Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% January 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.15% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.40% July 1, 2005 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Technology Fund Series I Shares Contractual 1.30% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.45% April 30, 2004 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Utilities Fund Series I Shares Contractual 0.93% September 23, 2005 April 30, 2010 Series II Shares Contractual 1.18% September 23, 2005 April 30, 2010 |
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
(12B-1 FEE WAIVERS)
This Memorandum of Agreement is entered into as of the effective date listed on Exhibit "A" of this agreement, between AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds and Short-Term Investments Trust (each a "Trust" and, collectively, the "Trusts"), on behalf of the funds or portfolios, as applicable, listed on Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of Agreement (the "Funds"), and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc. ("Distributors"). Distributors shall and hereby agrees to waive fees of each Fund, on behalf of its respective classes as applicable, severally and not jointly, as indicated in the attached Exhibit "A".
For and in consideration of the mutual terms and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Trusts and Distributors agree as follows:
For the Contractual Waivers (listed in the attached Exhibit), the Trusts and Distributors agree until at least the date set forth on the attached Exhibit "A" (the "Expiration Date") that Distributors will waive Rule 12b-1 distribution plan fees in an amount equal to the rates as set forth on Exhibit "A" multiplied by the average annual daily net assets allocable to such class. Each Trust's Board of Trustees and Distributors may terminate or modify this Memorandum of Agreement prior to the Expiration Date only by mutual written consent. Distributors will not have any right to reimbursement of any amount so waived.
For the Contractual Waivers, the Trusts and Distributors agree to review the then-current waivers for each class of each Fund listed on Exhibit "A" on a date prior to the Expiration Date to determine whether such waivers should be amended, continued or terminated. The waivers will expire upon the Expiration Date unless the Trusts and AIM have agreed to continue them. Exhibit "A" will be amended to reflect any such agreement.
For any Voluntary Waivers, the Trust and Distributors agree that these are not contractual in nature and that Distributors may establish, amend and/or terminate such expense limitations at any time in its sole discretion after consultation with each Trust's Board of Trustees. Any delay or failure by Distributors to update this Memorandum of Agreement with regards to the terminations, extensions, or expirations of any Voluntary Waivers shall have no effect on the term of such Voluntary Waivers.
It is expressly agreed that the obligations of the Trusts hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of the Trusts personally, but shall only bind the assets and property of the Funds, as provided in each Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The execution and delivery of this Memorandum of Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of each Trust, and this Memorandum of Agreement has been executed and delivered by an authorized officer of each Trust acting as such; neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the assets and property of the Funds, as provided in each Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trusts and Distributors have entered into this Memorandum of Agreement as of the date first above written.
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
on behalf of the Funds listed in
Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of
Agreement
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
on behalf of the Funds listed in
Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of
Agreement
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
EXHIBIT "A"
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF MARCH 31
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY WAIVER EFFECTIVE DATE DATE ---- ------------ ------ ---------------- ------------- AIM Tax-Exempt Cash Fund Upon acquisition Class A Shares Contractual 0.15% in 1993 June 30, 2009 |
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF JULY 31
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY WAIVER EFFECTIVE DATE DATE ---- ------------ ------ ---------------- ------------- AIM Money Market Fund Cash Reserve Shares, Class B, C and R Shares Contractual 0.10% January 1, 2008 June 30, 2009 AIM Short Term Bond Fund Class C Shares Contractual 0.50% February 1, 2006 June 30, 2009 |
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF AUGUST 31
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY WAIVER EFFECTIVE DATE DATE ---- ------------ ------ -------------- ------------- Government & Agency Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.04% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.25% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.04% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Liquid Assets Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 |
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY WAIVER EFFECTIVE DATE DATE ---- ------------ ------ -------------- ------------- STIC Prime Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.04% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio(1) Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% April 30, 2008(2) June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% April 30, 2008(2) June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.25% April 30, 2008(2) June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% April 30, 2008(2) June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.04% April 30, 2008(2) June 30, 2009 Treasury Portfolio Cash Management Class Contractual 0.02% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Personal Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Private Investment Class Contractual 0.20% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Reserve Class Contractual 0.13% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 Resource Class Contractual 0.04% June 30, 2005 June 30, 2009 |
FUNDS WITH FISCAL YEAR END OF OCTOBER 31
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
CONTRACTUAL/ EXPIRATION FUND VOLUNTARY WAIVER EFFECTIVE DATE DATE ---- ------------ ------ -------------- ------------- AIM LIBOR Alpha Fund Class C Shares Contractual 0.50% March 31, 2006 June 30, 2009 |
(2) As of the date of this agreement, the fiscal year end of Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio is 3/31. Effective April 30, 2008, Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio was reorganized as a portfolio of Tax-Free Investments Trust ("TFIT") to Short-Term Investments Trust following shareholder approval at a meeting held on February 29, 2008. The Board of Trustees of TFIT previously approved this expense limitation at a meeting on June 26-27, 2007 to be effective until at least June 30, 2008. As a portfolio of TFIT, this limitation has been in effect since June 30, 2005.
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
(AFFILIATED MONEY MARKET FUND ADVISORY FEE WAIVER)
This Memorandum of Agreement is entered into as of the dates indicated on Exhibit "A" between AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Variable Insurance Funds and Short-Term Investments Trust (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"), on behalf of the portfolios listed on Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of Agreement (the "Portfolios"), and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. ("Invesco Aim").
For and in consideration of the mutual terms and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Funds and Invesco Aim agree as follows:
1. Each Fund, for itself and its Portfolios, and Invesco Aim agree that until the expiration date, if any, of the commitment set forth on the attached Exhibit "A" occurs, as such Exhibit "A" is amended from time to time, Invesco Aim will waive advisory fees payable by an Investing Fund in an amount equal to 100% of the net advisory fee Invesco Aim receives on the Uninvested Cash (defined below) from the Affiliated Money Market Fund (defined below) in which the Investing Fund invests (the "Waiver").
i. Invesco Aim's Fund Accounting Group will calculate, and apply, the Waiver monthly, based upon the average investment of Uninvested Cash made by the Investing Fund during the previous month in an Affiliated Money Market Fund.
ii. The Waiver will not apply to those investing Funds that do not charge an advisory fee, either due to the terms of their advisory agreement, or as a result of contractual or voluntary fee waivers.
iii. The Waiver will not apply to cash collateral for securities lending.
For purposes of the paragraph above, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Affiliated Money Market Fund" - any existing or future Fund that holds itself out as a money market fund and complies with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and
(b) "Uninvested Cash" - cash available and uninvested by a Fund that may result from a variety of sources, including dividends or interest received on portfolio securities, unsettled securities transactions, strategic reserves, matured investments, proceeds from liquidation of investment securities, dividend payments, or new investor capital.
2. Neither a Fund nor Invesco Aim may remove or amend the Waiver to a Fund's detriment prior to requesting and receiving the approval of the Portfolio's Board of Trustee to remove or amend such Waiver. Invesco Aim will not have any right to reimbursement of any amount so waived.
Subject to the foregoing paragraphs, each of the Funds and Invesco Aim agree to review the then-current waivers for each class of the Funds listed on the Exhibit on a date prior to the Expiration Date to determine whether such waivers should be amended, continued or terminated. The waivers will expire upon the Expiration Date unless the Funds and Invesco Aim have agreed to continue them. The Exhibit will be amended to reflect any such agreement.
Nothing in this Memorandum of Agreement is intended to affect any other memorandum of agreement executed by any Fund or Invesco Aim with respect to any other fee waivers, expense reimbursements and/or expense limitations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Fund, on behalf of itself and its Portfolios listed in Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of Agreement, and Invesco Aim have entered into this Memorandum of Agreement as of the dates indicated on Exhibit "A".
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
AIM FUNDS GROUP
AIM GROWTH SERIES
AIM INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
EXHIBIT "A"
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
PORTFOLIO EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL --------- -------------- --------------- AIM Floating Rate Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Multi-Sector Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Core Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Structured Value Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
PORTFOLIO EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL --------- -------------- --------------- AIM Capital Development Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Charter Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Constellation Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Diversified Dividend Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Large Cap Basic Value Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Large Cap Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Summit Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM FUNDS GROUP
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM Basic Balanced Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM European Small Company Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Value Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM International Small Company Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Mid Cap Basic Value Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Select Equity Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Small Cap Equity Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM GROWTH SERIES
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM Basic Value Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Equity Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Mid Cap Core Equity Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Small Cap Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM Asia Pacific Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM European Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Small & Mid Cap Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM International Core Equity Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM International Growth Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM China Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Developing Markets Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Health Care Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM International Total Return Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Japan Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM LIBOR Alpha Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Trimark Endeavor Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Trimark Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Trimark Small Companies Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM Core Bond Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Dynamics Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Global Real Estate Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM High Yield Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Income Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Limited Maturity Treasury Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Money Market Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Municipal Bond Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Real Estate Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Short Term Bond Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM U.S. Government Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM Energy Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Financial Services Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Gold & Precious Metals Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Leisure Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Technology Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Utilities Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM High Income Municipal Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Tax-Exempt Cash Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 AIM Tax-Free Intermediate Fund July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- AIM V.I. Basic Balanced Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Basic Value Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Capital Appreciation Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Capital Development Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Core Equity Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Diversified Income Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Dynamics Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Financial Services Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Global Health Care Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Global Real Estate Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Government Securities Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. High Yield Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. International Growth Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Large Cap Growth Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Leisure Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Mid Cap Core Equity Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Money Market Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Technology Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 AIM V.I. Utilities Fund July 1, 2007 April 30, 2010 |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL ---- -------------- --------------- Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 STIC Prime Portfolio July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 Treasury Portfolio July 1, 2007 June 30, 2009 |
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
(SECURITIES LENDING ADMINISTRATIVE FEE WAIVER)
This Third Amended and Restated Memorandum of Agreement is entered into as of the dates indicated on Exhibit "A" between AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds and Short-Term Investments Trust (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"), on behalf of the portfolios listed on Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of Agreement (the "Portfolios"), and Invesco Aim Advisors, Inc. ("Invesco Aim"). This Memorandum of Agreement restates the Memorandum of Agreement previously in effect prior to July 1, 2007 and entered into as of the effective dates indicated on Exhibit "A" between AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, on behalf of the portfolios and Invesco Aim.
For and in consideration of the mutual terms and agreements set forth herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Funds and Invesco Aim agree as follows:
1. Each Fund, for itself and its Portfolios, and Invesco Aim agree that until the expiration date, if any, of the commitment set forth on the attached Exhibit "A" occurs, as such Exhibit "A" is amended from time to time, Invesco Aim has agreed that it will not charge any administrative fee under each Portfolio's advisory agreement in connection with securities lending activities without prior approval from the Portfolio's Board (such agreement is referred to as the "Waiver").
2. Neither a Fund nor Invesco Aim may remove or amend the Waiver to a Fund's detriment prior to requesting and receiving the approval of the Portfolio's Board to remove or amend the Waiver. Invesco Aim will not have any right to reimbursement of any amount so waived.
Unless a Fund, by vote of its Board of Trustees terminates the Waiver, or a Fund and Invesco Aim are unable to reach an agreement on the amount of the Waiver to which the Fund and Invesco Aim desire to be bound, the Waiver will continue indefinitely with respect to such Fund. Exhibit "A" will be amended to reflect the new date through which a Fund and Invesco Aim agree to be bound.
Nothing in this Memorandum of Agreement is intended to affect any other memorandum of agreement executed by any Fund or Invesco Aim with respect to any other fee waivers, expense reimbursements and/or expense limitations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Fund, on behalf of itself and its Portfolios listed in Exhibit "A" to this Memorandum of Agreement, and Invesco Aim have entered into this Memorandum of Agreement as of the dates indicated on Exhibit "A".
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
AIM FUNDS GROUP
AIM GROWTH SERIES
AIM INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
AIM TREASURER'S SERIES TRUST
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
By: /s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------ Title: Senior Vice President |
EXHIBIT "A"
AIM COUNSELOR SERIES TRUST
PORTFOLIO EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* --------- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Floating Rate Fund April 14, 2006 AIM Multi-Sector Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Select Real Estate Income Fund March 9, 2007 AIM Structured Core Fund March 31, 2006 AIM Structured Growth Fund March 31, 2006 AIM Structured Value Fund March 31, 2006 |
AIM EQUITY FUNDS
PORTFOLIO EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* --------- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Capital Development Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Charter Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Constellation Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Diversified Dividend Fund December 28, 2001 AIM Large Cap Basic Value Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Large Cap Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Summit Fund July 24, 2000 |
AIM FUNDS GROUP
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Basic Balanced Fund September 28, 2001 AIM European Small Company Fund August 30, 2000 AIM Global Value Fund December 27, 2000 AIM International Small Company Fund August 30, 2000 AIM Mid Cap Basic Value Fund December 27, 2001 AIM Select Equity Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Small Cap Equity Fund August 30, 2000 |
AIM GROWTH SERIES
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Basic Value Fund June 5, 2000 AIM Global Equity Fund September 1, 2001 AIM Mid Cap Core Equity Fund September 1, 2001 AIM Small Cap Growth Fund September 11, 2000 |
* Committed until the Fund or AIM requests and receives the approval of the Fund's Board to remove or amend such fee waiver. Such commitments are evergreen until amended and apply to each Portfolio of a Fund.
AIM INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Asia Pacific Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM European Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Global Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM Global Small & Mid Cap Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM International Growth Fund June 21, 2000 AIM International Core Equity Fund November 25, 2003 |
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM China Fund March 31, 2006 AIM Developing Markets Fund September 1, 2001 AIM Global Health Care Fund September 1, 2001 AIM International Total Return Fund March 31, 2006 AIM Japan Fund March 31, 2006 AIM LIBOR Alpha Fund March 31, 2006 AIM Trimark Endeavor Fund November 4, 2003 AIM Trimark Fund November 4, 2003 AIM Trimark Small Companies Fund November 4, 2003 |
AIM INVESTMENT SECURITIES FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Core Bond Fund December 28, 2001 AIM Dynamics Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Global Real Estate Fund April 29, 2005 AIM High Yield Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Income Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Limited Maturity Treasury Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Money Market Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Municipal Bond Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Real Estate Fund September 11, 2000 AIM Short Term Bond Fund August 29, 2002 AIM U.S. Government Fund June 1, 2000 |
* Committed until the Fund or AIM requests and receives the approval of the Fund's Board to remove or amend such fee waiver. Such commitments are evergreen until amended and apply to each Portfolio of a Fund.
AIM SECTOR FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM Energy Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Financial Services Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Gold & Precious Metals Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Leisure Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Technology Fund November 25, 2003 AIM Utilities Fund November 25, 2003 |
AIM TAX-EXEMPT FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM High Income Municipal Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Tax-Exempt Cash Fund June 1, 2000 AIM Tax-Free Intermediate Fund June 1, 2000 |
AIM TREASURER'S SERIES TRUST
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- Premier Portfolio November 25, 2003 Premier Tax-Exempt Portfolio November 25, 2003 Premier U.S. Government Money November 25, 2003 Portfolio |
* Committed until the Fund or AIM requests and receives the approval of the Fund's Board to remove or amend such fee waiver. Such commitments are evergreen until amended and apply to each Portfolio of a Fund.
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- AIM V.I. Basic Balanced Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Basic Value Fund September 10, 2001 AIM V.I. Capital Appreciation Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Capital Development Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Core Equity Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Diversified Income Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Dynamics Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Financial Services Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Global Health Care Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Global Real Estate Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Government Securities Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. High Yield Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. International Growth Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Large Cap Growth Fund September 1, 2003 AIM V.I. Leisure Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Mid Cap Core Equity Fund September 10, 2001 AIM V.I. Money Market Fund May 1, 2000 AIM V.I. Small Cap Equity Fund September 1, 2003 AIM V.I. Technology Fund April 30, 2004 AIM V.I. Utilities Fund April 30, 2004 |
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
FUND EFFECTIVE DATE COMMITTED UNTIL* ---- ------------------ ---------------- Government & Agency Portfolio June 1, 2000 Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio June 1, 2000 Liquid Assets Portfolio June 1, 2000 STIC Prime Portfolio June 1, 2000 Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio June 1, 2000 Treasury Portfolio June 1, 2000 |
* Committed until the Fund or AIM requests and receives the approval of the Fund's Board to remove or amend such fee waiver. Such commitments are evergreen until amended and apply to each Portfolio of a Fund.
CONSENT OF COUNSEL
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the reference to our firm under the caption "Investment Advisory and Other Services - Other Service Providers - Counsel to the Trust" in the Statement of Additional Information for the institutional classes of Short-Term Investments Trust, which are included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (No. 002-58287), and Amendment No. 57 to the Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (No. 811-02729), on Form N-1A of the Short-Term Investments Trust.
/s/ Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP ---------------------------------------- Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 23, 2008 |
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated May 15, 2008, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights which appears in the March 31, 2008 Annual Report to Shareholders for AIM Tax-Free Cash Reserves (one of the portfolios constituting Short-Term Investments Trust, collectively referred to as the "Trust") and of our reports dated October 19, 2007, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights which appears in the August 31, 2007 Annual Report to Shareholders for Liquid Assets Portfolio, STIC Prime Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio, Government & Agency Portfolio and Government TaxAdvantage Portfolio (five of the portfolios constituting Short-Term Investments Trust, collectively referred to as the "Trust"), which are also incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to us under the headings "Financial Highlights" and "Other Service Providers" in such Registration Statement.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Houston, Texas
July 21, 2008
April 29, 2008
Board of Trustees
Short-Term Investments Trust (the "Trust")
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 100
Houston, Texas 77046-1173
Re: Initial Capital Investment in New Portfolio of the Trust (the "Fund")
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are purchasing shares of the Fund for the purpose of providing initial investment for the new investment portfolio of the Trust. The purpose of this letter is to set out our understanding of the conditions of and our promises and representations concerning this investment.
We shall and hereby agree to purchase shares equal to the following dollar amount for the Fund
FUNDS AND CLASS AMOUNT DATE --------------- ------ -------------- Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio - Cash Mangement Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Corporate Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Institutional Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Personal Investment Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Private Investment Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Reserve Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 Resource Class Shares $1.00 April 29, 2008 |
We understand that the initial net asset value per share for the portfolio named above will be $1.00.
We hereby represent that we are purchasing these shares solely for our own account and solely for investment purposes without any intent of distributing or reselling said shares. We further represent that disposition of said shares will only be by direct redemption to or repurchase by the Trust.
We further agree to provide the Trust with at least three business days' advance written notice of any intended redemption and agree that we will work with the Trust with respect to the amount of such redemption so as not to place a burden on the Trust and to facilitate normal portfolio management of the Fund.
Sincerely yours,
INVESCO AIM ADVISORS, INC.
/s/ John M. Zerr ------------------------------------- John M. Zerr Senior Vice President |
cc: Mark Gregson
Gary Trappe
AMENDMENT NO. 2
TO THE THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER DISTRIBUTION PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE 12B-1
OF SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
The Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the "Plan") of Short-Term Investments Trust, effective as of December 7, 2007, is hereby amended, effective April 30, 2008, as follows:
WHEREAS, the parties desire to add Tax-Free Cash Reserve Portfolio;
NOW THEREFORE, Appendix A to the Plan is hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
"APPENDIX A
TO
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER DISTRIBUTION PLAN
OF SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
Amounts payable pursuant to the Plan shall be determined by applying the annual rate set forth below as to each Class to the average annual net assets of the Class.
GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE ----------------------------- ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE --------------------------------- ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE ----------------------- ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE -------------------- ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE ------------------------------- ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
TREASURY PORTFOLIO MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE ------------------ ------------------- Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03%" |
All other terms and provisions of the Plan not amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.
Dated: April 30, 2008
(AIM INVESTMENTS(R) LOGO)
AMENDED AND RESTATED MASTER RELATED AGREEMENT TO THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER DISTRIBUTION PLAN FOR SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
This Master Related Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into in accordance with Rule 12b-1 ("Rule 12b-1") under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ( "1940 Act"), as amended, by Short-Term Investments Trust ("Trust"), on behalf of each of its series of beneficial interest set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement ("Portfolio" or "Portfolios") with respect to the classes of shares ("Class" or "Classes") of the Portfolios also listed on Schedule A, and Invesco Aim Distributors, Inc., formerly A I M Distributors, Inc. ("Distributor"). This Agreement defines the services to be provided by Distributor, or its designees, for which it is to receive payments pursuant to the Third Amended and Restated Master Distribution Plan (the "Plan"), adopted by the Trust. The Plan has been approved in accordance with Rule 12b-1. The provisions of this Agreement are severable for each Portfolio and Class thereof.
