As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 13, 2007
Securities Act File No. 33-20827
Investment Company Act File No. 811-5518
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | x | ||
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __ | ¨ | ||
Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 | x |
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | x | ||
Amendment No. 115 | x |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
Bellevue Park Corporate Center
103 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, DE 19809
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrants Telephone Number: (302) 791-1112
Copies to:
JAMES SHAW PFPC Inc. 103 Bellevue Parkway Wilmington, DE 19809 |
MICHAEL P. MALLOY, ESQUIRE Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP One Logan Square 18th & Cherry Streets Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996 |
|
(Name and Address of Agent for Service) |
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)
¨ | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
¨ | on pursuant to paragraph (b) |
x | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
¨ | on pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
¨ | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) |
¨ | on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485 |
If appropriate, check the following box:
¨ | This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment. |
Title of Securities Being Registered Shares of Common Stock
Institutional Class
Robeco Investment Funds
of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Prospectus
September 4, 2007
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Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund)
The securities described in this prospectus have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC, however, has not judged these securities for their investment merit and has not determined the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a criminal offense.
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A look at the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund.
Details about the Funds service providers.
Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROBECO INVESTMENT FUND |
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Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) 4 |
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Taxes 21 |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION Back Cover |
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This Prospectus has been written to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in the Institutional Class of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the Company).
Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (Robeco or the Adviser) provides investment advisory services to the Fund. This Prospectus has been organized so that the Fund has its own short section with important facts about the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of the Fund. Once you read the sections about the Fund, read the Purchase of Fund Shares and Redemption of Fund Shares sections. These two sections apply to the Fund offered by this Prospectus.
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ROBECO WPG 130/30 LARGE CAP CORE FUND (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund)
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Growth Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas.
Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.
ADRs: Receipts typically issued by a United States bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities.
Short Sale: A sale by the Fund of a security which has been borrowed from a third party on the expectation that the market price will drop. If the price of the security drops, the Fund will make a profit by purchasing the security in the open market at a lower price than the one at which it sold the security. If the price of the security rises, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss.
Continued on next page
Investment Goal
Long-term growth of capital. The Funds investment goal is not fundamental and may be changed
Primary Investment Strategies
Investments: The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. large capitalization companies that the Adviser believes offer the prospect of capital appreciation. As used in this Prospectus, large cap companies generally means a universe of companies composed of the combination of two well-known large cap benchmarks, the Russell 1000 ® Index and the S&P 500 ® Index. The market capitalization range of the companies represented in Russell 1000 ® Index as of March 31, 2007 was between $0.47 billion and $428.2 billion. The market capitalization of the companies represented in the S&P 500 ® Index as of March 31, 2007 was between $1.49 billion and $428.2 billion. Please note that these ranges are as of a particular point in time and are subject to change. The Fund will notify shareholders in writing at least 60 days prior to any change in its policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets in one or more particular types of securities.
The Advisers Core strategy is an actively managed, large cap core strategy with shorting ability. The investment process utilizes quantitative techniques with fundamental insights . Portfolio construction tools are used to minimize risk, including economic sector selection. The Adviser expects ability to short unattractive stocks (and leverage the portfolio) to allow the Fund to capitalize on a particular securitys anticipated underperformance relative to the Funds benchmark.
In order to remain fully invested and instead of purchasing and selling securities directly, the Fund may invest in exchange traded fund (ETF) securities, and equity index futures, which seek to replicate the price performance and dividend yield of the S&P 500 ® Index and use derivative contracts (such as futures on the S&P 500 ® Index).
The Fund intends to use short sales as a part of its investment strategy. The Adviser will invest in short positions up to generally 30% of the Funds assets. However, the Funds short positions will range between 0% and 50% of the Funds assets. The Adviser will also use short sale proceeds to increase its long position to up to generally 130% of the Funds assets. While the Funds long positions will range between 100% and 150% of the Funds assets, the Fund expects to maintain an approximate net 100% long exposure to the equity market (long market value minus short market value).
The Adviser expects that under normal market conditions, the Fund may maintain a significant short position. The size of the short position will depend on the availability of attractive short investments as well as on the Advisers view of overall market for U.S. equity securities. Short positions are independently viewed by the Adviser as profit opportunities for the Fund as well as tools for risk management.
The Adviser believes that the ability to use short sales and the inherent leverage allows the Fund to take larger active positions against unattractive securities, expand the scope for portfolio diversification and to reduce the impact of mega cap securities in the benchmark.
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Continued from previous page
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market.
Derivatives: A Derivative is an investment whose value is based on or derived from the performance of other securities or interest or currency exchange rates or indices. Derivatives are considered to carry a higher degree of risk than other types of securities.
The Funds long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. Generally, the Fund will not invest more than 10% of its assets in such securities including ADRs.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
Strategies: The Adviser uses quantitative techniques and fundamental insights to analyze a universe of companies included in the Russell 1000® Index, S&P 500® Index, and selected large cap ADRs and Canadian stocks that trade on US exchanges in US dollars. Using a proprietary multi-factor quantitative stock-selection model, the Adviser identifies stocks that the Adviser believes have rising earnings expectations and that trade at low relative valuations when compared to their sector peers. In addition, the Adviser makes use of fundamental investment insights in three areas where the stock-selection model may not identify important information. These three areas are merger activity, litigation and regulation. When fundamental stock research provides insights in these three areas about a particular stock, the Adviser can over-rule the stock selection model. Firmly established through both the quantitative and fundamental research processes, the Adviser believes that these are the stocks that will lead to portfolio out-performance.
Based on this information, and using sophisticated risk measurement tools, the Adviser selects the combination of stocks, together with their appropriate weightings, that it believes will maximize the Funds expected return with the level of risk taken. The Adviser seeks to maintain the market capitalization, sector allocations and style characteristics of the Funds portfolio similar to those of the S&P 500 ® Index.
The portfolio is rebalanced regularly, generally on a bi-weekly basis, to maintain the optimal risk/return trade-off. The Adviser assesses each stocks changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. A stock is sold when the Adviser believes it no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff.
Key Risks
You could lose money on your investment in the Fund or the Fund could underperform other possible investments, including (without limitation) if any of the following occurs:
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The U.S. stock market goes down. |
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Stocks of large capitalization companies temporarily fall out of favor with investors. |
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Companies in which the Fund invests suffer unexpected losses or lower than expected earnings. |
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The Advisers judgment about the attractiveness or potential appreciation of a particular security or sector proves to be wrong. |
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The factors considered by the multi-factor stock-selection model fail to select stocks with better relative performance than those included in the S&P 500 ® Index. |
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Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
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Short sales of securities may result in gains if a securitys price declines, but may result in losses if a securitys price rises. |
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A security held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position it is covering is outstanding, unless it is replaced with a similar security. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Funds assets could impede portfolio management or the Funds ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. |
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Investments in derivative securities may cause the Fund to experience higher losses than a fund which does not invest in derivatives. The market value of derivative instruments is sometimes more volatile than that of other investments, and each type of derivative may pose its own special risks. The successful use of derivative instruments is based on the Advisers ability to correctly anticipate market movements. When the direction of the |
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prices of the Funds securities does not correlate with the changes in the value of these transactions, or when the trading market for derivatives becomes illiquid, the Fund could lose money. |
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ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to the risk that the market for securities that seek to replicate the S&P 500 ® , or the market as a whole, may decline. ETFs may trade at a discount to the aggregate value of the underlying securities. The underlying securities in an ETF may not follow the price movements of an entire industry or sector. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETFs underlying securities is halted. Although expenses ratios for ETFs are generally low, frequent trading of ETFs by the Fund can generate brokerage expenses. |
Risk/Return Information
The bar chart and table below illustrate the long-term performance of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Funds (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) Institutional Class. The performance for periods prior to April 29, 2005 represents the performance of the WPG Large Cap Growth Fund (the Predecessor Fund). The Predecessor Fund began operations on September 11, 1985. On April 29, 2005, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new portfolio of the Company. Prior to the reorganization, the Predecessor Fund offered only one class of shares. In connection with the reorganization, shareholders of the Predecessor Fund exchanged their shares for Institutional Class shares of the Fund.
The bar chart below shows you how the performance of the Funds Institutional Class has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Total Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 19.82% (quarter ended June 30, 1997)
Worst Quarter: (18.97)% (quarter ended September 30, 2001)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
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Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Funds Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past 10 calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and 10 year periods compare with those of broad measures of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns*
(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006) |
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1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) |
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Return Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (1) |
% | % | % | ||||||
S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % | % |
* | The performance record shown in the table for periods prior to December 31, 2003 was achieved under the Predecessor Funds qualitative strategy. |
(1) | The Russell 1000 ® Growth Index contains those securities in the Russell 1000 ® Index with a greater-than-average growth orientation. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 1000 ® Growth Index is $0.47 billion to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. Companies in this index tend to exhibit higher price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, lower dividend yields, and higher forecasted growth rates. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly. |
(2) | Effective September 4, 2007, the Fund changed its benchmark from the Russell 1000 ® Growth Index to the S&P 500 ® Index. The S&P 500 ® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 ® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stocks total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the S&P 500 ® Index is $1.49 billion to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Fund changed benchmarks because the Adviser believes that the S&P 500 ® Index is a more appropriate benchmark against which to measure the Funds performance. |
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Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The table is based on expenses for the Institutional Class of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Institutional Class | |||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
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Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases |
None | ||
Maximum deferred sales charge |
None | ||
Maximum sales charge imposed on reinvested dividends |
None | ||
Redemption Fee (1) |
2.00 | % | |
Exchange Fee |
None | ||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
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Management fees |
0.75 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
None | ||
Other Expenses |
1.04 | % | |
Dividend Expenses on Short Sales (3) |
0.74 | % | |
Total Other Expenses (2) |
1.78 | % | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
2.53 | % | |
Acquired Funds Fees and Expenses (4) |
% | ||
Fee waiver/expense reimbursements (5) |
(0.39 | )% | |
Net expenses |
2.14 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | To prevent the Fund from being adversely affected by the transaction costs associated with short-term shareholder transactions, the Fund will redeem shares at a price equal to the net asset value of the shares, less an additional transaction fee equal to 2.00% of the net asset value of all such shares redeemed that have been held for 60 days. Such fees are not sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, but are retained by the Fund for the benefit of all shareholders. |
(2) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency, and miscellaneous other charges and shareholder services fees. The Fund may pay shareholder services fees (which are included in Other expenses) up to a maximum of 0.25% of the Funds average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Shares, but estimates that shareholder servicing fees will not be more than 0.02% during the current fiscal year. |
(3) | Other expenses and Total annual Fund operating expenses also include dividends on securities which the Fund has sold short (short-sale dividends). Short-sale dividends generally reduce the market value of the securities by the amount of the dividend declared; thus increasing the Funds unrealized gain or reducing the Funds unrealized loss on the securities sold short. Short-sale dividends are treated as an expense and increase the Funds total expense ratio, although no cash is received or paid by the Fund. The amount of short sale dividends was 0.74% of average net assets for the most recent fiscal year. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(4) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(5) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 2.14% (excluding short-sale dividend expenses) of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Institutional Class |
$ | 346 | $ | 569 | $ | 1,133 | $ | 2,670 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information of the Fund (including the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to April 29, 2005) for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions). The information for the period January 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005 and the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 has been audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. The information for the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 was audited by KPMG LLP, the Predecessor Funds independent registered public accounting firm, whose report on the financial statements included in the Predecessor Funds annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 is incorporated by reference into the SAI.
130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period
September 1, 2006 through February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the Period
2005 to
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For the
Year Ended December 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2002 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2001 |
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Institutional Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
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Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 22.27 | $ | 23.36 | $ | 23.10 | $ | 25.27 | $ | 19.16 | $ | 26.46 | $ | 33.60 | ||||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
(0.01 | ) | (0.01 | ) | (0.07 | ) | | | | (0.01 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
1.86 | 1.42 | 0.33 | 0.93 | 6.11 | (7.30 | ) | (6.86 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
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Net investment income |
| | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(2.21 | ) | (2.50 | ) | | (3.10 | ) | | | (0.27 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(2.21 | ) | (2.50 | ) | | (3.10 | ) | | | (0.27 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 21.91 | $ | 22.27 | $ | 23.36 | $ | 23.10 | $ | 25.27 | $ | 19.16 | $ | 26.46 | ||||||||||||||
Total investment return (4) |
8.28 | % | 6.10 | % | 1.13 | % | 3.82 | % | 31.89 | % | (27.59 | )% | (20.45 | )% | ||||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
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Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 18,185 | $ | 18,935 | $ | 20,626 | $ | 26,222 | $ | 52,355 | $ | 43,412 | $ | 74,931 | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.40 | % (5) | 1.40 | % (2) | 1.40 | % (2)(3) | 1.40 | % | 1.44 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.14 | % | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (including dividend expenses) |
1.94 | % (5) | 1.79 | % | 2.08 | % (3) | 1.50 | % | 1.44 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.14 | % | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets |
(0.10 | )% (5) | (0.06 | )% | (0.42 | )% (3) | (0.06 | )% | (0.52 | )% | (0.42 | )% | (0.11 | )% | ||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
46.30 | % | 93.80 | % | 100.01 | % | 138.70 | % | 126.80 | % | 107.90 | % | 56.40 | % |
(1) | For the period January 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005. |
(2) | Excludes the effects of fees paid indirectly. Had such offsets been included, the ratio would not differ. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first date and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reports and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(5) | Annualized. |
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MORE ABOUT THE FUNDS INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
This section provides some additional information about the Funds investments and certain portfolio management techniques that the Fund may use. More information about the Funds investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is
More About the Funds Principal Investments and Risks
Derivative Contracts. The Fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts for any of the following purposes:
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To seek to hedge against the possible adverse impact of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates in the market value of its securities or securities to be bought; |
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As a substitute for buying or selling currencies or securities; or |
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To seek to enhance the Funds return in non-hedging situations. |
Examples of derivative contracts include: futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward foreign currency contracts; and interest rate or currency swaps. A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the Fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment that is based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the Funds stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Funds holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities in that the counterparty may default on its payment obligations or become insolvent. Derivatives can also make the Fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.
Short Sales. The Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund will engage in short sales including those that are not against the box, which means that the Fund may make short sales where the Fund does not currently own or have the right to acquire, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In a typical short sale, the Fund borrows from a broker a security in order to sell the security to a third party. The Fund is then obligated to return a security of the same issuer and quantity at some future date. The Fund realizes a loss to the extent the security increases in value or a profit to the extent the security declines in value (after taking into account any associated costs). Short sales against the box may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not against the box involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Funds loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited.
Equity Investments. The Fund may invest in all types of equity securities. Equity securities include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and REITs, and equity participations.
Fixed Income Investments. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in fixed income securities. Fixed income investments include bonds, notes (including structured notes), mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments. Fixed income securities may be issued by corporate and governmental issuers and may have all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including (without limitation) fixed rate, adjustable rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred, payment-in-kind and auction rate features.
The credit quality of securities held in the Funds portfolio is determined at the time of investment. If a security is rated differently by multiple ratings organizations, the Fund treats the security as being rated in the higher rating category. The Fund may choose not to sell securities that are downgraded below the Funds minimum accepted credit rating after their purchase.
Foreign Securities. The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated or traded securities of foreign issuers. Investments in securities of foreign entities and securities denominated or traded in foreign currencies involve special risks. These include possible political and economic instability and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other restrictions on investments. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of the Funds assets denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Emerging market investments offer
11
the potential for significant gains but also involve greater risks than investing in more developed countries. Political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity and government actions such as currency controls or seizure of private business or property may be more likely in emerging markets.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued by private companies or by agencies of the U.S. Government. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participation in, or are collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property.
Certain debt instruments may only pay principal at maturity or may only represent the right to receive payments of principal or payments of interest on underlying pools of mortgage or government securities, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more drastically than debt securities that pay both principal and interest during periods of changing interest rates. Principal only mortgage-backed securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk. The Fund may obtain a below market yield or incur a loss on such instruments during periods of declining interest rates. Interest only instruments are particularly subject to extension risk. Mortgage derivatives and structural securities often employ features that have the effect of leverage. As a result, small changes in interest or prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements, especially compared to an investment in a security that is not leveraged. Mortgage derivatives can also become illiquid and hard to value in declining markets.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in ETFs. ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. In general, ETFs seek to track a specified securities index or a basket of securities that an index provider, such as Standard & Poors, selects as representative of a market, market segment or industry sector. An ETF portfolio generally holds the same stocks or bonds as the index it tracks or it may hold a representative sample of such securities. Thus an ETF is designed so that its performance will correspond closely with that of the index it tracks. As a shareholder in an ETF, the Fund will bear its pro rata portion of an ETFs expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies not affiliated with the Adviser, but may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company or acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company. Among other things, the Fund may invest in money market mutual funds for cash management purposes by sweeping excess cash balances into such funds until the cash is invested or otherwise utilized. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by investment companies in which it invests in addition to the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading may also increase transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds performance.
Securities Lending. The Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio securities loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by the Fund will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Funds total assets. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.
Temporary Investments. The Fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment goal.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Funds complete long positions are publicly available on the Advisers website at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 30 days following the quarter end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Fund files with the SEC its semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Companys policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds portfolio securities is available in the Funds SAI.
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The Adviser is located at 909 Third Avenue, 31 st Floor, New York, New York 10022, provides investment advisory services to the Fund. Robeco is a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (Robeco Groep). Effective January 1, 2007, Weiss, Peck and Greer Investments (WPG), the former entity that provided investment advisory services to the Fund merged into and with Robeco USA, Inc., with Robeco USA, Inc. remaining as the surviving entity. All employees of WPG are employees of the surviving entity as of that date. In addition, effective January 1, 2007, Robeco USA, Inc., which had been doing business under the name Robeco Investment Management, officially changed its name to Robeco Investment Management, Inc. Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep is one of the worlds oldest asset management organizations.
The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to investment companies and other institutional and proprietary accounts. As of June 29, 2007, Robeco Groep, through its investment management subsidiaries, had approximately $29 billion in assets under management.
Subject to the general supervision of the Companys Board of Directors, the Adviser manages the Funds portfolio and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds investment objective and policies.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Companys Board of Directors approval of the Funds investment advisory agreement with the Adviser is available in the Funds annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2006.
The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Advisers general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers ownership of securities in the Funds.
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund)
Easton Ragsdale and Peter Albanese serve as co-portfolio managers of the Fund and are co-Heads of Quantitative Equities of Robeco. Since 2003, Mr. Ragsdale has served as a managing director of Robeco. Prior thereto, Mr. Ragsdale was the managing director and associate head of equity at State Street Research & Management Co. Since 2003, Mr. Albanese has also served as a managing director and principal of Robeco. Prior thereto, Mr. Albanese served as senior vice president of US Trust Co. of New York. All portfolio management responsibilities are shared between Mr. Ragsdale and Mr. Albanese. Each of the co-managers has specific sectors for which he is responsible.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Funds Institutional class of shares paid 0.75% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
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The following chart shows the Funds service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.
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Institutional Class shares of the Fund (Shares) are priced at their net asset value (NAV). The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:
Value of Assets Attributable to the Institutional Class | ||
NAV = |
Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Institutional Class | |
Number of Outstanding Shares of the Institutional Class |
The Funds NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Fund will effect purchases of Fund shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of your order or request in proper form. The Fund will effect redemptions of Fund shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt of your order in proper form.
The Funds equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ). Equity securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of greater than 60 days are valued using an independent pricing service. When prices are not available from such services or are deemed to be unreliable, securities may be valued by dealers who make markets in such securities. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If the Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Funds NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Funds portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.
If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Companys Board of Directors. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Companys Board of Directors. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.
Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).
In accordance with the policy adopted by the Companys Board of Directors, the Company discourages market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests from any investor. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise their right if, in the Companys (or the Advisers) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investors trading, in the judgment of the Company or the Adviser, has been or may be disruptive to the Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.
To deter excessive shareholder trading, the Fund generally charges a redemption fee of 2% on shares redeemed within 60 days of purchase. In addition, the Fund generally limits the number of exchanges to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the sections titled Shareholder Information-Redemption of Fund Shares and Shareholder Information-Exchange Privilege.
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Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investors account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in the Advisers judgment, will be uniform. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.
If necessary, the Company may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers trading activities in the Company. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Company. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Companys excessive trading policies, the Company may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.
The Board of Directors of the Company has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the Plan) for the Funds Institutional Class shares authorizing the Fund to pay securities dealers, plan administrators or other service organizations (Service Organizations) who agree to provide certain shareholder and administrative services to plans or plan participants holding Institutional Class shares of the Fund a service fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net asset value of Institutional Class Shares beneficially owned by such plan participants. The services provided under the Plan include acting as a shareholder of record, processing purchase and redemption orders, maintaining participant account records and answering participant questions regarding the Fund. Please find more information on Service Organizations under the section entitled Purchase of Fund Shares Purchases through Intermediaries in this Prospectus.
Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered continuously for sale by PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor).
Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Fund may also be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, Service Organizations). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company or its agent and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Companys pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, PFPC Inc. (the Transfer Agent) will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the Funds NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.
The Company relies upon the integrity of Service Organizations to ensure that orders are timely and properly submitted. The Fund cannot assure you that a Service Organization properly submitted to it all purchase and redemption orders received from the Service Organizations customers before the time for determination of the Funds NAV in order to obtain that days price.
For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the Service Fee) of the average annual net asset value of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organization or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service
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Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.
General. You may also purchase Shares of the Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form as described below. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment and the minimum additional investment in the Fund is $100,000 and $100, respectively. Shareholders of the Fund prior to April 29, 2005 will not be subject to the minimum initial investment requirement with respect to accounts held in such shareholders record names prior to such date. The minimum initial investment requirement for such shareholders will be $2,500.
The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can only purchase Shares of the Fund on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.
Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing the application included with this Prospectus and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check ($100,000 minimum) payable to the Fund. Third party checks will not be accepted.
Regular Mail: | Overnight Mail: | |
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund | Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund | |
c/o PFPC Inc. |
c/o PFPC Inc. |
|
P.O. Box 9816 |
101 Sabin Street |
|
Providence, RI 02940 |
Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 |
The name of the Fund to be purchased should be designated on the application and should appear on the check. Payment for the purchase of Shares received by mail will be credited to a shareholders account at the NAV per share of the Fund next determined after receipt of payment in good order.
Initial Investment By Wire. Shares of the Fund may be purchased by wiring federal funds to PNC Bank, N.A. (see instructions below). A completed application must be forwarded to the Transfer Agent at the address noted above under Initial Investment by Mail in advance of the wire. For the Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. (Prior notification must also be received from investors with existing accounts.) Request account information and routing instructions by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. Fund should be wired to:
PNC Bank, N.A.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
ABA# 0310-0005-3
Account # 86-1108-2507
F/B/O Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
Ref. (Account Number)
Shareholder or Account Name
Federal funds wire purchases will be accepted only on days when the NYSE and PNC Bank, N.A. are open for business.
Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $100) by purchasing Shares of the Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under Initial Investment by Mail (payable to Robeco [name of Fund]) or by wiring monies to PNC Bank, N.A. as outlined under Initial Investment by Wire. For the Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. Initial and additional purchases made by check cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days.
Automatic Investment Plan. Additional investments in Shares of the Fund may be made automatically by authorizing the Transfer Agent to withdraw funds from your bank account through an Automatic Investment Plan ($50 minimum). Investors desiring to participate in an Automatic Investment Plan should call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073.
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Retirement Plans. Shares may be purchased in conjunction with individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and rollover IRAs where Mellon Bank N.A. acts as custodian for the Fund. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. For further information as to applications and annual fees, contact the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. To determine whether the benefits of an IRA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax advisor.
Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Fund. Subject to Board of Directors discretion, the Adviser will monitor the Funds total assets and may decide to close the Fund at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of the Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Funds strategy. Subject to Board of Directors discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Funds size recur. If the Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:
a. | Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company; |
b. | Existing and future clients of financial advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund; |
c. | Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children; and |
d. | Directors of the Company. |
Other persons who are shareholders of other Robeco Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board of Directors discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.
Purchases of the Funds Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.
The Companys officers are authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.
Good Order. You must include complete and accurate required information on your purchase request. Please see Purchase of Fund Shares for instructions. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.
Customer Identification Program. Federal law requires the Company to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which may include the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Company. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, may not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Company reserves the right (a) to place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (b) to refuse an investment in a Company portfolio or to involuntarily redeem an investors Shares and close an account in the event that an investors identity is not verified. The Company and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investors account resulting from the investors delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investors Shares when an investors identity cannot be verified.
Normally, your investment firm will send your request to redeem Shares to the Funds transfer agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund Shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name. All IRA shareholders must complete an IRA withdrawal form to redeem shares from their IRA account.
You may redeem Shares of the Fund at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form. You can only redeem Shares on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.
You may redeem Shares of the Fund by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone (excluding retirement accounts where Mellon Bank N.A. acts as custodian for the Fund). The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by the Fund. There is generally no
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charge for a redemption. In addition, with the exception of defined contribution plans, if a shareholder of the Fund redeems Shares held for less than 60 days, a transaction fee of 2% of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. For purposes of this redemption feature, Shares purchased first will be considered to be Shares first redeemed.
Redemption By Mail. Your redemption requests should be addressed to Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund , c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940; for overnight delivery, requests should be addressed to Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund , c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 and must include:
a. | Name of the Fund; |
b. | Account number; |
c. | Your Share certificates, if any, properly endorsed or with proper powers of attorney; |
d. | A letter of instruction specifying the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the Shares in the exact names in which they are registered; |
e. | Medallion signature guarantees are required when (i) the redemption proceeds are to be sent to someone other than the registered shareholder(s) or (ii) the redemption request is for $10,000 or more. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association who are participants in a Medallion Program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized Medallion Programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Program (MSP). Signature guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable; and |
f. | Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations. |
Redemption By Telephone. In order to request a telephone redemption, you must have returned your account application containing a telephone election. To add a telephone redemption option to an existing account, contact the Transfer Agent by calling (888) 261-4073. Please note that IRA accounts are not eligible for telephone redemptions.
Once you are authorized to utilize the telephone redemption option, a redemption of Shares may be requested by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed to the primary registration address or wired per the authorized instructions. A wire charge of $7.50 is assessed and charged to the shareholder. If the telephone redemption option or the telephone exchange option is authorized, the Transfer Agent may act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be a shareholder and believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Transfer Agents records of such instructions are binding and shareholders, not the Company or the Transfer Agent, bear the risk of loss in the event of unauthorized instructions reasonably believed by the Company or the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Company and the Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated are genuine and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The procedures employed by the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection with transactions initiated by telephone include tape recording of telephone instructions and requiring some form of personal identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your account has a value of at least $10,000, you may establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and receive regular periodic payments. A request to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan must be submitted in writing to the Transfer Agent at P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940. Each withdrawal redemption will be processed on or about the 25th of the month and mailed as soon as possible thereafter. There are no service charges for maintenance; the minimum amount that you may withdraw each period is $50. (This is merely the minimum amount allowed and should not be mistaken for a recommended amount.) The holder of a Systematic Withdrawal Plan will have any income dividends and any capital gains distributions reinvested in full and fractional shares at NAV. To provide funds for payment, Shares will be redeemed in such amounts as are necessary at the redemption price. The systematic withdrawal of Shares may reduce or possibly exhaust the Shares in your account, particularly in the event of a market decline. As with other redemptions, a systematic withdrawal payment is a sale for federal income tax purposes. Payments made pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan cannot be considered as actual yield or income since part of such payments may be a return of capital.
You will ordinarily not be allowed to make additional investments of less than the aggregate annual withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan during the time you have the plan in effect and, while a Systematic Withdrawal
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Plan is in effect, you may not make periodic investments under the Automatic Investment Plan. You will receive a confirmation of each transaction and the Share and cash balance remaining in your plan. The plan may be terminated on written notice by the shareholder or by a Fund and will terminate automatically if all Shares are liquidated or withdrawn from the account or upon the death or incapacity of the shareholder. You may change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments or suspend such payments by giving written notice to the Funds transfer agent at least ten Business Days prior to the end of the month preceding a scheduled payment.
Transaction Fee on Certain Redemptions of the Fund. The Fund requires the payment of a transaction fee on redemption of Shares held for less than 60 days equal to 2.00% of the NAV of such Shares redeemed at the time of redemption. This additional transaction fee is paid to the Fund, NOT to the Adviser, Distributor or Transfer Agent. It is NOT a sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge. The fee does not apply to defined contribution plans or to redeemed Shares that were purchased through reinvested dividends or capital gain distributions. The additional transaction fee is intended to limit short-term trading in the Fund or, to the extent that short-term trading persists, to impose the costs of that type of activity on the shareholders who engage in it. These costs include: (i) brokerage costs; (ii) market impact costs i.e., the decrease in market prices which may result when the Fund sells certain securities in order to raise cash to meet the redemption request; (iii) the realization of capital gains by the other shareholders in the Fund; and (iv) the effect of the bid-ask spread in the over-the-counter market. The transaction fee represents each Funds estimate of the brokerage and other transaction costs which may be incurred by the Fund in disposing of stocks in which the Fund may invest. Without the additional transaction fee, the Fund would generally be selling its shares at a price less than the cost to the Fund of acquiring the portfolio securities necessary to maintain its investment characteristics, resulting in reduced investment performance for all shareholders in the Fund. With the additional transaction fee, the transaction costs of selling additional stocks are not borne by all existing shareholders, but the source of funds for these costs is the transaction fee paid by those investors making redemptions of the Fund. The Fund reserve the right, at its discretion, to waive, modify or terminate the additional transaction fee.
The Fund will use the first-in, first-out method to determine your holding period. Under this method, the date of redemption or exchange will be compared with the earliest purchase date of Shares held in your account. The short-term redemption fee will be assessed on the net asset value of those Shares calculated at the time the redemption is effected.
Involuntary Redemption. The Fund reserves the right to redeem a shareholders account in the Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in the Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed. The transaction fee applicable to the Fund will not be charged when Shares are involuntarily redeemed.
Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Fund recently purchased by check may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.
Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.
If the Board of Directors determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by the Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in payment of redemptions. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.
Proper Form. You must include complete and accurate required information on your redemption request. Please see Redemption of Fund Shares for instructions. Redemption requests not in proper form may be delayed.
The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. A shareholder may exchange Institutional Class Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund for Institutional Class Shares of another Robeco Investment Fund, up to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). Such an
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exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Institutional Class Shares and the NAV of the Institutional Class Shares to be acquired next determined after PFPCs receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Shares of the Fund held for less than 60 days (with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains) will be subject to a transaction fee of 2.00%. An exchange of Shares will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see Redemption by Telephone above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations, including any applicable redemption fee.
If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Institutional Class Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See Redemption by Mail for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days written notice to shareholders.
If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into a new account in the Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Funds minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the shares must equal or exceed the Funds minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.
The Funds exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Fund and increase transaction costs, the Fund has established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Shareholders are entitled to six (6) exchange redemptions (one exchange per calendar month) from the Fund during any twelve-month period. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Robeco Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.
The Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.
The Fund will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Ordinary income for the Fund, in certain circumstances, may be qualified dividend income taxable to individual shareholders at a maximum 15% U.S. federal income tax rate as described below. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Fund at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to Robecos website at www.robecoinvest.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.
The Fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.
The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.
Federal Taxes. The Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.
Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of the Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 15%. You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.
Distributions of qualifying dividends will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of the Fund (other than net capital gain)
21
consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or qualified foreign corporations (qualifying dividends), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of the Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Funds ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of the Funds distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Funds securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or non-qualified foreign corporations.
Distributions from the Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by the Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
A portion of distributions paid by the Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.
If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This is known as buying into a dividend.
Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you sell or exchange them. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you should retain your account statements for the periods during which you held shares.)
Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under wash sale rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.
IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable.
Backup Withholding. The Fund may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are exempt recipients. The current withholding rate is 28%.
U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Distributions by the Fund to a nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a foreign shareholder) will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a lower treaty rate), unless one of the following exceptions applies. Withholding will not apply if a distribution paid by the Fund to a foreign shareholder is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder, in which case the reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of capital gains (aside from capital gains on REIT shares) are not subject to withholding tax, but in the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, such distributions ordinarily may be subject to U.S. income tax if the individual is physically present in the U.S. for more than 182 days during the taxable year. In addition, foreign shareholders who are prepared to file U.S. federal income tax returns should generally be able to obtain a refund of any withholding taxes deducted from distributions attributable to interest earned by the Fund from U.S. sources.
State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Funds distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest
22
on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
Sunset of Tax Provisions. Some of the tax provisions described above are subject to sunset provisions. Specifically, a sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain rate and the taxation of dividends at the long-term capital gain rate will change after 2010. Additionally, the provision exempting foreign shareholders from tax on distributions of short-term capital gains and portfolio interest is scheduled to sunset for the Funds taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.
More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.
The Fund also offers Investor Class Shares, which are offered directly to individual investors in a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of the Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Institutional Class Shares of the Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Investor Class Shares of the Fund. Information concerning other classes of the Fund can be requested by calling the Fund at (888) 261-4073.
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
23
ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS |
(I NSTITUTIONAL C LASS )
A CCOUNT A PPLICATION
Please Note: Do not use this form to open a retirement plan account. For an IRA application or help with this Application, please call 1-888-261-4073.
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
2 Address Information:
|
Residency Address**: (you must provide a street address) | |||
STREET APARTMENT NUMBER | ||||
CITY STATE ZIP CODE | ||||
DAY PHONE NUMBER EVENING PHONE NUMBER | ||||
Joint owner or Minors residency address | ||||
STREET APARTMENT NUMBER | ||||
CITY STATE ZIP CODE | ||||
**Identity Verification Procedures Notice. The USA PATRIOT ACT requires financial institutions, including mutual funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of all investors opening new accounts. When completing the New Account Application, you will be required to supply the Fund with certain information for all persons owning or permitted to act on an account, that will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. This includes date of birth, taxpayer identification number and street address. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a customers identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct. |
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
4
Systematic Withdrawal Plan: |
To select this portion please fill out the information below: | |||||||
Amount $ Startup Month | ||||||||
A minimum account value of $ 10,000 in a single account is required to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan. Payments will be made on or near the 25th of the month. |
Frequency: q Annually q Monthly q Quarterly |
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Please check one of the following options: Please mail checks to Address of Record (Named in Section 2)
Please electronically credit my Bank of Record (Named in Section 6) |
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5
Telephone Exchange and Redemption: |
To use this option, you must initial the appropriate line below.
I authorize the Transfer Agent to accept instructions from any persons to redeem or exchange shares in my account(s) by telephone in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Funds current prospectus. |
|||||||
Individual initial | joint initial |
Redeem shares, and send the proceeds to the address of record. |
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Individual initial | joint initial |
Exchange shares for shares of Robeco Investment Funds. |
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6 Automatic Investment Plan: |
The Automatic Investment Plan which is available to shareholders of the Fund, makes possible regularly scheduled purchases of Fund shares to allow dollar-cost averaging. The Funds Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund.
Please debit $ (minimum $50) from my checking account (named below) on or about the 20th of the month. |
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Please attach an unsigned, voided check. | ||||||||
q Monthly q Quarterly q Annually |
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS
of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
(888) 261-4073
http://www.robecoinvest.com
This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Robeco Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:
Annual/SemiAnnual Reports
These reports contain additional information about the Funds investments, describe the Funds performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds performance during their last fiscal year. The annual and
Statement of Additional Information
An SAI, dated September 4, 2007, has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Robeco Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semiannual reports, by calling (888) 261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus). The SAI is not available on the Advisers website because a copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.
Shareholder Inquiries
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern time)
Purchases and Redemptions
Call (888) 261-4073.
Written Correspondence
Street Address:
Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427
P.O. Box Address:
Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940
Securities and Exchange Commission
You may also view and copy information about the Company and the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or the EDGAR Database on the SECs Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by sending your written request and a duplicating fee to the SECs Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 81105518
Investor Class
Robeco Investment Funds
of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Prospectus
September 4, 2007
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Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
The securities described in this prospectus have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC, however, has not judged these securities for their investment merit and has not determined the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a criminal offense.
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A look at the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Robeco Investment Funds.
Details about the Robeco Investment Funds service providers.
Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in any of the Robeco Investment Funds.
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS |
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Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) 38 |
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS |
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SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION |
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Taxes 58 |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION Back Cover |
2
This Prospectus has been written to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in the Investor Class of the Robeco Investment Funds of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the Company).
The mutual funds of the Company offered by this prospectus represent interests in the Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (collectively, the Boston Partners Funds), Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund and Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) (together the WPG Funds) (the Boston Partners Funds and the WPG Funds are collectively referred to as the Funds). Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (Robeco or the Adviser) provides investment advisory services to the Funds.
