As filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2009.
Registration
No. 33-6418
1940 Act
File No. 811-4946
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SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Washington,
D.C. 20549
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Form
N-1A
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REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Pre-Effective
Amendment No.
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¨
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Post-Effective
Amendment No.
28
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and/or
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REGISTRATION
STATEMENT UNDER THE
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INVESTMENT
COMPANY ACT OF 1940
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¨
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Amendment
No.
30
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ý
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(Check
Appropriate box or boxes)
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Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
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(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
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1200
JOHN Q. HAMMONS DRIVE
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FIFTH
FLOOR
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MADISON,
WISCONSIN 53717
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(Address
of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
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Registrant’s
Telephone Number, including Area Code: (608) 827-5700
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John
W. Thompson
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1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
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Fifth
Floor
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Madison,
Wisconsin 53717
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(Name
and Address of Agent for Service)
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Copy
to:
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Fredrick
G. Lautz, Esq.
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Quarles
& Brady LLP
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411
East Wisconsin Avenue
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Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202
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It
is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate
box):
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¨
immediately upon
filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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ý
on March 31, 2009
pursuant to paragraph (b)
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¨
60 days after
filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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¨
on (date)
pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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75 days after
filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
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on
(date) pursuant to
paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485
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If
appropriate, check the following box:
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¨
this
post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously
filed post-effective amendment
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THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS
PROSPECTUS
MARCH
31, 2009
THOMPSON PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
offers the following
no-load mutual funds:
THOMPSON
PLUMB GROWTH
FUND | THOMPSON PLUMB
MIDCAP FUND
THOMPSON
PLUMB BOND FUND
1-800-999-0887
WWW.THOMPSONPLUMB.COM
The
Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or
complete. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a
crime.
Money you
invest in the Funds is not a deposit of a bank. Your
investment is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) or any other governmental agency.
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3
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Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
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3
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Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
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5
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Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
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6
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FEES
AND EXPENSES
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10
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ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND
RISKS
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11
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Growth
Fund
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11
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MidCap
Fund
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11
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Bond
Fund
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12
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Risks
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13
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Other
Information
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16
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Fund
Holdings Information
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MANAGEMENT
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Investment
Advisor
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Portfolio
Managers
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Additional
Information About Portfolio Managers
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19
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HOW
TO BUY SHARES
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General
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Purchase
Procedures
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21
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Exchange
of Fund Shares
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24
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Availability
of Money Market Fund
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24
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HOW
TO SELL SHARES
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General
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Redemption
Procedures
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Receiving
Redemption Proceeds
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Other
Redemption Information
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28
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OTHER
INFORMATION
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29
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Determination
of Net Asset Value
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29
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Excessive
Account Activity
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29
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Authorized
Broker-Dealers
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31
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Dividends
and Distributions
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31
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Taxes
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31
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Retirement
Accounts and Plans
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32
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Privacy
Notice to Our Customers
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32
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Delivery
of Documents to Shareholders
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33
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Website
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FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
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RISK/RETURN
SUMMARY
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
Investment
Objective.
The Growth Fund seeks a high level of long-term
capital appreciation.
Principal
Strategies
. The Growth Fund normally invests at least 65% of
its total assets in a diversified portfolio of common
stocks. Although current income is not its primary objective, the
Growth Fund anticipates that capital growth will be accompanied by growth
through dividend income.
We invest
in common stocks that possess most of the following
characteristics:
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Leading
market positions
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•
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High
barriers to entry and other competitive or technological
advantages
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•
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High
returns on equity and assets
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•
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Relatively
low debt burdens
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We also
generally seek to identify investment opportunities in equity securities of
companies that we believe have above-average potential for earnings and dividend
growth.
To
achieve a better risk-adjusted return on its equity investments, the Growth Fund
invests in many types of stocks, including a blend of large company stocks,
small company stocks, growth stocks and value stocks. We believe that
holding a diverse group of stocks will provide competitive returns under
different market environments relative to more narrow investment
styles. Our flexible approach to equity investing enables us to
adapt to changing market trends and conditions and to invest wherever we
believe opportunity exists.
Risks
. An
investment in the Growth Fund is subject to risks, including the
possibility that its share price and total return may decline as a result
of a decline in the value of its portfolio of common stocks. As a
result, loss of money is a risk of investing in the Growth Fund. The
common stocks in which the Growth Fund invests fluctuate in value due to changes
in the securities markets, general economic conditions and factors that
particularly affect the issuers of these stocks and their
industries. From time to time we may prefer a certain investment
style such as a growth style or value style that may underperform and/or be more
volatile than other investment styles or the stock markets generally during
these periods. In addition, our selection of securities for the
Growth Fund may not perform as well as we expected when we bought them or as
well as the securities markets generally. In addition, we may buy
common stocks of companies with small market capitalizations, which involve more
risk than investments in larger companies because their shares may be
subject to greater price fluctuation and may have less market
liquidity.
Generally,
the Growth Fund does not purchase securities for short-term
trading. However, when appropriate, it will sell securities
without regard to length of time held. A high portfolio-turnover rate
may increase transaction costs, which would adversely affect the Growth Fund's
performance and result in increased taxable gains and income to an
investor.
The
Growth Fund is suitable if you are looking for capital appreciation by
investing in a diverse group of stocks and have a long-term
perspective.
Past
Performance
. The bar chart and table below provide some
indication of the risks of investing in the Growth Fund by showing how the
Fund's total returns before taxes have varied from year to year and how the
Fund's average annual total returns (both before and after taxes) for one,
five and ten years compare to a broader measure of market
performance. As with all mutual funds, the Fund’s past performance
(before and after taxes) is not an indication of how the Fund will perform in
the future.
The
Fund's highest/lowest quarterly results during this period were:
Highest:
23.81% (quarter
ended 6/30/03)
Lowest: -24.68% (quarter
ended 12/31/08)
Growth
Fund
Average
Annual Total Returns
(for
the periods ended December 31, 2008)
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1 Year
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5 Years
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10 Years
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Return
Before Taxes
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-47.66
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%
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-10.59
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-0.45
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions
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-47.77
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%
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-11.28
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%
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-1.76
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
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-30.83
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%
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-8.22
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%
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-0.41
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S&P
500 Index
(1)
(reflects
no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
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-37.00
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%
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-2.19
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%
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-1.38
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%
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________________________
(1)
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The
S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of 500 U.S. stocks chosen for
market size, liquidity and industry group representation and is commonly
used to measure the performance of U.S.
stocks.
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After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal
income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local
taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation
and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to
investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as
401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
Investment
Objective.
The MidCap Fund seeks a high level of long-term
capital appreciation by investing in securities of medium-sized
companies.
Principal
Strategies
. The MidCap Fund normally invests at least 80% of
its total assets in a diversified portfolio of common stocks of
medium-sized companies having market capitalizations at the time of purchase
between $1 billion and $10 billion. Beginning June 1, 2009, the market
capitalizations of these medium-sized companies will range from $1 billion to
$12 billion. The Fund's characterization of the market capitalization
range for medium-sized companies is based on its benchmark, the Russell Midcap
Index, a widely known index. Although market capitalizations are constantly
changing, as of December 31, 2008, the Russell Midcap Index included
companies with market capitalizations between $24 million and $14.9
billion.
We invest
in common stocks that possess most of the following
characteristics:
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•
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Strong
market positions
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•
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High
barriers to entry and other competitive or technological
advantages
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•
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High
returns on equity and assets
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•
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Relatively
low debt burdens
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We also
generally seek to identify investment opportunities in equity securities of
companies that we believe have above-average potential for earnings and dividend
growth.
To
achieve a better risk-adjusted return on its equity investments, the MidCap Fund
invests in a diversified portfolio of companies, including companies from a
blend of industries and style classes. The MidCap Fund may sell securities for a
variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses or reposition assets
to more promising opportunities.
Risks.
An investment
in the MidCap Fund is subject to risks, including the possibility that its
share price and total return may decline as a result of a decline in the value
of its portfolio of common stocks. As a result, loss of money is a
risk of investing in the MidCap Fund. The medium-sized companies in
which the MidCap Fund invests often have greater price volatility, lower trading
volume and less liquidity than larger, more-established companies. As a class,
medium-sized companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower product lines,
less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or
services markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than
larger companies. The common stocks in which the MidCap Fund invests fluctuate
in value due to changes in the securities markets, general economic conditions
and factors that particularly affect the issuers of these stocks and their
industries. From time to time, we may prefer a certain investment style such as
a growth style or value style that may underperform and/or be more volatile than
other investment styles or than the stock markets generally during these
periods. In addition, our selection of securities for the MidCap Fund
may not perform as well as we expect when we buy them or as well as the
securities markets generally.
Generally,
the MidCap Fund does not purchase securities for short-term
trading. However, when appropriate, it will sell securities
without regard to length of time held. A high portfolio-turnover rate
may increase transaction costs, which would adversely affect the MidCap Fund's
performance, and result in increased taxable gains and income to an
investor.
The
MidCap Fund is suitable if you are looking for capital appreciation by investing
in a diverse group of medium-sized companies and have a long-term
perspective.
Past Performance
. No
historic performance information is available for the MidCap Fund as it did not
commence operations until
March 31,
2008.
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
Investment
Objective
.
The Bond Fund seeks a
high level of current income while preserving capital.
Principal
Strategies
. The Bond Fund normally invests at least 80% of its
total assets in a diversified portfolio of bonds, including corporate
bonds, short-term debt instruments, mortgage-related securities, and U.S.
Treasury securities and other debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government (including its agencies and
instrumentalities). Although the Bond Fund invests primarily in
investment-grade debt securities (i.e., those rated in the four highest rating
categories by S&P or Moody's), it may invest up to 10% of its total assets
in bonds rated below investment grade. In the aggregate, these
below-investment-grade bonds, along with the other bonds in the Fund’s
portfolio, will comprise at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets. The
Bond Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in other non-debt
securities. The dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of the
Bond Fund will normally not exceed 10 years. The Bond Fund does not
purchase securities with a view to rapid turnover.
Risks
. The
share price, total return and yield of the Bond Fund will fluctuate depending on
changes in the market value and yields of the bonds in the Fund's
portfolio. As a result, loss of money is a risk of investing in
the Bond Fund. The value of bonds is affected primarily by changes in
interest rates, average maturities and the investment and credit quality of
the securities. A bond's market value increases or decreases in
order to adjust its yield to current interest rate levels. A bond's
yield reflects the bond's fixed annual interest as a percentage of its current
price. Therefore, bond prices generally move in the opposite
direction of interest rates and movements in interest rates typically have
a greater effect on prices of longer-term bonds than on those with shorter
maturities. Changes in prevailing interest rates will also affect the
yield on shares of the Bond Fund. Interest-rate fluctuations,
however, will not affect the income received by the Bond Fund from its existing
portfolio of fixed-income securities (other than from variable-rate
securities).
The Bond
Fund is subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the issuers of the bonds
in which the Fund invests may default on interest and/or principal
payments. The creditworthiness of an issuer could deteriorate because
of developments affecting the issuer uniquely, industry developments or general
economic conditions. Such deterioration increases the risk of
default and would likely cause a decline in the bond's value.
Because
it can invest up to 10% of its total assets in bonds rated below investment
grade (commonly referred to as "junk" or "high-yield" bonds), the Bond Fund is
subject to junk-bond risk. Junk bonds are considered speculative with
regard to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay
principal. Such bonds are subject to possible risk of issuer
default or bankruptcy, lack of liquidity and sensitivity to adverse
economic events or developments specific to the issuer.
Certain
of the bonds held by the Bond Fund (particularly mortgage-related
securities) may be prepaid prior to their scheduled maturity
dates. Prepayment is likely during periods of falling interest
rates. Risk of prepayment generally affects the price and yield of a
bond and its volatility because prepayment shortens the life of the bond and
thus the expected interest payments from that bond. Prepayment will
also require the Bond Fund to reinvest the proceeds in other securities, usually
at lower rates and yields.
If the
Bond Fund invests in non-government, mortgage-related securities or other
asset-related securities, the Bond Fund is subject to the risk that, if the
issuer fails to pay interest or repay principal or otherwise defaults on the
underlying loans, the asset backing of these securities may not be sufficient to
support payments on the securities. There is also the possibility that the
issuer may receive little or no collateral protection from the underlying assets
or that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be
available to support payments on the securities. An unexpectedly high rate of
defaults on mortgages may adversely affect the value of a non-government,
mortgage-related security and could result in losses to the Bond Fund. In
addition, changes in interest rates affect the value of non-government,
mortgage-related securities and other asset-related securities. Some
non-government, mortgage-related securities may be structured so that they may
be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates.
Although
U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States Treasury, not all of the securities issued by U.S. Government agencies
and instrumentalities in which the Bond Fund may invest are issued or guaranteed
by the U.S. Treasury. Such securities vary in terms of the degree of
support afforded by the U.S. Government. Some agency securities are
supported by the agency's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those
issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks. Still others are supported
only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Treasury to purchase the
agency's obligations, such as those issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation ("Freddie Mac"), or by the credit of the agency that issued them,
such as those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie
Mae"). Because there is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will
provide support to such agencies, such securities involve risk of loss of
principal and interest.
In
contrast, m
ortgaged-backed
securities issued by other U.S. Government-sponsored entities, such as the
Government
National
Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"
)
,
are guaranteed by the full faith and
credit of the U.S. Government.
However,
a security backed by the
U.S. Treasury or the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government only means
that the timely payment of interest and principal of such security is
guaranteed. The U.S. Government does not guarantee market prices or yields for
such securities.
The Bond Fund may
invest in mortgage-backed securitie
s issued by the U.S. Government
and
its agenci
es
and
instrumentalities, and
by
other government-sponsored entities
(including those issued by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, or Ginnie Mae)
,
without limitation as to the amount of
investment in such securities.
The
selection of securities for the Bond Fund may not perform as well as expected
when those securities were purchased or as well as the bond markets
generally.
Generally,
the Bond Fund does not purchase securities for short-term
trading. However, when appropriate, it will sell securities
without regard to length of time held. A high portfolio-turnover rate
may increase transaction costs, which would adversely affect the Bond Fund's
performance and result in increased taxable gains and income to an
investor.
The Bond
Fund is suitable if you are looking for current income through
investment-grade debt securities.
Past
Performance
. The bar chart and table below provide some
indication of the risks of investing in the Bond Fund by showing how the Fund's
total returns before taxes have varied from year to year and how the Fund's
average annual total returns (both before and after taxes) for one, five and ten
years compare to a broader measure of market performance. As with all
mutual funds, the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not an
indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
The
Fund's highest/lowest quarterly results during this period were:
Highest:
7.57% (quarter ended 12/31/08)
Lowest: -9.87% (quarter
ended 9/30/08)
Bond
Fund
Average
Annual Total Returns
(for
the periods ended December 31, 2008)
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1 Year
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5 Years
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10 Years
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Return
Before Taxes
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-2.10%
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2.42%
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4.22%
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions
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-4.34%
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0.62%
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2.18%
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Return
After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
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-1.35%
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1.06%
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2.38%
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Barclays
Capital Intermediate Govt./Credit 1-10 year Index
(1)
(reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or
taxes)
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5.08%
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4.22%
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5.43%
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Barclays
Capital Govt./Credit 1-5 year Index
(2)
(reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or
taxes)
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5.13%
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3.96%
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5.10%
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____________________________
(1)
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The
Barclays Capital Intermediate Government/Credit 1-10 year Index (formerly
known as the Lehman Brothers Intermediate Government/Credit 1-10 year
Index) is an index of all investment-grade bonds with maturities of more
than one year and less than 10 years. The Barclays Capital Intermediate
Government/Credit 1-10 Year Index is a market-value-weighted performance
benchmark.
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(2)
|
The
Barclays Capital Government/Credit 1-5 year Index (formerly
known as the Lehman Brothers Government/Credit 1-5 year Index) is an index
of all investment-grade bonds with maturities of more than one year and
less than 5 years. The Barclays Capital Government/Credit 1-5 Year Index
is a market-value-weighted performance
benchmark.
|
After-tax
returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal
income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local
taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation
and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to
investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as
401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
The Bond
Fund's annualized yield for the 30 days ended December 31, 2008 was 7.55% (after
the reimbursement and waiver of certain fees by the Advisor). For current yield
information, please call 1-800-999-0887.
FEES
AND EXPENSES
This
summary describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
shares of the Funds.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly
from your investment).
Because the Funds are no-load funds,
you pay no fee or sales charges when you buy, sell or exchange
shares. However, you will be charged a fee (currently $15) when you
have redemption proceeds paid to you by wire transfer. You will
be assessed a charge (currently $25) for any returned or stop payment checks or
for any ACH purchases that cannot be completed. Accounts in a Fund
with a balance of less than $2,000 may be subject to a $15 annual
fee.
Annual
Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets).
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Growth Fund
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MidCap Fund
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Bond Fund
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Management
Fees
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0.92%
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1.00%
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0.65%
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Distribution
(12b-1) Fees
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None
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None
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None
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Other
Expenses
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0.35%
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7.40%
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0.53%
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Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
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1.27%
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8.40%
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1.18%
|
Less: Fee
Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement
|
--
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(7.10%)
(1)
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(0.38%)
(2)
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Net
Expenses
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1.27%
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1.30%
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0.80%
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This
example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Funds with
the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that
you invest $10,000 in each Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem
(or sell) all of your shares at the end of those time periods. The
example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and
that each Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The assumed
return does not represent actual or future performance and your actual costs may
be higher or lower. However, based on these assumptions, your costs
would be:
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1 Year
|
3 Years
|
5 Years
|
10 Years
|
Growth
Fund
|
$129
|
$403
|
$697
|
$1,534
|
MidCap
Fund
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$132
|
$1,816
|
$3,387
|
$6,870
|
Bond
Fund
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$82
|
$337
|
$612
|
$1,398
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_______________________
(1)
|
The
Advisor has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse
expenses incurred by the MidCap Fund from April 1, 2009 through
March 31, 2010, so that the annual operating expenses of the
Fund do not exceed 1.30% of its average daily net
assets.
|
(2)
|
The
Advisor has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse
expenses incurred by the Bond Fund from April 1, 2009 through
March 31, 2010, so that the annual operating expenses of the
Fund do not exceed 0.80% of its average daily net
assets.
|
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVES,
STRATEGIES AND RISKS
Growth
Fund
Objective and Principal
Strategies
. The Growth Fund seeks a high level of long-term
capital appreciation.
We may
invest some (but less than one-third) of the Growth Fund's assets in stocks of
smaller companies whose market capitalizations are less than
$1 billion.
Other
Strategies
. In addition to common stocks, the Growth Fund may
invest in preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, American Depository
Receipts (ADRs), securities offered in private placements, and convertible
fixed-income securities and other corporate debt securities. We
generally limit the Growth Fund’s purchase of preferred stocks, convertible
preferred stocks and convertible fixed-income securities to 10% or less of the
Fund’s assets. We generally limit the Growth Fund’s purchase of
private placements of securities to 5% or less of the Fund’s
assets. Although the Growth Fund generally purchases securities that
are of investment grade (that is, rated in one of the four highest rating
categories by S&P or Moody's), we may invest up to 5% of our assets in
fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade. The
Growth Fund may also invest in income-producing, short-term debt instruments as
a reserve for future purchases of securities.
Risks
. The
share price and total return of the Growth Fund will increase or decrease
depending on changes in the value of the common stocks in its
portfolio. See "Risks" below.
MidCap
Fund
Objective and Principal
Strategies
. The MidCap Fund seeks a high level of long-term
capital appreciation.
Other
Strategies
. In addition to common stocks, the MidCap Fund may
invest in preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, American Depository
Receipts (ADRs), securities offered in private placements and convertible
fixed-income securities and other corporate debt securities. We
generally limit the MidCap Fund’s purchase of preferred stocks, convertible
preferred stocks and convertible fixed-income securities to 10% or less of the
Fund’s assets. We generally limit the MidCap Fund’s purchase of
private placements of securities to 5% or less of the Fund’s
assets. Although the MidCap Fund generally purchases securities that
are of investment grade (that is, rated in one of the four highest rating
categories by S&P or Moody's), we may invest up to 5% of our assets in
fixed-income securities that are rated below investment grade. The MidCap Fund
may also invest in income-producing, short-term debt instruments as a reserve
for future purchases of securities. In the aggregate, the MidCap Fund will
invest no more than 10% of its assets in fixed-income securities.
Risks.
The share
price and total return of the MidCap Fund will increase and decrease depending
on changes in the value of the investments in the portfolio. See
"Risks" below.
Bond
Fund
Objective and Principal
Strategies
. The Bond Fund seeks a higher level of current
income, while at the same time preserving investment capital. The
Bond Fund invests primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment-grade
bonds. Such securities generally include the following
types:
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•
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Debt
securities of domestic issuers, and of foreign issuers payable in U.S.
dollars (corporate debt securities), rated at the time of purchase
within the four highest categories by either S&P or
Moody's;
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•
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Securities
backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as
U.S. Treasury notes, bills and bonds and GNMA
certificates;
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Securities
issued or guaranteed by an agency or instrumentality of the U.S.
Government: that are secured by the right of the agency to borrow from the
U.S. Treasury, such as securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks;
that are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Treasury to
purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality, such as
securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie
Mac"); or that are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality
itself, such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage
Corporation ("Fannie Mae");
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•
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Mortgage-related
securities issued or guaranteed by private issuers and guarantors rated at
the time of purchase within the four highest categories by S&P or
Moody's;
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•
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Commercial
paper rated within the two highest categories for commercial paper or
short-term debt securities by either S&P or Moody's at the time of
purchase;
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•
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Obligations
of banks and thrifts whose deposits are insured by the FDIC;
and
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•
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Short-term
corporate obligations, including variable-rate demand notes if the issuer
has commercial paper or short-term debt securities rated within the
two highest categories by either S&P or Moody's at the time of
purchase.
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Although
there are no restrictions on the maturity of securities in which the Bond Fund
may invest, it is anticipated that during normal market conditions, the
dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of the Fund will not normally
exceed 10 years. In calculating average maturity, the stated
final maturity date of a security is used, unless it is probable that the issuer
will shorten the maturity, in which case the date on which it is probable that
the issuer will call, refund or redeem the security is used. The
Advisor actively manages the portfolio maturity of the debt securities in the
Bond Fund's portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective,
according to the Advisor’s assessment of the interest-rate
outlook. During periods of rising interest rates, the Advisor will
likely attempt to shorten the average maturity of the portfolio to cushion
the effect of falling bond prices on the Fund's share price. When
interest rates are falling and bond prices are increasing, on the other hand,
the Advisor will likely seek to lengthen the average maturity.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Bond Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt
securities (including convertible securities) that are rated below investment
grade, i.e., below "BBB" by S&P or "Baa" by Moody's. Such
securities are considered speculative with regard to the issuer's capacity to
pay interest and repay principal.
Other
Strategies
. In addition, at certain times, up to 5%
of the Bond Fund’s assets may be invested in common stock due to the Fund
obtaining such stock through a conversion, reorganization or other actions that
do not involve the direct investment of the Fund in common stock.
Risks
. The
share price, yield and total return of the Bond Fund will increase or decrease
depending on changes in the value of, and interest rates and yield on, the
fixed-income securities in the Bond Fund's portfolio. See "Risks"
below.
Risks
Common
Stocks
. The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund
invest in common stocks. Common stocks fluctuate in value for
various reasons, including changes in the equities markets, general economic or
political changes, interest-rate changes and factors particularly affecting the
issues of stocks and their industries. In addition, the Growth Fund
may invest in stocks of companies with small market capitalizations (under
$1 billion) and which may be traded only in the over-the-counter
market. Stocks of smaller companies are subject to greater price
volatility than stocks of large companies and may have less market
liquidity. The MidCap Fund invests 80% of its total assets in common
stocks of medium-sized companies with market capitalizations between $1 and $10
billion ($1 and $12 billion effective June 1, 2009). Stocks of
medium-sized companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume
and less liquidity than larger, more-established companies. As a class,
medium-sized companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower product lines,
less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their product or
services markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive strength than
larger companies. To the extent the
Bond Fund
holds common stocks
through a conversion, reorganization or other actions, the Bond Fund
will also be subject to
these risks.
Preferred
Stocks
. The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund
may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks represent an equity
or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stocks normally pay
dividends at a specified rate and have precedence over common stock in the event
the issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy. However, in the
event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of
bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common
stock. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative,
participating, or auction rate. "Cumulative" dividend provisions
require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends
can be paid on an issuer’s common stock. "Participating" preferred
stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain
cases. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks
may be less attractive, causing the price of such stocks to
decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions,
as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed, which can
limit the benefit of a decline in interest rates. Preferred stock is
subject to many of the risks to which common stock and debt securities are
subject.
Convertible Preferred
Stock
. The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund
may invest in convertible preferred stock. Convertible preferred
stock is preferred stock that may be exchanged for or converted into the common
stock of the same (or a different) issuer at the option of the holder during a
specified period of time. In exchange for the conversion feature,
however, dividends on a convertible preferred stock are generally less than
would be the case if the stock was issued in non-convertible form.
The value
of a convertible preferred stock tends to increase as the price of the
underlying common stock goes up and to decrease as the price of the underlying
common stock goes down. In addition, convertible preferred stocks
tend to increase in value when interest rates fall and decrease in value when
interest rates rise. Because both stock market movements and interest
rates can influence its value, a convertible preferred stock is not as sensitive
to interest-rate changes as a non-convertible debt security, nor is it as
sensitive to changes in the share price of its underlying common
stock.
Convertible
preferred stocks are senior securities and, therefore, generally have a claim
against the assets of the issuing corporation that is superior to the claims of
holders of the issuer’s common stock upon liquidation of the
corporation. However, a convertible preferred stock holder’s claim
against the assets of the issuing corporation is subordinate to the claims of
holders of the issuer’s debt securities upon liquidation of the
corporation.
Convertible Debt.
The
Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and
Bond Fund
may invest in convertible debt. A convertible debt
security
is a
fixed-income security that can be converted into shares of stock in the issuing
company, usually at some pre-announced ratio. The option component of this
security, which allows for the holder to convert debt into equity, results
in the holder receiving lower yields as compared to non-convertible securities,
but a higher yield than is generally obtainable on the equity shares into which
it converts. Although it typically has a low coupon rate, the holder is
compensated through the ability to convert the debt to common stock, usually at
a substantial premium to the stock's market value.
Typically,
convertible debt securities will be classified as subordinated debt and,
therefore, are more risky than unsubordinated debt. Subordinated debt
holders are lower in the hierarchy as far as principal repayment during times of
distress for the issuer.
Convertible
debt securities are a less-risky investment than common stock but can provide
higher, equity-like returns relative to non-convertible debt securities.
They are less volatile than stocks and their value can only fall to a price
where the yield would be equal to that of a non-convertible debt security of the
same terms. They offer strong downside protection in a bear market, but
also allow the investor to take part in the profits as a stock moves
higher.
Convertibles
can be disadvantageous in the sense that the holder will be receiving
substantially lower yield to maturity in comparison to the non-convertible
equivalent. This is generally a concern when the issuer's equity does not
achieve the upward price projections that would make taking the lower yield
speculation worthwhile.
Investment
Style
. The
Growth
Fund and MidCap Fund
are
subject to "style" risk, which is the risk that their respective investment
styles may perform differently from funds with other investment styles or the
equities markets generally from time to time due to market and economic
conditions as well as issuer and industry developments.
The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund each have a blended investment style that is
generally characterized as "growth at a reasonable price." Each
Fund may at any given time favor either growth stocks or value stocks, depending
on the Advisor's assessment of market conditions and other
factors. Growth stocks are those of companies perceived to have good
growth prospects, and are often characterized by increasing revenues or
earnings. They typically have higher price/earning ratios and as a
result tend to be sensitive to changes in their earnings and corporate
developments and are more volatile than other types of stocks. Value
stocks are those of companies whose stock prices are believed to be undervalued
relative to their intrinsic value. They are often overlooked or out
of favor with investors. To the extent that either the Growth Fund or
MidCap Fund emphasizes growth stocks or value stocks during a particular period,
it may be subject to the risk that such stocks will underperform and/or be more
volatile than the market or other types of securities.
Stock
Selection
. The
Growth
Fund
and MidCap Fund
are subject to
manager or stock-selection risk, which is the risk that a portfolio manager's
decision to acquire stocks of particular companies may prove to be unwise
because of factors that were not adequately foreseen by the portfolio manager
when making the investment. This risk is exacerbated when an
investment is significant relative to a Fund's total assets.
Volatility Risk.
The
Growth Fund and MidCap
Fund
are subject to volatility risk, which is the risk that certain types
of securities shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic
conditions as well as investor sentiment.
Fixed-Income
Securities
. The
Bond Fund
and, to a lesser
extent, the
Growth Fund
and MidCap Fund
may
invest in bonds and other fixed-income securities, including convertible
securities. The total return realized by a Fund on the
fixed-income portion of its portfolio consists of the change in the value of the
fixed-income securities held by the Fund and the income generated by those
securities. The value of fixed-income securities is affected
primarily by changes in interest rates, average maturities, the securities'
investment quality and the creditworthiness of the issuer.