1. Distributor may use the payments received pursuant to paragraph 2 of this Agreement to finance distribution-related services. Distribution-related services shall mean any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Classes, including, but not limited to: (i) organizing and conducting sales seminars; (ii) implementing advertising programs; (iii) engaging finders and paying finders fees; (iv) printing prospectuses and statements of additional information (and supplements thereto) and annual and semi-annual reports for other than existing shareholders; (v) preparing and distributing advertising material and sales literature; and (vi) administering the Plan. Distributor may provide such distribution-related services either directly or through broker-dealers, banks, and other financial institutions ("Indirect Service Providers"). Distributor and any broker-dealer, bank, and other financial institution that has entered into a related agreement with the Trust that has been approved by the Board of Trustees of the Trust in accordance with the terms of the Plan ("Direct Service Providers") will be deemed to have performed all services required to be performed in order to be entitled to receive payments for distribution-related services with respect to a share of a particular Class pursuant to the Plan upon the settlement of the sale of such share (or a share of another portfolio from which such share derives). Nothing in the foregoing sentence shall be interpreted to require payments for distribution-related services with respect to a share of a particular Class after such share has been redeemed.
Distributor may also use payments received pursuant to paragraph 2 of this
Agreement to finance payments of service fees for personal continuing
shareholder services ("shareholder services"). Shareholder services may
include, but shall not be limited to, the following: (i) distributing sales
literature to customers; (ii) answering routine customer inquiries
concerning the Portfolios and their respective Classes; (iii) assisting
customers in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses;
(iv) assisting customers in the establishment and maintenance of customer
accounts and records; (v) assisting customers in the placement of purchase
and redemption transactions; (vi) assisting customers in investing
dividends and capital gains distributions automatically in shares of the
Portfolios; and (vii) providing such other
services as the Portfolios or the customers may reasonably request, so long as such other services are covered by the term "service fee" as such term is defined and interpreted by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA"). Distributor may implement these shareholder servicing arrangements either directly or through Indirect Service Providers.
Any payments that Distributor may make to Indirect Service Providers are obligations of Distributor and not of the Trust.
2. For services provided by Distributor or its designee pursuant to this Agreement, each Portfolio shall pay Distributor a fee, calculated at the end of each month. The maximum amount payable by a Portfolio with respect to a particular Class pursuant to this Agreement is set forth in Appendix A and is qualified by this paragraph 2. The maximum fee payable by a Portfolio with respect to a Class for the provision of distribution-related services shall not exceed seventy-five one hundredths of one percent (0.75%) per annum of the average daily net assets of the Class. The maximum fee payable by a Portfolio with respect to a Class for the provision of shareholder services shall not exceed twenty-five one hundredths of one percent (0.25%) per annum of the average daily net assets of the Class. Of the total fees paid by a Portfolio with respect to a particular Class to Distributor and any Direct Service Provider for shareholder services and distribution-related services, amounts up to and including the first twenty-five one hundredths of one percent (0.25%) per annum shall be considered a fee for shareholder services and any amounts above twenty-five one hundredths of one percent (0.25%) per annum shall be considered a fee for distribution-related services.
To the extent any payments by a Portfolio to a Direct Service Provider with respect to a particular Class are less than the lesser of (A) the amount set forth in Schedule A to this Agreement for that particular Class or (B) the amount that the Portfolio is currently paying with respect to that particular Class as a result of any fee waivers or reimbursements, the difference shall be paid by the Portfolio to Distributor.
3. The total of the fees calculated for all of the Portfolios listed on Schedule A for any period with respect to which calculations are made shall be paid to Distributor within 10 days after the close of each month.
4. Distributor shall provide quarterly written reports to the Board of Trustees of the Trust in accordance with the terms of the Plan and shall furnish such other information as the Board of Trustees may reasonably request in connection with payments made pursuant to the Plan or this Agreement in order to enable the Board of Trustees to make an informed determination of the nature and value of such expenditures.
5. This Agreement shall become effective immediately upon its approval in accordance with Rule 12b-1 and continue in effect thereafter with respect to any Class for a period of more than one year only so long as such continuance is specifically approved, at least annually, by the Trust's Board of Trustees, including the trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (the "Non-Interested Trustees"), by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement.
6. This Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Class at any time, without payment of any penalty, (i) by vote of a majority of the Non-Interested Trustees, or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Class upon 10 days' written notice to Distributor. Distributor may terminate this Agreement upon 10 days' written notice to the Trust. This Agreement will automatically terminate by any act which terminates the Plan or in the event of its "assignment" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
7. This Agreement may be amended by mutual written agreement of the parties.
8. Distributor may enter into other similar Master Related Agreements with any other investment company without the Trust's consent.
9. This Agreement and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder will be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Texas without regard to its choice of law provisions.
EFFECTIVE APRIL 30, 2008. INVESCO AIM DISTRIBUTORS, INC. By: /s/ John S. Cooper ------------------------------------ Name: John S. Cooper Title: President SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST on behalf of each Portfolio listed on Schedule A with respect to the Classes of each such Portfolio By: /s/ Karen Dunn Kelley ------------------------------------ Name: Karen Dunn Kelley Title: President |
SCHEDULE "A"
TO RELATED AGREEMENT
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS TRUST
MAXIMUM ANNUAL RATE ------------------- GOVERNMENT & AGENCY PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% GOVERNMENT TAXADVANTAGE PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% STIC PRIME PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
TAX-FREE CASH RESERVE PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% TREASURY PORTFOLIO Reserve Class 1.00% Personal Investment Class 0.75% Private Investment Class 0.50% Resource Class 0.20% Cash Management Class 0.10% Corporate Class 0.03% |
(INVESCO LOGO)
CODE OF ETHICS
February 29, 2008
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.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION ITEM PAGE ------- ---- ---- I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................... 2 II (A) STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY PRINCIPLES..................................... 2 II (B) COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS; REPORTING OF VIOLATIONS.. 2 III. LIMITS ON PERSONAL INVESTING.......................................... 3 A. PERSONAL INVESTING............................................... 3 1 Pre-clearance of Personal Investment Transactions...... 3 - Blackout Period.............................. 3 - Investment Personnel......................... 3 - De Minimis Exceptions........................ 3 2 Prohibition of Short-Term Trading Profits.............. 4 3 Initial Public Offerings............................... 4 4 Prohibition of Short Sales by Investment Personnel..... 4 5 Restricted List Securities............................. 4 6 Brokerage Accounts..................................... 4 7 Reporting Requirements................................. 5 a. Initial Holdings Reports..................... 5 b. Quarterly Transactions Reports............... 5 c. Annual Holdings Reports...................... 6 d. Managed Accounts............................. 6 e. Annual Certification......................... 6 8 Private Securities Transactions........................ 7 9 Excessive Short-Term Trading in Funds.................. 7 B. INVESCO LTD. SECURITIES.......................................... 7 C. LIMITATIONS ON OTHER PERSONAL ACTIVITIES......................... 7 1 Outside Business Activities............................ 7 2 Gifts and Entertainment Policy......................... 7 - Entertainment................................ 8 - Gifts........................................ 8 3 U.S. Department of Labor Reporting..................... 8 D. PARALLEL INVESTING PERMITTED..................................... 9 IV. REPORTING OF POTENTIAL COMPLIANCE ISSUES................................. 9 V. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CODE............................................... 9 VI. SANCTIONS................................................................ 10 VII. EXCEPTIONS TO THE CODE................................................... 10 VIII. DEFINITIONS.............................................................. 10 IX. INVESCO LTD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES...................................... 12 CODE OF ETHICS CONTACTS.................................................. 13 |
Code of Ethics 1
INVESCO
CODE OF ETHICS
(EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 29, 2008)
I. INTRODUCTION
Invesco(1) has a fiduciary relationship with respect to each portfolio under management. The interests of Clients and of the shareholders of Invesco's investment company Clients take precedence over the personal interests of Invesco and Covered Persons (defined below). Capitalized terms used herein are defined at the end of this document.
This Code of Ethics ("the Code") applies to all:
- Employees of Invesco; and
- Employees of any Invesco affiliate that, in connection with their duties, obtain or are determined by the Compliance Department to have access to, any information concerning recommendations being made by any Invesco entity to any of its Clients.
All individuals covered by the Code are referred to as "Covered Persons."
II.(A) STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY PRINCIPLES
The following fiduciary principles govern Covered Persons.
- the interests of Clients and shareholders of investment company Clients must be placed first at all times and Covered Persons must not take inappropriate advantage of their positions; and
- all personal securities transactions must be conducted consistent with this Code and in a manner to avoid any abuse of an individual's position of trust and responsibility. This Code is our effort to address conflicts of interest that may arise in the ordinary course of our business.
This Code does not attempt to identify all possible conflicts of interest or to ensure literal compliance with each of its specific provisions. It does not necessarily shield Covered Persons from liability for personal trading or other conduct that violates a fiduciary duty to Clients and shareholders of investment company Clients.
II.(B) COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, RULES AND REGULATIONS; REPORTING OF VIOLATIONS
All Invesco Employees are required to comply with applicable state and federal securities laws, rules and regulations and this Code. Employees shall promptly report any violations of laws or regulations or any provision of this Code of which they become aware to Invesco's Chief Compliance Officer or
Code of Ethics 2
his/her designee. Additional methods of reporting potential violations or compliance issues are described in Section IV of this Code under "Reporting of Potential Compliance Issues."
III. LIMITS ON PERSONAL INVESTING
A. PERSONAL INVESTING
1. Preclearance of Personal Security Transactions. All Covered Persons must pre-clear all personal security transactions involving Covered Securities with the Compliance Department using the automated review system. Covered Securities include all investments that can be made by an Invesco entity for its Clients, including stocks, bonds, municipal bonds, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and any of their derivatives such as options. Covered Securities do not include shares of money market funds, government securities, certificates of deposit or shares of mutual funds not advised by Invesco or AIM. If you are unclear about whether a proposed transaction involves a Covered Security, contact the Compliance Department via email at CodeofEthics(North America)@invesco.com or by phone at 1-877-331-CODE [1-877-331-2633] prior to executing the transaction.
- ANY APPROVAL GRANTED TO A COVERED PERSON TO EXECUTE A PERSONAL SECURITY TRANSACTION IS VALID FOR THAT BUSINESS DAY ONLY, EXCEPT THAT IF APPROVAL IS GRANTED AFTER THE CLOSE OF TRADING DAY SUCH APPROVAL IS GOOD THROUGH THE NEXT TRADING DAY.
The automated review system will review personal trade requests from Covered Persons based on the following considerations:
- BLACK-OUT PERIOD. Invesco does not permit Covered Persons to trade in a Covered Security if a Client has executed a transaction in the same security within the last two trading days or if there is an order on that security currently with the trading desk. For example, if a Client trades on a Monday, Covered Persons may not be cleared until Thursday.
- INVESTMENT PERSONNEL. Investment, Portfolio Administration and IT Personnel may not buy or sell a Covered Security three trading days before or after a Client trades in that security.
- DE MINIMIS EXCEPTIONS. The Compliance Department will apply the following de minimis exceptions in granting preclearance when a Client has recently traded or is trading in a security involved in a Covered Person's proposed personal transaction:
- Equity de minimis exception. If you do not have knowledge of trading activity in a particular equity security, you may execute up to 500 shares of such security in a rolling 30 day period provided the issuer of such security is included in the Russell 1000 Index. The de minimis exception is available to all Covered Persons.
- Fixed income de minimis exception. If you do not have knowledge of trading activity in a particular fixed income security you may execute up to $100,000 of par value of such security. The de minimis exception is available to all Covered Persons.
Code of Ethics 3
The automated review system will confirm that there is no activity currently on the trading desk on the security involved in the proposed personal transaction and check the portfolio accounting system to verify that there have been no Client transactions for the requested security within the last two trading days. For Investments, Portfolio Administration and IT personnel, the Compliance Department will also check the trading activity of affiliates with respect to which such personnel have access to transactional information to verify that there have been no Client transactions in the requested security within the last three trading days. The Compliance Department will notify the Covered Person of the approval or denial of the proposed personal transaction. The approval of a personal securities transaction is only valid for that business day. If a Covered Person does not execute the proposed securities transaction on the date requested, the Covered Person must resubmit the request on another day for approval.
Any failure to preclear transactions is a violation of the Code and will be subject to the following potential sanctions:
- A Letter of Education will be provided to any Covered Person whose failure to preclear is considered immaterial or inadvertent.
- Repeat violations may result in in-person training, probation, withdrawal of personal trading privileges or employment termination, depending on the nature and severity of the violations.
2. Prohibition on Short-Term Trading Profits. Covered Persons are prohibited from engaging in the purchase and sale, or short sale and cover of the same Covered Security within 60 days at a profit. If a Covered Person trades a Covered Security within the 60 day time frame, any profit from the trade will be disgorged to a charity of Invesco's choice.
3. Initial Public Offerings. Covered Persons are prohibited from acquiring any security in an equity Initial Public Offering. Exceptions will only be granted in unusual circumstances and must be approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel (or designee) and the Chief Investment Officer of the Covered Person's business unit.
4. Prohibition of Short Sales by Investment Personnel. Investment Personnel are prohibited from effecting short sales of Covered Securities in their personal accounts if an Invesco Client for whose account they have investment management responsibility has a long position in those Securities.
5. Restricted List Securities. Employees requesting pre-clearance to buy or sell a security on the Restricted List may be restricted from executing the trade because of potential conflicts of interest.
6. Brokerage Accounts. Covered Persons may only maintain brokerage accounts with
- discount broker-dealers that provide electronic feeds of confirmations and monthly statements directly to the Compliance Department,
- Invesco-affiliated Broker-dealers, or
- full service broker-dealers.
Code of Ethics 4
As a result, Covered Persons must move any existing brokerage accounts that do not comply with this provision as of the date of this Code to appropriate broker-dealers within six months of the effective date of this Code and every person who becomes a Covered Person under this Code subsequent to the effective date must move all of their brokerage accounts that do not comply with this provision of the Code within thirty (30) days from the date the Covered Person becomes subject to this Code. All Covered Persons must arrange for their broker-dealers to forward to the Compliance Department on a timely basis, duplicate confirmations of all personal securities transactions and copies of periodic statements for all brokerage accounts, preferably in an electronic format.
7. Reporting Requirements.
a. INITIAL HOLDINGS REPORTS. All Covered Persons must provide to the Compliance Department an initial holdings report no later than 10 days after the person becomes a Covered Person (the information must be current within 45 days of the date the person becomes a Covered Person). The initial holdings report shall include the following information:
- The title, number of shares (for equities) and the principal amount (for debt securities) in which the person has direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership;
- The name of any broker-dealer or bank with which the person maintains an account in which any securities are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the person; and
- The date that the report is submitted by the person.
b. QUARTERLY TRANSACTIONS REPORTS. All Covered Persons must report, no later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, the following information for all transactions in a Covered Security in which a Covered Person has a direct or indirect beneficial interest: This includes any Covered Securities held in a 401(k) or other retirement vehicle, including plans sponsored by Invesco or its affiliates.
- The date of all transactions in that quarter, the security name, the number of shares (for equity securities); or the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable) and the principal amount (for debt securities) for each Covered Security;
- The nature of the transaction (buy, sell, etc.);
- The price of the Covered Security at which the transaction was executed;
- The name of the broker-dealer or bank executing the transaction; and
- The date that the report is submitted to the Compliance Department.
ALL COVERED PERSONS MUST SUBMIT A QUARTERLY REPORT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAVE EXECUTED TRANSACTIONS DURING THE QUARTER OR NOT. If a Covered Person did not execute transactions subject to reporting requirements during a quarter, the report must include a representation to that effect. Covered Persons need not include transactions made through
Code of Ethics 5
an Automatic Investment Plan, Dividend Reinvestment Plan or similar plans in the quarterly transaction report. Additionally, Covered Persons must report information on any new brokerage account established by the Covered Person during the quarter for the direct or indirect benefit of the Covered Person (including Covered Securities held in a 401(k) or other retirement vehicle, including plans sponsored by Invesco or its |
affiliates) including:
- The date the account was established;
- The name of the broker-dealer or bank; and
- The date that the report is submitted to the Compliance Department.
The Compliance Department may identify transactions by Covered Persons that technically comply with the Code for review based on any pattern of activity that has an appearance of a conflict of interest.
c. ANNUAL HOLDINGS REPORTS. All Covered Persons must report annually the following information, which must be current within 45 days of the date the report is submitted to the Compliance Department:
- The security and the number of shares (for equities) or the interest rate and maturity date (if applicable) and principal amount (for debt securities) for each Covered Security in which the Covered Person has any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership;
- The name of the broker-dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; and
- The date that the report is submitted by the Covered Person to the Compliance Department.
d. Managed Accounts. Covered Persons must make an annual report with respect to transactions held in an account over which the Covered Person has granted exclusive discretion to a professional money manager or other third party. Covered Persons must receive approval from the Compliance Department to establish and maintain such an account and must provide written evidence that exclusive discretion over the account has been turned over to a professional money manager or other third party. Covered Persons are not required to pre-clear or list transactions for such managed accounts in the automated review system; however, Covered Persons with these types of accounts must provide an annual certification that they do not exercise direct or indirect Control over the managed accounts.
e. Annual Certification. All Covered Persons must certify annually that they have read and understand the Code and recognize that they are subject to the Code. In addition, all Covered Persons must certify annually that they have complied with the requirements of the Code and that they have disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions
Code of Ethics 6
required to be disclosed or reported under the Code. The Invesco Risk Management Committee will review and approve the Code annually. 8. Private Securities Transactions. Covered Persons may not engage in a Private Securities Transaction without first giving the Compliance Department a detailed written notification describing the transaction and indicating whether or not they will receive compensation and obtaining prior written permission from the Compliance Department. Investment Personnel who have been approved to acquire securities of an issuer in a Private Securities Transaction must disclose that investment to the Compliance Department and the Chief Investment Officer of the Investment Personnel's Invesco business unit when they are involved in a Client's subsequent consideration of an investment in the same issuer. The business unit's decision to purchase such securities on behalf of Client account must be independently reviewed by Investment Personnel with no personal interest in that issuer. 9. Excessive Short Term Trading in Funds. Employees are prohibited from excessive short term trading of any mutual fund advised or sub-advised by Invesco or AIM and are subject to various limitations on the number of transactions as indicated in the respective prospectus and other fund disclosure documents. |
B. INVESCO LTD. SECURITIES
1. No Employee may effect short sales of Invesco Ltd. securities.
2. For all Covered Persons, transactions, including transfers by gift, in Invesco Ltd. securities are subject to pre- clearance regardless of the size of the transaction, and are subject to "black-out" periods established by Invesco Ltd. and holding periods prescribed under the terms of the agreement or program under which the securities were received.
3. Holdings of Invesco Ltd. securities in Covered Persons accounts
are subject to the reporting requirements specified in Section
II.5 of this Code.
C. LIMITATIONS ON OTHER PERSONAL ACTIVITIES
1. Outside Business Activities. Absent prior written approval of the Compliance Department, Employees may not serve as directors, officers or employees of unaffiliated public or private companies, whether for profit or non-profit. If the outside business activity is approved, the Employee must recuse himself or herself from making Client investment decisions concerning the particular company or issuer as appropriate, provided that this recusal requirement shall not apply with respect to certain Invesco Employees who may serve on corporate boards as a result of, or in connection with, Client investments made in those companies. All employees must always comply with all applicable Invesco policies and procedures, including those prohibiting the use of material non-public information in Client or employee personal trades.
2. Gift and Entertainment Policy. Invesco Employees may not give or accept Gifts or Entertainment that may be considered excessive either in dollar value or frequency to avoid the appearance of any potential conflict of interest. Under no circumstances may an Employee give or accept cash or any possible cash equivalent from a broker or vendor. Employees must report
Code of Ethics 7
receipt or giving of ALL Gifts and Entertainment within thirty (30) calendar days by submitting a Gift Report within the automated review system.
An Employee may not provide or receive any Gift or Entertainment that is conditioned upon Invesco, its parents or affiliates doing business with the entity or person involved.
- ENTERTAINMENT. Invesco Employees must report Entertainment with the Compliance Department within thirty (30) calendar days after the receipt or giving by submitting a Gift Report within the automated review system. The requirement to report Entertainment includes dinners or any other event with an Invesco Business Partner in attendance.
Examples of Entertainment that may be excessive in value include Super Bowl tickets, tickets to All-Star games, hunting trips, or ski trips. An occasional ticket to a sporting event, golf outing or concert when accompanied by the Business Partner may not be excessive.
Additionally, Invesco Employees may not reimburse Business Partners for the cost of tickets that would be considered excessive or for travel related expenses without approval of the Compliance Department.
- GIFTS. All Gifts given or received must be reported to the Compliance Department within thirty (30) calendar days after the receipt or giving by submitting a Gift Report within the automated review system. Invesco Employees are prohibited from accepting or giving the following:
- single Gifts valued in excess of $100 in any calendar year; or
- Gifts from one person or firm valued in excess of $100 during a calendar year period.
3. US Department of Labor Reporting: Under current US Department of Labor (DOL) regulations, Invesco is required to disclose to the Department certain specified financial dealings with a union or officer, agent, shop steward, employee, or other representative of a union (collectively referred to as "union officials"). Under the Regulations, practically any gift or entertainment furnished by Invesco employees to a union or union official is considered a payment reportable to the DOL.