This Prospectus has been organized so that each Fund has its own short section with important facts about the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of the particular Fund. Once you read the sections about the Funds, read the Purchase of Fund Shares and Redemption of Fund Shares sections. These two sections apply to all the Funds offered by this Prospectus.
Currently, the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund is closed to new and existing shareholders, except defined contribution plans (excluding IRA accounts) currently invested in the Fund. Please read Other Purchase Information beginning on page 54 for more information.
3
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS LARGE CAP VALUE FUND
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Value Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time.
Earnings Growth:
The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts
Investment Goals
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its goals by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks, of issuers with a market capitalization of $1 billion or greater and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. The Fund will notify shareholders 60 days in advance of any change to this policy.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuers operating and financial fundamentals, such as return on equity and earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (IPO). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public.
In general, the Funds investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Funds assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Key Risks
|
At least 80% of the Funds net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (NAV) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. |
|
Investors may lose money. |
|
Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
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The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a percentage of its total assets, without limitation, in cash or various U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities. When the Funds assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. |
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International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. |
4
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If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Funds performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 125%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Funds performance. |
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IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
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Investing in illiquid securities is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
Risk/Return Information
The chart below illustrates the long-term performance of the Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Funds Investor Class. The information shows you how the Funds performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31:
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 14.95% (quarter ended June 30, 2003)
Worst Quarter: (18.14)% (quarter ended September 30, 2000)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
5
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares average annual total returns of the Funds Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and since inception periods compare with those of broad measures of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
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1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (1) | |||||||
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund |
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Return Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 1000 ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (3) |
% | % | % |
(1) | Commenced operations on January 16, 1997. |
(2) | The S&P 500 ® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 ® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stocks total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the S&P 500 ® Index is $1.49 billion to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. |
(3) | The Russell 1000 ® Value Index is not the primary benchmark of the Fund. Results of the indexs performance are presented for general comparative purposes. The Russell 1000 ® Value Index is an unmanaged index composed of the 1,000 largest securities in the Russell 3000 ® Index as ranked by total market capitalization. This index is segmented into growth and value categories. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 1000 ® Value Index is $936 million to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 1000 ® Value Index contains stocks from the Russell 3000 ® with less than average growth orientation. Companies in this index generally have low price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth values. The Russell 1000 ® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation. |
6
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The table is based on expenses for the Investor Class of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
0.60 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other Expenses (1) |
0.62 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (2) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
1.47 | % | |
Fee waivers (3) |
(0.47 | )% | |
Net expenses |
1.00 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(2) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(3) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 1.00% of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 102 | $ | 420 | $ | 761 | $ | 1,724 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
7
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from the Funds financial statements audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
Large Cap Value Fund |
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For the
Period Ended February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2002 |
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Investor Class |
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Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 14.77 | $ | 15.22 | $ | 12.86 | $ | 11.01 | $ | 10.50 | $ | 13.73 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income |
0.19 | * | 0.13 | * | 0.08 | * | 0.05 | * | 0.07 | * | 0.04 | * | ||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
1.25 | 1.57 | 2.36 | 1.88 | 0.57 | (1.56 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.13 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.04 | ) | (0.10 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(1.24 | ) | (2.02 | ) | | | (0.09 | ) | (1.61 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(1.37 | ) | (2.15 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.13 | ) | (1.71 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 14.84 | $ | 14.77 | $ | 15.22 | $ | 12.86 | $ | 11.01 | $ | 10.50 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) |
9.68 | % | 12.14 | % | 19.04 | % | 17.53 | % | 6.22 | % | (12.87 | )% | ||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 24,775 | $ | 21,114 | $ | 12,827 | $ | 8,112 | $ | 5,116 | $ | 7,893 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.00 | % (2) | 1.11 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without
|
1.33 | % (2) | 1.46 | % | 1.61 | % | 1.47 | % | 1.66 | % | 1.61 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income to average
|
0.93 | % (2) | 0.87 | % | 0.53 | % | 0.43 | % | 0.66 | % | 0.37 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
27.11 | % | 58.04 | % | 76.91 | % | 47.21 | % | 81.13 | % | 88.65 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and will include reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Annualized. |
8
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS MID CAP VALUE FUND
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Value Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time.
Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.
Investment Goals
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its goals by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks, of issuers with medium market capitalizations and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. A medium market capitalization issuer generally is considered to be one whose market capitalization is, at the time the Fund makes the investment, similar to the market capitalization of companies in the Russell Midcap ® Value Index, which is comprised of those companies in the Russell Midcap ® Index with lower price to book ratios and lower forecasted growth values and with a market capitalization range, as of March 31, 2007, between $936 million and $22.1 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Fund will notify shareholders 60 days in advance of any change in the 80% policy stated above.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuers operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, and earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (IPO). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public.
In general, the Funds investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Funds assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Key Risks
|
At least 80% of the Funds net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (NAV) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. |
|
Investors may lose money. |
|
Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
|
International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. |
|
The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a percentage of its total assets, without limitation, in cash or various U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The value of money market instruments tends to |
9
fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities. When the Funds assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. |
|
If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Funds performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 150%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Funds performance. |
|
IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
|
Investing in illiquid securities is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
|
Securities of companies with mid-size capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because mid cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid mid cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies. |
Risk/Return Information
The chart below illustrates the long-term performance of the Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Funds Investor Class. The information shows you how the Funds performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 18.74% (quarter ended June 30, 2003)
Worst Quarter: (20.89)% (quarter ended September 30, 1998)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
10
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five years and since inception to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and since inception periods compare with those of broad measures of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (1) | |||||||
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund |
|||||||||
Returns Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 2500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) (4) |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 2500 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (3) (4) |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell Midcap ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (4) |
% | % | % |
(1) | Commenced operations on June 2, 1997. |
(2) | The Russell 2500 Index is an unmanaged index (with no defined investment objective) of common stocks, includes reinvestment of dividends and is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 2500 Index is $25 million to $9.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. |
(3) | The Russell 2500 Value Index contains stocks from the Russell 2500 Index with less than average growth orientation. Companies in this index generally have low price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth values. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 2500 Value Index is $25 million to $9.3 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 2500 Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation. |
(4) | The Russell Midcap ® Value Index contains stocks from the Russell Midcap ® Index with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell Midcap ® Value Index is $936 million to $22.1 billion. Please note this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Fund has changed the benchmark indices from the Russell 2500 Index and Russell 2500 Value Index to the Russell Midcap ® Value Index because the Russell Midcap ® Value Index more appropriately reflects the types of securities held in the Funds portfolio and provides better comparative performance information. |
11
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The table is based on expenses for the Investor Class of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
0.80 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other expenses (1) |
0.58 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (2) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
1.63 | % | |
Fee waivers (3) |
(0.38 | )% | |
Net expenses |
1.25 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(2) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(3) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 1.25% of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 127 | $ | 478 | $ | 853 | $ | 1,907 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
12
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from the Funds financial statements audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
Mid Cap Value Fund | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Period Ended February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2002 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 12.81 | $ | 13.80 | $ | 13.02 | $ | 11.43 | $ | 9.58 | $ | 12.43 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
| (2) | (0.01 | )* | | (2) | (0.02 | )* | 0.02 | * | (0.02 | )* | ||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
2.06 | 0.87 | 3.13 | 1.65 | 1.83 | (0.94 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
| | | (0.04 | ) | | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(4.06 | ) | (1.85 | ) | (2.35 | ) | | | (1.86 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(4.06 | ) | (1.85 | ) | (2.35 | ) | (0.04 | ) | | (1.89 | ) | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 10.81 | $ | 12.81 | $ | 13.80 | $ | 13.02 | $ | 11.43 | $ | 9.58 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) |
17.22 | % | 6.59 | % | 25.47 | % | 14.08 | % | 19.31 | % | (9.26 | )% | ||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 9,799 | $ | 5,334 | $ | 4,462 | $ | 2,819 | $ | 3,159 | $ | 6,232 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.25 | % (3) | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.25 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements |
1.83 | % (3) | 1.70 | % | 1.56 | % | 1.51 | % | 1.65 | % | 1.57 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
0.05 | % (3) | (0.04 | )% | (0.22 | )% | (0.18 | )% | 0.21 | % | (0.18 | )% | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
39.84 | % | 97.30 | % | 74.08 | % | 67.40 | % | 77.87 | % | 99.23 | % |
* | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and will include reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Amount is less than $0.01 per share. |
(3) | Annualized. |
13
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Value Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time.
Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.
Investment Goals
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its goals by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks, of issuers with small market capitalizations and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. A small market capitalization issuer generally is considered to be one whose market capitalization is, at the time the Fund makes the investment, similar to the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000 ® Value Index, which is comprised of the 2000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000 ® Index and with a market capitalization range, as of March 31, 2007, between $25 million and $3.8 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Fund will notify shareholders 60 days in advance of any change in the 80% policy stated above.
The Fund generally invests in the equity securities of small companies. The Adviser will seek to invest in companies it considers to be well managed and to have attractive fundamental financial characteristics. The Adviser believes greater potential for price appreciation exists among small companies since they tend to be less widely followed by other securities analysts and thus may be more likely to be undervalued by the market. The Fund may invest from time to time a portion of its assets, not to exceed 20% (under normal conditions) at the time of purchase, in companies with larger market capitalizations.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuers operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar-denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (IPOs). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public.
In general, the Funds investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Funds assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Key Risks
|
At least 80% of the Funds net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (NAV) of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. |
|
Investors may lose money. |
|
Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
14
|
The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a percentage of its total assets, without limitation, in cash or various U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities. When the Funds assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. |
|
International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. |
|
The Fund will invest in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than $1.5 billion. Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market values greater than $1.5 billion and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle. |
|
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests will often be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the pink sheets, and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Advisers judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
|
If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Funds performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 175%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Funds performance. |
|
Investing in illiquid securities is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
|
IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
15
Risk/Return Information
The chart below illustrates the long-term performance of the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund IIs Investor Class. The information shows you how the Funds performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 29.19% (quarter ended June 30, 2003)
Worst Quarter: (21.19)% (quarter ended September 30, 2002)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
16
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (1) | |||||||
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II |
|||||||||
Returns Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 2000 ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % | % |
(1) | Commenced operations on July 1, 1998. |
(2) | The Russell 2000 ® Value Index is an unmanaged index that contains stocks from the Russell 2000 ® Index with less than average growth orientation. Companies in this index generally have low price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, higher dividend yields and lower forecasted growth values. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 2000 ® Value Index is $25 million to $3.8 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 2000 ® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation. |
17
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The table is based upon expenses for the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases |
None | ||
Maximum deferred sales charge |
None | ||
Maximum sales charge imposed on reinvested dividends |
None | ||
Redemption Fee (1) |
1.00 | % | |
Exchange Fee |
None | ||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
1.25 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other Expenses (2) |
0.28 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (3) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
1.78 | % | |
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements (4) |
(0.01 | )% | |
Net expenses |
1.77 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | To prevent the Fund from being adversely affected by the transaction costs associated with short-term shareholder transactions, the Fund will redeem shares at a price equal to the net asset value of the shares, less an additional transaction fee equal to 1.00% of the net asset value of all such shares redeemed that have been held for less than one year. Such fees are not sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, but are retained by the Fund for the benefit of all shareholders. |
(2) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(3) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(4) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 1.80% of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Year | 5 Year | 10 Year | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 180 | $ | 559 | $ | 964 | $ | 2,094 |
18
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from the Funds financial statements audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
Small Cap Value Fund II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Period Ended February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2002 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 22.40 | $ | 24.35 | $ | 22.53 | $ | 20.00 | $ | 15.61 | $ | 17.09 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
(0.02 | )** | (0.13 | )** | (0.17 | ) | (0.18 | )** | (0.12 | )** | (0.17 | )** | ||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
2.91 | 1.54 | 5.01 | 2.90 | 4.49 | (1.21 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.02 | ) | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(3.67 | ) | (3.36 | ) | (3.03 | ) | (0.20 | ) | | (3) | (0.21 | ) | ||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(3.69 | ) | (3.36 | ) | (3.03 | ) | (0.20 | ) | | (3) | (0.21 | ) | ||||||||||||
Redemption fees |
| (3) | | (3) | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.11 | ||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 21.60 | $ | 22.40 | $ | 24.35 | $ | 22.53 | $ | 20.00 | $ | 15.61 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) (2) |
13.35 | % | 6.12 | % | 22.32 | % | 13.69 | % | 28.16 | % | (7.54 | )% | ||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 217,585 | $ | 230,362 | $ | 274,648 | $ | 327,569 | $ | 279,593 | $ | 253,838 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.80 | % (4) | 1.77 | % | 1.78 | % | 1.74 | % | 1.80 | % | 1.79 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements |
1.80 | % (4) | 1.78 | % | 1.79 | % | 1.74 | % | 2.04 | % | 1.92 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
(0.21 | )% (4) | (0.58 | )% | (0.64 | )% | (0.77 | )% | (0.77 | )% | (1.00 | )% | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
22.45 | % | 33.60 | % | 37.61 | % | 47.06 | % | 72.72 | % | 119.30 | % |
** | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and will include reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Redemption fees are reflected in total return calculations. |
(3) | Amount is less than $0.01 per share. |
(4) | Annualized. |
19
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Value Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time.
Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.
Investment Goals
The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund pursues its goals by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio consisting primarily of equity securities, such as common stocks, of issuers across the capitalization spectrum and identified by the Adviser as having value characteristics. The Fund will notify shareholders 60 days in advance of any change to this policy.
The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price to book value ratios and price to earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuers operating and financial fundamentals, such as return on equity and earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non U.S. dollar denominated securities.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (IPO). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain debt securities and preferred stock.
The Fund may hedge overall portfolio exposure up to 40% of its net assets through the purchase and sale of index and individual put and call options.
In general, the Funds investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing less than 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Funds assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
Key Risks
|
At least 80% of the Funds net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (NAV) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. |
|
Investors may lose money. |
|
Although the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the prices of these stocks will not move even lower. |
|
The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a percentage of its total assets, without limitation, in cash or various U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities. When the Funds assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. |
20
|
International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. |
|
Investing in securities of companies with micro, small or mid-sized capitalizations tends to be riskier than investing in securities of companies with large capitalizations. Securities of companies with micro, small and mid-sized capitalizations tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies and, on occasion, may fluctuate in the opposite direction of large cap company securities or the broader stock market averages. |
|
Securities that can be converted into common stock, such as certain securities and preferred stock, are subject to the usual risks associated with fixed income investments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because they react to changes in the value of the equity securities into which they will convert, convertible securities are also subject to the risks associated with equity securities. |
|
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund invests will often be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the pink sheets, and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Advisers judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
|
If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Funds performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 125%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Funds performance. |
|
An option is a type of derivative instrument that gives the holder the right (but not the obligation) to buy (a call) or sell (a put) an asset in the near future at an agreed upon price prior to the expiration date of the option. The Fund may cover a call option by owning the security underlying the option or through other means. The value of options can be highly volatile, and their use can result in loss if the Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. |
|
Investing in illiquid securities is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
|
IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
21
Risk/Return Information
The chart below illustrates the long-term performance of the Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Funds Investor Class. The information shows you how the Funds performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 18.47% (quarter ended June 30, 2003)
Worst Quarter: (4.36)% (quarter ended March 31, 2003)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
22
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year and since inception to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
||||
1 Year | Since Inception (1) | |||
Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
||||
Return Before Taxes |
% | % | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | ||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | ||
Russell 3000 ® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % |
(1) | Commenced operations on July 1, 2002. |
(2) | The Russell 3000 ® Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those Russell 3000 ® Index companies that typically display lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The stocks in this index are also members of either the Russell 1000 ® Value or the Russell 2000 ® Value indices. The Russell 3000 ® Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 3000 ® Value Index is $25 million to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Russell 3000 ® Value Index is a registered trademark of the Frank Russell Corporation. |
23
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The table is based upon expenses for the Investor Class of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
0.80 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other Expenses (1) |
2.13 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (2) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
3.18 | % | |
Fee waivers (3) |
(1.98 | )% | |
Net expenses |
1.20 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(2) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(3) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 1.20% (excluding short-sale dividend expenses) of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 122 | $ | 804 | $ | 1,515 | $ | 3,407 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
24
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from the Funds financial statements audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
All-Cap Value Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Period Ended February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2003 |
For the
Period Ended July 31, 2002* through August 31, 2002 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 15.63 | $ | 15.49 | $ | 13.26 | $ | 10.80 | $ | 9.44 | $ | 10.00 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
0.05 | ** | 0.11 | ** | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.04 | | ||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)
|
1.62 | 1.03 | 2.83 | 2.48 | 1.34 | (0.56 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.09 | ) | (0.05 | ) | (0.03 | ) | (0.04 | ) | (0.02 | ) | | |||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(1.30 | ) | (0.95 | ) | (0.60 | ) | | | | |||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(1.39 | ) | (1.00 | ) | (0.93 | ) | (0.04 | ) | (0.02 | ) | | |||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 15.91 | $ | 15.63 | $ | 15.49 | $ | 13.26 | $ | 10.80 | $ | 9.44 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) |
10.68 | % | 7.72 | % | 22.06 | % | 23.13 | % | 14.63 | % | (5.60 | )% | ||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 4,579 | $ | 3,739 | $ | 2,840 | $ | 649 | $ | 106 | $ | 84 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.20 | % (2) | 1.34 | % | 1.50 | % | 1.50 | % | 1.50 | % | 1.50 | % (2) | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements |
2.52 | % (2) | 3.19 | % | 4.04 | % | 5.84 | % | 9.88 | % | 15.34 | % (2) | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income to average
|
0.63 | % (2) | 0.69 | % | 0.20 | % | 0.14 | % | 0.41 | % | (0.01 | )% (2) | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
15.21 | % | 51.10 | % | 28.72 | % | 27.40 | % | 38.36 | % | 6.61 | % |
* | Commencement of operations. |
** | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and will include reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Annualized. |
25
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Total Return: A way of measuring Fund performance. Total return is based on a calculation that takes into account income dividends, capital gain distributions and the increase or decrease in share price.
Short Sale: A sale by the Fund of a security which has been borrowed from a third party on the expectation that the market price will drop. If the price of the security drops, the Fund will make a profit by purchasing the security in the open market at a lower price than the one at which it sold the security. If the price of the security rises, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss.
Short-Term Cash Instruments: These temporary investments include notes issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; commercial paper rated in the two highest rating categories; certificates of deposit; repurchase agreements and other high-grade corporate debt securities.
Federal Funds Rate: The rate of interest charged by a Federal Reserve bank for member banks to borrow their federally required reserve.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Investment Goals
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund invests in long positions in stocks identified by the Adviser as undervalued and takes short positions in stocks that the Adviser has identified as overvalued. The cash proceeds from short sales will be invested in short-term cash instruments to produce a return on such proceeds just below the federal funds rate. The Fund will invest, both long and short, in securities principally traded in the United States markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies operating for three years or less (unseasoned issuers). The Adviser will determine the size of each long or short position by analyzing the tradeoff between the attractiveness of each position and its impact on the risk of the overall portfolio. The Fund seeks to construct a portfolio that has less volatility than the United States equity market generally. The Adviser examines various factors in determining the value characteristics of such issuers including price-to-book value ratios and price-to-earnings ratios. These value characteristics are examined in the context of the issuers operating and financial fundamentals such as return on equity, earnings growth and cash flow. The Adviser selects securities for the Fund based on a continuous study of trends in industries and companies, earnings power and growth and other investment criteria.
The Fund intends, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund will notify shareholders 60 days in advance of any change to this policy.
Under normal circumstances, the Adviser expects that the Funds long positions will not exceed approximately 125% of the Funds net assets.
The Funds long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets directly in equity securities of foreign issuers.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
The Fund may participate as a purchaser in initial public offerings of securities (IPOs). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public.
The Fund may invest from time to time a significant portion of its assets in smaller issuers which are more volatile and less liquid than investments in issuers with a market capitalization greater than $1 billion.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale.
In general, the Funds investments are broadly diversified over a number of industries and, as a matter of policy, the Fund is limited to investing a maximum of 25% of its total assets in any one industry.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, used by corporations and other business organizations.
While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Funds assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.
26
Key Risks
|
The net asset value (NAV) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions. |
|
Investors may lose money. |
|
Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
|
The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest a percentage of its total assets, without limitation, in cash or various U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities. When the Funds assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. |
|
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. Such high yield debt obligations are referred to as junk bonds and are not considered to be investment grade. |
|
International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. |
|
The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the Adviser may not be successful in its strategy of taking long positions in stocks the manager believes to be undervalued and short positions in stocks the manager believes to be overvalued. Further, since the Adviser will manage both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the Adviser may make more poor investment decisions than an adviser of a typical stock mutual fund with only a long portfolio may make. |
|
Short sales of securities may result in gains if a securitys price declines, but may result in losses if a securitys price rises. |
|
Small market capitalization issuers are not as diversified in their business activities as issuers with market capitalizations greater than $1 billion and are more susceptible to changes in the business cycle. |
|
Unseasoned issuers may not have an established financial history and may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. Unseasoned issuers may depend on a few key personnel for management and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. As a result, such securities may be more volatile and difficult to sell. |
|
The small capitalization equity securities in which the Fund may invest will often be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the quotation service commonly known as the pink sheets, and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. These securities may also be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. The trading market for any given small capitalization equity security may be sufficiently small as to make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of a substantial block of such securities. The sale by the Fund of portfolio securities to meet redemptions may require the Fund to sell its small capitalization securities at a discount from market prices or during periods when, in the Advisers judgment, such sale is not desirable. Moreover, the lack of an efficient market for these securities may make them difficult to value. |
|
If the Fund frequently trades its portfolio securities, the Fund will incur higher brokerage commissions and transaction costs, which could lower the Funds performance. In addition to lower performance, high portfolio turnover could result in taxable capital gains. The annual portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is not expected to exceed 400%; however, it may be higher if the Adviser believes it will improve the Funds performance. |
|
A security held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position it is covering is outstanding, unless it is replaced with a similar security. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Funds assets could impede portfolio management or the Funds ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. |
|
Investing in illiquid securities is subject to certain risks, such as limitations on resale and uncertainty in determining valuation. Limitations on resale may adversely affect the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. The Fund might, in order to dispose of restricted securities, have to register securities resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of such securities. |
27
|
IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to certain factors, such as absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs. |
Risk/Return Information
The chart below illustrates the long-term performance of the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Funds Investor Class. The information shows you how the Funds performance has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 18.26% (quarter ended December 31, 2001)
Worst Quarter: (11.19)% (quarter ended December 31, 1999)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
28
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns of the Funds Investor Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and since inception to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and since inception periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of how the Fund will perform in the future. Although the Fund compares its average total return to a broad-based securities market index, the Fund seeks returns that are not correlated to securities market returns. The Fund seeks to achieve a 12-15% return over a full market cycle; however, there can be no guarantee that such returns will be achieved.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | Since Inception (1) | |||||||
Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund |
|||||||||
Returns Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % | % |
(1) | Commenced operations on November 17, 1998. |
(2) | The S&P 500 ® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 ® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stocks total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. |
29
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The table is based on expenses for the Investor Class of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases |
None | ||
Maximum deferred sales charge |
None | ||
Maximum sales charge imposed on reinvested dividends |
None | ||
Redemption Fee (1) |
2.00 | % | |
Exchange Fee |
None | ||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
2.25 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other expenses (2) |
1.15 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (3) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
3.65 | % | |
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements (4) |
(0.16 | )% | |
Net expenses |
3.49 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | To prevent the Fund from being adversely affected by the transaction costs associated with short-term shareholder transactions, the Fund will redeem shares at a price equal to the net asset value of the shares, less an additional transaction fee equal to 2.00% of the net asset value of all such shares redeemed that have been held for less than one year. Such fees are not sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, but are retained by the Fund for the benefit of all shareholders. |
(2) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. Other expenses and Total annual Fund operating expenses include dividends on securities which the Fund has sold short (short-sale dividends). Short-sale dividends generally reduce the market value of the securities by the amount of the dividend declared; thus increasing the Funds unrealized gain or reducing the Funds unrealized loss on the securities sold short. Short-sale dividends are treated as an expense, and increase the Funds total expense ratio, although no cash is received or paid by the Fund. The amount of short-sale dividends was 0.74% of average net assets for the most recent fiscal year. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(3) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(4) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 2.75% (excluding short-sale dividend expenses) of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 352 | $ | 1,104 | $ | 1,876 | $ | 3,901 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
30
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information has been derived from the Funds financial statements audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
Long/Short Equity Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the
Period Ended February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2002 |
|||||||||||||||||||
Investor Class |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 18.36 | $ | 17.74 | $ | 14.62 | $ | 14.27 | $ | 15.13 | $ | 15.87 | ||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
(0.15 | )** | (0.30 | )** | (0.28 | ) | (0.36 | )** | (0.31 | )** | 0.04 | ** | ||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
1.49 | 2.38 | 3.39 | 0.69 | 0.10 | (0.33 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
| | | | | (0.01 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(1.86 | ) | (1.47 | ) | | | (0.51 | ) | (0.50 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Tax return of capital |
| | | | (0.17 | ) | | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(1.86 | ) | (1.47 | ) | | | (0.68 | ) | (0.51 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Redemption fees |
| (3) | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.06 | |||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 17.84 | $ | 18.36 | $ | 17.74 | $ | 14.62 | $ | 14.27 | $ | 15.13 | ||||||||||||
Total investment return (1) (2) |
7.60 | % | 12.69 | % | 21.34 | % | 2.45 | % | (1.32 | )% | (1.44 | )% | ||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 18,955 | $ | 20,706 | $ | 24,716 | $ | 14,322 | $ | 15,381 | $ | 49,284 | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements |
3.54 | % (4) | 3.48 | % | 3.37 | % | 3.27 | % | 3.32 | % | 3.29 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements (excluding dividend and interest expense) |
2.75 | % (4) | 2.75 | % | 2.75 | % | 2.75 | % | 2.75 | % | 2.75 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements |
3.71 | % (4) | 3.65 | % | 3.55 | % | 3.45 | % | 3.69 | % | 3.60 | % | ||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
(1.83 | )% (4) | (1.77 | )% | (2.07 | )% | (2.50 | )% | (2.13 | )% | 0.27 | % | ||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
47.27 | % | 108.59 | % | 107.14 | % | 239.06 | % | 282.36 | % | 219.52 | % |
** | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Redemption fees are reflected in total return calculations. |
(3) | Amount is less than $0.01 per share. |
(4) | Annualized. |
31
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Bonds: A bond is a type of fixed income or debt security. When a fund buys a bond, it is in effect lending money to the company, government or other entity that issued the bond. In return, the issuer has an obligation to make regular interest payments and to repay the original amount of the loan on a given date, known as the maturity date. A bond matures when it reaches its maturity date. Bonds usually have fixed interest rates, although some have rates that fluctuate based on market conditions and other factors.
Derivatives: A derivative is an investment whose value is based on or derived from the performance of other securities or interest or currency exchange rates or indices. Derivatives are considered to carry a higher degree of risk than other types of securities.
Duration: As used in this Prospectus, duration means the weighted average term to maturity of a fixed income securitys cash flows, based on their present values. Duration, which is expressed as a number of years from the purchase date of a security, can be used as a single measurement to
Investment Goal
Current income, consistent with capital preservation. The Funds investment goal is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval by the
Primary Investment Strategies
Investments: The Fund invests substantially all, but at least 80%, of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. dollar denominated or quoted bonds issued by domestic or foreign companies or governmental entities. The Fund may invest in all types of bonds, including notes, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities (including mortgage-backed derivative securities), convertible debt securities, municipal securities, and short-term debt securities. The Fund may also invest in fixed income securities of all types, including preferred stock. The Fund will notify shareholders in writing at least 60 days prior to any change in its policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets in one or more particular types of securities.
Credit Quality: Investment grade only. This means bonds that are rated in one of the top four long-term rating categories by at least one major rating agency or are of comparable credit quality.
Duration: Average dollar weighted portfolio duration between three and seven years, but individual bonds may be of any duration. The Funds duration will generally be in a narrow range relative to the duration of its benchmark, the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Index.
Strategies: There are three principal factors in the Advisers selection process maturity allocation, sector allocation and individual security selection.
|
The Adviser studies the relationship between bond yields and maturities under current market conditions and identifies maturities with high yields relative to the amount of risk involved. |
|
The Adviser uses qualitative and quantitative methods to identify bond sectors that it believes are undervalued or will outperform other sectors. Sectors include U.S. Treasury securities and U.S. government agency securities, as well as corporate, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. |
|
After the Funds maturity and sector allocations are made, the Adviser selects individual bonds within each sector. The Adviser performs both fundamental and quantitative analysis, looking at: |
|
Stable or improving issuer credit quality; |
|
Market inefficiencies that cause individual bonds to have high relative values; and |
|
Structural features of securities, such as callability, liquidity, and prepayment characteristics and expectations. |
|
The Adviser anticipates that the Funds strategy will result in active trading of the Funds portfolio securities and a high portfolio turnover rate. |
Key Risks
You could lose money on your investment in the Fund or the Fund could underperform other possible investments if any of the following occurs:
|
Interest rates rise, causing the bonds in the Funds portfolio to drop in value. |
|
The issuer or guarantor of a bond owned by the Fund defaults on its payment obligations, becomes insolvent or has its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund. |
32
|
As a result of declining interest rates, the issuer of a bond exercises the right to prepay principal earlier than scheduled, forcing the Fund to reinvest in lower yielding bonds. This is known as call or prepayment risk. |
|
As a result of declining interest rates, the Fund may be able to invest only in lower yielding bonds, decreasing the Funds yield. This is known as interest risk. |
|
When interest rates are rising, the average life of a bond is generally extended because of slower than expected principal payments. This will lock in a below-market interest rate, increase the bonds duration and reduce the value of the bond. This is known as extension risk. |
|
The Advisers judgments about the attractiveness, relative value or potential income of particular sectors or bonds proves to be wrong. |
|
To the extent the Fund invests in bonds issued by foreign companies, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform compared to U.S. bond markets. The markets for foreign bonds may be smaller and less liquid than U.S. markets and less information about foreign companies may be available due to less rigorous accounting or disclosure standards. These risks are more pronounced to the extent the Fund invests in issuers in emerging market countries or significantly in one country. |
|
To the extent the Fund has high portfolio turnover, it will generally incur additional transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds performance. The higher portfolio turnover rate may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains. |
There is a greater risk that the Fund will lose money due to prepayment and extension risks because the Fund may invest heavily in asset-backed and mortgage-related securities. Mortgage derivatives in the Funds portfolio may have especially volatile prices because of inherent severe sensitivity to the level of interest rates.
33
Risk/Return Information
Investor Class Shares of the Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund commenced operations on January 17, 2006 and do not have a long-term performance record. The bar chart and table below illustrate the long-term performance of the Institutional Class Shares of the Fund, which are offered in a separate prospectus. The performance for periods prior to April 29, 2005 represents the performance of the WPG Core Bond Fund (the Predecessor Fund). The Predecessor Fund began operations on September 11, 1985 as a separate portfolio of Weiss, Peck & Greer Funds Trust. On April 29, 2005, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new portfolio of the Company. Prior to the reorganization, the Predecessor Fund offered only one class of shares. In connection with the reorganization, shareholders of the Predecessor Fund exchanged their shares for Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Investor Class Shares of the Fund would have similar total and average annual total returns because the shares are invested in the same investment portfolio of securities. The total and average annual total returns differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.
The bar chart below shows you how the performance of the Funds Institutional Class Shares has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced. The year to date total return as of September 30, 2006 shown below represents the total returns of the Funds Institutional Class Shares.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31:
Best and Worst Quarterly Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 4.70% (quarter ended September 30, 2002)
Worst Quarter: (2.62)% (quarter ended June 30, 2004)
As of June 30, 2007, the year to date return was % and the Funds 30-day yield was %. Call 1-888-261-4073 for current yields.
34
Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Funds Institutional Class Shares for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past 10 calendar years to the average annual total returns of a broad-based securities market index for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and 10 year periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns
for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||
Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund |
|||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Returns After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
Lehman Brothers Aggregate Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (1) |
% | % | % |
(1) | The Lehman Brothers Aggregate Index represents securities that are U.S. domestic, taxable, and dollar denominated. The index covers the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market, with index components for government and corporate debt securities, mortgage pass-through securities, and asset-backed securities. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly. |
35
Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class Shares of the Fund. The table is based on expenses for the Investor Class Shares of the Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Investor Class | |||
Shareholder Fees (paid directly from your investment) |
|||
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases |
None | ||
Maximum deferred sales charge |
None | ||
Maximum sales charge imposed on reinvested dividends |
None | ||
Redemption Fee (1) |
2.00 | % | |
Exchange Fee |
None | ||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
0.45 | % | |
Service and Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other Expenses (2) |
0.34 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (3) |
% | ||
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
1.04 | % | |
Fee waivers/expense reimbursements (4) |
(0.36 | )% | |
Net expenses |
0.68 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are also charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | To prevent the Fund from being adversely affected by the transaction costs associated with short-term shareholder transactions, the Fund will redeem shares at a price equal to the net asset value of the shares, less an additional transaction fee equal to 2.00% of the net asset value of all such shares redeemed that have been held for 60 days or less. Such fees are not sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, but are retained by the Fund for the benefit of all shareholders. |
(2) | Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(3) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(4) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 0.68% of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 69 | $ | 295 | $ | 539 | $ | 1,238 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
36
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information for the Investor Class Shares of the Fund for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. The information for this period has been audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions).
Core Bond Fund | ||||||||
For the Period Ended
February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the Period
January 17, 2006* to August 31, 2006 |
|||||||
Investor Class | ||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 10.50 | $ | 10.69 | ||||
Net investment income |
0.23 | ** | 0.28 | ** | ||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
0.12 | (0.19 | ) | |||||
Dividends\Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||
Net investment income |
(0.23 | ) | (0.28 | ) | ||||
Net realized capital gains |
| | ||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(0.23 | ) | (0.28 | ) | ||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 10.62 | $ | 10.50 | ||||
Total investment return (1) |
3.36 | % | 0.84 | % | ||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 21 | $ | 20 | ||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
0.68 | % (4) | 0.66 | % (2)(4) | ||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (including dividend expenses) |
1.06 | % (4) | 1.04 | % (4) | ||||
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
4.39 | % (4) | 4.23 | % (4) | ||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
206.86 | % (3) | 626.69 | % (3) |
* | Commencement of operations. |
** | Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period. |
(1) | Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(2) | Excludes the effects of fees paid indirectly. Had such offsets been included, the ratio would not significantly differ. |
(3) | The portfolio turnover rates excluding mortgage dollar roll transactions were 116.45%, 295.59%, 295.21% and 573.60% for the period ended February 28, 2007, for the period ended August 31, 2006, for the period ended August 31, 2005 and the year ended December 31, 2004, respectively. |
(4) | Annualized. |
37
ROBECO WPG 130/30 LARGE CAP CORE FUND (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund)
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.
Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.
Growth Characteristics: Stocks are generally divided into the categories of growth or value. Growth stocks appear to the Adviser to have earnings growth potential that is greater than the market in general, and whose growth in revenue is expected to continue for an extended period of time. Value stocks appear to the Adviser to be undervalued by the market as measured by certain financial formulas.
Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a companys earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.
ADRs: Receipts typically issued by a United States bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying foreign securities.
Short Sale: A sale by the Fund of a security which has been borrowed from a third party on the expectation that the market price will drop. If the price of the security drops, the Fund will make a profit by purchasing the security in the open market at a lower price than the one at which it sold the security. If the price of the security rises, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss.
Continued on next page
Investment Goal
Long-term growth of capital. The Funds investment
Primary Investment Strategies
Investments: The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. large capitalization companies that the Adviser believes offer the prospect of capital appreciation. As used in this Prospectus, large cap companies generally means a universe of companies composed of the combination of two well-known large cap benchmarks, the Russell 1000 ® Index and the S&P 500 ® Index. The market capitalization range of the companies represented in Russell 1000 ® Index as of March 31, 2007 was between $0.47 billion and $428.2 billion. The market capitalization of the companies represented in the S&P 500 ® Index as of March 31, 2007 was between $1.49 billion and $428.2 billion. Please note that these ranges are as of a particular point in time and are subject to change. The Fund will notify shareholders in writing at least 60 days prior to any change in its policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets in one or more particular types of securities.