A bond's
yield reflects the fixed annual interest as a percentage of its current
price. The price (the bond's market value) will increase or decrease
in order to adjust the bond's yield to current interest rate
levels. Therefore, bond prices generally move in the opposite
direction of interest rates. As a result, interest-rate fluctuations
will affect the net asset value of a Fund that invests in bonds, but will
not affect the interest income received by the Fund from its existing portfolio
of fixed-income securities. However, changes in prevailing interest
rates will affect the yield on shares subsequently issued by the
Fund. Movements in interest rates also typically have a greater
effect on the prices of longer-term bonds than on those with shorter
maturities.
The
fixed-income securities in which the Funds invest are generally investment
grade, meaning that they are rated in one of the four highest rating categories
by S&P's or Moody's. However, the
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund
may invest up to 5% of their assets in fixed-income securities rated
below investment grade, and the
Bond Fund
may invest up to 10%
of its total assets in fixed-income securities rated below investment
grade. At times, the percentage of net assets represented by
non-investment grade debt securities may exceed these limits due to market
appreciation and/or downgrading of securities. Non-investment grade
securities, commonly referred to as "high-yield/high-risk" or "junk" bonds, are
considered speculative with regard to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and
repay principal. They are subject to special risks, including
possible issuer default or bankruptcy, lack of liquidity and sensitivity to
adverse economic events or developments specific to the
issuer.
Other
Information
Change in Investment
Objective
.
Each Fund's
investment
objective may be changed by the Board of Directors without shareholder
approval. However, other than the change to the investment objective
of the MidCap Fund that is described in the next paragraph, the Board has no
present plans to change any Fund's objective.
The
policy of the
MidCap Fund
is to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its total
assets in common stocks of medium-sized companies, with market capitalizations
at the time of purchase between $1 and $10 billion. Beginning June 1,
2009, the market capitalizations of these medium-sized companies will range from
$1 billion to $12 billion. This policy may be further changed by the
Board upon at least 60 days' prior written notice to the shareholders, which
notice will comply with the requirements of Rule 35d-1 under the 1940
Act.
The
policy of the
Bond Fund
is
to
invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its total assets in
bonds. This policy may be changed by the Board upon at least 60 days'
prior written notice to the shareholders, which notice will comply with the
requirements of Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act.
Temporary Defensive
Positions
.
Each Fund
may invest, without
limitation, in short-term instruments for defensive purposes in response to
adverse market, economic and other conditions that could expose the Fund to a
decline in value. Short-term instruments include commercial
paper, certificates of deposit, U.S. Treasury bills, variable-rate demand
notes, repurchase agreements and money market funds. These temporary
defensive positions are inconsistent with the Funds' principal investment
strategies and make it harder for the Funds to achieve their
objectives.
Fund
Holdings Information
The Funds
understand that portfolio holdings information is material, non-public
information and that selective disclosure of such information may be
prohibited. Accordingly, the Funds have adopted a policy regarding
the disclosure of portfolio holdings information, which is described in the
Statement of Additional Information and is available on the Funds' website at
www.thompsonplumb.com.
Complete
schedules of the Funds’ portfolio holdings as of the end of each calendar
quarter are made available on the Funds’ website at
www.thompsonplumb.com. These schedules are generally posted on the
website within thirty (30) days of the end of each quarter.
MANAGEMENT
Investment
Advisor
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. ("TIM" or the "Advisor"), 1200 John Q. Hammons
Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53717, serves as investment advisor for the Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc. (the "Funds"). TIM also provides investment
advice to individuals and institutional clients. As of
January 1, 2009, TIM had approximately
$586 million
of assets under
management. TIM also acts as administrator to the
Funds. In such capacity, TIM provides the Funds with
administrative and accounting services. TIM is controlled by
John W. Thompson.
During
the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008, the Growth Fund paid management fees to
TIM of 0.92%
of the
Fund's average daily net assets during that year. From March 31, 2008 (the date
the MidCap Fund commenced operations) to November 30, 2008, the MidCap Fund paid
management fees to TIM of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets; during
that time, TIM waived and/or reimbursed operating fees of 7.10% so that the net
annual operating expenses of the MidCap Fund equaled 1.30%. During
the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008, the Bond Fund paid management fees to
TIM of 0.65%
of the
Fund's average daily net assets during that year; however, TIM waived and/or
reimbursed operating fees of 0.59% during that year so that the net annual
operating expenses of the Bond Fund equaled 0.59%.
A
discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Directors approving the
investment advisory contract of the Funds with respect to the Growth Fund and
the Bond Fund is available in Thompson Plumb Funds’ Annual Report to
Shareholders for the period ended November 30, 2008 and will be available in
Thompson Plumb Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended
November 30, 2009. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of
Directors approving the investment advisory contract of the Funds with respect
to the MidCap Fund is available in Thompson Plumb Funds’ Semi-Annual Report to
Shareholders for the period ended May 31, 2008 and will be available in Thompson
Plumb Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ended November 30,
2009.
Portfolio
Managers
The
Portfolio Managers for each of the Funds are identified below. The
Co-Portfolio Managers of each Fund work together. Portfolio management at TIM is
a collaborative process.
With
respect to each of the Funds, each of the three Co-Portfolio Managers shares
equal responsibility for day-to-day management of the Fund, and they generally
work together in developing investment strategies and selecting securities. In
certain cases, a Co-Portfolio Manager may act independently in selecting
securities, but may do so only with prior approval from the other Co-Portfolio
Managers. The Co-Portfolio Managers are assisted by other employees of
TIM.
Growth
Fund
. John W. Thompson, James T. Evans and Jason L. Stephens
serve as Co-Portfolio Managers for the Growth Fund. John W. Thompson
has managed or co-managed the Growth Fund since its
inception. Mr. Thompson is the President and Chief Executive
Officer and a Director of Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc., and is the President
of TIM. Until January 2004, Mr. Thompson was President and
Treasurer of Thompson, Plumb & Associates,
Inc. Mr. Thompson has a B.S. degree from the University of
Wisconsin and a M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of
Pennsylvania. He is a CFA charterholder.
James T.
Evans has been actively involved in the management of the MidCap Fund since its
March 31, 2008 inception and in the management of the Growth Fund and the Bond
Fund since February 2, 2009. Mr. Evans, a Vice President of Thompson Plumb
Funds, Inc. has been a Research Analyst at Thompson Investment Management, Inc.
(“TIM”) since March 2005 and has been a portfolio manager at TIM since June
2008. Prior to joining TIM, he was a Managing Director for Nakoma Capital
Management, a hedge fund currently headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin that he
joined in July 2000. Mr. Evans graduated summa cum laude from Macalester College
in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Computer Science. He
also earned a M.B.A. in Finance and Accounting and a M.S. in Finance from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Mr. Evans
completed the Applied Security Analysis Program at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison Business School. He is a CFA charterholder and is
also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Madison.
Jason L.
Stephens, like Mr. Evans, has been actively involved in the management of the
MidCap Fund since its inception and in the management of the Growth Fund and the
Bond Fund since February 2, 2009. Mr. Stephens is a Vice President and the
Secretary of Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc. and a Portfolio Manager at TIM.
Previously, he served as Chief Compliance Officer for Thompson Plumb Funds,
Inc., and has worked in various capacities for TIM and Thompson,
Plumb & Associates, Inc. since 2002. Mr. Stephens received a B.S.
in English and Communication Arts, a M.A. in Arts Administration and a M.S. in
Finance, each from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a CFA
charterholder and is also a member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of
Madison.
MidCap Fund
.
J
ohn W.
Thompson, James T. Evans and Jason L. Stephens serve as Co-Portfolio Managers
for the MidCap Fund. Mr. Thompson has managed or co-managed, and
Messrs. Evans and Stephens have been actively involved with, the MidCap Fund
since its inception. Information about Messrs. Thompson, Evans and
Stephens is set forth under "Growth Fund" above.
Bond
Fund
. John W. Thompson , James T. Evans and Jason L. Stephens
serve as Co-Portfolio Managers for the Bond Fund. Mr. Thompson has
managed or co-managed the Bond Fund since its inception and Messrs. Evans and
Stephens have been actively involved in the management of the Bond Fund since
February of 2009. Information about Messrs. Thompson, Evans and
Stephens is set forth under "Growth Fund" above.
Additional
Information About Portfolio Managers
The
Statement of Additional Information for the Funds provides additional
information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts
managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of
shares of the Funds.
HOW
TO BUY SHARES
General
You may
buy shares of any of the Funds without a sales charge. The price you
pay for the shares will be based on the net asset value per share next
determined after your purchase order is received by the Funds through U.S.
Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, the Funds' transfer agent ("Transfer Agent") or a
clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (e.g.,
NSCC's Fund/SERV system), or received by Quasar Distributors, LLC, the
principal underwriter and distributor of shares of the Funds ("Distributor"), or
other broker-dealer or designated intermediary authorized by the
Funds. That determination is made as of the close of trading on the
New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) every day on which
the Exchange is open. You need to complete the Account Application
and submit it to the Funds in order to purchase Fund shares. The
Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase order for any
reason. Shares generally may not be purchased by persons residing
outside the United States. The Funds generally do not sell shares to
investors residing outside the United States, even if they are United States
citizens or lawful permanent residents, except to investors with United States
military APO or FPO addresses. Please note that your application will
be returned if any information is missing. The Funds do not issue
share certificates.
Please
call us at 1-800-999-0887 or visit our website at www.thompsonplumb.com if you
have any questions about purchasing shares of the Funds or require additional
assistance in completing your Account Application.
The
initial and subsequent investment minimums for purchases of shares of a Fund are
as follows:
To
open an account:
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$2,500
per Fund ($2,000 per IRA account)
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To
add to an account:
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$100
($50 for Automatic Investment Plan and Automatic Exchange
Plan)
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The
initial and subsequent investment minimums are not imposed on retirement plan
accounts (such as 401(k), SIMPLE and SEP plans). In addition, we may
waive the initial and subsequent investment minimum in other appropriate
circumstances.
The Funds
have established an Anti-Money Laundering Program as required by the USA PATRIOT
Act and an identity-theft prevention program. In order to ensure
compliance with this law and these programs, the Funds are required to obtain
the following information for all registered owners and all authorized
individuals:
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•
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Permanent
Street Address (P.O. box is not
acceptable)
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•
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Corporate accounts require
additional documentation
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The Funds
will use such information to verify your identity and will not transact business
with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the
provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act. The Funds also reserve the right
to close an account within five business days if identifying information or
documentation is not received.
The Funds
have not adopted a "Rule 12b-1" distribution plan and, thus, do not make any
payments out of their assets for activities that are primarily intended to
result in the sale of Fund shares. All sales, marketing and other
distribution-related costs are borne by the Advisor, including the costs of
advertising and sales literature, the fees and expenses of the Distributor, the
costs of printing and mailing prospectuses, and compensation to broker-dealers
and other intermediaries. In addition, the Advisor may offer
additional non-cash compensation or sales incentives to certain broker-dealers
and other intermediaries.
The
Advisor may also make payments from its own resources to selected broker-dealers
or financial institutions that perform various shareholder servicing,
recordkeeping or other services with respect to the Funds. The payments that the
Advisor may make to these broker-dealers are usually, but need not be, based on
the aggregate value of accounts in the Funds for which these broker-dealers are
responsible, or may include a flat fee, and the amounts can vary from firm to
firm. The minimum aggregate size required for eligibility for such payments, as
well as the factors in selecting the broker-dealer firms and institutions to
which they will be made, are determined by the Advisor from time to
time.
Purchase
Procedures
You may
buy shares of any Fund in the following ways:
To
Open a New Account By Mail:
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·
Complete the Account Application.
·
Make your check payable to "Thompson Plumb Funds" (note: your
purchase must meet the applicable minimum). All purchases by
check must be made in U.S. dollars, drawn on a domestic financial
institution. No third-party checks, credit cards, credit card
checks, cashier's checks in amounts less than $10,000, Treasury
Checks, traveler's checks, starter checks, cash or money orders will be
accepted. The Funds are unable to accept post-dated on-line
bill pay checks, or any conditional order or payment. The Funds
may refuse to accept other forms of payment at their
discretion.
·
Send the completed Account Application and check to the
applicable address listed below (note: $25 charge for returned
checks).
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O.
Box 701
Milwaukee,
WI 53201-0701
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To
Add to an Existing Account By Personal Delivery/Express
Mail:
|
|
·
Complete the Additional Investment form included with your account
statement (or write a note with your account number).
·
Make
your check payable to "Thompson Plumb Funds." All purchases by
check must be made in U.S. dollars, drawn on a domestic financial
institution. No third-party checks, credit cards, credit card
checks, cashier's checks in amounts less than $10,000, Treasury
Checks, traveler's checks, starter checks, cash or money orders will be
accepted. The Funds are unable to accept post-dated on-line
bill pay checks, or any conditional order or payment. The Funds
may refuse to accept other forms of payment at their
discretion. The Funds do not consider the U.S. Postal Service
or other independent delivery services to be its
agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services,
or receipt at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC’s post office box, of
purchase applications or redemption requests does not constitute receipt
by the Transfer Agent.
·
Send the Additional Investment form (or note) and check to the
applicable address listed below (note: $25 charge for returned
checks).
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
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To
Open a New Account By Wire or Electronic Funds Transfer:
|
·
|
Before
you wire funds, we must have your completed Account
Application. Complete and return the Account Application
form to us at the applicable address set forth
above.
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·
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Upon
receipt of your completed Account Application, we will establish an
account for you. The account number assigned will be required
as part of the instruction that should be given to your bank to send the
wire. Your bank must include both the name of the Fund you are
purchasing and your name so that monies can be correctly
applied. Your bank should transmit funds by wire using the
instructions below.
|
|
Credit:
|
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
|
|
Further
Credit:
|
(Name
of Thompson Plumb Fund)
|
Note:
Amounts sent by wire must be received before 3:00 p.m. Central Time in
order to buy shares that day. Neither the Funds nor U.S. Bank, N.A.
is responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or
Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring
instructions. Also, you are responsible for any charges that
your bank may impose for effecting the wire or electronic funds
transfer.
To
Add to an Existing Account By Wire or Electronic Funds
Transfer
|
|
·
Before
sending your wire, please contact us at 1-800-999-0887 to advise us
of your intent to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and
accurate credit upon receipt of your wire.
You
must have banking information established on your account prior to
making a purchase. Investors may purchase additional shares on
demand, by calling 1-800-999-0887. If elected on your Account
Application, telephone orders will be accepted via electronic funds
transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (ACH)
network, provided that your bank is a member. Your shares
will be purchased at the net asset value calculated on the day of your
purchase order. A $25 charge will be assessed for any such transfer that
cannot be completed.
|
|
To
Open an Account By Internet:
|
|
Not
Applicable.
|
To
Add to an Existing Account By Internet:
|
After your account is established,
you may set up a PIN number by logging onto
www.thompsonplumb.com
. This will enable you
to purchase shares by having the purchase amount deducted from your bank
account by electronic funds transfer via the Automated Clearing House
(ACH) network. Please make sure that your account is set up
with bank instructions and that your bank is an ACH
member.
You
must provide a voided check with which to establish your bank account
instructions in order to complete internet
transactions.
To
have your Fund shares purchased at the net asset value determined at the
close of regular trading on a given date, the Transfer Agent must receive
your purchase order before the close of regular trading on that
date.
You may
not use Internet transactions for your initial purchase of Fund
shares.
The Fund may alter, modify or
terminate the Internet purchase option at any time
. The
minimum purchase amount by Internet is $100.
|
By
accepting the Internet option, you authorize us to act upon the
instruction of any person by Internet to purchase additional shares
for your account, and you assume some risk for unauthorized
transactions. We have procedures designated to reasonably
assure that the Internet instructions are genuine, including
requesting personal information and requesting your Personal
Identification Number, which can be established on the website, and we
will be liable to you if you suffer a loss from our failure to abide by
these procedures.
|
|
To
Open an Account By Automatic Investment Plan:
|
|
Not
Applicable.
(Note:
This plan may be suspended, modified or terminated at any
time.)
|
|
To
Add to an Existing Account By Automatic Investment
Plan:
|
|
·
|
Call
us at 1-800-999-0887 or visit our website at www.thompsonplumb.com to
obtain a regular Account
Application.
|
|
·
|
Complete
the Automatic Investment Plan section on the Regular Account Application
to authorize the transfer of funds from your bank account, include a
voided check with the application and indicate how often (monthly,
bimonthly, quarterly or yearly) you wish to make automatic
investments.
|
|
·
|
Indicate
the amount of the automatic investments (must be at least $50 per
investment).
|
|
·
|
Your
bank will deduct the automatic investment amount you have selected from
your checking account on the business day of your choosing, and apply that
amount to the purchase of fund shares. (Note: you will be
charged $25 for any automatic investments that do not
clear.)
|
To
Change or Stop an Automatic Investment Plan:
You may
change or terminate your participation in an automatic investment plan at any
time; however, a request to change or terminate must be made to the Transfer
Agent at least five days prior to the effective date of the next
transaction. To make such a request:
|
·
|
Call
us at 1-800-999-0887. We will take your request and give you a
confirmation number; or
|
|
·
|
Write
a letter requesting your change
to:
|
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O.
Box 701
Milwaukee,
WI 53201-0701
Shareholder Statements and
Reports
To
keep you informed about your investments, the Funds send you various
account statements and reports,
including:
|
|
·
|
Confirmation
statements that verify your purchases or sales of Fund shares (except in
the case of automatic purchases from bank accounts and
systematic withdrawals)
|
|
·
|
Quarterly
and annual shareholder account
statements
|
To
Open an Account or To Add to an Existing Account Through Broker-Dealers
and Other Service Providers:
|
|
You
may purchase shares of any Fund through a broker-dealer, institution or
other service provider, who may charge a commission or other transaction
fee. Certain account features of a Fund may not be available or
may be modified in connection with the program offered by your
service provider. The service provider, rather than you,
may be the shareholder of record of Fund shares and may be
responsible for delivering Fund reports and other communications about the
Fund to you.
|
Exchange
of Fund Shares
You may
exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund without a fee or sales
charge. The exchange of shares can be made by mailing a letter of
instruction to the Funds or by telephone unless you have declined this option on
your Account Application. If your account has multiple owners
such as a joint account, only one owner or joint tenant's authorization is
required for a telephone exchange. In making telephone exchanges, you
assume the risk for unauthorized transactions. However, we have
procedures designed to reasonably assure that the telephone instructions
are genuine and will be liable to you if you suffer a loss from our failure to
abide by these procedures. The exchange privilege may be modified or
terminated at any time.
The basic
rules for exchanges are as follows:
|
•
|
Shares
being exchanged must have a net asset value of at least $1,000
(except for the Automatic Exchange Plan) but less than
$100,000.
|
|
•
|
Immediately
following the exchange, the value of your account in the Fund for which
shares are exchanged must be at least $2,500 (or $2,000 for
IRAs).
|
|
•
|
We
reserve the right to limit the number of times you may exchange Fund
shares.
|
Automatic Exchange
Plan
. You may also make regular monthly exchanges from one
Fund to another through our Automatic Exchange Plan. You may
participate by completing the Automatic Exchange Plan section of the account
application, which may be obtained from the Funds. You must establish
an account for each Fund with at least $2,500 (or $2,000 for IRAs) before you
can make automatic exchanges. You must determine the amount that will
be automatically exchanged (must be at least $50) and the day of each month the
exchange will be made.
Tax Treatment for
Exchanges
. An exchange of shares from one Fund to another Fund
is treated as a sale of the shares being exchanged and any gain on the
transaction may be subject to income tax.
Availability
of Money Market Fund
You may
withdraw some or all of your investment in a Thompson Plumb Fund and reinvest
the proceeds the same day in an available money market fund,
provided that you have an
existing account with this money market fund or you submit a completed money
market application to the Transfer Agent
. You may also move
that investment back into any of the Thompson Plumb Funds. There is
no charge for this privilege. Although the money market fund is not affiliated
with the Advisor or the Funds, this exchange privilege is a convenient way for
you to purchase shares in a money market fund in order to respond to changes in
your investment goals or market conditions. Your use of this privilege is
subject to the exchange minimums and other requirements applicable to the money
market fund. Before exchanging into the money market fund, you should
read its prospectus. To obtain an application for the money market
fund or for additional information on the money market fund, including a
prospectus, please call 1-800-999-0887 or visit
www.thompsonplumb.com.
Please
note that when exchanging from a Thompson Plumb Fund to the money market fund,
you will begin accruing income from the money market fund the day following the
exchange. When exchanging less than all of the balance from the money
market fund to your Thompson Plumb Fund, your exchange proceeds will
exclude accrued and unpaid income from the money market fund through the
date of exchange. An exchange is considered to be a sale of shares
for federal income tax purposes on which you may realize a taxable gain or
loss.
The
Thompson Plumb Funds receive a fee from the money market fund for certain
shareholder support services at the annual rate of 0.20% of the average daily
net asset value of the money market fund shares that are issued as a result of
exchanges of Thompson Plumb Fund shares. This privilege may be
modified or terminated at any time.
This
exchange privilege does not constitute an offering or recommendation on the part
of the Thompson Plumb Funds or the Advisor of an investment in the money market
fund.
HOW
TO SELL SHARES
General
You may
redeem (sell back to the Fund) all or some shares of any Fund at any time by
sending a written request to the Funds. A Redemption Request Form is
available from the Funds. The price you receive for the shares will
be based on the net asset value per share next determined after the redemption
request is received in "good order" by the Funds (through the Transfer
Agent), by a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (e.g., NSCC's Fund/SERV system), or by the Distributor or other
broker-dealer or designated intermediary authorized by the Funds. The
net asset value per share is determined as of the close of trading on the New
York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day in which the
Exchange is open. Please call us at 1-800-999-0887 if you have any
questions about redeeming shares of the Funds.
A
redemption request will be deemed in "good order" if it includes:
|
·
|
The
shareholder’s name;
|
|
·
|
The
share or dollar amount to be redeemed;
and
|
|
·
|
Signatures
of all shareholders on the account (for written redemption requests, with
signature(s) guaranteed if
applicable).
|
Redemption
Procedures
You may
redeem Fund shares in the following ways:
By
Mail or Personal Delivery/Express Mail:
|
·
|
A
written request for redemption (or the Redemption Request form) must be
signed exactly as the account is registered and include the account number
and the amount to be redeemed.
|
|
·
|
Send
the written redemption request for the shares being redeemed to the
applicable address listed
below.
|
|
·
|
Signatures
may need to be guaranteed. See "Signature
Guarantees."
|
By
Mail:
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O.
Box 701
Milwaukee,
WI 53201-0701
By
Personal Delivery/Express Mail:
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
c/o
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
|
Systematic
Withdrawal Plans:
|
You
can elect to participate in our Systematic Withdrawal Plan by completing
the Systematic Withdrawal Plan section on the Regular Account
Application. This plan allows you to arrange for automatic
withdrawals from your Fund account. Payments may be sent via
check to your address of record or to a pre-authorized bank account
through the Automatic Clearing House (ACH) network, if your bank is a
member. You select the schedule for systematic withdrawals,
which may be on a monthly basis or in certain designated
months. You also select the amount of each systematic
withdrawal, subject to a $25 minimum. To begin systematic
withdrawals, you must have a Fund account valued at $10,000 or
more. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated or
modified at any time by writing or by telephone at least 5 days prior
to the effective date.
Shareholder Statements and
Reports
To
keep you informed about your investments, the Funds send you various
account statements and reports,
including:
|
|
·
|
Confirmation
statements that verify your purchases or sales of Fund shares (except in
the case of automatic purchases from bank accounts and systematic
withdrawals)
|
|
·
|
Quarterly
and annual shareholder account
statements
|
We will accept telephone redemptions unless you indicate otherwise
on your account application.
|
·
|
Call
us at 1-800-999-0887.
|
|
·
|
Provide
your account number and the amount to be
redeemed.
|
|
·
|
We
will send the proceeds from a telephone redemption via check to the
shareholder’s address of record, wire the proceeds to the
shareholder’s bank of record, or send the proceeds via electronic
funds transfer through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to a
pre-determined account. In order to arrange for automated
wire or electronic funds transfer, you must have elected the option on the
account application and have provided a voided
check. There is a $15 charge for a wire
transfer. There is no charge for a transfer through the
Automated Clearing House (ACH) system, but your bank must be a member in
order for you to use the system. Electronic funds transfers are
generally completed within 2 to 3
days.
|
By
accepting the telephone redemption option, you authorize us to act
upon the instruction of any person by telephone to redeem shares from
your account, and you assume some risk for unauthorized
transactions. We have procedures designated to reasonably
assure that the telephone instructions are genuine, including
recording telephone conversations, requesting personal information
and providing written confirmation of transactions, and we will be
liable to you if you suffer a loss from our failure to abide by these
procedures. Once a telephone transaction has been placed, it
cannot be cancelled or modified.
|
|
Through
Broker-Dealers, Institutions and Other Service
Providers:
|
|
You
may redeem Fund shares through broker-dealers, institutions and other
service providers, who may charge a commission or other transaction fee
for processing the redemption for
you.
|
Receiving
Redemption Proceeds
You may
request to receive your redemption proceeds by mail or by wire or
electronic funds transfer. No redemption will be effective until
all necessary documents have been received in proper form by the Funds (through
the Transfer Agent). Redemption proceeds will be sent within seven
days after we receive the redemption request; however, we will delay sending
redemption proceeds for 12 days from their purchase date or until all payments
for the shares being redeemed have cleared, whichever occurs
first.
By
Mail:
|
|
We
mail checks for redemption proceeds after we receive the request and all
necessary documents. The check will be mailed to the address on
your account (unless you request that it be sent to a different address,
which requires a signature guarantee). There is no charge for
mailing out redemption checks. Your redemption checks will be
mailed unless you expressly request that it be sent by wire or electronic
fund transfer.
|
|
By
Wire/Electronic Funds Transfer:
|
|
At
your written request, we will send you your redemption proceeds by wire or
electronic funds transfer to your designated bank account. If
you do not have predetermined bank account information on your account, a
signature guarantee on your redemption request will be
required. You will be charged a fee (currently $15) for each
wire transfer. There is no charge for electronic fund
transfers. You will be responsible for any charges that
your bank may impose for receiving wire or electronic fund
transfers. If you do not have automated bank instructions on
your account, or if proceeds are sent to other than a pre-determined bank
or address, a signature guarantee will be
required.
|
Other
Redemption Information
Signature
Guarantees
. For your protection, your signature on a
redemption request must be guaranteed by an institution eligible to provide
them under federal or state law (such as a bank, savings and loan, or securities
broker-dealer) under any of the following circumstances:
|
•
|
If
ownership is changed on your
account;
|
|
•
|
When
redemption proceeds are payable or sent to any person, address or bank
account not on record;
|
|
•
|
When
establishing or modifying certain services on an
account;
|
|
•
|
If
a change of address was received by the Transfer Agent within the last 15
days;
|
|
•
|
For
all redemptions in excess of $100,000 from any shareholder
account.
|
In
addition to the situations described above, the Funds and/or the Transfer Agent
may require a signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances
relative to the particular situation.
Small
Accounts
. Because of the disproportionately high cost of
servicing accounts with low balances, a $15 annual fee may be automatically
deducted from each account in a Fund falling below $2,000. This small
account fee is not imposed on retirement plan accounts. The
deduction will generally be made during the fourth quarter of each year on
accounts that are then below $2,000.
In
addition, we reserve the right to terminate your account in any Fund if, as a
result of any transfer, exchange or redemption of shares in the account, the
aggregate net asset value per share of the remaining shares in the account falls
below $2,000. We will notify you at least 30 days in advance of our
intention to terminate the account to allow you an opportunity to restore
the account balance to at least $2,000. Upon any such termination, we
will send you a check for the proceeds of redemption.
Suspension of
Redemptions
. Your right to redeem shares in any Fund and the
date of payment by the Fund may be suspended when: (1) the New York Stock
Exchange is closed or the Securities and Exchange Commission determines that
trading on the Exchange is restricted; (2) an emergency makes it impracticable
for the Fund to sell its portfolio securities or to determine the fair value of
its net assets; or (3) the Securities and Exchange Commission orders or permits
the suspension for your protection.
OTHER
INFORMATION
Determination
of Net Asset Value
Each Fund
calculates its share price, also called net asset value, for both purchases
and sales of shares, as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange
(generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time), every day the Exchange is
open. We determine a Fund's net asset value per share by adding up
the total value of the Fund's investments and other assets and subtracting its
liabilities, and then dividing that amount by the number of outstanding shares
of the Fund. We value each Fund's investments at their market prices
(generally the last reported sales price on the exchange where the
securities are primarily traded or, for Nasdaq-listed securities, at their
Nasdaq Official Closing Prices) or, where market quotations are not readily
available or are unreliable, at fair value as determined in good faith pursuant
to procedures established by the Funds' Board of Directors. Market
quotations for the common stocks in which the Funds invest are nearly
always readily available; however, market quotations for debt securities are
often not readily available. Fair values of debt securities are
typically based on valuations published by an independent pricing service, which
uses various valuation methodologies such as matrix pricing and other analytical
pricing models as well as market transactions and dealer
quotations. We generally value debt securities held by a Fund
with remaining maturities of 60 days or less on an amortized cost
basis.