Although the Regulations provide for a de minimis exemption from the reporting requirements payments made to a union or union official which do not exceed $250 a year, that threshold applies to all of Invesco's employees in the aggregate with respect to each union or union official. Therefore, it is Invesco policy to require that ALL gifts or entertainment furnished by every employee be reported to Invesco using the Invesco Finance Department's expense tracking application, Oracle E-Business Suite or any other application deployed for that purpose which has the capability to capture all the required details of the payment. Such details include the name of the recipient, union affiliation, address, amount of payment, date of payment, purpose and circumstance of payment, including the terms of any oral agreement or understanding pursuant to which the payment was made.
Code of Ethics 8
Invesco is obligated to reports all payments, subject to the de minimis exemption, to the DOL on Form LM-10 Employer Report.
If you have any question whether a payment to a union or union official is reportable, please contact the Compliance Department. A failure to report a payment required to be disclosed will be considered a material violation of this Code. The DOL also requires all unions and union officials to report payments they receive from entities such as Invesco and their employees.
D. PARALLEL INVESTING PERMITTED
Subject to the provisions of this Code, Employees may invest in or own the same securities as those acquired by Invesco for its Clients.
IV. REPORTING OF POTENTIAL COMPLIANCE ISSUES
Invesco has created several channels for Employees to raise compliance issues and concerns on a confidential basis. An Employee should first discuss a compliance issue with their supervisor, department head or with Invesco's General Counsel or Chief Compliance Officer. Human Resources matters should be directed to the Human Resources Department, an additional anonymous vehicle for reporting such concerns.
In the event that an Employee does not feel comfortable discussing compliance issues through normal channels, the Employee may anonymously report suspected violations of law or Invesco policy, including this Code, by calling the toll-free Invesco Compliance Reporting Line, 1-866-297-3627 which is available to employees of multiple operating units of Invesco Ltd. When you dial this number and you are asked for your name, use "Invesco." To ensure your confidentiality, this phone line is provided by an independent company. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls to the Compliance Reporting Line will be reviewed and handled in a prompt, fair and discreet manner. Employees are encouraged to report these questionable practices so that Invesco has an opportunity to address and resolve these issues before they become more significant regulatory or legal issues.
V. ADMINISTRATION OF THE CODE OF ETHICS
Invesco has used reasonable diligence to institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent violations of this Code.
No less frequently than annually, Invesco will furnish to the Invesco Risk Management Committee (RMC), or such committee as it may designate, a written report that:
- describes significant issues arising under the Code since the last report to the RMC, including information about material violations of the Code and sanctions imposed in response to material violations; and
- certifies that the Invesco has adopted procedures reasonably designed to prevent Covered Persons from violating the Code.
Code of Ethics 9
VI. SANCTIONS
Upon discovering a material violation of the Code, the Compliance Department will notify Invesco's Chief Compliance Officer (CCO). The CCO will notify the RMC of any material violations at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
The Compliance Department will issue a letter of education to the Covered Persons involved in violations of the Code that are determined to be inadvertent or immaterial.
Invesco may impose additional sanctions in the event of repeated violations or violations that are determined to be material or not inadvertent, including disgorgement of profits, a letter of censure or suspension, or termination of employment.
VII. EXCEPTIONS TO THE CODE
Invesco's Chief Compliance Officer (or designee) may grant an exception to any provision in this Code and will report all such exceptions at the next Risk Management Committee meeting.
VIII. DEFINITIONS
- "Automatic Investment Plan" means a program in which regular purchases or sales are made automatically in or from investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation, including dividend reinvestment plans.
- "Beneficial Ownership" has the same meaning as Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("the '34 Act"). To have a beneficial interest, Covered Persons must have a "direct or indirect pecuniary interest," which is the opportunity to profit directly or indirectly from a transaction in securities. Thus a Covered Person may have Beneficial Ownership in securities held by members of their immediate family sharing the same household (i.e. a spouse and children) or by certain partnerships, trusts, corporations, or other arrangements.
- "Client" means any account for which Invesco is either the adviser or sub-adviser.
- "Control" has the same meaning as under Section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act, as amended (the "Investment Company Act").
- "Covered Person" means any director, officer, full or part time Employee of Invesco or any full or part time Employee of any Invesco affiliates that, in connection with his or her duties, obtains or has access to any information concerning investment recommendations being made by any Invesco entity to any of its Clients. The term, "Covered Person" shall include all Employees of Invesco Ltd located in the United States who are not covered by the Code of Ethics of a registered investment advisory affiliate of Invesco Ltd.
- "Covered Security" has the same meaning as Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company Act except that it shall not include shares of any registered open-end investment company (mutual funds), except AIM Funds, not advised or sub-advised by Invesco. All AIM Funds shall be considered Covered Securities regardless of whether they are advised or sub-advised by
Code of Ethics 10
Invesco. An exchange traded funds (ETF) is considered a Covered Security. A Covered Security does not include the following:
- Direct obligations of the Government of the United States or its agencies;
- Bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements;
- Any open-end mutual fund, except AIM Funds, not advised or sub-advised by Invesco; and
- Invesco Ltd. stock because it is subject to the provisions of Invesco Ltd.'s Code of Conduct. Notwithstanding this exception, transactions in Invesco Ltd. securities are subject to all the pre-clearance and reporting requirements outlined in other provisions of this Code and any other corporate guidelines issued by Invesco Ltd.
- "Employee" means any full or part time Employee of Invesco, including any consultant or contractor who Invesco's Compliance Department determines to have access to information regarding Invesco's trading activity.
- "Investment Personnel" means any Employee who, in connection with his/her regular functions or duties, makes or participates in making recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of securities by the Client.
- "IT Personnel" means any Employee that is designated to work in the Information Technology Department.
- "Gifts", "Entertainment" and "Business Partner" have the same meaning as provided in the Invesco Ltd. Gifts and Entertainment Policy.
- "Initial Public Offering" means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the '34 Act.
- "Invesco-affiliated Broker-dealer" means A I M Distributors, Inc. or its successors.
- "Private Securities Transaction" means any securities transaction relating to new offerings of securities which are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided however that transactions subject to the notification requirements of Rule 3050 of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority's (FINRA) Conduct Rules, transactions among immediate family members (as defined in the interpretation of the Board of Governors on free-riding and withholding) for which no associated person receives any selling compensation, and personal transactions in investment company and variable annuity securities shall be excluded.
- "Restricted List Securities" means the list of securities that are provided to Compliance Department by Invesco Ltd or investment departments, which include those securities that are restricted from purchase or sale by Client or Employee accounts for various reasons (e.g., large concentrated ownership positions that may trigger reporting or other securities regulatory issues,
Code of Ethics 11
or possession of material, non-public information, or existence of corporate transaction in the issuer involving an Invesco unit).
IX. INVESCO LTD. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
All Employees are subject to the policies and procedures established by Invesco Ltd., including the Invesco Ltd. Code of Conduct and must abide by all their requirements, provided that where there is a conflict between a minimal standard established by an Invesco Ltd. policy and the standards established by an Invesco policy, including this Code, the latter shall supersede.
Code of Ethics 12
CODE OF ETHICS CONTACTS
- TELEPHONE HOTLINE: 1-877-331-CODE [2633]
- E-MAIL: CODEOFETHICS(NORTH AMERICA)@INVESCO.COM
COMPLIANCE OFFICERS
- GWEN TYLER
- ALFONSO VISBAL
- SANDRA JOHNSON
- GIL GARBUS
- JENNEA NEWSOME
Last Reviewed: February 21, 2008
Code of Ethics 13
(INVESCO LOGO)
INVESCO LTD.
CODE OF CONDUCT
INTRODUCTION
Our company's Core Purpose and Mission are a logical beginning point for our Code of Conduct:
Invesco is committed to "Helping People Worldwide Build Their Financial Security". That Core Purpose underlies our Mission, which is to deliver superior investment performance worldwide. Over the years, Invesco has developed a set of values that will continue to help us achieve our Core Purpose and Mission. Our values include:
- Working with integrity
- Respecting our employees and clients
- Empowering people
This Code of Conduct ("Code of Conduct" or "Code") has been created to assist us in accomplishing our Core Purpose and Mission. It contains a number of policies and standards which, when taken together, are designed to help define the essence of the conduct of an Invesco representative. These policies and standards are also intended to provide guidance to Invesco personnel in fulfilling their obligations to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations. This Code of Conduct applies to all officers and other employees of Invesco and its subsidiaries (collectively, "Covered Persons"). These standards are neither exclusive nor complete. Additional company policies and rules can be found in the company's Intranet site, and others may be published to company personnel from time to time. Covered Persons are required to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, whether or not specifically addressed in these policies. For additional guidance, or if you have questions regarding the existence, interpretation or application of any law, rule or regulation, please contact your supervisor, the General Counsel of your business unit or division, or the Invesco General Counsel.
Our culture is based upon a set of shared values and principles. These include
working with integrity and commitment to our clients, colleagues and
communities. In practice, this means that our clients' interests must always
come first, that Covered Persons should treat each other with respect and
consideration, and that Invesco should participate as a responsible corporate
citizen in every community in which it operates. This commitment is a vital part
of our achieving our principal responsibility as a publicly-held company:
producing a fair return on our shareholders' capital.
This Code of Conduct contains broad and general principles that supplement the specific policies, procedures and training within each business unit of Invesco.
YOUR RESPONSIBLITIES
One person's misconduct can damage our entire company's hard-earned reputation and compromise the public's trust in the company. Every Covered Person should therefore become familiar with this Code and abide strictly by its provisions. In brief:
- It is your responsibility at all times to comply with the law and behave in an ethical manner.
- This Code cannot anticipate every possible situation or cover every topic in detail. The company has established special policies to address specific subjects and will update this Code and those specific policies from time-to-time. If you are unclear about a situation, stop and ask for guidance before taking action.
- Failure to obey laws and regulations violates this Code and may expose both you and the company to criminal or civil sanctions. Any violation of this Code or other company policies may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The company may also seek civil remedies from you and even refer criminal misconduct to law enforcement agencies.
- You are responsible for reporting possible violations of this Code to the company (see below).
- If you have a question about a topic covered in this Code or a concern regarding any conduct, please speak with your supervisor or with an appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance Department.
- If you are aware of a violation and are uncomfortable speaking with any of these people or wish to remain anonymous, you may call the toll-free Invesco Compliance Reporting Line (the "Compliance Reporting Line"). If you are calling from a U.S. or Canadian location dial 1-866-297-3627. For calls from all other locations, dial an international operator and request a collect call to 1-704-943-1136. When asked for your name use "Invesco." (See further details below.)
- If you are an attorney or an executive officer of the company, you may have additional reporting or other obligations under specific rules applicable to you, such as the POLICY FOR REPORTING BY ATTORNEYS EMPLOYED BY INVESCO LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, and you should also comply with such rules.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Invesco with its subsidiaries and various divisions operates in a highly-regulated and complex environment. There are numerous layers of overlapping, and occasionally conflicting, laws, customs and local practices. This Code of Conduct was designed to provide all of us who are part of the Invesco group with a clear statement of our firm's ethical and cultural standards.
We operate in major countries and securities markets throughout the world. Generally, we serve our clients as fiduciaries.
Fiduciary businesses are generally held to a higher standard of conduct than other businesses, and as such there are special obligations that apply. The following key duties and principles govern our conduct as fiduciaries:
- Best interests of clients - As fiduciaries, we have a duty to act with reasonable care, skill and caution in the best interests of our clients, and to avoid conflicts of interest.
- Global fiduciary standards - Invesco seeks to maintain the same high fiduciary standards throughout the world, even though those standards may not be legally required, or even recognized, in some countries.
- Compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations - We have a duty to comply with the laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which we operate, and to comply with the terms of our agreements with our clients.
- Client confidentiality - We must maintain the confidentiality of information relating to the client, and comply with the data protection requirements imposed by many jurisdictions.
- Information - Clients must be provided with timely and accurate information regarding their accounts.
- Segregation and protection of assets - Processes must be established for the proper maintenance, control and protection of client assets. Fiduciary assets must be segregated from Invesco assets and property.
- Delegation of duties - Fiduciary duties should be delegated only when the client consents and where permitted by applicable law. Reasonable care, skill and caution must be exercised in the selection of agents and review of their performance.
- Client guidelines - Invesco is responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of clients that are consistent with the prospectus, contract, or other controlling document relating to the client's account.
- Relations with regulators - We seek relationships with regulators that are open and responsive in nature.
1. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
Invesco strives to ensure that all activity by or on behalf of Invesco is in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations ("applicable laws"). Many of these applicable laws are specifically described in this Code of Conduct and in other Invesco and business unit policies and procedures. In the conduct of our business, all Covered Persons are required to comply with all applicable laws.
2. Fair and Honest Dealing
Covered Persons shall deal fairly and honestly with Invesco's shareholders, customers, suppliers, competitors and employees. Covered Persons shall behave in an ethical manner and shall not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing practice.
3. Conflicts of Interest
Invesco and its Covered Persons must adhere to the highest standards of honest and ethical conduct. These include, but are not limited to, sensitivity to the existence of a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Conflicts of interest can arise in many ways, and we must all be sensitive to those situations in which they are most likely to be present. A conflict of interest exists when a Covered Person's personal interest interferes, or appears to interfere, in any way with the interests of Invesco or its clients, or when a Covered Person otherwise takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her company work objectively and effectively. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position with Invesco.
All Covered Persons owe a duty of undivided and unqualified loyalty to Invesco and may not use their positions improperly to profit personally or to assist others in profiting at the expense of the company. All Covered Persons are therefore expected and
required to regulate their activities so as to avoid conflicts of interest. In addition, Covered Persons shall promptly communicate to the applicable member of the Legal & Compliance Department any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest so that the company and the Covered Person may take steps to minimize the conflict.
Covered Persons shall not take for personal use (or for use by a family member) any business opportunity learned of during the course of serving Invesco, using Invesco property or as a result of such individual's position with Invesco. To the extent that an employee or officer learns of a business opportunity that is within Invesco's existing or proposed lines of business, the employee or officer should inform his or her supervisor, the divisional or business unit General Counsel, or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, of the business opportunity and refrain from personally pursuing the matter until such time as Invesco decides to forego the business opportunity. At no time may any employee or officer utilize any Invesco property, information or position to generate personal gain or engage or participate in any business that directly competes with Invesco.
While not all-inclusive, the following examples of outside financial interests will serve to illustrate some of the types of activities that might cause conflicts of interest:
- Ownership or other interest in or employment by any outside concern which does business with Invesco. This does not apply to stock or other investments in a publicly-held company, provided that the stock and other investments do not, in the aggregate, exceed 5% of the outstanding ownership interests of such company. Invesco may, following a review of the relevant facts, permit ownership interests which exceed these amounts if management or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, concludes that such ownership interests will not adversely affect Invesco's business interests or the judgment of the affected Covered Person.
- Conducting business, not on behalf of Invesco, with any Invesco vendor, supplier, contractor, agency, or any of their directors, officers or employees.
- Representation of Invesco by a Covered Person in any transaction in which he or she, or a family member, has a substantial personal interest.
- Disclosure or use of confidential, special or inside information of or about Invesco, particularly for personal profit or advantage of the Covered Person or a family member of such person.
- Competition with Invesco by a Covered Person, directly or indirectly, in the purchase, sale or ownership of property or services or business investment opportunities.
As described in more detail in Sections 4, 5 and 6 below, acting as an officer or director of an outside organization, personal share dealing, and the use of material non-public information represent additional areas where conflicts can arise and are of particular sensitivity.
In addition to conflicts of interest between the company and its Covered Persons, conflicts of interest may arise between the company and its clients, including investment funds. Where a Covered Person is trading in securities owned by client accounts, or where a portfolio management team for a hedge fund also manages mutual funds that invest in the same securities, are each examples of situations that may give rise to real or apparent conflicts of interest. All Covered Persons must follow the procedures in place within their respective divisions and business units and must also be sensitive to the types of situations that can give rise to such conflicts or apparent conflicts.
4. Outside Activities and Compensation
No Covered Person shall perform work or render services for any competitor of Invesco or for any organization with which Invesco does business or which seeks to do business with Invesco, outside of the normal course of his or her employment with Invesco, without the prior written approval of the company. Nor shall any such person be a director, officer, or consultant of such an organization, or permit his or her name to be used in any fashion that would tend to indicate a business connection with such organization, without such approval. Outside organizations can include public or private corporations, partnerships, charitable foundations and other not-for-profit institutions. With the above approval, Covered Persons may receive compensation for such activities.
Service with organizations outside of Invesco can, however, raise serious regulatory issues, including conflicts of interest and access to material non-public information.
As an outside board member or officer, a Covered Person may come into possession of material non-public information about the outside company or other public companies. It is critical that a proper information barrier be in place between Invesco and the outside organization, and that the Covered Person does not communicate such information to other Covered Persons in violation of the information barrier.
Similarly, Invesco may have a business relationship with the outside organization or may seek a relationship in the future. In those circumstances, the Covered Person must not be involved in any way in the business relationship between Invesco and the outside organization.
Invesco retains the right to prohibit membership by Covered Persons on any board of directors/trustees or as an officer of an outside organization where such membership might conflict with the best interests of the company. Approval will be granted on a
case-by-case basis, subject to proper resolution of potential conflicts of interest. Outside activities will be approved only if these issues can be satisfactorily resolved.
5. Personal Share Dealing
Purchasing and selling securities in a Covered Person's own account, or accounts over which the Covered Person has access or control, can give rise to potential conflicts of interest. As fiduciaries, we are held to the highest standards of conduct. Improperly gaining advance knowledge of portfolio transactions, or conducting securities transactions based upon information obtained at Invesco, can be a violation of those standards.
All personal securities transactions must be pre-cleared unless an exemption is obtained. Generally, an exemption will be granted only for Covered Persons whose duties do not give them access to information regarding the sale or purchase of, or the recommendation to sell or purchase, securities in any portfolio. Transactions in certain retirement benefit plans, such as 401(k)s and Money Purchase Plans, and in specified categories of securities, are exempt from pre-clearance. Every Covered Person must also comply with the specific rules in effect in this area for the Covered Person's division or business unit.
Invesco also has policies that specifically cover personal transactions in the shares and American Depositary Shares of the company. All Covered Persons are obligated to follow those procedures whenever they conduct such transactions.
6. Information Barriers and Material Non-Public Information
In the conduct of our business, Covered Persons may come into possession of material non-public information. This information could concern an issuer, a client, a portfolio, the market for a particular security, or Invesco itself. The purchase or sale of Invesco's securities or the securities of other publicly-traded companies while aware of material nonpublic information about such company, or the disclosure of material nonpublic information to others who then trade in such company's securities, is prohibited by this Code of Conduct and by United States and other jurisdictions' securities laws. Invesco and its subsidiaries have adopted insider trading policies that apply to all Covered Persons. All Covered Persons should review the insider trading policies carefully and follow the policies and procedures described therein. The failure of a Covered Person to comply with the company's insider trading policy may subject him or her to company-imposed sanctions, up to and including termination for cause, whether or not the failure to comply results in a violation of law. You should seek the advice of the applicable divisional or business unit General Counsel on any questions regarding this subject and the company's insider trading policy. All Covered Persons are prohibited from using such information in ways that violate the law, including for personal gain. Non-public information must be kept confidential, which may include keeping it confidential from other Covered Persons.
7. Anti-Bribery and Dealings with Governmental Officials
Special care must be taken when dealing with government customers. Activities that might be appropriate when working with private sector customers may be improper and even illegal when dealing with government employees, or when providing goods and services to another customer who, in turn, will deliver the company's product to a government end user. Many of the countries in which Invesco conducts its business prohibit the improper influencing of governmental officials or other persons by the payment of bribes, gifts, political contributions, lavish hospitality or by other means. Our policy requires adherence to those restrictions.
Do not directly or indirectly promise, offer or make payment in money or anything of value to anyone, including a government official, agent or employee of a government, political party, labor organization or business entity or a candidate of a political party, or their families, with the intent to induce favorable business treatment or to improperly affect business or government decisions. This policy prohibits actions intended either to influence a specific decision or merely to enhance future relationships. In general, all travel and entertainment that Covered Persons provide to governmental officials must be pre-approved within the appropriate business unit. If approved, a written confirmation that such expenses do not violate local law must be obtained from an appropriate third party (e.g., the business unit's legal counsel or the government official's supervisor).
Covered Persons shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations governing political campaign finance and lobbying activities and shall not engage in any conduct that is intended to avoid the application of such laws to activities undertaken on Invesco's behalf. In addition, appropriate executive officers shall monitor compliance with lobbyist registration and disclosure requirements by all individuals who act on behalf of Invesco.
These prohibitions extend to any consultants or agents we may retain on behalf of Invesco.