The Advisers Core strategy is an actively managed, large cap core strategy with shorting ability. The investment process utilizes quantitative techniques with fundamental insights . Portfolio construction tools are used to minimize risk, including economic sector selection. The Adviser expects ability to short unattractive stocks (and leverage the portfolio) to allow the Fund to capitalize on a particular securitys anticipated underperformance relative to the Funds benchmark.
In order to remain fully invested and instead of purchasing and selling securities directly, the Fund may invest in exchange traded fund (ETF) securities, and equity index futures, which seek to replicate the price performance and dividend yield of the S&P 500 ® Index and use derivative contracts (such as futures on the S&P 500 ® Index).
The Fund intends to use short sales as a part of its investment strategy. The Adviser will invest in short positions up to generally 30% of the Funds assets. However, the Funds short positions will range between 0% and 50% of the Funds assets. The Adviser will also use short sale proceeds to increase its long position to up to generally 130% of the Funds assets. While the Funds long positions will range between 100% and 150% of the Funds assets, the Fund intends to maintain an approximate net 100% long exposure to the equity market (long market value minus short market value).
The Adviser expects that under normal market conditions, the Fund may maintain a significant short position. The size of the short position will depend on the availability of attractive short investments as well as on the Advisers view of overall market for U.S. equity securities. Short positions are independently viewed by the Adviser as profit opportunities for the Fund as well as tools for risk management.
The Adviser believes that the ability to use short sales and the inherent leverage allows the Fund to take larger active positions against unattractive securities, expand the scope for portfolio diversification and to reduce the impact of mega cap securities in the benchmark.
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Continued from previous page
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market.
Derivatives: A Derivative is an investment whose value is based on or derived from the performance of other securities or interest or currency exchange rates or indices. Derivatives are considered to carry a higher degree of risk than other types of securities.
The Funds long and short positions may involve (without limit) equity securities of foreign issuers that are traded in the markets of the United States. Generally, the Fund will not invest more than 10% of its assets in such securities, including ADRs.
To meet margin requirements, redemptions or pending investments, the Fund may also temporarily hold a portion of its assets in full faith and credit obligations of the United States government and in short-term notes, commercial paper or other money market instruments.
Strategies: The Adviser uses quantitative techniques and fundamental insights to analyze a universe of companies included in the Russell 1000 ® Index, S&P 500 ® Index, and selected large cap ADRs and Canadian stocks that trade on US exchanges in US dollars. Using a proprietary multi-factor quantitative stock-selection model, the Adviser identifies stocks that the Adviser believes have rising earnings expectations and that trade at low relative valuations when compared to their sector peers. In addition, the Adviser makes use of fundamental investment insights in three areas where the stock-selection model may not identify important information. These three areas are merger activity, litigation and regulation. When fundamental stock research provides insights in these three areas about a particular stock, the Adviser can over-rule the stock selection model. Firmly established through both the quantitative and fundamental research processes, the Adviser believes that these are the stocks that will lead to portfolio out-performance.
Based on this information, and using sophisticated risk measurement tools, the Adviser selects the combination of stocks, together with their appropriate weightings, that it believes will maximize the Funds expected return with the level of risk taken. The Adviser seeks to maintain the market capitalization, sector allocations and style characteristics of the Funds portfolio similar to those of the S&P 500 ® Index.
The portfolio is rebalanced regularly, generally on a bi-weekly basis, to maintain the optimal risk/return trade-off. The Adviser assesses each stocks changing characteristics relative to its contribution to portfolio risk. A stock is sold when the Adviser believes it no longer offers an appropriate return-to-risk tradeoff.
Key Risks
You could lose money on your investment in the Fund or the Fund could underperform other possible investments, including (without limitation) if any of the following occurs:
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The U.S. stock market goes down. |
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Stocks of large capitalization companies temporarily fall out of favor with investors. |
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Companies in which the Fund invests suffer unexpected losses or lower than expected earnings. |
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The Advisers judgment about the attractiveness or potential appreciation of a particular security or sector proves to be wrong. |
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The factors considered by the multi-factor stock-selection model fail to select stocks with better relative performance than those included in the S&P 500 ® Index. |
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Although the long portfolio of the Fund will invest in stocks the Adviser believes to be undervalued, there is no guarantee that the price of these stocks will not move even lower. |
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Short sales of securities may result in gains if a securitys price declines, but may result in losses if a securitys price rises. |
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A security held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position it is covering is outstanding, unless it is replaced with a similar security. As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Funds assets could impede portfolio management or the Funds ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. |
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Investments in derivative securities may cause the Fund to experience higher losses than a fund which does not invest in derivatives. The market value of derivative instruments is sometimes more volatile than that of other investments, and each type of derivative may pose its own special risks. The successful use of derivative instruments is based on the Advisers ability to correctly anticipate market movements. When the direction of the prices of the Funds securities does not correlate with the changes of the value of these transactions, or when the trading market for derivatives becomes illiquid, the Fund could lose money. |
39
|
ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to the risk that the market for securities that seek to replicate the S&P 500 ® , or the market as a whole, may decline. ETFs may trade at a discount to the aggregate value of the underlying securities. The underlying securities in an ETF may not follow the price movements of an entire industry or sector. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETFs underlying securities is halted. Although expense ratios for ETFs are generally low, frequent trading of ETFs by the Fund can generate brokerage expenses. |
Risk/Return Information
Investor Class Shares of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund have not commenced operations prior to the date of this prospectus and do not have a long-term performance record. The bar chart and table below illustrate the long-term performance of the Institutional Class Shares of the Fund, which are offered in a separate prospectus. The performance for periods prior to April 29, 2005 represents the performance of the WPG Large Cap Growth Fund (the Predecessor Fund). The Predecessor Fund began operations on September 11, 1985. On April 29, 2005, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new portfolio of the Company. Prior to the reorganization, the Predecessor Fund offered only one class of shares. In connection with the reorganization, shareholders of the Predecessor Fund exchanged their shares for Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Investor Class Shares of the Fund would have similar total and average annual total returns because the shares are invested in the same investment portfolio of securities. The total and average annual total returns differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.
The bar chart below shows you how the performance of the Funds Institutional Class has varied year by year and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. As with all such investments, past performance is not an indication of future results. Performance reflects fee waivers in effect. If fee waivers were not in place, the Funds performance would be reduced.
Total Returns for the Calendar Years Ended December 31
Best and Worst Quarterly Total Performance (for the periods reflected in the chart above):
Best Quarter: 19.82% (quarter ended June 30, 1997)
Worst Quarter: (18.97)% (quarter ended September 30, 2001)
Year-to-date total return for the nine months ended June 30, 2007: %.
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Average Annual Total Returns
The table below compares the average annual total returns for the Funds Institutional Class both before and after taxes for the past calendar year, past five calendar years and past 10 calendar years to the average annual total returns of broad-based securities market indices for the same periods. 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 investors tax situation and may differ from those shown. 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 table, like the bar chart, provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Funds average annual total returns for the one year, five year and 10 year periods compare with those of broad measures of market performance. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Average Annual Total Returns*
(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2006) |
|||||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
|||||||||
Return Before Taxes |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions |
% | % | % | ||||||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sales of Shares |
% | % | % | ||||||
Russell 1000 ® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (1) |
% | % | % | ||||||
S&P 500 ® Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) (2) |
% | % | % |
* | The performance record shown in the table for periods prior to December 31, 2003 was achieved under the Predecessor Funds qualitative strategy. |
(1) | The Russell 1000 ® Growth Index contains those securities in the Russell 1000 ® Index with a greater-than-average growth orientation. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Russell 1000 ® Growth Index is $0.47 billion to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. Companies in this index tend to exhibit higher price-to-book and price-to-earnings ratios, lower dividend yields, and higher forecasted growth rates. The Index is unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly. |
(2) | Effective September 4, 2007, the Fund changed its benchmark from the Russell 1000 ® Index to the S&P 500 ® Index. The S&P 500 ® Index is an unmanaged index composed of 500 common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 500 ® Index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, weighted according to each stocks total market value relative to the total market value of the other stocks included in the index. As of March 31, 2007, the market capitalization range of the companies in the S&P 500 ® Index is $1.49 billion to $428.2 billion. Please note that this range is as of a particular point in time and is subject to change. The Fund changed benchmarks because the Adviser believes that the S&P 500 Index is a more appropriate benchmark against which to measure the Funds performance. |
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Expenses and Fees
As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund.
Investor Class | |||
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
|||
Maximum sales charge imposed on purchases |
None | ||
Maximum deferred sales charge |
None | ||
Maximum sales charge imposed on reinvested dividends |
None | ||
Redemption Fee (1) |
2.00 | % | |
Exchange Fee |
None | ||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets) |
|||
Management fees |
0.75 | % | |
Distribution (12b-1) fees |
0.25 | % | |
Other Expenses |
1.02 | % | |
Dividend Expenses on Short Sales |
0.74 | % | |
Total Other Expenses (2),(3) |
1.76 | % | |
Total annual Fund operating expenses |
2.76 | % | |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (4) |
% | ||
Fee waiver/expense reimbursements (5) |
(0.39 | )% | |
Net expenses |
2.37 | % | |
* | Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50. |
(1) | To prevent the Fund from being adversely affected by the transaction costs associated with short-term shareholder transactions, the Fund will redeem shares at a price equal to the net asset value of the shares, less an additional transaction fee equal to 2.00% of the net asset value of all such shares redeemed that have been held for 60 days. Such fees are not sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, but are retained by the Fund for the benefit of all shareholders. |
(2) | Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency, and miscellaneous other charges and shareholder services fees. |
(3) | Other expenses and Total annual Fund operating expenses also include dividends on securities which the Fund has sold short (short-sale dividends). Short-sale dividends generally reduce the market value of the securities by the amount of the dividend declared; thus increasing the Funds unrealized gain or reducing the Funds unrealized loss on the securities sold short. Short-sale dividends are treated as an expense, and increase the Funds total expense ratio, although no cash is received or paid by the Fund. The amount of short-sale dividends are estimated to be 0.74% for the current fiscal year. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. |
(4) | Acquired Fund means any investment company in which the Fund expects to invest during the current fiscal year. Net Operating Expenses will not correlate to the Funds ratio of expenses to average net assets, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Fund calculates the Acquired Funds expenses using the net expense ratios reported in the Acquired Funds most recent shareholder reports. |
(5) | The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or. reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Funds Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes or any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) exceeds 2.37% (excluding short-sale dividend expenses) of the Funds average daily net assets through December 31, 2007. |
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of the period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years* | 5 Years* | 10 Years* | |||||||||
Investor Class |
$ | 371 | $ | 618 | $ | 1,232 | $ | 2,890 |
* | The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2007. Thus, the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years examples reflect the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year. |
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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The table below sets forth certain financial information of the Fund (including the Predecessor Fund for periods prior to April 29, 2005) for the periods indicated, including per share information results for a single Fund share. Because Investor Class shares of the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus, the financial information in the table for the period after April 29, 2005 is for Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The term Total investment return indicates how much your investment would have increased or decreased during this period of time and assumes that you have reinvested all dividends and distributions. This information should be read in conjunction with the Funds financial statements for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. The report of the independent registered public accounting firm is included in the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. Both the Funds semi-annual report for the fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 and the Funds annual report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 are available upon request (see back cover for ordering instructions). The information for the period January 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005 and the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 has been audited by , the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm. The information for the years ended December 31, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 was audited by KPMG LLP, the Predecessor Funds independent registered public accounting firm, whose report on the financial statements included in the Predecessor Funds annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 is incorporated by reference into the SAI.
130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
For the Period
September 1, 2006 through February 28, 2007 (unaudited) |
For the
Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
For the Period
January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 (1) |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2004 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2003 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2002 |
For the
Year Ended December 31, 2001 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Institutional Class |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$ | 22.27 | $ | 23.36 | $ | 23.10 | $ | 25.27 | $ | 19.16 | $ | 26.46 | $ | 33.60 | ||||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
(0.01 | ) | (0.01 | ) | (0.07 | ) | | | | (0.01 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments |
1.86 | 1.42 | 0.33 | 0.93 | 6.11 | (7.30 | ) | (6.86 | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
Dividends to shareholders from: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income |
| | | | | | | |||||||||||||||||||||
Net realized capital gains |
(2.21 | ) | (2.50 | ) | | (3.10 | ) | | | (0.27 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders |
(2.21 | ) | (2.50 | ) | | (3.10 | ) | | | (0.27 | ) | |||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of period |
$ | 21.91 | $ | 22.27 | $ | 23.36 | $ | 23.10 | $ | 25.27 | $ | 19.16 | $ | 26.46 | ||||||||||||||
Total investment return (4) |
8.28 | % | 6.10 | % | 1.13 | % | 3.82 | % | 31.89 | % | (27.59 | )% | (20.45 | )% | ||||||||||||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (000s omitted) |
$ | 18,185 | $ | 18,935 | $ | 20,626 | $ | 26,222 | $ | 52,355 | $ | 43,412 | $ | 74,931 | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.40 | % (5) | 1.40 | % (2) | 1.40 | % (2)(3) | 1.40 | % | 1.44 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.14 | % | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (including dividend expenses) |
1.94 | % (5) | 1.79 | % | 2.08 | % (3) | 1.50 | % | 1.44 | % | 1.25 | % | 1.14 | % | ||||||||||||||
Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets |
(0.10 | )% (5) | (0.06 | )% | (0.42 | )% (3) | (0.06 | )% | (0.52 | )% | (0.42 | )% | (0.11 | )% | ||||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover rate |
46.30 | % | 93.80 | % | 100.01 | % | 138.70 | % | 126.80 | % | 107.90 | % | 56.40 | % |
(1) | For the period January 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005. |
(2) | Excludes the effects of fees paid indirectly. Had such offsets been included, the ratio would not differ. |
(3) | Annualized. |
(4) | Total return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first date and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reports and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. |
(5) | Annualized. |
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MORE ABOUT THE WPG FUNDS INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
This section provides some additional information about the Funds investments and certain portfolio management techniques that the WPG Funds may use. More information about the WPG Funds investments and portfolio management techniques, some
More About the Funds Principal Investments and Risks
Derivative Contracts. The WPG Funds may, but need not, use derivative contracts for any of the following purposes:
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To seek to hedge against the possible adverse impact of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates in the market value of its securities or securities to be bought; |
|
As a substitute for buying or selling currencies or securities; or |
|
To seek to enhance the Funds return in non-hedging situations. |
Examples of derivative contracts include: futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward foreign currency contracts; and interest rate or currency swaps. A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the Fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment that is based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the Funds stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Funds holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities in that the counterparty may default on its payment obligations or become insolvent. Derivatives can also make the Fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.
Short Sales. The Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund will engage in short sales including those that are not against the box, which means that the Fund may make short sales where the Fund does not currently own or have the right to acquire, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. In a typical short sale, the Fund borrows from a broker a security in order to sell the security to a third party. The Fund is then obligated to return a security of the same issuer and quantity at some future date. The Fund realizes a loss to the extent the security increases in value or a profit to the extent the security declines in value (after taking into account any associated costs). Short sales against the box may protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of a portfolio security because any decline in value of the security should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. Any potential gains in the security, however, would be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. Short sales that are not against the box involve a form of investment leverage, and the amount of the Funds loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited.
Equity Investments. The Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may invest in all types of equity securities. Equity securities include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, warrants, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of other investment companies and REITs, and equity participations.
Fixed Income Investments. The Core Bond Fund may invest in all types of fixed income securities. The Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may invest a portion of its assets in fixed income securities. Fixed income investments include bonds, notes (including structured notes), mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, convertible securities, Eurodollar and Yankee dollar instruments, preferred stocks and money market instruments. Fixed income securities may be issued by corporate and governmental issuers and may have all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including fixed rate, adjustable rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred, payment-in-kind and auction rate features.
The credit quality of securities held in the Funds portfolio is determined at the time of investment. If a security is rated differently by multiple ratings organizations, a Fund treats the security as being rated in the higher rating category. The Fund may choose not to sell securities that are downgraded below the Funds minimum accepted credit rating after their purchase.
Foreign Securities. The WPG Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated or traded securities of foreign issuers. Investments in securities of foreign entities and securities denominated or traded in foreign currencies involve special risks. These include possible political and economic instability and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other
44
restrictions on investments. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of a Funds assets denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Emerging market investments offer the potential for significant gains but also involve greater risks than investing in more developed countries. Political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity and government actions such as currency controls or seizure of private business or property may be more likely in emerging markets.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued by private companies or by agencies of the U.S. government. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participation in, or are collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property.
Certain debt instruments may only pay principal at maturity or may only represent the right to receive payments of principal or payments of interest on underlying pools of mortgage or government securities, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more drastically than debt securities that pay both principal and interest during periods of changing interest rates. Principal only mortgage-backed securities are particularly subject to prepayment risk. The Fund may obtain a below market yield or incur a loss on such instruments during periods of declining interest rates. Interest only instruments are particularly subject to extension risk. Mortgage derivatives and structured securities often employ features that have the effect of leverage. As a result, small changes in interest or prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements, especially compared to an investment in a security that is not leveraged. Mortgage derivatives can also become illiquid and hard to value in declining markets.
The Core Bond Fund may also use mortgage dollar rolls to finance the purchase of additional investments. Dollar rolls expose the Fund to the risk that it will lose money if the additional investments do not produce enough income to cover the Funds dollar roll obligations. In addition, if the Advisers prepayment assumptions are incorrect, the Fund may have performed better had the Fund not entered into the mortgage dollar roll.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in ETFs. ETFs are registered investment companies whose shares are listed and traded on U.S. stock exchanges or otherwise traded in the over-the-counter market. In general, ETFs seek to track a specified securities index or a basket of securities that an index provider, such as Standard & Poors, selects as representative of a market, market segment or industry sector. An ETF portfolio generally holds the same stocks or bonds as the index it tracks or it may hold a representative sample of such securities. Thus, an ETF is designed so that its performance will correspond closely with that of the index it tracks. As a shareholder in an ETF, the Fund will bear its pro rata portion of an ETFs expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
Other Investment Companies. The WPG Funds may invest up to 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies not affiliated with the Adviser, but may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company or acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company. Among other things, the Funds may invest in money market mutual funds for cash management purposes by sweeping excess cash balances into such funds until the cash is invested or otherwise utilized. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by investment companies in which it invests in addition to the advisory and administration fees paid by the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover. The WPG Funds may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading may also increase transaction costs, which could detract from the Funds performance.
Securities Lending. The WPG Funds may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to institutions, such as certain broker-dealers. Portfolio securities loans are secured continuously by collateral maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The value of the securities loaned by the Fund will not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Funds total assets. The Fund may experience a loss or delay in the recovery of its securities if the borrowing institution breaches its agreement with the Fund.
Temporary Investments. The WPG Funds may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in all types of money market and short-term debt securities. If the Fund were to take a temporary defensive position, it may be unable for a time to achieve its investment goal.
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
Each Funds complete portfolio holdings, except the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, and Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund, are publicly available on the Advisers website at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 30 days following the quarter end. The complete long positions of the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund and Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund are publicly available on the Advisers website at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 30 days following the quarter end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Companys policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds portfolio securities is available in the Funds SAI.
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Robeco, located at 909 Third Avenue, 31 st Floor, New York, New York 10022, provides investment advisory services to the Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund , Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund and Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund. Robeco is a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (Robeco Groep). Effective January 1, 2007, Boston Partners Asset Management, L.L.C. (Boston Partners) and Weiss, Peck and Greer Investments (WPG), the former entities that provided investment advisory services to the Boston Partners Funds and Core Bond Fund, respectively, merged into and with Robeco USA, Inc., with Robeco USA, Inc. remaining as the surviving entity. All employees of Boston Partners and WPG are employees of the surviving entity as of that date. In addition, effective January 1, 2007, Robeco USA, Inc., which had been doing business under the name Robeco Investment Management, officially changed its name to Robeco Investment Management, Inc. Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep is one of the worlds oldest asset management organizations.
The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to investment companies and other institutional and proprietary accounts. As of June 29, 2007, Robeco Groep, through its investment management subsidiaries, had approximately $29 billion in assets under management.
Subject to the general supervision of the Companys Board of Directors, the Adviser manages the Funds portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds investment objectives and policies.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Companys Board of Directors approval of each Funds investment advisory agreement with the Adviser is available in the Funds annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2006.
The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Advisers general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers ownership of securities in the Funds.
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund
Mark E. Donovan and David J. Pyle are the primary portfolio managers for the Fund and are both senior portfolio managers of Robeco. Mr. Donovan is Chairperson of Robecos Equity Strategy Committee which oversees the investment activities of Robecos $4.3 billion in large cap value institutional equity assets. Prior to joining Boston Partners in 1995, Mr. Donovan was a Senior Vice President and Vice Chairman of The Boston Company Asset Management, Inc.s Equity Policy Committee. Mr. Donovan is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has over 23 years of investment experience. Mr. Pyle is an equity portfolio manager for Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value portfolio, and prior to that position, he was a research analyst and specialized in the utilities, insurance, leisure & lodging, packaging, publishing, and computer equipment & services sectors of the equity market. Prior to joining Boston Partners in January 2000, Mr. Pyle was employed by State Street Research as an Equity Analyst and Associated Portfolio Manager working for the Value Group.
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Adviser reduced its contractual advisory fee from 0.75% of the Funds average daily net assets to 0.60% of the Funds average daily net assets. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 0.67% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund
Steven L. Pollack and Joseph F. Feeney, Jr. are the primary portfolio managers for the Fund and are both senior portfolio managers of Robeco. Mr. Pollack is a member of the Robecos Equity Strategy Committee. He oversees the investment activities of Robecos $361 million Mid Cap product. Prior to joining Boston Partners, Mr. Pollack was employed by Hughes Investment Management Co. where he was a portfolio manager responsible for managing a portion of the pension plan and overseeing outside investment managers. Mr. Pollack has over 20 years of investment experience
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and is a CFA. Mr. Feeney is a member of the Equity Investment Team and the Director of Research with Robeco. He has oversight of Robecos Fundamental and Quantitative Research Groups and serves as a member of the Equity Strategy Committee. Prior to joining Boston Partners, Mr. Feeney worked for Putnam Investments and Bank of Boston. Mr. Feeney has a total of 19 years of investment experience.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 0.80% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
David M. Dabora is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund and George Gumpert is the secondary manager. Mr. Dabora is a senior portfolio manager of Robeco. Mr. Dabora oversees the investment activities of Robecos $1.2 billion Small Capitalization and $816 million Small Capitalization II products. Prior to taking on day-to-day responsibilities for the Small Cap Value Fund II, Mr. Dabora was an assistant portfolio manager/analyst of the premium equity product of Robeco, an all-cap value institutional product. Before joining Robeco in April 1995, Mr. Dabora had been employed by The Boston Company Asset Management, Inc. since 1991 as a senior equity analyst. Mr. Dabora has over 17 years of investment experience and is a CFA. Mr. Gumpert is an Assistant Portfolio Manager for Robecos Small Cap Value Products. Previously, he was a research analyst and specialized in the small capitalization sectors of the equity market. Prior to joining Boston Partners, Mr. Gumpert was a commodities analyst at AIG International Asset Management. Mr. Gumpert holds a B.A. degree in Economics from Amherst College. he is a member of the CFA Institute and the Security Analysts Society of San Francisco.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 1.25% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Duilio Ramallo is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund. Mr. Ramallo is an equity portfolio manager for Robecos Premium Equity product, and prior to this position, he was the assistant portfolio manager for the Small Cap Value products. Prior to his portfolio management roles, Mr. Ramallo was a research analyst for Boston Partners. Prior to joining Boston Partners in December 1995, Mr. Ramallo spent three years with Deloitte & Touche L.L.P.
During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Adviser reduced its contractual advisory fee from 1.00% of the Funds average daily net assets to 0.80% of the Funds average daily net assets. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 0.89% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Robert T. Jones is the primary portfolio manager for the Fund and Mark E. Donovan is the secondary portfolio manager. Mr. Jones is a senior portfolio manager employed by Robeco and is a member of Robecos Equity Strategy Committee. Mr. Jones also oversees the investment activities of Robecos long/short strategy products which, in addition to the Fund, includes two similar limited partnership private investment funds, two separately managed accounts and an offshore fund of Robeco. Prior to taking on day-to-day responsibilities for the Long/Short Equity Fund, Mr. Jones served as portfolio manager of the large cap value and large cap focused institutional equity portfolios in addition to serving as Robecos Director of Research. Before joining Boston Partners in April 1995, Mr. Jones spent seven years with The Boston Company Asset Management, Inc., most recently as Vice President and Equity Portfolio Manager managing institutional separate accounts. Mr. Jones has over 17 years of investment experience and is a CFA. See Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund for information about Mr. Donovan.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 2.25% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund
James Ramsay and Sid Bakst are the primary portfolio managers for the Fund. Mr. Ramsay joined Robeco in 2007 as Co-Head of Robecos Fixed Income Group, and, effective July 1, 2007, he became the sole Head of the Fixed Income Group. Prior to joining Robeco, Mr. Ramsay spent four years with Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC (PIMCO) where he was responsible for communicating all of PIMCOs investment strategies and objectives to clients and consultants. Prior to joining PIMCO, Mr. Ramsey was associated with AIG/SunAmerica as a Senior Managing Director for AIG Global Investment Corp., and was responsible for managing SunAmericas investment grade domestic fixed income portfolio. Since 1998, Mr. Bakst serves as the managing director of Robeco. He is involved in the day-to-day management of the Fund including the selection of specific issuers and determining attractive prices at which to execute individual transactions within the investment grade corporate bond sector.
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For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Fund paid 0.45% (expressed as a percentage of average net assets) to the Adviser for its services.
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
Easton Ragsdale and Peter Albanese serve as co-portfolio managers of the Fund and are co-Heads of Quantitative Equities of Robeco. Since 2003, Mr. Ragsdale has served as a managing director of Robeco. Prior thereto, Mr. Ragsdale was the managing director and associate head of equity at State Street Research & Management Co. Since 2003, Mr. Albanese has also served as a managing director and principal of Robeco. Prior thereto, Mr. Albanese served as senior vice president of US Trust Co. of New York. All portfolio management responsibilities are shared between Mr. Ragsdale and Mr. Albanese. Each of the co-managers has specific sectors for which he is responsible.
The Funds Investor class of shares did not commence operations prior to the date of this Prospectus and therefore paid no advisory fees during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Marketing Arrangement
On July 20, 2005, Robeco USA, L.L.C. entered into an agreement with Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc. (Harbor), an affiliate of the Adviser, pursuant to which Harbor will market all classes of shares of the Core Bond Fund, including the Investor Class shares, to institutional investors that utilize one or more of the investment strategies offered by Robeco USA, L.L.C. For these services, Robeco, successor to Robeco USA, L.L.C., will pay Harbor 0.10% of the net assets in the investor accounts. This fee will be calculated by Robeco on a monthly basis with the fee for each month calculated using an average of the value of the assets in investor accounts on the first business day of the month and the last business day of the month. The fee will be paid by Robeco to Harbor quarterly in arrears.
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The following chart shows the Funds service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.
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SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
Investor Class shares of the Funds (Shares) are priced at their net asset value (NAV). The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated as follows:
Value of Assets Attributable to the Investor Class | ||
NAV = |
Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Investor Class | |
Number of Outstanding Shares of the Investor Class |
Each Funds NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Fund will effect purchases of Fund shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of your order or request in proper form. The Fund will effect redemptions of Fund shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt of your order in proper form.
A Funds equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ). Equity securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of greater than 60 days are valued using an independent pricing service. When prices are not available from such securities or are deemed to be unreliable, securities may be valued by dealers who make markets in such securities. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Funds NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Funds portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.
If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Companys Board of Directors. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Companys Board of Directors. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.
Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).
In accordance with the policy adopted by the Companys Board of Directors, the Company discourages market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests from any investor. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise their right if, in the Companys (or the Advisers) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investors trading, in the judgment of the Company or the Adviser, has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.
To deter excessive shareholder trading, the Small Cap Value Fund II and the Long/Short Equity Fund generally charge a redemption fee of 1% and 2%, respectively, on shares redeemed that have been held for less than one year. The Core Bond Fund and 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund generally charge a redemption fee of 2% on shares redeemed within
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60 days of purchase. In addition, the Funds generally limit the number of exchanges to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the sections titled Shareholder Information Redemption of Fund Shares and Shareholder Information Exchange Privilege.
Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in a Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investors account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in the Advisers judgment, will be uniform. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.
If necessary, the Company may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers trading activities in the Company. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Company. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Companys excessive trading policies, the Company may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.
Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor). The Board of Directors has approved a Distribution Agreement and adopted a separate Plan of Distribution for the shares (the Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from the Funds a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Companys Board of Directors and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Funds assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Funds 12b-1 Plan. Ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders may include updating and mailing prospectuses and shareholder reports, responding to inquiries regarding shareholder accounts and acting as agent or intermediary between shareholders and the Funds or their service providers. The Distributor may delegate some or all of these functions to Service Organizations. See Purchases Through Intermediaries below.
The Plan obligates the Funds, during the period it is in effect, to accrue and pay to the Distributor on behalf of the Shares the fee agreed to under the Distribution Agreement. Payments under the Plan are not tied exclusively to expenses actually incurred by the Distributor, and the payments may exceed distribution expenses actually incurred.
Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may also be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, Service Organizations). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Companys pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, PFPC Inc. (the Transfer Agent)
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will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the Funds NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.
The Company relies upon the integrity of Service Organizations to ensure that orders are timely and properly submitted. Each Fund cannot assure you that a Service Organization properly submitted to it all purchase and redemption orders received from the Service Organizations customers before the time for determination of the Funds NAV in order to obtain that days price.
For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser, the Distributor or their affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the Service Fee) of the average annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.
General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form as described below. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in any Fund is $2,500 and the minimum additional investment is $100. The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can only purchase Shares of the Fund on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.
Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing the application included with this Prospectus and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check ($2,500 minimum) payable to the Fund in which you would like to invest. Third party checks will not be accepted.
Regular Mail: | Overnight Mail: | |
Robeco [name of Fund] | Robeco [name of Fund] | |
c/o PFPC Inc. |
c/o PFPC Inc. |
|
P.O. Box 9816 |
101 Sabin Street |
|
Providence, RI 02940 |
Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 |
The name of the Fund to be purchased should be designated on the application and should appear on the check. Payment for the purchase of Shares received by mail will be credited to a shareholders account at the NAV per share of the Fund next determined after receipt of payment in good order.
Initial Investment By Wire. Shares of each Fund may be purchased by wiring federal funds to PNC Bank, N.A. (see instructions below). A completed application must be forwarded to the Transfer Agent at the address noted above under Initial Investment by Mail in advance of the wire. For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. (Prior notification must also be received from investors with existing accounts.) Request account information and routing instructions by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. Funds should be wired to:
PNC Bank, N.A.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
ABA# 0310-0005-3
Account # 86-1108-2507
F/B/O Robeco [name of fund]
Ref. (Account Number)
Shareholder or Account Name
Federal funds wire purchases will be accepted only on days when the NYSE and PNC Bank, N.A. are open for business.
Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $100) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under Initial Investment by Mail (payable to Robeco [name of Fund]) or by wiring monies to PNC Bank, N.A. as outlined under Initial Investment by Wire. For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at
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(888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. Initial and additional purchases made by check cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days.
Automatic Investment Plan. Additional investments in Shares of the Funds may be made automatically by authorizing the Transfer Agent to withdraw funds from your bank account through an Automatic Investment Plan ($100 minimum). Investors desiring to participate in an Automatic Investment Plan should call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073.
Retirement Plans. Shares may be purchased in conjunction with individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and rollover IRAs where PFPC Trust Company and Mellon Bank N.A. act as custodian for the Boston Partners Funds and for the WPG Funds, respectively. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. For further information as to applications and annual fees, contact the Transfer Agent at (888) 261- 4073. To determine whether the benefits of an IRA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax advisor.
Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to Board of Directors discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Funds total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Funds strategy. Subject to Board of Directors discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Funds size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:
a. | Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company; |
b. | Existing and future clients of financial advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund; |
c. | Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children; and |
d. | Directors of the Company. |
Other persons who are shareholders of other Robeco Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board of Directors discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.
Purchases of the Funds Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.
The Companys officers are authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.
Currently, the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund is closed to new and existing shareholders, except defined contribution plans (excluding IRA accounts) currently invested in the Fund.
Good Order. You must include complete and accurate required information on your purchase request. Please see Purchase of Fund Shares for instructions. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.
Customer Identification Program. Federal law requires the Company to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which may include the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Company. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, may not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Company reserves the right (a) to place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (b) to refuse an investment in a Company portfolio or to involuntarily redeem an investors Shares and close an account in the event that an investors identity is not verified. The Company and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investors account resulting from the investors delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investors Shares when an investors identity cannot be verified.
Normally, your investment firm will send your request to redeem Shares to the Funds transfer agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name. All IRA shareholders must complete an IRA withdrawal form to redeem shares from their IRA account.
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You may redeem Shares of the Funds at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form. You can only redeem Shares on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.
You may redeem Shares of each Fund by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone (excluding retirement accounts where PFPC Trust Company and Mellon Bank N.A. act as custodians for the Boston Partners Funds and for the WPG Funds, respectively). The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by a Fund. There is generally no charge for a redemption. However, with the exception of defined contribution plans, if a shareholder of the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II or Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund redeems Shares held for less than one year, a transaction fee of 1% or 2%, respectively, of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. In addition, with the exception of defined contribution plans, if a shareholder of the WPG Funds redeems Shares held for less than 60 days, a transaction fee of 2% of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. For purposes of this redemption feature, Shares purchased first will be considered to be Shares first redeemed.
Redemption By Mail. Your redemption requests should be addressed to Robeco [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940; for overnight delivery, requests should be addressed to Robeco [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 and must include:
a. | Name of the Fund; |
b. | Account number; |
c. | Your share certificates, if any, properly endorsed or with proper powers of attorney; |
d. | A letter of instruction specifying the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the Shares in the exact names in which they are registered; |
e. | Medallion signature guarantees are required when (i) the redemption proceeds are to be sent to someone other than the registered shareholder(s) or (ii) the redemption request is for $10,000 or more. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association who are participants in a Medallion Program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized Medallion Programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Program (MSP). Signature guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable; and |
f. | Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations. |
Redemption By Telephone. In order to request a telephone redemption, you must have returned your account application containing a telephone election. To add a telephone redemption option to an existing account, contact the Transfer Agent by calling (888) 261-4073. Please note that IRA accounts are not eligible for telephone redemption.
Once you are authorized to utilize the telephone redemption option, a redemption of Shares may be requested by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed to the primary registration address or wired per the authorized instructions. A wire charge of $7.50 is assessed and charged to the shareholder. If the telephone redemption option or the telephone exchange option is authorized, the Transfer Agent may act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be a shareholder and believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Transfer Agents records of such instructions are binding and shareholders, not the Company or the Transfer Agent, bear the risk of loss in the event of unauthorized instructions reasonably believed by the Company or the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Company and the Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated are genuine and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The procedures employed by the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection with transactions initiated by telephone include tape recording of telephone instructions and requiring some form of personal identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your account has a value of at least $10,000, you may establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and receive regular periodic payments. A request to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan must be submitted in writing to the Transfer Agent at P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940. Each withdrawal redemption will be processed on or about the 25th of the month and mailed as soon as possible thereafter. There are no service charges for maintenance; the minimum amount that you may withdraw each period is $100 (WPG Funds minimum amount $50). (This is merely the minimum amount allowed and should not be mistaken for a recommended amount.) The holder of a
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Systematic Withdrawal Plan will have any income dividends and any capital gains distributions reinvested in full and fractional shares at NAV. To provide funds for payment, Shares will be redeemed in such amounts as are necessary at the redemption price. The systematic withdrawal of Shares may reduce or possibly exhaust the Shares in your account, particularly in the event of a market decline. As with other redemptions, a systematic withdrawal payment is a sale for federal income tax purposes. Payments made pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan cannot be considered as actual yield or income since part of such payments may be a return of capital.
You will ordinarily not be allowed to make additional investments of less than the aggregate annual withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan during the time you have the plan in effect and, while a Systematic Withdrawal Plan is in effect, you may not make periodic investments under the Automatic Investment Plan. You will receive a confirmation of each transaction and the Share and cash balance remaining in your plan. The plan may be terminated on written notice by the shareholder or by a Fund and will terminate automatically if all Shares are liquidated or withdrawn from the account or upon the death or incapacity of the shareholder. You may change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments or suspend such payments by giving written notice to the Funds transfer agent at least ten Business Days prior to the end of the month preceding a scheduled payment.