When a
security is "fair valued," consideration is given to the facts and
circumstances relevant to the particular situation, including a review of
various factors set forth in the Pricing Policies and Procedures adopted by the
Funds’ Board, which includes factors such as fundamental analytical data
relating to the investment, nature and duration of any restrictions on
disposition of the security and an evaluation of forces that influence the
market in which the securities are purchased or sold. Fair value
pricing is an inherently subjective process, and different funds could
reasonably arrive at different values for the same security.
Excessive
Account Activity
An
excessive number of purchases and redemptions by a shareholder (market
timing) in and out of a Fund may be disadvantageous to the Fund and its
shareholders. Frequent transactions present such risks to Fund
shareholders as dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term
holders, interference with the efficient management of the Fund's portfolio,
increased brokerage and administrative costs, adverse tax consequences and
negative impact on Fund performance. The Funds' Board of Directors has adopted
policies to discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. The
Funds monitor and enforce these policies through:
|
·
|
Providing
regular reports to the Funds’ Board of Directors by the Funds’ Chief
Compliance Officer regarding any instances of suspected market
timing;
|
|
·
|
Periodic
monitoring of trade activity for evidence of market timing or other
disruptive activity based on the size of the transactions, the frequency
of the activity and other relevant
factors;
|
|
·
|
Prohibiting
any shareholder from making more than three exchanges from one Fund to
another Fund in any 12-month period;
and
|
|
·
|
Restricting
and prohibiting purchases and/or exchanges by persons believed to engage
in frequent trading activity.
|
In
addition, if market timing or disruptive activity is detected in an omnibus
account held by a financial intermediary, the Funds may request that the
intermediary restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares
by any shareholder that has been identified as having violated the Funds'
policies. The Funds may also request that the intermediary provide additional
information regarding the shareholder and/or his or her transactions in the
Funds in order to review any unusual patterns of trading activity discovered in
the omnibus account.
While the
Funds seek to take action that will detect and deter market timing and other
disruptive activity, the risks of such activity cannot be completely eliminated.
For example, when purchases and sales are made through omnibus accounts
maintained by broker-dealers and other intermediaries, we may not be able to
effectively identify and restrict persons who engage in such
activity. More specifically, unless the financial intermediaries have
the ability to detect and deter market timing transactions themselves, the Funds
may not be able to determine whether the purchase or sale is connected with a
market timing transaction. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the
systems and procedures of the Funds and its service providers will be able to
monitor all trading activity in a manner that would detect market timing or
disruptive activity. However, the Funds, the Advisor, the Distributor and the
Transfer Agent will attempt to detect and deter market timing and disruptive
activity in transactions by all shareholders, whether the transactions are made
directly through the Transfer Agent or are made through financial
intermediaries.
If market
timing or other disruptive activity is detected, among other things, the Funds
reserve the right to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the
amount of an exchange or a purchase order, or reject a purchase or an
exchange, at any time, for any reason, without notice; and reserve the right to
refuse to open a new account or reserve the right to close an existing account
of a person who has a known history of market timing and other disruptive
transaction activity without notice. In determining what action to take with
respect to suspected market timing or other disruptive activity, the Funds will
act in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the Funds and its
shareholders by making independent assessments of instances or patterns of
potentially improper conduct in a manner consistent with the Funds' policies.
The methods used by the Funds to deter and detect market timing and other
disruptive activity involve judgments that are inherently subjective and the
Funds' response to potentially disruptive trading activity may not be
uniform.
These
prohibitions regarding market timing do not apply to shareholders who have
automatic investment or exchange plans or systematic withdrawal
plans.
Authorized
Broker-Dealers
The Funds
have authorized one or more broker-dealers to receive purchase and redemption
orders on behalf of the Funds. These broker-dealers may designate
other intermediaries to receive such orders. These authorized
broker-dealers may charge customers a fee for their services and may receive
compensation from the Advisor for providing these services. The Funds
will be deemed to have received a customer order when an authorized
broker-dealer or its designated intermediary receives the order. Such
customer orders will be priced at the relevant Fund's net asset value per share
next determined after the orders are received by an authorized broker-dealer or
its designated intermediary.
Dividends
and Distributions
The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund annually (generally within 60 days following
their November 30 fiscal year-end) distribute substantially all of their net
investment income and any net realized capital gains. The Bond
Fund distributes its net investment income quarterly (generally within 60 days
following the end of each fiscal quarter) and net realized capital gains
annually (generally within 60 days following its November 30 fiscal
year-end). All income, dividends and capital gains distributions are
automatically reinvested in shares of the relevant Fund at net asset value,
without a sales charge, on the payment date, unless you request payment in
cash.
If you
elect to receive distributions and dividends by check and the post office cannot
deliver the check, or if the check remains uncashed for six months, we reserve
the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the relevant
Fund's then current net asset value per share and to reinvest all subsequent
distributions in shares of the Fund until an updated address is
received.
Taxes
Distributions
of income and capital gains are generally taxable when they are paid, whether
they are reinvested in additional Fund shares or received in cash, unless you
are exempt from taxation or entitled to tax deferral. Distributions
are taxable as ordinary income, qualifying dividends or capital
gains. As a result of recent legislation, the maximum federal rate on
certain long-term capital gains and qualifying dividends received by
individuals, estates and trusts is reduced to 15% through
2010. Long-term capital gains distributions that do not qualify for
the reduced rate will generally be taxed at a federal rate of 20%, and
short-term capital gains distributions will be taxed as ordinary
income. Qualifying dividends include dividends received from domestic
corporations (including mutual funds) on shares of stock that have been held for
more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the
ex-dividend date. Additional requirements and limitations are imposed
for purposes of determining the amount of dividends received from mutual funds
that may qualify for the reduced tax rate. Non-qualifying dividends,
including dividends of income on debt securities, will be taxed at ordinary
income rates (with a maximum rate of 35% through 2010). You will
receive information annually on the federal tax status of the Fund's dividends
and capital gains distributions.
We expect
that most of the Growth Fund's and MidCap Fund's distributions will be capital
gains, and most of the Bond Fund's distributions will be ordinary income, in
light of their investment objectives and policies.
In the
Account Application, you are asked to certify that your taxpayer
identification or social security number is correct and that you are not
subject to backup withholding. If you fail to do so, the Funds
are required to withhold 28% of your taxable distributions and redemption
proceeds.
The
foregoing tax discussion is general. You should consult your own tax
advisor for more information and specific advice.
Retirement
Accounts and Plans
Individual Retirement
Accounts
. The Funds sponsor Individual Retirement
Accounts (IRAs) through which you may invest annual IRA contributions and
roll-over IRA contributions in shares of any of the Funds. The IRAs
available through the Funds include Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and Coverdell
Education Savings Accounts. U.S. Bank, N.A. will serve as custodian
for all these types of IRA accounts sponsored by the Funds. U.S. Bank
will charge a $15 annual maintenance fee for each Traditional IRA, Roth IRA or
Coverdell Education Savings Account. Shareholders with two or more
IRAs using the same tax ID number will be charged a total of $30
annually. Please refer to the IRA Disclosure Statement for a detailed
listing of other fees. The Individual Retirement Account Custodial
Agreement, the IRA Disclosure Statement and the Custodial Account Application
are available from the Funds.
Purchases
and redemptions of shares of any Fund by IRAs and retirement plans are treated
in the same manner as they would be with any other account. IRAs must
meet a minimum initial investment requirement of $2,000 and a minimum
subsequent investment requirement of $100. Shareholders who hold
their shares through an IRA or other retirement plan must indicate on their
redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income
tax. Shareholders who fail to make an election on their redemption
request will generally be subject to 10% withholding.
Retirement Plan
Accounts
. Purchases may also be made by SEP plans
(Simplified Employee Benefit Plan), SIMPLE plans (Savings Incentive Match
Plan for Employees of Small Employers), 401(k) plans and other retirement
plans. Applications for investment in the Funds for SEP and SIMPLE
plans are available from the Funds. The initial and subsequent
investment minimums are not imposed on retirement plan accounts.
Because a
retirement program involves commitments covering future years, it is important
that the investment objectives of the Funds be consistent with the
participant's retirement objectives. Premature withdrawals from
a retirement plan may result in adverse tax consequences. Please
consult with your own tax or financial advisor.
Privacy
Notice to Our Customers
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. and Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc. strongly believe in
protecting the confidentiality and security of information we collect about you.
This notice describes our privacy policy and how we treat the information we
receive about you.
We
do not sell your information to anyone.
Why
We Collect and How We Use Information
When we
evaluate your request for our services, provide investment advice to you and
process transactions for your account, or when you receive other services from
Thompson Investment Management, Inc. or Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc., you
typically provide us with certain personal information necessary for us to
provide advice and process transactions. We may also use that information to
offer you other services we provide which may meet your needs.
What
Information We Collect
The
personal information we collect may include: name and address, social security
or taxpayer identification number, drivers license copy, assets, income, account
balance, investment objectives and activity, accounts at other institutions, and
email address.
We
collect personal information on our website only when you voluntarily provide it
to us.
How
We Use and Protect Personal Non-Public Information
We treat
information about current and former shareholders and their accounts in a
confidential manner. Our employees may access information and provide it to
third parties only when completing a transaction at your request or providing
our services to you. We may share information with companies that perform
services on our behalf, such as the companies that print and distribute our
mailings or companies that we hire to perform transaction clearance, marketing
or administrative services. We may disclose, with your consent, information to
attorneys, accountants, lawyers, securities professionals and others to assist
us, or them, in providing services to you. We may make additional disclosures as
required or permitted by law. Companies we may hire to provide support services
are not allowed to use your personal information for their own
purposes.
We
maintain policies and procedures to safeguard your non-public personal
information. Access is restricted to employees who we determine need
the information in order to perform their job duties. To guard your
non-public personal information we maintain physical, electronic and procedural
safeguards.
If you
own shares of the Thompson Plumb Funds through a financial intermediary
including, but not limited to, your broker-dealer, bank or trust company, you
should review each financial intermediary’s privacy policy to learn about its
policies on selling or sharing your non-public information with non-affiliated
third parties.
Access
to and Correction of Information
Generally,
upon your written request, we will make available information for your review.
Information collected in connection with, or in anticipation of, any claim or
legal proceeding will not be made available. If your personal information with
us becomes inaccurate, or if you need to make a change to that information,
please contact us at
1-800-999-0887 s
o we can update our records.
Delivery
of Documents to Shareholders
To
control mailing and printing costs, we will deliver a single prospectus,
annual or semi-annual report or other shareholder information ("shareholder
documents") to persons who have a common address and who have effectively
consented to such delivery. This form of delivery is referred to as
"householding."
In order
to consent to householding of shareholder documents you must check the
appropriate box on the Account Application (included with the Prospectus)
indicating that you consent, or send a note to that effect to Thompson Plumb
Funds, c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202. You may revoke your consent to
householding at any time by calling Thompson Plumb Funds at 1-800-999-0887 or by
writing to us at the address provided above. If you choose to revoke
your consent, the Funds will begin to send separate copies to you within 30 days
after we receive your revocation. If your shares are held through a financial
institution please contact that institution directly.
Website
Visit us
online at www.thompsonplumb.com to access the Funds' performance and portfolio
characteristics.
In
addition to general information about investing in our Funds, our website
offers:
|
•
|
Access
to account balances
|
|
•
|
Portfolio
manager commentaries
|
|
•
|
Prospectus
and applications
|
|
•
|
Statement
of Additional Information
|
|
•
|
Annual
and Semi-Annual Reports
|
|
•
|
Quarterly
lists of the Fund's portfolio
holdings
|
|
•
|
Various
policies and procedures
|
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
The
financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds'
financial performance for the past five fiscal years (which end on
November 30). 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 the Funds
(assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This
information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along
with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the Annual Report to
Shareholders, which is available upon request.
|
|
Year
Ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
GROWTH
FUND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, Beginning of Period
|
|
|
$45.86
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
|
$45.85
|
|
|
|
$46.03
|
|
|
|
$42.45
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from Investment
Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income
|
|
|
0.29
|
|
|
|
0.36
|
|
|
|
0.35
|
|
|
|
0.27
|
|
|
|
0.46
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
|
|
|
(19.59)
|
|
|
|
(2.49)
|
|
|
|
5.14
|
|
|
|
0.54
|
|
|
|
3.26
|
|
Total
from Investment Operations
|
|
|
(19.30)
|
|
|
|
(2.13)
|
|
|
|
5.49
|
|
|
|
0.81
|
|
|
|
3.72
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less Distributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
from net investment income
|
|
|
(0.41)
|
|
|
|
(0.34)
|
|
|
|
(0.27)
|
|
|
|
(0.44)
|
|
|
|
(0.14)
|
|
Distributions
from net realized gains
|
|
|
(6.40)
|
|
|
|
(1.62)
|
|
|
|
(1.12)
|
|
|
|
(0.55)
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
Total
Distributions
|
|
|
(6.81)
|
|
|
|
(1.96)
|
|
|
|
(1.39)
|
|
|
|
(0.99)
|
|
|
|
(0.14)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, End of Period
|
|
|
$19.75
|
|
|
|
$45.86
|
|
|
|
$49.95
|
|
|
|
$45.85
|
|
|
|
$46.03
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Return
|
|
|
(49.29%)
|
|
|
|
(4.52%)
|
|
|
|
12.32%
|
|
|
|
1.76%
|
|
|
|
8.77%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (millions)
|
|
|
$133.9
|
|
|
|
$533.9
|
|
|
|
$759.0
|
|
|
|
$1,030.7
|
|
|
|
$1,485.9
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio
of expenses
|
|
|
1.27%
|
|
|
|
1.13%
|
|
|
|
1.12%
|
|
|
|
1.08%
|
|
|
|
1.05%
|
|
Ratio
of expenses without reimbursement*
|
|
|
1.27%
|
|
|
|
1.13%
|
|
|
|
1.12%
|
|
|
|
1.09%
|
|
|
|
1.06%
|
|
Ratio
of net investment income
|
|
|
0.56%
|
|
|
|
0.62%
|
|
|
|
0.63%
|
|
|
|
0.50%
|
|
|
|
1.12%
|
|
Ratio
of net investment income without reimbursement*
|
|
|
0.56%
|
|
|
|
0.62%
|
|
|
|
0.63%
|
|
|
|
0.49%
|
|
|
|
1.11%
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
|
|
43%
|
|
|
|
29%
|
|
|
|
17%
|
|
|
|
20%
|
|
|
|
29%
|
|
______________________________
*
Before directed brokerage
credits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
March
31, 2008
(inception)
through
November 30, 2008
|
|
MIDCAP
FUND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, Beginning of Period
|
|
|
$10.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from Investment
Operations
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income
|
|
|
0.04
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized losses on investments
|
|
|
(3.86)
|
|
Total
from Investment Operations
|
|
|
(3.82)
|
|
Less Distributions
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
from net investment income
|
|
|
-
|
|
Distributions
from net realized gains
|
|
|
-
|
|
Total
Distributions
|
|
|
-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, End of Period
|
|
|
$6.18
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Return
|
|
|
(38.20%)
|
(1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (millions)
|
|
|
$2.3
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets:
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio
of expenses
|
|
|
1.30%
|
(2)
|
Ratio
of expenses without reimbursement
|
|
|
8.40%
|
(2)
|
Ratio
of net investment income
|
|
|
0.79%
|
(2)
|
Ratio
of net investment loss without reimbursement
|
|
|
(6.30%)
|
(2)
|
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
|
|
50%
|
(1)
|
____________________________
(1)
Calculated on a non-annualized basis.
(2)
Calculated on an annualized
basis.
|
|
Year
Ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2005
|
|
|
2004
|
|
BOND
FUND
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, Beginning of Period
|
|
|
$10.34
|
|
|
|
$10.26
|
|
|
|
$10.21
|
|
|
|
$10.68
|
|
|
|
$10.86
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from Investment
Operations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
investment income
|
|
|
0.62
|
|
|
|
0.48
|
|
|
|
0.44
|
|
|
|
0.39
|
|
|
|
0.57
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
|
|
|
(1.17)
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
|
|
|
0.11
|
|
|
|
(0.36)
|
|
|
|
(0.16)
|
|
Total
from Investment Operations
|
|
|
(0.55)
|
|
|
|
0.56
|
|
|
|
0.55
|
|
|
|
0.03
|
|
|
|
0.41
|
|
Less Distributions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distributions
from net investment income
|
|
|
(0.55)
|
|
|
|
(0.48)
|
|
|
|
(0.41)
|
|
|
|
(0.42)
|
|
|
|
(0.59)
|
|
Distributions
from net realized gains
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
(0.09)
|
|
|
|
(0.08)
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
Total
Distributions
|
|
|
(0.55)
|
|
|
|
(0.48)
|
|
|
|
(0.50)
|
|
|
|
(0.50)
|
|
|
|
(0.59)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Asset Value, End of Period
|
|
|
$9.24
|
|
|
|
$10.34
|
|
|
|
$10.26
|
|
|
|
$10.21
|
|
|
|
$10.68
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Return
|
|
|
(5.63%)
|
|
|
|
5.64%
|
|
|
|
5.64%
|
|
|
|
0.29%
|
|
|
|
3.90%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios/Supplemental Data
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
assets, end of period (millions)
|
|
|
$44.0
|
|
|
|
$44.5
|
|
|
|
$32.5
|
|
|
|
$30.6
|
|
|
|
$29.7
|
|
Ratios
to average net assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratio
of expenses
|
|
|
0.59%
|
|
|
|
0.59%
|
|
|
|
0.72%
|
|
|
|
0.80%
|
|
|
|
0.80%
|
|
Ratio
of expenses without reimbursement
|
|
|
1.18%
|
|
|
|
1.24%
|
|
|
|
1.30%
|
|
|
|
1.28%
|
|
|
|
1.20%
|
|
Ratio
of net investment income
|
|
|
6.38%
|
|
|
|
4.92%
|
|
|
|
4.42%
|
|
|
|
3.80%
|
|
|
|
5.00%
|
|
Ratio
of net investment income without reimbursement
|
|
|
5.78%
|
|
|
|
4.26%
|
|
|
|
3.84%
|
|
|
|
3.31%
|
|
|
|
4.60%
|
|
Portfolio
turnover rate
|
|
|
110%
|
|
|
|
86%
|
|
|
|
51%
|
|
|
|
26%
|
|
|
|
24%
|
|
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
1-800-999-0887
DIRECTORS
OF THE FUNDS
Donald
A. Nichols, Chairman
John
W. Feldt
Patricia
Lipton
John
W. Thompson, CFA,
President
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc.
OFFICERS
OF THE FUNDS
John
W. Thompson, CFA
President
and Chief Executive Officer
Jason
L. Stephens, CFA
Vice
President and Secretary
James
T. Evans, CFA
Vice
President
Penny
M. Hubbard
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer
Nedra
S. Pierce
Chief
Compliance Officer
|
INVESTMENT
ADVISOR
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc.
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
Madison,
Wisconsin 53717
DISTRIBUTOR
Quasar
Distributors, LLC
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202
CUSTODIAN
U.S.
Bank, N.A.
1555
North RiverCenter Drive
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53212
TRANSFER
AGENT AND
DIVIDEND
DISBURSING AGENT
U.S.
Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED
PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP
One
North Wacker Drive
Chicago,
Illinois 60606
LEGAL
COUNSEL
Quarles
& Brady LLP
411
East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202
|
ADDITIONAL
FUND INFORMATION
The
Statement of Additional Information (SAI) contains additional information about
the Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc. The SAI is on file with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) and is legally part of this
Prospectus. Additional information about the Funds' investments is
available in the Funds' annual and semi-annual reports to
shareholders. The Funds' annual report contains a discussion of the
market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the
Funds' performance during its last fiscal year.
To obtain
a free copy of the SAI or the Funds' annual and semi-annual reports, or to
request other information or ask questions about the Funds, you can contact
Thompson Plumb Funds at the telephone number or address shown
above. These documents are also available on the Funds' website at
www.thompsonplumb.com. You can also view these documents at the SEC's
Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or on the SEC's website at
http://www.sec.gov. Information on the operation of the SEC's Public
Reference Room may be obtained by calling
1-202-551-8090. Copies of such information and reports may be
obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by sending an e-mail request to
publicinfo@sec.gov
or by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C.
20549-0102.
SEC File
No. 811-4946
STATEMENT
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
March
31, 2009
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
Madison,
Wisconsin 53717
Telephone: 1-800-999-0887
This
Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") contains detailed information about
the Thompson Plumb Growth Fund (the "Growth Fund"), Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund
(the "MidCap Fund") and Thompson Plumb Bond Fund (the "Bond
Fund"). Collectively, the Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund are
referred to herein as the "Funds" and individually as a "Fund." This
SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc. Prospectus (the "Prospectus") dated
March 31,
2009. The audited financial statements of the Funds as of, and for
the year ended, November 30, 2008 and the report of the independent
registered public accounting firm thereon, are incorporated by reference into
this SAI from the Thompson Plumb Funds Annual Report to
Shareholders. The Prospectus and Annual Report are available, without
charge, upon request by contacting Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc. at the address or
telephone number listed above, or on the Funds' website at
www.thompsonplumb.com.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
FUND
HISTORY
|
2
|
|
|
DESCRIPTION
OF CERTAIN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
|
2
|
|
|
INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
|
11
|
|
|
DETERMINATION
OF NET ASSET VALUE AND PRICING CONSIDERATIONS
|
13
|
|
|
MANAGEMENT
|
14
|
|
|
ADVISORY,
ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER SERVICES
|
20
|
|
|
DISTRIBUTION
|
24
|
|
|
PORTFOLIO
TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
|
26
|
|
|
TAXES
|
29
|
|
|
CAPITAL
STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES
|
30
|
|
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
|
33
|
|
|
EXHIBIT
A - PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
|
A-1
|
|
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EXHIBIT
B - SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
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B-1
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FUND
HISTORY
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc. (the "Investment Company") is a Wisconsin corporation
incorporated in 1986 and registered as an open-end, diversified management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940
Act"). The Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund are separate series
of the Investment Company. The Growth Fund and Bond Fund each
commenced operations on February 10, 1992. The MidCap Fund commended
operations on March 31, 2008. The investment advisor and administrator of
the Funds is Thompson Investment Management, Inc. ("TIM"). Until
January 2004, the investment advisor and administrator of the Growth Fund
and Bond Fund was Thompson, Plumb & Associates, Inc.
("TPA"). The term "Advisor" is used herein to describe TIM or TPA, as
the case may be. The principal underwriter and distributor of
shares of the Funds is Quasar Distributors, LLC (the
"Distributor").
DESCRIPTION
OF CERTAIN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
Lending
Portfolio Securities
Each Fund
may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and financial
institutions such as banks and trust companies, up to a maximum of
one-third of its net assets, as a means of enhancing its return. The
Advisor will monitor the creditworthiness of firms to which the Fund lends its
securities. Any such loan must be continuously secured by
collateral in cash or cash equivalents maintained on a current basis in an
amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned by the
Fund. The Fund would continue to receive the equivalent of the
interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, and would
also receive an additional return on the collateral. The Fund would
have the right to call the loan and obtain the securities loaned at any
time. The Fund would not have the right to vote the securities during
the existence of the loan, but would call the loan to permit voting of
securities during the existence of the loan if, in the Advisor's judgment, a
material event requiring a shareholder vote would otherwise occur before the
loan was repaid. In the event of bankruptcy or other default of the
borrower, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the loan
collateral or recovering the loaned securities and losses including
(a) possible decline in the value of the collateral or in the value of the
securities loaned during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights
thereto, (b) possible subnormal levels of income and lack of access to
income during this period and (c) expenses associated with enforcing its
rights.
Repurchase
Agreements
Each Fund
may from time to time enter into repurchase agreements. Repurchase
agreements involve the sale of securities to a Fund with the concurrent
agreement of the seller (a bank or securities dealer) to repurchase the
securities at the same price plus an amount equal to an agreed-upon interest
rate within a specified time, usually less than one week, but on occasion for a
longer period. The Funds may enter into repurchase agreements
with broker-dealers who are recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
as primary dealers in U.S. Government securities, and with
banks. When a Fund enters into a repurchase agreement, the value of
the underlying security, including accrued interest, will be equal to or will
exceed the value of the repurchase agreement and, in the case of repurchase
agreements exceeding one day, the seller will agree that the value of the
underlying security, including accrued interest, will at all times be equal
to or will exceed the value of the repurchase agreement. If the
seller of the repurchase agreement enters a bankruptcy or insolvency
proceeding, or if the seller fails to repurchase the underlying security as
agreed, a Fund could experience losses that include (a) possible decline in
the value of the underlying security during the period that the Fund seeks
to enforce its rights with respect thereto, and possible delay in the
enforcement of such rights, (b) possible loss of all or a part of the
income or proceeds of the repurchase, (c) additional expenses to the Fund
in connection with enforcing those rights, and (d) possible delay in the
disposition of the underlying security pending court action or possible
loss of rights in such securities. The Advisor intends to cause the
Funds to invest in repurchase agreements only when the Advisor determines
that the Funds should invest in short-term money market instruments and that the
rates available on repurchase agreements are favorable as compared to the rates
available on other short-term money market instruments or money market
mutual funds, circumstances that the Advisor does not anticipate will occur
in the near future. The Advisor does not currently intend to invest
the assets of any Fund in repurchase agreements if, after doing so, more than 5%
of the Fund's net assets would be invested in repurchase
agreements.
Variable
and Floating-Rate Securities
The Bond Fund may invest in variable
and floating-rate securities.
Variable-rate
securities provide for a periodic adjustment to the interest rate paid on the
obligations.
These interest-rate
adjustments are based upon an adjustment index that is provided for in the
respective obligations. Adjustment intervals may occur at regularly scheduled
intervals, ranging from daily to annually, or may be based upon the occurrence
of events such as a change in the prime rate.
The interest rate on a floating-rate
security is a variable rate that is tied to another interest rate—for example, a
money-market index or U.S. Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a
floating-rate security resets periodically, typically every six months. Its
floating or variable rate may be determined by reference to a known lending
rate, such as a bank’s prime rate or to the London InterBank Offered Rate
(LIBOR).
During periods where interest rates are
rising, changes in the interest rate of a floating or variable-rate security may
lag changes in market rates.
When-Issued
and Delayed-Delivery Transactions
Each Fund
may purchase or sell portfolio securities in when-issued and delayed-delivery
transactions. In such transactions, instruments are bought or sold
with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is
considered to be an advantageous yield or price to the Fund at the time of
entering into the transactions. In such transactions, the payment
obligations and the interest rate are fixed at the time the buyer enters into
the commitment, although no interest accrues to the buyer prior to settlement of
the transaction.
Consistent
with the requirements of the 1940 Act, securities purchased on a when-issued and
delayed-delivery basis are recorded as an asset (with the purchase price being
recorded as a liability) and are subject to changes in value based upon changes
in the general level of interest rates. At the time of delivery of
the security, the value may be more or less than the transaction
price. To the extent a Fund remains substantially fully invested at
the same time that it has entered into such transactions, which the Fund would
normally expect to do, there will be greater fluctuations in the market
value of the Fund's assets than if the Fund set aside cash to satisfy the
purchase commitment. However, each Fund will maintain designated
liquid assets with a market value, determined daily, that are at least equal to
the amount of commitments for when-issued and delayed-delivery securities, and
such assets will be earmarked specifically for the settlement of such
commitments.
Each Fund
will only make commitments to purchase portfolio securities on a when-issued or
delayed-delivery basis with the intention of actually acquiring the securities,
and not for the purpose of investment leverage, but the Funds reserve the right
to sell the securities before the settlement date if doing so is deemed
advisable. The Funds do not currently intend to purchase
securities in when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions if, after such
purchase, more than 20% of their respective net assets would consist of
when-issued and delayed-delivery securities.
Illiquid
Securities
No Fund
will invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in securities which are
illiquid, including restricted securities, securities for which there are no
readily available market quotations and repurchase agreements providing for
settlement later than seven days after notice. For the purposes of
this restriction, the Funds do not consider variable-rate demand notes to
be restricted securities. See "Variable-Rate Demand Notes"
below.
Variable-Rate
Demand Notes
Each Fund
may purchase variable-rate master demand notes, which are unsecured instruments
that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic
adjustments in the interest rate. Although the notes are not
normally traded and there may be no secondary market in the notes, the notes
allow the Funds to demand payment of principal and accrued interest at any
time. The investment policy of each Fund is to purchase variable-rate
demand notes only if, at the time of purchase, the issuer has unsecured debt
securities outstanding that are rated within the two highest rating
categories by either Standard & Poor's or Moody's Investors Service,
Inc.