8. Anti-Discrimination and Harassment
Invesco is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. Such conduct, whether overt or subtle, is demeaning, may be illegal, and undermines the integrity of the employment relationship.
Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, pressure to engage in a sexual relationship as a condition of employment or promotion, or conduct which creates a hostile or offensive work environment.
Discrimination can take many forms including actions, words, jokes, or comments based upon an individual's race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, veteran status,
national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or other legally protected characteristic. Any Covered Person who engages in harassment or discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
9. Anti-Money Laundering
In the global marketplace, the attempted use of financial institutions and instruments to launder money is a significant problem that has resulted in the passage of strict laws in many countries. Money laundering is the attempt to disguise money derived from or intended to finance illegal activity including drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, fraud, and many other crimes. Money launderers go to great lengths to hide the sources of their funds. Among the most common stratagems are placing cash in legitimate financial institutions, layering between numerous financial institutions, and integrating the laundered proceeds back into the economy as apparently legitimate funds.
All Covered Persons must be vigilant in the fight against money laundering, and must not allow Invesco to be used for money laundering. Each business unit has developed an anti-money laundering program that is consistent with Invesco's group-wide policy. Each Covered Person must comply with the applicable program.
10. Antitrust
The laws of many countries are designed to protect consumers from illegal competitive actions such as price fixing and dividing markets. It is Invesco's policy and practice to compete based on the merits of our products and services. In order to further that policy, Covered Persons must not fix or control prices with competitors, divide up territories or markets, limit the production or sale of products, boycott certain suppliers or customers, unfairly control or restrict trade in any way, restrict a competitor's marketing practices, or disparage a competitor. Covered Persons must never discuss products, pricing or markets with competitors with the intent to fix prices or divide markets.
11. Data Privacy
Data privacy, as it relates both to our clients and our employees, has become a major political and legal issue in many jurisdictions in which we do business. A variety of laws in each of those jurisdictions governs the collection, storage, dissemination, transfer, use, access to and confidentiality of personal information and patient health information. These laws can work to limit transfers of such data across borders and even among affiliated entities in the Invesco group of companies. Invesco and its Covered Persons will comply with all provisions of these laws that relate to its business, including the privacy, security and electronic transmission of financial, health and other personal information. The company expects its Covered Persons to keep all such data
confidential and to protect, use and disclose information in the conduct of our business only in compliance with these laws. The company will consider and may release personal information to third parties to comply with law or to protect the rights, property or safety of Invesco and its customers. . In accordance with Invesco policies, each business unit has developed required disclosures and data security procedures applicable to that business unit. All Covered Persons must comply with the applicable procedures.
With respect to Invesco Covered Persons, all salary, benefit, medical and other personal information relating to Covered Persons shall generally be treated as confidential. Personnel files, payroll information, disciplinary matters, and similar information are to be maintained in a manner designed to protect confidentiality in accordance with applicable laws. All Covered Persons shall exercise due care to prevent the release or sharing of such information beyond those persons who may need such information to fulfill their job functions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all personnel information belongs solely to Invesco and may be reviewed or used by the company as needed to conduct its business.
12. Communications with the Media and Analysts
Invesco has a long-standing policy of co-operating with the news media and the financial community. This policy is intended to enhance respect for the company, provide accurate information, and achieve our business goals.
Invesco employs media relations professionals who are responsible for handling all contacts with the news media. Invesco's Communications and Corporate Affairs Department is responsible for formulating and directing our media relations policy worldwide. Other Invesco employees may not speak to or disseminate information to the news media unless such contact has been requested and arranged by or coordinated with an Invesco media relations professional in accordance with the company's media relations policy. Any contact from the news media should be referred promptly and without comment to an Invesco media relations professional. If you do not know the appropriate media relations professional for your unit, you can refer the contact to the Invesco Communications and Corporate Affairs Department.
Many countries have detailed rules with regard to the dissemination of information about public companies. In particular, a public company must have procedures for controlling the release of information that may have a material impact on its share price. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer are responsible for Invesco's relationships with the financial community, including the release of price sensitive information. Other Invesco employees may not speak to or disseminate information regarding the company to the financial community (including analysts, investors, shareholders, Company lenders, and rating agencies) unless such contact has been requested and arranged by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or the Investor Relations Group within the Finance Department.
13. Electronic Communications
The use of electronic mail, the Internet and other technology assets is an important part of our work at Invesco. Used improperly, this technology presents legal and business risks for the company and for individual employees. There are also important privacy issues associated with the use of technology, and related regulations are evolving.
In accordance with Invesco's Electronic Communications policies, all Covered Persons are required to use information technology for proper business purposes and in a manner that does not compromise the confidentiality of sensitive or proprietary information. All communications with the public, clients, prospects and fellow employees must be conducted with dignity, integrity, and competence and in an ethical and professional manner.
We must not use information technology to: transmit or store materials which are obscene, pornographic, or otherwise offensive; engage in criminal activity; obtain unauthorized access to data or files; commit copyright violations; install personal software without permission; or make Internet statements, without permission, that suggest that the user is speaking on behalf of Invesco or its affiliates.
14. Gifts and Relationships with Customers and Suppliers
Invesco seeks to do business with clients and suppliers on a fair and equitable basis. We may not accept gifts of other than nominal value, or lavish entertainment, or other valuable benefits or special favors from customers or suppliers. We must observe any limits imposed by our business unit's policies, local laws, or regulations with respect to the acceptance of gifts or gratuities.
15. International Issues
If you conduct business for Invesco outside of the U.S., in addition to being familiar with the local laws of the other countries involved, be sure you are familiar with the following U.S. laws and regulations. Violations of these laws can result in substantial fines, imprisonment and severe restrictions on the company's ability to do business.
FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT
The United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar laws in many other countries have a variety of provisions that regulate business in other countries and with foreign citizens. In essence, these laws make it a crime to promise or give anything of value to a foreign official or political party in order to obtain or keep business or obtain any improper advantage. It is also illegal to make payments to agents, sales representatives or other third parties if you have reason to believe your gift will be used illegally. Seek advice from the appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance
Department for interpretation of the FCPA or similar laws if you are involved in any business dealings that involve foreign countries.
ANTI-BOYCOTT LAWS
From time to time, various countries may impose restrictions upon the ability of businesses in their jurisdiction to engage in commerce with designated individuals, countries or companies. These laws are commonly referred to as boycotts or trade embargoes. It may be against the law to cooperate in any boycotts between foreign countries not sanctioned by the laws of the place where your office is located. All requests for boycott support or boycott-related information must be reported to your supervisor and the member of the Legal & Compliance Department with responsibility for your office.
Similarly, many countries contribute the names of criminal or terrorist organizations or individuals to a common database and require financial institutions to screen customer lists against the database as part of their "Know Your Customer" obligations. We must be aware of, and where appropriate, adhere to any such restrictions.
EMBARGO SANCTIONS
The United States Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control prohibits U.S. companies and their foreign subsidiaries from doing business with certain countries and agencies and certain individuals. The laws of other countries may have similar types of prohibitions. The regulations vary depending on the country and the type of transaction and often change as countries' foreign policies change. If you are aware of any sensitive political issues with a country in which Invesco is doing or considering doing business, seek advice from the appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance Department.
16. Political Activities and Lobbying
Covered Persons are encouraged to vote in elections for which they are eligible, and to make contributions supporting candidates or parties of their choice. Covered Persons are also encouraged to express their views on government, legislation and other matters of local or national interest.
Many jurisdictions have imposed severe and complex restrictions on the ability of individuals and companies to make political contributions. You should assume that Invesco and its Covered Persons are generally prohibited from certain types of political activities, and you must be familiar with the rules in effect for your business unit. No Covered Person may, under any circumstances, use company funds to make political contributions without the prior written approval of a member of the Legal & Compliance Department, nor may you represent your personal political views as being those of the company.
17. Retention of Books and Records
Invesco corporate records are important assets. Corporate records include essentially everything you produce as a Covered Person, regardless of its format. A corporate record may be in the form of paper, computer tapes, microfilm, e-mail, or voice mail. It may be something as obvious as a memorandum or a contract or something not as obvious, such as a desk calendar, an appointment book, or an expense record.
Invesco is required by law to maintain certain types of corporate records, usually for a specified period of time. Failure to retain such documents for such minimum periods could subject Invesco to penalties and fines, cause the loss of rights, obstruct justice, place Invesco in contempt of court, or place Invesco at a serious disadvantage in litigation. However, storage of voluminous records over time is costly. Therefore, Invesco has established controls to assure retention for required periods and timely destruction of retrievable records, such as paper copies and records on computers, electronic systems, microfiche, and microfilm. Even if a document is retained for the legally required period, liability could still result if a document is destroyed before its scheduled destruction date.
Invesco and its affiliates are subject to the regulatory requirements of numerous countries and regulatory agencies. Virtually all of them have specific requirements concerning the creation, maintenance and storage of business records. Invesco expects all Covered Persons to become familiar with and fully comply with the records retention/destruction schedule for the departments and office locations for which they work. If you believe documents should be retained beyond the applicable retention period, consult with the Legal & Compliance Department.
18. Sales and Marketing Materials
Invesco is committed to building sustained, open, and honest relationships with our customers, and to complying with all relevant regulatory requirements. This requires that all marketing and sales-related materials be prepared under standards approved by the Legal & Compliance Department and, prior to use, reviewed and approved by the appropriate supervisor within a business unit. Covered materials include requests for proposals, client presentations, performance summaries, advertisements, and published market commentaries.
19. Substance Abuse
Invesco is committed to providing a safe and healthy work place for all employees. The use, possession, sale, transfer, purchase, or being "under the influence" of drugs at any time while on company premises or on company business is prohibited. The term "drug" includes alcoholic beverages (other than in connection with entertainment
events, or in other appropriate settings), prescriptions not authorized by your doctor, inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other illegal substances.
20. Confidential Information
Confidential information includes all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or harmful to the company or its customers, if disclosed. All information (in any form, including electronic information) that is created or used in support of company business activities is the property of Invesco. This company information is a valuable asset and Covered Persons are expected to protect it from unauthorized disclosure. This includes Invesco customer, supplier, business partner and employee data. United Kingdom, United States (federal and state) and other jurisdictions' laws may restrict the use of such information and impose penalties for impermissible use or disclosure.
Covered Persons must maintain the confidentiality of information entrusted to them by the company or its customers, vendors or consultants except when disclosure is properly authorized by the company or legally mandated. Covered Persons shall take all reasonable efforts to safeguard such confidential information that is in their possession against inadvertent disclosure and shall comply with any non-disclosure obligations imposed on Invesco in its agreements with third parties.
Information pertaining to Invesco's competitive position or business strategies, and information relating to negotiations with Covered Persons or third parties, should be protected and shared only with Covered Persons having a need to know such information in order to perform their job responsibilities.
21. Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets
All Covered Persons shall strive to preserve and protect the company's assets and resources and to promote their efficient use. The standards set forth below are intended to guide Covered Persons by articulating Invesco's expectations as they relate to activities or behaviors that may affect the company's assets.
Personal Use of Corporate Assets
Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on Invesco's profitability. Covered Persons are not to convert assets of the company to personal use. Company property should be used for the company's legitimate business purposes and the business of the company shall be conducted in a manner designed to further Invesco's interest rather than the personal interest of an individual Covered Person. Covered Persons are prohibited from the unauthorized use or taking of Invesco's equipment, supplies, materials or services. Prior to engaging in any activity on company time which will result in remuneration to the Covered Person or the use of Invesco's equipment, supplies, materials or services for personal or non-work related purposes, officers and
other Covered Persons shall obtain the approval of the supervisor of the appropriate business unit.
Use of Company Software
Covered Persons use software programs for word processing, spreadsheets, data management, and many other applications. Software products purchased by the company are covered by some form of licensing agreement that describes the terms, conditions and allowed uses. It is the company's policy to respect copyright laws and observe the terms and conditions of any license agreements. Copyright laws in the United States and other countries impose civil and criminal penalties for illegal reproductions and use of licensed software. You must be aware of the restrictions on the use of software and abide by those restrictions. Invesco business equipment may not be used to reproduce commercial software. In addition, you may not use personal software on company equipment without prior written approval.
Computer Resources/E-mail
The company's computer resources, which include the electronic mail system, belong to Invesco and not to the Covered Person. They are not intended to be used for amusement, solicitation, or other non-business purposes. While it is recognized that Covered Persons will occasionally use the system for personal communications, it is expected that such uses will be kept to a minimum and that Covered Persons will be responsible and professional in their use of e-mail. The use of the computer systems to make or forward derogatory or offensive remarks about other people or groups is prohibited. E-mail messages should be treated as any other written business communication.
22. Invesco Intellectual Property
Employees and officers must carefully maintain and manage the intellectual property rights of Invesco, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, to preserve and protect their value. Information, ideas and intellectual property assets of Invesco are important to the company's success.
Invesco's name, logo, trademarks, inventions, processes and innovations are intellectual property assets and their protection is vital to the success of the company's business. The company's and any of its subsidiaries' names, logos and other trademarks and service marks are to be used only for authorized company business and never in connection with personal or other activities unless appropriately approved and in accordance with company policy. In addition, our Covered Persons must respect the intellectual property rights of third parties. Violation of these rights can subject both you and the company to substantial liability, including criminal penalties.
Any work product produced in the course of performing your job shall be deemed to be a "work made for hire" and shall belong to Invesco and is to be used only for the benefit of Invesco. This includes such items as marketing plans, product development plans, computer programs, software, hardware and similar materials. You must share any innovations or inventions you create with your supervisor so that the company can take steps to protect these valuable assets.
23. Integrity and Accuracy of Financial Records
The preparation and maintenance of accurate books, records and accounts is required by law and essential to the proper discharge of financial, legal and reporting obligations. All Covered Persons are prohibited from directly or indirectly falsifying or causing to be false or misleading any financial or accounting book, record or account. In addition, all financial data must be completely and accurately recorded in compliance with applicable law and Invesco's accounting policies and procedures. A Covered Person may violate this section by acting or by failing to act when he or she becomes aware of a violation or potential violation of this section.
24. Disclosure in Reports and Documents.
Filings and Public Materials. As a public company, it is important that the company's filings with UK authorities, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and other U.S. federal, state, domestic and international regulatory agencies are full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable. The company also makes many other filings with the SEC and other UK, U.S. and international regulatory agencies on behalf of the funds that its subsidiaries and affiliates manage. Further, the company prepares mutual fund account statements, client investment performance information, prospectuses and advertising materials that are sent out to its mutual fund shareholders and clients.
Disclosure and Reporting Policy. The company's policy is to comply with all applicable disclosure, financial reporting and accounting regulations applicable to the company. The company maintains the highest commitment to its disclosure and reporting requirements, and expects and requires all Covered Persons to record information accurately and truthfully in the books and records of the company.
Information for Filings. Depending on his or her position with the company, a Covered Person may be called upon to provide necessary information to assure that the company's public reports and regulatory filings are full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable. The company expects all Covered Persons to be diligent in providing accurate information to the inquiries that are made related to the company's public disclosure requirements.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Covered Persons are required to cooperate and comply with the company's disclosure
controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting so that the company's reports and documents filed with the UK authorities, the SEC and other U.S. federal, state, domestic and international regulatory agencies comply in all material respects with applicable laws, and rules and regulations, and provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure.
25. Improper Influence on the Conduct of Audits
Every Covered Person must deal fairly and honestly with outside accountants performing audits, reviews or examinations of Invesco's and its subsidiaries' financial statements. To that end, no Covered Person of Invesco may make or cause to be made a materially false or misleading statement (or omit facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading) in connection with an audit, review or examination of financial statements by independent accountants or the preparation of any document or report required to be filed with a governmental or regulatory authority. Covered Persons of Invesco also are prohibited from coercing, manipulating, misleading or fraudulently inducing any independent public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance or review of financial statements that are required to be filed with a governmental or regulatory authority if he or she knows or should have known that his or her actions could result in making those financial statements materially misleading.
26. Standards for Invesco's Financial Officers
Invesco's Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (the "Financial Officers") are required to take all reasonable steps to provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosures in the reports and documents that Invesco files with or submits to the SEC and other regulatory bodies and in other public communications made by Invesco. In the event that a Financial Officer learns that any such report, document or communication does not meet this standard and such deviation is material, then the Financial Officers are required to review and investigate such deviation, advise the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors regarding the deviation and, where necessary, revise the relevant report, document or communication.
Although a particular accounting treatment for one or more of Invesco's operations may be permitted under applicable accounting standards, the Financial Officers may not authorize or permit the use of such an accounting treatment if the effect is to distort or conceal Invesco's true financial condition. The accounting standards and treatments utilized by Invesco must, in all instances, be determined on an objective and uniform basis and without reference to a single transaction or series of transactions and their impact on Invesco's financial results for a particular time period. Any new or novel accounting treatment or standard that is to be utilized in the preparation of Invesco's financial statements must be discussed with Invesco's Audit Committee and its independent auditors.
27. Policy and Procedures on Reporting Potential Material Violations
Invesco's Audit Committee has adopted the following statement of policy with respect to the reporting by employees of potential material violations of this Code of Conduct, laws or regulations and our related non-retaliation policy:
"Invesco strives to ensure that all activity by or on behalf of Invesco is in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. Invesco and its employees must adhere to the highest standards of honest and ethical conduct. Employees of Invesco and its subsidiaries are affirmatively required to report possible violations of the Invesco Code of Conduct, laws or regulations promptly to their manager, a Human Resources Director at the employee's site, the employee's Legal and Compliance Department representative, or via the 24-hour toll-free, anonymous Invesco Compliance Reporting Line.
Invesco will not permit retribution, harassment, or intimidation of any employee who in good faith reports a possible violation. Specifically, Invesco policy prevents any employee from being subject to disciplinary or retaliatory action by Invesco or any of its employees or agents as a result of the employee's good faith:
- Disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation or possible violation of federal or state law or regulation; or
- Providing information, causing information to be provided, filing, causing to be filed, testifying, participating in a proceeding filed or about to be filed, or otherwise assisting in an investigation or proceeding regarding any conduct that the employee reasonably believes involves a violation of: (1) any criminal law relating to securities fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, or wire, radio, television or internet fraud; (2) any rule or regulation of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other national, state or provincial securities regulatory authority; or any provision of applicable law relating to fraud against shareholders, where, with respect to investigations, such information or assistance is provided to or the investigation is being conducted by a national, state or provincial regulatory agency, a member of any parliamentary body, or a person at Invesco with supervisory or similar authority over the employee.
However, employees who file reports or provide evidence which they know to be false or without a reasonable belief in the truth and accuracy of such information will not be protected by the above policy statement and may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of their employment."
If you are a Covered Person with complaints or concerns regarding:
(i) violations of this Code of Conduct or the rules mentioned herein;
(ii) violations of laws or regulations generally involving Invesco; or
(iii) questionable accounting matters, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, breaches of fiduciary duty or violations of United States or foreign securities laws or rules (collectively "Accounting Matters"), including:
- fraud or deliberate error in the preparation, evaluation, review or audit of any financial statement of Invesco;
- fraud or deliberate error in the recording and maintaining of financial records of Invesco;
- deficiencies in or non-compliance with Invesco's internal accounting controls;
- misrepresentation or false statements to or by a senior officer or accountant regarding a matter contained in the financial records, financial reports or audit reports of Invesco;
- deviation from full and fair reporting of Invesco's financial condition; or
- fraudulent or criminal activities engaged in by officers, directors or employees of Invesco;
you may report your concerns in any of three ways:
YOU CAN SPEAK WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR. We encourage you to first contact your immediate supervisor, who is in turn responsible for informing Invesco's Compliance Reporting Line (described below) of any concerns raised.
YOU CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE BUSINESS UNIT OR DIVISIONAL GENERAL COUNSEL. If you prefer not to discuss a concern with your own supervisor, you may instead contact the General Counsel of your business unit or division directly. You are also free to e-mail the business unit or divisional General Counsel at the appropriate e-mail address. Such person will then likewise be responsible for informing Invesco's Compliance Reporting Line (described below) of any concerns raised.
YOU CAN CALL OUR COMPLIANCE REPORTING LINE. You may also call the Invesco Compliance Reporting Line. If you are calling from a U.S. or Canadian location dial 1-866-297-3627. For calls from all other locations, dial an international operator and request a collect call to 1-704-943-1136. When asked for your name use "Invesco." You can use the Compliance Reporting Line to report possible violations or to check on the status of a previously filed report. You can also report to the Compliance Reporting Line if you believe that a report previously made to company management, your
supervisor, other management personnel or the applicable business unit or divisional General Counsel has not been addressed.