Transaction Fee on Certain Redemptions of the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund and WPG Funds
The Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II requires the payment of a transaction fee on redemptions of Shares held for less than one year equal to 1.00% of the NAV of such Shares redeemed at the time of redemption. The Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund requires the payment of a transaction fee on redemption of Shares held for less than one year equal to 2.00% of the NAV of such Shares redeemed at the time of redemption. The Robeco WPG Funds require the payment of a transaction fee on redemption of Shares held for less than 60 days equal to 2.00% of the NAV of such Shares redeemed at the time of redemption. This additional transaction fee is paid to each Fund, NOT to the Adviser, Distributor or Transfer Agent. It is NOT a sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge. The fee does not apply to defined contribution plans or to redeemed Shares that were purchased through reinvested dividends or capital gain distributions. The additional transaction fee is intended to limit short-term trading in each Fund or, to the extent that short-term trading persists, to impose the costs of that type of activity on the shareholders who engage in it. These costs include: (i) brokerage costs; (ii) market impact costs i.e., the decrease in market prices which may result when a Fund sells certain securities in order to raise cash to meet the redemption request; (iii) the realization of capital gains by the other shareholders in each Fund; and (iv) the effect of the bid-ask spread in the over-the-counter market. The transaction fee represents each Funds estimate of the brokerage and other transaction costs which may be incurred by each Fund in disposing of stocks in which each Fund may invest. Without the additional transaction fee, each Fund would generally be selling its shares at a price less than the cost to each Fund of acquiring the portfolio securities necessary to maintain its investment characteristics, resulting in reduced investment performance for all shareholders in the Funds. With the additional transaction fee, the transaction costs of selling additional stocks are not borne by all existing shareholders, but the source of funds for these costs is the transaction fee paid by those investors making redemptions of the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund and the WPG Funds. The Funds reserve the right, at their discretion, to waive, modify or terminate the additional transaction fee.
Each Fund will use the first-in, first-out method to determine your holding period. Under this method, the date of redemption or exchange will be compared with the earliest purchase date of Shares held in your account. The short-term redemption fee will be assessed on the net asset value of those Shares calculated at the time the redemption is effected.
Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholders account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed. The transaction fee applicable to the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund and the WPG Funds will not be charged when Shares are involuntarily redeemed.
Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.
Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.
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If the Board of Directors determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in the payment of redemptions. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.
Proper Form. You must include complete and accurate required information on your redemption request. Please see Redemption of Fund Shares for instructions. Redemption requests not in proper form may be delayed.
The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. A shareholder may exchange Investor Class Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund for Investor Class Shares of another Robeco Investment Fund, up to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Investor Class Shares and the NAV of the Investor Class Shares to be acquired next determined after PFPCs receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II or Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund Shares held for less than one year (with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains) will be subject to a transaction fee of 1.00% with respect to the Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II and 2.00% with respect to the Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund. An exchange of the Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund or Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund Shares held for less than 60 days (with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains) will be subject to a transaction fee of 2.00%. An exchange of Shares will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see Redemption by Telephone above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations, including any applicable redemption fee.
If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Investor Class Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See Redemption by Mail for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days written notice to shareholders.
If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Funds minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the shares must equal or exceed the Funds minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.
The Funds exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Shareholders are entitled to six (6) exchange redemptions (one exchange per calendar month) from each Fund during any twelve-month period. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Robeco Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.
Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.
The Boston Partners Funds and the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. The Core Bond Fund will declare dividends from net investment income daily and pay such dividends monthly. Ordinary income for the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund in certain circumstances may be qualified dividend income taxable to individual shareholders at a maximum 15% U.S. Federal income tax rate. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to Robecos website at www.robecoinvest.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.
57
The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.
The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.
Federal Taxes. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.
Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 15%. You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.
Distributions of qualifying dividends will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or qualified foreign corporations (qualifying dividends), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Funds ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Funds distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Funds securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or non-qualified foreign corporations. In addition, the Core Bond Fund does not expect to pay dividends eligible for this treatment because it will generally invest in debt instruments and not in shares of stock on which dividend income will be received.
Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.
A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.
If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This is known as buying into a dividend.
Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you sell or exchange them. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you should retain your account statements for the periods during which you held shares.)
Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under wash sale rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.
IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable.
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Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are exempt recipients. The current withholding rate is 28%.
U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Distributions by a Fund to a nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a foreign shareholder) will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a lower treaty rate), unless one of the following exceptions applies. Withholding will not apply if a distribution paid by a Fund to a foreign shareholder is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder, in which case the reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of capital gains (aside from capital gains on REIT shares) are not subject to withholding tax, but in the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, such distributions ordinarily may be subject to U.S. income tax if the individual is physically present in the U.S. for more than 182 days during the taxable year. In addition, foreign shareholders who are prepared to file U.S. federal income tax returns should generally be able to obtain a refund of any withholding taxes deducted from distributions attributable to interest earned by the Fund from U.S. sources.
State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Funds distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.
Sunset of Tax Provisions. Some of the tax provisions described above are subject to sunset provisions. Specifically, a sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain rate and the taxation of dividends at the long-term capital gain rate will change after 2010. Additionally, the provision exempting foreign shareholders from tax on distributions of short-term capital gains and portfolio interest is scheduled to sunset for the Funds taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.
More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.
Each Fund also offers Institutional Class Shares, which are offered directly to institutional investors without distribution fees in a separate prospectus. In addition, the Core Bond Fund also offers Retirement Class Shares, which are offered to certain tax-deferred retirement plans in a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Investor Class Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Institutional Class Shares or Retirement Class Shares of the same Fund. Information concerning Institutional classes of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at (888) 261-4073.
NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.
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ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS |
(I NVESTOR C LASS )
A CCOUNT A PPLICATION
Please Note: Do not use this form to open a retirement plan account. For an IRA application or help with this Application, please call 1-888-261-4073.
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
2 Address Information:
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Residency Address**: (you must provide a street address) | |||
STREET APARTMENT NUMBER | ||||
CITY STATE ZIP CODE | ||||
DAY PHONE NUMBER EVENING PHONE NUMBER | ||||
Joint owner or Minors residency address | ||||
STREET APARTMENT NUMBER | ||||
CITY STATE ZIP CODE | ||||
**Identity Verification Procedures Notice. The USA PATRIOT ACT requires financial institutions, including mutual funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of all investors opening new accounts. When completing the New Account Application, you will be required to supply the Funds with certain information for all persons owning or permitted to act on an account, that will assist the Funds in verifying your identity. This includes date of birth, taxpayer identification number and street address. Until such verification is made, the Funds may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Funds may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a customers identity. As required by law, the Funds may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct. | ||||
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
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Systematic Withdrawal Plan: |
To select this portion please fill out the information below: | |||||||
Amount $ Startup Month | ||||||||
A minimum account value of $ 10,000 in a single account is required to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan. Payments will be made on or near the 25th of the month. |
Frequency: q Annually q Monthly q Quarterly |
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Please check one of the following options: Please mail checks to Address of Record (Named in Section 2)
Please electronically credit my Bank of Record (Named in Section 6) |
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Telephone Exchange and Redemption: |
To use this option, you must initial the appropriate line below.
I authorize the Transfer Agent to accept instructions from any persons to redeem or exchange shares in my account(s) by telephone in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Funds current prospectus. |
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Individual initial | joint initial |
Redeem shares, and send the proceeds to the address of record. |
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Individual initial | joint initial |
Exchange shares for shares of Robeco Investment Funds. |
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6 Automatic Investment Plan: |
The Automatic Investment Plan which is available to shareholders of the Fund, makes possible regularly scheduled purchases of Fund shares to allow dollar-cost averaging. The Funds Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund
Please debit $ (minimum $100) from my checking account (named below) on or about the 20th of the month. |
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Please attach an unsigned, voided check. | ||||||
q Monthly q Quarterly q Annually | ||||||
BANK RECORD: |
BANK NAME STREET ADDRESS OR P.O. BOX | |||||
CITY STATE ZIP CODE | ||||||
BANK ABA NUMBER BANK ACCOUNT OWNER BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER |
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS
(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)
of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
(888) 261-4073
http://www.robecoinvest.com
For More Information:
This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Robeco Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:
Annual/SemiAnnual Reports
These reports contain additional information about each Funds investments, describe each Funds performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds performance during their last fiscal year. The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.robecoinvest.com.
Statement of Additional Information
An SAI, dated September 4, 2007 has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Robeco Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semiannual reports, by calling (888) 261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus). The SAI is not available on the Advisers website because a copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.
Shareholder Inquiries
Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern time) MondayFriday. Call: (888) 261-4073 or visit the website of Robeco Investment Management at http://www.robecoinvest.com.
Purchases and Redemptions
Call (888) 261-4073.
Written Correspondence
Street Address:
Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427
P.O. Box Address:
Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940
Securities and Exchange Commission
You may view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SECs Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or the EDGAR Database on the SECs Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by sending your written request and a duplicating fee to the SECs Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 81105518
ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS
of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
Institutional Class
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
Investor Class
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
September 4, 2007
This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) provides information about the Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund (the Large Cap Value Fund), Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund (the Mid Cap Value Fund), Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (the Small Cap Value Fund), Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund (the All-Cap Value Fund), Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (the Long/Short Equity Fund) (collectively, the Boston Partners Funds), Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund (the Core Bond Fund) and Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund), (the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) (the WPG Funds). Throughout this SAI, each Boston Partners Fund and WPG Fund will be referred to as a Fund and collectively, the Funds. The Funds are series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the Company). This information is in addition to the information contained in Robeco Investment Funds Prospectuses dated September 4, 2007 (with respect to: Institutional Class shares of the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly, the Large Cap Growth Fund) and Investor Class shares of each Boston Partners Fund and each WPG Fund (each, a Prospectus and together, the Prospectuses).
This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses and the Funds Annual Report dated August 31, 2006 and Semi-Annual Report dated February 28, 2007. The financial statements and notes contained in the Annual and Semi-Annual Reports are incorporated by reference into this SAI. Copies of the Prospectuses, Annual and Semi-Annual Reports may be obtained by calling toll-free (888) 261-4073. No other part of the Annual or Semi-Annual Report is incorporated by reference herein.
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i
The Company is an open-end management investment company currently operating seventeen separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the 1940 Act) and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to shares of the Institutional Class of the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund and Investor Class of the Boston Partners and WPG Funds representing interests in eight diversified Robeco Investment Funds, which are offered by the Prospectuses. Robeco Investment Management Inc. (Robeco or the Adviser) serves as the investment adviser to the Boston Partners Funds and the WPG Funds.
On April 29, 2005, the WPG Core Bond Fund (a series of the Weiss, Peck & Greer Funds Trust) and WPG Large Cap Growth Fund (now the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) (the Predecessor Fund) were reorganized as a portfolio of the Company. Financial and performance information prior to April 29, 2005 included in this SAI is that of the Predecessor Fund.
INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES
The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectuses concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds.
The Large Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The Mid Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The Small Cap Value Fund II seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The All-Cap Value Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. Current income is a secondary objective.
The Long/Short Equity Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The Fund seeks a total return greater than that of the S&P 500 ® Index.
The Core Bond Fund seeks high current income, consistent with capital preservation, primarily through investment of substantially all, but at least 80%, of its assets in U.S. denominated or quoted bonds issued by domestic or foreign companies or governmental entities.
The 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly Large Cap Growth Fund) seeks long-term growth of capital primarily through investment of at least 80% of its assets in equity securities of U.S. large capitalization companies that offer the prospect of capital appreciation.
The Adviser may not invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Funds Prospectuses and this SAI or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Funds investment policies and limitations.
Asset-Backed Securities. The Long/Short Equity and Core Bond Funds may invest in asset-backed securities, which represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as motor vehicle installment sale contracts, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Asset- backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of U.S. government securities, but are not direct
1
obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Such asset pools are securitized through the use of privately-formed trusts or special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed securities may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present; however privately issued obligations collateralized by a portfolio of privately issued asset-backed securities do not involve any government-related guarantee or insurance. In addition to risks that are not presented by Mortgage-Backed Securities because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets. See Risk Factors Associated with Mortgage-Backed Securities.
Bank and Corporate Obligations. Each Fund may purchase obligations of issuers in the banking industry, such as short-term obligations of bank holding companies, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances and time deposits issued by U.S. or foreign banks or savings institutions having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion. Investment in obligations of foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks may entail risks that are different from those of investments in obligations of U.S. banks due to differences in political, regulatory and economic systems and conditions. The Funds may also make interest-bearing savings deposits in commercial and savings banks in amounts not in excess of 5% of its total assets.
The Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and Long/Short Equity Funds may invest in debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations that are rated at the time of purchase within the three highest ratings categories of Standard & Poors ® (S&P), Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (Fitch) or Moodys Investors, Inc. (Moodys) (or which, if unrated, are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality). Unrated securities will be determined to be of comparable quality to rated debt obligations if, among other things, other outstanding obligations of the issuers of such securities are rated A or better. See Appendix A to this SAI for a description of corporate debt ratings. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value.
The All-Cap Value Fund may invest in debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value. See Appendix A for a description of corporate debt ratings.
Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow up to 33 1 / 3 percent of its respective total assets. The Adviser intends to borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes, including to meet portfolio redemption requests so as to permit the orderly disposition of portfolio securities, or to facilitate settlement transactions on portfolio securities. Investments will not be made when borrowings exceed 5% of a Funds total assets. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, a Funds assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Each Fund expects that some of its borrowings may be made on a secured basis. In such situations, either the custodian will segregate the pledged assets for the benefit of the lender or arrangements will be made with a suitable subcustodian, which may include the lender. If the securities held by a Fund should decline in value while borrowings are outstanding, the net asset value (NAV) of the Funds outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value suffered by the Funds securities. As a result, a Funds share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. A Funds short sales and related borrowings are not subject to the restrictions outlined above.
Commercial Paper. Each Fund may purchase commercial paper rated (at the time of purchase) A-1 by S&P ® or Prime-1 by Moodys or, when deemed advisable by the Adviser, issues rated A-2 or Prime-2 by S&P ® or Moodys, respectively. These rating categories are described in Appendix A to this SAI. The Funds may also purchase unrated commercial paper provided that such paper is determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines approved by the Companys Board of Directors. Commercial
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paper issues in which a Fund may invest include securities issued by corporations without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) in reliance on the exemption from such registration afforded by Section 3(a) (3) thereof, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called private placement exemption from registration, which is afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (Section 4(2) paper). Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws in that any resale must similarly be made in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) paper, thus providing liquidity. Each Fund does not presently intend to invest more than 5% of its net assets in commercial paper.
Convertible Securities and Preferred Stocks. The Funds may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporations capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. While no securities investment is completely without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than the corporations common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally: (1) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (2) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income characteristics; and (3) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.
The value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its conversion value (the securitys worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible securitys investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.
A convertible security might be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible securitys governing instrument. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, that Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. The Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and Long/Short Equity Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% (10% with respect to the All-Cap Value Fund) of each Funds respective net assets, in convertible securities, or securities received by a Fund upon conversion thereof.
Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest in a company and provide their owner with claims on the companys earnings and assets prior to the claims of owners of common stocks but after those of bond owners. Preferred stocks in which the Core Bond and 130/30 Large Cap Core may invest
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include sinking fund, convertible, perpetual fixed and adjustable rate (including auction rate) preferred stocks. There is no minimum credit rating applicable to a Funds investment in preferred stocks and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.
Dollar Rolls. The Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds may enter into dollar rolls in which the Funds sell fixed income securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specified future date.
During the roll period, a Fund would forgo principal and interest paid on such securities. However, the Fund would be compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the forward price for the future purchase, as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The return on dollar rolls may be negatively impacted by fluctuations in interest rates. The Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds do not presently intend to engage in dollar roll transactions involving more than 5% of each Funds respective net assets. For additional information on dollar roll transactions, see the section entitled Mortgage Dollar Roll Transactions in this SAI.
Equity Markets. The Funds invest primarily in equity markets at all times. Equity markets can be highly volatile, so that investing in the Funds involves substantial risk. As a result, investing in the Funds involves the risk of loss of capital.
European Currency Unification. On January 1, 1999, the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) introduced a new single currency called the euro. The euro has replaced the national currencies of the following member countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. In addition, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are members of the EMU but will not adopt the euro as their new currency until they can show that their economics have converged with the economics of the euro zone.
The new European Central Bank has control over each member countrys monetary policies. Therefore, the member countries no longer control their own monetary policies by directing independent interest rates for their currencies. The national governments of the participating countries, however, have retained the authority to set tax and spending policies and public debt levels.
The change to the euro as a single currency is new and untested. The elimination of currency risk among EMU countries may change the economic environment and behavior of investors, particularly in European markets, but the impact of those changes cannot be assessed at this time. It is not possible to predict the impact of the euro on currency values or on the business or financial condition of European countries and issuers, and issuers in other regions, whose securities the Fund may hold, or the impact, if any, on Fund performance. In addition, the introduction of the euro presents other unique uncertainties, including the fluctuation of the euro relative to non-euro currencies; whether the interest rate, tax and labor regimes of European countries participating in the euro will converge over time; and whether the conversion of the currencies of other countries that now are or may in the future become members of the European Union (EU) will have an impact on the euro. Also, it is possible that the euro could be abandoned in the future by countries that have already adopted its use. In May and June 2005, voters in France and the Netherlands rejected ratification of the EU Constitution causing some other countries to postpone moves toward ratification. These or other events, including political and economic developments, could cause market disruptions, and could adversely affect the value of securities held by the Fund.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). The 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may invest in open-end investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq Market System. ETF shares typically trade like shares of common stock and provide investment results that generally
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correspond to the price and yield performance of the component stocks of a widely recognized index such as the S&P 500 ® Index. There can be no assurance, however, that this can be accomplished as it may not be possible for an ETF to replicate the composition and relative weightings of the securities of its corresponding index. ETFs are subject to risks of an investment in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of such investment. Individual shares of an ETF are generally not redeemable at their net asset value, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their net asset value. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their net asset values.
Investments in securities of ETFs beyond the limitations set forth in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act are subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an exemptive order issued by the SEC to the exchange-traded fund. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a mutual fund may not acquire shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs, in excess of: 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company; 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company; or more than 10% of the funds total assets were to be invested in the aggregate in all investment companies. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual funds own expenses. The Fund may investment up to 5% of its net assets in ETFs that invest in the Funds benchmark.
The Fund may also acquire investment company shares received or acquired as dividends, through offers of exchange or as a result of reorganization, consolidation or merger. The purchase of shares of other investment companies may result in duplication of expenses such that investors indirectly bear a proportionate share of the expenses of such mutual funds including operating costs and investment advisory and administrative fees.
Foreign Securities. Each of the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II, All Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers. The Core Bond and 130/30 Large Cap Core Funds may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars, (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets), through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs) or International Depositary Receipts (IDRs). ADRs are securities, typically issued by a U.S. financial institution (a depository), that evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer and deposited with the depository. ADRs may be listed on a national securities exchange or may trade in the over-the-counter market. ADR prices are denominated in U.S. dollars; the underlying security may be denominated in a foreign currency. GDRs, EDRs and IDRs are securities that represent ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a non-U.S. or U.S. corporation. Depositary receipts may be available through sponsored or unsponsored facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Investments in depositary receipts do not eliminate the risks in investing in foreign issuers. The underlying security may be subject to foreign government taxes, which would reduce the yield on such securities.
Investments in foreign securities involve higher costs than investments in U.S. securities, including higher transaction costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. In addition, foreign investments may include additional risks associated with currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity and political stability. Volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets are less than in the United States and, at times, volatility or price can be greater than in the United States. Future political and economic information, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of
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exchange controls, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on foreign obligations. Inability to dispose of Fund securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the securities, or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth or gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.
Fixed commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the Funds endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on their portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, dealers and listed companies than in the United States.
Settlement mechanics (e.g., mail service between the United States and foreign countries) may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Funds to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities.
Although the Funds may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, each Fund values its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. As a result, the NAV of a Funds shares may fluctuate with U.S. dollar exchange rates as well as the price changes of the Funds securities in the various local markets and currencies. Thus, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to the currencies in which a Fund makes its investments could reduce the effect of increases and magnify the effect of decreases in the price of the Funds securities in their local markets. Conversely, a decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar may have the opposite effect of magnifying the effect of increases and reducing the effect of decreases in the prices of a Funds securities in its foreign markets. In addition to favorable and unfavorable currency exchange rate developments, each Fund is subject to the possible imposition of exchange control regulations or freezes on convertibility of currency.
Each Fund may invest in obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks (Eurodollars) and U.S. branches of foreign banks (Yankee dollars) as well as foreign branches of foreign banks. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities of U.S. banks, including potential unfavorable political and economic developments, different tax provisions, seizure of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental restrictions which might affect payment of principal or interest. The Funds may also invest in Yankee bonds, which are issued by foreign governments and their agencies and foreign corporations, but pay interest in U.S. dollars and are typically issued in the United States.
Forward Commitment and When-Issued Transactions. Each Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis (subject to its investment policies and restrictions). These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily one or two months later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. A Fund will not enter into such transactions for the purpose of leverage.
When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable a Fund to lock in what is believed by the Adviser to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future
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changes in interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. When-issued securities or forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date.
The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value are reflected in the computation of a Funds NAV starting on the date of the agreement to purchase the securities, and the Fund is subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on that date. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Funds assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Funds NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place within two months after the date of the transaction, but a Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.
A Fund will make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into. A Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. A Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions, and its distributions from any net realized capital gains will be taxable to shareholders.
When a Fund purchases securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, the fund or the Custodian will maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid securities having a value (determined daily) at least equal to the amount of the Funds purchase commitments. These procedures are designed to ensure that the Fund will maintain sufficient assets at all times to cover its obligations under when-issued purchases and forward commitments.
Futures Contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract). When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, a Fund can seek to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, a Fund, through the purchase of futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases.
To seek to increase total return, to equalize cash or to hedge against changes in interest rates or securities prices the Core Bond Fund and the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. A Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to any of such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be based on various securities (such as U.S. government securities), securities indices, and any other financial instruments and indices. A Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging purposes as described below or for purposes of seeking to increase total return, in each case, only to the extent permitted by regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). All futures contracts entered into by a Fund are traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the CFTC or on foreign exchanges.
Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions, which may result in a profit or a loss. While futures contracts on securities will usually
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be liquidated in this manner, a Fund may instead make, or take, delivery of the underlying securities or currency whenever it appears economically advantageous to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures on securities are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be performed on the settlement date.
Hedging, by use of futures contracts, seeks to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price or rate of return on portfolio securities or securities that a Fund proposes to acquire or the exchange rate of currencies in which portfolio securities are quoted or denominated. A Fund may, for example, take a short position in the futures market by selling futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices that would adversely affect the value of the Funds portfolio securities. Such futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities held by a Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the Funds portfolio securities. If, in the opinion of the Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for a Funds portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of its hedging strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in a Funds portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Adviser will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having the Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by seeking to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Funds portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of a Funds portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.
On other occasions, a Fund may take a long position by purchasing futures contracts. This would be done, for example, when a Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices that are currently available.
Holding Company Depository Receipts. The Funds may invest in Holding Company Depository Receipts (HOLDRS). HOLDRS represent trust-issued receipts that represent individual and undivided beneficial ownership interests in the common stock or American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) of specific companies in a particular industry, sector or group. Each of the Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets in HOLDRS.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities. The Funds may not invest more than 15% of each Funds respective net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Illiquid securities include: repurchase agreements and time deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days; interest rate; currency, mortgage and credit default swaps; interest rate caps; floors and collars; municipal leases; certain restricted securities, such as those purchased in a private placement of securities, unless it is determined, based upon a review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted security is liquid; and certain over-the-counter options. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not considered illiquid for purposes of this limitation. With respect to each Fund, repurchase agreements subject to demand are deemed to have a maturity equal to the notice period.
Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.
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Each Fund may purchase securities which are not registered under the Securities Act but which may be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act (Restricted Securities). These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as it is determined by the Adviser that an adequate trading market exists for the securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in a Fund during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing restricted securities.
The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of Restricted securities held by a Fund under the supervision of the Companys Board of Directors. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the unregistered nature of the security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).
The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities normally reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, since the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.
Indexed Securities. The Funds may invest in indexed securities whose value is linked to securities indices. Most such securities have values which rise and fall according to the change in one or more specified indices, and may have characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying securities. Depending on the index, such securities may have greater volatility than the market as a whole. The Funds may also invest in exchange-traded funds, which generally track their related indices and trade like an individual stock throughout the trading day. For example, the Core Bond Fund may invest in Standard & Poors Depositary Receipts (commonly referred to as Spiders), which are exchange-traded shares of a closed-end investment company that are designed to replicate the price performance and dividend yield of the Standard & Poors 500 ® Composite Stock Price Index. Each of the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets in indexed securities and exchange-traded funds.
Initial Public Offerings. Each of the Funds may purchase stock in an initial public offering (IPO). An IPO is a companys first offering of stock to the public. Risks associated with IPOs may include considerable fluctuation in the market value of IPO shares due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, a limited number of shares available for trading, lack of information about the issuer and limited operating history. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. When a Funds asset base is small, a significant portion of the Funds performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As a Funds assets grow, the effect of the Funds investments in IPOs on the Funds performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Funds performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, a Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Funds portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs.
Investment Company Securities. The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Funds investments in such securities currently are limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Funds total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the Funds total assets with respect to investment companies in the aggregate. Investments in the securities of other investment companies will involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses.
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Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund to invest an unlimited amount of its uninvested cash in a money market fund so long as, among other things, said investment is consistent with the Funds investment objectives and policies. As a shareholder in an investment company, a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the investment companys expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.
Lending of Portfolio Securities. Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities to financial institutions in accordance with the investment restrictions described below. Such loans would involve risks of delay in receiving additional collateral in the event the value of the collateral decreased below the value of the securities loaned or of delay in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, loans will be made only to borrowers deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing and only when, in the Advisers judgment, the income to be earned from the loans justifies the attendant risks. Any loans of a Funds securities will be fully collateralized and marked to market daily.
Market Fluctuation. The market value of each Funds investments, and thus each Funds NAV, will change in response to market conditions affecting the value of its portfolio securities. When interest rates decline, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate loans are reset periodically, yields on investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations. Because the investment alternatives available to each Fund may be limited by the specific objective of that Fund, investors should be aware that an investment in a particular Fund may be subject to greater market fluctuation than an investment in a portfolio of securities representing a broader range of investment alternatives. In view of the specialized nature of the investment activities of each Fund, an investment in any single Fund should not be considered a complete investment program.
Micro-Cap, Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Stocks. Securities of companies with micro-, small- and mid-size capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because micro-, small- and mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid on micro-, small- and mid -cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, micro-, small- and mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies. The market for micro- and small-cap securities may be thinly traded and as a result, greater fluctuations in the price of micro- and small -cap securities may occur.
Money Market Instruments. Each Fund may invest a portion of its assets in short-term, high-quality instruments for purposes of temporary defensive measures which include, among other things, bank obligations. Bank obligations include bankers acceptances, negotiable certificates of deposit, and non-negotiable time deposits earning a specified return and issued by a U.S. bank which is a member of the Federal Reserve System or insured by the Bank Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), or by a savings and loan association or savings bank which is insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the FDIC. Such deposits are not FDIC insured and the Fund bears the risk of bank failure. Bank obligations also include U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks. Such investments may involve risks that are different from investments in securities of domestic branches of U.S. banks. These risks may include future unfavorable political and economic developments, possible withholding taxes on interest income, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, or other governmental restrictions which might affect the payment of principal or interest on the securities held in a Fund. Additionally, these institutions may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing, reporting and recordkeeping requirements than those
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applicable to domestic branches of U.S. banks. A Fund will invest in obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks only when the Adviser believes that the risks associated with such investment are minimal. The value of money market instruments tends to fall when current interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. Certain Funds, and in particular the Core Bond Fund, may invest in mortgage pass-through certificates and multiple-class pass-through securities, such as real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMIC) pass-through certificates and collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs).
Guaranteed mortgage pass-through securities represent participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans and are issued by U.S. governmental or private lenders and guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, including but not limited to the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Ginnie Mae certificates are guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government for timely payment of principal and interest on the certificates. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Fannie Mae certificates are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, a federally chartered and privately owned corporation, for full and timely payment of principal and interest on the certificates. Fannie Mae is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations. Freddie Mac certificates are guaranteed by Freddie Mac, a corporate instrumentality of the U.S. government, for timely payment of interest and the ultimate collection of all principal of the related mortgage loans.
CMOs and REMIC pass-through or participation certificates may be issued by, among others, U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities as well as private lenders. CMOs and REMIC certificates are issued in multiple classes and the principal of and interest on the mortgage assets may be allocated among the several classes of CMOs or REMIC certificates in various ways. Each class of CMOs or REMIC certificates, often referred to as a tranche, is issued at a specific adjustable or fixed interest rate and must be fully retired no later than its final distribution date. Generally, interest is paid or accrues on all classes of CMOs or REMIC certificates on a monthly basis.
Typically, CMOs are collateralized by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac certificates but also may be collateralized by other mortgage assets such as whole loans or private mortgage pass-through securities. Debt service on CMOs is provided from payments of principal and interest on collateral of mortgaged assets and any reinvestment income thereon.
A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment under the Code and invests in certain mortgages primarily secured by interests in real property and other permitted investments. Investors may purchase regular and residual interest shares of beneficial interest in REMIC trusts although the Funds do not intend to invest in residual interests.
Certain Funds, and in particular the Core Bond Fund, may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued by trusts or other entities formed or sponsored by private originators of and institutional investors in mortgage loans and other non-governmental entities (or representing custodial arrangements administered by such institutions). These private originators and institutions include savings and loan associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, insurance companies, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing.
Privately issued mortgage-backed securities are generally backed by pools of conventional (i.e., non-government guaranteed or insured) mortgage loans. Since such mortgage-backed securities normally are not guaranteed by an entity having the credit standing of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, in order to receive a high quality rating from the rating organizations (e.g., S&Ps or Moodys), they often are structured with one or more types of credit enhancement. Such credit enhancement falls into two categories: (1) liquidity protection and (2) protection against losses resulting after default by a borrower and liquidation of
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the collateral (e.g., sale of a house after foreclosure). Liquidity protection refers to the payment of cash advances to holders of mortgage-backed securities when a borrower on an underlying mortgage fails to make its monthly payment on time. Protection against losses resulting after default and liquidation is designed to cover losses resulting when, for example, the proceeds of a foreclosure sale are insufficient to cover the outstanding amount on the mortgage. Such protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit, through various means of structuring the securities or through a combination of such approaches.
Examples of credit enhancement arising out of the structure of the transaction include senior-subordinated securities (multiple class securities with one or more classes entitled to receive payment before other classes, with the result that defaults on the underlying mortgages are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class), creation of spread accounts or reserve funds (where cash or investments are held in reserve against future losses) and over-collateralization (where the scheduled payments on the underlying mortgages in a pool exceed the amount required to be paid on the mortgage-backed securities). The degree of credit enhancement for a particular issue of mortgage-backed securities is based on the level of credit risk associated with the particular mortgages in the related pool. Losses on a pool in excess of anticipated levels could nevertheless result in losses to security holders since credit enhancement rarely covers every dollar owed on a pool.
Investing in Mortgage-Backed Securities (such as those described above) involves certain risks, including the failure of a counter-party to meet its commitments, adverse interest rate changes and the effects of prepayments on mortgage cash flows. Further, the yield characteristics of Mortgage-Backed Securities differ from those of traditional fixed income securities. The major differences typically include more frequent interest and principal payments (usually monthly), the adjustability of interest rates, and the possibility that prepayments of principal may be made substantially earlier than their final distribution dates.
Prepayment rates are influenced by changes in current interest rates and a variety of economic, geographic, social and other factors and cannot be predicted with certainty. Both adjustable rate mortgage loans and fixed rate mortgage loans may be subject to a greater rate of principal prepayments in a declining interest rate environment and to a lesser rate of principal prepayments in an increasing interest rate environment. Under certain interest rate and prepayment rate scenarios, a Fund may fail to recoup fully its investment in Mortgage-Backed Securities notwithstanding any direct or indirect governmental or agency guarantee. When a Fund reinvests amounts representing payments and unscheduled prepayments of principal, it may receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on existing adjustable rate mortgage pass-through securities. Thus, Mortgage-Backed Securities, and adjustable rate mortgage pass-through securities in particular, may be less effective than other types of U.S. government securities as a means of locking in interest rates.
Conversely, in a rising interest rate environment, a declining prepayment rate will extend the average life of many Mortgage-Backed Securities. This possibility is often referred to as extension risk. Extending the average life of a Mortgage-Backed Security increases the risk of depreciation due to future increases in market interest rates. The market for certain types of Mortgage-Backed Securities (i.e., certain CMOs) may not be liquid under all interest rate scenarios, which may prevent a Fund from selling such securities held in its portfolio at times or prices that it desires.
Different types of derivative debt securities are subject to different combinations of prepayment, extension and/or interest rate risk. Conventional mortgage pass-through securities and sequential pay CMOs are subject to all of these risks, but are typically not leveraged. Thus, the magnitude of exposure may be less than for more leveraged Mortgage-Backed Securities.
Planned amortization class (PAC) and target amortization class (TAC) CMO bonds involve less exposure to prepayment, extension and interest rate risk than other Mortgage-Backed Securities, provided that prepayment rates remain within expected prepayment ranges or collars. To the extent that prepayment rates
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remain within these prepayment ranges, the residual or support tranches of PAC and TAC CMOs assume the extra prepayment extension and interest rate risk associated with the underlying mortgage assets.
The Core Bond Fund may invest in floating rate securities based on the Cost of Funds Index (COFI floaters), other lagging rate floating rate securities, floating rate securities that are subject to a maximum interest rate (capped floaters), and Mortgage-Backed Securities purchased at a discount. The primary risks associated with these derivative debt securities are the potential extension of average life and/or depreciation due to rising interest rates.
Mortgage Dollar Roll Transactions. The Core Bond Fund may enter into mortgage dollar roll transactions in which the Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar (same type, coupon and maturity), but not identical securities on a specified future date.
During the roll period, the Core Bond Fund would forgo principal and interest paid on such securities. However, the Fund would benefit to the extent of any difference between the price received for the securities sold and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the drop) or fee income plus the interest on the cash proceeds of the securities sold until the settlement date of the forward purchase. Unless such benefits exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss due to mortgage prepayments that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the mortgage dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Core Bond Fund compared with what such performance would have been without the use of mortgage dollar rolls. The Core Bond Fund will hold and maintain in a segregated account until the settlement date cash or liquid, high-grade debt securities in an amount equal to the forward purchase price. Any benefits derived from the use of mortgage dollar rolls may depend upon mortgage prepayment assumptions, which will be affected by changes in interest rates. There is no assurance that mortgage dollar rolls can be successfully employed. For additional information on dollar rolls, please refer to the section entitled Dollar Rolls in this SAI.
Municipal Obligations. The Core Bond Fund may invest in municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities to obtain funds for various public purposes. The interest on most of these obligations is generally exempt from regular Federal income tax in the hands of most individual investors, although it may be subject to the individual and corporate alternative minimum tax. The two principal classifications of municipal obligations are notes and bonds.
Municipal notes are generally used to provide for short-term capital needs and generally have maturities of one year or less. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, and construction loan notes. Tax anticipation notes are sold to finance working capital needs of municipalities. They are generally payable from specific tax revenues expected to be received at a future date. Revenue anticipation notes are issued in expectation of receipt of other types of revenue such as federal revenues available under the Federal Revenue Sharing Program. Tax anticipation notes and revenue anticipation notes are generally issued in anticipation of various seasonal revenues such as income, sales, use, and business taxes. Bond anticipation notes are sold to provide interim financing. These notes are generally issued in anticipation of long-term financing in the market. In most cases, these monies provide for the repayment of the notes. Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing. After the projects are successfully completed and accepted, many projects receive permanent financing through the Federal Housing Administration under Fannie Mae or Ginnie Mae. There are, of course, a number of other types of notes issued for different purposes and secured differently from those described above.
Municipal bonds, which meet longer term capital needs and generally have maturities of more than one year when issued, have two principal classifications, general obligation bonds and revenue bonds. Issuers of general obligation bonds include states, counties, cities, towns and regional districts. The proceeds of these
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obligations are used to fund a wide range of public projects including the construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads, water and sewer systems and a variety of other public purposes. The basic security of general obligation bonds is the issuers pledge of its faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. The taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to rate or amount or special assessments.