Mortgage-Backed
Securities
The Bond
Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities, which include securities that
represent interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as savings
and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others, as well as
dollar roll transactions.
Pools of
mortgage loans are combined for sale to investors (such as the Bond Fund)
by various governmental and government-related entities, as well as by
commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance
companies, mortgage bankers and other private issuers. These pools generally
provide for a "pass-through" of monthly payments made by individual
borrowers on their residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the
issuer or guarantor of the securities.
The
Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") is the principal
government guarantor of mortgage-related securities. GNMA is
authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government,
timely payment of principal and interest on securities it approves that are
backed by pools of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages. GNMA
securities are described as "modified pass-through" in that they provide a
monthly payment of interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool,
net of certain fees, regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the
payment. Other government related guarantors of these securities
include the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"). FNMA and FHLMC securities are
guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by those agencies, but are
not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. With
respect to private mortgage-backed securities, timely payment of principal and
interest of these pools is supported by various forms of insurance or
guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard
insurance. There can be no assurance that private insurers or
guarantors can meet their obligations under such policies.
Certain
mortgage-backed securities purchased by the Bond Fund provide for a
prepayment privilege and for amortized payments of both interest and
principal over the term of the security. The yield on the original
investment in such securities applies only to the unpaid principal balance, as
the Fund must reinvest the periodic payments of principal at prevailing market
interest rates which may be higher or lower then the rate on the original
security. In addition, the prepayment privilege may require the Fund
to reinvest at lower yields than were received from the original
investment. If these instruments are purchased at a premium in the
market, and if prepayment occurs, such prepayments will be at par or stated
value, which will result in reduced return on such transactions.
During
periods of declining interest rates, prepayment of mortgages from underlying
mortgage-backed securities can be expected to
accelerate. Accordingly, the Bond Fund's ability to maintain
positions in high-yielding mortgage-backed securities will be affected by
reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from such
prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable
yields will depend on prevailing interest rates at that time.
In a
mortgage dollar roll transaction, the Bond Fund sells mortgage securities and
simultaneously agrees to repurchase substantially similar securities—securities
that, among other characteristics, are collateralized by the same types of
underlying mortgages, have identical net coupon rates and have similar original
stated maturities—at a later date and at an agreed-upon price. The Bond Fund may
enter into dollar roll transactions with respect to securities issued or to be
issued by GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC. During the period between the sale and
repurchase, the Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the mortgage
securities sold. The Fund is compensated by the interest earned on the cash
proceeds of the initial sale and from negotiated fees paid by brokers offered as
an inducement to the Fund to “roll over” its purchase commitments.
Dollar
roll transactions may result in higher transaction costs or higher taxes for the
Bond Fund. Dollar rolls will not be used for the purpose of leveraging the Bond
Fund’s assets or to change its risk profile.
Real
Estate Investment Trusts
Each Fund
may invest up to 10% of its total assets in real estate investment trusts
(“REITs”). Equity REITs invest directly in real property, while
mortgage REITs invest in mortgages on real property. REITs may
be subject to certain risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate,
including declines in the value of real estate, risks related to general
and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases
in property taxes and operating expenses, fluctuations in interest rates and
variations in rental income. In addition, the failure of a REIT to
qualify as such for tax purposes would have an adverse impact on the value of a
Fund's investment in that REIT. To qualify as a REIT, a company is,
among other things, required to pay at least 90% of its taxable income to its
shareholders every year. Some REITs have relatively small market
capitalizations, which could increase their market volatility. REITs
tend to be dependent on specialized management skills and may have limited
diversification, causing them to be subject to risks inherent in operating
and financing a limited number of properties.
Zero-Coupon
Bonds
The Bond
Fund may invest in debt securities such as zero-coupon bonds that do not make
regular cash interest payments, but that are instead issued at a discount to
their principal or maturity value. While these securities do not pay
current cash income, federal income tax law requires the holders of zero-coupon
securities to include the portion of the original issue discount and other
non-cash income on such securities accrued during that year in income each year.
The Bond Fund intends to pass along such interest as a component of the Fund’s
distributions of net investment income.
Depository
Receipts
Depository
receipts are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a
pool of securities that have been deposited with a “depository.” The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund may invest in American Depository Receipts ("ADRs"),
for which the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the
underlying securities are issued by foreign issuers. ADRs may be
listed on a national securities exchange or may trade on an over-the-counter
market. ADR prices are denominated in United States dollars,
although the underlying security may be denominated in a foreign
currency. Although generally tempered to some extent, ADRs do not
eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities
of foreign issuers, including the risk of changes in currency exchange rates,
expropriation or nationalization of assets, and the impact of political,
diplomatic, or social events.
High-Yield
Debt Securities
The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund may invest up to 5% of their net assets in debt
securities (including convertible securities) that are rated below investment
grade, i.e., rated below "BBB" by S&P or "Baa" by Moody's, and the Bond Fund
may invest up to 10% of its total assets in debt securities rated below
investment grade. Such securities are commonly referred to as "junk
bonds" or "high-yield/high-risk" securities. Non-investment-grade
securities are considered to be speculative with regard to the issuer's capacity
to pay interest and repay principal. Such securities involve the
risk of issuer default or bankruptcy and are more sensitive to economic
conditions than higher-rated securities. In addition, the secondary
market for such securities may not be as liquid as the market for higher-rated
securities. From time to time, each Fund's assets represented by debt
securities below investment grade may exceed the limits noted above due to
changes in the value of those securities and/or the Fund as a whole and
downgrades that occur after such securities were acquired. No Fund
will acquire any debt securities rated below investment grade while its total
assets that are represented by such securities exceed these limits.
Inflation-Linked
Bonds
The Bond
Fund may invest in fixed-income securities whose returns are intended to track
the rate of inflation, as that rate is reflected by the Consumer
Price Index (“CPI”). The Fund may invest in U.S. Treasury
Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”), as well as in other inflation-indexed
bonds that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or
instrumentalities or that are issued by corporations. The periodic
adjustment of TIPS bonds is tied to the CPI, an index that is calculated monthly
by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and that measures changes in the cost of
living based on components such as food, housing, transportation, and
energy.
Like
conventional bonds, inflation-indexed bonds generally pay interest at fixed
intervals and return the principal at maturity; however, unlike conventional
bonds, the principal or interest on an inflation-indexed bond is adjusted
periodically to reflect changes in a specified inflation index.
Inflation-indexed bonds are designed to preserve purchasing power over the life
of the bond while paying a return over and above the rate of inflation. These
bonds typically are issued at a fixed interest rate that is lower than that of
conventional bonds of comparable maturity and quality, but the bonds generally
retain their value against inflation over time. Interest on a TIPS bond is paid
twice a year. While the interest rate is fixed, the amount of each
interest payment varies because the principal is adjusted for
inflation.
The
current market value of inflation-indexed securities is not guaranteed and will
fluctuate. If the CPI falls, the principal value of
inflation-indexed securities (including TIPS bonds) will be adjusted downward,
and because of this downward adjustment, the interest payable on these
securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be
reduced. However, with respect to TIPS instruments, the U.S. Treasury
guarantees repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted
for inflation), even during a period of deflation.
Inflation-indexed
securities are subject to interest-rate risk. As a result, the total return on
inflation-indexed securities may not actually track the return on the inflation
indices to which the inflation-indexed bonds held by the Fund are linked during
every year. Market values of inflation-indexed bonds can be affected by changes
in the market’s expectations with respect to inflation and by changes in real
rates of interest. Furthermore, the CPI may not accurately reflect the true rate
of inflation. If the market believes that the inflation indices to which the
inflation-indexed bonds are linked do not accurately reflect the actual rate of
inflation, the market value of those bonds could be adversely
affected.
Inflation-indexed
securities other than TIPS instruments may or may not provide a similar
principal-protection guarantee that TIPS instruments do. If a guarantee of
repayment of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond
repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.
While
inflation-indexed securities are expected to be protected from long-term
inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in
value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation—for example,
due to changes in currency exchange rates— investors in these securities may not
be protected to the extent that the bond’s measure of inflation does not reflect
these increases.
Convertible
Securities
The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund may invest in convertible securities, including any
bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities which may be
converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same
or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or
formula. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that have
characteristics of both bonds and stocks. Like bonds,
convertible securities pay interest. Convertible securities also
offer an investor the right to benefit from the capital appreciation potential
of the underlying common stock upon exercise of the conversion
feature.
The value
of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value," which is
determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of
comparable quality and maturity that do not have the conversion privilege, and
its "conversion value," which is the security's worth if converted into the
underlying common stock. Investment value is typically influenced by
interest rates and the credit standing of the issuer. If
interest rates go up, the investment value of the convertible security will
generally go down, and vice versa. Conversion value is determined by
the market price of the underlying common stock and generally decreases as the
convertible security approaches maturity. As the market price of the
underlying common stock goes down, the conversion value will tend to go down as
well since the convertible security presents less opportunity for capital
appreciation upon conversion.
Convertible
securities are generally more secure than common stock but less secure than
non-convertible debt securities such as bonds. Convertible securities
are usually subordinate to bonds in terms of payment priority.
Each of
the Funds will only invest in preferred stock that is investment grade (that is,
rated in one of the four highest rating categories by S&P or
Moody’s). The only convertible securities in which the Bond Fund may
invest are convertible debt securities.
Short
Sales
Each Fund
may effect short sales of securities. To effect a short sale, a Fund
sells a security it does not own and simultaneously borrows the security,
usually from a brokerage firm, to make delivery to the buyer. The
Fund then is obligated to replace the borrowed security by purchasing it at the
market price at some future date. Until the security is
replaced, the Fund is required to pay the lender any accrued interest or
dividends and may be required to pay a premium. Each Fund may also
make short sales "against the box", i.e., short sales made when the Fund owns
securities identical to those sold short.
A Fund
will realize a gain if the security declines in price between the date of the
short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed
security. A Fund will incur a loss if the price of the security
increases between those dates. The amount of any gain will be
decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any
premium or interest the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a
short sale. A short position may be adversely affected by imperfect
correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the
securities being hedged.
No Fund
will effect a short sale if, as a result, the aggregate value of all of the
Fund's open short positions will exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's net
assets. To secure a Fund's obligation to replace any borrowed
security, the Fund either will place in a segregated account, or U.S. Bank,
N.A., the custodian for the Funds (the "Custodian"), will segregate on its books
and records, an amount of cash or liquid securities at such a level that (i) the
amount so segregated plus the amount deposited with the broker as
collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short, and (ii) the
amount so segregated plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral
will not be less than the market value of the security at the time it was sold
short; or otherwise cover its short position in accordance with positions taken
by the SEC.
Each Fund
may only engage in short-sale transactions in securities listed on one or more
national securities exchange or on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
A Fund
will use short sales to limit its exposure to possible declines in the market
value of its portfolio securities and to attempt to realize a gain.
Options
and Futures
Each Fund
may engage in transactions in options and futures contracts. Some
options and futures strategies, including selling futures, buying put
options and writing call options, tend to hedge a Fund's investments against
price fluctuations. Other strategies, including buying futures,
writing puts and buying calls, tend to increase market exposure. No
Fund will invest in an option or futures contract if, as a result, the sum of
the initial margin deposits and premiums paid to establish the Fund's aggregate
options and futures positions would exceed 5% of the Fund's net
assets.
Each Fund
may purchase or write (sell) listed call options on stocks and stock
indices. A call option on a stock gives the purchaser of the
option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell,
the underlying stock at a stated price if the option is exercised before a
specific date. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration
for undertaking the obligations under the option contract. A call
option written (sold) by a Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option
to possible loss of an opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price
of the underlying stock, or to possible continued holding of a stock which might
otherwise have been sold to protect against depreciation in the market price of
the stock.
Each Fund
may purchase or write (sell) listed put options on stocks and stock
indices. A put option on a stock gives the purchaser of the option
the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the
underlying stock at a stated price if the option is exercised before a
specific date.
An option
on an index functions in the same way as a stock option, except that the option
is only settled in cash.
Whenever
a Fund does not own securities underlying an open option position in an amount
sufficient to cover the position, or whenever a Fund has written (sold) a
put, the Fund will maintain cash or cash equivalents in a segregated account
with its Custodian sufficient to cover the exercise price or, with respect to
index options, the market value, of the open position. The Fund
may ultimately sell the option in a closing sale transaction, exercise it or
permit it to expire.
Each Fund
may purchase and sell exchange-traded futures contracts on stock
indices. A futures contract on an index is an agreement by which
one party agrees to accept delivery of, and the other party agrees to make
delivery of, an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the
underlying index at the close of the last trading day of the futures contract
and the price at which the contract originally was written. Although
the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified
securities, no physical delivery of those securities is made.
When a
purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by a Fund, the Fund is
required to deposit with its Custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a
specified amount of cash or U.S. Government securities (an "initial
margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the
exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of
the contract. The initial margin is akin to a performance bond or
good-faith deposit on the futures contract and is returned to the Fund upon
termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been
satisfied. Each Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial
margin deposits. A futures contract held by a Fund is valued daily at
the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is
traded. Each day a Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation
margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures
contract. This process is known as "marking to
market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by a
Fund, but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount
one of the parties would owe the other if the futures contract had
expired. In computing daily net asset value, each of the Funds will
mark to market all of its open futures positions.
While a
Fund maintains an open futures position, the Fund must maintain with its
Custodian, in a segregated account, assets with a market value sufficient to
cover the Fund's exposure on the position (less the amount of the margin deposit
associated with the position). A Fund's exposure on a futures
contract is equal to the amount paid for the contract by the Fund.
Index
futures contracts in which a Fund may invest are closed out prior to delivery by
offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (contracts that are
made on the same exchange and that have the same underlying index and delivery
month), or in cash. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the
original sale price, the Fund would realize a capital gain, or if it is
greater, a Fund would realize a capital loss. Conversely, if an
offsetting sale price is greater than the original purchase price, the Fund
would realize a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund would realize a capital
loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these
calculations in order to determine whether the Fund would realize such a capital
gain or loss.
Options
and futures contracts can be highly volatile investments. Successful
options and futures strategies require the ability to predict future movements
in securities prices, interest rates and other economic
factors. There may be an imperfect correlation between movements in
prices of options and futures contracts and movements in the value of the stock
or index that the investment is designed to simulate. Options and
futures contracts also involve a high degree of leverage, and a relatively small
price movement in an option or futures contract can result in immediate and
substantial gain or loss to a Fund. There can be no assurance that a
liquid securities market will exist for an option or futures contract at any
particular time. On volatile trading days where a price fluctuation
limit is reached or a trading halt or suspension is imposed, it may be very
difficult for a Fund to close out positions or enter into new positions and
to value the option or futures contract. If the secondary market
is not liquid, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable positions and
potentially require a Fund to continue to hold the position until delivery or
expiration.
Investments
in Exchange-Traded Funds and Exchange-Traded Limited Partnerships
The
Growth Fund and MidCap Fund may invest in securities of exchange-traded funds
(“ETFs”) and exchange-traded limited partnerships (“ETLPs”). ETFs and
ETLPs are similar to traditional mutual funds and limited partnerships,
respectively, except that their securities trade throughout the trading day in
the secondary brokerage market, much like stocks of public
companies.
ETFs have
their own operating expenses that are deducted from their assets and thus are
borne by the shareholders of the ETF. Accordingly, a Fund will bear
its share of the operating expenses of any ETFs in which it
invests. As a result, shareholders of the Fund will bear two layers
of operating expenses to the extent the Fund invests in ETFs. An
investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment
in a traditional mutual fund, such as the risk that the prices of the securities
owned by the ETF will decline.
An
investment in an ETLP generally presents the same primary risks as an investment
in a limited partnership, such as the risk that the value of the partnership’s
securities will decline.
In
addition to the risks described above, an investment in an ETF or ETLP is also
subject to the following risks that do not apply to an investment in a
traditional mutual fund or limited partnership: (1) the market price
of securities may trade at a discount to their net asset value; (2) an active
trading market for an ETF’s or ETLP’s securities may not develop or be
maintained; and (3) trading of an ETF’s or ETLP’s securities may be halted if
the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares or
interests are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide
“circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halt
trading in general.
Each
Fund's investments in an ETF or ETLP are subject to the investment restrictions
of the Fund. In particular, because most ETFs are investment
companies, the Fund’s purchase of ETF shares are subject to the limitations on
the Fund’s investment in other investment companies. See "Investment
Restrictions” in this Statement of Additional Information.
Investments
in Other Investment Companies
An
investment by a Fund in another investment company may cause the Fund to incur
higher administration and distribution expenses. See "Investment
Restrictions" in this Statement of Additional Information.
Temporary
Defensive Positions
Each Fund
may invest, without limitation, in short-term investments for temporary
defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic, political or other
conditions. Short-term investments include U.S. Treasury bills,
certificates of deposit, money market funds, commercial paper, variable-rate
demand notes and purchase agreements.
Portfolio
Turnover
The
portfolio turnover rates for the fiscal years ended November 30, 2008 and
2007 were as follows:
(1)
|
2008
|
2007
|
|
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
|
43%
|
29%
|
|
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
|
50%
(1)
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
110%
|
86%
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2008. The
portfolio turnover rate for the MidCap Fund covers the period from
commencement of the Fund’s operations through November 30, 2008 and is not
annualized.
|
INVESTMENT
RESTRICTIONS
Each Fund
has adopted the following investment restrictions, none of which (except as
otherwise noted) may be changed without the approval of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the
Fund. A Fund may not:
(1) Purchase
the securities of issuers conducting their principal business activity in
the same industry if immediately after such purchase the value of the Fund's
investments in such industry would exceed 25% of the value of its total
assets, provided that there is no limitation with respect to or arising out of
investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its
agencies or instrumentalities.
(2) Purchase
a security if, as a result, with respect to 75% of the value of the Fund's total
assets, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of
any one issuer, other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
(3) Make
loans, except through the purchase of debt obligations in accordance with
the Fund's investment objective and policies and through repurchase
agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions,
and except for securities lending activity as permitted by the 1940
Act.
(4) Issue
senior securities in violation of the 1940 Act or borrow money, except
(a) as a temporary measure, and then only in amounts not exceeding 5% of
the value of the Fund's total assets or (b) from banks, provided that
immediately after any such borrowing all borrowings of the Fund do not exceed
one-third of the Fund's net assets. The exceptions to this
restriction are not for investment leverage purposes but are solely for
extraordinary or emergency purposes and to facilitate management of each
Fund's portfolio by enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests when the
liquidation of portfolio instruments is deemed to be disadvantageous or not
possible. While a Fund has borrowings in excess of 5% of the value of
the Fund's total assets outstanding, it will not make any purchases of portfolio
instruments. If due to market fluctuations or other reasons the net
assets of a Fund fall below 300% of its borrowings, the Fund will promptly
reduce its borrowings in accordance with the 1940 Act. To do
this, the Fund may have to sell a portion of its investments at a time when it
may be disadvantageous to do so.
(5) Mortgage
or pledge any assets except to secure permitted borrowings, and then only in an
amount up to 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets, taken at cost at the
time of such borrowings.
(6) Purchase
or sell real estate or commodities, except that a Fund may purchase and
sell (a) securities issued by real estate investment trusts or other
companies which invest in or own real estate, and (b) securities secured by
interests in real estate, provided in each case that such securities are
marketable.
(7) Purchase
securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by
the 1940 Act. Subject to certain exceptions, the 1940 Act currently
prohibits a Fund from investing more than 5% of its total assets in
securities of another investment company, investing more than 10% of its total
assets in securities of such investment company and all other investment
companies, or purchasing more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of
another investment company.
(8) Purchase
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or invest
in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.
(9) Act
as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except in instances where
the Fund has acquired portfolio securities which it may not be free to sell
publicly without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (if the Fund
sells such securities, it may technically be deemed an "underwriter" for
purposes of such Act).
In
addition to the foregoing restrictions, the Investment Company's Board of
Directors has adopted the following restrictions, which may be changed
without shareholder approval. A Fund may not:
(a) Purchase
securities on margin, but a Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be
necessary for the clearance of purchase and sales of securities.
(b) Participate
on a joint or joint-and-several basis in any securities trading
account.
(c) Invest
more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
(d) Effect
any short sale of securities that the Fund does not own if, as a result
thereof, the aggregate value of all of the Fund's open short positions would
exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets.
(e) Purchase
an option or futures contract if, as a result, the aggregate initial margin
and premiums required to establish such positions would exceed 5% of the Fund's
net assets.
The
restrictions described above that involve a maximum percentage generally
apply when an investment is made and will not be violated as a result of
subsequent changes in the values of securities held by the Fund.
DETERMINATION
OF NET ASSET VALUE AND PRICING CONSIDERATIONS
Fund
shares are offered and sold without a sales charge at the net asset value per
share next determined after the purchase order has been received by U.S. Bancorp
Fund Services, LLC, the Fund's transfer agent (the "Transfer
Agent"). The net asset value per share of each Fund is calculated as
of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 P.M.
Eastern Time). Net asset value per share is calculated by adding the
total fair market value of all securities and other assets of the particular
Fund, subtracting the liabilities of the Fund, and dividing the remainder by the
number of outstanding shares of the Fund.
Each
Fund’s net asset value is determined only on the days on which the New York
Stock Exchange is open for trading. The Exchange is regularly closed
on Saturdays and Sundays and on New Years' Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If one of those holidays falls on
a Saturday or Sunday, the Exchange will be closed on the preceding Friday or the
following Monday, respectively.
Portfolio
securities which are traded on an exchange are valued at the last sale price
reported by the exchange on which the securities are primarily traded on the day
of valuation. If there are no sales on a given day for
securities traded on an exchange, the latest bid quotation will be
used. If there is no Nasdaq Official Closing Price for a
Nasdaq-listed security or sales price available for an over-the-counter
security, the mean of the latest bid and asked quotations from Nasdaq will be
used. Debt securities for which market quotations are not
readily available may be valued based on information supplied by
independent pricing services, including services using matrix pricing
formulas and/or independent broker bid quotations. Debt securities
with remaining maturities of 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost
basis, which involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming
a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless
of the impact of fluctuating rates on the market value of the
instrument. Any securities or other assets for which market
quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in
good faith by the Advisor pursuant to procedures established under the general
supervision and responsibility of the Board of Directors of the Investment
Company. Expenses and fees, including advisory fees, are accrued
daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining net asset value
per share.
Reliable
market quotations are not considered to be readily available for many long-term
corporate bonds and notes and certain preferred stocks in which the Funds may
invest. As authorized by the Board of Directors, these
investments are stated at fair market value on the basis of valuations furnished
by independent broker bid quotations and/or independent pricing
services. Independent pricing services approved by the Board of
Directors determine valuations for normal, institutional-sized trading
units of such securities using methods based on market transactions for
comparable securities and various relationships between securities which
are generally recognized by institutional traders.
The Funds
intend to pay all redemptions in cash. Redemption proceeds ordinarily
will be sent within seven days after receipt of the redemption request and all
necessary documents. Each Fund reserves the right to suspend or
postpone redemptions during any period when: (a) trading on the
New York Stock Exchange is restricted, as determined by the Securities and
Exchange Commission or the Exchange is closed for other than customary
weekend and holiday closing; (b) the Securities and Exchange Commission has
by order permitted such suspension; or (c) an emergency, as determined
by the Securities and Exchange Commission, exists, making disposal of portfolio
securities or valuation of net assets of the Funds not reasonably
practicable.
MANAGEMENT
Under
applicable law, all corporate powers are exercised by or under the authority of,
and the business and affairs of all of the Investment Company are managed under
the direction of, the Board of Directors of the Investment
Company. The Advisor is delegated responsibility for the Funds’
investment management, and the officers of the Investment Company are delegated
responsibility for the Funds’ operations. The Board of Directors
meets regularly to review the Funds' performance and expenses and other
operational matters. The Board elects the officers of the
Investment Company and hires the Funds' service providers. The Board
annually reviews and considers approval of the continuation of the investment
advisory agreement with the Advisor and the distribution agreement with the
Distributor. The Board also establishes and reviews numerous policies
and procedures governing the conduct of the Investment Company's
business. The policy of the Investment Company is that at least
a majority of the directors, or such higher percentage as required by the 1940
Act, must not be "interested persons" of the Investment Company (within the
meaning of the 1940 Act).
Information
pertaining to the directors and officers of the Investment Company is set forth
below.
Name,
Address and Age
|
Position(s)
Held with
Thompson
Plumb
Funds, Inc
.
(1)
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During
Past
Five Years
|
Number
of Thompson Plumb Funds Overseen
by Director
|
Other
Directorships Held
by Director
|
|
Independent
Directors:
|
|
Donald
A. Nichols
2111
Van Hise Avenue
Madison,
WI 53726
Birth
date: 12/20/40
|
Chairman
since January 2009
Director
since 1987
|
·
Currently
retired
·
Director of the Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs
at the University of Wisconsin from 2002 to 2006
·
Professor
of Economics at the University of Wisconsin from 1966 to 2006
·
Chairman,
Department of Economics from 1983 to 1986 and from 1988 to
1990
·
Economic
Consultant
|
3
|
None
|
Name,
Address and Age
|
Position(s)
Held with
Thompson
Plumb
Funds, Inc
.
(1)
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During
Past
Five Years
|
Number
of Thompson Plumb Funds Overseen
by Director
|
Other
Directorships Held
by Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
John W.
Feldt
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 5/2/42
|
Director
since 1987
|
·
Currently
retired
·
Senior Vice President of
Finance of the University of Wisconsin Foundation from 1984 to
2006
·
Former Vice President of
Finance for the University of Wisconsin Foundation
|
3
|
Baird
Funds, Inc.
(8
funds)
Nakoma
Mutual
Funds
(1
fund)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patricia
Lipton
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 12/9/42
|
Director
since 2007
|
·
Currently
retired
·
Executive Director, State of
Wisconsin Investment Board (“SWIB”) from 1989 to 2004
·
Assistant
Executive Director, SWIB from 1982 to 1989
·
Former
Director, State Tax Policy Bureau of the Wisconsin Department of
Revenue
|
3
|
None
|
|
Interested
Directors and Officers:
|
|
John W.
Thompson
(2)
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 7/26/43
|
Director
since 1987
Chairman
from 1987 to January 2009
Chief
Executive Officer since 2005
President
Since January 2009
|
·
President
of Thompson Investment Management, Inc. ("TIM") since January
2004
·
President of Thompson Plumb
& Associates, Inc. ("TPA") from June 1984 to December
2003
·
Treasurer
of TPA from October 1993 to December 2003
·
Chief
Executive Officer and Secretary of Thompson Plumb Trust Company from
2001 to December 2003
·
A
Chartered Financial Analyst
|
3
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason
L. Stephens
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 10/15/74
|
Secretary
since 2005
Vice
President since March 2009
Chief
Compliance Officer from 2004 to 2006
|
·
Corporate Secretary of TIM
since January 2004
·
Portfolio
Manager of TIM since July 2007
·
Research Analyst of TIM from
January 2004 to June 2007
·
Chief
Compliance Officer of TIM from January 2004 to May 2006
·
Research Analyst of TPA from
June 2003 to December 2003
·
A Chartered Financial
Analyst
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Name,
Address and Age
|
Position(s)
Held with
Thompson
Plumb
Funds,
Inc.
(1)
|
Principal
Occupation(s)
During
Past
Five Years
|
Number
of Thompson Plumb Funds Overseen
by Director
|
Other
Directorships Held
by Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
James
T. Evans
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 6/6/75
|
Vice
President since March 2009
|
·
Portfolio
Manager of TIM since June 2008
·
Research
Analyst of TIM from March 2005 to June 2008
·
Managing
Director of Nakoma Capital Management, 2000-2005
·
A
Chartered Financial Analyst
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
Penny
M. Hubbard
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 6/2/61
|
Chief
Financial Officer and
Treasurer
since 2005
|
·
Vice
President - Administrative Services of TIM since January
2004
·
Assistant
Vice President - Client Services of TPA and various other
capacities 1984-2004
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nedra
S. Pierce
1200
John Q.
Hammons
Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
Birth
date: 10/2/61
|
Chief
Compliance Officer since 2006
|
·
Chief
Compliance Officer of TIM since May 2006
·
Director
of Business Development of TIM from January 2004 to May
2006
·
Director
of Business Development of TPA from January 1998 to December
2003
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
________________________________
(1)
|
Officers
of the Investment Company serve one-year terms, subject to annual
reappointment by the Board of Directors. Directors of the
Investment Company serve a term of indefinite length until their
resignation or removal, and stand for re-election by shareholders as
and when required under the 1940
Act.
|
(2)
|
John W.
Thompson is an "interested person" of the Investment Company by virtue of
his position with the Investment Company and
TIM.
|
Board
Committees
The Board
of Directors of the Investment Company has an audit committee and a nominating
committee. The audit committee selects and consults with the
independent auditors for the Investment Company on matters pertaining to their
audits of the Investment Company's annual financial statements, and approves all
audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent
auditors. The audit committee has adopted a written charter, which is
available upon request and on the Investment Company’s website at
www.thompsonplumb.com. The audit committee consists of John W.