The Compliance Reporting Line is administered by an outside vendor. The telephone operators for the Compliance Reporting Line have been trained to receive your call. The Compliance Reporting Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls will be answered by a live person. Calls are not recorded and are not able to be traced. You have the option to remain anonymous. If you remain anonymous, you will be given a numeric code so that you may call back and ask for follow up. You will be guided through the call and prompted by appropriate questions from the operator. You will be given a date on which you can call back and receive a follow up report. Once the call is completed, a report will be generated and sent to the appropriate departments within Invesco based on the subject matter of your call. You are urged to call back for follow up, because in the event more information is required, this will be an opportunity for you to provide those details.
If you report a possible violation, regardless of the method that you use to make the report, it is important that you provide as much detail as possible, including names, dates, times, locations and the specific conduct in question. Only with sufficient specific information can Invesco adequately investigate the reported action.
Your submission of information will be treated in a confidential manner to the extent reasonably possible. Please note, however, that if an investigation by Invesco of the activities you have reported takes place, it may be impossible for Invesco to maintain the confidentiality of the fact of the report or the information reported.
Complaints relating to Accounting Matters will be reviewed under Audit Committee direction and oversight by such persons as the Audit Committee determines to be appropriate. All other matters will be reviewed under the direction and oversight of the appropriate departments within Invesco, usually also including the Legal & Compliance Department. Prompt and appropriate corrective action will be taken when and as warranted in the judgment of the Audit Committee or other reviewing department.
28. Disclosure; Amendments
To the extent required by law, the company shall publicly (e.g., in its Annual Report on Form 20-F and/or on its website) disclose this Code of Conduct and its application to all of the company's Covered Persons.
This Code may only be amended by Invesco's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. To the extent required by law, amendments to the Code of Conduct shall be disclosed publicly. As set forth in Item 16B of the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2005 filed with the SEC, the company has elected to disclose certain amendments to the Code that affect, and any waivers of the Code granted to, Financial Officers on the company's Web site in accordance with the requirements of Instruction 4 to Item 16B.
29. Waivers of the Code.
a. Waivers for Executive Officers. Any change in or waiver of this Code for executive officers (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, "Executive Officers") of the company may be made only by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in the manner described in Section 29(d) below, and any such waiver (including any implicit waiver) shall be promptly disclosed to shareholders as required by the corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
b. Waivers for Other Covered Persons. Any requests for waivers of this Code for Covered Persons other than Executive Officers of the company may be made to the Legal and Compliance Department in the manner described in Section 29(e) below.
c. Definition of Waiver. For the purposes of the Code, the term "waiver" shall mean a material departure from a provision of the Code. An "implicit waiver" shall mean the failure of the company to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the Code that has been made known to an Executive Officer.
d. Manner for Requesting Executive Officer Waivers.
i. Request and Criteria. If an Executive Officer wishes to request a waiver of this Code, the Executive Officer may submit to the Global Compliance Director or the Legal and Compliance Department a written request for a waiver of the Code only if he/she can demonstrate that such a waiver:
A. is necessary to alleviate undue hardship or in view of unforeseen circumstances or is otherwise appropriate under all the relevant facts and circumstances;
B. will not be inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the Code;
C. will not adversely affect the interests of clients of the company or the interests of the company; and
D. will not result in a transaction or conduct that would violate provisions of applicable laws or regulations.
ii. Discretionary Waiver and Response. The Legal and Compliance Department will forward the waiver request to the Board of Directors or a committee thereof for consideration. Any decision to grant a waiver from the Code shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of Directors or committee thereof, as appropriate. The Company Secretary will advise the Legal and Compliance Department in writing of the Board of Director's decision regarding the waiver, including the grounds for granting or denying the waiver request. The Legal and Compliance Department shall promptly advise the Executive Officer in writing of the Board of Director's decision.
e. Manner for Requesting Other Covered Person Waivers.
i. Request and Criteria. If a Covered Person who is a non-Executive Officer wishes to request a waiver of this Code, such Covered Person may submit to the Legal and Compliance Department a written request for a waiver of the Code only if he/she can demonstrate that such a waiver would satisfy the same criteria set forth in Section 29(d).
ii. Discretionary Waiver and Response. The Legal and Compliance Department shall forward the waiver request to the General Counsel of the company for consideration. The decision to grant a waiver shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the General Counsel of the company. The General Counsel will advise the Legal and Compliance Department in writing of his/her decision regarding the waiver, including the grounds for granting or denying the waiver request. The Legal and Compliance Department shall promptly advise the Covered Person in writing of the General Counsel's decision.
30. Internal Use. This Code is intended solely for the internal use by the company and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of the company, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.
CONCLUSION
As Covered Persons, each of us is obligated to read and understand this Code of Conduct and our relevant business unit's policies and procedures. No code of conduct, however, can address every situation for which guidance may be necessary. If you are unclear about a situation, stop and ask for guidance before taking action. All Covered
Persons are expected to abide by both the letter and spirit of this Code. Covered Persons are also expected to perform their work with honesty and integrity in any areas not specifically addressed by the Code. Invesco will investigate reported violations of the Code and, if violations are found, may take disciplinary action, if appropriate, against the individuals involved, and may make reports, if appropriate, to civil, criminal or regulatory authorities. Nothing in this Code restricts the company from taking any disciplinary action on any matters pertaining to the conduct of a Covered Person, whether or not expressly set forth in the Code. Any questions regarding the scope or interpretation of this Code should be referred to the appropriate Compliance or Legal officer.
Revised: October 2007
AIM TRIMARK INVESTMENTS
ADDENDUM TO THE
AMVESCAP CODE OF CONDUCT
EFFECTIVE DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2006 REVISED DATE: APRIL 2, 2007
1. INTRODUCTION
Every employee of AIM Trimark Investments ("AIM Trimark") is considered an employee of AMVESCAP PLC and is subject to the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct ("AMVESCAP Code"). All officers, directors and employees of AIM Trimark, including temporary, part-time, contract, and seasonal personnel, are expected to be familiar with the AMVESCAP Code and this Addendum and are required to provide an annual certificate accepting the AMVESCAP Code and this Addendum and acknowledging the obligation to abide by their terms.
The AMVESCAP Code has general application globally. It cannot address specific circumstances which may be required by local regulation or custom. This Addendum, together with the other Policies referred to below, is intended to provide supplementary guidance and more detailed procedures where needed to give effect to the AMVESCAP Code for AIM Trimark employees. The other AIM Trimark policies which deal directly and in a general manner with employee conduct include:
- AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy -- Policy D-7
- Personal Conflicts and Self-Dealing- Policy B-10
- Gifts and Entertainment - Policy D-6
- Corporate Systems Policies
2. FIDUCIARY OBLIGATIONS
In AIM Trimark's capacity as a money manager, AIM Trimark stands in a fiduciary relationship to its clients. Those clients to whom the fiduciary obligations are owed are the mutual funds and investment accounts that we manage, and the holders of fund securities or the clients in the investment accounts, as applicable. (For purposes of this Addendum, the terms "clients" and "client accounts" always refers to the investment funds that we manage or sub-advise or other accounts in respect of which AIM Trimark has been engaged to provide money management services, and do not refer to business partners who distribute our products.)
In carrying out our investment management responsibilities, AIM Trimark must at all times act honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of our clients. This means that the interests of our clients must always and in every instance come ahead of the interests of AIM Trimark or AMVESCAP or of any personal interest of an employee.
The fiduciary nature of our business means that our actions and our policies are governed by the principles of:
- TRANSPARENCY: it is not enough that AIM Trimark put client interests ahead of our own interests; but rather, we must be seen to do so, and the appearance of conflicts is to be avoided where possible
- ACCOUNTABILITY: AIM Trimark must account to our clients as to how we manage their money, through appropriate and clear reporting and disclosure
- COMPETENCE: AIM Trimark must act competently and with the appropriate level of care, skill and diligence in the management of client funds.
Regard shall be had to these principles in the interpretation and application of the AMVESCAP Code, this Addendum and related policies and procedures.
3. AIM TRIMARK PERSONAL TRADING POLICY
Policy D-7, AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy, covers the following topics in detail and should be referred to for the definitive rules in this regard.
3.1 RESTRICTION ON THE PERSONAL TRADING ACTIVITY OF AIM TRIMARK EMPLOYEES
Employees of AIM Trimark may not engage in a personal securities transaction unless it has been pre-cleared by the AIM Trimark Compliance department following a determination that the transaction does not give rise to an actual or potential conflict of interest with activity by a client account in the same security. Employees are required to report transactions and holdings to the AIM Trimark Compliance department on a regular basis. The pre-clearance and reporting requirements also apply to Covered Accounts. Covered Accounts are accounts which an Employee is financially interested in or controls, and may include (but are not limited to) accounts of a spouse, minor child, relative, friend or personal business associate.
4. PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
4.1 UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE
Employees must avoid taking any actions or placing themselves in circumstances that result in an actual or potential conflict between their own personal interests and the interests of AIM Trimark, AMVESCAP or client accounts. Employees must never profit personally at the expense of AIM Trimark, AMVESCAP or client accounts, and they must refrain from deliberately or knowingly doing things which may be otherwise detrimental to the interests of AIM Trimark, AMVESCAP or client accounts.
Policy D-7, AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy, and Policy B-10, Personal Conflicts and Self-Dealing, cover certain of the following topics in detail and should be referred to for the definitive rules in that regard.
4.2 POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION
Any director, officer or employee who possesses or believes that he or she may possess material undisclosed or non-public information about any issuer of securities which could put such person in a conflict of interest with AIM Trimark or any of our client accounts must report the matter immediately to the AIM Trimark Chief Compliance Officer (or designee), who will review the matter and provide further instructions as to the appropriate handling of the information.
4.3 INSIDER TRADING & TIPPING
Trading on or communicating, other than to persons with a need to know, material non-public information, or inside information, of any sort, whether obtained in the course of research activities, through a client relationship or otherwise, is strictly prohibited. AIM Trimark forbids its directors and employees from trading, either personally or on behalf of others (including client accounts managed by AIM Trimark), on material non-public information or communicating material non-public information to others in violation of the law. The communicating or passing on of this type of information is sometimes known as "tipping" and trading on such information is "insider trading".
4.4 PERSONAL TRADING
Personal securities transactions of all Employees of AIM Trimark are subject to restrictions and pre-clearance, as discussed above. Personal securities transactions of independent directors of AIM Trimark's corporate funds and members of the AIM Trimark Fund Advisory Boards are not subject to the pre-clearance or reporting requirements, except with respect to trading in the securities of AMVESCAP or shares of any closed-end investment company or investment trust on which such independent director may serve in a director or trustee capacity.
4.5 SHORT TERM TRADING IN MUTUAL FUNDS AND SEG FUNDS
Employees are prohibited from engaging in excessive short-term trading in any investment fund or similar investment vehicle (including segregated funds and variable annuity products) for which AIM Trimark is the manager or investment advisor or in which an AIM Trimark fund is an ingredient, in the case of fund-of-fund products. Determination of behaviour constituting "excessive short-term trading" will be as set out in Policy D-4, Market Timing.
4.6 PERSONAL BORROWING AND LENDING
Except with the prior written approval of the AIM Trimark Compliance department, employees may not borrow from or lend personal funds or other personal property to any customer of AIM Trimark or third party vendor who has a business relationship or potential business relationship with AIM Trimark. This prohibition does not operate to prohibit employees borrowing from recognized financial institutions such as banks, trust companies and credit card companies with whom AIM Trimark does or may do business.
4.7 OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES
Employees may not undertake or engage in a business activity that is in competition or in conflict with AIM Trimark's business unless they have received the written consent of the employee's manager and the approval of the AIM Trimark Compliance department. For this purpose, "undertaking or engaging in a business activity" includes any direct or indirect involvement with an enterprise for which the employee
may receive financial compensation or return. A business will be deemed to be in competition or conflict with AIM Trimark if the business offers or provides products or services of a type similar to products or services offered by AIM Trimark or AMVESCAP. This prohibition does not operate to prohibit employees from making personal investments in public issuers that are in a similar business to AIM Trimark or AMVESCAP.
In addition, all Employees of AIM Trimark are prohibited from serving as directors/trustees of organizations (including charitable organizations) except with the prior written approval of AIM Trimark's President and Chief Executive Officer. All such requests must be submitted to the AIM Trimark Compliance department for consideration prior to submission to AIM Trimark's President and Chief Executive Officer.
4.8 DUAL REGISTRATION
Employees who are registered with a securities regulatory authority as a representative or officer of both AIM Funds Management Inc. and AIM Mutual Fund Dealer Inc. have duties and responsibilities equally to both registered entities. Dually registered employees must allocate sufficient time to support each entity and take into consideration the impact on both entities when making policy decisions. Dually registered employees must disclose in writing to their clients, at account opening and on an annual basis, the fact that the employee is registered with both AIM Funds Management Inc. and AIM Mutual Fund Dealer Inc. and that there are policies and procedures in place to minimize the potential for conflicts of interest resulting from the dual registration.
Employees licensed by any regulatory or professional body, are expected to adhere to any requirements imposed by those entities. Except with the prior written consent of the Chief Compliance Officer, no employee may be licensed or registered with, or as a representative of, any entity other than AIM Funds Management Inc. and AIM Mutual Fund Dealer Inc. This includes but is not limited to securities dealers, scholarship plan dealers, insurance agents, real estate agents, mortgage brokers and other similar entities.
5. POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACTIVITY
Employees, as private citizens, should feel free to exercise their rights and duties in any political or civic process.
AIM Trimark however, does not make political contributions nor does AIM Trimark participate in political activities, at any level of government. AIM Trimark does not make corporate donations to any political party or cause. For example:
- no purchases of seats or tables at fundraising events
- no contributions to political parties or candidate campaigns (includes local or municipal politics)
- no use of AIM Trimark resources (e.g. photocopying, printing, use of office space) in aid of political activity
No employee may make any such political contributions on behalf of AIM Trimark. Employees should be careful not to give the impression that personal political views and beliefs are those of AIM Trimark.
Any departure from the foregoing must receive the prior approval of the AIM Trimark Compliance department.
6 LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
6.1 CODE OF ETHICS COMMITTEE
Administration of the AMVESCAP Code, this Addendum, and related policies to employees of AIM Trimark is overseen by AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee.
6.2 CODE OF ETHICS OFFICER
The AIM Trimark Chief Compliance Officer is the AIM Trimark designated Code of Ethics Officer.
6.3 AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS
Any amendments or modifications to this Addendum are effective upon approval of the Chief Compliance Officer and the Chief Executive Officer.
Gifts and Entertainment
Policy Number: D-6 Effective Date: March 2006 Revision Date: April 2007
OVERVIEW
AMVESCAP has in place the AMVESCAP Gifts and Entertainment Policy which is applicable to AMVESCAP and its individual business units worldwide. This AIM Trimark Gifts and Entertainment Policy ("Policy") is intended to work with the AMVESCAP Policy and supplement it with local rules.
All AIM Trimark employees, including temporary, part-time, contract, and seasonal personnel, must refrain from conduct that could give rise to the appearance of a conflict of interest. The provision or receipt of gifts or entertainment can create, or can have the appearance of creating, conflicts of interest.
Employees also need to take into consideration the firm's policy on corporate expenses, which can be found on Total Access Point ("TAP") under travel and entertainment guidelines, and the firm's policy on Sales Practices, which can be found in the AIM Trimark compliance manual under section D-2.
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Policy, a GIFT is anything of value given or received involving AIM Trimark personnel, and a person or entity that has a direct or indirect, existing or potential business relationship with AIM Trimark (a "Business Partner"). This Policy also applies to gifts given by AIM Trimark to family members of a Business Partner and gifts received from a Business Partner by a family member of an employee of AIM Trimark. Business Partners specifically include broker dealers and financial advisors. Gifts may include, but are not limited to, personal items, air miles, services, office accessories, electronic equipment (e.g., iPods, MP3s, etc.), tickets (e.g., theatre, concerts, sporting events, etc.) and sporting equipment (e.g., golf clubs, tennis rackets, etc.). For purposes of this Policy, gifts also include charitable contributions and sponsorship requests (e.g., sponsoring a minor hockey team) made to or at the request of a Business Partner. For purposes of this Policy, gifts do not include promotional items of nominal value (approximately $20 - e.g., golf balls, pens, etc.) that display the logo of AIM Trimark or its AMVESCAP business units, or of its Business Partners.
ENTERTAINMENT involves attendance at activities, including but not limited to meals, sporting events, the theatre, parties or receptions, and similar functions. Entertainment requires the presence of both AIM Trimark personnel and Business Partner personnel;
unless personnel from both entities attend, the activity constitutes a gift. The value of entertainment includes the cost of the activity itself (for example, the cost of tickets or a meal), as well as the cost of any related activities or services provided (such as prizes). The value of entertainment does not include the cost of overhead (such as rent or equipment rentals).
THRESHOLDS
Employees are prohibited from giving or receiving gifts with a value of more than $250.
Entertainment should not exceed $450 per business partner.
FREQUENCY
Gifts and entertainment cannot be so extensive or so frequent as to cause a reasonable person to question whether the provision of the items or activity improperly influences the employee or Business Partner.
The maximum total value of gifts received by, or given to, a business partner is $250 annually.
Entertainment is limited to three times per year per business partner.
PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
Employees are prohibited from providing or receiving any gift or entertainment that is conditioned upon AIM Trimark doing business with the entity or person involved.
Employees are prohibited from soliciting gifts and entertainment. Employees are to immediately advise the AIM Trimark Compliance department if a Business Partner solicits the employee for gifts and entertainment other than a charitable donation or request for sponsorship.
Except with the prior approval of the AIM Trimark Compliance department, employees cannot pay for, or accept, any travel and/or accommodation to or from a Business Partner.
With respect to approved co-operative marketing practices, such as sales communications and investor seminars, where AIM Trimark pays a portion of the cost, AIM Trimark cannot provide gifts, other than nominal valued promotional items, to the dealer's clients. Nominal speaker gifts would be co-op eligible at approved dealer-sponsored events for financial advisors.
REPORTING/RECORD KEEPING
Each department or employee is responsible for keeping a record of all gifts and entertainment given or received. Minimum required information includes: date, employee name(s), business partner firm name, business partner representative name(s), description of gift or entertainment, approximate dollar value, and required approval where applicable. Promotional items of nominal value (approximately $20) and department breakfasts or lunches do not need to be recorded. Where the value of the activity or item is not readily known, the employee should record the estimated cost.
REVIEW AND MONITORING
This Policy shall be overseen and administered by AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee, which has responsibility for the overall scope, application, and enforcement of this Policy. AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee shall receive the reports and recommendations of the AIM Trimark Compliance department and of management from time to time and periodically update or revise this Policy as may be desirable.
Each department head is expected to review the gifts and entertainment log on a regular basis in order to identify any concerns or trends. Any concerns or issues are to be brought to the attention of the AIM Trimark Compliance department.
The AIM Trimark Compliance department will conduct a quarterly review of the gifts and entertainment log. A summary of such review, together with other relevant observations and recommendations, shall be reported to the AIM Trimark Code of Ethics Committee.
Evidence of reviews must be maintained for a minimum of seven years.
D7. AIM TRIMARK PERSONAL TRADING POLICY
Policy Number: D-7 Effective Date: October 2006 Revision Date: March 2007
1. PURPOSE AND APPLICATION
The AIM Trimark Personal Trading Policy applies to all officers, directors and employees of AIM Trimark Investments, including temporary, part-time, contract, and seasonal personnel (collectively referred to as "Employee"). For purposes of this Policy, the terms "clients" and "client accounts" always refers to the investment funds that AIM Trimark manages or sub-advises or other accounts in respect of which AIM Trimark has been engaged to provide money management services.
The purpose of this Policy is to ensure the fair treatment of client accounts through the highest standard of integrity and ethical business conduct by Employees. The Policy is designed to ensure, among other things, that the personal securities transactions of all Employees are conducted in accordance with the following general principles:
- A duty at all times to place the interests of client accounts first.
- The requirement that all personal securities transactions be conducted in a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
- That Employees should not take otherwise inappropriate advantage of their positions.
Employees must not use any non-public information about client accounts for their direct or indirect personal benefit or in a manner that would not be in the best interests of client accounts. Employees also must not use their position to obtain special treatment or investment opportunities not generally available to client accounts or the public.
The personal trading requirements pertaining to pre-clearance, reporting and investment restrictions contained in this Policy apply to both Employees and their Covered Accounts.