The principal security for a revenue bond is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility or group of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Revenue bonds have been issued to fund a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Revenue obligations are not backed by the credit and taxing authority of the issuer, but are payable solely from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source. In addition, revenue obligations may be backed by a letter of credit, guarantee or insurance. Revenue obligations include private activity bonds, resource recovery bonds, certificates of participation and certain municipal notes. Although the principal security behind these bonds varies widely, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund whose monies may also be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuers obligations. Housing finance authorities have a wide range of security including partially or fully insured, rent subsidized and/or collateralized mortgages, and/or the net revenues from housing or other public projects. In addition to a debt service reserve fund, some authorities provide further security in the form of a states ability (without obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund. Lease rental revenue bonds issued by a state or local authority for capital projects are secured by annual lease rental payments from the state or locality to the authority sufficient to cover debt service on the authoritys obligations.
Industrial development bonds (now a subset of a class of bonds known as private activity bonds), although nominally issued by municipal authorities, are generally not secured by the taxing power of the municipality but are secured by the revenues of the authority derived from payments by the industrial user.
There is, in addition, a variety of hybrid and special types of municipal obligations as well as numerous differences in the security of municipal obligations both within and between the two principal classifications above.
An entire issue of municipal obligations may be purchased by one or a small number of institutional investors such as one of the Funds. Thus, the issue may not be said to be publicly offered. Unlike securities which must be registered under the Securities Act, prior to offer and sale unless an exemption from such registration is available, municipal obligations which are not publicly offered may nevertheless be readily marketable. A secondary market exists for municipal obligations which were not publicly offered initially.
The Adviser determines whether a municipal obligation is readily marketable based on whether it may be sold in a reasonable time consistent with the customs of the municipal markets (usually seven days) at a price (or interest rate), which accurately reflects its value. In addition, stand-by commitments and demand obligations also enhance marketability.
For the purpose of a Funds investment restrictions, the identification of the issuer of municipal obligations which are not general obligation bonds is made by the Adviser on the basis of the characteristics of the obligation as described above, the most significant of which is the source of funds for the payment of principal of and interest on such obligations.
Yields on municipal obligations depend on a variety of factors, including money market conditions, municipal bond market conditions, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the quality of the issue. High grade municipal obligations tend to have a lower yield than lower rated obligations. Municipal obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and
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remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or municipalities to levy taxes. There is also the possibility that as a result of litigation or other conditions the power or ability of any one or more issuers to pay when due principal of and interest on its or their municipal obligations may be materially affected.
There could be economic, business or political developments, which might affect all municipal obligations of a similar type. However, the Adviser believes that the most important consideration affecting risk is the quality of particular issues of municipal obligations rather than factors affecting all, or broad classes of, municipal obligations.
A Fund may invest in variable, floating rate and other municipal securities on which the interest may fluctuate based on changes in market rates. The interest rates payable on variable rate securities are adjusted at designated intervals (e.g., daily, monthly, semi-annually) and the interest rates payable on floating rate securities are adjusted whenever there is a change in the market rate of interest on which the interest payable is based. The interest rate on variable and floating rate securities is ordinarily determined by reference to or is a percentage of a banks prime rate, the 90-day U.S. Treasury bill rate, the rate of return on commercial paper or bank certificates of deposit, an index of short-term interest rates, or some other objective measure. The value of floating and variable rate securities generally is more stable than that of fixed rate securities in response to changes in interest rate levels. A Fund may consider the maturity of a variable or floating rate municipal security to be shorter than its ultimate maturity if that Fund has the right to demand prepayment of its principal at specified intervals prior to the securitys ultimate maturity.
Funds that may invest in municipal securities may invest in municipal leases and certificates of participation in municipal leases. A municipal lease is an obligation in the form of a lease or installment purchase which is issued by a state or local government to acquire equipment and facilities. Certificates of participation represent undivided interests in municipal leases, installment purchase agreements or other instruments. The certificates are typically issued by a trust or other entity, which has received an assignment of the payments to be made by the state or political subdivision under such leases or installment purchase agreements. The primary risk associated with municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation is that the governmental lessee will fail to appropriate funds to enable it to meet its payment obligations under the lease. Although the obligations may be secured by the leased equipment or facilities, the disposition of the property in the event of non-appropriation or foreclosure might prove difficult, time consuming and costly, and may result in a delay in recovering, or the failure to fully recover, the Funds original investment. To the extent that a Fund invests in unrated municipal leases or participates in such leases, the Adviser will monitor on an ongoing basis the credit quality rating and risk of cancellation of such unrated leases. Certain municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation may be deemed illiquid for the purposes of the limitation on investments in illiquid securities.
Funds that invest in municipal securities may invest in pre-refunded municipal securities. The principal of and interest on pre-refunded municipal securities are no longer paid from the original revenue source for the securities. Instead, the source of such payments is typically an escrow fund consisting of U.S. government securities. The assets in the escrow fund are derived from the proceeds of refunding bonds issued by the same issuer as the pre-refunded municipal securities. Issuers of municipal securities use this advance refunding technique to obtain more favorable terms with respect to securities that are not yet subject to call or redemption by the issuer. For example, advance refunding enables an issuer to refinance debt at lower market interest rates, restructure debt to improve cash flow or eliminate restrictive covenants in the indenture or other governing instrument for the pre-refunded municipal securities. However, except for a change in the revenue source from which principal and interest payments are made, the pre-refunded municipal securities remain outstanding on their original terms until they mature or are redeemed by the issuer. Pre-refunded municipal securities are usually purchased at a price, which represents a premium over their face value.
Credit Default Swaps. The Core Bond Fund may invest in credit default swaps. A credit default swap is a type of insurance against default by an issuer. The owner of protection pays an annual premium to the seller
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of protection for the right to sell a bond equivalent to the amount of the swap in the event of a default on the bond. It is important to understand that the seller of protection is buying credit exposure and the buyer of protection is selling credit exposure. The Fund may act as seller or buyer. The premium on a credit default swap is paid over the term of the swap or until a credit event occurs. In the event of a default, the swap expires, the premium payments cease and the seller of protection makes a contingent payment to the buyer.
The use of swaps is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. A Funds investment in swaps may involve a small investment relative to the amount of risk assumed. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used. The risks of swap agreements depend upon the other partys creditworthiness and ability to perform, as well as the Funds ability to terminate its swap agreement or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions. Swap agreements may be illiquid. The swap market is relatively new and largely unregulated. In accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission requirements, the Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to its obligations under swap agreements. When an agreement provides for netting the payments by the two parties, the Fund will segregate only the amount of its net obligation, if any.
Options on Futures Contracts. The Core Bond Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give the Fund the right (but not the obligation) for a specified price to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, the Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.
The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset a decline in the value of the Funds assets. By writing a call option, the Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, (upon exercise of the option) to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value higher than the exercise price. Conversely, the writing of a put option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities that a Fund intends to purchase. However, the Fund becomes obligated (upon exercise of the option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by the Fund in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. The Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.
The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Funds ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.
The Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging and to seek to increase total return as permitted by the CFTC regulations, which permit principals of an investment company, registered under the 1940 Act to engage in such transactions without registering as commodity pool operators. The Fund will determine that the price fluctuations in the futures contracts and options on futures used for hedging purposes are substantially related to price fluctuations in securities held by the Fund or securities or instruments which it expects to purchase. Except as stated below, the Funds futures transactions will be entered into for traditional hedging purposesi.e., futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Fund owns or futures contracts will be purchased to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase. As evidence of this hedging intent, the Fund expects that on 75% or more of the occasions on which it takes a long futures or option position (involving the purchase of futures contracts), the Fund will have purchased, or will be in the process of purchasing, equivalent amounts of related securities in the cash market at the time when the futures or option position is closed out.
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However, in particular cases, when it is economically advantageous for the Fund to do so, a long futures position may be terminated or an option may expire without the corresponding purchase of securities or other assets.
The Fund will engage in transactions in currency forward contracts, futures contracts and options only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the Code, for maintaining its qualification as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. See Taxes.
Transactions in futures contracts and options on futures involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in some cases, may require the Fund to establish a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the underlying value of such contracts and options.
The use of futures contracts entails certain risks, including but not limited to the following: no assurance that futures contracts transactions can be offset at favorable prices; possible reduction of the Funds income due to the use of hedging; possible reduction in value of both the securities hedged and the hedging instrument; possible lack of liquidity due to daily limits on price fluctuations; imperfect correlation between the contract and the securities being hedged; and potential losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contracts themselves. If the expectations of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, the Fund may have experienced better investment results without hedging. The use of futures contracts and options on futures contracts requires special skills in addition to those needed to select portfolio securities.
While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, while the Fund may benefit from the use of futures and options on futures, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. In the event of an imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.
Perfect correlation between the Funds futures positions and portfolio positions will be impossible to achieve. There are no futures contracts based upon individual securities, except certain U.S. government securities. Other futures contracts available to hedge the Funds portfolio investments generally are limited to futures on various securities indices.
Options on Securities and Securities Indices. The All-Cap Value Fund, Core Bond Fund and 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may each write covered call and (except 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) secured put options on any securities in which it may invest or on any domestic stock indices based on securities in which it may invest. A Fund may purchase and write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market. A call option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price of the security. All call options written by a Fund are covered, which means that the Fund will own the securities subject to the option so long as the option is outstanding or use the other methods described below. The purpose of a Fund in writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized in portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.
A put option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price for the security. The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income. However, in return for the option premium, the Fund accepts the risk that it will be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities market value at the time of purchase.
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All call and put options written by a Fund are covered. A written call option or put option may be covered by (i) maintaining cash or liquid securities in a segregated account noted on the Funds records or maintained by the Funds custodian with a value at least equal to the Funds obligation under the option, (ii) entering into an offsetting forward commitment and/or (iii) purchasing an offsetting option or any other option which, by virtue of its exercise price or otherwise, reduces the Funds net exposure on its written option position.
A Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange-traded call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparts to such option. Such purchases are referred to as closing purchase transactions and do not result in the ownership of an option. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying security from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying security or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying security. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have incurred a loss in the transaction.
A Fund may also write (sell) covered call and put options on any securities index composed of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash settlement payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. The amount of this settlement will be equal to the difference between the closing price of the of the securities index at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars, times a specified amount. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
The Funds may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. A Fund may also cover call and put options on a securities index by using the other methods described above.
The All-Cap Value Fund, Core Bond Fund and 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund may each purchase put and call options on any securities in which it may invest or on any securities index based on securities in which it may invest, and a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.
A Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease (protective puts) in the market value of securities of the type in which it may invest. The purchase of a call option would entitle a Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if, during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. The purchase of a put option would entitle a Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified securities at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of a Funds securities. Put options may also be purchased by a Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of securities which it does not own. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of put options may be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying portfolio securities.
A Fund may purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it may purchase options on securities. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise
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of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.
Transactions by a Fund in options on securities and securities indices will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options that a Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.
Although the Funds may use option transactions to seek to generate additional income and to seek to reduce the effect of any adverse price movement in the securities or currency subject to the option, they do involve certain risks that are different in some respects from investment risks associated with similar mutual funds, which do not engage in such activities. These risks include the following: for writing call options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the inability to participate in the appreciation of the underlying securities above the exercise price; for writing put options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the obligation to purchase the specified securities or to make a cash settlement on the securities index at prices which may not reflect current market values; and for purchasing call and put options, the possible loss of the entire premium paid. In addition, the effectiveness of hedging through the purchase or sale of securities index options, including options on the S&P 500 ® Index, will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio being hedged correlate with the price movements in the selected securities index. Perfect correlation may not be possible because the securities held or to be acquired by a Fund may not exactly match the composition of the securities index on which options are written. If the forecasts of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, a Funds investment results may have been better without the hedge transactions.
There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on a domestic or foreign options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any particular time. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities or currencies.
Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
A Funds ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations.
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The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of over-the-counter options and, if it determines that such options are not readily marketable, a Funds ability to enter such options will be subject to the Funds limitation on investments on illiquid securities.
The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The successful use of options for hedging purposes depends in part on the Advisers ability to predict future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets.
Pay-in-Kind Securities, Zero Coupon and Capital Appreciation Bonds. To the extent consistent with its investment objective, the All-Cap Value and Core Bond Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in pay-in-kind (PIK) securities. PIK securities may be debt obligations or preferred shares that provide the issuer with the option of paying interest or dividends on such obligations in cash or in the form of additional securities rather than cash. Similarly, zero coupon and capital appreciation bonds are debt securities issued or sold at a discount from their face value and do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date. The amount of the discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity or cash payment date, prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. These securities also may take the form of debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons, the coupons themselves or receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations or coupons. A portion of the discount with respect to stripped tax-exempt securities or their coupons may be taxable. Such securities are designed to give an issuer flexibility in managing cash flow. PIK securities that are debt securities can either be senior or subordinated debt and generally trade flat (i.e., without accrued interest). The trading price of PIK debt securities generally reflects the market value of the underlying debt plus an amount representing accrued interest since the last interest payment.
PIK securities, zero coupon bonds and capital appreciation bonds involve the additional risk that, unlike securities that periodically pay interest to maturity, the Fund will realize no cash until a specified future payment date unless a portion of such securities is sold and, if the issuer of such securities defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. In addition, even though such securities may not provide for the payment of current interest in cash, the Fund is nonetheless required to accrue income on such investments for each taxable year and generally is required to distribute such accrued amounts (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax. Because no cash is generally received at the time of the accrual, the Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund. Additionally, the market prices of PIK securities, zero coupon bonds and capital appreciation bonds generally are more volatile than the market prices of interest bearing securities and are likely to respond to a greater degree to changes in interest rates than interest bearing securities having similar maturities and credit quality.
Portfolio Turnover. Those investment strategies that require periodic changes to portfolio holdings with the expectation of outperforming equity indices are typically referred to as active strategies. These strategies contrast with passive (index) strategies that buy and hold only the stocks in the equity indices. Passive strategies tend to trade infrequentlyonly as the stocks in the indices change (largely due to changes in the sizes of the companies in the indices, takeovers or bankruptcies). Most equity mutual funds pursue active strategies, which have higher turnover than passive strategies.
The generally higher portfolio turnover of active investment strategies can adversely affect taxable investors, especially those in higher marginal tax brackets, in two ways. First, short-term capital gains, which often accompany higher turnover investment strategies, are currently taxed at ordinary income rates. Ordinary income tax rates are higher than long-term capital gain tax rates for middle and upper income taxpayers. Thus, the tax liability is often higher for investors in active strategies. Second, the more frequent realization of gains caused by higher turnover investment strategies means that taxes will be paid sooner. Such acceleration of the
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tax liability is financially more costly to investors. Less frequent realization of capital gains allows the payment of taxes to be deferred until later years, allowing more of the gains to compound before taxes are paid. Consequently, after-tax compound rates of return will generally be higher for taxable investors using investment strategies with very low turnover, compared with high turnover strategies. The difference is particularly large when the general market rates of return are higher than average, such as during the majority of the last ten years.
There are no limitations on the length of time that securities must be held by any Fund and a Funds annual portfolio turnover rate may vary significantly from year to year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne by the applicable Fund and its shareholders. The actual portfolio turnover rates for each Predecessor Fund are noted in the Prospectuses.
In determining such portfolio turnover, U.S. government securities and all other securities (including options) which have maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less (short-term securities) are excluded. The annual portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of the cost of purchases or proceeds from sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the applicable Fund during the year. The monthly average is calculated by totaling the values of the portfolio securities as of the beginning and end of the first month of the year and as of the end of the succeeding 11 months and dividing the sum by 13. A turnover rate of 100% would occur if all of a Funds portfolio securities (other than short-term securities) were replaced once in a period of one year. It should be noted that if a Fund were to write a substantial number of options, which are exercised, the portfolio turnover rate of that Fund would increase. Increased portfolio turnover results in increased brokerage costs, which a Fund must pay, and the possibility of more short-term gains, distributions of which are taxable as ordinary income.
The Funds will trade their portfolio securities without regard to the length of time for which they have been held. To the extent that a Funds portfolio is traded for short-term market considerations and portfolio turnover rate exceeds 100%, the annual portfolio turnover rate of the Fund could be higher than most mutual funds.
Purchase Warrants. The Funds may invest in purchase warrants and similar rights. Purchase warrants are privileges issued by a corporation which enable the owner to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short lifespan to expiration. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the warrants expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed securitys market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. These Funds may not invest more than 5% of each Funds respective net assets in purchase warrants and similar rights.
Real Estate Investment Trust Securities. The Funds may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs generally invest directly in real estate, in mortgages or in some combination of the two. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a particular region or property type. A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.
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Generally, REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains from appreciation realized through property sales. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs. The values of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act.
The REITs in which the Funds may invest may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. REITs are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents, and management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry may also be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. REITS whose underlying assets include long-term health care properties; such as nursing, retirement and assisted living homes, may be impacted by federal regulations concerning the health care industry. Each Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund. Each Fund is also subject to the risk that the REITs in which it invests will fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code, and/or fail to qualify for an exemption from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. A REITs return may be adversely affected when interest rates are high or rising.
Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500 ® .
Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may agree to purchase securities from financial institutions subject to the sellers agreement to repurchase them at an agreed-upon time and price (repurchase agreements). The securities held subject to a repurchase agreement may have stated maturities exceeding 397 days, provided the repurchase agreement itself matures in less than 13 months. Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.
The repurchase price under the repurchase agreements described above generally equals the price paid by the Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the securities underlying the repurchase agreement). The financial institutions with whom the Funds may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks which the Adviser considers creditworthy pursuant to criteria approved by the Board of Directors and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are listed on the Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorks list of reporting dealers. The Adviser will consider the creditworthiness of a seller in determining whether to have the Fund enter into a repurchase agreement. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the securities subject to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price plus accrued interest. The Adviser will mark to market daily the value of the securities, and will, if necessary, require the seller to maintain additional securities, to ensure that the value is not less than the repurchase price.
Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities for temporary purposes (such as to obtain cash to meet redemption requests)
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when the liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed disadvantageous or inconvenient by the Adviser. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by a Fund subject to the Funds agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and rate of interest. Such agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act, and may be entered into only for temporary or emergency purposes. While reverse repurchase transactions are outstanding, a Fund will maintain in a segregated account with the Funds custodian or a qualified sub-custodian, cash or liquid securities of an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities, plus accrued interest, subject to the agreement and will monitor the account to ensure that such value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund is obligated to repurchase and the interest received on the cash exchanged for the securities.
Risk Considerations of Medium Grade Securities. Obligations in the lowest investment grade (i.e., BBB or Baa), referred to as medium grade obligations, have speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions and other factors are more likely to lead to weakened capacity to make interest payments and repay principal on these obligations than is the case for higher rated securities. In the event that a security purchased by a Fund is subsequently downgraded below investment grade, the Adviser will consider such event in its determination of whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.
Risk Considerations of Lower Rated Securities. The All-Cap Value Fund may invest in fixed income securities that are not investment grade but are rated as low as B by Moodys or B by S&P (or their equivalents or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable credit quality). In the case of a security that is rated differently by two or more rating services, the higher rating is used in connection with the foregoing limitation. In the event that the rating on a security held in the Funds portfolio is downgraded by a rating service, such action will be considered by the Adviser in its evaluation of the overall investment merits of that security, but will not necessarily result in the sale of the security. The widespread expansion of government, consumer and corporate debt within the U.S. economy has made the corporate sector, especially cyclically sensitive industries, more vulnerable to economic downturns or increased interest rates.
An economic downturn could severely disrupt the market for high yield fixed income securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding fixed income securities and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest.
The Long/Short Equity Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high yield debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations. The Fund will invest in High Yield Debt instruments when the Fund believes that such instruments offer a better risk/reward profile than comparable equity opportunities. High yield fixed income securities (commonly known as junk bonds) are considered speculative investments and, while generally providing greater income than investments in higher rated securities, involve greater risk of loss of principal and income (including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities) and may involve greater volatility of price (especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change) than securities in the higher rating categories. However, since yields vary over time, no specific level of income can ever be assured.
The prices of high yield fixed income securities have been found to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments. Also, during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress, which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a fixed income security owned by a Fund defaulted, the Fund could incur additional expenses to seek recovery. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield fixed income securities and a Funds net asset value, to the extent it holds such securities.
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High yield fixed income securities also present risks based on payment expectations. For example, high yield fixed income securities may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, a Fund may, to the extent it holds such fixed income securities, have to replace the securities with a lower yielding security, which may result in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high yield fixed income securitys value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of a Funds assets, to the extent it holds such fixed income securities.
In addition, to the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield fixed income securities, and this may have an impact on the Advisers ability to accurately value such securities and a Funds assets and on the Funds ability to dispose of such securities. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield fixed income securities, especially in a thinly traded market.
New laws proposed or adopted from time to time may have an impact on the market for high yield securities.
Finally, there are risks involved in applying credit or dividend ratings as a method for evaluating high yield securities. For example, ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest or dividend payments, not market value risk of high yield securities. Also, since rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, a Fund will continuously monitor the issuers of high yield securities in its portfolio, if any, to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the securitys liquidity so the Fund can meet redemption requests.
Special Situation Companies. The Core Bond Fund may invest in Special Situations. The term Special Situation shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, of the trend in the securities market in general. The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a Special Situation, may be one of many different types.
Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the companys business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the companys stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A Special Situation may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the companys earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a Special Situation. The Fund may invest in securities (even if not Special Situations) which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the investment adviser of the Fund believes are undervalued by the market. The Fund shall not be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in Special Situations, nor shall it be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in securities other than Special Situations.
Securities of Unseasoned Issuers. Each of the Funds may invest in securities of unseasoned issuers, including equity securities of unseasoned issuers which are not readily marketable, provided the aggregate investment in such securities would not exceed (a) 25% of net assets for the Long/Short Equity, to the extent consistent with the Funds primary investment strategies as set forth in the Prospectuses and with the Funds policy on investments in illiquid securities; or (b) 5% of net assets for each of the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds. The term unseasoned refers to issuers which, together with their predecessors, have been in operation for less than three years.
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Short Sales. The 130/30 Large Cap Core, All-Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds may enter into short sales. Short sales are transactions in which a Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to pay to the lender amounts equal to any dividend which accrues during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out.
Until a Fund replaces a borrowed security in connection with a short sale, the Fund will: (a) maintain daily a segregated account, containing cash, cash equivalents, or liquid marketable securities, at such a level that the amount deposited in the account plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short or (b) otherwise cover its short position in accordance with positions taken by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC).
A Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. This result is the opposite of what one would expect from a cash purchase of a long position in a security. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of any premium or amounts in lieu of interest the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. A Fund may purchase call options to provide a hedge against an increase in the price of a security sold short by the Fund. See the section entitled Options above.
The Funds anticipate that the frequency of short sales will vary substantially in different periods, and they do not intend that any specified portion of their assets, as a matter of practice, will be invested in short sales. However, no securities will be sold short if, after effect is given to any such short sale, the total market value of all securities sold short would exceed 100% of the value of a Funds net assets.
Short Sales Against the Box. In addition to the short sales discussed above, the 130/30 Large Cap Core, All-Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds may make short sales against the box, a transaction in which a Fund enters into a short sale of a security that the Fund owns or has the right to obtain at no additional cost. The proceeds of the short sale will be held by a broker until the settlement date at which time the Fund delivers the security to close the short position. The Fund receives the net proceeds from the short sale. It currently is anticipated that the Funds will make short sales against the box for purposes of protecting the value of the Funds net assets.
Structured Securities. The All-Cap Value Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in structured securities to the extent consistent with its investment objective. The value of the principal of and/or interest on structured securities is determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, commodities, securities, indices or other financial indictors (the Reference) or the relative change in two or more References. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. Examples of structured securities include, but are not limited to, notes where the principal repayment at maturity is determined by the value of the relative change in two or more specified securities or securities indices.
The terms of some structured securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, the Fund could suffer a total loss of its investment. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rate or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of the changes in the value of the Reference. Consequently, structured
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securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of securities. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities due to their derivative nature.
Temporary Investments. The short-term and medium-term debt securities in which the Funds may invest for temporary defensive purposes consist of: (a) obligations of the United States or foreign governments, their respective agencies or instrumentalities; (b) bank deposits and bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers acceptances) of U.S. or foreign banks denominated in any currency; (c) floating rate securities and other instruments denominated in any currency issued by international development agencies; (d) finance company and corporate commercial paper and other short-term corporate debt obligations of U.S. and foreign corporations; and (e) repurchase agreements with banks and broker-dealers with respect to such securities.
U.S. Government Obligations. The Funds may purchase U.S. government agency and instrumentality obligations that are debt securities issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises and federal agencies. Some obligations of agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or by U.S. Treasury guarantees, such as securities of the Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Authority; others, by the ability of the issuer to borrow, provided approval is granted, from the U.S. Treasury, such as securities of Freddie Mac and others, only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation, such as securities of Fannie Mae and the Federal Loan Banks. Such guarantees of U.S. government securities held by a Fund do not, however, guarantee the market value of the shares of the Fund. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will continue to provide support to its agencies or instrumentalities in the future. U.S. government obligations that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government are subject to greater risks than those that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. All U.S. government obligations are subject to interest rate risk.
Each Funds net assets may be invested in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, including, but not limited to, options and futures on such obligations. The maturities of U.S. government securities usually range from three months to thirty years. Examples of types of U.S. government obligations include U.S. Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds and the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Freddie Mac, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration, the Asian-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. U.S. government securities may include inflation-indexed fixed income securities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). The interest rate of TIPS, which is set at auction, remains fixed throughout the term of the security and the principal amount of the security is adjusted for inflation. The inflation-adjusted principal is not paid until maturity. The Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of each Funds respective net assets in U.S. government obligations.
When-Issued Purchases and Forward Commitments. To the extent consistent with their respective investment objectives, each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. When a Fund agrees to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis, the custodian will set aside cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid assets equal to the amount of the purchase or the commitment in a separate account. The market value of the separate account will be monitored and if such market value declines, the Fund will subsequently be required to place additional assets in the separate account in order to ensure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Funds commitments.
The Funds will make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually
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purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, the Fund may realize a capital gain or loss.
The value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase or a forward commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their value, is taken into account when determining a Funds NAV starting on the day that the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Funds do not earn interest on the securities committed to purchase until the securities are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Funds assets, and fluctuations in the value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Funds NAV as long as the commitment remains in effect.
The Funds have adopted the following fundamental investment limitations which may not be changed with respect to the Funds without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Funds outstanding shares (as defined in Section 2(a) (42) of the 1940 Act). As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, shareholder approval and a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund means, with respect to the approval of an investment advisory agreement, a distribution plan or a change in a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the particular Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund. Each Funds investment goals and strategies described in the Prospectuses may be changed by the Companys Board of Directors without the approval of the Funds shareholders.
Each Boston Partners Fund may not:
1. |
Borrow money or issue senior securities, except that each Fund may borrow from banks and enter into reverse repurchase agreements and the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, Small Cap Value II and All-Cap Value Funds may enter into dollar rolls for temporary purposes in amounts up to one-third of the value of each Funds respective total assets at the time of such borrowing and provided that, for any borrowing with respect to the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, All-Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds, there is at least 300% asset coverage for the borrowings of the Fund. A Fund may not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets, except in connection with any such borrowing and then in amounts not in excess of one-third of the value of the Funds total assets at the time of such borrowing. However, with respect to the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value, All-Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds, the amount shall not be in excess of lesser of the dollar amounts borrowed or 33 1 / 3 % of the value of the Funds total assets at the time of such borrowing, provided that for the All-Cap Value and Long/Short Equity Funds: (a) short sales and related borrowings of securities are not subject to this restriction; and (b) for the purposes of this restriction, collateral arrangements with respect to options, short sales, stock index, interest rate, currency or other futures, options on futures contracts, collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin and collateral arrangements with respect to swaps and other derivatives are not deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of assets, and provided that for the Large Cap Value, Mid Cap Value and All-Cap Value Funds, any collateral arrangements with respect to the writing of options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets. The Small Cap Value II, Large Cap Value and All-Cap Value Funds will not purchase securities while aggregate borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls and borrowings from banks) are in excess of 5% of total assets. Securities held in escrow or separate accounts in connection with a Funds investment practices are not considered to be borrowings or deemed to be pledged for purposes of this limitation; (For purposes of this Limitation No. 1, any collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of |
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options and futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets). |
2. | Issue any senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act; (For purposes of this Limitation No. 2, neither the collateral arrangements with respect to options and futures identified in Limitation No. 1, nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of senior securities). |
3. | Act as an underwriter of securities within the meaning of the Securities Act, except insofar as it might be deemed to be an underwriter upon disposition of certain portfolio securities acquired within the limitation on purchases of restricted securities; |
4. | Purchase or sell real estate (including real estate limited partnership interests), provided that the Fund may invest: (a) in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein; or (b) in real estate investment trusts; |
5. | Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that a Fund may deal in forward foreign exchanges between currencies of the different countries in which it may invest and purchase and sell stock index and currency options, stock index futures, financial futures and currency futures contracts and related options on such futures; |
6. | Make loans, except through loans of portfolio instruments and repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction the acquisition of bonds, debentures or other debt instruments or interests therein and investment in government obligations, loan participations and assignments, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan; |
7. | Invest 25% or more of its total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, in the securities of issuers in any particular industry (excluding the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities); or |
8. | Purchase the securities of any one issuer, other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, if immediately after and as a result of such purchase, more than 5% of the value of the Funds total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer would be owned by the Fund, except that up to 25% of the value of the Funds total assets may be invested without regard to such limitations. |
In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Long/Short Equity Fund may not:
Purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of the Funds total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that (a) there is no limitation with respect to (i) instruments issued or guaranteed by the United States, any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or any of their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, and (ii) repurchase agreements secured by the instruments described in clause (i); (b) wholly-owned finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents; and (c) utilities will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas transmission, electric and gas, electric and telephone will each be considered a separate industry;
For purposes of Investment Limitation No. 1, collateral arrangements with respect to, if applicable, the writing of options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward currency contracts and collateral arrangements with respect to initial and variation margin are not deemed to be a pledge of assets and neither such arrangements nor the purchase or sale of futures or related options are deemed to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of Investment Limitation No. 2.
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In addition to the fundamental investment limitations specified above, the Long/Short Equity Fund is subject to the following non-fundamental limitations. These non-fundamental restrictions may be changed without shareholder approval, in compliance with applicable law and regulatory policy. The Long/Short Equity Fund may not:
1. | Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management, but investments by the Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management; or |
2. | Purchase securities on margin, except for short-term credits necessary for clearance of portfolio transactions, and except that the Fund may make margin deposits in connection with its use of short sales, options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts and forward contracts. |
The Boston Partners Funds may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act. As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment companys expenses, including advisory fees. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory and other expenses that a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.
Securities held by the Boston Partners Funds generally may not be purchased from, sold or loaned to the Adviser or its affiliates or any of their directors, officers or employees, acting as principal, unless pursuant to a rule or exemptive order under the 1940 Act.
If a percentage restriction under one of the Boston Partners Funds investment policies or limitations or the use of assets is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentages resulting from changing values will not be considered a violation (except with respect to any restrictions that may apply to borrowings or senior securities issued by the Fund).
Each WPG Fund may not:
Core Bond Fund
1. With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than U.S. government securities or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities and shares of other investment companies), if:
(a) such purchase would cause more than 5% of the Funds total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer; or
(b) such purchase would at the time result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
2. Purchase or sell real estate (other than securities secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities which invest in real estate or interests therein), but it may lease office space for its own use and invest up to 15% of its assets in publicly held real estate investment trusts.
3. Borrow amounts in excess of 33% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) and then only as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes. This restriction shall not apply to reverse repurchase agreements entered into in accordance with the Funds investment policies.
4. Make loans, except that this restriction shall not prohibit the purchase of or investment in bank certificates of deposit or bankers acceptances, the purchase and holding of all or a portion of an issue of publicly distributed debt securities, the lending of portfolio securities and the entry into repurchase agreements.
29
5. Engage in the business of underwriting securities of others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act, when it purchases or sells portfolio securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
6. Purchase securities, excluding U.S. government securities, of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activity in the same industry, if immediately after such purchase the value of its investments in such industry would exceed 25% or more of its total assets; provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
7. Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and except that the Fund may issue shares of beneficial interest in multiple classes or series.
8. Invest in commodities or in commodities contracts, except that the Fund may purchase and sell financial futures contracts on securities, indices and currencies and options on such futures contracts, and the Fund may purchase securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis.
130/30 Large Cap Core Fund
1. Investment inconsistent with the Funds classification as a diversified series of an open-end investment company under the 1940 Act, provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
2. Purchase, sell or invest in commodities or commodity contracts or real estate or interests in real estate, except futures contracts on securities and securities indices and options on such futures, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and except that the Fund may purchase, sell or invest in marketable securities of companies holding real estate or interests in real estate, including real estate investment trusts.
3. Concentrate its investments in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities), provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
4. Make loans except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
5. Borrow money, issue senior securities or mortgages, pledge or hypothecate its assets except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, provided, however, that (a) collateral arrangements in connection with short sales, options, futures, options on futures or other permitted investment practices and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for such transaction will not be deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of the Funds assets, and (b) assets held in escrow or in a separate account in connection with the Funds permitted investment practices will not be considered to be borrowings or deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of the Funds assets.
6. Engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers (except as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities in accordance with its investment objective and policies); provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.
30
Except with respect to each WPG Funds fundamental investment restriction regarding borrowings, any investment limitation of a WPG Fund that is expressed as a percentage is determined at the time of investment by the Fund. An increase or decrease in a Funds net asset value or a companys market capitalization subsequent to a Funds initial investment will not affect the Funds compliance with the percentage limitation or the companys status as small, medium or large cap. From time to time, the Adviser may include as small, medium or large cap certain companies having market capitalizations outside the definitions described in the Prospectuses. Under the 1940 Act, each WPG Fund will be required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% for borrowings from a bank. In the event that such asset coverage is below 300%, the applicable Fund will be required to reduce the amount of its borrowings to obtain 300% asset coverage, within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) or such longer period as the rules and regulations of the SEC prescribe. In addition, under the 1940 Act, each WPG Fund may not invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any issuer that derives more than 15% of its gross revenue from a securities-related business, unless an exemption is available under the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Funds, a policy relating to the disclosure of each Funds portfolio securities to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of Fund shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of the Funds portfolio securities are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Funds operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (selective disclosure) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.
The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose the Funds portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-Q or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.
The Adviser currently makes the Funds complete portfolio holdings, top ten holdings, sector weightings and other portfolio characteristics publicly available on its web site, www.robecoinvest.com as disclosed in the following table:
Information Posting |
Frequency of Disclosure |
Date of Web Posting |
||
Complete Portfolio Holdings | Quarterly* | 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter | ||
Top 10 Portfolio Holdings and other portfolio characteristics | Quarterly | 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter |
* | The complete long positions only for the Long/Short Equity Fund and the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund will be publicly available on the Advisers website at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 30 days following the quarter end. |
The scope of the information relating to the Funds portfolios that is made available on the web site may change from time to time without notice. The Adviser or its affiliates may include each Funds portfolio information that has already been made public through a Web posting or SEC filing in marketing literature and other communications to shareholders, advisors or other parties, provided that, in the case of information made public through the Web, the information is disclosed no earlier than the day after the date of posting to the Web site.
31
The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Funds portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers of the Company, which include PFPC Trust Company and Mellon Bank N.A., the custodians for the Boston Partners Funds and WPG Funds, respectively; PFPC Inc., the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent; Ernst & Young, LLP, the Funds independent registered public accounting firm; Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; GCom 2 Solutions, R.R. Donnelly and Command, the financial printers; and ISS, the Funds proxy voting service. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Funds. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. Conditions of confidentiality include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g. attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in a Funds portfolio.
Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information and financial consultants to assist them in determining the suitability of a Fund as an investment for their clients, in each case in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Companys and the Advisers fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions as well as a 30-day time lag. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Companys policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Funds portfolios.
The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of the Funds.
Any violations of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violations must be reported by the Adviser, director, officer or third party service provider to the Companys Chief Compliance Officer, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board of Directors of the Company or at its next quarterly Board meeting.
32
The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Companys Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their dates of birth, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below.