Feldt (chair), Donald A. Nichols and Patricia Lipton, none of whom is an
"interested" person of the Investment Company. Mr. Feldt has been
determined by the Board to be an "audit committee financial
expert." The audit committee met
four times during the
fiscal year ended November 30, 2008.
The
nominating committee considers and recommends nominees for directors to the
Board to fill vacancies and for election and re-election as and when
required. All nominations of directors who are not "interested
persons" of the Investment Company must be made and approved by the nominating
committee. The nominating committee has not established any
specific minimum qualifications or standards for director
nominees. The nominating committee will generally not consider any
director candidates recommended by shareholders. The nominating
committee has adopted a written charter, which is available upon request
and on the Investment Company’s website at www.thompsonplumb.com. The
nominating committee consists of Donald A. Nichols (chair), John W. Feldt
and Patricia Lipton. The nominating committee met four times during
the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008.
Director
Compensation
Directors
and officers of the Investment Company who are officers, directors,
employees or shareholders of the Advisor do not receive any remuneration
from the Funds for serving as directors or officers. During the
fiscal year ended November 30, 2008, those directors who are not so
affiliated with the Advisor received the compensation as set forth in the table
below.
Director
|
Aggregate
Compensation
From
Each Fund
(1)
|
Pension
or
Retirement
Benefits
|
Estimated
Annual
Benefits
Upon
Retirement
|
Total
Compensation From
Investment
Company Complex
|
|
|
|
|
|
John W.
Feldt
|
$18,530
(Growth)
$1,705
(MidCap)
$5,765
(Bond)
|
None
|
None
|
$26,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patricia
Lipton
|
$18,530
(Growth)
$1,705
(MidCap)
$5,765
(Bond)
|
None
|
None
|
$26,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donald
A. Nichols
|
$18,530
(Growth)
$1,705
(MidCap)
$5,765
(Bond)
|
None
|
None
|
$26,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mary
Ann Deibele
(2)
|
$5,043
(Growth)
$0
(MidCap)
$1,457
(Bond)
|
None
|
None
|
$6,500
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2008. In addition
to compensation received from the MidCap Fund, each director received $750
as compensation from the Advisor during the fiscal year ended November 30,
2008 relating to meetings held in connection with the organization of the
MidCap Fund.
|
(2)
|
Mary
Ann Deibele retired from her position as a Director of the Investment
Company effective January 24, 2008.
|
Director
Ownership of Fund Shares
The table
below states the dollar range of shares of the Investment Company beneficially
owned by each director of the Investment Company as of December 31,
2008:
Director
(1)
|
Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in Each Fund
|
Aggregate
Dollar Range of
Equity
Securities in all
Funds Overseen by
Director
|
|
|
|
John W.
Feldt
|
None
(Growth Fund)
$50,001-100,000
(MidCap Fund)
None
(Bond Fund)
|
$50,001-100,000
|
|
|
|
Patricia
Lipton
|
$1-$10,000
(Growth Fund)
None
(MidCap Fund)
$10,001-$50,000
(Bond Fund)
|
$10,001-$50,000
|
|
|
|
Donald
A. Nichols
|
Over
$100,000 (Growth Fund)
None
(MidCap Fund)
$10,001-$50,000
(Bond Fund)
|
Over
$100,000
|
|
|
|
John W.
Thompson
|
Over
$100,000 (Growth Fund)
Over
$100,000 (MidCap Fund)
Over
$100,000 (Bond Fund)
|
Over
$100,000
|
________________________________
(1)
|
No
ownership information is provided for Mary Ann Deibele because she retired
from her position as a Director of the Investment Company effective
January 24, 2008.
|
Material
Transactions with Independent Directors
No
director who is not an interested person of the Investment Company, or his or
her immediate family members, owned beneficially or of record, as of December
31, 2008, any securities of the Advisor, the Distributor or any person directly
or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Advisor or the Distributor.
No
director who is not an interested person of the Investment Company, or an
immediate family member of such director, has had, during the two most
recently completed calendar years, a direct or indirect interest in the Advisor
or the Distributor or in any person directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the Advisor or the Distributor, which
exceeds $120,000. In addition, no director who is not an interested
person of the Investment Company, or any immediate family members of such
director, has had, during the two most recently completed calendar years, a
direct or indirect material interest in any transaction or series of similar
transactions in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and to which one of
the parties was the Investment Company; an officer of the Investment Company; an
investment company (or an entity that would be an investment company but
for the exclusions provided by Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act); an
officer of an investment company (or an entity that would be an investment
company but for the exclusions provided by Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of
the 1940 Act) having the same investment adviser or principal underwriter as the
Investment Company or having an investment adviser or principal underwriter that
directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with the Advisor or the Distributor; an officer of the Advisor or the
Distributor; or a person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or
under common control with the Advisor or the Distributor or an officer of any
such "control" person. No director who is not an interested person of
the Investment Company, or immediate family member, or such a director, has had,
in the two most recently completed calendar years, a direct or indirect
relationship, in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000, with any of the
persons described above in this paragraph and which include payments for
property or services to or from any of those persons; provision of legal
services to any person specified above in this paragraph; provision of
investment banking services to any person specified above in this
paragraph, other than a participating underwriter in a syndicate; or any
consulting or other relationship that is substantially similar in nature
and scope to the relationships detailed herein.
Code
of Ethics for Personal Trading
The
Investment Company and the Advisor have adopted codes of ethics under
Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act designed to ensure, among other things, that the
interests of Fund shareholders take precedence over personal interest of their
respective directors, officers and employees. Under the code of
ethics, personal investment activities are subject to limitations designed to
avoid both actual and perceived conflicts of interest with the investment
activities of the Funds. The code permits personnel of the Investment
Company and the Advisor to invest in securities, including securities that may
be purchased or held by the Funds, subject to certain exceptions and
pre-clearance procedures.
The
Investment Company’s principal underwriter and distributor, Quasar Distributors,
LLC, has also adopted a similar code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940
Act.
Code
of Ethics for Principal Executive, Financial and Accounting
Officers
The
Investment Company has established a separate code of ethics that applies to its
principal executive, financial and accounting officers. This written
code sets forth standards that are reasonably designed to deter wrongdoing
and to promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of
conflicts of interest; full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable
disclosure in reports and documents the Investment Company files with the SEC
and in other shareholder communications; compliance with applicable
governmental laws, rules or registrations; the prompt internal reporting of
violations of the code to an appropriate person; and accountability for
adherence to the code.
Proxy
Voting Policies
Proxy
voting policies adopted by the Investment Company are attached to this Statement
of Additional Information as
Exhibit
A
. These proxy voting policies describe the procedures used by
the Investment Company to determine how to vote
proxies. Information regarding how the Investment Company voted
proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds during the most
recent 12-month period ended June 30 are made available annually within
sixty (60) days of June 30 (1) without charge, upon request, by calling
1-800-999-0887, and on the Investment Company's website at
www.thompsonplumb.com, and (2) on the SEC's website at
www.sec.gov.
Policy
Regarding Disclosure of Fund Holdings
The
Investment Company believes that portfolio holdings information constitutes
material, non-public information. Accordingly, the Investment Company
has adopted a policy limiting disclosure of its portfolio holdings. A
complete list of each Fund's portfolio holdings as of the end of each calendar
quarter will be posted on the Investment Company's website within thirty (30)
days of the end of such quarter. Lists of each Fund's portfolio
holdings is also disclosed to the extent required by law or to ratings agencies
such as Morningstar or Lipper. Information about a Fund's portfolio
holdings may also be disclosed, without lag and when necessary, to the
Investment Company's Advisor, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Custodian,
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, as defined below, and other
service providers (subject to their duty to maintain the confidentiality of such
information) to the extent necessary to enable such providers to carry out
their responsibilities to the Investment Company. Portfolio holdings
information may be disclosed in other instances if the recipient of such
information is bound by the duty of confidentiality and the Board of Directors
of the Investment Company (including a majority of the independent
directors) determines that such disclosure is appropriate. This
policy does not prohibit disclosure to the media and others of particular
stocks, industries or market segments that a Fund owns, likes or dislikes,
so long as details that would constitute material, non-public information are
not selectively disclosed. The Board of Directors receives
quarterly reports on compliance with this policy. A copy of the Investment
Company's policy regarding selective disclosure of portfolio holdings as
attached hereto as
Exhibit B
.
The
Investment Company files with the SEC a complete schedule of each Fund's
portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form
N-Q and for the second and fourth quarters of each fiscal year on Form
N-CSR. These forms are generally filed within 60 days following
the end of the fiscal quarter. These forms are available without
charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-999-0887, or on the Investment Company's
website at www.thompsonplumb.com. These forms are also available on
the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or may be reviewed and copied at the SEC's
Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling
1-800-732-0330.
In
accordance with the Investment Company's selective disclosure of portfolio
holdings policy described above, the Investment Company has entered into ongoing
arrangements to make directly available to certain third party entities, public
information about each Fund's portfolio holdings. The Investment Company
currently may disclose portfolio holdings information based on ongoing
arrangements to the following pre-authorized parties:
Name
|
Information
Disclosed
|
Frequency*
|
Lag Time
|
Bloomberg
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Capital-Bridge
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Evaluation
Associates
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Jeffrey
Slocum & Associates
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Lipper
Analytics
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Morningstar
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Standard
& Poors
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Thomson
Financial
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter end
|
Vickers
|
Full
portfolio holdings
|
Quarterly
basis
|
Approximately
5 days after calendar quarter
end
|
|
|
*
|
Dissemination
of portfolio holdings information to the entities listed may occur less
frequently than indicated (or not at all). In all cases, such information
is disclosed only after the information is posted on the Investment
Company's website.
|
ADVISORY,
ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment
Advisor
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. ("TIM") acts as the investment advisor for the
Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory
Agreement. John W. Thompson controls TIM by virtue of owning a
majority of its outstanding voting securities. Subject to the general
supervision of the Board of Directors of the Investment Company, TIM manages the
investment operations of each of the Funds and the composition of their
respective assets. In this regard, TIM provides supervision of the
assets of each of the Funds, furnishes a continuous investment program for such
Funds, and determines from time to time what investments or securities will be
purchased, retained or sold by such Funds and what portion of the assets
will be invested or held uninvested in cash.
The
Investment Advisory Agreement pursuant to which TIM is retained by the Growth
Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund provides for compensation to TIM (computed daily
and paid monthly) at the following annual rates: for the Growth Fund and MidCap
Fund - 1.00% of the first $50 million of average daily net assets, and
0.90% of average daily net assets in excess of $50 million; and for the
Bond Fund - 0.65% of the first $50 million of average daily net
assets, and 0.60% of average daily net assets in excess of
$50 million.
The
following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid to TIM under the Investment
Advisory Agreement for the past three fiscal years:
Fees
for Investment Advisory Services
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
the years ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
$
|
2,728,303
|
|
|
$
|
6,162,121
|
|
|
$
|
7,604,971
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
(1)
|
|
$
|
17,031
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
$
|
321,730
|
|
|
$
|
240,487
|
|
|
$
|
195,910
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on
March 31,
2008.
|
The
current Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor may render
similar services to others so long as its services under the Agreement are not
impaired thereby. The Investment Advisory Agreement with the Funds
may enable the Advisor to receive research and related services and
equipment from certain broker-dealers in exchange for allocating the Funds'
securities transactions to them. The Investment Advisory Agreement
also provides that a Fund will indemnify the Advisor against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws, or, in
lieu thereof, contribute to resulting losses. The Investment Advisory
Agreement further provides that, subject to Section 36 of the 1940 Act, the
Advisor will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for
any loss suffered by a Fund in connection with the matters to which the
Agreement relates, except liability to a Fund or its shareholders to which the
Advisor would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or gross negligence, in the performance of its duties, or by reason of
its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the
Agreement.
Information
About Portfolio Managers
John W.
Thompson, Jason L. Stephens and James T. Evans are co-portfolio managers for
each of the Funds.
John W.
Thompson receives a fixed salary for managing the Funds. He also owns
a majority of the outstanding equity interests in the Advisor and receives
distributions from the Advisor from time to time.
Jason L.
Stephens and James T. Evans each receive a fixed salary for managing the
Funds.
The
following table sets forth the portfolio managers' ownership of Fund shares as
of November 30, 2008:
Portfolio Manager
|
Dollar
Range of
Equity Securities in Each
Fund
|
Aggregate
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in all
Funds
|
|
|
|
John W.
Thompson
|
Over
$1,000,000 (Growth Fund)
$100,001
- $500,000 (MidCap Fund)
$100,001
- $500,000 (Bond Fund)
|
Over
$1,000,000
|
|
|
|
Jason
L. Stephens
|
None
(Growth Fund)
$50,001-$100,000 (MidCap
Fund)
$10,001-$50,000
(Bond Fund)
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
|
|
|
James
T. Evans
|
None
(Growth Fund)
$50,001-$100,000 (MidCap
Fund)
None
(Bond Fund)
|
$50,001-$100,000
|
John W.
Thompson and Jason L. Stephens each also manage other accounts for individuals
and institutional clients. They each receive a fixed salary for
managing each of these accounts.
As of
November 30, 2008, John W. Thompson managed a total of
297 other accounts (none
of which were registered investment companies or other pooled investment
vehicles), in addition to the Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund, having
total aggregate assets of $264 million. None of these accounts
was charged a fee based on performance.
As of
November 30, 2008, Jason L. Stephens managed a total of 43 other accounts (none
of which were registered investment companies or other pooled investment
vehicles), in addition to the Growth Fund, MidCap Fund and Bond Fund, having
total aggregate assets of $17 million. None of these accounts was charged a fee
based on performance.
Many, but
not all, of the accounts managed by John W. Thompson and Jason L. Stephens
have investment strategies similar to those employed for the
Funds. Possible material conflicts of interest arising from these
portfolio managers' management of the investments of the Funds, on the one
hand, and the investments of other accounts, on the other hand, include the
portfolio managers' allocation of sufficient time, energy and resources to
managing the investments of the Funds in light of their responsibilities with
respect to numerous other accounts, particularly accounts that have
different strategies from those of the Funds; the fact that the fees payable to
TIM for managing the certain Funds may be less than the fees payable to TIM for
managing other accounts, potentially motivating the portfolio managers to spend
more time on managing the other accounts; the proper allocation of investment
opportunities that are suitable for the Funds and other accounts; and the
proper allocation of aggregated purchase and sale orders for the Funds and other
accounts.
Administrator
Under an
Administrative and Accounting Services Agreement with the Funds, TIM also
provides administrative and accounting services to the Funds. The
administrative obligations include: (a) providing supervision of
all aspects of each Fund's non-investment operations, such as custody of the
Fund's assets, shareholder servicing and legal and audit services (the parties
giving due recognition to the fact that certain of such operations are
performed by others pursuant to the Funds' agreements with their Custodian and
shareholder servicing agent), (b) providing each Fund, to the extent not
provided pursuant to such agreements or the agreement with the Funds' accounting
services agent, with personnel to perform such executive, administrative
and clerical services as are reasonably necessary to provide effective
administration of the Fund, (c) arranging, to the extent not provided
pursuant to such agreements, for the preparation of each Fund's tax returns,
reports to shareholders, periodic updating of the Prospectus and this Statement
of Additional Information, and reports filed with the SEC and other regulatory
authorities, all at the expense of the Fund, (d) providing each Fund, to
the extent not provided pursuant to such agreements, with adequate office space
and certain related office equipment and services in Madison, Wisconsin,
and (e) maintaining all of the records of each Fund other than those
maintained pursuant to such agreements. The accounting service
obligations include maintaining and keeping current certain accounts and
financial records of each Fund, preparing the financial statements of each
Fund as required by the 1940 Act and calculating the net asset value per share
of each Fund on a daily basis.
The
annual fees to be paid by each of the Funds to TIM under the Administrative and
Accounting Services Agreement are calculated as follows: 0.15% of the
first $30 million of the Fund's average daily net assets; 0.10% of the next
$70 million of average daily net assets; and 0.025% of average daily net
assets in excess of $100 million. The annual fee is subject to a
$30,000 minimum per Fund.
The
following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid to TIM for the past three
fiscal years for administrative and accounting services provided to the
Funds:
Fees
for Administrative and Accounting Services
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
the years ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
$
|
164,397
|
|
|
$
|
259,781
|
|
|
$
|
299,860
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
(1)
|
|
$
|
20,054
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
$
|
64,616
|
|
|
$
|
51,998
|
|
|
$
|
45,032
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31,
2008.
|
Expenses
The Funds
are responsible for the payment of their own expenses. Such expenses
include, without limitation: the fees payable to the Advisor and
Administrator; the fees and expenses of the Funds' Custodian and Transfer and
Dividend Disbursing Agent; association membership dues; any portfolio losses;
filing fees for the registration or qualification of Fund shares under
federal or state securities laws; expenses of the organization of the Funds;
taxes; interest; costs of liability insurance, fidelity bonds,
indemnification or contribution; any costs, expenses or losses arising out
of any liability of, or claim for damages or other relief asserted against, the
Funds for violation of any law; legal and auditing fees and expenses; expenses
of preparing and setting in type prospectuses, statements of additional
information, proxy material, reports and notices and the printing and
distributing of the same to the Funds' existing shareholders and regulatory
authorities; compensation and expenses of the Funds' Directors; and
extraordinary expenses incurred by the Funds. The Advisor will bear
the expense of printing and distributing prospectuses to prospective
shareholders.
TIM has
contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses incurred
by the MidCap Fund from April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010, so that the
annual operating expenses of that Fund do not exceed 1.30% of its average
daily net assets. TIM has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or
reimburse expenses incurred by the Bond Fund from
April 1, 2009 through
March 31, 2010, so that the annual operating expenses of that Fund do not exceed
0.80% of its average daily net assets.
The
following table sets forth the total expenses TIM reimbursed with respect to the
Funds for the past three fiscal years:
Reimbursed
Expenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
the years ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
(1)
|
|
$
|
120,840
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
$
|
294,210
|
|
|
$
|
241,302
|
|
|
$
|
174,760
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31,
2008.
|
Transfer
and Dividend Disbursing Agent
U.S.
Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202, is the transfer and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds.
Custodian
U.S.
Bank, N.A., 1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, is the
custodian of the Funds' portfolio securities and cash.
Counsel
and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Quarles
& Brady LLP, 411 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves
as general counsel to the Funds.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, One North Wacker Drive,
Chicago, Illinois 60606, audits the annual financial statements of the
Funds.
DISTRIBUTION
Quasar
Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor"), 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53202, is principal underwriter and distributor of shares of the
Funds. The Distributor sells the shares on a best efforts basis
pursuant to a Distribution Agreement among the Investment Company, the
Advisor and the Distributor. The Distribution Agreement was
approved by the Board of Directors of the Investment Company, including a
majority of directors who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940
Act) of the Investment Company, the Advisor or the Distributor.
Under the
Distribution Agreement, the Distributor is available to receive orders, make the
Funds' shares available for sale and redemption through the NSCC's Fund/SERV
system and to cooperate with the Investment Company on the development of
advertisements and sales literature relating to the Funds. The
Distributor, at its sole discretion, may repurchase shares offered for sale by
Fund shareholders and enter into agreements with qualified broker-dealers who
are interested in selling shares of the Funds. The Investment Company
has agreed to indemnify the Distributor for claims, liabilities, losses, damages
and expenses arising out of or based upon an untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Funds' registration statement, prospectus (including the
statement of additional information), annual or interim report,
advertisement or sales literature or an omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, or arising out of or based upon the Investment Company's
failure to comply with the Distribution Agreement or applicable
law. The Distributor has agreed to indemnify the Investment Company
for claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses arising out of or based
upon the Distributor's failure to comply with the terms of the Distribution
Agreement or applicable law or the Distributor's willful or negligent acts or
omissions.
Because
the Investment Company has not adopted a distribution plan for the Funds, it
cannot compensate the Distributor for the services its provides under the
Distribution Agreement. Instead, the Advisor is responsible for
paying the Distributor's fees under the Distribution Agreement. Such
fees are payable monthly at an annual rate equal to 0.0025% of the net asset
value of the Funds, subject to a minimum annual fee of $43,000, as well as
certain other fixed fees for compliance review services.
The
Distribution Agreement continues for a period of two years from its effective
date and thereafter will continue for successive one-year periods so long as
such continuance is approved at least annually by the Investment Company
Board of Directors, including a majority of directors who are not
"interested persons" of the Investment Company, the Advisor or the
Distributor. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated, upon at
least 60 days written notice, by either the Investment Company or the
Distributor, and will automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment.
The
Advisor pays, out of its own resources, amounts to broker-dealers and other
intermediaries for various shareholder, account maintenance, networking and
other services they provide to the Funds. Such services usually
include maintaining aggregated or omnibus accounts through which the clients,
plan participants and beneficial holders of such broker-dealers and
intermediaries invest in the Funds; expedited processing of purchase, redemption
or exchange transactions for clients, plan participants and beneficial holders
of such broker-dealers and intermediaries; forwarding copies of Fund
prospectuses, reports, proxy materials and other communications to their
clients, plan participants and other beneficial holders; and/or responding to
questions about Fund purchases, redemptions, exchanges and the
like. The payments made by the Advisor under the shareholder
servicing arrangements are generally expressed as a percentage of the
aggregate net assets of the accounts in the Funds for which such broker-dealers
and intermediaries are responsible, and payments made by the Advisor under the
networking arrangements are generally expressed in a per account, per period fee
for accounts in the Funds for which such broker-dealer and intermediaries are
responsible. The Funds reimburse the Advisor for a portion of the
amounts paid by the Advisor under these arrangements. The amount
reimbursed by the Funds is equal to (1) for those accounts maintained through a
shareholder servicing arrangement, an annual rate of no more than 0.10% of the
average daily net assets of the omnibus accounts in the Funds for which all
broker-dealers and other intermediaries, in the aggregate, are responsible, and
(2) for those accounts maintained through a networking arrangement, no more than
$6 per year per account in the Funds for which the broker-dealers and other
intermediaries are responsible; provided however, in all cases only one of these
fees shall be applicable to the assets in an account. This amount has
been determined by the Board of Directors of the Investment Company to
approximate the transfer agency fees that would otherwise have been payable by
the Funds if such broker-dealers and intermediaries did not maintain these
accounts. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008, the amounts
reimbursed by the Funds to the Advisor were $104,061.
PORTFOLIO
TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
The
Advisor is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Funds,
the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the
negotiation of brokerage commissions, where applicable. Purchases and
sales of securities on a national securities exchange are effected through
brokers who charge a negotiated commission for their
services. In the over-the-counter market, securities are
generally traded on a "net" basis with dealers acting as principal for their own
accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually
includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings,
securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of
compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's
concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market
instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no
commissions or discounts are paid.
In
placing purchase and sale orders for portfolio securities for the Funds, it is
the policy of the Advisor to seek the best net price and the most favorable
execution in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services
provided. In selecting brokers to effect portfolio transactions,
the determination of what is expected to result in best net price and the most
favorable execution involves a number of largely judgmental
considerations. Among these are the Advisor's evaluation of the
broker's efficiency in executing and clearing transactions and the broker's
financial strength and stability. The best net price takes into
account the brokerage commission or dealer spread involved in purchasing the
securities. Transactions in the securities of small companies
may involve specialized services on the part of the broker and thereby entail
higher commissions or spreads than would be paid in transactions involving more
widely traded securities.
In
selecting brokers to effect portfolio transactions for the Funds, the Advisor
also takes into consideration the research, analytical, statistical and other
information and services provided by the broker, such as general economic
reports and information, reports or analyses of particular companies or industry
groups, market timing and technical information, access to computerized
databases and the software for analyzing such databases in order to obtain
information regarding performance of securities and the advisability of
investing, and the availability of the brokerage firm's analysts for
consultation. Where computer software serves functions other than
assisting the Advisor in the investment decision-making process (e.g.,
recordkeeping), the Advisor makes a reasonable allocation of the cost of the
software to such other functions and bear all costs related to such other
functions itself. While the Advisor believes such information and
services have substantial value, the Advisor considers them supplemental to its
own efforts in the performance of their duties under the Investment Advisory
Agreement. Other clients of the Advisor may benefit from the
availability of these services to the Advisor, and the Funds may benefit from
services available to the Advisor as a result of transactions for other
clients. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor,
in placing orders for portfolio securities, is entitled to rely upon
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This
Section generally permits the Advisor to cause the Funds to pay a broker or
dealer who provides brokerage and research services to the Advisor an amount of
commission for effecting a securities transaction that is in excess of the
amount another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the
transaction, provided that in order to rely upon Section 28(e), the Advisor must
determine in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation
to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the
executing broker or dealer viewed in terms of either the particular transaction
or the Advisor's overall responsibilities with respect to the Funds and the
other accounts as to which the Advisor exercises investment
discretion.
The
Advisor does not compensate broker-dealers for, or otherwise take into
consideration, the efforts of a broker-dealer in marketing, offering or
selling Fund shares in allocating brokerage, although pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Funds, the Advisor may effect portfolio transactions
through such broker-dealers.
The
Advisor may direct portfolio transactions for the Funds to Fidelity Capital
Markets, BNY Brokerage Services, Trade Manage Capital, Inc. and other
broker-dealers under agreements in which a portion of the commissions paid
to such broker-dealers by a Fund are returned to that Fund and used to pay that
Fund's expenses. There are no minimum levels of brokerage commissions
that must be earned under these directed brokerage
arrangements. The allocation of transactions to such
broker-dealers will be made only if it is consistent with "best
execution."
On
occasions when the Advisor deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the
best interest of a Fund as well as the Advisor's other customers (including any
other fund or other investment company or advisory account for which the Advisor
acts as investment advisor), the Investment Advisory Agreement provides
that the Advisor, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and
regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund
with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain
the best net price and most favorable execution. In such event,
allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses
incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Advisor in the manner it
considers to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to
the Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure
may adversely affect the size of the position obtainable for a
Fund.
The
following table sets forth the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Fund
for the past three fiscal years:
Brokerage
Commissions Paid by the Funds
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
the years ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
$
|
926,512
|
|
|
$
|
684,664
|
|
|
$
|
918,610
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
(1)
|
|
$
|
16,163
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
$
|
80
|
|
|
$
|
664
|
|
|
$
|
307
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31,
2008.
|
The
following table sets forth the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Fund
to U.S. Bank, an affiliate of the Fund’s Distributor, for the past three fiscal
years:
Brokerage
Commissions Paid to U.S. Bank by the Funds
|
|
|
|
|
|
For
the years ended November 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2006
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
$
|
64
|
|
|
$
|
33
|
|
|
$
|
315
|
|
Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund
(1)
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
Thompson
Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
$
|
80
|
|
|
$
|
664
|
|
|
$
|
307
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31,
2008.
|
The
percentage of the Growth Fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to U.S.
Bank during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008 was 0.007%, and the
percentage of the Fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the
payment of commissions effected through U.S. Bank during the fiscal year ended
November 30, 2008 was 2.437%.
The
MidCap Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to U.S. Bank during the fiscal
year ended November 30, 2008.
The
percentage of the Bond Fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to U.S. Bank
during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008 was 100%, and the percentage of
the Fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of
commissions effected through U.S. Bank during the fiscal year ended November 30,
2008 was 5.424%.
The Funds
did not pay any other brokerage commissions to any affiliated person of the
Funds, the Advisor or the Distributor, or to any affiliates of such affiliated
persons during the past three fiscal years.
The following table sets forth, for the
fiscal year ended November 30, 2008, the aggregate dollar amount of
portfolio securities transactions executed for the Funds by broker-dealers who
provided research services to the Funds or with which the Funds had directed
brokerage arrangements, and the commissions paid to such
broker-dealers.
(1)
|
|
Aggregate Directed Portfolio
Transactions
|
|
|
Brokerage Commissions
|
|
Growth
Fund
|
|
$
|
299,324,299
|
|
|
$
|
529,985
|
|
MidCap
Fund
|
|
$
|
1,263,589
|
|
|
$
|
2,372
|
|
Bond
Fund
|
|
|
--
|
|
|
|
--
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
MidCap Fund commenced operations on March 31,
2008.
|
As of
November 30, 2008, no Fund owned any securities of its "regular
broker-dealer" (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or of their
parents, except as set forth in the table below.
(1)
|
|
Issuer
(Regular Broker-Dealer)
|
|
Security
|
|
Value
at
November 30, 2008
|
Growth
Fund
|
|
Citigroup
Morgan Stanley
|
|
Common
Stock
Common
Stock
|
|
$1,590,851
$2,818,725
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MidCap
Fund
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bond
Fund
|
|
JPMorgan Chase
Lehman Brothers
Merrill Lynch
Morgan Stanley
|
|
Bonds
Bonds
Bonds
Bonds
|
|
$2,461,425
$29,106
$463,975
$377,340
|
TAXES
Each Fund
intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"), and to take all other action
required so that no federal income tax will be payable by the Fund
itself. In order to qualify as a regulated investment company, each
Fund must satisfy a number of requirements. If a Fund were to fail to
qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code, it would be
treated as a regular corporation whose net taxable income (including taxable
dividends and net capital gains) would be subject to income tax at the corporate
level, and distributions to shareholders would be subject to a second tax at the
shareholder level.