AIM Trimark recognizes that certain relationships with non-employees may, from time to time, present particular risks that inappropriate trading could occur. Those risks may be present, for example, through certain arrangements with consultants or independent contractors who have entered into long-term services arrangements with AIM Trimark pursuant to which they are expected to have access to non-public information in connection with those arrangements (such information may relate to AIM Trimark or some outside source, and may be obtained from AIM Trimark or some outside source). Accordingly, as part of the process for engaging the services of consultants or other independent contractors, the AIM Trimark Chief Compliance Officer shall take such
steps as may be reasonably determined to be necessary or appropriate. Those steps may or may not include requiring a non-employee to agree to be bound by these procedures as if he or she were an Employee.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 EMPLOYEE
For the purposes of this Policy the term Employee includes all officers, directors and employees of AIM Trimark Investments including temporary, part-time, contract, and seasonal personnel
2.2 COVERED ACCOUNTS
A Covered Account is defined for purposes of this Policy as any account:
- In which an Employee has a direct or indirect financial interest;
- Over which such Employee has direct or indirect control over the purchase or sale of securities; or
- In which securities are held for an Employee's direct or indirect benefit.
Such Covered Accounts may include, but are not limited to, accounts of a spouse, minor child, relative, friend or personal business associate.
3. PRE-CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
3.1 SUBMITTING THE REQUEST TO TRADE
Except where noted below, an Employee must receive the prior approval using the automated review system (Star Compliance) or from the AIM Trimark Compliance department in order to engage in a personal securities transaction. The Star Compliance system will review the trade request to determine whether or not the proposed transaction gives rise to an actual or potential conflict of interest with activity in a client account in the same security. Upon completion of the review process, the Employee will receive a time stamped response indicating whether the trade is authorized or denied.
Pre-clearance will not be given if there has been a transaction by a subject client account in the same, or equivalent, security within seven (7) calendar days of the proposed personal securities transaction (the "7-Day Rule"). An equivalent security means a security that (1) is convertible into another security or (2) gives its holder the right to purchase another security of the same issuer. For example, a bond or preferred stock may be convertible into another security of the same issuer, or an option or warrant may give the holder the right to purchase stock of the same issuer. ADR and EDR shares are considered equivalent to their corresponding foreign shares.
The trade approval process involves the following steps:
- A trade must be entered into the Star Compliance system.
- The Star Compliance system will confirm that there is no activity currently on the trading desk for the security involved in the proposed personal transaction and check the portfolio accounting system to verify that there have been no transactions for the requested security within seven calendar days.
- The Star Compliance system will provide an automated response on a timely basis for all pre-approval requests indicating whether the transaction has been approved or denied.
3.2 EXECUTING APPROVED TRANSACTIONS
Except as may be authorized by the Chief Compliance Officer or designate in the case of certain securities or classes of securities, all authorized personal securities transactions must be executed by the next business day. If the trade is not executed within this time period, a new pre-clearance request must be submitted.
Employees will be requested to reverse any trades processed without the required pre-approval. Any costs or losses associated with the reversal are the responsibility of the Employee.
3.3 EXCEPTIONS TO PRE-CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
Employees may trade in the following types of securities without regard to the pre-clearance procedures:
- Open-end mutual funds, open-end unit investment trusts and pooled trust funds (whether or not managed or distributed by an AMVESCAP Company).
- Variable annuities, variable life products, segregated funds, and other similar unit-based insurance products issued by insurance companies and insurance company separate accounts.
- Securities issued or guaranteed by the Government of Canada, or the government of any province in Canada.
- Securities issued or guaranteed by the Governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, France and Italy.
- Guaranteed Investment certificates, bank certificates of deposit other deposits with financial institutions, bankers acceptances, commercial paper and high quality short-term instruments, including repurchase agreements.
- Short-term debt securities maturing in less than 91 days from their date of issue.
- Physical commodities or securities relating to those commodities.
- Other securities or classes of securities as the Committee may from time to time designate.
Employee accounts excluded from the pre-clearance requirement are the following:
- Employee share purchase plans except for the sale of the securities.
- Employee stock option purchase plans except for the sale of the securities.
- Accounts capable of holding only deposits or GIC's issued by a financial institution and/or mutual funds.
- Fully-managed discretionary accounts subject to the conditions in 3.4 below.
3.4 MANAGED ACCOUNTS
To qualify as a fully-managed discretionary account, the account must be fully "discretionary", without any influence by the Employee over individual transactions. This means that full investment discretion has been granted to an investment manager or trustee and that neither the Employee nor Covered Account person participates in the investment decisions or is informed in advance of transactions in the account. Pre-clearance is not required for transactions in a Covered Account in which an Employee is not exercising power over investment discretion including a managed account, provided that:
- The account is the subject of a written contract providing for the delegation by the Employee of substantially all investment discretion to another party.
- The Employee has provided the AIM Trimark Compliance department with a copy of such written agreement.
- The Employee certifies in writing that he or she has not discussed, and will not discuss, potential investment decisions with the party to whom investment discretion has been delegated.
- The Employee otherwise complies with the annual reporting requirement contained herein, and also provides or makes provision for the delivery to the AIM Trimark Compliance department of periodic statements of discretionary account holdings.
- The foregoing exception from the pre-clearance requirement does not apply to transactions by a delegated discretionary account in shares of AMVESCAP. All employees are required to notify parties to whom they have delegated investment discretion that such discretion may not be exercised to purchase shares of AMVESCAP and that any sales of AMVESCAP shares by a Covered Account that is the subject of delegated investment discretion are subject to the pre-clearance and reporting requirements.
- Discretionary managed accounts for which this exemption is available would not include ones where the accountholder has given a power of attorney (POA) to another person such as a broker for occasional discretionary trading. Discretionary accounts would include blind trusts.
4. OPTIONS TRADING
In the case of personal securities transactions involving the purchase or sale of an option on an equity security, the Star Compliance system will determine whether to authorize the transaction by matching the pre-clearance request against activity in client accounts in both the option and the underlying security. This determination will not be made, and pre-clearance will not be given, if there has been a client account transaction in either the option or the underlying security within 7 calendar days of the proposed personal securities transaction. Pre-clearance is required for both the opening and closing transaction.
It is the responsibility of the employee to be aware of the additional risks that can result from engaging in certain transactions. For example, if an opening options transaction is approved, the closing options transaction may not be approved or may be delayed in certain cases due to actual or apparent conflicts of interest or competing obligations that arise after the time the employee's opening transaction was approved. An employee is prohibited from purchasing or selling options on shares of AMVESCAP.
5. SHORT SALES
Short sales of securities are permissible subject to the following conditions:
- No short sales on AMVESCAP
- No short sales on securities where there has been a trade in the same security within the last 7 days in one of the client accounts
- Employees are prohibited from short-term trading; therefore, the Employee is restricted from buying back the position within 60 days.
- Portfolio managers are prohibited from short selling a security if the client account the Portfolio Manager manages are long the security.
- If a Portfolio Manager is selling a stock there should generally be no "short selling" allowed until that position is completely sold. This provision includes the situation where the Portfolio Manager stops selling the security for a short period, for example to let the market absorb what has been sold, and then resumes selling the position. If other client accounts hold the same security, the AIM Trimark Compliance department will review the other client accounts to determine if the other client accounts are active in the security or are going to be active.
6. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES
In order to avoid even the appearance of conduct that might be deemed contrary to a client's best interests, Employees are subject to the following additional restrictions and prohibitions relating to certain investment activities and related conduct as set out herein.
6.1 PROHIBITION AGAINST TRADING IN SECURITIES ON "RESTRICTED LISTS"
It is recognized that there may be occasions when AMVESCAP, an AMVESCAP Company, or an Employee who is a key executive of AMVESCAP or an AMVESCAP Company, may have a special relationship with an issuer of securities. In such occasions the Board of Directors of AMVESCAP or the Code of Ethics Committee may decide to place the securities of such issuer on a "restricted list", to be maintained by the Chief Compliance Officer. Employees are prohibited from engaging in any personal securities transactions in a security on a "restricted list".
6.2 PROHIBITION AGAINST SHORT-TERM TRADING ACTIVITIES
Employees are prohibited from profiting from a trade in an "opposite transaction" in the same, or equivalent, security within 60 days of its purchase or sale. This short-term trading prohibition may be waived by the AIM Trimark Compliance department in certain instances including where an employee wishes to limit his or her losses on a security with rapidly depreciating market value. Such circumstances must be disclosed at the time pre-clearance is requested.
6.3 PROHIBITION AGAINST PURCHASES IN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS
Employees generally are prohibited from purchasing securities in IPOs. Employees who are not investment personnel and whose proposed IPO trade is through discretionary accounts may acquire shares in an IPO. Investment personnel are prohibited from purchases in Initial Public Offerings, even if the proposed IPO trade would be through a discretionary account, unless the person has obtained pre-clearance by the Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Investment Officer.
6.4 RESTRICTED SECURITIES ISSUED BY PUBLIC COMPANIES
Generally, Employees are discouraged from investing in restricted securities of public companies including special warrant deals. Restricted securities are securities acquired in an unregistered, private sale from an issuer. An Employee may purchase such securities, however, if such purchase has been pre-cleared by the AIM Trimark Compliance
department following a determination that the proposed transaction does not present any actual or potential conflict of interest.
6.5 RESTRICTIONS ON PRIVATE PLACEMENTS (INCLUDING HEDGE FUNDS)
An Employee may not purchase or sell any security (e.g., stock, bond or limited partnership interest) obtained through a private placement (including the purchase or sale of an interest in a so-called "hedge fund") unless such transaction has been pre-cleared by the AIM Trimark Compliance department following a determination that the proposed transaction does not (i) present any actual or potential conflict of interest, (ii) that the issuer is a "private issuer" under securities legislation and (iii) the Employee has no reason to believe that the issuer or a related subsidiary company (whether or not such securities are of the same class as the securities held by such Employee) will make a public offering of its securities within the next twelve months. The AIM Trimark Compliance department will also review the request with the Chief Investment Officer before granting pre-clearance. The AIM Trimark Compliance department will maintain a record of the approval and the rationale supporting the purchase of the Private Placement. If pre-clearance is provided, the security will then be added to the restricted list. Further, Employees who have been authorized to acquire securities in a private placement must disclose such investment when he/she plays a part in any client account's subsequent consideration of an investment in the issuer. In such circumstances, the client account's decision to purchase securities of the issuer is subject to an independent review by investment personnel with no personal interest in the issuer.
6.6 INVESTMENT CLUBS
An Employee is prohibited from participating in an investment club unless such participation has been approved by the AIM Trimark Compliance department following a determination that the following conditions have been satisfied:
- The Employee's participation does not create any actual or potential conflict of interest.
- The Employee does not control investment decision-making for the investment club.
- The Employee has made satisfactory arrangements to ensure that duplicate trade confirmations of investment club activity and quarterly statements of investment club holdings are provided to the AIM Trimark Compliance department by brokers acting on behalf of the investment club.
If participation in an investment club has been approved, all future trades will be subject to pre-clearance.
6.7 TRADING IN AMVESCAP
Employees are prohibited from trading in AMVESCAP during the "Close Periods". Details of the "Close Periods" are circulated to all employees by way of the internal e-
mail system and can also be found via the attached link:
http://atlas.amvescap.com/ags/amv_groupservices/sec_closed.html
A "Close Period" is defined by the rules as the period of 60 days prior to the announcement of the year end results and the period of 30 days prior to the announcement of the interim and quarterly results. The close period may be shorter depending on when the results are announced but cannot start until the end of the relevant reporting period.
Short term trading (i.e. buying and selling within a 60 day period) in AMVESCAP, where the intention is to make a quick profit, is prohibited.
7. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
7.1 INITIAL REPORTS
Within 10 days of becoming an Employee, each Employee, using the Star Compliance system, must submit a statement containing the following information: (i) a complete list of all of his or her Covered Accounts (including the name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the Employee maintained the Account); (ii) a list of each Reportable Security (whether held through a Covered Account, in certificate form, or otherwise) in which he or she has direct or indirect beneficial ownership (e.g., that he or she owns); and (iii) the date the Employee submits the report. The statement must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date of becoming an Employee.
7.2 REPORTS OF TRADE CONFIRMATIONS AND QUARTERLY REPORTS
Within 10 calendar days of settlement of each personal securities transaction involving a Reportable Security, whether the transactions had to be pre-cleared or not, the Employee engaging in the transaction must file or cause to be filed with the AIM Trimark Compliance department a duplicate copy of the broker/dealer confirmation, or such other confirmations as are available, for such transaction. In addition, except to the extent that such report would duplicate information contained in such confirmations, within 30 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter, the Employee must submit a statement: (i) with respect to each personal securities transaction during the quarter in a Reportable Security in which the Employee had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership; (ii) with respect to any Covered Account established during the quarter, the name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the account was established, the date the account was established, and (iii) the date that the statement is submitted by the Employee.
Notwithstanding the reporting requirements set forth in the previous paragraph, transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan need not be reported in the quarterly statement (nor in trade confirmations in lieu of the quarterly statement). An "automatic investment plan" means any program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.
7.3 ANNUAL REPORTS
By January 30 of each year, each Employee must file with the AIM Trimark Compliance department an annual account statement as of December 31 of each year, (i) all Covered Accounts of such Employee (including the name of the broker, dealer or bank with which the Employee maintained the account) (ii) each Reportable Security (whether held through a Covered Account, in certificate form, or otherwise) in which he or she has direct or indirect beneficial ownership; and (iii) the date the Employee submits the account statements.
Employees are encouraged to request their broker or dealer to automatically send the AIM Trimark Compliance department copies of trade confirmations and monthly account statements. By doing so, the Employee does not have to make arrangements every time to meet the ongoing quarterly and annual reporting requirements.
The AIM Trimark Compliance department will review all reports submitted and report any irregularity to the Code of Ethics Committee.
7.4 REPORTABLE SECURITY
For purposes of this Policy, the term "Reportable Security" means any security except the following:
- Unit investment trusts (i.e., variable insurance contracts funded by insurance company separate accounts organized as unit investment trusts) invested exclusively in open-end U.S. mutual funds that are not managed or distributed by AIM Trimark or any AMVESCAP Company.
- Open-end U.S. mutual funds that are not managed or distributed by AIM Trimark or any AMVESCAP Company.
- Open-end Canadian mutual funds that are not managed or distributed by AIM Trimark.
- Securities issued or guaranteed by (i.e., securities that are the direct obligations of) the government of the United States.
- Money market funds.
- Money market instruments. a money market instrument is a debt
instrument that has a maturity at issuance of less than 366 days and
(i) is rated in one of the two highest ratings categories by a
statistical rating organization that is nationally recognized in the
United States or a rating organization not affiliated with AIM Trimark
and of comparable status in Canada or (ii) if not rated, is determined
by AIM Trimark in good faith to be of equivalent quality such that it
presents a comparable (or better) degree of safety of principal. For
example, a short-term debt instrument with a rating of AA or AAA by
Moody's Investors Service or AA or AAA
by Standard & Poor's Corporation meets this definition of money market instrument. Typical examples of money market instruments include bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and repurchase agreements.
8. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
Except as otherwise provided in the special procedures for independent directors of US Funds, personal securities transactions of independent directors of AIM Trimark or of AIM Trimark's corporate funds and members of the Fund's Advisory Boards are not subject to either the pre-clearance or reporting requirements set forth in this Policy, except with respect to personal securities transactions in the shares of AMVESCAP or shares of any closed-end investment company or investment trust served by such independent director in a director or trustee capacity.
8.1 FOR PURPOSES OF THIS EXCEPTION THE TERM "INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR" MEANS
a) any director of AIM Trimark's corporate funds or members of the AIM Trimark Fund Advisory Board
i) who is neither an officer nor employee of AMVESCAP or of any AMVESCAP Company, or
ii) who is not otherwise "connected with" AMVESCAP or any AMVESCAP Company within the meaning of the London Stock Exchange Yellow Book; and
b) any director of AIM Trimark who
i) is neither an officer nor employee of AMVESCAP or of any AMVESCAP Company,
ii) is not otherwise "connected with" AMVESCAP or any AMVESCAP Company within the meaning of the London Stock Exchange Yellow Book,
iii) is not an interested person of a US Fund under Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act (1940) and would otherwise be required to submit a pre-clearance request or make a report solely by reason of being an AIM director and
iv) does not regularly obtain information concerning the investment recommendations or decisions made by AIM Trimark on behalf of the US Funds.
8.2 SPECIAL PROCEDURES FOR INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS OF US FUNDS
While an "independent director" of AIM Trimark is not deemed to be an "Employee" and consequently is not subject to most of the procedures specified in this Policy with respect
to securities transactions, independent directors of AIM Trimark are subject to all of the following provisions. For purposes of this Policy, a "US Fund" is an investment fund whose activities are governed by the laws of the United States.
- An independent director is expected to adhere to the insider trading requirements.
- An independent director is expected to avoid engaging in any of the following actions:
- Employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a US Fund.
- Make any untrue statement of a material fact to directors, officers or agents of a US Fund or with respect to the securities or investment operations of a US Fund, or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make such statements in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
- Engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a US Fund.
- Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to a US Fund.
- Prior to engaging in a personal securities transaction in a security (other than in a security excluded from pre-clearance), if an independent director knows, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as an independent director to AIM Trimark, should have known, that during the 15-day period immediately before the date of his or her prospective transaction in the security, (i) a US Fund purchased or sold the security or (ii) a US Fund or its adviser or sub-adviser considered purchasing or selling the security, he or she is required to do the following: not purchase or sell such security until the day next following the completion by the Fund of its transaction, unless the director has submitted a pre-clearance request and the AIM Trimark Compliance department reasonably determines that, in view of the nature of the security and the market for the security, the director's transaction is not likely to affect the price paid for or received by the Fund. Absent such a finding, if such a transaction nonetheless is placed, the transaction is considered prohibited and any profits related thereto must be disgorged (to the Fund or an appropriate charity).
- If an independent director knows, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as an independent director to AIM Trimark should have known, that during the 15-day period immediately before or after the date of the director's transaction in a security (other than those excluded from reporting), (i) a US Fund purchased or sold the security or (ii) a US Fund or its adviser or sub-adviser considered purchasing or selling the
security, he or she is required, whether or not he or she has pre-cleared the transaction, to follow the reporting requirements as if he or she were an Employee.
9. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE
By signing off on the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct and the AIM Trimark Addendum to the Code on an annual basis, Employees are also confirming adherence to this Policy.
10. OVERSIGHT
This Policy shall be overseen and administered by AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee, while administration of this Policy is the responsibility of the Chief Compliance Officer.
10.1 CODE OF ETHICS COMMITTEE
This Policy shall be overseen and administered by AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee, which has responsibility for the overall scope, application, and enforcement of this Policy. AIM Trimark's Code of Ethics Committee shall receive the reports and recommendations of the AIM Trimark Compliance department from time to time and periodically update or revise this Policy as may be desirable.
Members of the Code of Ethics Committee include:
- President and Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Investment Officer
- Executive Vice President, Sales
- General Counsel
- Senior Vice President, Investment Operations and Analytics
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Assistant Vice President, Operations Compliance
- Such other members as the President and CEO may designate
The Committee meets no less frequently than annually to review the Chief Compliance Officer's report and the provisions of the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct and this Policy. The Chief Compliance Officer calls other meetings of the Committee when she or he believes that a possible violation of the Code or these Procedures has occurred or that the Committee should meet for other purposes, such as to consider changes to the AIM Trimark Addendum to the AMVESCAP Code of Conduct or to this Policy. A majority of
the members of the Committee will constitute a quorum, provided that the President and Chief Executive Officer are present in order to have a quorum. A majority of the members present at a meeting constitutes the vote required for any action taken by the Committee. Special meetings of the Committee may be called by any member of the Committee to discuss matters that are deemed to warrant immediate attention.
10.2 AIM TRIMARK COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT
The AIM Trimark Compliance department administers all aspects of the Policy including informing new Employees of the requirements, reviewing pre-approval requests, monitoring personal trading activity, monitoring client account activity in the same security of an approved trade for the following seven (7) calendar days to determine whether the appearance of a conflict is present, following up on reporting requirements, and record keeping.
The Chief Compliance Officer or designate will provide a written report, at least annually to the Committee summarizing:
- Compliance with the Policy for the period under review.
- Violations of the Policy for the period under review.
- Sanctions imposed under the Policy by AIM Trimark during the period under review.
- Whether AIM Trimark's external investment advisors have confirmed that they have complied with the basic principles set out in this Policy in providing investment advisory services to the funds during the period under review.
- Changes in procedures recommended for the Policy.
- Any other information requested by the Committee.
(INVESCO LOGO)
INVESCO LTD.