Name, Address, and Date of Birth |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term of
Office and Length of Time Served 1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of
Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director * |
Other Directorships Held by Director |
|||||
DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS | ||||||||||
Julian A. Brodsky Comcast Corporation 1500 Market Street, 35 th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 DOB: 7/16/33 |
Director |
1988 to
present |
Since 1969, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications); Director, NDS Group PLC (provider of systems and applications for digital pay TV). | 17 |
Comcast Corporation; AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies) |
|||||
Nicholas A. Giordano 103 Bellevue Parkway Wilmington, DE 19422 DOB: 03/7/43 |
Director |
Since
2006 |
Consultant, financial services organizations from 1997 to present. | 17 | Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust; WT Mutual Fund; Independence Blue Cross; IntriCon Corporation (industrial furnaces and ovens) | |||||
Francis J. McKay Fox Chase Cancer Center 333 Cottman Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19111 DOB: 12/06/35 |
Director |
1988 to
present |
Since 2000, Vice President, Fox Chase Cancer Center (biomedical research and medical care). | 17 | None | |||||
Arnold M. Reichman 106 Pierrepont Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 DOB: 5/21/48 |
Chairman
Director |
2005 to
present 1991 to present |
Director, Gabelli Group Capital Partners, L.P. (an investment partnership) from 2000 to 2006. | 17 | None | |||||
Mark A. Sargent Villanova University School of Law 299 North Spring Mill Road Villanova, PA 19085 DOB: 4/28/51 |
Director |
Since
2006 |
Dean and Professor of Law, Villanova University School of Law since July 1997. | 17 | WT Mutual Fund | |||||
Marvin E. Sternberg Moyco Technologies, Inc. 200 Commerce Drive Montgomeryville, PA 18936 DOB: 3/24/34 |
Director |
1991 to
present |
Since 1974, Chairman, Director and President, Moyco Technologies, Inc. (manufacturer of precision coated and industrial abrasives). Since 1999, Director, Pennsylvania Business Bank. | 17 | Moyco Technologies, Inc. |
33
Name, Address, and Date of Birth |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term of
Office and Length of Time Served 1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of
Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director * |
Other
Directorships
by Director |
|||||
Robert A. Straniere 300 East 57 th Street New York, NY 10022 DOB: 3/28/41 |
Director |
Since
2006 |
Member, New York State Assembly (1981-2004); Founding Partner, Straniere Law Firm (1980 to date); Partner, Gotham Strategies (consulting firm) (2005 to date); Partner, The Gotham Global Group (consulting firm) (2005 to date); President, The New York City Hot Dog Company (2005 to date); Director, Weiss, Peck & Greer Fund Group (1992 to 2005); and Partner, Kanter-Davidoff (law firm) (2006 to date). | 17 | Reich and Tang Group (asset management); The Sparx Japan Fund | |||||
INTERESTED DIRECTORS 2 | ||||||||||
Robert Sablowsky Oppenheimer & Company, Inc. 200 Park Avenue New York, NY 10166 DOB: 4/16/38 |
Director |
1991 to
present |
Since July 2002, Senior Vice President and prior thereto, Executive Vice President of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer). Since November 2004, Director of Kensington Funds. | 17 | Kensington Funds | |||||
J. Richard Carnall 103 Bellevue Parkway Wilmington, DE 19809 DOB: 9/25/38 |
Director |
2002 to
present |
Director of PFPC Inc. from January 1987 to April 2002, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PFPC Inc. until April 2002, Executive Vice President of PNC Bank, National Association from October 1981 to April 2002, Director of PFPC International Ltd. (financial services) from August 1993 to April 2002, Director of PFPC International (Cayman) Ltd. (financial services) from September 1996 to April 2002; Governor of the Investment Company Institute (investment company industry trade organization) from July 1996 to January 2002; Director of PNC Asset Management, Inc. (investment advisory) from | 17 | Cornerstone Bank |
34
Name, Address, and Date of Birth |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term of
Office and Length of Time Served 1 |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years |
Number of
Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director * |
Other
Directorships
by Director |
|||||
September 1994 to March 1998; Director of PNC National Bank from October 1995 to November 1997; Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.) since 1984; and Director of Cornerstone Bank since March 2004. | ||||||||||
OFFICERS | ||||||||||
Edward J. Roach 103 Bellevue Parkway Wilmington, DE 19809 DOB: 6/29/24 |
President
and Treasurer |
1991 to
present and 1988 to present |
Certified Public Accountant; Vice Chairman of the Board, Fox Chase Cancer Center; Trustee Emeritus, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf; Trustee Emeritus, Immaculata University; Managing General Partner, President since 2002, Treasurer since 1981 and Chief Compliance Officer since September 2004 of Chestnut Street Exchange Fund. | N/A | N/A | |||||
Salvatore Faia, Esquire, CPA Vigilant Compliance Services 186 Dundee Drive, Suite 700 Williamstown, NJ 08094 DOB: 12/25/62 |
Chief
Compliance Officer |
Since
2004 |
President, Vigilant Compliance Services since 2004; Senior Legal Counsel, PFPC Inc. from 2002 to 2004; Chief Legal Counsel, Corviant Corporation (Investment Adviser, Broker-Dealer and Service Provider to Investment Advisers and Separate Accountant Providers) from 2001 to 2002. | N/A | N/A |
* | Each Director oversees seventeen portfolios of the Company that are currently offered for sale. |
1. | Subject to the Companys Retirement Policy, each Director, except Messrs. Giordano, Sargent and Straniere, may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of year 2011 or until his successor is elected and qualified or his death, resignation or removal. Subject to the Companys Retirment Policy, Messrs. Giordano, Sargent and Straniere may serve until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his successor is elected and qualified or his death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed |
35
2. | Messrs. Carnall and Sablowsky are considered interested persons of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. Mr. Carnall is an interested Director of the Company because he owns shares of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. The investment adviser to the Companys Money Market Portfolio, BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation; the investment adviser to the Companys Senbanc Fund, Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc.; and the Companys principal underwriter, PFPC Distributors, Inc., are indirect subsidiaries of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Mr. Sablowsky is considered an interested Director of the Company by virtue of his position as an officer of a registered broker-dealer. |
The Board and Standing Committees
Board. The Board of Directors is comprised of nine individuals, two of whom are considered interested Directors as defined by the 1940 Act. The remaining Directors are referred to as Disinterested or Independent Directors. The Board meets at least quarterly to review the investment performance of each portfolio in the mutual fund family and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements. Currently, the Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, an Executive Committee, a Nominating Committee and a Regulatory Oversight Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.
Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, Giordano, McKay and Sternberg. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened six times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, Reichman, Sargent and Sternberg. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board of Directors is not in session. The Executive Committee did not convene during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Nominating Committee. The Board has a Nominating Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, McKay and Sargent. The Nominating Committee recommends to the Board of Directors all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee in care of the Companys Secretary. The Nominating Committee convened once during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of one interested Director and four Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Messrs. Carnall, Reichman, Sargent, Sablowsky and Straniere. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee was created on May 23, 2007 by the Companys Board of Directors and held no meetings during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
36
Director Ownership of Shares of the Company
The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Funds and in all of the portfolios (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Companys family of investment companies overseen by him), as of December 31, 2006.
Name of Director |
Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds |
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Director within the Family of Investment Companies |
||
DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS | ||||
Julian A. Brodsky |
Over $100,000 | |||
Nicholas A. Giordano |
||||
Francis J. McKay |
Over $100,000 | |||
Arnold M. Reichman |
Over $100,000 | |||
Mark A. Sargent |
None | None | ||
Marvin E. Sternberg |
None | None | ||
Robert A. Straniere |
||||
INTERESTED DIRECTORS | ||||
J. Richard Carnall |
None | |||
Robert Sablowsky |
Over $100,000 |
Directors and Officers Compensation
Since May 23, 2007, the Company pays each Director at the rate of $17,500 annually, $3,500 per meeting of the Board of Directors and $500 for each committee meeting lasting up to one hour or $1,500 for each committee meeting lasting over one hour attended by a Director or in which he participates (provided that such committee meeting is not held in conjunction with a Board meeting). The Chairman of the Board receives an additional fee of $12,000 per year for his services in this capacity, and the Chairman of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $4,000 per year for his services. From February 15, 2006 to May 23, 2007, the Company paid each Director at the rate of $17,500 annually and $3,500 per meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof that was not held in conjunction with a Board meeting. Each Director received a fee of $500 for telephonic Board or Committee meetings lasting one-half hour or less. The Chairman of the Board received an additional fee of $12,000 per year for his services in this capacity, and the Chairman of the Audit Committee received an additional fee of $4,000 per year for his services. Prior to February 15, 2006, the Company paid each Director at the rate of $16,500 annually and $1,375 per meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof that was not held in conjunction with a Board meeting. In addition, the Chairman of the Board received an additional fee of $6,600 per year for his services in this capacity.
37
Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof. The Company also compensates its President and Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer for their respective services to the Company. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, each of the following members of the Board of Directors and the President and Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer received compensation from the Company in the following amounts:
Name of Director/Officer |
Aggregate
Compensation from Registrant |
Pension or
Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses |
Estimated
Annual Benefits Upon Retirement |
Total
Compensation From Fund and Fund Complex Paid to Directors or Officers |
|||||||
Independent Directors: |
|||||||||||
Julian A. Brodsky, Director |
$ | 38,500 | N/A | N/A | $ | 38,500 | |||||
Nicholas A. Giordano, Director* |
$ | 0 | N/A | N/A | $ | 0 | |||||
Francis J. McKay, Director |
$ | 37,125 | N/A | N/A | $ | 37,125 | |||||
Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chairman |
$ | 31,250 | N/A | N/A | $ | 31,250 | |||||
Mark A. Sargent, Director* |
$ | 0 | N/A | N/A | $ | 0 | |||||
Marvin E. Sternberg, Director |
$ | 39,125 | N/A | N/A | $ | 39,125 | |||||
Robert A. Straniere, Director* |
$ | 1,731 | N/A | N/A | $ | 1,731 | |||||
Interested Directors: |
|||||||||||
J. Richard Carnall, Director and former Chairman |
$ | 34,300 | N/A | N/A | $ | 34,300 | |||||
Robert Sablowsky, Director |
$ | 29,500 | N/A | N/A | $ | 29,500 | |||||
Officers: |
|||||||||||
Salvatore Faia, Esquire, CPA Chief Compliance Officer |
$ | 224,784 | N/A | N/A | $ | 224,784 | |||||
Edward J. Roach, President and Treasurer |
$ | 43,000 | $ | 4,300 | N/A | $ | 47,300 |
* | Mr. Straniere was elected to the Board of Directors at a meeting held on May 25, 2006 and, therefore, the compensation reflected is for the period May 25, 2006 through August 31, 2006. Messrs. Giordano and Sargent were elected to the Board of Directors at a meeting held on September 6, 2006 and, therefore, received no compensation during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006. |
As of December 31, 2006, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Companys investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.
On October 24, 1990, the Company adopted, as a participating employer, the Fund Office Retirement Profit-Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement, a retirement plan for employees (currently Edward J. Roach), pursuant to which the Company will contribute on a quarterly basis amounts equal to 10% of the quarterly compensation of each eligible employee. By virtue of the services performed by the Companys investment advisers, custodians, administrators and distributor, the Company itself requires only one part-time employee. No officer, Director or employee of the Adviser or the distributor currently receives any compensation from the Company.
Certain Interests of Independent Director
Mr. Brodsky serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Comcast Corporation (Comcast). Comcast has a $5 billion revolving credit facility with a lending syndicate of 27 banks, one of which is Merrill
38
Lynch Bank USA (ML Bank), an affiliate of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (Merrill Lynch), which owns a controlling interest in BlackRock, Inc., the parent company of BIMC. ML Banks obligation as part of the syndicate is limited to $100 million, or approximately 2.0% of the total amount of the credit facility. The credit facility is used for working capital, capital expenditures, commercial paper backup and other lawful corporate purposes. The highest amount outstanding on the ML Bank pro rata share of the credit facility during the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005 (including any predecessor credit facility in effect during such period), based on month-end balances, was $21.8 million. There was no balance outstanding on the ML Bank pro rata share of the credit facility as of December 1, 2006. The interest rate on amounts drawn under the credit facility is based upon Comcasts credit ratings. As of December 1, 2006, the interest rates are (i) for amounts undrawn, London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus 8 basis points; (ii) for the first draw up to 50% drawn, LIBOR plus 35 basis points; and (iii) for amounts drawn greater than 50% drawn, LIBOR plus 45 basis points. During the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005, Merrill Lynch participated as an underwriter in 1 (one) Comcast debt offering. Merrill Lynch did not serve as a joint book-running manager in that debt offering. Comcast has advised the Company that on average its institutional debt offerings include 23 firms in the underwriting syndicate and its retail debt offerings include 53 firms in the underwriting syndicate. For the underwriting services provided during this period, Merrill Lynch received fees from Comcast of approximately $300,000. Merrill Lynch also serves as the administrator to Comcasts stock option plan and restricted stock plan and received an annual fee of no more than $800,000 for each of the two years in the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005.
The Company, the Adviser and PFPC Distributors, Inc. (PFPC Distributors) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act that permits personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Company.
The Board of Directors has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by each Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Boards continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by its general fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Funds. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Funds investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.
The Adviser has adopted proxy voting procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds. The Adviser employs a third party service provider to assist in the voting of proxies. These procedures have been provided to the service provider, who analyzes the proxies and makes recommendations, based on the Advisers policy, as to how to vote such proxies. A copy of the Advisers Proxy Voting Policies is included with this SAI. Please see Appendix B to this SAI for further information.
Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-261-4073 or by visiting the SECs website at www.sec.gov .
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As of June 8, 2007, to the Companys knowledge, the following named persons at the addresses shown below were owners of record of approximately 5% or more of the total outstanding shares of the classes of the Fund indicated below. See Additional Information Concerning Company Shares below. The Company does not know whether such persons also beneficially own such shares. Any shareholder that owns 25% or more of
39
the outstanding shares of a portfolio or class may be presumed to control (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) the portfolio or class. Shareholders controlling a portfolio or class could have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the portfolio or class on any matter requiring approval of the shareholders of the portfolio or class.
Name of Fund |
Shareholder Name and Address |
Number and Percentage
June 8 th , 2007
*(Percentage of shares
|
|||||
Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (Institutional) |
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC REINVEST ACCOUNT ATTN: MUTUAL FUNDS DEPT 101 MONTGOMERY STREET SAN FRANCISCO CA 94101-0000 |
91,359.360 | 11 | % | |||
Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund (Investor) |
ROBECO USA LLC ATTN STEVE GARZA 909 3RD AVE NEW YORK NY 10022-4731 |
1,986.220 | 100 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENE OF OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 5TH FL 200 LIBERTY ST 1 WORLD FINANCIAL CR NEW YORK NY 10281-1003 |
774,629.242 | 47 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCOUNT FOR BENE OF CUST ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4122 |
472,320.393 | 28 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
ICMA-RC SERVICES LLC 777 NORTH CAPITOL ST NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 |
130,048.179 | 8 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
SEI PRIVATE TRUST COMPANY FBO C/O FIRST HAWAII BANK FBO HAWAII IRON WORKERS 1 FREEDOM VALLEY DR OAKS PA 19456 |
75,517.724 | 5 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SVCS CORP FOR EXCLUSIVE BENE OF OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 5TH FLOOR 200 LIBERTY ST # CE NEW YORK NY 10281-1003 |
364,107.183 | 33 | % |
40
Name of Fund |
Shareholder Name and Address |
Number and Percentage
June 8 th , 2007
*(Percentage of shares
|
|||||
Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCOUNT FOR BENE OF CUST ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4122 |
338,458.837 | 30 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (Investor) |
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCOUNT FOR BENE OF CUST ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4122 |
3,373,550.146 | 41 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (Investor) |
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CORP FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENE OF OUR CUSTOMERS ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 5TH FL 200 LIBERTY ST 1 WORLD FINANCIAL CR NEW YORK NY 10281-1003 |
2,445,262.009 | 30 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (Investor) |
VANGUARD FIDUCIARY TRUST CO FBO BOSTON PARTNERS FUND P O BOX 2600 K14 VALLEY FORGE PA 19482 |
596,319.408 | 7 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (Investor) |
AMERITRADE INC. FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS P O BOX 2226 OMAHA, NE 68103-2226 |
381,728.159 | 5 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Long-Short Equity Fund (Investor) |
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SVCS CORP FOR EXCLUSIVE BENE OF OUR CUSTOMERS 200 LIBERTY ST # CE NEW YORK NY 10281-1003 |
566,430.953 | 54 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners Long-Short Equity Fund (Investor) |
CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC SPECIAL CUSTODY ACCOUNT FOR BENE FOR CUST ATTN MUTUAL FUNDS 101 MONTGOMERY ST SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104-4122 |
106,955.834 | 10 | % |
41
Name of Fund |
Shareholder Name and Address |
Number and Percentage
June 8 th , 2007
*(Percentage of shares
|
|||||
Robeco Boston Partners Long-Short Equity Fund (Investor) |
AMERITRADE INC FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS P O BOX 2226 OMAHA NE 68103-2226 |
81,628.890 | 8 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
NATIONAL FINANCIAL SVCS CORP FOR EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS RUSS LENNON 200 LIBERTY STREET NEW YORK, NY 10281 |
100,085.104 | 38 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
AMERITRADE INC FOR THE EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT OF OUR CUSTOMERS P O BOX 2226 OMAHA NE 68103-2226 |
51,667.811 | 19 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
PERSHING LLC P.O. BOX 2052 JERSEY CITY, NJ 07303-9998 |
17,409.471 | 8 | % | |||
Robeco Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund (Investor) |
SUSAN L LIPTON 550 PARK AVE NEW YORK NY 10021-7369 |
15,933.738 | 6 | % |
As of June 11, 2007, Directors and officers as a group owned 1.06% of the Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value FundInvestor Class and less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each other portfolio or class within the Company.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Adviser
Effective January 1, 2007, Boston Partners Asset Management, L.L.C. (Boston Partners) and Weiss, Peck and Greer Investments (WPG), the former entities that provided investment advisory services to the Boston Partners Funds and WPG Funds, respectively, merged into and with Robeco USA, Inc., with Robeco USA, Inc. remaining as the surviving entity. All employees of Boston Partners and WPG are employees of the surviving entity as of that date. In addition, effective January 1, 2007, Robeco USA, Inc., which had been doing business under the name Robeco Investment Management, officially changed its name to Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (Robeco).
Robeco renders advisory services to the Boston Partners Funds and WPG Funds pursuant to investment advisory agreements dated December 29, 2003 and April 29, 2005, respectively (the Advisory Agreements). Robeco is wholly owned by Robeco US Holdings Inc., which is a subsidiary of Robeco International Holding B.V. Robeco International Holding B.V. is a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch investment management firm headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep N.V. is one of the worlds oldest asset management organizations and advisers to investment funds. As of June 29, 2007, Robeco Groep N.V. had approximately $29 billion
42
(USD) in assets under management. Robeco Groep N.V. is 100% owned by Rabobank Nederland (Rabobank). Rabobank is a cooperative bank that is owned by a large number of local banks in the Netherlands.
Robeco Securities L.L.C. and Harbor Funds Distributors, Inc., registered broker dealers; Harbor Services Group, Inc., a shareholder servicing agent; and Harbor Capital Advisers, Inc., and Robeco Institutional Asset Management US, Inc., investment advisory firms, are subsidiaries of Robeco. In addition, by virtue of its common control under its parent company, Rabobank, Robeco is also affiliated with three broker dealers: Robeco Securities L.L.C., Harbor Funds Distributors, Inc. and Rabo Securities USA, Inc. Robeco does not execute trades through any of these affiliates.
Robeco has investment discretion for the Funds and will make all decisions affecting the assets of the Funds under the supervision of the Companys Board of Directors and in accordance with each Funds stated policies. Robeco will select investments for the Funds.
For its services to the Boston Partners Funds, Robeco is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the Advisory Agreements computed at an annual rate of 2.25% of the Long/Short Equity Funds average daily net assets, 0.60% of the Large Cap Value Funds average daily net assets, 0.80% of the Mid Cap Value Funds average daily net assets, 1.25% of the Small Cap Value Fund IIs average daily net assets and 0.80% of the All-Cap Value Funds average daily net assets. Until December 31, 2007, Robeco has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain an annualized expense ratio for the Investor Class of the Long/Short Equity Fund, the Large Cap Value Fund, the Mid Cap Value Fund, the Small Cap Value Fund II and the All-Cap Value Fund of 2.75% (excluding short sale dividend expense), 1.00%, 1.25%, 1.80% and 1.20%, respectively.
For its services to the WPG Funds, Robeco is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the Advisory Agreements computed at an annual rate of 0.45% of the Core Bond Funds average daily net assets and 0.75% of the 130/30 Large Cap Core Funds average daily net assets.
Until December 31, 2007, Robeco has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain an annualized expense ratio of: 1) 0.68% for the Investor Class of the Core Bond Fund and 2) 1.40% for the Institutional Class of the 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund. There can be no assurance that Robeco will continue such waivers after December 31, 2007.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004 the Funds paid Robeco (formerly Boston Partners) advisory fees and Robeco waived advisory fees as follows:
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 4,918,301 | $ | 19,577 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 2,379,355 | $ | 183,451 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 156,952 | $ | 178,624 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 187,267 | $ | 177,431 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 0 | $ | 108,690 | $ | 115,685 | |||
August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 5,519,326 | $ | 33,847 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 2,004,315 | $ | 166,629 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 172,780 | $ | 152,258 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 257,919 | $ | 163,631 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 0 | $ | 83,834 | $ | 136,440 |
43
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Advisory Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
August 31, 2004 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 5,923,228 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 1,495,216 | $ | 128,969 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 274,652 | $ | 113,946 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 318,787 | $ | 150,220 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 0 | $ | 44,027 | $ | 92,214 |
WPG served as investment adviser to the Predecessor Funds. For services provided by Robeco (formerly WPG) to the WPG Funds for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 and the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 and to the Predecessor Funds for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, the following advisory fees were paid:
Fund |
Advisory Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
For the period August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 138,796 | $ | 585,264 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 72,010 | $ | 77,630 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 142,139 | $ | 318,082 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 11,300 | $ | 99,468 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2004 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 261,393 | $ | 441,413 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 292,685 | $ | 42,989 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2003 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 239,421 | $ | 345,513 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 352,230 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
On July 20, 2005, Robeco USA, L.L.C. entered into an agreement with Harbor Capital Advisors, Inc., an affiliate of the Adviser (Harbor), pursuant to which Harbor will market all classes of shares of the Core Bond Fund to institutional investors that utilize one or more of the investment strategies offered by Robeco USA, L.L.C. For these services, Robeco, successor to Robeco USA, L.L.C., will pay Harbor 0.10% of the net assets in the investor accounts. This fee will be calculated by Robeco on a monthly basis with the fee for each month calculated using an average of the value of the assets in investor accounts on the first business day of the month and the last business day of the month. The fee will be paid by Robeco to Harbor quarterly in arrears.
Each class of the Funds bears its own expenses not specifically assumed by Robeco. General expenses of the Company not readily identifiable as belonging to a portfolio of the Company are allocated among all investment portfolios by or under the direction of the Companys Board of Directors in such manner as it deems to be fair and equitable. Expenses borne by a portfolio include, but are not limited to the expenses listed in the Prospectuses and the following (or a portfolios share of the following): (a) the cost (including brokerage commissions) of securities purchased or sold by a portfolio and any losses incurred in connection therewith; (b) fees payable to and expenses incurred on behalf of a portfolio by Robeco; (c) any costs, expenses or losses arising out of a liability of or claim for damages or other relief asserted against the Company or a portfolio for violation of any law; (d) any extraordinary expenses; (e) fees, voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; (f) the cost of investment company literature and other publications provided by the Company to its Directors and officers; (g) organizational costs; (h) fees to the investment advisers and PFPC Inc. (PFPC); (i) fees and expenses of officers and Directors who are not affiliated with a portfolios investment adviser or PFPC Distributors;
44
(j) taxes; (k) interest; (l) legal fees; (m) custodian fees; (n) auditing fees; (o) brokerage fees and commissions; (p) certain of the fees and expenses of registering and qualifying the portfolios and their shares for distribution under federal and state securities laws; (q) expenses of preparing prospectuses and statements of additional information and distributing annually to existing shareholders that are not attributable to a particular class of shares of the Company; (r) the expense of reports to shareholders, shareholders meetings and proxy solicitations that are not attributable to a particular class of shares of the Company; (s) fidelity bond and directors and officers liability insurance premiums; (t) the expense of using independent pricing services; and (u) other expenses which are not expressly assumed by a portfolios investment adviser under its advisory agreement with the portfolio. Each class of the Funds pays its own distribution fees, if applicable, and may pay a different share than other classes of other expenses (excluding advisory and custodial fees) if those expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by such class or if it receives different services.
Under the Advisory Agreements, Robeco will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds or the Company in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreements, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of Robeco in the performance of its respective duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.
The Advisory Agreements for the Boston Partners Funds were most recently renewed on May 24, 2007 for a one-year term by a vote of the Companys Board of Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not parties to the Advisory Agreements or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of such parties. The Advisory Agreements were each approved by the shareholders of the Boston Partners Funds at a special meeting held on October 25, 2002. The Advisory Agreements are terminable by vote of the Companys Board of Directors or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Boston Partners Funds, at any time without penalty, on 90 days written notice to Robeco. The Advisory Agreements for the WPG Funds were most recently approved on May 24, 2007 for a one-year term by a vote of the Companys Board of Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not parties to the Advisory Agreements or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of such parties. The Advisory Agreements are terminable by vote of the Companys Board of Directors or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the WPG Funds, at any time without penalty, on 60 days written notice to Robeco. The Advisory Agreements may also be terminated by Robeco on 60 days written notice to the Company. The Advisory Agreements terminate automatically in the event of assignment thereof.
Portfolio Managers
Description of Compensation . Portfolio managers compensation generally is comprised of a base salary and a discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus is based upon the unique structure of each team and consideration may be given to one or more of the following criteria, depending on the team.
|
Individual Contribution: a subjective evaluation of the professionals individual contribution to team investment results as well as the individuals success at meeting goals and objectives established at the beginning of each year; |
|
Product Investment Performance: the performance of the investment product(s) versus a pre-designed index; |
|
Financial Measures: a percentage of certain financial measures; |
|
Investment Group Financial Performance: the financial results and/or revenues of the Portfolio Managers investment group; and |
|
Firm Financial Performance: the overall financial performance of the firm. |
Compensation for portfolio managers who are also members of Robecos senior management team is typically derived from a base salary and a discretionary bonus. The bonus is largely tied to firm financial
45
performance against established goals and aligned with the primary focus on investment performance results versus benchmarks.
Certain investment professionals receive a profit participation interest in Robeco. These interests represent 20% of the value of the future growth of the firm and vesting periods span three years. In addition, full time investment professionals are eligible for the Robeco special profit sharing contribution plan after one full year of service.
Other Accounts . The table below discloses accounts, other than the particular Fund or Funds managed by the Portfolio Manager for which each Portfolio Manager is primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management, for the Predecessor Funds most recently completed fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
46
* | The portfolio managers utilize a team based approach to other accounts managed. The portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for the management of a portion of the total assets and number of accounts shown. |
The manager of the WPG Long/Short Equity Fund, Mr. Jones, also manages a hedge fund with a very similar investment strategy. The higher fee on the hedge fund could produce an incentive to allocate certain investments more heavily into the hedge fund. In order to address this issue, the Adviser has developed procedures to monitor the trading activity in the two accounts.
Securities Ownership . The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in the Fund or Funds managed by such Portfolio Manager as of August 31, 2006.
47
Custodian Agreements
PFPC Trust Company, 8800 Tinicum Boulevard, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153, is custodian of the Boston Partners Funds assets pursuant to a custodian agreement dated August 16, 1988, as amended. The Custodian for the WPG Funds is Mellon Bank N.A. (Mellon) (formerly Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company), located at 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, Massachusetts 02149. Mellon holds the assets of the WPG Funds pursuant to a custodian agreement dated April 29, 2005 (together, the Custodian Agreements). Under the Custodian Agreements, PFPC Trust Company and Mellon each: (a) maintains a separate account or accounts in the name of each Fund; (b) holds and transfers portfolio securities on account of each Fund; (c) accepts receipts and makes disbursements of money on behalf of each Fund; (d) collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of each Funds portfolio securities; and (e) makes periodic reports to the Companys Board of Directors concerning the Funds operations. PFPC Trust Company and Mellon are authorized to select one or more banks or trust companies to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of the Funds, provided that PFPC Trust Company and Mellon remain responsible for the performance of all of their duties under the Custodian Agreement and hold the Funds harmless from the acts and omissions of any sub-custodian. For its services to the Boston Partners Funds under the Custodian Agreement, PFPC Trust Company receives a fee of $0.10 per $1,000 on average daily gross assets of each Fund calculated daily and payable monthly, or a minimum monthly fee of $1,000, exclusive of transaction charges and out-of-pocket expenses, which are also charged to the Fund. For its services to the WPG Funds under the Custodian Agreement, Mellon receives a fee of at the annual rate of 0.01% of each Funds average daily net assets, plus transaction fees.
Transfer Agency Agreements
PFPC, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, an affiliate of PFPC Distributors, serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds pursuant to a transfer agency agreement dated November 5, 1991, as supplemented (the Transfer Agency Agreement), under which PFPC: (a) issues and redeems shares of each Fund; (b) addresses and mails all communications by the Funds to record owners of the shares, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy materials for its meetings of shareholders; (c) maintains shareholder accounts and, if requested, sub-accounts; and (d) makes periodic reports to the Companys Board of Directors concerning the operations of the Funds. PFPC may, on 30 days notice to the Company, assign its duties as transfer and dividend disbursing agent to any other affiliate of PNC Bank Corp. For its services to the Funds under the Transfer Agency Agreement, PFPC receives a fee at the annual rate of $10 per account in the Fund, with a minimum monthly fee of $3,000 per class payable monthly on a pro rata basis, exclusive of out-of-pocket expenses, and also receives reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses.
PFPC also provides services relating to the implementation of the Companys Anti-Money Laundering Program. The Company pays an annual fee, ranging from $3,000 $50,000, based on the number of open accounts in each portfolio of the Company. In addition, PFPC provides services relating to the implementation of the Funds Customer Identification Program, including verification of required customer information and the maintenance of records with respect to such verification. The Funds will pay PFPC $2.25 per customer verification and $0.02 per month per record result maintained.
Administration and Accounting Agreement
PFPC serves as administrator to the Funds pursuant to administration and accounting services agreements dated October 16, 1996 with respect to the Large Cap Value Fund, May 30, 1997 with respect to the Mid Cap Value Fund, July 1, 1998 with respect to the Small Cap Value Fund II, November 13, 1998 with respect to the Long/Short Equity Fund and July 1, 2002 with respect to the All-Cap Value Fund, and dated April 29, 2005 with respect to the WPG Funds (the Administration Agreements). PFPC has agreed to furnish to the Funds statistical and research data, clerical, accounting and bookkeeping services, and certain other services required
48
by the Funds. In addition, PFPC has agreed to prepare and file various reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepare materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Funds. The Administration Agreements provide that PFPC shall be obligated to exercise care and diligence in the performance of its duties, to act in good faith and to use its best efforts, within reasonable limits, in performing services thereunder. PFPC shall be responsible for failure to perform its duties under the Administration Agreement arising out of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard. For its services to the Boston Partners Funds and the WPG Funds, PFPC is entitled to receive a fee calculated at an annual rate of:
|
0.1125% of each Funds first $200 million of average daily net assets; and |
|
0.0950% of each Funds average daily net assets in excess of $200 million. |
The minimum monthly fee will be $5,833 for each of the Funds, exclusive of out-of-pocket expenses.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004, the Boston Partners Funds paid PFPC administration and accounting fees and related out-of-pocket expenses as follows:
Fund |
Administration and Accounting Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 422,447 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 144,821 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 78,244 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 78,211 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 79,141 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 467,510 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 124,553 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 76,536 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 77,147 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 77,192 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 495,037 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 93,633 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 74,244 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 75,241 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 45,549 | $ | 29,167 | $ | 0 |
For the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003, the Predecessor Funds paid PFPC accounting fees and related out-of-pocket expenses as follows. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 and the period January 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005, PFPC also provided administrative services to the WPG Funds.
Fund Name |
Accounting and Administrative Fees |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 206,105 | N/A | N/A | |||||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 73,696 | N/A | N/A | |||||
For the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 129,768 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 56,756 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
49
Fund Name |
Accounting and Administrative Fees |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||
For the Year Ended December 31, 2004 |
|||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 117,849 | N/A | N/A | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 43,315 | N/A | N/A | |||
For the Year Ended December 31, 2003 |
|||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 66,971 | N/A | N/A | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 21,882 | N/A | N/A |
The Administration Agreements provide that PFPC shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Company or a Fund in connection with the performance of the agreement, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.
On June 1, 2003, the Company entered into a regulatory administration services agreement with PFPC. Under this agreement, PFPC has agreed to provide regulatory administration services to the Company. These services include the preparation and coordination of the Companys annual post-effective amendment filing and supplements to the Funds registration statement, the preparation and assembly of board meeting materials, and certain other services necessary to the Companys regulatory administration. PFPC receives an annual fee based on the average daily net assets of the portfolios of the Company.
For the fiscal years or periods ended August 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 the Funds paid PFPC regulatory administration fees as follows:
Fund Name |
Regulatory
Administration Fees |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
For the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 58,595 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 17,817 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 7,199 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 8,246 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 1,815 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Core Bond |
$ | 24,022 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
130/30 Large Cap Core |
$ | 2,442 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
For the Fiscal Year or Period Ended August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 69,480 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 13,688 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 6,395 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 7,885 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 1,344 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Core Bond (1) |
$ | 14,771 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
130/30 Large Cap Core (1) |
$ | 8,399 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
For the Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 76,572 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 9,389 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 9,150 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 10,248 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 620 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
(1) | For the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005. |
50
Distribution Agreement and Plans of Distribution
PFPC Distributors, whose principal business address is 760 Moore Road, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406, serves as the distributor of the Funds pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement, dated as of January 2, 2001, as supplemented (the Distribution Agreement). Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement and the related Plans of Distribution, as amended, for the Investor Class (together, the Plans), which were adopted by the Company in the manner prescribed by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, PFPC Distributors will use appropriate efforts to solicit orders for the sale of each Funds shares. Payments to PFPC Distributors under the Plans are to compensate it for distribution assistance and expenses assumed and activities intended to result in the sale of shares of the Investor Class. As compensation for its distribution services, PFPC Distributors receives, pursuant to the terms of the Distribution Agreement, a distribution fee under the Plans, to be calculated daily and paid monthly by the Investor Class of each of the Funds, at the annual rate set forth in the Investor Class Prospectus.
For the fiscal years or period ended August 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 the Investor Class of each of the Funds paid PFPC Distributors fees as follows:
Fund |
Distribution Fees Paid (after waivers and reimbursements) |
Waivers | Reimbursements | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2006 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 666,086 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 53,710 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 46,060 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 12,356 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 9,037 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Core Bond |
$ | 1,844 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
130/30 Large Cap Core |
$ | 4,588 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year or Period Ended August 31, 2005 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 762,236 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 47,442 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 27,425 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 8,498 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 4,154 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Core Bond (1) |
$ | 1,134 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
130/30 Large Cap Core (1) |
$ | 2,588 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2004 |
|||||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 846,938 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 35,347 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 17,518 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 9,294 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 691 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 |
(1) | For the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005. |
51
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 the Funds paid fees to broker-dealers and PFPC Distributors retained fees as follows:
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Fees Paid to Broker Dealers |
Fees Retained by the Distributor |
||||
August 31, 2006 |
$ | 1,279,662 | $ | 0 | ||
August 31, 2005 |
$ | 867,728 | $ | 0 | ||
August 31, 2004 |
$ | 839,671 | $ | 0 |
Among other things, the Plans provide that: (1) PFPC Distributors shall be required to submit quarterly reports to the Directors of the Company regarding all amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made, including commissions, advertising, printing, interest, carrying charges and any allocated overhead expenses; (2) the Plans will continue in effect only so long as they are approved at least annually, and any material amendment thereto is approved, by the Companys Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or any agreements related to the Plans, acting in person at a meeting called for said purpose; (3) the aggregate amount to be spent by each Fund on the distribution of the Funds shares of the Investor Class under the Plans shall not be materially increased without shareholder approval; and (4) while the Plans remain in effect, the selection and nomination of the Companys Directors who are not interested persons of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) shall be committed to the discretion of such Directors who are not interested persons of the Company.
Mr. Sablowsky, a Director of the Company, had an indirect interest in the operation of the Plans by virtue of his position with Oppenheimer Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock Co., Inc., a broker-dealer.