The
dividends received deduction available to a corporate shareholder with respect
to certain ordinary income distributions from a Fund may be reduced below 70% if
the shareholder has incurred any indebtedness directly attributable to its
investment in Fund shares.
Any
ordinary income or capital gain distribution will reduce the net asset value of
Fund shares by the amount of the distribution. Although such a
distribution thus resembles a return of capital if received shortly after the
purchase of shares, it generally will be taxable to
shareholders.
All or
part of any loss that a shareholder realizes on a redemption of shares will be
disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the same Fund (including
by the automatic reinvestment of Fund distributions in additional Fund shares)
within 30 days before or after the redemption.
Each Fund
will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax if it fails to meet certain
requirements with respect to distributions of net ordinary income and capital
gain net income. It is anticipated that this provision will not
materially affect the Funds or their shareholders. Dividends declared
in October, November or December to shareholders on a date in any such month and
paid during January of the following year will be treated as received by the
shareholders on December 31 of the year declared.
Dividends
and other distributions paid to individuals and other non-exempt persons are
subject to a 28% backup federal withholding tax if the Transfer Agent is not
provided with the shareholder's correct taxpayer identification number or
certification that the shareholder is not subject to such backup withholding or
if a Fund is notified that the shareholder has under-reported income in the
past. In addition, such backup withholding tax will apply to the
proceeds of redemption or repurchase of shares from a shareholder account for
which the correct taxpayer identification number has not been
furnished. For most individual taxpayers, the taxpayer identification
number is the social security number. A shareholder may furnish the
Transfer Agent with such number and the required certifications by
completing and sending the Transfer Agent either the account application form
accompanying the Prospectus or an IRS Form W-9.
The
foregoing discussion of tax consequences is based on federal tax laws and
regulations in effect on the date of this Statement of Additional
Information, which are subject to change by legislative or administrative
action.
CAPITAL
STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES
General
The
authorized capital stock of the Investment Company consists of an indefinite
number of shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share. The
shares of Common Stock are presently divided into three series, each of which
has an indefinite number of authorized shares: the Growth Fund, the MidCap
Fund and the Bond Fund. The Board of Directors may authorize the
issuance of additional series of Common Stock (funds).
Each
share of Common Stock has one vote and, when issued and paid for in
accordance with the terms of the Prospectus, will be fully paid and
nonassessable. The Funds currently have no employees and do not
intend to have employees in the future. Shares of Common Stock are
redeemable at net asset value, at the option of the
shareholder. Shares of Common Stock have no preemptive, subscription,
conversion or accumulative voting rights and are freely
transferable. Shares of Common Stock can be issued as full
shares or fractions of shares.
Shareholders
have the right to vote on the election of the directors of the Investment
Company at each meeting of shareholders at which directors are to be elected,
and on other matters as provided by law or by the Investment Company's Articles
of Incorporation or Bylaws. Shareholders of each Fund vote together
to elect a single Board of Directors of the Investment Company and on other
matters affecting the entire Investment Company, with each share entitled to a
single vote. On matters affecting only one Fund, only the
shareholders of that Fund are entitled to vote. On matters
relating to all Funds, but affecting individual Funds differently (such as a new
investment advisory agreement), separate votes by shareholders of each Fund are
required. The Investment Company's Articles of Incorporation do not
require the holding of annual meetings of shareholders. However,
special meetings of shareholders may be called (and, at the request of
shareholders holding 10% or more of the Funds' outstanding shares, must be
called) for purposes such as electing or removing directors, changing
fundamental policies or approving investment advisory contracts.
Control Persons and Principal Holders
of Fund Shares
The
following table sets forth the names, addresses and percentage ownership of each
person who owns of record, or is known to management to own, beneficially 5% or
more of a Fund's outstanding shares as of March 1, 2009. Other than
those named below, no person controls any Fund.
RECORD OR BENEFICIAL OWNER
|
PERCENTAGE OWNERSHIP
|
|
|
GROWTH
FUND:
|
|
|
|
Charles Schwab
(record)
101 Montgomery
Street
San Francisco,
CA 94104-4151
|
21.45%
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC (record)
1
World Financial Center
200
Liberty Street, 5th Floor
New
York, NY 10281-5503
|
14.48%
|
|
|
All officers and directors of
the
Investment Company as a group (8
persons)
|
2.41%
|
RECORD OR BENEFICIAL OWNER
|
PERCENTAGE
OWNERSHIP
|
MIDCAP
FUND:
|
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC (record)
(1)
1
World Financial Center
200
Liberty Street, 5th Floor
New
York, NY 10281-5503
|
37.12%
|
|
|
Charles
Schwab (record)
(2)
101
Montgomery Street
San
Francisco, CA 94104-4151
|
35.33%
|
|
|
James
Delaney III Trust (beneficial)
(1)
c/o
Northern Trust
50
South LaSalle Street
Chicago,
IL 60675
|
18.15%
|
|
|
John
W. Thompson (beneficial)
(2)
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
|
14.15%
|
|
|
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc.
401(k)
Profit Sharing Plan (beneficial)
(1)
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
Madison,
WI 53717
|
12.69%
|
|
|
Plumb
Trust Co. (record)
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive
2nd
Floor
Madison,
WI 53701-1788
|
9.73%
|
|
|
All
officers and directors of the
Investment
Company as a group (8 persons)
|
24.00%
|
|
|
BOND
FUND:
|
|
|
|
Charles Schwab
(record)
101 Montgomery
Street
San Francisco,
CA 94104-4151
|
25.07%
|
|
|
National
Financial Services LLC (record)
1
World Financial Center
200
Liberty Street, 5th Floor
New
York, NY 10281-5503
|
18.86%
|
|
|
Plumb Trust Co.
(record)
1200 John Q. Hammons
Drive
2nd Floor
Madison,
WI 53701-1788
|
7.42%
|
|
|
Great
West Life & Annuity Insurance (record)
Futurefunds
II
8515
East Orchard Road
Greenwood
Village, CO 80111-5002
|
5.89%
|
|
|
Shapiro Foundation
(beneficial)
P.O. Box 1497
Madison,
WI 53701-1497
|
5.55%
|
|
|
All officers and directors of
the
Investment Company as a group (8
persons)
|
0.15%
|
|
|
________________________________
(1)
|
The
percentage beneficial ownership of the James Delaney III Trust and of the
Thompson Investment Management, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan shown in
the table with respect to the MidCap Fund are also included within the
amount of the percentage record ownership shown for National Financial
Services LLC.
|
(2)
|
The
percentage beneficial ownership of John W. Thompson shown in the table
with respect to the MidCap Fund is also included within the amount of the
percentage record ownership shown for Charles
Schwab.
|
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
The
financial statements and related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP,
independent registered public accounting firm, contained in the Annual
Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2008 are
incorporated herein by reference. The Annual Report to Shareholders
may be obtained without charge by writing to Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc., P.O.
Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 or by calling
1-800-999-0887.
EXHIBIT
A
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
PROXY
VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Introduction
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc. (the "Funds") has adopted these Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures pursuant Investment Company Act Release IC-25922 ("Disclosure of
Proxy Voting Policies and Proxy Voting Records by Registered Management
Investment Companies"). The Release, among other things, amended
Items 13 and 22 of Form N-1A. New Item 13(f) requires each mutual
fund to describe or include in its statement of additional information the
policies and procedures that the fund uses to determine how to vote proxies
relating to portfolio securities, including procedures that the fund uses when a
vote presents a conflict between the interests of fund shareholders and
those of the fund's investment adviser, principal underwriter or an
affiliated person of the adviser or underwriter.
General
Policies and Procedures
The Funds
are managed with one goal in mind: to maximize shareholder value consistent
with the Funds' investment objectives and policies. The Funds buy,
hold and sell securities in pursuit of this goal. The Funds also
exercise their rights as shareholders, including their voting rights, in
the companies in which they invest in furtherance of this goal. The
Funds take their voting rights seriously as they believe such rights are
significant assets of the Funds. How the Funds vote on matters
submitted to them in their capacity as shareholders of companies in their
portfolio can have an impact on shareholder value.
The Funds
typically invest in companies due, in part, to the strength, experience, quality
and depth of their management. Management is entrusted with the
day-to-day operations of a company, and a company's board of directors is
responsible for long-range and other strategic planning decisions and corporate
oversight. The Funds do not and cannot micromanage the companies
in which they invest. While the Funds remain confident in the
capabilities and motivations of a company's management (including its board of
directors), the Funds will give considerable deference to the view of
management with regard to matters submitted to a vote of
shareholders. As a result, the Funds will frequently vote in a manner
consistent with management's recommendations.
The Funds
believe sound corporate governance adds value to shareholders of
companies. The Funds will generally support matters which
promote the corporate governance objectives: accountability of a company's
management and board of directors to its shareholders; close alignment of
the interests of management with those of shareholders; protection of
shareholder rights, including voting rights; and accurate, understandable and
timely disclosure of material information about a company's operations and
financial performance.
Specific
Matters
Specific
matters of concern to the Funds include election of directors, equity-based
compensation, corporate structure and shareholder rights, takeover deterrents
and defense mechanisms, and social policy issues and shareholder
proposals. Although the Funds do not have a policy of voting for or
against any specific type of matter, the Funds will generally disfavor any
matter that in its view is not in the best interests of a company's
shareholders, particular their interest in the creation of value for their
shares. The Funds will also not generally approve any matter that
weakens the accountability of a company's management to shareholders,
potentially skews the alignment of the interests of management with those
of shareholders, abridges shareholder rights, deters legitimate change of
control transactions or has the potential adverse economic effect on a
company. The Funds will also vote against management's nominees for
election as directors and other management recommendations if the Funds believe
that management, including the board of directors, are failing to serve the best
interests of their companies' stockholders.
Election of
Directors
. The Funds support a board of directors consisting
of a majority of independent directors. The Funds also support the annual
election of the entire board of directors. The Funds will generally
resist efforts to create a staggered or classified board. The Funds
will consider supporting attempts to de-classify existing Boards. The
Funds also generally favor cumulative voting in the election of directors
because it increases the shareholders' rights to effect change in the management
of a company. However, other protections, such as a nominating
committee comprised entirely of independent directors and a board consisting of
a majority of independent directors, may make cumulative voting less
important. The Funds also support the ability of shareholders to
remove directors with or without cause and to fill vacancies on the
board. In voting to elect or withhold support for a nominee to a
company's board, the Funds will consider the experience and likely contribution
of the nominee to the board and any committees of the board and his or her
knowledge of the company and its industry.
Ratification of Independent
Accountants
. In considering whether to ratify the
selection of independent accountants, the Funds will take into account the
reputation of the accounting firm and the services it has or can provide to
the company, and any other relationships it may have with the company, the
company's board or its audit committee.
Equity-Based
Compensation
. The Funds believe that properly designed
equity-based compensation plans, including restricted stock, option and purchase
plans, effectively align the interests of shareholders with those of management
and key employees. The Funds believe that equity-based compensation
should be specifically tailored to achieve identifiable performance
objectives. The Funds prefer restricted stock versus stock options
because restricted stock better aligns shareholder interests with employee
interests. The Funds are generally opposed to plans that
substantially dilute their ownership interest in companies, provide participants
with excessive awards or have other objectionable features and terms (such
as de minimis exercise prices, automatic re-pricing features or the absence
of vesting or holding period requirements).
The Funds
also believe that management, particularly a company's executive officers,
should be fairly compensated and provided appropriate incentives to create value
for shareholders. However, the Funds will generally not support,
without a valid justification, compensation or severance pay which is considered
to be excessive, or bonuses and other incentives that are not tied to the
creation of shareholder value.
Corporate Structure and
Shareholder Rights
. The Funds believe that shareholders
generally should have voting power equal to their equity interest in a company
and should be able to approve or reject matters by a simple majority
vote. The Funds will generally support proposals to eliminate
supermajority vote requirements and will generally vote against proposals to
impose supermajority vote requirements. The Funds will also
generally not support proposals for the creation of a separate class of
common stock with greater or lesser voting rights. The Funds
generally oppose proposals that eliminate or restrict the right of shareholders
to call meetings or to take action by written consent in lieu of a
meeting.
Takeover
Deterrents
. The Funds believe that the shareholders of a
company should have the right to determine whether a change in control
transaction is in their best interests. Although the Funds believe
that in many change in control transactions a company's management plays an
important role in increasing shareholder value, the Funds are skeptical of
shareholder rights plans (i.e., poison pills) that would require management's
involvement in the process. Some poison pills are subject to
shareholder vote, mandatory periodic review by independent directors,
short-term sunset provisions and qualified/permitted offer provisions, and may
be acceptable to the Funds.
Proposals
to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock or to create "blank
check" preferred stock can also be used to deter takeover attempts that are not
favored by management. However, additional authorized shares and
blank check preferred stock are useful for legitimate financing
needs. The Funds will therefore consider the likely uses and number
of the additional authorized shares in determining how to vote on such
proposals.
Social Policy Issues and
Shareholder Proposals
. The Funds generally will not
support shareholder proposals on social policy issues or on a company's
business practices, unless the Funds believe such proposals may have a
beneficial effect on the company's stock price. Shareholder proposals
typically relate to ordinary business matters which are more properly the
responsibility of the company's management and its board of
directors.
Delegation
of Proxy Voting; Conflicts of Interest
The Funds
delegate their proxy voting decisions to Thompson Investment Management, Inc.,
their investment adviser (the “Adviser”). The portfolio manager(s) of
the Funds (who are employees of the Adviser) decide on how votes should be cast
by the Funds, given their knowledge of the companies in which the Funds are
invested and practices common in the companies' relevant
industries. The Adviser and portfolio manager(s) are required to
cast votes on behalf of the Funds strictly in accordance with these Proxy Voting
Policies and Procedures.
Proxies
of the Funds may be solicited by a company at times in which the Adviser or one
of its affiliates has, or is seeking, a business relationships with such company
or in which some other conflict of interest may be present. For
example, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser may manage the assets
of an executive officer or a pension plan of the subject company, administer the
subject company's employee benefit plan, or provide brokerage, investment,
trust, consulting or other services to the subject company. Personal
relationships may also exist between a representative of the Adviser and a
representative of the company. By the same token a conflict of
interest may be present between the Adviser or one of its affiliates and other
persons, whether or not associated with the subject company, who may have a
stake in the outcome of the vote. Under these circumstances the
Adviser may be inclined to vote in a certain way to avoid possible
damage to the Adviser's (or affiliate's) relationship or potential relationship,
which could be inconsistent with the Adviser's responsibility to the Funds and
their shareholders.
The
Adviser will maintain a list of companies that present a potential conflict of
interest with regard to the voting of proxies for the Funds managed by the
Adviser. The portfolio manager(s) of the Funds with authority to vote
proxies for the Funds will refer to the list before voting
proxies. If a proxy relates to a company on the list, the matter
shall be forwarded to the Adviser’s Proxy Review Committee and, when necessary,
the President of the Adviser for further consideration. When the
Adviser’s Proxy Review Committee or the Adviser’s President believes that a
particular vote to be cast by the Adviser on behalf of the Funds presents a
material conflict of interest, the Advisor should inform legal counsel to the
Funds and explain the conflict. The Adviser will also be required to
inform the Funds' Board of Directors of the conflict and seek guidance from
the Board as to how the vote should be cast. The guidance provided by
the Board of Directors, including a majority of the directors who are not
"interested persons" of the Adviser, will be binding on the
Adviser. Notwithstanding the above, the Board of Directors may
establish a proxy voting committee, a majority of the members of which may not
be "interested persons" of the Adviser, that will be authorized and directed to
provide guidance to the Adviser on how to cast votes on behalf of the Fund if a
material conflict of interest is present.
The
Adviser has formed an internal Proxy Review Committee to identify non-routine
matters and proposals with potential to create conflicts of interest, and to
otherwise implement these Proxy Voting Policies and
Procedures. The Proxy Review Committee will consist of officers
and/or employees of the Adviser and will always include its Chief
Compliance Officer.
Miscellaneous
These
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures are guidelines to be followed by the
Adviser who is delegated the responsibility for voting proxies on behalf of the
Funds. They are not hard and fast rules. Each matter on
which the Funds are entitled to vote will be considered on a case-by-case
basis and votes will be cast in a manner believed in good faith to be in the
best interest of the Funds and its shareholders.
These
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures may be amended at any time by the Board of
Directors of the Funds, including a majority of the directors who are not
"interested persons" of the Adviser.
EXHIBIT
B
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
SELECTIVE
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Board of Directors of Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc. (the "Company") has adopted this Policy regarding the
disclosure of information related to the portfolio holdings of the various
mutual fund series (the "Funds") of the Company.
General
Policy
Information about the portfolio
holdings of the Funds is generally considered to be relevant and significant to
persons in deciding to buy or sell shares of the Funds. Such
information should be safeguarded as material, non-public information until
publicly disclosed. This means, at a minimum, that information
about the portfolio holdings of any Fund should not be selectively disclosed to
investors or potential investors (or their advisers, consultants or
intermediaries) or to any other persons unless there are legitimate Company
business purposes for doing so and such persons are subject to a duty of
confidentiality and trading restrictions.
Specific
Authorized Public Disclosures
The Company shall post on its website a
complete schedule of the securities and investments owned by each Fund (the
"Holdings Schedule") as of the end of each calendar quarter. This
posting shall be made within thirty (30) days of the end of such
quarter. The Holdings Schedule of each Fund shall at least identify
each security or investment and its market value at the end of the
quarter. In addition, the Company shall disclose the investments
of the Funds as required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and
the rules and regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder (the "Investment Company Act"). Currently, the Investment
Company Act requires the Funds to file with the SEC a complete schedule of their
portfolio holdings for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form
N-Q and for the second and fourth quarters of each fiscal year with their annual
and semi-annual reports to shareholders on Form N-CSR. These forms
are required to be filed with the SEC approximately 60 days following the end of
the relevant fiscal quarter. Portfolio holdings of the Funds shall
also be disclosed to the extent required by applicable law, including without
limitation the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
such as in filings on Schedule 13D or 13G or Form 13F.
The Company may refer persons who seek
information on portfolio holdings to the Holdings Schedule posted on the website
or the Company may deliver a copy of a Holdings Schedule to them but not
until after the Holdings Schedule has been posted on the website.
Prohibition
Against Selective Disclosure
Other than the postings of Holdings
Schedules as described above, as described under "Permissible Disclosure"
below, or as required by law, no person associated with the Company or Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. (the "Advisor") or any other service provider to the
Funds shall disclose to any person any information regarding the portfolio
holdings of any Fund. This prohibition includes a partial or complete
list of the securities and other investments of any Fund, as well as
information about a particular security or investment purchased, sold or held
(or proposed to be purchased or sold) by a Fund. The Company shall
advise its service providers (including without limitation, its Advisor
distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor"); transfer agent, U.S.
Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the "Transfer Agent"); administrator and accounting
agent, Thompson Investment Management, Inc. (the "Administrator and Accounting
Agent"); custodian, U.S. Bank, National Association (the "Custodian"); counsel,
Quarles & Brady LLP (the "Counsel"); and independent registered public
accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (the "Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm") of this Policy and determine the ability of such service
providers to comply with it.
Permissible
Disclosure
Notwithstanding the prohibitions above,
the President or Vice President of the Company may disclose a Fund's
portfolio holdings (including a more current list of holdings than the quarterly
Holdings Schedule) to a recognized rating agency such as Morningstar or Lipper
for its use in developing a rating for the Fund or in evaluating the category in
which the Fund should be placed. In addition, (i) the President
or Vice President of the Company (and the portfolio manager(s) of a Fund, after
consultation with the Company's President) may disclose to a newspaper, magazine
or television, cable or radio program that a Fund owns a particular security or
securities within a particular industry, sector or market capitalization,
and (ii) representatives of the Fund's Advisor or Distributor may discuss with
shareholders and prospective investors, the Company's assessment and
interest in a particular company whose securities are held in the Fund's
portfolio, provided said security has been identified as a holding of the Fund
in its most recently published list of securities holdings and provided the
President of the Company has authorized and approved the
disclosure. No disclosure permitted by either clause (i) or
clause (ii) of the foregoing shall include disclosure of the number of
shares or principal amount of the subject securities held by the relevant Fund
or the percentage that any such position represents in the Fund or in the issuer
of such securities and shall not include disclosure regarding whether the Fund
is considering the purchase or sale of any of the subject
securities.
Information about a Fund's portfolio
holdings may be disclosed, without lag and when necessary, to the Fund's
Advisor, Distributor, Administrator and Accounting Agent, Transfer Agent,
Custodian, Counsel, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and other
service providers only to the extent required by law or, subject to imposing
appropriate conditions on the confidentiality and safekeeping of such
information, only to the extent necessary to enable such service providers to
carry out their specific duties, responsibilities and obligations to the
Fund. The Fund's Advisor, Distributor, Administrator and Accounting Agent,
Transfer Agent and Custodian generally have access to information about a Fund's
portfolio holdings on a daily basis. The Fund's Counsel and Independent
Registered Public Accounting Firm are generally provided with information about
a Fund's portfolio holdings on a semi-annual basis.
Information
about a Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed if, in advance of such
disclosure, it is established to the satisfaction of the Board of Directors,
including a majority of Directors who are not "interested persons" of the
Company, upon the advice of legal counsel, that such disclosure does not violate
applicable securities laws and is in the best interests of shareholders of that
Fund and that the recipient of such information has agreed to maintain the
confidentiality of such information and will not trade on such
information.
Reports
to Board
The Company shall report to the Board
of Directors on a quarterly basis the parties' compliance with this
Policy.
Oversight
of Policy
The Company's Chief Compliance Officer
shall be responsible for overseeing this Policy and for ensuring that all
appropriate parties acknowledge their understanding of this
Policy. The Chief Compliance Officer shall periodically evaluate the
effectiveness of this Policy and recommend to the Board of Directors
modifications to this Policy.
Disclosure
of Policy
The Prospectus for the Funds shall
state that a description of this Policy is set forth in the Funds' Statement of
Additional Information ("SAI") and the SAI shall describe this
Policy.
PART
C
Other
Information
_________________
Item
23. Exhibits.
See
Exhibit Index following the signature page to this Registration Statement, which
Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by this reference.
Item
24. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with
Registrant.
None.
Item
25. Indemnification.
Article V,
Section 4 of the Registrant’s Bylaws provides for indemnification under
certain circumstances of any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be
made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact
that he is or was a director or officer of the Registrant. However,
no person shall be indemnified by the Registrant against any liability to any of
the Funds or its shareholders to which such person would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office.
Item
26. Business and Other Connections of Investment
Advisor.
Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. is the investment advisor to the Growth, MidCap and
Bond Funds of the Registrant. Set forth below is a list of the
directors and officers of Thompson Investment Management, Inc., together with
information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a
substantial nature of those directors and officers during the past two fiscal
years.
Name
|
Position
with Thompson
Investment Management, Inc.
|
Other Affiliations
|
|
|
|
John
W. Thompson
|
President
|
Director
of the Registrant since 1987; Chairman of the Registrant from 1987 to
January 2009; Chief Executive Officer of the Registrant since 2005;
President of the Registrant since January 2009.
|
|
|
|
John
C. Thompson
|
Vice
President
|
President
and Chief Operating Officer of the Registrant from 2005 to January
2009.
|
Name
|
Position
with Thompson
Investment Management, Inc.
|
Other
Affiliations
|
Penny
M. Hubbard
|
Vice
President - Administrative Services
|
Chief
Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Registrant since
2005.
|
|
|
|
Nedra
S. Pierce
|
Chief
Compliance Officer
|
Chief
Compliance Officer of the Registrant since 2006.
|
|
|
|
Jason
L. Stephens
|
Secretary
|
Secretary
of the Registrant since 2005; Vice President of the Registrant since 2009;
Chief Compliance Officer of the Registrant until 2006.
|
|
|
|
Colleen
Curliss
|
Chief
Financial Officer
|
None.
|
|
|
|
Item
27. Principal Underwriters.
Quasar
Distributors, LLC serves as the principal underwriter and distributor of shares
of the Registrant’s mutual fund series.
(a) Set
forth below is the name of each investment company (other than the Registrant)
for which Quasar Distributors, LLC acts as a principal underwriter, depositor or
investment adviser:
Academy
Fund Trust
ActivePassive
Funds
AIP
Alternative Strategies Funds
Akros
Absolute Return Fund
Al Frank
Funds
Allied
Asset Advisors Funds
Alpine
Equity Trust
Alpine
Income Trust
Alpine
Series Trust
American
Trust
Appleton
Group
Artio
Global Funds
Ascentia
Funds
Brandes
Investment Trust
Brandywine
Blue Funds, Inc.
Brazos
Mutual Funds
Bridges
Investment Fund, Inc.
Buffalo
Funds
CAN SLIM
Select Growth Fund
Capital
Advisors Funds
Chase
Funds
Congress
Fund
Cookson
Peirce
Counterpoint
Select Fund
Country
Funds
Cullen
Funds
Davidson
Funds
Edgar
Lomax Value Fund
Empiric
Funds, Inc.
FIMCO
Funds
First
American Funds, Inc.
First
Amer Investment Funds, Inc.
First
Amer Strategy Funds, Inc.
Fort Pitt
Capital Group, Inc.
Fund X
Funds
Fusion
Funds, LLC
Geneva
Advisors All Cap Growth Fund
Glenmede
Fund, Inc.
Glenmede
Portfolios
Greenspring
Fund
Grubb
& Ellis
Guinness
Atkinson Funds
Harding
Loevner Funds
Hennessy
Funds, Inc
Hennessy
Mutual Funds, Inc.
Hodges
Funds
Hotchkis
and Wiley Funds
Huber
Funds
Intrepid
Capital Management
Jacob
Internet Fund Inc.
Jensen
Portfolio
Kensington
Funds
Keystone
Mutual Funds
Kiewit
Investment Fund L.L.L.P.
Kirr
Marbach Partners Funds, Inc
LKCM
Funds
Marketfield
Fund
Masters'
Select Fund Trust
Matrix
Asset Advisors, Inc.
McCarthy
Fund
Monetta
Fund, Inc.
Monetta
Trust
MP63
Fund
Muhlenkamp
(Wexford Trust)
USA
Mutuals Funds
Newgate
Capital
Nicholas
Funds
Osterweis
Funds
Perkins
Capital Management
Permanent
Portfolio Funds
Perritt
Opportunities Funds
Phocas
Financial Funds
300 North
Capital, LLC
PIA
Funds
Portfolio
21
Primecap
Odyssey Funds
Prospector
Funds
Purisima
Funds
Quaker
Investment Trust
Rainier
Funds
Rigel
Capital, LLC
Rockland
Small Cap Growth Fund
Schooner
Investment Group
Smead
Value Fund
Snow
Fund
Stephens
Management Co.
Structured
Investment Fund
Teberg
Fund
Thunderstorm
Mutual Funds
TIFF
Investment Program, Inc.
Tygh
Capital Management
Villere
Fund
Wisconsin
Capital Funds, Inc.
Winslow
Green Mutual Funds
WY
Funds
(b) Set
forth below is a list of each manager, officer, director and member of Quasar
Distributors, LLC and their positions and officers with Quasar Distributors, LLC
and the Registrant.
Name
and Principal
Business Address
|
Positions
and
Offices with Underwriter
|
Positions
and
Offices with Registrant
|
|
|
|
James
R. Schoenike
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
President,
General Securities Principal, FINRA Executive Officer and Board
Member
|
None
|
|
|
|
Joe
Bree
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Financial
Operations Principal
|
None
|
|
|
|
Andrew
M. Strnad
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Secretary
|
None
|
|
|
|
Teresa
Cowan
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Chief
Compliance Officer, General Securities Principal and Assistant
Secretary
|
None
|
Name
and Principal
Business Address
|
Positions
and
Offices with Underwriter
|
Positions
and
Offices with
Registrant
|
Susan
LaFond
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Treasurer
|
None
|
|
|
|
Eric
W. Falkeis
777
E. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Board
Member
|
None
|
|
|
|
Joe
Redwine
615
East Michigan Street
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Board
Member
|
None
|
|
|
|
Robert
Kern
777
E. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee,
WI 53202
|
Board
Member
|
None
|
|
|
|
(c) Quasar
Distributors, LLC does not receive any commissions or other compensation from
the Registrant. Thompson Investment Management, Inc., the investment
advisor to the Registrant’s Growth, MidCap and Bond Funds, pays the compensation
of Quasar Distributors, LLC with respect to the distribution of shares of those
funds.
Item
28. Location of Accounts and Records.
The
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and minute book of the
Registrant are in the physical possession of Quarles & Brady LLP, 411 East
Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. Accounts, books,
records and other documents required to be maintained under Section 31(a)
relating to the number of shares of the Registrant’s common stock held by each
shareholder of record are in the physical possession of U.S. Bancorp Fund
Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
53202. All other accounts, books and other documents required to be
maintained under Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and
the Rules promulgated thereunder are in the physical possession of Thompson
Investment Management, Inc., 1200 John Q. Hammons Drive, Fifth Floor, Madison,
Wisconsin 53717.