CODE OF CONDUCT
INTRODUCTION
Our company's Core Purpose and Mission are a logical beginning point for our Code of Conduct:
Invesco is committed to "Helping People Worldwide Build Their Financial Security". That Core Purpose underlies our Mission, which is to deliver superior investment performance worldwide. Over the years, Invesco has developed a set of values that will continue to help us achieve our Core Purpose and Mission. Our values include:
- Working with integrity
- Respecting our employees and clients
- Empowering people
This Code of Conduct ("Code of Conduct" or "Code") has been created to assist us in accomplishing our Core Purpose and Mission. It contains a number of policies and standards which, when taken together, are designed to help define the essence of the conduct of an Invesco representative. These policies and standards are also intended to provide guidance to Invesco personnel in fulfilling their obligations to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations. This Code of Conduct applies to all officers and other employees of Invesco and its subsidiaries (collectively, "Covered Persons"). These standards are neither exclusive nor complete. Additional company policies and rules can be found in the company's Intranet site, and others may be published to company personnel from time to time. Covered Persons are required to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, whether or not specifically addressed in these policies. For additional guidance, or if you have questions regarding the existence, interpretation or application of any law, rule or regulation, please contact your supervisor, the General Counsel of your business unit or division, or the Invesco General Counsel.
Our culture is based upon a set of shared values and principles. These include
working with integrity and commitment to our clients, colleagues and
communities. In practice, this means that our clients' interests must always
come first, that Covered Persons should treat each other with respect and
consideration, and that Invesco should participate as a responsible corporate
citizen in every community in which it operates. This commitment is a vital part
of our achieving our principal responsibility as a publicly-held company:
producing a fair return on our shareholders' capital.
This Code of Conduct contains broad and general principles that supplement the specific policies, procedures and training within each business unit of Invesco.
YOUR RESPONSIBLITIES
One person's misconduct can damage our entire company's hard-earned reputation and compromise the public's trust in the company. Every Covered Person should therefore become familiar with this Code and abide strictly by its provisions. In brief:
- It is your responsibility at all times to comply with the law and behave in an ethical manner.
- This Code cannot anticipate every possible situation or cover every topic in detail. The company has established special policies to address specific subjects and will update this Code and those specific policies from time-to-time. If you are unclear about a situation, stop and ask for guidance before taking action.
- Failure to obey laws and regulations violates this Code and may expose both you and the company to criminal or civil sanctions. Any violation of this Code or other company policies may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. The company may also seek civil remedies from you and even refer criminal misconduct to law enforcement agencies.
- You are responsible for reporting possible violations of this Code to the company (see below).
- If you have a question about a topic covered in this Code or a concern regarding any conduct, please speak with your supervisor or with an appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance Department.
- If you are aware of a violation and are uncomfortable speaking with any of these people or wish to remain anonymous, you may call the toll-free Invesco Compliance Reporting Line (the "Compliance Reporting Line"). If you are calling from a U.S. or Canadian location dial 1-866-297-3627. For calls from all other locations, dial an international operator and request a collect call to 1-704-943-1136. When asked for your name use "Invesco." (See further details below.)
- If you are an attorney or an executive officer of the company, you may have additional reporting or other obligations under specific rules applicable to you, such as the POLICY FOR REPORTING BY ATTORNEYS EMPLOYED BY INVESCO LTD. AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES, and you should also comply with such rules.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Invesco with its subsidiaries and various divisions operates in a highly-regulated and complex environment. There are numerous layers of overlapping, and occasionally conflicting, laws, customs and local practices. This Code of Conduct was designed to provide all of us who are part of the Invesco group with a clear statement of our firm's ethical and cultural standards.
We operate in major countries and securities markets throughout the world. Generally, we serve our clients as fiduciaries.
Fiduciary businesses are generally held to a higher standard of conduct than other businesses, and as such there are special obligations that apply. The following key duties and principles govern our conduct as fiduciaries:
- Best interests of clients - As fiduciaries, we have a duty to act with reasonable care, skill and caution in the best interests of our clients, and to avoid conflicts of interest.
- Global fiduciary standards - Invesco seeks to maintain the same high fiduciary standards throughout the world, even though those standards may not be legally required, or even recognized, in some countries.
- Compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations - We have a duty to comply with the laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdictions in which we operate, and to comply with the terms of our agreements with our clients.
- Client confidentiality - We must maintain the confidentiality of information relating to the client, and comply with the data protection requirements imposed by many jurisdictions.
- Information - Clients must be provided with timely and accurate information regarding their accounts.
- Segregation and protection of assets - Processes must be established for the proper maintenance, control and protection of client assets. Fiduciary assets must be segregated from Invesco assets and property.
- Delegation of duties - Fiduciary duties should be delegated only when the client consents and where permitted by applicable law. Reasonable care, skill and caution must be exercised in the selection of agents and review of their performance.
- Client guidelines - Invesco is responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of clients that are consistent with the prospectus, contract, or other controlling document relating to the client's account.
- Relations with regulators - We seek relationships with regulators that are open and responsive in nature.
1. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations
Invesco strives to ensure that all activity by or on behalf of Invesco is in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations ("applicable laws"). Many of these applicable laws are specifically described in this Code of Conduct and in other Invesco and business unit policies and procedures. In the conduct of our business, all Covered Persons are required to comply with all applicable laws.
2. Fair and Honest Dealing
Covered Persons shall deal fairly and honestly with Invesco's shareholders, customers, suppliers, competitors and employees. Covered Persons shall behave in an ethical manner and shall not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing practice.
3. Conflicts of Interest
Invesco and its Covered Persons must adhere to the highest standards of honest and ethical conduct. These include, but are not limited to, sensitivity to the existence of a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Conflicts of interest can arise in many ways, and we must all be sensitive to those situations in which they are most likely to be present. A conflict of interest exists when a Covered Person's personal interest interferes, or appears to interfere, in any way with the interests of Invesco or its clients, or when a Covered Person otherwise takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her company work objectively and effectively. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Person, or a member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position with Invesco.
All Covered Persons owe a duty of undivided and unqualified loyalty to Invesco and may not use their positions improperly to profit personally or to assist others in profiting at the expense of the company. All Covered Persons are therefore expected and
required to regulate their activities so as to avoid conflicts of interest. In addition, Covered Persons shall promptly communicate to the applicable member of the Legal & Compliance Department any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest so that the company and the Covered Person may take steps to minimize the conflict.
Covered Persons shall not take for personal use (or for use by a family member) any business opportunity learned of during the course of serving Invesco, using Invesco property or as a result of such individual's position with Invesco. To the extent that an employee or officer learns of a business opportunity that is within Invesco's existing or proposed lines of business, the employee or officer should inform his or her supervisor, the divisional or business unit General Counsel, or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, of the business opportunity and refrain from personally pursuing the matter until such time as Invesco decides to forego the business opportunity. At no time may any employee or officer utilize any Invesco property, information or position to generate personal gain or engage or participate in any business that directly competes with Invesco.
While not all-inclusive, the following examples of outside financial interests will serve to illustrate some of the types of activities that might cause conflicts of interest:
- Ownership or other interest in or employment by any outside concern which does business with Invesco. This does not apply to stock or other investments in a publicly-held company, provided that the stock and other investments do not, in the aggregate, exceed 5% of the outstanding ownership interests of such company. Invesco may, following a review of the relevant facts, permit ownership interests which exceed these amounts if management or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, concludes that such ownership interests will not adversely affect Invesco's business interests or the judgment of the affected Covered Person.
- Conducting business, not on behalf of Invesco, with any Invesco vendor, supplier, contractor, agency, or any of their directors, officers or employees.
- Representation of Invesco by a Covered Person in any transaction in which he or she, or a family member, has a substantial personal interest.
- Disclosure or use of confidential, special or inside information of or about Invesco, particularly for personal profit or advantage of the Covered Person or a family member of such person.
- Competition with Invesco by a Covered Person, directly or indirectly, in the purchase, sale or ownership of property or services or business investment opportunities.
As described in more detail in Sections 4, 5 and 6 below, acting as an officer or director of an outside organization, personal share dealing, and the use of material non-public information represent additional areas where conflicts can arise and are of particular sensitivity.
In addition to conflicts of interest between the company and its Covered Persons, conflicts of interest may arise between the company and its clients, including investment funds. Where a Covered Person is trading in securities owned by client accounts, or where a portfolio management team for a hedge fund also manages mutual funds that invest in the same securities, are each examples of situations that may give rise to real or apparent conflicts of interest. All Covered Persons must follow the procedures in place within their respective divisions and business units and must also be sensitive to the types of situations that can give rise to such conflicts or apparent conflicts.
4. Outside Activities and Compensation
No Covered Person shall perform work or render services for any competitor of Invesco or for any organization with which Invesco does business or which seeks to do business with Invesco, outside of the normal course of his or her employment with Invesco, without the prior written approval of the company. Nor shall any such person be a director, officer, or consultant of such an organization, or permit his or her name to be used in any fashion that would tend to indicate a business connection with such organization, without such approval. Outside organizations can include public or private corporations, partnerships, charitable foundations and other not-for-profit institutions. With the above approval, Covered Persons may receive compensation for such activities.
Service with organizations outside of Invesco can, however, raise serious regulatory issues, including conflicts of interest and access to material non-public information.
As an outside board member or officer, a Covered Person may come into possession of material non-public information about the outside company or other public companies. It is critical that a proper information barrier be in place between Invesco and the outside organization, and that the Covered Person does not communicate such information to other Covered Persons in violation of the information barrier.
Similarly, Invesco may have a business relationship with the outside organization or may seek a relationship in the future. In those circumstances, the Covered Person must not be involved in any way in the business relationship between Invesco and the outside organization.
Invesco retains the right to prohibit membership by Covered Persons on any board of directors/trustees or as an officer of an outside organization where such membership might conflict with the best interests of the company. Approval will be granted on a
case-by-case basis, subject to proper resolution of potential conflicts of interest. Outside activities will be approved only if these issues can be satisfactorily resolved.
5. Personal Share Dealing
Purchasing and selling securities in a Covered Person's own account, or accounts over which the Covered Person has access or control, can give rise to potential conflicts of interest. As fiduciaries, we are held to the highest standards of conduct. Improperly gaining advance knowledge of portfolio transactions, or conducting securities transactions based upon information obtained at Invesco, can be a violation of those standards.
All personal securities transactions must be pre-cleared unless an exemption is obtained. Generally, an exemption will be granted only for Covered Persons whose duties do not give them access to information regarding the sale or purchase of, or the recommendation to sell or purchase, securities in any portfolio. Transactions in certain retirement benefit plans, such as 401(k)s and Money Purchase Plans, and in specified categories of securities, are exempt from pre-clearance. Every Covered Person must also comply with the specific rules in effect in this area for the Covered Person's division or business unit.
Invesco also has policies that specifically cover personal transactions in the shares and American Depositary Shares of the company. All Covered Persons are obligated to follow those procedures whenever they conduct such transactions.
6. Information Barriers and Material Non-Public Information
In the conduct of our business, Covered Persons may come into possession of material non-public information. This information could concern an issuer, a client, a portfolio, the market for a particular security, or Invesco itself. The purchase or sale of Invesco's securities or the securities of other publicly-traded companies while aware of material nonpublic information about such company, or the disclosure of material nonpublic information to others who then trade in such company's securities, is prohibited by this Code of Conduct and by United States and other jurisdictions' securities laws. Invesco and its subsidiaries have adopted insider trading policies that apply to all Covered Persons. All Covered Persons should review the insider trading policies carefully and follow the policies and procedures described therein. The failure of a Covered Person to comply with the company's insider trading policy may subject him or her to company-imposed sanctions, up to and including termination for cause, whether or not the failure to comply results in a violation of law. You should seek the advice of the applicable divisional or business unit General Counsel on any questions regarding this subject and the company's insider trading policy. All Covered Persons are prohibited from using such information in ways that violate the law, including for personal gain. Non-public information must be kept confidential, which may include keeping it confidential from other Covered Persons.
7. Anti-Bribery and Dealings with Governmental Officials
Special care must be taken when dealing with government customers. Activities that might be appropriate when working with private sector customers may be improper and even illegal when dealing with government employees, or when providing goods and services to another customer who, in turn, will deliver the company's product to a government end user. Many of the countries in which Invesco conducts its business prohibit the improper influencing of governmental officials or other persons by the payment of bribes, gifts, political contributions, lavish hospitality or by other means. Our policy requires adherence to those restrictions.
Do not directly or indirectly promise, offer or make payment in money or anything of value to anyone, including a government official, agent or employee of a government, political party, labor organization or business entity or a candidate of a political party, or their families, with the intent to induce favorable business treatment or to improperly affect business or government decisions. This policy prohibits actions intended either to influence a specific decision or merely to enhance future relationships. In general, all travel and entertainment that Covered Persons provide to governmental officials must be pre-approved within the appropriate business unit. If approved, a written confirmation that such expenses do not violate local law must be obtained from an appropriate third party (e.g., the business unit's legal counsel or the government official's supervisor).
Covered Persons shall comply with all laws, rules and regulations governing political campaign finance and lobbying activities and shall not engage in any conduct that is intended to avoid the application of such laws to activities undertaken on Invesco's behalf. In addition, appropriate executive officers shall monitor compliance with lobbyist registration and disclosure requirements by all individuals who act on behalf of Invesco.
These prohibitions extend to any consultants or agents we may retain on behalf of Invesco.
8. Anti-Discrimination and Harassment
Invesco is committed to providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. Such conduct, whether overt or subtle, is demeaning, may be illegal, and undermines the integrity of the employment relationship.
Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, pressure to engage in a sexual relationship as a condition of employment or promotion, or conduct which creates a hostile or offensive work environment.
Discrimination can take many forms including actions, words, jokes, or comments based upon an individual's race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, veteran status,
national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or other legally protected characteristic. Any Covered Person who engages in harassment or discrimination will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
9. Anti-Money Laundering
In the global marketplace, the attempted use of financial institutions and instruments to launder money is a significant problem that has resulted in the passage of strict laws in many countries. Money laundering is the attempt to disguise money derived from or intended to finance illegal activity including drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime, fraud, and many other crimes. Money launderers go to great lengths to hide the sources of their funds. Among the most common stratagems are placing cash in legitimate financial institutions, layering between numerous financial institutions, and integrating the laundered proceeds back into the economy as apparently legitimate funds.
All Covered Persons must be vigilant in the fight against money laundering, and must not allow Invesco to be used for money laundering. Each business unit has developed an anti-money laundering program that is consistent with Invesco's group-wide policy. Each Covered Person must comply with the applicable program.
10. Antitrust
The laws of many countries are designed to protect consumers from illegal competitive actions such as price fixing and dividing markets. It is Invesco's policy and practice to compete based on the merits of our products and services. In order to further that policy, Covered Persons must not fix or control prices with competitors, divide up territories or markets, limit the production or sale of products, boycott certain suppliers or customers, unfairly control or restrict trade in any way, restrict a competitor's marketing practices, or disparage a competitor. Covered Persons must never discuss products, pricing or markets with competitors with the intent to fix prices or divide markets.
11. Data Privacy
Data privacy, as it relates both to our clients and our employees, has become a major political and legal issue in many jurisdictions in which we do business. A variety of laws in each of those jurisdictions governs the collection, storage, dissemination, transfer, use, access to and confidentiality of personal information and patient health information. These laws can work to limit transfers of such data across borders and even among affiliated entities in the Invesco group of companies. Invesco and its Covered Persons will comply with all provisions of these laws that relate to its business, including the privacy, security and electronic transmission of financial, health and other personal information. The company expects its Covered Persons to keep all such data
confidential and to protect, use and disclose information in the conduct of our business only in compliance with these laws. The company will consider and may release personal information to third parties to comply with law or to protect the rights, property or safety of Invesco and its customers. . In accordance with Invesco policies, each business unit has developed required disclosures and data security procedures applicable to that business unit. All Covered Persons must comply with the applicable procedures.
With respect to Invesco Covered Persons, all salary, benefit, medical and other personal information relating to Covered Persons shall generally be treated as confidential. Personnel files, payroll information, disciplinary matters, and similar information are to be maintained in a manner designed to protect confidentiality in accordance with applicable laws. All Covered Persons shall exercise due care to prevent the release or sharing of such information beyond those persons who may need such information to fulfill their job functions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, all personnel information belongs solely to Invesco and may be reviewed or used by the company as needed to conduct its business.
12. Communications with the Media and Analysts
Invesco has a long-standing policy of co-operating with the news media and the financial community. This policy is intended to enhance respect for the company, provide accurate information, and achieve our business goals.
Invesco employs media relations professionals who are responsible for handling all contacts with the news media. Invesco's Communications and Corporate Affairs Department is responsible for formulating and directing our media relations policy worldwide. Other Invesco employees may not speak to or disseminate information to the news media unless such contact has been requested and arranged by or coordinated with an Invesco media relations professional in accordance with the company's media relations policy. Any contact from the news media should be referred promptly and without comment to an Invesco media relations professional. If you do not know the appropriate media relations professional for your unit, you can refer the contact to the Invesco Communications and Corporate Affairs Department.
Many countries have detailed rules with regard to the dissemination of information about public companies. In particular, a public company must have procedures for controlling the release of information that may have a material impact on its share price. The Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer are responsible for Invesco's relationships with the financial community, including the release of price sensitive information. Other Invesco employees may not speak to or disseminate information regarding the company to the financial community (including analysts, investors, shareholders, Company lenders, and rating agencies) unless such contact has been requested and arranged by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer or the Investor Relations Group within the Finance Department.
13. Electronic Communications
The use of electronic mail, the Internet and other technology assets is an important part of our work at Invesco. Used improperly, this technology presents legal and business risks for the company and for individual employees. There are also important privacy issues associated with the use of technology, and related regulations are evolving.
In accordance with Invesco's Electronic Communications policies, all Covered Persons are required to use information technology for proper business purposes and in a manner that does not compromise the confidentiality of sensitive or proprietary information. All communications with the public, clients, prospects and fellow employees must be conducted with dignity, integrity, and competence and in an ethical and professional manner.
We must not use information technology to: transmit or store materials which are obscene, pornographic, or otherwise offensive; engage in criminal activity; obtain unauthorized access to data or files; commit copyright violations; install personal software without permission; or make Internet statements, without permission, that suggest that the user is speaking on behalf of Invesco or its affiliates.
14. Gifts and Relationships with Customers and Suppliers
Invesco seeks to do business with clients and suppliers on a fair and equitable basis. We may not accept gifts of other than nominal value, or lavish entertainment, or other valuable benefits or special favors from customers or suppliers. We must observe any limits imposed by our business unit's policies, local laws, or regulations with respect to the acceptance of gifts or gratuities.
15. International Issues
If you conduct business for Invesco outside of the U.S., in addition to being familiar with the local laws of the other countries involved, be sure you are familiar with the following U.S. laws and regulations. Violations of these laws can result in substantial fines, imprisonment and severe restrictions on the company's ability to do business.
FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT
The United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar laws in many other countries have a variety of provisions that regulate business in other countries and with foreign citizens. In essence, these laws make it a crime to promise or give anything of value to a foreign official or political party in order to obtain or keep business or obtain any improper advantage. It is also illegal to make payments to agents, sales representatives or other third parties if you have reason to believe your gift will be used illegally. Seek advice from the appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance
Department for interpretation of the FCPA or similar laws if you are involved in any business dealings that involve foreign countries.
ANTI-BOYCOTT LAWS
From time to time, various countries may impose restrictions upon the ability of businesses in their jurisdiction to engage in commerce with designated individuals, countries or companies. These laws are commonly referred to as boycotts or trade embargoes. It may be against the law to cooperate in any boycotts between foreign countries not sanctioned by the laws of the place where your office is located. All requests for boycott support or boycott-related information must be reported to your supervisor and the member of the Legal & Compliance Department with responsibility for your office.
Similarly, many countries contribute the names of criminal or terrorist organizations or individuals to a common database and require financial institutions to screen customer lists against the database as part of their "Know Your Customer" obligations. We must be aware of, and where appropriate, adhere to any such restrictions.
EMBARGO SANCTIONS
The United States Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control prohibits U.S. companies and their foreign subsidiaries from doing business with certain countries and agencies and certain individuals. The laws of other countries may have similar types of prohibitions. The regulations vary depending on the country and the type of transaction and often change as countries' foreign policies change. If you are aware of any sensitive political issues with a country in which Invesco is doing or considering doing business, seek advice from the appropriate member of the Legal & Compliance Department.
16. Political Activities and Lobbying
Covered Persons are encouraged to vote in elections for which they are eligible, and to make contributions supporting candidates or parties of their choice. Covered Persons are also encouraged to express their views on government, legislation and other matters of local or national interest.
Many jurisdictions have imposed severe and complex restrictions on the ability of individuals and companies to make political contributions. You should assume that Invesco and its Covered Persons are generally prohibited from certain types of political activities, and you must be familiar with the rules in effect for your business unit. No Covered Person may, under any circumstances, use company funds to make political contributions without the prior written approval of a member of the Legal & Compliance Department, nor may you represent your personal political views as being those of the company.
17. Retention of Books and Records
Invesco corporate records are important assets. Corporate records include essentially everything you produce as a Covered Person, regardless of its format. A corporate record may be in the form of paper, computer tapes, microfilm, e-mail, or voice mail. It may be something as obvious as a memorandum or a contract or something not as obvious, such as a desk calendar, an appointment book, or an expense record.