Administrative Services Agent
PFPC Distributors provides certain administrative services to the Institutional Class and Investor Class (as of January 1, 2002) of each Fund that are not provided by PFPC, pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of January 2, 2001, as supplemented, between the Company and PFPC Distributors. These services include furnishing data processing and clerical services, acting as liaison between the Funds and various service providers and coordinating the preparation of annual, semi-annual and quarterly reports. As compensation for such administrative services, PFPC Distributors is entitled to receive an annual fee of $62,500 from the Boston Partners Funds, which is allocated to the Funds in proportion to their net assets. PFPC Distributors is entitled to receive an annual fee of $5,000 per Fund from the WPG Funds.
For the fiscal years ended August 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, PFPC Distributors received administrative services fees from the Funds below as follows:
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Administrative Services Fees (after waivers) |
Waivers | ||||
August 31, 2006 |
||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 40,022 | $ | 0 | ||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 11,535 | $ | 0 | ||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 5,126 | $ | 0 | ||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 4,579 | $ | 0 | ||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 1,239 | $ | 0 | ||
Core Bond |
$ | 5,000 | $ | 0 | ||
130/30 Large Cap Core |
$ | 5,000 | $ | 0 |
52
For the Fiscal Year Ended |
Administrative Services Fees (after waivers) |
Waivers | ||||
August 31, 2005 |
||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 43,032 | $ | 0 | ||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 9,355 | $ | 0 | ||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 4,197 | $ | 0 | ||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 5,103 | $ | 0 | ||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 812 | $ | 0 | ||
Core Bond (1) |
$ | 1,667 | $ | 0 | ||
130/30 Large Cap Core (1) |
$ | 1,666 | $ | 0 | ||
August 31, 2004 |
||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 44,732 | $ | 0 | ||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 6,864 | $ | 0 | ||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 4,919 | $ | 0 | ||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 5,571 | $ | 0 | ||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 414 | $ | 0 |
(1) | For the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005. |
Subject to policies established by the Board of Directors and applicable rules, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Funds. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Funds, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.
No Fund has any obligation to deal with any broker or group of brokers in the execution of portfolio transactions. The Adviser may, consistent with the interests of the Funds and subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, select brokers on the basis of the research, statistical and pricing services they provide to the Funds and other clients of the Adviser. Information and research received from such brokers will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Adviser under its respective contracts. A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall responsibility of the Adviser to a Fund and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by a Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to a Fund over the long-term.
For the fiscal year or period ended August 31, 2006, the Funds paid the following commissions to brokers on account of research services:
Fund |
2006 | ||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 29,245 | |
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 72,740 | |
Large Cap Value |
$ | 17,728 | |
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 15,443 | |
All-Cap Value |
$ | 1,624 | |
Core Bond |
N/A | ||
130/30 Large Cap Core |
$ | 6,022 |
53
The following chart shows the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the past three fiscal years ended August 31:
Fund |
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | ||||||
Small Cap Value II |
$ | 517,447 | $ | 1,355,384 | $ | 1,029,411 | |||
Long/Short Equity |
$ | 1,268,148 | $ | 1,010,166 | $ | 2,195,459 | |||
Large Cap Value |
$ | 70,385 | $ | 92,614 | $ | 71,860 | |||
Mid Cap Value |
$ | 123,285 | $ | 172,474 | $ | 159,762 | |||
All-Cap Value |
$ | 12,440 | $ | 21,106 | $ | 4,649 |
The following chart shows the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by each WPG Fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the period January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 and for the past two years ended December 31:
Fund |
2006 |
January 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 |
2004 | ||||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
$ | 0 | $ | 0 | $ | 0 | |||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
$ | 20,918 | $ | 34,623 | $ | 132,158 |
The commission variances in Long/Short Equity Fund, Large Cap Value Fund, Mid Cap Value Fund and All Cap Value Fund were attributable to either increased or decreased trading activity. The cents of commissions per share did not contribute significantly to any variance, except that for All Cap Value Fund the cents per share had some impact as All Cap Value Funds trades were co-mingled with other products after initial startup.
The Funds are required to identify any securities of the Companys regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parents held by the Funds as of the end of the most recent fiscal year. As of August 31, 2006, the following Funds held the following securities:
Fund |
Broker Dealer |
Value | ||||
Small Cap Value Fund II |
None | None | ||||
Long/Short Equity Fund |
Citigroup | $ | 1,608,810 | |||
Labranche & Co. Inc. | $ | (509,910 | ) | |||
Large Cap Value Fund |
Citigroup (parent company of Salomon Smith Barney) | $ | 2,365,493 | |||
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 590,438 | ||||
JPMorganChase & Co. | $ | 1,753,344 | ||||
Mid Cap Value Fund |
A.G. Edwards, Inc. | $ | 316,920 | |||
E*TRADE Financial Corp. | $ | 226,464 | ||||
All-Cap Value Fund |
Citigroup, Inc. | $ | 129,297 | |||
E*TRADE Financial Corp. | $ | 62,986 | ||||
WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund |
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 349,327 | |||
JPMorganChase & Co. | $ | 305,922 | ||||
WPG Core Bond Fund |
Citibank | $ | 16,758,981 | |||
Countrywide Home Loan | $ | 123,599 | ||||
JPMorganChase | $ | 7,670,411 | ||||
First UnionLehman BrosBank of America | $ | 6,207,948 | ||||
Merrill Lynch | $ | 3,261,338 | ||||
Credit Suisse First Boston | $ | 789,351 | ||||
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. | $ | 229,684 |
Investment decisions for each Fund and for other investment accounts managed by the Adviser are made independently of each other in the light of differing conditions. However, the same investment decision may be made for two or more of such accounts. In such cases, simultaneous transactions are inevitable. Purchases or
54
sales are then averaged as to price and allocated as to amount according to a formula deemed equitable to each such account. While in some cases this practice could have a detrimental effect upon the price or value of the security as far as a Fund is concerned, in other cases it is believed to be beneficial to a Fund.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
You may purchase shares through an account maintained by your brokerage firm and you may also purchase shares directly by mail or wire. The Company reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of a Funds shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Company and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing that Funds NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. A shareholder will also bear any market risk or tax consequences as a result of a payment in securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that each Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund. A shareholder will bear the risk of a decline in market value and any tax consequences associated with a redemption in securities.
Under the 1940 Act, the Company may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the NYSE) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE or determines an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Company may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)
Shares of the Company are subject to redemption by the Company, at the redemption price of such shares as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation: (1) to reimburse a Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder as provided in the Prospectuses from time to time; (2) if such redemption is, in the opinion of the Companys Board of Directors, desirable in order to prevent the Company or any Fund from being deemed a personal holding company within the meaning of the Code; (3) or if the net income with respect to any particular class of common stock should be negative or it should otherwise be appropriate to carry out the Companys responsibilities under the 1940 Act.
Automatic Investment Plan
The Automatic Investment Plan enables investors to make regular (monthly or quarterly) investments (Boston Partners Funds $5,000 minimum/ WPG Funds $50 minimum) in Institutional Class shares of any Fund through an automatic withdrawal from your designated bank account by simply completing the Automatic Investment Plan application. Please call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 to enroll. By completing the enrollment form, you authorize the Funds Custodians to periodically draw money from your designated account, and to invest such amounts in account(s) with the fund(s) specified. The transaction will be automatically processed to your mutual fund account on or about the first business day of the month or quarter you designate.
If you elect the Automatic Investment Plan, please be aware that: (1) the privilege may be revoked without prior notice if any check is not paid upon presentation; (2) the Funds Custodians are under no obligation to notify you as to the non-payment of any check, and (3) this service may be modified or discontinued by the Funds Custodians upon thirty (30) days written notice to you prior to any payment date, or may be discontinued by you by written notice to the Transfer Agent at least ten (10) days before the next payment date.
55
TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES
The Companys telephone transaction procedures include the following measures: (1) requiring the appropriate telephone transaction privilege forms; (2) requiring the caller to provide the names of the account owners, the account social security number and name of the Fund, all of which must match the Companys records; (3) requiring the Companys service representative to complete a telephone transaction form, listing all of the above caller identification information; (4) permitting exchanges (if applicable) only if the two account registrations are identical; (5) requiring that redemption proceeds be sent only by check to the account owners of record at the address of record, or by wire only to the owners of record at the bank account of record; (6) sending a written confirmation for each telephone transaction to the owners of record at the address of record within five (5) business days of the call; and (7) maintaining tapes of telephone transactions for six months, if the Company elects to record shareholder telephone transactions. For accounts held of record by broker-dealers (other than PFPC Distributors), financial institutions, securities dealers, financial planners and other industry professionals, additional documentation or information regarding the scope of a callers authority is required. Finally, for telephone transactions in accounts held jointly, additional information regarding other account holders is required. Telephone transactions will not be permitted in connection with IRA or other retirement plan accounts or by an attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney.
Subject to the approval of the Companys Board of Directors, the Funds may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the securities being valued at a price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on a Funds books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Funds Valuation Committee under the direction of the Companys Board of Directors.
General
The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectuses are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.
The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectuses and this Additional Statement are based on the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) and the laws and regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this Additional Statement. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.
Each Fund qualified during its last taxable year and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1 of the Code. As such, each Fund generally is exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, it must meet three important tests each year.
First, each Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other
56
disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies or net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of each Funds assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of each Funds total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.
Third, each Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.
Each Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If a Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year a Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Funds current and accumulated earnings and profits and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.
The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.
State and Local Taxes
Although each Fund expects to qualify as a regulated investment company and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, a Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.
Taxation of Certain Investments
The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments and futures contracts and options that may be engaged in by a Fund, and investments in passive foreign investment companies (PFICs), are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.
In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which a Fund invests, the Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.
57
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES
The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, 77.073 billion shares have been classified into 110 classes as shown in the table below, however, the Company only has 31 active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Companys charter, the Board of Directors has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of common stock from time to time.
Class of Common Stock |
Number of
Authorized Shares (millions) |
Class of Common Stock |
Number of
Authorized Shares (millions) |
|||
A (Growth & Income) |
100 |
EE |
100 | |||
B |
100 |
FF (n/i numeric Emerging Growth) |
50 | |||
C (Balanced) |
100 |
GG (n/i numeric Growth) |
50 | |||
D (Tax-Free) |
100 |
HH (n/i numeric Mid Cap) |
50 | |||
E (Money) |
500 |
II (Baker 500 Growth Fund) |
100 | |||
F (Municipal Money) |
500 |
JJ (Baker 500 Growth Fund) |
100 | |||
G (Money) |
500 |
KK |
100 | |||
H (Municipal Money) |
500 |
LL |
100 | |||
I (Sansom Money) |
1,500 |
MM |
100 | |||
J (Sansom Municipal Money) |
500 |
NN |
100 | |||
K (Sansom Government Money) |
500 |
OO |
100 | |||
L (Bedford Money) |
1,500 |
PP |
100 | |||
M (Bedford Municipal Money) |
500 |
QQ (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Large Cap) |
100 | |||
N (Bedford Government Money) |
500 |
RR (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Large Cap) |
100 | |||
O (Bedford N.Y. Money) |
500 |
SS (Robeco Boston Partners Adviser Large Cap) |
100 | |||
P (RBB Government) |
100 |
TT (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Mid Cap) |
100 | |||
Q |
100 |
UU (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Mid Cap) |
100 | |||
R (Municipal Money) |
500 |
VV (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional All Cap Value) |
100 | |||
S (Government Money) |
500 |
WW (Robeco Boston Partners Investors All Cap Value) |
100 | |||
T |
500 |
YY (Schneider Capital Small Cap Value) |
100 | |||
U |
500 |
ZZ |
100 | |||
V |
500 |
AAA |
100 | |||
W |
100 |
BBB |
100 | |||
X |
50 |
CCC |
100 | |||
Y |
50 |
DDD (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Small Cap Value Fund II) |
100 | |||
Z |
50 |
EEE (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Small Cap Value Fund II) |
100 | |||
AA |
50 |
FFF |
100 | |||
BB |
50 |
GGG |
100 | |||
CC |
50 |
HHH |
100 | |||
DD |
100 |
III (Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity-Institutional Class) |
100 |
58
Class of Common Stock |
Number of
Authorized Shares (millions) |
Class of Common Stock |
Number of
Authorized Shares (millions) |
|||
JJJ (Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity-Investor Class) |
100 |
Beta 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
KKK (Robeco Boston Partners Funds) |
100 |
Principal Class (Money) |
700 | |||
LLL (Robeco Boston Partners Funds) |
100 |
Gamma 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 | |||
MMM (n/i numeric Small Cap Value) |
100 |
Gamma 3 (Government Money) |
1 | |||
NNN (Bogle Investment Management Small Cap GrowthInstitutional Class) |
100 |
Gamma 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
OOO (Bogle Investment Management Small Cap GrowthInvestor Class) |
100 |
Bear Stearns Money |
2,500 | |||
PPP (Schneider Value Fund) |
100 |
Bear Stearns Municipal Money |
1,500 | |||
QQQ (Institutional Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions) |
2,500 |
Bear Stearns Government Money |
1,000 | |||
RRR (Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions) |
2,500 |
Delta 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
SSS (Robeco WPG Core Bond FundRetirement Class) |
100 |
Epsilon 1 (Money) |
1 | |||
TTT (Robeco WPG Core Bond FundInstitutional Class) |
50 |
Epsilon 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 | |||
UUU (Robeco WPG Small Cap Value FundInstitutional Fund) |
50 |
Epsilon 3 (Government Money) |
1 | |||
VVV (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth FundInstitutional Class) |
50 |
Epsilon 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
WWW (Senbanc Fund) |
50 |
Zeta 1 (Money) |
1 | |||
XXX (Robeco WPG Core Bond FundInvestor Class) |
100 |
Zeta 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 | |||
YYY (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) |
100 |
Zeta 3 (Government Money) |
1 | |||
ZZZ (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) |
100 |
Zeta 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
AAAA (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) |
100 |
Eta 1 (Money) |
1 | |||
BBBB (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund) |
100 |
Eta 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 | |||
CCCC (Free Market International Equity Fund) |
100 |
Eta 3 (Government Money) |
1 | |||
DDDD (Free Market Fixed Income Fund) |
100 |
Eta 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 | |||
EEEE (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth FundInvestor Class) |
100 |
Theta 1 (Money) |
1 | |||
Select (Money) |
700 |
Theta 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 | |||
Beta 2 (Municipal Money) |
1 |
Theta 3 (Government Money) |
1 | |||
Beta 3 (Government Money) |
1 |
Theta 4 (N.Y. Money) |
1 |
The classes of common stock have been grouped into separate families. There are eight families that currently have operating portfolios, including: the Sansom Street Family, the Bedford Family, the Schneider Capital Management Family, the Robeco Investment Funds Family, the Bogle Investment Management Family, the Hilliard Lyons Family, the Bear Stearns Family, the Marvin & Palmer Family and the Abundance Technologies Family. The Bedford Family and the Sansom Street Family represent interests in the Money Market Portfolio; the Robeco Investment Funds Family represents interests in eight non-money market portfolios; the Bogle Investment Management Family represents interests in one non-money market portfolio; the Schneider Capital Management Family represents interests in two non-money market portfolios; the Hilliard Lyons Family
59
represents interests in one non-money market portfolio; the Bear Stearns Family represents interests in two non-money market portfolio; the Marvin & Palmer Family represents interests in one non-money market portfolio; and the Abundance Technologies Family represents interest in three non-money market portfolios.
Each share that represents an interest in a Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to such Fund with each other share that represents an interest in such Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.
The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Companys amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.
Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by class on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board of Directors determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.
Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Companys common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Companys Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).
Shareholder Approvals. As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, shareholder approval and a majority of the outstanding shares of the Funds means, with respect to the approval of the advisory agreement. Distribution Plan or a change in the Funds investment objective or a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the Funds represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Funds are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Funds.
60
Counsel
The law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, 18 th and Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as independent counsel to the Company and the Disinterested Directors.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms
Ernst & Young LLP, Two Commerce Square, Suite 4000, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, serves as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity will audit the Funds financial statements beginning with the fiscal year ending August 31, 2007.
, served as the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity audited the Funds annual financial statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.
KPMG LLP (KPMG), 345 Park Ave., New York, New York 10154, served as the Predecessor Funds independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity audited each Predecessor Funds annual financial statements.
The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Funds Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006 (the Annual Report) and the Financial Statements and notes thereto in the Funds Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for fiscal semi-annual period ended February 28, 2007 (the Semi-Annual Report) are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the Annual Report or Semi- Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements included in the Annual Report for the fiscal year or period ended August 31, 2006 have been audited by the Funds former independent registered public accounting firm, , except for information relating to the Predecessor Fund, whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference. The information relating to the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001 were audited by KPMG, the Predecessor Funds independent registered public accounting firm, whose report on the financial statements included in the Predecessor Funds Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 is also incorporated by reference into this SAI. Such financial statements have been incorporated herein in reliance upon such reports given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. Copies of the Annual Report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning PFPC at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI.
61
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS
Short-Term Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poors short-term issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Standard & Poors for short-term issues:
A-1Obligations are rated in the highest category and indicate that the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory. Obligations are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in the higher rating categories.
A-3Obligor has adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BAn obligation is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Ratings of B1, B-2 and B-3 may be assigned to indicate finer distinction within the B category.
CObligations are currently vulnerable to nonpayment and are dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
DObligations are in payment default. This rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poors believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency RisksCountry risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poors analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign governments own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign Currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.
Moodys Investors Service (Moodys) short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.
Moodys employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
P-1Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
A-1
P-2Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NPIssuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (Fitch) short-term ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry standards, to reflect unique risk characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus place greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:
F1Securities possess the highest credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added + to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2Securities possess good credit quality. This designation indicates a satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.
F3Securities possess fair credit quality. This designation indicates that the capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non investment grade.
BSecurities possess speculative credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
CSecurities possess high default risk. Default is a real possibility. This designation indicates a capacity for meeting financial commitments which is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
DIndicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.
NRThis designation indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.
WDThis designation indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.
The following summarizes the ratings used by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (DBRS) for commercial paper and short-term debt:
R-1 (high)Short-term debt rated R-1 (high) is of the highest credit quality, and indicates an entity possessing unquestioned ability to repay current liabilities as they fall due. Entities rated in this category normally maintain strong liquidity positions, conservative debt levels, and profitability that is both stable and above average. Companies achieving an R-1 (high) rating are normally leaders in structurally sound industry segments with proven track records, sustainable positive future results, and no substantial qualifying negative factors. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for an R-1 (high), few entities are strong enough to achieve this rating.
A-2
R-1 (middle)Short-term debt rated R-1 (middle) is of superior credit quality and, in most cases, ratings in this category differ from R-1 (high) credits by only a small degree. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for the R-1 (high) category, entities rated R-1 (middle) are also considered strong credits, and typically exemplify above average strength in key areas of consideration for the timely repayment of short-term liabilities.
R-1 (low)Short-term debt rated R-1 (low) is of satisfactory credit quality. The overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt and profitability ratios is not normally as favorable as with higher rating categories, but these considerations are still respectable. Any qualifying negative factors that exist are considered manageable, and the entity is normally of sufficient size to have some influence in its industry.
R-2 (high)Short-term debt rated R-2 (high) is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The ability to repay obligations as they mature remains acceptable, although the overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt, and profitability ratios is not as strong as credits rated in the R-1 (low) category. Relative to the latter category, other shortcomings often include areas such as stability, financial flexibility, and the relative size and market position of the entity within its industry.
R-2 (middle)Short-term debt rated R-2 (middle) is considered to be of adequate credit quality. Relative to the R-2 (high) category, entities rated R-2 (middle) typically have some combination of higher volatility, weaker debt or liquidity positions, lower future cash flow capabilities, or are negatively impacted by a weaker industry. Ratings in this category would be more vulnerable to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
R-2 (low)Short-term debt rated R-2 (low) is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality, typically having some combination of challenges that are not acceptable for an R-2 (middle) credit. However, R-2 (low) ratings still display a level of credit strength that allows for a higher rating than the R-3 category, with this distinction often reflecting the issuers liquidity profile.
R-3Short-term debt rated R-3 is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality, one step up from being speculative. While not yet defined as speculative, the R-3 category signifies that although repayment is still expected, the certainty of repayment could be impacted by a variety of possible adverse developments, many of which would be outside the issuers control. Entities in this area often have limited access to capital markets and may also have limitations in securing alternative sources of liquidity, particularly during periods of weak economic conditions.
R-4Short-term debt rated R-4 is speculative. R-4 credits tend to have weak liquidity and debt ratios, and the future trend of these ratios is also unclear. Due to its speculative nature, companies with R-4 ratings would normally have very limited access to alternative sources of liquidity. Earnings and cash flow would typically be very unstable, and the level of overall profitability of the entity is also likely to be low. The industry environment may be weak, and strong negative qualifying factors are also likely to be present.
R-5Short-tern debt rated R-5 is highly speculative. There is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to repay the obligations on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity. In some cases, short term debt rated R-5 may have challenges that if not corrected, could lead to default.
DA security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment or the issuer has made it clear that it will be missing such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the D rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued, or reinstated by DBRS.
A-3
Long-Term Credit Ratings
The following summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poors for long-term issues:
AAAAn obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poors. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AAAn obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
AAn obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligors capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBBAn obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BBAn obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligors inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BAn obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligors capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCCAn obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCAn obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
CA subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated C is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A C also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.
DAn obligation rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poors believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
Plus (+) or minus (-)The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
A-4
NRThis indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poors does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Local Currency and Foreign Currency RisksCountry risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poors analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligors capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign governments own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.
The following summarizes the ratings used by Moodys for long-term debt:
AaaObligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.
AaObligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
AObligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
BaaObligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
BaObligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.
BObligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
CaaObligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
CaObligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
CObligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moodys appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:
AAASecurities considered to be of the highest credit quality. AAA ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AASecurities considered to be of very high credit quality. AA ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
ASecurities considered to be of high credit quality. A ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
A-5
BBBSecurities considered to be of good credit quality. BBB ratings indicate that there are currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment grade category.
BBSecurities considered to be speculative. BB ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.
BSecurities considered to be highly speculative. B ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC and CSecurities have high default risk. Default is a real possibility, and capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A CC rating indicates that default of some kind appears probable. C ratings signal imminent default.
RDIndicates an entity has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of obligations.
DIndicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.
Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the AAA category or to categories below CCC.
NR indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.
The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:
AAALong-term debt rated AAA is of the highest credit quality, with exceptionally strong protection for the timely repayment of principal and interest. Earnings are considered stable, the structure of the industry in which the entity operates is strong, and the outlook for future profitability is favorable. There are few qualifying factors present which would detract from the performance of the entity. The strength of liquidity and coverage ratios is unquestioned and the entity has established a creditable track record of superior performance. Given the extremely high standard which DBRS has set for this category, few entities are able to achieve a AAA rating.
AALong-term debt rated AA is of superior credit quality, and protection of interest and principal is considered high. In many cases they differ from long-term debt rated AAA only to a small degree. Given the extremely restrictive definition DBRS has for the AAA category, entities rated AA are also considered to be strong credits, typically exemplifying above-average strength in key areas of consideration and unlikely to be significantly affected by reasonably foreseeable events.
ALong-term debt rated A is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is still substantial, but the degree of strength is less than that of AA rated entities. While A is a respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated securities.
BBBLong-term debt rated BBB is of adequate credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is considered acceptable, but the entity is fairly susceptible to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adverse conditions present which reduce the strength of the entity and its rated securities.
A-6
BBLong-term debt rated BB is defined to be speculative and non-investment grade, where the degree of protection afforded interest and principal is uncertain, particularly during periods of economic recession. Entities in the BB range typically have limited access to capital markets and additional liquidity support. In many cases, deficiencies in critical mass, diversification, and competitive strength are additional negative considerations.
BLong-term debt rated B is highly speculative and there is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to pay interest and principal on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity.
CCC, CC and CLong-term debt rated in any of these categories is very highly speculative and is in danger of default of interest and principal. The degree of adverse elements present is more severe than long-term debt rated B. Long-term debt rated below B often have features which, if not remedied, may lead to default. In practice, there is little difference between these three categories, with CC and C normally used for lower ranking debt of companies for which the senior debt is rated in the CCC to B range.
DA security rated D implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment of interest or principal or that the issuer has made it clear that it will miss such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a D rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the D rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.
(high, low)Each rating category is denoted by the subcategories high and low. The absence of either a high or low designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The AAA and D categories do not utilize high, middle, and low as differential grades.
Municipal Note Ratings
A Standard & Poors U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment:
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Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and |
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Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note. |
Note rating symbols are as follows:
SP-1The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
A-7
Moodys uses three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levelsMIG-1 through MIG-3. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moodys for these short-term obligations:
MIG-1This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG-2This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG-3This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SGThis designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moodys evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moodys evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (demand feature), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.
When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG-1.
VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issues specific structural or credit features.
VMIG-1This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-2This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG-3This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SGThis designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
Fitch uses the same ratings for municipal securities as described above for other short-term credit ratings.
About Credit Ratings
A Standard & Poors issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program
A-8
(including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.
Moodys credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not as statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.
Fitchs credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving their money back in accordance with the terms on which they invested. Fitchs credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.
DBRS credit ratings are opinions based on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of information sourced and received by DBRS, which information is not audited or verified by DBRS. Ratings are not buy, hold or sell recommendations and they do not address the market price of a security. Ratings may be upgraded, downgraded, placed under review, confirmed and discontinued.
A-9
ROBECO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
ROBECO WEISS, PECK & GREER
ROBECO BOSTON PARTNERS
Proxy Voting Policies
June 2007
B-1
Robeco Investment Management
Proxy Voting Policies
As of June 2007
I. The Board of Directors
A. | Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections |
Votes on director nominees are made on a case-by-case basis, examining the following factors:
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long-term corporate performance record relative to a market index; |
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composition of board and key board committees; |
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corporate governance provisions and takeover activity; |
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nominees attendance at meetings; |
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nominees investment in the company; |
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whether a retired CEO sits on the board; |
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whether the chairman is also serving as CEO; |
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whether the nominee is an inside director and the full board serves as the audit, compensation, or nominating committee or the company does not have one of these committees; AND |
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on all director nominees at companies that fail to meet a predetermined performance test for issuers within the Russell 3000 index. |
In the following situations, votes on director nominees will be withheld :
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nominee attends less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse; |
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nominee implements or renews a dead-hand or modified dead-hand poison pill; |
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nominee ignores a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of shares outstanding; |
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nominee ignores a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast (1 yr. Look-back) |
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nominee has failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders have tendered their shares; |
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nominee is an inside director or affiliated outsider and sits on the audit, compensation, or nominating committees; |
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nominee is an inside director or affiliated outsider and the majority of the board is not independent; |
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nominee is an audit committee member when a companys non-audit fees are greater than 50% of all fees paid; and |
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nominee has enacted egregious corporate governance policies or failed to replace management as appropriate; |
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nominee is CEO of a publicly traded company who serves on more than three public boards including his/her own board; |
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nominee (except new nominees) if the company has adopted or renewed a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not put the pill to a vote and does not have a requirement to put the pill to shareholder vote within 12 months (applies only to companies that adopt a pill after Dec. 7, 2004); |
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from the entire board (except new nominees) where the director(s) receive more than 50% WITHHOLD votes of those cast and the issue underlying the WITHHOLD vote has not been addressed. |
B-2
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compensation committee members if there is a poor linkage between performance (1/3 yrs TSR) and compensation practices based on peer group comparisons. |
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at any company that has adopted a pill beginning January 2005 without shareholder approval, has not yet received a withhold vote for poison-pill-related items, and has not committed to putting its pill to a vote within 12 months of the adoption of the pill either as part of its governance policies or as a specific public commitment. |
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compensation committee members if they fail to submit one-time transferable stock options to shareholders for approval. |
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audit committee members under certain circumstances when a material weakness rises to a level of serious concern, there are chronic internal control issues, and there is an absence of established effective control mechanisms. |
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compensation committee members if the company has poor compensation practices. Poor compensation practices include, but are not limited to: |
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egregious employment contracts including excessive severance provisions |
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excessive perks that dominate compensation |
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huge bonus payouts without justifiable performance |
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performance metrics that are changed during the performance period |
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egregious SERP payouts |
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new CEO with overly generous new hire package |
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internal pay disparity |
B. | Majority Voting for Director Elections (U.S. and Canada) |
Shareholder proposals calling for majority voting thresholds for director elections :
We generally vote for these proposals unless the company has adopted formal corporate governance principles that present a meaningful alternative to the majority voting standard and/or provide an adequate response to both new nominees as well as incumbent nominees who fail to receive a majority of votes cast.
C. | Chairman and CEO are the Same Person |
We vote for shareholder proposals that would require the positions of chairman and CEO to be held by different persons.
D. | Majority of Independent Directors |
We vote for shareholder proposals that request that the board be composed of a two-thirds majority of independent directors.
We vote for shareholder proposals that request that the board audit, compensation and/or nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.
E. | Stock Ownership Requirements |
We vote against shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.
We vote for management and shareholder proposals requiring directors be partially or fully paid in stock.
B-3
E. | Options Backdating |
We may recommend WITHHOLDING votes from the compensation committee, depending on the severity of the practices and the subsequent corrective actions on the part of the board. We will adopt a CASE-BY-CASE policy to the options backdating issue. In recommending withhold votes from the compensation committee members who oversaw the questionable options grant practices or from current compensation committee members who fail to respond to the issue proactively, we will consider several factors, including, but not limited to, the following:
a) | Reason and motive for the options backdating issue, such as inadvertent vs. deliberate grant date changes; |
b) | Length of time of options backdating; |
c) | Size of restatement due to options backdating; |
d) | Corrective actions taken by the board or compensation committee, such as canceling or repricing backdated options, or recoupment of option gains on backdated grants; |
e) | Adoption of a grant policy that prohibits backdating, and creation of a fixed grant schedule or window period for equity grants going forward. |
F. | Lack of nominating committee: |
We will WITHHOLD votes from insiders and affiliated outsiders for failure to establish a formal nominating committee. Furthermore, WITHHOLD votes from insiders and affiliated outsiders on any company where the board attests that the independent directors serve the functions of a nominating committee.
G. | Term of Office |
We vote against shareholder proposals to limit the tenure of outside directors. Term limits pose artificial and arbitrary impositions on the board and could harm shareholder interests by forcing experienced and knowledgeable directors off the board.
H. | Age Limits |
We vote against shareholder proposals to impose a mandatory retirement age for outside directors.
I. | Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection |
Proposals concerning director and officer indemnification and liability protection are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
We vote against proposals to limit or eliminate director and officer liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care.
We vote against indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond just legal expenses to acts, such as negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligations than mere carelessness.
We vote for only those proposals that provide such expanded coverage in cases when a directors or officers legal defense was unsuccessful if : (1) the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (2) only if the directors legal expenses would be covered.
J. | Charitable Contributions |
We vote against shareholder proposals to eliminate, direct or otherwise restrict charitable contributions.
B-4
K. | Director ElectionsNon-U.S. Companies |
Canada:
In the following situations, votes will be withheld :
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from affiliated outsiders and insiders when the board is not majority independent or is lacking compensation or nominating committees or where the entire board serves on any of these key committees. (applies to S&P/TSX Composite Index Companies) |
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from any director on the audit or compensation committee who served as the companys CEO or who, within the past five years, served as the companys CFO. (This policy only applies to Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) companies). |
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from any insider on the compensation committee only if the committee is not majority independent. If the entire board fulfills the duties of the compensation committee, WITHHOLD votes from the entire board if it is not majority independent. |
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from audit committee members if audit fees are not disclosed in publicly filed documents or obtainable within a reasonable period of time prior to the shareholders meeting. |
Europe:
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Directors term of office |
For the markets of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland, we vote against the election or reelection of any director when their term is not disclosed or when it exceeds four years and adequate explanation for non-compliance has not been provided.
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Executives on audit and remuneration committees |
For the markets of Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden, we vote against the election or reelection of any executive (as defined by ISS director categorization guidelines), including the CEO, who serve on the audit and/or remuneration committees. We vote against if the disclosure is too poor to determine whether an executive serves or will serve on a committee.
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Bundling of proposal to elect directors |
For the markets of France and Germany, we vote against the election or reelection of any director if the company proposes a single slate of directors.
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Majority-independent board (i.e., greater than 50%) |
For the markets of France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, we vote against the election or reelection of any non-independent director (excluding the CEO) if the proposed board is not at least 50% independent (as defined by ISS director categorization guidelines). For the markets of Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, and Luxembourg, we vote against non-independent directors if there is not majority independence, but only for those companies that are part of the MSCI EAFE index. Carve Outs: For the larger German companies where 50% of the board must consist of labor representatives by law, we require one-third of the total board be independent.
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Disclosure of names of nominees |
For all European companies that are part of the MSCI EAFE index (Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Greece, and Sweden), we vote against the election or reelection of any directors when the names of the nominees are not available at the time the analysis is written.
B-5
Ireland :
We vote against the appointment of the chairman/CEO if the two positions are combined.
Netherlands :
We vote against nominees when their term is not disclosed or exceeds four years and an adequate explanation for noncompliance has not been provided.
Australia:
We vote against affiliated outsiders and insiders on remuneration and/or audit committees that are not majority independent.
Hong Kong:
We vote against
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reelection of insiders who are members of audit committee |
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directors designated by the company as its independent directors if they do not meet ISS standards for independence |
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election of directors as a bundled item and/or if company does not disclose the names of nominees |
Malaysia:
We vote against insiders on the audit or remuneration committees.
South Korea:
We vote against any nominee who is a non-independent director serving on the audit committee.
South Korea and South Africa :
We vote against board member nominees who have attended less than 75 % of board meetings without a valid reason for the absences.
Austria
We vote AGAINST supervisory board elections if names of nominees are not disclosed, for companies that are part of the MSCI EAFE index and/or the Austrian ATX index.
Philippines:
1.) | We vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis that shareholders cumulate their votes for the independent directors for board elections and AGAINST all other nominees, unless the board is already sufficiently independent. |
2.) | We vote AGAINST all director elections where the names of the candidate are not disclosed. |
Combined Chairman/CEO (France/ MSCI EAFE Index)
On proposals to change the board structure from a two-tier structure to a one-tier structure with a combination of the functions of Chairman and CEO, and/or the election or the reelection of a combined Chairman and CEO
B-6
We vote on a CASE-BY-CASE policy, accepting a combination generally only in the following cases:
1.) | If it is a temporary solution; |
2.) | If his/her removal from the board would adversely impact the companys continuing operations; |
3.) | If the company provides compelling argumentation for combining the two functions; or |
4.) | If the company has put a sufficiently counterbalancing governance structure in place. |
A counterbalancing structure may include the following:
1.) | At least 50 percent of the board members are independent (one-third for companies with a majority shareholder) according to the ISS criteria; |
2.) | No executive serves on the audit committee and no executive serves on the remuneration committee (in the financial year under review if more up-to-date information is not available); |
3.) | The chairmen of audit, remuneration and nomination committees are independent directors; and |
4.) | All key governance committees have a majority of independent members. |
If disclosure is not sufficient to determine the above, this will lead to a negative evaluation of the concerned criterion. We will apply this policy for all core companies in France. This policy will also apply for resolutions for the election or the reelection of a combined Chairman and CEO for companies of the MSCI EAFE index, which represents the worlds largest companies that are expected to be held to higher standards
Discharge of Management and Board (Denmark):
We vote AGAINST proposals to abolish the authority of the general meeting to vote on discharge of the board and management since proposals to withhold discharge are regarded by international investors as an important means by which they may express serious concern of management and board action
Director Elections/Labor Representatives (Sweden)
1.) | For all Swedish MSCI EAFE companies, we vote against the election of nonindependent executive directors if less than 50 percent of the shareholder-elected members are independent non-executive directors. |
2.) | In addition, for Swedish MSCI EAFE companies with labor representatives on the board of directors, we will apply Criterion (1) above, PLUS require that at least one-third of the total board (shareholder-elected members and labor representatives) be independent non-executive directors. |
Director and Auditor Indemnification (Israel):
Proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers
We evaluate proposals on director and officer indemnification and liability protection on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. We vote AGAINST proposals that would:
1.) | Eliminate entirely directors and officers liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care; |
2.) | Expand coverage beyond just legal expenses to liability for acts, such as negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation than mere carelessness; |
3.) | Expand the scope of indemnification to provide for mandatory indemnification of company officials in connection with acts that previously the company was permitted to provide indemnification for at the discretion of the companys board (i.e. permissive indemnification) but that previously the company was not required to indemnify. |
B-7
We vote FOR only those proposals providing such expanded coverage in cases when a directors or officers legal defense was unsuccessful: (1) if the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (2) if only the directors legal expenses would be covered.