Item
29. Management Services.
Not
applicable.
Item
30. Undertakings.
Not
applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act, the
Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of
this Post-Effective Amendment under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has
duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Madison, and State of
Wisconsin, on the 27th day of March, 2009.
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
By
/s/ John
W. Thompson
John
W. Thompson
Director,
Chief Executive Officer and President
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment to the
Registration Statement has been signed below on this 27th day of March, 2009 by
the following persons in the capacities indicated.
/s/ John W.
Thompson
John
W. Thompson
Director,
Chief Executive Officer and President
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
/s/ John W.
Feldt*
John
W. Feldt
Director
|
/s/ Penny
Hubbard
Penny
Hubbard
Chief
Financial Officer
(Principal
Financial Officer)
|
/s/ Patricia Lipton
*
Patricia
Lipton
Director
|
/s/ Donald A.
Nichols*
Donald
A. Nichols
Chairman
|
|
*By:
/s/ John
W. Thompson
John W. Thompson
* Pursuant
to Power of Attorney
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
_____________________________________________
EXHIBIT
INDEX
TO
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM N-1A
_____________________________________________
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
Incorporated
Herein By Reference To
|
Filed
Herewith
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(1)
|
Registrant’s
Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 12 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form
N-1A (Reg. No. 33-6418) (the “Registration
Statement”)
|
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(2)
|
Articles
of Amendment to Registrant’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 17 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(3)
|
Articles
of Amendment to Registrant’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 19 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(4)
|
Articles
of Amendment to Registrant’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 22 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(5)
|
Articles
of Amendment to Registrant’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(A)(6)
|
Articles
of Amendment to Registrant’s Amended and Restated Articles of
Incorporation
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(B)
|
Registrant’s
Amended and Restated Bylaws
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 23 to the Registration Statement
|
|
(C)
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(D)(1)
|
Investment
Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Thompson Investment Management
LLC for the Growth and Bond Funds
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 22 to the Registration Statement
|
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
Incorporated
Herein By Reference To
|
Filed
Herewith
|
|
|
|
|
(D)(2)
|
First
Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(D)(3)
|
Second
Amendment to the Investment Advisory Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(E)(1)
|
Distribution
Agreement among Registrant, Thompson Investment Management LLC and Quasar
Distributors, LLC
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(E)(2)
|
First
Amendment to Distribution Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(E)(3)
|
Amendment
to Distribution Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(E)(4)
|
Form
of Dealer Agreement for use by Quasar Distributors, LLC with selected
dealers
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(E)(5)
|
Amendment
to the Distribution Agreement
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(F)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(G)(1)
|
Custody
Agreement with U.S. Bank National Association
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(G)(2)
|
First
Amendment to Custody Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(G)(3)
|
Amendment
to Custody Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(1)
|
Administrative
and Accounting Services Agreement between Registrant and TIM Holdings,
Inc.
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 22 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(2)
|
First
Amendment to Administrative and Accounting Services
Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(3)
|
Second
Amendment to Administrative and Accounting Services
Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(4)
|
Transfer
Agent Servicing Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(5)
|
First
Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
Incorporated
Herein By Reference To
|
Filed
Herewith
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(6)
|
Second
Amendment to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(7)
|
Amendment
to Transfer Agent Servicing Agreement
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(8)
|
Form
of Shareholder Services Agreement used by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
with certain service providers
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(10)
|
Service
Agreement between U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC and Thompson Investment
Management, Inc.
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(11)
|
Amended
and Restated Service Agreement between U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC and
Thompson Investment Management, Inc.
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 27 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(12)
|
Loan
Agreement dated as of October 1, 2004 between Registrant (regarding
its various series) and U.S. Bank, N.A.
|
Post
Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(13)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2005, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(14)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2005, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(15)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2006, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Growth Fund
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(16)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2006, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Bond Fund
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(17)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2007, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
X
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
Incorporated
Herein By Reference To
|
Filed
Herewith
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(18)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2007, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(19)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2008, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Growth Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(20)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2008, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb Bond Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(21)
|
Loan
Agreement dated as of April 28, 2008 between Registrant (regarding the
Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund) and U.S. Bank, N.A.
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(22)
|
Amendment
and Extension of Loan Agreement, effective November 15, 2008, for the
benefit of the Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(23)
|
Second
Amended and Restated Reimbursement Agreement between Thompson Plumb Funds,
Inc. and Thompson Investment Management, Inc.
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 27 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(24)
|
Fee
Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Commitment Letter from Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. regarding expense ratio for the Bond
Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(25)
|
Fee
Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Commitment Letter from Thompson
Investment Management, Inc. regarding expense ratio for the MidCap
Fund
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(26)
|
Power
of Attorney for the Board of Directors
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(27)
|
Loan
Agreement dated April 25, 2007 among U.S. Bank National Association ND,
Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc., and U.S. Bank, N.A.
|
|
X
|
Exhibit
Number
|
Description
|
Incorporated
Herein By Reference To
|
Filed
Herewith
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(28)
|
Amendment Number
1 to Loan Agreement among U.S. Bank National Association ND, Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc., and U.S. Bank, N.A.
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(H)(29)
|
Services
Agreement dated November 18, 2008 between Thompson Plumb Funds, Inc. and
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(I)
|
Opinion
of Counsel
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(J)(1)
|
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
(K)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(L)
|
Subscription
Agreement between Registrant and Thompson, Unger & Plumb, Inc. (f/k/a
FMI Capital Management, Inc.)
|
Post-Effective
Amendment No. 14 to the Registration Statement
|
|
|
|
|
|
(M)
|
Not
applicable
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(P)
|
Code
of Ethics
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
EXHIBIT (H)(21)
LOAN
AGREEMENT
This
LOAN AGREEMENT
(as
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the
"Agreement") is made and entered into as of the 25
th
day of
April, 2008 by and between,
THOMPSON PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
a
Wisconsin corporation with its address at 1200 John Q. Hammons Drive, Madison,
Wisconsin 53717 (the "Borrower"), and
U.S. BANK N.A.
, with its
address at 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 (the "Bank").
1. (a)
Definitions
. The
following terms shall have the meanings specified below:
"Act"
shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
"AMEX
Securities" shall mean securities issued by an entity organized in one of the
states of the United States or the District of Columbia which are listed for
trading and actively traded on the American Stock Exchange.
"Applicable
Law" shall mean and include laws, statutes, ordinances, and rules and
regulations thereunder, and interpretations thereof by any Governmental
Authority charged with the administration or the interpretation thereof, common
law and orders, requests, directives, instructions and notices of any
Governmental Authority having the force of law.
"Authorized
Officer" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a)(i)(C).
"Available
Facility" shall mean at any time, the lesser of (i) $750,000, (ii) 5% of the Net
Assets of the Fund, (iii) 5% of the market value of the assets of the Fund which
are recorded on the Borrower's books and records as belonging to the Fund, which
are held by the Custodian and (iv) 5% of the sum of the market value of the
following assets of the Fund: (A) NYSE Securities, (B) AMEX
Securities, (C) debt issues of the United States government or any of its
agencies, (D) debt issues with a Moody's Investors Service, Inc. rating of no
less than BBB, (E) preferred stocks with a Standard & Poor's Rating Service
or Moody's Investors Service, Inc. rating of A or higher, in each case which are
recorded on the Borrower's books and records as belonging to the Fund, which are
held by the Custodian and (F) other assets of the Fund which are expressly
approved in writing by the Bank in its sole discretion.
"Bank"
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
"Borrower"
shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.
"Business
Day" shall mean any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and any day on which banking
institutions in the State of Ohio are authorized or required by law or other
government actions to close.
"Custodian"
shall mean the Bank, as custodian, pursuant to the Custody
Agreement.
"Custody
Agreement" shall mean that certain Custody Agreement dated
February 7,
1992 between the Borrower and the Bank, as it may be amended, restated, modified
or supplemented from time to time.
"Default"
shall mean any event, act or condition which with notice or lapse of time, or
both, would constitute an Event of Default.
"Effective
Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(a).
"Event of
Default" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.
"Fund"
shall mean the Series known as the Thompson Plumb MidCap
Fund.
"Fund
Statement" shall mean the Borrower's Statement of Additional Information dated
March 31, 2008, as supplemented and amended from time to time, relating to the
Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund and the other Series of the Borrower.
"GAAP"
shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
consistently applied in accordance with past practices.
"Governmental
Authority" shall mean any foreign, federal, state, regional, local, municipal or
other government, or any department, commission, board, bureau, agency, public
authority or instrumentality thereof, or any court.
"Indebtedness"
of any person shall mean all of the obligations of such person which, in
accordance with GAAP, would be included as liabilities on the balance sheet of
such person including, without limitation, (i) any indebtedness, obligation or
liability of any kind or nature whatsoever and (ii) any guarantee, indemnity,
endorsement, suretyship or other contingent obligation of any kind or nature
whatsoever in respect of the obligations of another person.
"Investment"
shall mean, when used with respect to any person, any direct or indirect
purchase or other acquisition by such person of a beneficial interest in capital
stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued by any other person
or any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extension of credit or capital
contribution by such person to any other person.
"Lien"
shall mean any mortgage, pledge, security interest, charge, hypothecation,
collateral assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or
other), or other security agreement of any kind or nature
whatsoever.
"Loan"
and "Loans" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a).
"Loan
Documents" shall mean this Agreement, the Note and all other documents and
instruments executed in connection herewith and with the Loans.
"Maturity Date" shall mean
the later of
(a)
twenty (20) business days from the Effective Date,
or
(b) if after
repayment in full by Borrower of the initial Loan, the Bank (at its sole
discretion) approves a new Loan to Borrower hereunder, 20 days after the making
of any such new Loan by the Bank
or
, (c) in any case
not later than November 15, 2008.
"Net
Assets" shall mean from time to time, the net assets of the Fund, calculated by
taking the sum of the value of the Fund's securities plus any cash and other
assets (including dividends and interest accrued but not collected) less all
liabilities, including accrued expenses, allocable to the Fund.
"Note"
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b).
"NYSE
Securities" shall mean securities issued by an entity organized in one of the
states of the United States or the District of Columbia which are listed for
trading, and actively traded, on the New York Stock Exchange.
"Obligations"
shall mean all of the Borrower's liabilities, obligations and indebtedness to
the Bank hereunder, under the Note and the other Loan Documents, or otherwise
incurred in connection with the Fund, whether heretofore, now or hereafter
arising and howsoever evidenced, whether primary, secondary, contingent or fixed
or arising under oral or written agreement or by operation of law.
"Officer's
Certificate" shall mean a certificate signed in the name of the Borrower by an
Authorized Officer containing the information noted in Section 6(a)(i) hereof,
and any amendment and/or restatement of same.
"Permitted
Indebtedness" shall mean (i) liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of
business which are not past due (except for those taxes which are being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate
reserves in conformity with GAAP have been provided), (ii) liabilities the
Borrower is permitted to incur on behalf of the Fund under the Fund Statement or
the Prospectus, (iii) the Obligations, (iv) other obligations, liabilities and
indebtedness owed by the Borrower to the Bank.
"Prime
Rate" shall mean the rate which the Bank announces as its prime lending rate, as
in effect from time to time. The Prime Rate is determined solely by
the Bank pursuant to market factors and its own operating needs and does not
necessarily represent the lowest or best rate actually charged to any
customer. The Bank may make commercial or other loans at rates of
interest at, above or below the Prime Rate.
"Prospectus"
shall mean the Prospectus of the Borrower dated March 31, 2008, for its Thompson
Plumb MidCap Fund, as amended and supplemented from time to time (including, as
fully as if it were set forth therein, the Fund Statement).
"Requirement
of Law" as to any person shall mean the articles or certificate of incorporation
and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such person and any
law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or a court or
other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such
person or any of its property or to which such person or any of its property is
subject.
"Series"
shall mean a separate series established by the Borrower's trustees pursuant to
the declaration of trust.
(b)
General Provisions Relating
to Definitions
. Terms for which meanings are defined in this
Agreement shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms
defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include
the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The term
"including" means including, without limiting the generality of any description
preceding such term. Each reference herein to any person shall
include a reference to such person's permitted successors and
assigns.
(c)
Cross-References
. Unless
otherwise specified, references in this Agreement and in each Loan Document to
any Section are references to such Section of this Agreement or such Loan
Document, as the case may be, and unless otherwise specified, references in any
Section or definition to any clause are references to such clause of such
Section or definition.
2.
Loans
Facility
.
(a)
Loans
. Subject
to the terms and conditions set forth herein, and subject to the satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in Section 6 hereof, the Bank may, in its
sole discretion, lend and relend to the Borrower for the account and benefit of
the Fund, during the period from the Effective Date to the
earlier of
(i) the Maturity Date or Dates (or the date of any extension of this
Agreement in a writing signed by the Bank)
or
(ii) the date
of the occurrence of an Event of Default, unless waived in a writing signed by
the Bank, such amounts as the Borrower may from time to time request (each
individually a "Loan" and collectively, the "Loans") up to an aggregate
principal amount outstanding at any time not to exceed the amount of the
Available Facility. The proceeds of Loans may only be used by the
Fund for short term liquidity in connection with shareholder redemptions
permitted under the Fund Statement and the Prospectus.
This
Agreement does not establish a commitment or obligation of the Bank to lend
money to the Borrower. The decision of whether or not to make any
Loan shall be made by the Bank in its sole and absolute
discretion. It is contemplated by both parties hereto that this
facility shall consist of (a) an initial term Loan due in twenty (20) business
days, as to which the Bank may but is not obligated to relend prepaid amounts up
to the Available Facility during such term, followed by (b) additional term
Loans up to the Available Facility with identical 20-business day
terms.
(b)
Note
. The
Loans shall be evidenced by a promissory note given by Borrower to the Bank, in
the form of
Exhibit
A
attached hereto and made a part hereof (as such note may be extended,
amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, and
together with any one or more notes which may be issued in exchange for such
note, the "Note"). The Bank is hereby authorized by Borrower to enter
from time to time the principal balance of the Loans and all payments and
prepayments thereon on the reverse of the Note or in the Bank's regularly
maintained data processing records, and the aggregate unpaid amount of the Loan
set forth thereon or therein shall be presumptive evidence of the principal
amount owing to the Bank and unpaid thereon, absent manifest
error. Upon written request of the Bank, Borrower shall immediately
exchange its Note then outstanding for a revised and updated
Note. The Borrower further authorizes the Bank to charge any account
of the Borrower, in the name of the Fund, at the Bank or charge or increase any
loan balance of the Borrower for the amount of any payments due to the Bank
hereunder.
(c)
Loan
Requests
. The Borrower shall notify, by written notice in the
form attached hereto as Exhibit B (each such notice, a "Loan Request"), such
person at the Bank as the Bank may, from time to time, instruct the Borrower, by
2:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each day on which the Borrower desires to obtain a
Loan hereunder, which day must be a Business Day, specifying the amount of the
Loan desired. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the Borrower
may verbally request Loan hereunder, whether up to the initial Maturity Date or
for a new Maturity Date, provided that the Borrower shall, on the same day, send
the Bank by telecopy a follow-up Loan Request in respect thereof. In
no event shall the Borrower request any loan which, if advanced, would cause the
aggregate principal amount of the Loans outstanding to exceed the Available
Facility. Each verbal request for a Loan hereunder shall be deemed to
include, and each written request shall include, a representation that all of
the representations and warranties made by the Borrower in the Loan Documents
are and will be, after giving effect to the requested Loan, true and complete,
that all the conditions precedent to such Loan as set forth in Section 6 hereof
have been satisfied, and that the proceeds of the Loan will not be used for any
purpose that is not permitted hereunder. Each advance of Loan
proceeds hereunder shall be in a minimum amount of $1,000.00
(d)
Disbursement
of
Funds
.
Each Loan shall be effectuated by the Bank
crediting account number maintained by the Borrower with the
Bank.
(e)
Interest
.
(i) The
Borrower shall pay interest on the outstanding principal balance of the Loans at
a rate per annum equal to Prime, which interest shall be payable (A) monthly, in
arrears, commencing on May 1, 2008 and on the 1
st
day of
each month thereafter, (B) whenever all or any part of the Loans are due,
whether on the Maturity Date, by virtue of a mandatory prepayment, or by reason
of demand, acceleration or otherwise (on the amount then due) and (C) whenever
the Borrower repays all of the Loans as a voluntary prepayment.
(ii) Upon
the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default hereunder, at
the option of the Bank, the Loans and other Obligations of the Borrower to the
Bank shall bear interest (computed and adjusted in the same manner, and with the
same effect, as interest on the Loans prior to the occurrence of such Event of
Default) payable on demand at a rate equal to three percent (3%) per annum in
excess of the otherwise applicable rate.
(iii) Interest
on the Loans shall be computed on the basis of a year consisting of three
hundred sixty (360) days but applied to the actual number of days
elapsed.
(iv) If
any payment is not made within ten (10) days after the date due, the Borrower
shall pay the Bank an amount equal to five percent (5%) of such payment or
$50.00, whichever is greater.
(f)
Maximum Outstanding
Period
. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no
Loan draw shall be outstanding for more than twenty (20) days.
3. Payments.
(a)
Mandatory
Prepayments
.
(i) The
Borrower agrees that if the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding
exceeds the Available Facility at any time, such excess shall be immediately due
and payable to the Bank.
(ii) The
Borrower agrees to repay the Loans in full in cash together with interest
accrued thereon and any other fees and charges hereunder on the Maturity Date
and, if earlier, the date on which the Loans become due, whether by virtue of a
mandatory prepayment provision, by demand, acceleration or
otherwise.
(b)
Voluntary
Prepayments
. The Borrower may prepay a Loan in whole or in
part from time to time; provided, however, that each prepayment shall be in an
amount equal to, or greater than, $1,000 or, if less, the outstanding balance of
such Loan, and shall be made with interest accrued thereon.
(c)
Increased
Costs
.
(i) If
the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of Law or in the interpretation
or application thereof or compliance by the Bank with any request or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority made
subsequent to the Effective Date shall subject the Bank to any tax of any kind
whatsoever with respect to this Agreement, the Note or any Loan made by it, or
change the basis of taxation of payments to the Bank in respect thereof and the
result is to increase the cost to the Bank, by an amount which the Bank deems to
be material, of making or maintaining the Loans, or to reduce any amount
receivable hereunder in respect thereof, then the Borrower shall promptly pay
the Bank, upon its demand, any additional amounts necessary to compensate the
Bank for such increased cost or reduced amount receivable.
(ii) If the Bank
shall have determined that the adoption of or any change in any Requirement of
Law regarding capital adequacy or in the interpretation or application thereof
or compliance by the Bank or any corporation controlling the Bank with any
request or directive regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force
of law) from any Governmental Authority made subsequent to the Effective Date
shall have the effect of reducing the rate of return on the Bank's or such
corporation's capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder to a level
below that which the Bank or such corporation could have achieved but for such
adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration the Bank's or such
corporation's policies with respect to capital adequacy) by an amount deemed by
the Bank to be material, then from time to time, after submission by the Bank to
the Borrower of a written request therefor, the Borrower shall pay to the Bank
such additional amount or amounts as will compensate the Bank for such
reduction.
(iii) A
certificate as to any amounts payable pursuant to this subsection (c) submitted
by the Bank to the Borrower shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest
error.
(d)
Taxes
. All
payments made by the Borrower under this Agreement and the Note shall be made
free and clear of, and without deduction or withholding for or on account of,
any present or future income, stamp or other taxes imposed, levied, collected,
withheld or assessed by any Governmental Authority, excluding net income taxes
and franchise taxes (imposed in lieu of net income taxes). If any
such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, duties, charges, fees, deductions or
withholdings ("Non-Excluded Taxes") are required to be withheld from any amounts
payable to the Bank hereunder or under the Note, such amounts shall be increased
to the extent necessary to yield to the Bank (after payment of all Non-Excluded
Taxes) interest or any such other amounts payable hereunder at the rates or in
the amounts specified in this Agreement and the Note. Whenever any
Non-Excluded Taxes are payable by the Borrower, as promptly as possible
thereafter the Borrower shall send to the Bank a certified copy of an original
official receipt received by the Borrower showing payment thereof. If
the Borrower fails to pay any Non-Excluded Taxes when due to the appropriate
taxing authority or fails to remit to the Bank the required receipts or other
required documentary evidence, the Borrower shall indemnify the Bank for any
incremental taxes, interest or penalties that may become payable by the Bank as
a result of any such failure.
(e)
Place of
Payment
. All payments of principal and interest hereunder
shall be made in immediately available funds to the Bank at 425 Walnut Street,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, M.L. CN-OH-W6TC, or at such other place as may be
designated by the Bank to the Borrower in writing.
(f)
Business Day
Payments
. Whenever any of the terms and provisions of this
Agreement or the other Loan documents provides that any payment to be made shall
be due on a day which is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the
next succeeding Business Day and such extension of time shall be included in
computing interest, if any, in connection with such payment.
4.
Representations and
Warranties
. To induce the Bank to enter into this Agreement,
the Borrower represents and warrants to the Bank as follows:
(a)
Existence
. The
Borrower is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing as a
corporation under the laws of Wisconsin and is registered as an investment
company under the Act.
(b)
Authority
. The Borrower has
full power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as an
investment company and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under
this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
(c)
Borrowing
Authorization
. The execution, delivery and performance by the
Borrower of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents: (i) have
been duly authorized by all requisite action; (ii) do not and will not violate
(A) any law, regulation, order, writ, judgment, decree, determination or award
currently in effect and applicable to the Borrower, (B) the articles of
incorporation, declaration of trust or bylaws or other organizational or
governing documents of the Borrower, (C) any provision of any agreement to which
the Borrower is a party, or by which it or any of its properties or assets is
bound, and (D) any franchise, license, permit, certificate, authorization,
qualification, accreditation or other similar right, consent or approval of or
applicable to the Borrower; and (iii) do not and will not result in the creation
or imposition of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the
Borrower. No consents, licenses, permits, applications or
authorizations of, notices or reports to, or registrations, filings or
declarations with, any Governmental Authority or other third party are required
to be obtained in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by the
Borrower of any of the Loan Documents.
(d)
Enforceability
. This
Agreement and the other Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by
the Borrower, pursuant to due authorization, and constitute the legal, valid and
binding obligations of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in
accordance with their terms.
(e)
Financial Information;
Adverse Change
. The Borrower has provided, or prior to the
Effective Date will provide, the Bank with (i) its audited financial statements
for its fiscal year end November 30, 2007 and (ii) the
Prospectus. The Borrower does not have any contingent liabilities not
provided for or disclosed in such financial statements. Such
financial statements present fairly, in all respects, the financial condition of
the Borrower in accordance with GAAP. There has been no material
adverse change in the business or financial condition of the Borrower since the
date of such financial statements.
(f)
Indebtedness
. The
Borrower has no Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness.
(g)
Investments
. None
of the Borrower's Series, including the Fund, has Investments which such Series
is not authorized to have or which are inconsistent with or conflict with the
provisions of the Prospectus relating to such Series and the Borrower generally
or for which it or the Borrower is required to obtain shareholder
approval.
(h)
Litigation
. There
is no litigation or other action or proceeding pending or, to the best of the
knowledge of the Borrower after diligent investigation, threatened against or
affecting the Borrower or any of its Series before any Governmental
Authority.
(i)
Title to
Property
. The Borrower (or, to the extent applicable, each
Series) has good, indefeasible and merchantable title to and ownership of all of
its assets, including without limitation the Collateral, free and clear of all
Liens.
(j)
Compliance
. The Borrower is
in compliance with the Act and all other Applicable Laws.
(k)
No
Default
. No default (or event which, with notice or lapse of
time, or both, would constitute a default) exists under any agreement or
instrument to which the Borrower is a party or pursuant to which any property of
the Borrower is encumbered.
(l)
Taxes
. The
Borrower has filed all federal, state and local tax returns and other reports
which it is required by law to file, has paid all taxes, assessments and other
similar charges that are due and payable, except to the extent that any such
taxes or charges are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings
and for which adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP have been set aside on
its books and records, and has withheld all employee and similar taxes which it
is required by law to withhold.
(m)
Licenses,
Etc.
The Borrower has obtained and holds in full force and
effect, all franchises, licenses, permits, certificates, authorizations,
qualifications, accreditations, and other consents, rights and approvals which
are necessary for the operation of its business. The Borrower is not
in violation of the terms of any such franchise, license, permit, certificate,
authorization, qualification, accreditation, consent, right or
approval.
(n)
Broker's
Fees
. No brokerage, finder's or similar fee or commission is
due to any party by reason of the Borrower entering into this Agreement or by
reason of any of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Borrower shall
indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from all such fees and
commissions.
5.
Borrower's
Covenants
. The Borrower agrees with the Bank that, from the
date of this Agreement and until the Loans are paid in full and all obligations
under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents are fully performed and this
Agreement has been terminated:
(a)
Books and Records;
Inspection
. The Borrower shall keep and maintain complete
books, records and files with respect to its business in accordance with GAAP
and shall accurately and completely record all transactions
therein. The Borrower shall permit the officers, employees and
designated representatives of the Bank, from time to time to inspect the
Borrower's property and to inspect and make copies of or extracts from the
books, records and files of the Borrower, and the Borrower shall make the same
available to the Bank and its agents and representatives for such purposes at
such reasonable times as the Bank shall request.
(b)
Financial Statements;
Reports
. The Borrower shall furnish to the
Bank: (i) within one hundred twenty (120) days after the last day of
each fiscal year of the Borrower, a copy of the annual audit report of the
Borrower prepared in accordance with GAAP, with detail reasonably satisfactory
to the Bank, and consisting of at least a statement of assets and liabilities
for each of the Series (including the Fund) as at the close of such fiscal year,
a Schedule of Investments for each of the Series (including the Fund) as at the
close of such fiscal year, a statement of operations for each of the Series
(including the Fund) for such fiscal year and a statement of changes in net
assets for each of the Series (including the Fund) for such fiscal year, and
certified by an independent certified public accountant satisfactory to the
Bank; (ii) statements of the Borrower's and the Fund's Net Assets and the market
value of the assets of each Series (including the Fund) of the Borrower, whether
or not held by the Custodian, on a daily basis whenever any Loans are
outstanding hereunder and otherwise upon the Bank's request; (iii) promptly upon
transmission thereof, copies of all regular and periodic financial information,
proxy materials and other information and reports, if any, which the Borrower
shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any governmental
agencies substituted therefor or which the Borrower shall send to its
shareholders generally; and (iv) such other reports and information as the Bank
may reasonably request from time to time.
(c)
Taxes
. The
Borrower shall file all federal, state and local tax returns and other reports
the Borrower is required by law to file, and shall pay when due all taxes,
assessments and other liabilities except for those contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings for which adequate reserves in conformity with GAAP will
be provided and shall withhold all employee and similar taxes which it is
required by law to withhold.
(d)
Existence and
Status
. The Borrower shall maintain its existence as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of Wisconsin, shall continue to be
registered as an investment company under the Act and shall continue to maintain
the Fund as a separate Series of the Borrower.
(e)
Compliance with
Law
. The Borrower shall comply at all times with the Act and
all other Applicable Laws.
(f)
Borrower's Coverage
Ratio
. The Borrower shall not permit the ratio of its (i)
total assets minus total liabilities (other than liabilities of any kind or
nature whatsoever for borrowed money and liabilities in respect of overdrafts in
any account (whether trust, demand deposit or other account) maintained by the
Borrower) to (ii) total liabilities of any kind or nature whatsoever for
borrowed money and liabilities in respect of overdrafts in any account (whether
trust, demand deposit or other account) maintained by the Borrower to be less
than 300% at any time.
(g)
Fund's Coverage
Ratio
. The Borrower shall not permit the ratio of the Fund's
(i) total assets minus total liabilities (other than liabilities of any kind or
nature whatsoever for borrowed money and the Fund liabilities in respect of
overdrafts in any account (whether trust, demand deposit or other account)
maintained by the Borrower on behalf of the Fund) to (ii) total liabilities of
any kind or nature whatsoever for borrowed money and the Fund's liabilities in
respect of overdrafts in any account (whether trust, demand deposit or other
account) maintained by the Borrower on behalf of the Fund to be less than 300%
at any time.
(h)
Licenses
. The
Borrower shall obtain and maintain all franchises, licenses, permits,
certificates, authorizations, qualifications, accreditations, and other
consents, rights and approvals which are required by law or are necessary for
the operation of its business.
(i)
Notice
. The
Borrower shall notify the Bank in writing, promptly upon the Borrower's learning
thereof, of: (i) any litigation, suit or administrative proceeding
which may affect the operations, financial condition or business of the Borrower
or the Bank's interest in any of the Collateral; (ii) any default by the
Borrower under any note, indenture, loan agreement, mortgage, lease, deed or
other agreement to which the Borrower is a party or by which the Borrower or its
assets are bound; (iii) a Default or an Event of Default under this Agreement;
and (iv) any default by any obligor under any note or other evidence of
Indebtedness payable to the Borrower.