Invesco is required by law to maintain certain types of corporate records, usually for a specified period of time. Failure to retain such documents for such minimum periods could subject Invesco to penalties and fines, cause the loss of rights, obstruct justice, place Invesco in contempt of court, or place Invesco at a serious disadvantage in litigation. However, storage of voluminous records over time is costly. Therefore, Invesco has established controls to assure retention for required periods and timely destruction of retrievable records, such as paper copies and records on computers, electronic systems, microfiche, and microfilm. Even if a document is retained for the legally required period, liability could still result if a document is destroyed before its scheduled destruction date.
Invesco and its affiliates are subject to the regulatory requirements of numerous countries and regulatory agencies. Virtually all of them have specific requirements concerning the creation, maintenance and storage of business records. Invesco expects all Covered Persons to become familiar with and fully comply with the records retention/destruction schedule for the departments and office locations for which they work. If you believe documents should be retained beyond the applicable retention period, consult with the Legal & Compliance Department.
18. Sales and Marketing Materials
Invesco is committed to building sustained, open, and honest relationships with our customers, and to complying with all relevant regulatory requirements. This requires that all marketing and sales-related materials be prepared under standards approved by the Legal & Compliance Department and, prior to use, reviewed and approved by the appropriate supervisor within a business unit. Covered materials include requests for proposals, client presentations, performance summaries, advertisements, and published market commentaries.
19. Substance Abuse
Invesco is committed to providing a safe and healthy work place for all employees. The use, possession, sale, transfer, purchase, or being "under the influence" of drugs at any time while on company premises or on company business is prohibited. The term "drug" includes alcoholic beverages (other than in connection with entertainment
events, or in other appropriate settings), prescriptions not authorized by your doctor, inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other illegal substances.
20. Confidential Information
Confidential information includes all non-public information that might be of use to competitors, or harmful to the company or its customers, if disclosed. All information (in any form, including electronic information) that is created or used in support of company business activities is the property of Invesco. This company information is a valuable asset and Covered Persons are expected to protect it from unauthorized disclosure. This includes Invesco customer, supplier, business partner and employee data. United Kingdom, United States (federal and state) and other jurisdictions' laws may restrict the use of such information and impose penalties for impermissible use or disclosure.
Covered Persons must maintain the confidentiality of information entrusted to them by the company or its customers, vendors or consultants except when disclosure is properly authorized by the company or legally mandated. Covered Persons shall take all reasonable efforts to safeguard such confidential information that is in their possession against inadvertent disclosure and shall comply with any non-disclosure obligations imposed on Invesco in its agreements with third parties.
Information pertaining to Invesco's competitive position or business strategies, and information relating to negotiations with Covered Persons or third parties, should be protected and shared only with Covered Persons having a need to know such information in order to perform their job responsibilities.
21. Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets
All Covered Persons shall strive to preserve and protect the company's assets and resources and to promote their efficient use. The standards set forth below are intended to guide Covered Persons by articulating Invesco's expectations as they relate to activities or behaviors that may affect the company's assets.
Personal Use of Corporate Assets
Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on Invesco's profitability. Covered Persons are not to convert assets of the company to personal use. Company property should be used for the company's legitimate business purposes and the business of the company shall be conducted in a manner designed to further Invesco's interest rather than the personal interest of an individual Covered Person. Covered Persons are prohibited from the unauthorized use or taking of Invesco's equipment, supplies, materials or services. Prior to engaging in any activity on company time which will result in remuneration to the Covered Person or the use of Invesco's equipment, supplies, materials or services for personal or non-work related purposes, officers and
other Covered Persons shall obtain the approval of the supervisor of the appropriate business unit.
Use of Company Software
Covered Persons use software programs for word processing, spreadsheets, data management, and many other applications. Software products purchased by the company are covered by some form of licensing agreement that describes the terms, conditions and allowed uses. It is the company's policy to respect copyright laws and observe the terms and conditions of any license agreements. Copyright laws in the United States and other countries impose civil and criminal penalties for illegal reproductions and use of licensed software. You must be aware of the restrictions on the use of software and abide by those restrictions. Invesco business equipment may not be used to reproduce commercial software. In addition, you may not use personal software on company equipment without prior written approval.
Computer Resources/E-mail
The company's computer resources, which include the electronic mail system, belong to Invesco and not to the Covered Person. They are not intended to be used for amusement, solicitation, or other non-business purposes. While it is recognized that Covered Persons will occasionally use the system for personal communications, it is expected that such uses will be kept to a minimum and that Covered Persons will be responsible and professional in their use of e-mail. The use of the computer systems to make or forward derogatory or offensive remarks about other people or groups is prohibited. E-mail messages should be treated as any other written business communication.
22. Invesco Intellectual Property
Employees and officers must carefully maintain and manage the intellectual property rights of Invesco, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, to preserve and protect their value. Information, ideas and intellectual property assets of Invesco are important to the company's success.
Invesco's name, logo, trademarks, inventions, processes and innovations are intellectual property assets and their protection is vital to the success of the company's business. The company's and any of its subsidiaries' names, logos and other trademarks and service marks are to be used only for authorized company business and never in connection with personal or other activities unless appropriately approved and in accordance with company policy. In addition, our Covered Persons must respect the intellectual property rights of third parties. Violation of these rights can subject both you and the company to substantial liability, including criminal penalties.
Any work product produced in the course of performing your job shall be deemed to be a "work made for hire" and shall belong to Invesco and is to be used only for the benefit of Invesco. This includes such items as marketing plans, product development plans, computer programs, software, hardware and similar materials. You must share any innovations or inventions you create with your supervisor so that the company can take steps to protect these valuable assets.
23. Integrity and Accuracy of Financial Records
The preparation and maintenance of accurate books, records and accounts is required by law and essential to the proper discharge of financial, legal and reporting obligations. All Covered Persons are prohibited from directly or indirectly falsifying or causing to be false or misleading any financial or accounting book, record or account. In addition, all financial data must be completely and accurately recorded in compliance with applicable law and Invesco's accounting policies and procedures. A Covered Person may violate this section by acting or by failing to act when he or she becomes aware of a violation or potential violation of this section.
24. Disclosure in Reports and Documents.
Filings and Public Materials. As a public company, it is important that the company's filings with UK authorities, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and other U.S. federal, state, domestic and international regulatory agencies are full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable. The company also makes many other filings with the SEC and other UK, U.S. and international regulatory agencies on behalf of the funds that its subsidiaries and affiliates manage. Further, the company prepares mutual fund account statements, client investment performance information, prospectuses and advertising materials that are sent out to its mutual fund shareholders and clients.
Disclosure and Reporting Policy. The company's policy is to comply with all applicable disclosure, financial reporting and accounting regulations applicable to the company. The company maintains the highest commitment to its disclosure and reporting requirements, and expects and requires all Covered Persons to record information accurately and truthfully in the books and records of the company.
Information for Filings. Depending on his or her position with the company, a Covered Person may be called upon to provide necessary information to assure that the company's public reports and regulatory filings are full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable. The company expects all Covered Persons to be diligent in providing accurate information to the inquiries that are made related to the company's public disclosure requirements.
Disclosure Controls and Procedures and Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Covered Persons are required to cooperate and comply with the company's disclosure
controls and procedures and internal controls over financial reporting so that the company's reports and documents filed with the UK authorities, the SEC and other U.S. federal, state, domestic and international regulatory agencies comply in all material respects with applicable laws, and rules and regulations, and provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure.
25. Improper Influence on the Conduct of Audits
Every Covered Person must deal fairly and honestly with outside accountants performing audits, reviews or examinations of Invesco's and its subsidiaries' financial statements. To that end, no Covered Person of Invesco may make or cause to be made a materially false or misleading statement (or omit facts necessary to make the statements made not misleading) in connection with an audit, review or examination of financial statements by independent accountants or the preparation of any document or report required to be filed with a governmental or regulatory authority. Covered Persons of Invesco also are prohibited from coercing, manipulating, misleading or fraudulently inducing any independent public or certified public accountant engaged in the performance or review of financial statements that are required to be filed with a governmental or regulatory authority if he or she knows or should have known that his or her actions could result in making those financial statements materially misleading.
26. Standards for Invesco's Financial Officers
Invesco's Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer (the "Financial Officers") are required to take all reasonable steps to provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosures in the reports and documents that Invesco files with or submits to the SEC and other regulatory bodies and in other public communications made by Invesco. In the event that a Financial Officer learns that any such report, document or communication does not meet this standard and such deviation is material, then the Financial Officers are required to review and investigate such deviation, advise the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors regarding the deviation and, where necessary, revise the relevant report, document or communication.
Although a particular accounting treatment for one or more of Invesco's operations may be permitted under applicable accounting standards, the Financial Officers may not authorize or permit the use of such an accounting treatment if the effect is to distort or conceal Invesco's true financial condition. The accounting standards and treatments utilized by Invesco must, in all instances, be determined on an objective and uniform basis and without reference to a single transaction or series of transactions and their impact on Invesco's financial results for a particular time period. Any new or novel accounting treatment or standard that is to be utilized in the preparation of Invesco's financial statements must be discussed with Invesco's Audit Committee and its independent auditors.
27. Policy and Procedures on Reporting Potential Material Violations
Invesco's Audit Committee has adopted the following statement of policy with respect to the reporting by employees of potential material violations of this Code of Conduct, laws or regulations and our related non-retaliation policy:
"Invesco strives to ensure that all activity by or on behalf of Invesco is in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. Invesco and its employees must adhere to the highest standards of honest and ethical conduct. Employees of Invesco and its subsidiaries are affirmatively required to report possible violations of the Invesco Code of Conduct, laws or regulations promptly to their manager, a Human Resources Director at the employee's site, the employee's Legal and Compliance Department representative, or via the 24-hour toll-free, anonymous Invesco Compliance Reporting Line.
Invesco will not permit retribution, harassment, or intimidation of any employee who in good faith reports a possible violation. Specifically, Invesco policy prevents any employee from being subject to disciplinary or retaliatory action by Invesco or any of its employees or agents as a result of the employee's good faith:
- Disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation or possible violation of federal or state law or regulation; or
- Providing information, causing information to be provided, filing, causing to be filed, testifying, participating in a proceeding filed or about to be filed, or otherwise assisting in an investigation or proceeding regarding any conduct that the employee reasonably believes involves a violation of: (1) any criminal law relating to securities fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, or wire, radio, television or internet fraud; (2) any rule or regulation of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or any other national, state or provincial securities regulatory authority; or any provision of applicable law relating to fraud against shareholders, where, with respect to investigations, such information or assistance is provided to or the investigation is being conducted by a national, state or provincial regulatory agency, a member of any parliamentary body, or a person at Invesco with supervisory or similar authority over the employee.
However, employees who file reports or provide evidence which they know to be false or without a reasonable belief in the truth and accuracy of such information will not be protected by the above policy statement and may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination of their employment."
If you are a Covered Person with complaints or concerns regarding:
(i) violations of this Code of Conduct or the rules mentioned herein;
(ii) violations of laws or regulations generally involving Invesco; or
(iii) questionable accounting matters, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, breaches of fiduciary duty or violations of United States or foreign securities laws or rules (collectively "Accounting Matters"), including:
- fraud or deliberate error in the preparation, evaluation, review or audit of any financial statement of Invesco;
- fraud or deliberate error in the recording and maintaining of financial records of Invesco;
- deficiencies in or non-compliance with Invesco's internal accounting controls;
- misrepresentation or false statements to or by a senior officer or accountant regarding a matter contained in the financial records, financial reports or audit reports of Invesco;
- deviation from full and fair reporting of Invesco's financial condition; or
- fraudulent or criminal activities engaged in by officers, directors or employees of Invesco;
you may report your concerns in any of three ways:
YOU CAN SPEAK WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR. We encourage you to first contact your immediate supervisor, who is in turn responsible for informing Invesco's Compliance Reporting Line (described below) of any concerns raised.
YOU CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE BUSINESS UNIT OR DIVISIONAL GENERAL COUNSEL. If you prefer not to discuss a concern with your own supervisor, you may instead contact the General Counsel of your business unit or division directly. You are also free to e-mail the business unit or divisional General Counsel at the appropriate e-mail address. Such person will then likewise be responsible for informing Invesco's Compliance Reporting Line (described below) of any concerns raised.
YOU CAN CALL OUR COMPLIANCE REPORTING LINE. You may also call the Invesco Compliance Reporting Line. If you are calling from a U.S. or Canadian location dial 1-866-297-3627. For calls from all other locations, dial an international operator and request a collect call to 1-704-943-1136. When asked for your name use "Invesco." You can use the Compliance Reporting Line to report possible violations or to check on the status of a previously filed report. You can also report to the Compliance Reporting Line if you believe that a report previously made to company management, your
supervisor, other management personnel or the applicable business unit or divisional General Counsel has not been addressed.
The Compliance Reporting Line is administered by an outside vendor. The telephone operators for the Compliance Reporting Line have been trained to receive your call. The Compliance Reporting Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls will be answered by a live person. Calls are not recorded and are not able to be traced. You have the option to remain anonymous. If you remain anonymous, you will be given a numeric code so that you may call back and ask for follow up. You will be guided through the call and prompted by appropriate questions from the operator. You will be given a date on which you can call back and receive a follow up report. Once the call is completed, a report will be generated and sent to the appropriate departments within Invesco based on the subject matter of your call. You are urged to call back for follow up, because in the event more information is required, this will be an opportunity for you to provide those details.
If you report a possible violation, regardless of the method that you use to make the report, it is important that you provide as much detail as possible, including names, dates, times, locations and the specific conduct in question. Only with sufficient specific information can Invesco adequately investigate the reported action.
Your submission of information will be treated in a confidential manner to the extent reasonably possible. Please note, however, that if an investigation by Invesco of the activities you have reported takes place, it may be impossible for Invesco to maintain the confidentiality of the fact of the report or the information reported.
Complaints relating to Accounting Matters will be reviewed under Audit Committee direction and oversight by such persons as the Audit Committee determines to be appropriate. All other matters will be reviewed under the direction and oversight of the appropriate departments within Invesco, usually also including the Legal & Compliance Department. Prompt and appropriate corrective action will be taken when and as warranted in the judgment of the Audit Committee or other reviewing department.
28. Disclosure; Amendments
To the extent required by law, the company shall publicly (e.g., in its Annual Report on Form 20-F and/or on its website) disclose this Code of Conduct and its application to all of the company's Covered Persons.
This Code may only be amended by Invesco's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof. To the extent required by law, amendments to the Code of Conduct shall be disclosed publicly. As set forth in Item 16B of the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2005 filed with the SEC, the company has elected to disclose certain amendments to the Code that affect, and any waivers of the Code granted to, Financial Officers on the company's Web site in accordance with the requirements of Instruction 4 to Item 16B.
29. Waivers of the Code.
a. Waivers for Executive Officers. Any change in or waiver of this Code for executive officers (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, "Executive Officers") of the company may be made only by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof in the manner described in Section 29(d) below, and any such waiver (including any implicit waiver) shall be promptly disclosed to shareholders as required by the corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and other applicable laws, rules and regulations.
b. Waivers for Other Covered Persons. Any requests for waivers of this Code for Covered Persons other than Executive Officers of the company may be made to the Legal and Compliance Department in the manner described in Section 29(e) below.
c. Definition of Waiver. For the purposes of the Code, the term "waiver" shall mean a material departure from a provision of the Code. An "implicit waiver" shall mean the failure of the company to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the Code that has been made known to an Executive Officer.
d. Manner for Requesting Executive Officer Waivers.
i. Request and Criteria. If an Executive Officer wishes to request a waiver of this Code, the Executive Officer may submit to the Global Compliance Director or the Legal and Compliance Department a written request for a waiver of the Code only if he/she can demonstrate that such a waiver:
A. is necessary to alleviate undue hardship or in view of unforeseen circumstances or is otherwise appropriate under all the relevant facts and circumstances;
B. will not be inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of the Code;
C. will not adversely affect the interests of clients of the company or the interests of the company; and
D. will not result in a transaction or conduct that would violate provisions of applicable laws or regulations.
ii. Discretionary Waiver and Response. The Legal and Compliance Department will forward the waiver request to the Board of Directors or a committee thereof for consideration. Any decision to grant a waiver from the Code shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of Directors or committee thereof, as appropriate. The Company Secretary will advise the Legal and Compliance Department in writing of the Board of Director's decision regarding the waiver, including the grounds for granting or denying the waiver request. The Legal and Compliance Department shall promptly advise the Executive Officer in writing of the Board of Director's decision.
e. Manner for Requesting Other Covered Person Waivers.
i. Request and Criteria. If a Covered Person who is a non-Executive Officer wishes to request a waiver of this Code, such Covered Person may submit to the Legal and Compliance Department a written request for a waiver of the Code only if he/she can demonstrate that such a waiver would satisfy the same criteria set forth in Section 29(d).
ii. Discretionary Waiver and Response. The Legal and Compliance Department shall forward the waiver request to the General Counsel of the company for consideration. The decision to grant a waiver shall be at the sole and absolute discretion of the General Counsel of the company. The General Counsel will advise the Legal and Compliance Department in writing of his/her decision regarding the waiver, including the grounds for granting or denying the waiver request. The Legal and Compliance Department shall promptly advise the Covered Person in writing of the General Counsel's decision.
30. Internal Use. This Code is intended solely for the internal use by the company and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of the company, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.
CONCLUSION
As Covered Persons, each of us is obligated to read and understand this Code of Conduct and our relevant business unit's policies and procedures. No code of conduct, however, can address every situation for which guidance may be necessary. If you are unclear about a situation, stop and ask for guidance before taking action. All Covered
Persons are expected to abide by both the letter and spirit of this Code. Covered Persons are also expected to perform their work with honesty and integrity in any areas not specifically addressed by the Code. Invesco will investigate reported violations of the Code and, if violations are found, may take disciplinary action, if appropriate, against the individuals involved, and may make reports, if appropriate, to civil, criminal or regulatory authorities. Nothing in this Code restricts the company from taking any disciplinary action on any matters pertaining to the conduct of a Covered Person, whether or not expressly set forth in the Code. Any questions regarding the scope or interpretation of this Code should be referred to the appropriate Compliance or Legal officer.
Revised: October 2007
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Bob R. Baker ---------------------------------------- Bob R. Baker |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Frank S. Bayley ---------------------------------------- Frank S. Bayley |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ James T. Bunch ---------------------------------------- James T. Bunch |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Bruce L. Crockett ---------------------------------------- Bruce L. Crockett |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Albert R. Dowden ---------------------------------------- Albert R. Dowden |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Jack M. Fields ---------------------------------------- Jack M. Fields |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Martin L. Flanagan ---------------------------------------- Martin L. Flanagan |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Carl Frischling ---------------------------------------- Carl Frischling |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Prema Mathai-Davis ---------------------------------------- Prema Mathai-Davis |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Lewis F. Pennock ---------------------------------------- Lewis F. Pennock |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Larry Soll ---------------------------------------- Larry Soll |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, to act as my attorneys-in-fact and agents, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant Philip A. Taylor and John M. Zerr, and each of them separately, as attorneys-in-fact and agents the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that Philip A. Taylor and/or John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorneys-in-fact and agents by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Raymond Stickel, Jr. ---------------------------------------- Raymond Stickel, Jr. |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I appoint John M. Zerr, to act as my attorney-in-fact and agent, in my capacity as a trustee of the Funds listed below to:
(1) sign on my behalf any and all Registration Statements under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, and any pre- and post-effective amendments and supplements to such Registration Statements , and to file the same, including all exhibits to such Registration Statements, and other documents filed in connection with such Registration Statements including prospectuses and statements of additional information included in such Registration Statements and supplements to such prospectuses and statements of additional information, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other applicable state and federal regulatory authorities, and
(2) sign any and all applications for exemptive relief from state or federal securities regulations, and amendments to such applications, and to file the same with the applicable regulatory authority,
I grant John M. Zerr, as attorney-in-fact and agent the power of substitution and resubstitution in his name and stead, and the full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection with the foregoing appointments.
As used in this Power of Attorney, "Funds" shall mean: AIM Core Allocation Portfolio Series, AIM Counselor Series Trust, AIM Equity Funds, AIM Funds Group, AIM Growth Series, AIM International Mutual Funds, AIM Investment Funds, AIM Investment Securities Funds, AIM Sector Funds, AIM Stock Funds, AIM Summit Fund, AIM Tax-Exempt Funds, AIM Treasurer's Series Trust, AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Short-Term Investments Trust and Tax-Free Investments Trust, each a Delaware statutory trust.
I ratify and confirm any and all acts that John M. Zerr lawfully takes as my attorney-in-fact and agent by virtue of this appointment.
DATED this March 26, 2008.
/s/ Philip A. Taylor ---------------------------------------- Philip A. Taylor |