(j)
Use of
Proceeds
. The Borrower shall not use the proceeds of the Loans
for any purpose other than short term liquidity in connection with shareholder
redemptions as provided in the Fund Statement and the Prospectus.
(k)
Liens
. The
Borrower shall not create or permit to exist any Liens with respect to any of
the assets or property of the Fund, whether now owned or hereafter acquired,
except Liens in favor of the Bank.
(l)
Investments
. The
Borrower shall not make, agree to make, or hold any Investment which it is not
permitted to make without shareholder approval and shall make only those
Investments which conform with the provisions of the
Prospectus. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Borrower shall not permit the Fund to make, agree to make, or hold any
Investment which it is not permitted to make without shareholder approval and
shall comply in all respects with, and shall make only those Investments which
conform with, the provisions of the Prospectus relating to the Fund and the
provisions of the Prospectus relating to the Borrower generally.
(m)
Transfer of
Property
. The Borrower shall not sell, transfer, convey or
lease, any of the assets or property of the Borrower, other than in the ordinary
course of business.
(n)
Change in Structure; Change
in Business
. The Borrower shall not enter into any business
which is substantially different from that presently conducted by the
Borrower. The Borrower shall maintain the Fund as a Series separate
and apart from any other Series.
(o)
Indebtedness
. The
Borrower shall not incur or permit to exist any Indebtedness other than
Permitted Indebtedness. Notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, except for the Loans made by Bank hereunder, the Borrower shall not
incur or permit to exist any Indebtedness for liquidity or leverage
purposes.
(p)
Bank
Accounts
. The Borrower shall not make or maintain deposits on
its own behalf or on behalf of the Fund with any bank or similar institution
which has any right of set-off, bankers' lien, combination or consolidation of
accounts, counterclaim or other similar right under Applicable Law with respect
to such deposit.
(q)
Compliance with
Agreements
. The Borrower shall, and shall cause the Fund to,
comply with all agreements and instruments to which it is a party or pursuant to
which any of its property is encumbered.
(r)
Solvency
. Immediately
after giving effect to the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the
making of the Loans hereunder and at all times thereafter while the Loans or any
portion thereof are outstanding, each of the Borrower and the Fund shall be
solvent, shall be able to pay its debts and obligations as they become due, and
shall have capital sufficient to carry on its business.
(s)
Contracts
. The
Borrower shall not, and shall not permit the Fund to, enter into any agreement,
contract or arrangement which would impair or adversely affect (i) its right
and/or ability to carry on its business as now conducted or (ii) its right
and/or ability to carry on the business of the Fund (as if the Fund were a
separate business) as now conducted.
(t)
Insurance
. The
Borrower shall maintain such insurance as is typically maintained by prudent
companies in the same line of business as the Borrower, and, without limitation
of the generality of the foregoing, shall maintain all insurance required under
the Act.
(u)
Waiver
. Any
variance from the covenants of the Borrower pursuant to this Section 5 shall be
permitted only with the prior written consent and/or waiver of the
Bank. Any such variance by consent and/or waiver shall relate solely
to the variance addressed in such consent and/or waiver, and shall not operate
as the Bank's consent and/or waiver to any other variance of the same covenant
or other covenants, nor shall it preclude the exercise by the Bank of any power
or right under this Agreement, other than with respect to such
variance.
6.
Conditions
Precedent
.
(a)
Conditions Precedent to the
Effective Date
. This Agreement shall become effective on the
date (the "Effective Date") on which the following conditions precedent shall
have been satisfied or waived by the Bank in its sole and absolute
discretion:
(i)
Proof of Action;
Incumbency
. The Bank shall have received an Officer's
Certificate from the Borrower dated the Effective Date, substantially in the
form attached hereto as
Exhibit
C
, and certifying (A) that attached thereto is a true and
complete copy of the articles of incorporation, organization or partnership or
declaration of trust, and operating agreement or bylaws or other organizational
and governing documents of the Borrower, as in effect as of the Effective Date,
(B) that attached thereto is the true and correct copy of the records of all
action taken by the Borrower to authorize its execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the other Loan Documents (and the Loans contemplated hereby and
thereby), and (C) as to the incumbency, the name and specimen signature of each
and every officer of Borrower, each of whom shall be authorized (each an
"Authorized Officer") (1) to sign and deliver to the Bank, in the name of the
Borrower, (1) this Agreement, any Loan Request, the Note and the other Loan
Documents, and any amendments thereof, and (2) certificates and notices
(including, without limitation, new Officer's Certificates) and to take other
action on its behalf under this Agreement. The Borrower shall
promptly file a new Officer's Certificate with updated incumbency information
whenever the officers of the Fund should change.
(ii)
Note
. The
Bank shall have received a fully executed Note.
(iii)
Representations and
Warranties
. The Bank shall have received from the Borrower an
Officer's Certificate to the effect that each of the representations and
warranties made by the Borrower in this Agreement and in the other Loan
Documents is true and correct.
(iv)
No
Default
. The Bank shall have received from the Borrower an
Officer's Certificate to the effect that no Default or Event of Default is
continuing on the Effective Date, or would result from the transactions
contemplated to occur on the Effective Date.
(v)
Opinion
. The
Borrower shall have delivered to the Bank an opinion of counsel acceptable to
the Bank dated the Effective Date, substantially in the form attached hereto as
Exhibit
D
.
(vi)
Expenses
. The
Borrower shall have paid to the Bank the fees, expenses and disbursements
required to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to Section 8(d)
hereof.
(vii)
Financial
Statements
. The Borrower shall have provided the Bank with (A)
its audited financial statements for its fiscal year ended November 30, 2007,
(B) the Prospectus and (C) the Fund Statement.
(b)
Conditions Precedent to Each
Loan
. The making of each Loan is subject to the satisfaction
of each of the following conditions precedent, unless waived by the Bank in its
sole and absolute discretion:
(i)
Default
. Before
and after giving effect to such Loan, or any portion thereof, no Default or
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (and there exists no
event which would, with notice or lapse of time or both, mature into a Default
or an Event of Default).
(ii)
Representations and
Warranties
. Before and after giving effect to such Loan or any
portion thereof, the representations and warranties set forth herein and in the
other Loan Documents shall be true and correct as though made on the date of
such Loan.
(iii)
Adverse
Change
. There shall have been no material adverse change in
the business or financial condition of the Borrower or the Fund since the
Effective Date.
(iv)
Other
Actions
. The Borrower shall take such other actions and
deliver to the Bank such other documents, certificates and instruments as the
Bank may reasonably request to evidence, protect or perfect the
Loans.
7.
Events of
Default
. If any of the following events (each, an "Event of
Default") shall occur, then the Bank may without further notice or demand,
accelerate the Loans and declare them to be, and thereupon the Loans shall
become, immediately due and payable (except that upon the occurrence of an Event
of Default as described in Section 7(h) or (i) below, the Loans shall be
automatically due and payable) and the Borrower may not request further Loans
hereunder (or if already requested, may not receive the proceeds of any Loans
hereunder), and, regardless of whether or not the Loans shall have been
accelerated, the Bank shall have all rights provided herein and in any of the
other Loan Documents or otherwise provided by law:
(a) The
Borrower shall not have paid or repaid to the Bank any principal of or any
interest on the Loans or any other obligation hereunder or under any of the
other Loan Documents when due, whether by reason of demand, acceleration or
otherwise; or
(b) There
shall have occurred any other violation or breach or any covenant, agreement or
condition contained herein or in any other Loan Document except that, in the
event of a Default of the Borrower's obligation to deliver the daily statements
required under Section 5(b)(iii), such Default shall not constitute an Event of
Default hereunder unless the Bank has notified the Borrower of such Default and
the Borrower has not cured such Default within thirty-six (36) hours of
receiving such notice; or
(c) The
Borrower shall not have paid when due any other Indebtedness, or the holder of
such other Indebtedness shall have declared such Indebtedness due prior to its
stated maturity because of the Borrower's default thereunder or the Borrower
shall have failed to perform any of its obligations under agreements relating to
Indebtedness which failure would, if not cured, give the holder of such
Indebtedness the right to accelerate the maturity of such Indebtedness;
or
(d) There
shall have occurred any violation or breach of any covenant, agreement or
condition contained in any other agreement between the Borrower and the Bank;
or
(e) The
Borrower shall not have performed its obligations under any agreement material
to its business; or
(f) Any
representation or warranty made or deemed made herein or in any other Loan
Document or writing furnished in connection with this Agreement shall have
proven to be false when made or when deemed to have been made; or
(g) The
Borrower shall have been unable to pay its debts as due; or
(h) The
Borrower shall have made an assignment for the benefit of creditors;
or
(i) The
Borrower shall have applied for the appointment of a trustee or receiver for any
part of its assets or shall have commenced any proceedings relating to the
Borrower under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency,
readjustment of debt, dissolution or other liquidation law of any jurisdiction;
or any such application shall have been filed, or any such proceedings shall
have commenced, against the Borrower, and either the Borrower shall have
indicated its approval, consent or acquiescence thereto or such proceedings
shall not have been dismissed within forty-five (45) days; or an order shall
have been entered appointing such trustee or receiver, or adjudicating the
Borrower bankrupt or insolvent, or approving the petition in any such
proceedings; or
(j) Any
part of the Borrower's operations shall have ceased; or
(k) Any
final judgment which, together with other outstanding judgments against the
Borrower, causes the aggregate of such judgments to exceed One Hundred Thousand
Dollars ($100,000), shall have been rendered against the Borrower;
or
(l) There
shall have occurred any material adverse change in the business or financial
condition of the Borrower or its ability to repay the Loans; or
(m) Thompson
Investment Management, LLC shall no longer be the investment advisor to the
Borrower; or
(n) The
Custodian shall no longer be the custodian, or the Borrower has evidenced any
intent to remove the Custodian from its position as custodian, of the securities
and financial assets (as such terms are defined in Article 8 of the Uniform
Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Ohio [the "UCC"]) of the following
described securities account (as such term is defined in Article 8 of the UCC)
held by Custodian: account number 19-9291 in the name of Thompson
Plumb Mid Cap Fund.
8.
Miscellaneous
.
(a)
Right of
Set-Off
. In addition to all statutory rights of the Bank, the
Bank is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior
notice to the Borrower, to set-off, appropriate and apply any and all moneys,
securities and other properties of the Borrower and the proceeds thereof now or
hereafter held or received by or in transit to the Bank from or for the account
of the Borrower, whether for safekeeping, pledge, transmission, collection or
otherwise, and also upon any and all deposits (general and special), account
balances and credits of the Borrower with the Bank at any time existing
including, without limitation, account balances and credits of the Borrower held
by the Bank as Custodian, against all obligations arising under this Agreement
or any of the other Loan Documents, or any other agreements between the Bank and
Borrower, and the Borrower shall continue to be liable to the Bank for any
deficiency with interest at the rate set forth herein.
(b)
Delay
. No
delay, omission or forbearance on the part of the Bank in the exercise of any
power or right shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or
partial delay, omission or forbearance in the exercise of any other power or
right. The rights and remedies of the Bank herein provided are
cumulative, shall be interpreted in all respects in favor of the Bank, and are
not exclusive of any other rights and remedies provided by law.
(c)
Notice
. Except
as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, any notice hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be given by personal delivery, telecopy, or overnight
courier or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, and addressed to the
parties at their addresses set forth below:
|
Bank
:
|
U.S.
Bank National Association
|
|
|
425
Walnut Street, Mail Location CN-OH-W6TC
Cincinnati,
Ohio 45202
Attention: Shelly
L. Allen
Telephone: (513)
639-6404
Telecopy: (651)
767-9200
|
|
|
|
|
Borrower:
|
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
1200
John Q. Hammons Drive, 5
th
floor
Madison,
Wisconsin 53717
Attention:
John W. Thompson
Telephone:
(608) 827-5700
Telecopy: (608)
827-7300
|
|
|
|
The
Borrower or the Bank may, by written notice to the other as provided herein,
designate another address or number for purposes hereunder. All
notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with
the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been given on the date
of receipt if delivered by hand or overnight courier service or sent by telecopy
or on the date five (5) Business Days after dispatch by certified or registered
mail if mailed (or, if sooner, on the date of actual receipt), in each case
delivered, sent or mailed (properly addressed) to such party as provided in this
Section 8(c) or in accordance with the latest unrevoked direction from such
party given in accordance with this Section 8(c).
(d)
Expenses;
Indemnity
. The Borrower agrees to pay all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses of the Bank and its employees (including reasonable
attorney's fees and legal expenses, but excluding the salaries of the Bank's own
employees) incurred by the Bank in entering into and closing this Agreement and
preparing the documentation in connection herewith, and administering or
enforcing the obligations of the Borrower hereunder or under any of the other
Loan Documents, and the Borrower agrees to pay the Bank upon demand for the
same. The Borrower further agrees to defend, indemnify and hold the
Bank harmless from any liability, obligation, cost, damage or expense, including
attorney's fees and legal expenses for taxes, fees or third party claims which
may arise or be related to the execution, delivery or performance of this
Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in the case of gross
negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Bank.
(e)
Survival
. All
covenants and agreements of the Borrower made herein or otherwise in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby shall survive the execution and
delivery of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and shall remain in
effect so long as any obligations of the Borrower are outstanding hereunder or
under any of the other Loan Documents. The obligations of the
Borrower set forth in Sections 3(c), 3(d) and 8(d) shall survive the termination
of this Agreement and repayment of the Obligations.
(f)
Severability
. Any
provision of this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents which is
prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction,
be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition of enforceability without
invalidating the remaining portions hereof or affecting the validity or
enforceability or such provision in any other jurisdiction.
(g)
Governing
Law
. The Loans shall be deemed made in Ohio and this Agreement
and all of the other Loan Documents, and all of the rights and obligations of
the Borrower and the Bank hereunder and thereunder, shall in all respects be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio,
including all matters of construction, validity and
performance. Without limitation on the ability of the Bank to
exercise all of its rights as to the Collateral or to initiate and prosecute any
action or proceeding in any applicable jurisdiction related to loan repayment,
the Borrower and the Bank agree that any action or proceeding commenced by or on
behalf of the parties arising out of or relating to the Loans and/or this
Agreement and/or any of the other Loan Documents shall be commenced and
maintained exclusively in the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of Ohio, or any other court of applicable jurisdiction located
in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Borrower and the Bank also agree that a
summons and complaint commencing an action or proceeding in any such Ohio courts
by or on behalf of such parties shall be properly served and shall confer
personal jurisdiction on a party to which said party consents, if (i) served
personally or by registered or certified mail to the other party at any of its
addresses noted herein, or (ii) as otherwise provided under the laws of the
State of Ohio. The Borrower and the Bank hereby waive all rights to
trial by jury in any proceeding arising out of or related to the transactions
contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents. The
interest rate and all other terms of the Loans negotiated with the Borrower are,
in part, related to the aforesaid provisions on jurisdiction, which the Bank
deems a vital part of this loan arrangement.
(h)
Successors
. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower and the
Bank and their respective successors and assigns. The Borrower shall
not assign its rights or delegate its duties hereunder or under any other Loan
Document without the prior written consent of the Bank.
(i)
Amendment
. This
Agreement may not be modified or amended except in writing signed by authorized
officers of the Bank and the Borrower.
(j)
Headings
. The
descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for
convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement.
(k)
Confession of
Judgment
. Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and empowers
any attorney-at-law to appear for Borrower in any action upon or in connection
with this Agreement at any time after the Loan and/or other obligations of
Borrower hereunder become due, as herein provided, in any court in or of the
State of Ohio or elsewhere, and waive the issuance and service of process with
respect thereto, and irrevocably authorizes and empowers any such
attorney-at-law to confess judgment in favor of Bank against Borrower in the
amount due thereon or hereon, plus interest as herein provided, and all costs of
collection, and waive and release all errors in any said proceedings and
judgments and all rights of appeal from the judgment rendered. The
Borrower agrees and consents that the attorney confessing judgment on behalf of
the Borrower hereunder may also be counsel to the Bank and/or the Bank's
affiliates, and the Borrower hereby further waives any conflicts of interest
which might otherwise arise and consents to the Bank paying such confessing
attorney a legal fee or allowing such attorneys' fees to be paid from proceeds
of collection of this Agreement.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by
their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above
written.
THE BANK:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
By:
Name: Katherine
Miller
Title: Senior
Vice President
WARNING--BY
SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT
TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN
AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED
TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE
BANK.
THE BORROWER:
Thompson
Plumb Funds, Inc.
Name: John
W. Thompson
Title: Chief
Executive Officer
EXHIBITS:
A - Note
B - Loan
Request
C - Officer's
Certificate
D - Opinion
of Counsel
EXHIBIT
A
PROMISSORY
NOTE
$750,000
Cincinnati,
Ohio
April 25,
2008
THOMPSON PLUMB FUNDS, INC
., a
Wisconsin corporation (the "Borrower"), for value received, hereby promises to
pay to the order of
U.S. BANK
N.A.
(the "Bank"), or its successors or assigns, on or before November
15, 2008 or such earlier date specified in the Loan Agreement as the Maturity
Date ("Maturity Date"), the principal sum of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars ($750,000), or such portion thereof as may be outstanding from time to
time as a Loan under the hereinafter-described Loan Agreement, together with
interest thereon as hereinafter provided.
This Note
is the "Note" to which reference is made in the Loan Agreement dated as of April
25, 2008 with respect to the Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund (the "Fund") between the
Borrower and the Bank (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time
to time, the "Loan Agreement") and is subject to the terms and conditions
thereof, including without limitation the terms thereof providing for
acceleration of maturity of the loans made by the Bank to the Borrower under the
Loan Agreement and evidenced by this Note (the "Loans").
This Note
shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to Prime, which interest shall be
payable to the Bank (i) monthly, in arrears, commencing on May 1,
2008 and on the first day of each month thereafter, (ii) whenever all or any
part of the Loans are due and payable, whether on the Maturity Date, by virtue
of a mandatory prepayment, or by reason of demand, acceleration or otherwise (on
the amount so due and payable) and (iii) whenever the Borrower repays all of the
Loans as a voluntary prepayment. Interest on this Note shall be
computed on the basis of a year consisting of three hundred sixty (360) days but
applied to the actual number of days elapsed.
As used
herein, the term "Prime Rate" shall mean the rate which the Bank announces as
its prime lending rate, as in effect from time to time. The Prime
Rate is determined solely by the Bank pursuant to market factors and its own
operating needs and does not necessarily represent the lowest or best rate
actually charged to any customer. The Bank may make commercial or
other loans at rates of interest at, above or below the Prime Rate.
The
principal of this Note is subject to mandatory prepayments, as
follows: (i) if the aggregate principal amount of the Loans
outstanding exceeds the Available Facility at any time, such excess shall be
immediately due and payable and (ii) the principal of this Note shall be due and
payable in full on the Maturity Date and, if earlier, the date on which the
Loans become due, whether by virtue of demand, acceleration or
otherwise. This Note may be voluntarily prepaid in whole or in part
at any time, without premium or penalty; provided, however that each prepayment
of principal shall be in an amount equal to, or greater than, $1,000 or, if
less, the outstanding balance of this Note.
If any
payment is not made within ten (10) days after the date due, the Borrower shall
pay the Bank an amount equal to five percent (5%) of such payment or $50.00,
whichever is greater.
An "Event
of Default" as described in the Loan Agreement shall constitute an Event of
Default hereunder. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, the
Bank shall have all rights and remedies provided herein, in the Loan Agreement
and otherwise available at law or in equity. At the option of the
Bank, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default,
this Note shall bear interest (computed and adjusted in the same manner, and
with the same effect, as interest prior to the occurrence of such Event of
Default) payable on demand at a rate equal to three percent (3%) per annum in
excess of the otherwise applicable rate.
All
payments of principal and interest hereunder shall be made in immediately
available funds to the Bank at 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, M.L.
CN-OH-W6TC, or at such other place as may be designated by the holder hereof to
the Borrower in writing. The Borrower authorizes the Bank to charge
any account, in the name of the Fund, or charge or increase any loan balance of
the Borrower at the Bank for the amount of any interest or principal payments
due to the Bank hereunder. The Bank is further authorized by the
Borrower to enter from time to time the balance of this Note and all payments
thereon on the reverse of this Note or in the Bank's regularly maintained data
processing records, and the aggregate unpaid amount set forth thereon or therein
shall be presumptive evidence of the amount owing to the Bank and unpaid on this
Note, absent manifest error.
If any
term or condition of this Note conflicts with the express terms or conditions of
the Loan Agreement, the terms and conditions of the Loan Agreement shall
control. Terms used but not defined herein shall have the same
meanings herein as in the Loan Agreement.
IMPORTANT: This
Note shall be deemed made in Ohio and shall in all respects be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio, including all
matters of construction, validity and performance.
Without
limitation on the ability of the Bank to exercise all of its rights as to the
Collateral or to initiate and prosecute any action or proceeding in any
applicable jurisdiction related to loan repayment, the Borrower and the Bank
agree that any action or proceeding commenced by or on behalf of the parties
arising out of or relating to this Note shall be commenced and maintained
exclusively in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Ohio, or any other court of applicable jurisdiction located in Cincinnati,
Ohio. The Borrower and the Bank also agree that a summons and
complaint commencing an action or proceeding in any such Ohio courts by or on
behalf of such parties shall be properly served and shall confer personal
jurisdiction on a party to which said party consents, if (i) served personally
or by registered or certified mail to the other party at any of its addresses
noted herein, or (ii) as otherwise provided under the laws of the State of
Ohio. The Borrower and the Bank hereby waive all rights to trial by
jury in any proceeding arising out of or related to this Note. The
interest rate and all other terms of this Note negotiated with the Borrower are,
in part, related to the aforesaid provisions on jurisdiction, which the Bank
deems a vital part of this loan arrangement.
Presentment
for payment, notice of dishonor, protest, demand, notice of protest and all
other notices are hereby waived.
Borrower
hereby irrevocably authorizes and empowers any attorney-at-law to appear for
Borrower in any action upon or in connection with this Agreement at any time
after the Loans and/or other obligations of Borrower evidenced hereby become
due, as herein provided, in any court in or of the State of Ohio or elsewhere,
and waives the issuance and service of process with respect thereto, and
irrevocably authorizes and empowers any such attorney-at-law to confess judgment
in favor of Bank against Borrower in the amount due thereon or hereon, plus
interest as herein provided, and all costs of collection, and waives and
releases all errors in any said proceedings and judgments and all rights of
appeal from the judgment rendered. The Borrower agrees and consents
that the attorney confessing judgment on behalf of the Borrower hereunder may
also be counsel to the Bank and/or the Bank’s affiliates, and the Borrower
hereby further waives any conflict of interest which might otherwise arise and
consents to the Bank paying such confessing attorney a legal fee or allowing
such attorneys’ fees to be paid from proceeds of collection of this Agreement
and/or any and all collateral and security for the Loans and
obligations.
WARNING--BY
SIGNING THIS PAPER YOU GIVE UP YOUR RIGHT TO NOTICE AND COURT
TRIAL. IF YOU DO NOT PAY ON TIME A COURT JUDGMENT MAY BE TAKEN
AGAINST YOU WITHOUT YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THE POWERS OF A COURT CAN BE USED
TO COLLECT FROM YOU REGARDLESS OF ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST THE
BANK.
THOMPSON
PLUMB FUNDS, INC.
Name: John
W. Thompson
Title: Chief
Executive Officer
EXHIBIT
B
FORM
OF
LOAN
REQUEST
U.S.
Bank, National Association
425
Walnut Street, M.L. CN-OH-W6TC
Cincinnati,
OH 45202
Attention: Shelly
L. Allen
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
This loan
request is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2(c) of that certain Loan
Agreement (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the
"Loan Agreement") dated as of
April 25, 2008
between U.S. Bank National Association (the "Bank") and Thompson Plumb
Funds, Inc. (the "Borrower") relating to the Thompson Plumb MidCap Fund (the
"Fund"). Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have
the meaning assigned to such terms in the Loan Agreement unless the context
otherwise requires.
The
Borrower hereby [requests][confirms the verbal request made by the Borrower
prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date hereof for] a Loan on this date from the Bank in
the aggregate principal amount of $__________. The Borrower
hereby certifies, represents and warrants that on the date hereof, both before
and after giving effect to the requested Loan or any portion
thereof:
(a) The
aggregate principal amount of the Loans outstanding does not and will not exceed
the Available Facility;
(b) No
Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, nor will the making
of such Loan cause a Default or Event of Default to occur;
(c) All
representations and warranties set forth in the Loan Documents are and will be
true and correct as though made on the date hereof;
(d) Since
the Effective Date, there has not been and there will not be any material
adverse change in the business or financial condition of the Borrower or the
Fund, nor has there been nor will there be a material adverse change in respect
of the validity or enforceability or priority of any Liens granted to the Bank
under the Loan Documents;
(e) The
proceeds of the Loans will not be used for any purpose that is not permitted
under the Loan Agreement; and
(f) Upon
receipt by the Bank of this loan request, all conditions set forth in Section
6(b) of the Loan Agreement will have been satisfied.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has
caused this loan request to be executed and delivered by its duly Authorized
Officer as of this ___ day of
____________________________
.
EXHIBIT
C
OFFICER'S
CERTIFICATE
_________________________,
a ____________ [corporation] [limited partnership] [limited liability company]
[business trust] is entering into and/or continuing a loan transaction with U.S.
BANK N.A. (the "Bank") pursuant to a loan agreement effective as of even date
herewith (the "Loan Agreement"). In that connection, the undersigned
certifies:
1. Attached
hereto as Schedule 1 is a true copy of the [Articles or Certificate of
Incorporation] [Articles of Partnership or Organization] [Declaration of Trust]
of Borrower on file in the office of the Secretary of State of __________which
has not been modified, rescinded or superceded and remains in full force and
effect as of the date hereof.
2. Attached
hereto as Schedule 2 is a true copy of the duly adopted [By-Laws] [Operating
Agreement] of Borrower, which has not been modified, rescinded or superceded and
remains in full force and effect as of the date hereof.
3. Attached
hereto as Schedule 3 are true copies of certain resolutions authorizing the loan
transactions which were duly adopted by the [Board of Directors] [Managers] of
Borrower, and which have not been amended, rescinded or superceded and remain in
full force and effect as of the date hereof.
4. Borrower
is not a party to any agreement that adversely affects, or would be violated by
its entering into, the loan transactions and any document or instrument related
thereto.
5. The
execution and delivery of such loan facility documents (A) does not violate or
constitute on the part of Borrower a breach or default under (i) any applicable
provision of statutory law or regulations, (ii) any order, judgment or decree of
any court, governmental agency or authority, or (iii) any agreement with any
third party, and (B) does not require the approval or consent of any
governmental body or other person.
6. No
Event of Default (as defined in Section 7 of the Loan Agreement) or any event
which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice, might mature into an
Event of Default has occurred or is continuing as of the date
hereof.
7. The
representations and warranties in Section 4 of the Loan Agreement are true and
correct in all material respects as of the date hereof (except for those limited
to or expressed only as of a prior specific date).
8. The
persons listed below are all the duly elected officers or Borrower and each is
authorized to execute on behalf of Borrower and deliver to the Bank all
documents and instruments described in the aforesaid resolutions of the Borrower
and in Section 6(a)(i) of the Loan Agreement.
Dated as
of ____________, 20___
BORROWER:
_______________________________
By:
Title:
EXHIBIT
D
FORM
OF
OPINION
OF
BORROWER'S
COUNSEL
We have
acted as counsel to
_____________________________
, a
(the
"Borrower"), in connection with a loan in an amount of up to $
being made by
U.S. Bank National Association (the "Bank") to the Borrower in connection with
the Fund (the "Fund"). In this regard, we have examined the following
documents (collectively, the "Loan Documents"):
(i) Loan
Agreement dated as of
between the
Borrower and the Bank (the "Loan Agreement"); and
(ii) Promissory
Note dated as of
given by the
Borrower to the Bank.
On the
basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. The
Borrower is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws
of
and is
registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940.
2. The
Borrower has full power and authority to own its assets and to conduct its
business as a management investment company.
3. The
Fund is a duly created and validly existing Series (as defined in the Loan
Agreement) of the Borrower.
4. The
Borrower has full power and authority to execute the Loan Documents and to
perform its obligations thereunder.
5. The
execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Borrower of its
obligations under, the Loan Documents (a) have been duly authorized by all
necessary action, (b) are not in conflict with and do not violate any provisions
of the Borrower's articles of incorporation, declaration of trust or other
organizational or governing documents, (c) do not violate any law, rule,
regulation, order or decree, and (d) to our knowledge, are not in conflict with
and do not result in any breach or default under any document, instrument or
agreement to which the Borrower is a party.
6. The
Loan Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and
constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Borrower, enforceable
against the Borrower in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement
of remedies, to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium
and other laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and the discretion of
courts in granting equitable remedies.