For the issue of Indemnification and Liability Agreements with D/O, which is more common than proposals to amend bylaws, resolutions are frequently proposed to permit the companies to enter into new indemnification agreements with certain officers. we support such requests if a companys bylaws allow indemnification to such levels as allowed for under the Companies Law
Tax Havens:
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For US companies we apply the US guidelines. |
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For foreign private issuers , we vote against affiliated outsiders on the audit committee. |
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Truly foreign companies that do not have a U.S. listing will be evaluated under the corporate governance standards of their home market. |
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For uniquely structured shipping companies we vote against executive nominees when the company has not established a compensation committee when a) the company does not pay any compensation to its executive officers; b) any compensation is paid by a third party under a contract with the company. |
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We vote against affiliated outsider directors on the audit, compensation, and nominating committees. |
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We vote against inside directors and affiliated outside directors for foreign private issuers that trade exclusively in the United States but fail to establish a majority independent board. |
II. Proxy Contests
A. | Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections |
Votes in a contested election of directors are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the following factors:
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long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry; |
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managements track record; |
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background to the proxy contest; |
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qualifications of director nominees (both slates); |
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evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as the likelihood that the proposed objectives and goals can be met; and |
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stock ownership positions. |
B. | Reimburse Proxy Solicitation Expenses |
We vote against proposals to provide full reimbursement for dissidents waging a proxy contest.
III. Auditors
A. | Ratifying Auditors |
Proposals to ratify auditors are made on a case-by-case basis.
B-8
We vote against the ratification of auditors when the companys non-audit fees (ex. consulting) are greater than 25% of total fees paid to the auditor (ex: ratio of audit fees to non-audit fees is less than 3 to 1).
We withhold votes from audit committee members when the companys non-audit fees (ex. consulting) are greater than 50% of total fees paid to the auditor. RIM may take action against members of an audit committee in situations where there is persuasive evidence that the audit committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.
We withhold votes from audit committee members when auditor ratification is not included on the proxy ballot.
Audit Fees = statutory audit fees + audit related fees + permissible tax services (this excludes tax strategy)
Non-Audit Fees = other fees (ex. consulting)
B. Director and Auditor Indemnification (Italy)
Proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and auditors:
Votes are made on a case-by-case basis to indemnify directors and officers, and we vote against proposals to indemnify external auditors.
We vote for the indemnification of internal auditors, unless the costs associated with the approval are not disclosed.
C. | Auditor Fee Disclosure (MSCI EAFE Companies) |
We vote FOR auditor ratification and/or approval of auditors fees, unless: Auditors fees for the previous fiscal year are not disclosed and broken down into at least audit and non-audit fees.
The fees must be disclosed in a publicly available source, such as the annual report or company Web site. If approval of auditors fees and auditor ratification are two separate voting items, a vote recommendation of AGAINST would apply only to the fees, not to the auditor ratification.
IV. Proxy Contest Defenses
A. | Board Structure: Staggered vs. Annual Elections |
We vote against proposals to classify the board.
We vote for proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually.
B. | Shareholder Ability to Remove Directors |
We vote against proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.
We vote for proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.
We vote against proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.
We vote for proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.
B-9
C. | Cumulative Voting |
We vote against proposals to eliminate cumulative voting.
We generally vote for proposals to restore or permit cumulative voting unless there are compelling reasons to recommend against the proposal, such as the presence of a majority threshold voting standard, a proxy access provision in the companys bylaws, or a counterbalancing governance structure.
D. | Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings |
We vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to call special meetings.
We vote for proposals that remove restrictions on the right of shareholders to act independently of management.
E. | Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent |
We vote against proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to take action by written consent.
We vote for proposals to allow or make easier shareholder action by written consent.
F. | Shareholder Ability to Alter the Size of the Board |
We vote for proposals that seek to fix the size of the board.
We vote against proposals that give management the ability to alter the size of the board without shareholder approval.
We vote against proposals seeking to amend the companys board size to fewer than five seats or more than fifteen seats.
V. Tender Offer Defenses
A. | Poison Pills |
We generally vote for shareholder proposals that ask a company to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification unless:
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A shareholder-approved poison pill is in place. |
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The company has adopted a policy specifying that the board will only adopt a shareholder rights plan if either: |
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Shareholders have approved the adoption of the plan, or |
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The board determines that it is in the best interest of shareholders to adopt a pill without the delay of seeking shareholder approval, in which the pill will be put to a vote within 12 months of adoption or it will expire. |
We vote for shareholder proposals to redeem a companys poison pill.
We vote against management proposals to ratify a poison pill.
B-10
Poison Pills (Japan):
We vote on a case-by-case basis and will only support resolutions if:
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The decision to trigger the pill is made after an evaluation of the takeover offer by a committee whose members are all independent of management. |
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The pill will not be triggered unless the potential acquirer has purchased a stake of at least 20% of issued share capital. |
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The effective duration of the poison pill is for a maximum of three years. |
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The board includes at least 20% (but no fewer than two) independent directors, and the directors are subject to annual election by shareholders. |
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The company has disclosed under what circumstances it expects to make use of the authorization to issue warrants and has disclosed what steps it is taking to address the vulnerability to a takeover by enhancing shareholder value. |
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There are no other protective or entrenchment tools. |
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The company releases its proxy circular, with details of the poison pill proposal, at least three weeks prior to the meeting. |
B. | Fair Price Provisions |
We vote proposals to adopt fair price provisions on a case-by-case basis, evaluating factors such as the vote required to approve the proposed acquisition, the vote required to repeal the fair price provision, and the mechanism for determining the fair price.
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower the shareholder vote requirement in existing fair price provisions.
C. | Greenmail |
We vote for proposals to adopt anti-greenmail charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict a companys ability to make greenmail payments.
We review on a case-by-case basis anti-greenmail proposal when they are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.
D. | Pale Greenmail |
We review on a case-by-case basis restructuring plans that involve the payment of pale greenmail.
E. | Unequal Voting Rights |
We vote against dual class exchange offers.
We vote against dual class recapitalizations.
F. | Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement to Amend the Charter or Bylaws |
We vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.
B-11
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for charter and bylaw amendments.
G. | Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement to Approve Mergers |
We vote against management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers and other significant business combinations.
We vote for shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for mergers and other significant business combinations.
H. | White Squire Placements |
We vote for shareholder proposals to require approval of blank check preferred stock issues for other than general corporate purposes.
I. | Protective Preference Shares |
We evaluate these proposals on a case-by-case basis and will only support resolutions if:
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The supervisory board needs to approve an issuance of shares while the supervisory board is independent within the meaning of ISS categorization rules and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. |
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No call/put option agreement exists between the company and the foundation. |
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There is a qualifying offer clause or there are annual management and supervisory board elections. |
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The issuance authority is for a maximum of 18 months. |
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The board of the company-friendly foundation is independent. |
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The company has disclosed under what circumstances it expects to make use of the possibility to issue preference shares. |
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There are no priority shares or other egregious protective or entrenchment tools. |
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The company releases its proxy circular, with details of the poison pill proposal, at least three weeks prior to the meeting. |
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Art 2:359c Civil Code of the legislative proposal has been implemented. |
VI. Miscellaneous Governance Provisions
A. | Confidential Voting |
We vote for shareholder proposals that request corporations to adopt confidential voting, to use independent tabulators, and to use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows: In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived.
We vote for management proposals to adopt confidential voting.
B. | Equal Access |
We vote for shareholder proposals that would allow significant company shareholders equal access to managements proxy material in order to evaluate and propose voting recommendations on proxy proposals and director nominees, and in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.
B-12
C. | Bundled Proposals |
We review on a case-by-case basis bundled or conditioned proxy proposals. In the case of items that are conditioned upon each other, we examine the benefits and costs of the packaged items. In instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders best interests, we vote against the proposals. If the combined effect is positive, we support such proposals.
D. | Shareholder Advisory Committees |
We vote against proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee.
E. | Related Party Transaction Auditor Reports (France) |
We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis considering 1) adequate disclosure, 2) sufficient justification on apparently unrelated transactions, 3) fairness option (if applicable), and 4) any other relevant information.
F. | Adjourn Meeting Requests to Solicit Additional Proxies to Approve Merger Agreement |
We will vote for this when 1) we support the underlying merger proposal 2) the company provides a compelling reason and 3) the authority is limited to adjournment proposals requesting the authority to adjourn solely to solicit proxies to approve a transaction that we support.
G. | Related-Party Transactions (France) |
Management proposals to approve the special auditors report regarding regulated agreements:
We evaluate these proposals on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the individuals concerned in the agreement, detailed content of the agreement, and convened remuneration.
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We vote against if the report is not available 21 days prior to the meeting date, or if the report contains an agreement between a non-executive director and the company for the provision of consulting services. |
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We vote for if the report is not available 21 days prior to the meeting date, but the resolution states that there are none. |
VII. Capital Structure
A. | Common Stock Authorization |
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issue.
We vote against proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in companies that have dual-class capitalization structures.
We vote against proposals which request increases in the number of authorized shares over a level 50% above currently authorized shares, after taking into account any stock split or financing activity, without specific reasons.
B. | Capital Issuance Requests |
General issuance requests under both authorized and conditional capital systems allow companies to issue shares to raise funds for general financing purposes. Issuances can be carried out with or without preemptive
B-13
rights. Corporate law in many countries recognizes preemptive rights and requires shareholder approval for the disapplication of such rights.
We vote for general issuance requests with preemptive rights for up to 50% of a companys outstanding capital.
We vote for general issuance requests without preemptive rights for up to 10% of a companys outstanding capital.
We vote against global company issuances without preemptive rights over 10% of a companys outstanding capital.
Specific issuance requests will be judged on their individual merits.
Protective Preference Shares (Netherlands):
Management proposals to approve protective preference shares to company-friendly foundations
We will evaluate these proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and will only support resolutions if:
1) | The supervisory board needs to approve an issuance of shares while the supervisory board is independent within the meaning of ISS categorization rules and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code. |
2) | No call/put option agreement exists between the company and the foundation. |
3) | There is a qualifying offer clause or there are annual management and supervisory board elections. |
4) | The issuance authority is for a maximum of 18 months. |
5) | The board of the company-friendly foundation is independent. |
6) | The company has disclosed under what circumstances it expects to make use of the possibility to issue preference shares. |
7) | There are no priority shares or other egregious protective or entrenchment tools. |
8) | The company releases its proxy circular, with details of the poison pill proposal, at least three weeks prior to the meeting. |
9) | Art 2:359c Civil Code of the legislative proposal has been implemented. |
C. | Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends |
We vote for management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split, provided that the increase in authorized shares would not result in an excessive number of shares available for issuance given a companys industry and performance in terms of shareholder returns.
D. | Reverse Stock Splits |
We vote for management proposals to implement a reverse stock split when the number of shares will be proportionately reduced to avoid delisting.
We vote case-by-case on proposals to implement a reverse stock split that do not proportionately reduce the number of shares authorized for issue.
B-14
E. | Preferred Stock |
We vote against proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights (blank check preferred stock).
We vote for proposals to create blank check preferred stock in cases when the company expressly states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense.
We vote for proposals to authorize preferred stock in cases where the company specifies that the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase the number of blank check preferred shares after analyzing the number of preferred shares available for issue given a companys industry and performance in terms of shareholder returns.
F. | Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock |
We vote for management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.
G. | Preemptive Rights |
We vote for proposals to create preemptive rights.
We vote against proposals to eliminate preemptive rights.
H. | Debt Restructurings |
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan. We consider the following issues:
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Dilution: How much will ownership interest of existing shareholders be reduced, and how extreme will dilution to any future earnings be? |
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Change in Control: Will the transaction result in a change in control of the company? |
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Bankruptcy: Generally, we approve proposals that facilitate debt restructurings unless there are clear signs of self-dealing or other abuses. |
I. | Share Repurchase Programs |
We vote for management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.
We vote AGAINST repurchase authorization clearly intended to thwart a takeover.
J. | Share Repurchase Programs to Fund Stock Option Plans |
Spain:
We vote against proposals to repurchase shares in connection with stock option plans when no information associated with the plan is available prior to the general meeting. However, we will maintain our stance on routine repurchases if it is disclosed that there is no connection.
Portugal:
We will consider this item on a case-by-case basis and will take into consideration whether information associated with the plan is available prior to the general meeting, and if there is any improvement in disclosure around option plans.
B-15
K. | Additional Share Repurchase Programs |
Denmark :
Repurchase of shares in lieu of dividendsWe will consider this item on a case-by-case basis considering tax benefits and cost savings.
Germany and Italy:
Repurchase shares using put and call optionsWe will vote for provided the company details 1) authorization is limited to 18 months, 2) the number of shares that would be purchased with call options and/or sold with put options is limited to a max of 5% of TSO, 3) an experienced financial institution is responsible for the trading, 4) the company has a clean track record regarding repurchases.
L. Remuneration Report (Netherlands)
Management is required to put its remuneration policy up for a binding shareholder vote. We will evaluate this item using principles of the Dutch Corporate Governance Code.
Protective Preference Shares (Netherlands): Proposals to approve protective preference shares
We vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. In general, we vote FOR protective preference shares (PPS) only if:
1.) | The supervisory board needs to approve an issuance of shares whilst the supervisory board is independent within the meaning of ISSs categorization rules and the Dutch Corporate Governance Code (i.e. a maximum of one member can be non-independent); |
2.) | No call / put option agreement exists between the company and a foundation for the issuance of PPS; |
3.) | The issuance authority is for a maximum of 18 months; |
4.) | The board of the company friendly foundation is fully independent; |
5.) | There are no priority shares or other egregious protective or entrenchment tools; |
6.) | The company states specifically that the issue of PPS is not meant to block a takeover, but will only be used to investigate alternative bids or to negotiate a better deal; |
7.) | The foundation buying the PPS does not have as a statutory goal to block a takeover; |
The PPS will be outstanding for a period of maximum 6 months (an EGM must be called to determine the continued use of such shares after this period)
M. | Tracking Stock |
We vote on the creation of tracking stock on a case-by-case basis, weighing the strategic value of the transaction against such factors as:
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adverse governance charges |
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excessive increases in authorized capital stock |
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unfair method of distribution |
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diminution of voting rights |
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adverse conversion features |
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negative impact on stock option plans |
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other alternatives such as spinoff |
B-16
N. | Going Dark Transactions: |
We vote these proposals on a case-by-case basis, determining whether the transaction enhances shareholder value by giving consideration to:
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Whether the company has attained benefits from being publicly traded. |
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Cash-out value |
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Balanced interests of continuing vs. cashed-out shareholders |
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Market reaction to public announcement of transaction |
VIII. Executive and Director Compensation
Votes with respect to compensation plans are determined on a case-by-case basis.
We vote against plans that contain:
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Voting power dilution greater than 10% |
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Plans that provide too much discretion to directors |
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Plans that reflect exercise price of less than 100% of market value. (Note: For broad-based employee plans, we will accept 15% discount) |
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Plans that allow the repricing of underwater stock options without shareholder approval |
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Plans that lack option expensing |
A. | Management Proposals Seeking Approval to Reprice Options |
We vote on management proposals seeking approval to reprice options on a case-by-case basis.
B. | Director Compensation |
We vote on stock-based plans for directors on a case-by-case basis.
C. | Employee Stock Purchase Plans |
We vote on Qualified employee stock purchase plans on a case-by-case basis.
We vote on Non-Qualified employee stock purchase plans on a case-by-case basis but will approve plans considering the following criteria:
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Broad-based participation (all employees excluding individuals with 5% or more of beneficial ownership) |
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Limits on employee contribution, either fixed dollar or percentage of salary |
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Company matching contribution up to 25% |
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No discount on the stock price on the date of purchase since there is a company matching contribution |
Canada:
We vote on employee stock purchase plans on a case-by-case basis and will approve plans considering the following criteria:
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Broad-based participation (all employees excluding individuals with 5% or more of beneficial ownership) |
B-17
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No discount on the stock price on the date of purchase since there is a company matching contribution |
D. | OBRA-Related Compensation Proposals: |
Amendments that Place a Cap on Annual Grants or Amend Administrative Features
We vote for plans that simply amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or
Amendments to Added Performance-Based Goals
We vote for amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.
We vote for plans that support full disclosure and linking compensation to performance goals that impact the long-term performance of the firm (e.g. compliance with environmental/EPA regulations, labor supplier standards or EEOC laws).
Amendments to Increase Shares and Retain Tax Deductions Under OBRA
We evaluate votes on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m) on a case-by-case basis.
Approval of Cash or Cash-and-Stock Bonus Plans
We vote on cash or cash-and-stock bonus plans to exempt the compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA on a case-by-case basis.
We generally vote against plans with excessive awards ($2 million cap).
E. | Shareholder Proposals to Limit Executive and Director Pay |
We generally vote for shareholder proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive and director pay information.
We vote against all other shareholder proposals that seek to limit executive and director pay.
F. | Golden and Tin Parachutes |
We vote for shareholder proposals to require golden and tin parachutes to be submitted for shareholder ratification.
We vote against golden parachutes.
G. | Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) |
We vote for proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is excessive (i.e., generally greater than 5% of outstanding shares).
H. | 401(k) Employee Benefit Plans |
We vote for proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.
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I. | Pension Plan Income and Performance-Based Compensation |
Generally we vote for proposals to exclude earnings on assets of company sponsored pension plans in determining executive and director compensation. Our position generally does not view the following factors as relevant: 1) the amount of pension plan earnings, and 2) the percentage, if any, such pension plan earnings contribute to the companys pre-tax earnings.
J. | Indexed Options and Performance Vested Restricted Stock |
We generally vote for indexed options and performance vested restricted stock.
K. | Burn Rate |
We vote against equity plans that have high average three-year burn rate defined as 1) the companys most recent three-year burn rate that exceeds one standard deviation of its GICS segmented by Russell 3000 index and non-Russell 3000 Index, OR 2) the companys most recent three-year burn rate that exceeds 2% of common shares outstanding. For companies that grant both full value awards and stock options to their employees, we shall apply a premium on full value awards for the past three fiscal years.
L. | Transferable Stock Options |
We will generally vote for TSO awards within a new equity plan if the total cost of the companys equity plans is less than the companys allowable cap, assuming all other conditions have been met to receive a for recommendation. The TSO structure must be disclosed and amendments to existing plans should make clear that only options granted post-amendment shall be transferable.
One-time transfers will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, giving consideration to the following:
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Executive officers and non-employee directors should be excluded from participating. |
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Stock options must be purchased by third-party financial institutions at a discount to their fair value using an appropriate financial model. |
There should be a two-year minimum holding period for sale proceeds (cash or stock) for all participants.
M. | Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERPs): |
We evaluate on a CASE-BY-CASE basis Shareholder proposal to limit covered compensation under their SERP plan to no more than 100% of a senior executives salary, considering the companys current SERP plan.
N. | Pay-for-Superior-Performance: |
We evaluate Shareholder proposals to establish a pay-for- superior -performance standard on a CASE-BY-CASE basis considering the companys current pay-for-performance practices.
O. | Executive Compensation Advisory Proposal: |
We evaluate Shareholder proposal to propose an advisory resolution seeking to ratify the compensation of the companys named executive officers (NEOs) on an annual basis on a case-by-case basis considering current compensation practices.
P. | Reimbursement of Expenses Incurred from Candidate Nomination Proposal: |
We evaluate Shareholder proposals to amend the companys bylaws to provide for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred in connection with nominating one or more candidates in a contested election of
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directors to the corporations board of directors on a case-by-case basis considering the companys current reimbursement practices.
Q. | Compensation Issue in Non-US Companies |
Stock Options (Finland):
We vote against these proposals; however, an exception will be made if a company proposes to reduce the strike price by the amount of future special dividends only.
We vote for proposals that provide proportionate adjustments to outstanding awards as a result of a special cash dividend or any other future distribution of assets other than a normal cash dividend.
Remuneration Disclosure (Germany):
We vote against management proposals authorizing the board not to disclose remuneration schemes for five years
Remuneration Report (Sweden):
We vote against management proposals to approve the remuneration report if:
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The potential dilution from equity-based compensation plans exceeds ISS guidelines. |
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Restricted stock plans and matching share plans do not include sufficiently challenging performance criteria and vesting periods. |
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The remuneration report was not made available to shareholders in a timely manner. |
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Other concerns exist with respect to the disclosure or structure of the bonus or other aspects of the remuneration policy. |
Matching Share Plans (Sweden, Norway)
We will evaluate such plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.
1.) | For every matching share plan, ISS will require a holding period. |
2.) | For plans without performance criteria, the shares must be purchased at market price. |
3.) | For broad-based plans directed at all employees, ISS accepts a 1:2 arrangementthat no more than one free share will be awarded for every two shares held (roughly equaling a discount of 33 percent). A 1:1 ratiowhere no more than one free share will be awarded for every one share held (roughly equaling a discount of 50 percent) would be the upper limit. For 1:1 arrangements, the company would have to provide further justification. Note that the actual size of the discount will ultimately depend on the value of the share at the time of allocation. |
4.) | For plans directed at executives, we will accept a higher discount (e.g, four free shares for every one share held), but we require that sufficiently challenging performance criteria are attached to the plan. Higher discounts demand proportionally higher performance criteria. |
5.) | The dilution from the portion of the plan directed at executives must, when combined with the dilution from any other proposed or outstanding stock matching (for executives), restricted stock, stock option, and SARs plans comply with ISS guidelines. |
6.) | The dilution from the portion of the plan directed at all employees (the broad-based part of the plan) must, when combined with the dilution from any other proposed or outstanding stock matching (for all employees) and employee stock purchase plans, comply with ISS guidelines. |
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If the dilution figures for the all-employee and executive plans are bundled together (most common case), the dilution from both plans will be treated under our restricted stock / stock option / SARs plan guidelines
Equity-Based Compensation Plans (Canada): Amendment procedures for TSX Issuers
We generally vote AGAINST the approval of proposed Amendment Procedures that do not require shareholder approval for the following types of amendments under any security based compensation arrangement, whether or not such approval is required under current regulatory rules:
1.) | Any increase in the number (or percentage in the case of rolling plans) of shares reserved; |
2.) | Any reduction in exercise price or cancellation and reissue of options; |
3.) | Any amendment that extends the term of an award beyond the original expiry; |
4.) | Amendments to eligible participants that may permit the introduction or reintroduction of non-employee directors on a discretionary basis; |
Any amendment which would permit equity based awards granted under the Plan may be transferable or assignable other than for normal estate settlement purposes
Employee Share Purchase Plans (Canada): Amendment procedures
We generally vote AGAINST proposals to approve Share Purchase Plan Amendment Procedures if discretion is given to amend any of the following acceptable criteria:
1.) | Limit on employee contribution (expressed as a percentage of base salary excluding bonus, commissions and special compensation); |
2.) | Purchase price is at least 80 percent of fair market value with no employer contribution; OR |
3.) | No discount purchase price with maximum employer contribution of up to 20% of employee contribution |
4.) | Offering period is 27 months or less; and |
5.) | Potential dilution together with all other equity-based plans is ten percent of outstanding common shares or less. |
If shareholder approval is sought for a new Share Purchase Plan, the above criteria must apply and not be subject to future amendment under Plan amendment provisions without further shareholder approval or we will generally vote AGAINST approval of the Plan.
Director Stock Options (Japan)
We vote FOR evergreen director option plans as long as the contemplated level of annual dilution is less than 0.5%; so that it would take more than 10 years of grants for dilution to exceed our guidelines. (Where the company has outstanding options from other plans, or proposes to grant additional options to employees below board level, these must be factored into the calculation.)
IX. State of Incorporation
A. | Voting on State Takeover Statutes |
We review on a case-by-case basis proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freezeout provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions).
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B. | Voting on Reincorporation Proposals |
Proposals to change a companys state of incorporation are examined on a case-by-case basis.
X. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings
A. | Mergers and Acquisitions |
Votes on mergers and acquisitions are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account at least the following:
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anticipated financial and operating benefits; |
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offer price (cost vs. premium); |
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prospects of the combined companies; |
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how the deal was negotiated; |
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changes in corporate governance and their impact on shareholder rights; |
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change-in-control payments to executive officers and possible conflicts of interest; and |
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potential legal or environmental liability risks associated with the target firm |
B. | Corporate Restructuring |
Votes on corporate restructuring proposals, including minority squeezeouts, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and asset sales are considered on a case-by-case basis.
C. | Spin-offs |
Votes on spin-offs are considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of sale proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.
D. | Asset Sales |
Votes on asset sales are made on a case-by-case basis after considering the impact on the balance sheet/working capital, value received for the asset, and potential elimination of diseconomies.
E. | Liquidations |
Votes on liquidations are made on a case-by-case basis after reviewing managements efforts to pursue other alternatives, appraisal value of assets, and the compensation plan for executives managing the liquidation.
F. | Appraisal Rights |
We vote for proposals to restore, or provide shareholders with, rights of appraisal.
G. | Changing Corporate Name |
We vote for changing the corporate name.
XI. Corporate Governance and Conduct
In general, we support shareholder proposals that promote good corporate citizenship while enhancing long-term shareholder value. Proposals that present an egregious economic impact will not be supported.
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We support the adoption of labor standards and codes of conduct for foreign and domestic suppliers as ways to protect brands and manage risk. |
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We support reporting on countries with human rights abuses as ways to protect and manage risk. |
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We support CERES Principles, environmental reporting and MacBride Principles. |
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We support high-performance workplace standards. |
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We support fair lending guidelines and disclosure at financial companies. |
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We support reporting on equal opportunity and diversity. |
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We oppose resolutions that would fundamentally affect company performance and competitive increase of shareholder value. |
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We oppose shareholder proposals requesting the adoption of specific charter language regarding board diversity unless the company fails to publicly disclose existing equal opportunity or nondiscrimination policies. |
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We oppose shareholder proposals for reports outlining potential environmental damage from drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) unless: 1) new legislation is adopted allowing development and drilling in the ANWR; 2) the company intends to pursue operations in the ANWR, 3) the company does not currently disclose an environmental risk report for their operations in the ANWR. |
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We oppose shareholder proposals requesting a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions unless the company significantly lags behind industry standards or has been the subject of recent, substantial controversy on this issue. |
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We oppose shareholder proposals on investing in renewable energy sources. |
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We review proposals requesting information on a companys lobbying initiatives on a case-by-case basis taking into account significant controversy or litigation surrounding public policy activities, the current level of disclosure and the impact the policy issue may have on companys business. |
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THE RBB FUND, INC.
PEA 113
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Item 23. | EXHIBITS |
(a) |
Articles of Incorporation. | |||
(1) | Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(3) | Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(4) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(5) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 27, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(6) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 1, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(7) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(8) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 22, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(9) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(10) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(11) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. |
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(12) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(13) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(14) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(15) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 31, 1995. | |||
(16) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(17) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 11, 1996. | |||
(18) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. | |||
(19) |
Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(20) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(21) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(22) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(23) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(24) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(25) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(26) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 29, 1999. | |||
(27) |
Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. | |||
(28) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. | |||
(29) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. | |||
(30) |
Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000. |
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(31) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001. | |||
(32) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Boston Partners Bond Fund - Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund - Investor Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002. | |||
(33) |
Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant ( Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund - Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002. | |||
(34) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Schneider Value Fund ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2002. | |||
(35) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Baker 500 Growth Fund Institutional Class and Class S ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 18, 2002. | |||
(36) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Institutional Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions and Liquidity Fund for Credit Union Members ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003. | |||
(37) |
Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004. | |||
(38) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant (( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 4, 2005. | |||
(39) |
Certificate of Correction of Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005. | |||
(40) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005. | |||
(41) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Senbanc Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(42) |
Articles of Amendment of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Retirement Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005. | |||
(43) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005. | |||
(44) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(45) |
Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(46) |
Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. |
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(47) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(48) | Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007. | |||
(49) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007. | |||
(50) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(51) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) are filed herewith. | |||
(b) |
By-Laws. | |||
(1) | By-Laws, as amended are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004. | |||
(c) |
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders. | |||
(1) | See Articles VI, VII, VIII, IX and XI of Registrants Articles of 1 Incorporation dated February 17, 1988 which are incorporated herein by reference to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | See Articles II, III, VI, XIII, and XIV of Registrants By-Laws as amended through August 25, 2004, which are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004. | |||
(d) |
Investment Advisory Contracts. | |||
(1) | Investment Advisory Agreement (Money Market) between Registrant and Provident Institutional Management Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Sub-Advisory Agreement (Money Market) between Provident Institutional Management Corporation and Provident National Bank, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(3) | Assumption Agreement (Money Market Fund) between PNC Bank, N.A. and BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (formerly PNC Institutional Management Corporation) dated April 29, 1998 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(4) | Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(5) | Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003. |
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(6) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(7) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003. | |||
(8) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003. | |||
(9) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(10) |
Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(11) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(12) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Growth Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(13) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Emerging Growth Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(14) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(15) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(16) |
Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund ) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(17) |
Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Growth Fund ) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005. | |||
(18) |
Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005. | |||
(19) |
Amendment No. 2 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005. | |||
(20) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 98 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 30, 2005. |
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(21) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Senbanc Fund) dated August 31, 2005 between Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005. | |||
(22) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(23) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(24) |
Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) dated April 29, 2005 between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(25) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio ) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(26) |
Interim Investment Advisory and Administration Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(27) |
Investment Advisory and Administration Agreement (Money Market Portfolio ) between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(28) |
Investment Advisory Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(29) |
Form of Investment Advisory Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund ) between Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(30) |
Form of Investment Advisory Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(31) |
Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) dated October 9, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. | |||
(32) |
Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) dated October 9, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. | |||
(33) |
Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) dated October 10, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. | |||
(34) | Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund and Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund) dated October 24, 2006 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. |
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(35) | Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Small Cap Value Fund) dated October 24, 2006 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. | |||
(36) | Form of Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(37) | Assumption Agreement (Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Boston Partners Asset Management and Robeco Investment Management, Inc. dated January 1, 2007 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007. | |||
(38) | Assumption Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Small Cap Value Fund) between Weiss, Peck, & Greer Investments and Robeco Investment Management, Inc. dated January 1, 2007 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007. | |||
(e) |
Underwriting Contracts. | |||
(1) | Distribution Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated as of January 2, 2001 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001. | |||
(2) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(3) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(4) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(5) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(6) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005. | |||
(7) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005. | |||
(8) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005. | |||
(9) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund - Retirement Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No . 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. |
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(10) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(11) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(12) | Distribution Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(13) | Form of Distribution Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(14) | Form of Distribution Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(f) |
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. | |||
(1) | Fund Office Retirement Profit-Sharing and Trust Agreement, dated as of October 24, 1990, as amended is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1997. | |||
(2) | Form of Amendment No. 1 to Fund Office Retirement Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Reflecting EGTRRA is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(g) |
Custodian Agreements. | |||
(1) | Custodian Agreement between Registrant and Provident National Bank dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Sub-Custodian Agreement among The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., the Registrant and Provident National Bank, dated as of July 13, 1992, relating to custody of Registrants foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 22, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(3) | Amendment No. 1 to Custodian Agreement dated August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(4) | Custodian Contract between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 28, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(5) | Custody Agreement (n/i Micro Cap Fund, n/i Growth Fund and n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value) between Registrant and Custodial Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(6) | Custodian Agreement Supplement between Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association dated October 16, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996. |
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(7) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(8) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Bond Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997. | |||
(9) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(10) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(11) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(12) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement ( n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Custodial Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(13) |
Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund - formerly Long Short Equity) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(14) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(15) |
Letter Agreement among Registrant, The Chase Manhattan Bank and PFPC Trust Company, dated as of July 2, 2001, relating to custody of Registrants foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002. | |||
(16) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(17) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(18) |
Custodian Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund ) between Registrant and Mellon Bank N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(19) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(20) |
Custodian Agreement among Registrant, PFPC Trust Company and Citibank, N.A., dated as of September 13, 2005, relating to custody of Registrants foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005. | |||
(21) |
Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. |
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(22) | Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(23) | Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(24) | Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(h) |
Other Material Contracts. | |||
(1) | Transfer Agency Agreement (Sansom Street) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(3) | Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Sansom Street Government Obligations Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(4) | Shareholder Services Plan (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(5) | Transfer Agency Agreement (Bedford Money Market) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(6) | Transfer Agency Agreement and Supplements (Bradford, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta and Theta) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation dated as of November 5, 1991 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(7) | Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company and PFPC Inc. dated February 1, 1995 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 6, 1995. | |||
(8) | Supplement to Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Inc. and PFPC dated April 10, 1995 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 6, 1995. | |||
(9) | Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated December 15, 1994 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 25, 1995. |
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(10) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (n/i Micro Cap Fund, n/i Growth Fund and n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 14, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(11) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Micro Cap Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc . dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(12) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(13) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(14) | Transfer Agreement and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 37 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 30, 1996. | |||
(15) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated October 16, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. | |||
(16) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996. | |||
(17) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996. | |||
(18) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(19) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(20) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated, May 30, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(21) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(22) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(23) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(24) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. |
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(25) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Micro Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(26) | Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. dated as of May 29, 1998 and relating to the n/i family of funds, Schneider Small Cap Value Fund and Institutional Shares of the Boston Partners Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 25, 1998. | |||
(27) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional Class) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(28) | Administrative and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional and Investor Classes) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(29) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional and Investor Classes) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(30) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(31) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(32) | Co-Administration Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Funds Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(33) | Administrative Services Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(34) | Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(35) | Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity) - Institutional Shares) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(36) | Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(37) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(38) | Administrative Services Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. |
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(39) | Non 12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth - Investor Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(40) | Agreement between E*TRADE Group, Inc., Registrant and Registrants principal underwriter is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999. | |||
(41) | Fee Waiver Agreement for n/i numeric investors Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999. | |||
(42) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999. | |||
(43) | Solicitation Agreement between n/i numeric Investors and Shareholder Communications Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999. | |||
(44) | Administrative Services Assignment Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated January 2, 2001 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001. | |||
(45) | Transfer Agency Supplement (Bear Stearns Money Market Family) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 75 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 4, 2001. | |||
(46) | Form of Transfer Agency Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(47) | Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002. | |||
(48) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(49) | Transfer Agency Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(50) | Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2002. | |||
(51) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(52) | Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 18, 2002. | |||
(53) | Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(54) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Funds - Investor Shares) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. |
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(55) | Amended and Restated Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan (Numeric Funds) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 5, 2003. | |||
(56) | Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Customer Identification Program) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003. | |||
(57) | Regulatory Administration Services Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003. | |||
(58) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(59) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(60) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(61) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(62) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(63) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(64) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(65) | Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(66) | Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(67) | Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(68) | Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund Retirement Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005. | |||
(69) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. |
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(70) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(71) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(72) | Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(73) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(74) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(75) | Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(76) | Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement ( Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006. | |||
(77) | Escrow Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant, PFPC Trust Company, and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(78) | Interim Delegation Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant, PFPC Inc., and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(79) | Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(80) | Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(81) | Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement ( Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(82) | Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(83) | Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(84) | Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. |
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(85) | Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(86) | Form of Administrative Services Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(87) | Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(88) | Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(89) | Form of Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(i) |
(1) | Opinion and Consent of Counsel to be filed by amendment. | ||
(2) | Consent of Counsel to be filed by amendment. | |||
(j) |
(1) | None. | ||
(k) |
None. | |||
(l) |
Initial Capital Agreements. | |||
(1) | Subscription Agreement, relating to Classes A through N, is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Classes O and P is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. | |||
(3) | Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Class Q is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990. | |||
(4) | Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Counsellors Securities Inc. relating to Classes R, S, and Alpha 1 through Theta 4 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(5) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class FF (n/i Micro Cap Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(6) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class GG (n/i Growth Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. |
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(7) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class HH (n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996. | |||
(8) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes QQ, RR and SS (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. | |||
(9) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes TT and UU (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997. | |||
(10) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management L.P. relating to Classes VV and WW (Boston Partners Bond Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997. | |||
(11) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company relating to Class YY (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(12) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes DDD and EEE (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(13) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management relating to Classes III and JJJ (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(14) | Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. relating to Class MMM (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(15) | Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L. P. relating to Classes KKK and LLL (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(16) | Purchase Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999. | |||
(17) | Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(18) | Purchase Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(19) | Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund ) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(20) | Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. | |||
(21) | Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005. |
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(22) | Purchase Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisers is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(23) | Purchase Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007. | |||
(24) | Purchase Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(25) | Form of Purchase Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(26) | Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(27) | Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market International Equity Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(28) | Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. | |||
(m) |
Rule 12b-1 Plan. | |||
(1) | Plan of Distribution (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(2) | Plan of Distribution (Bedford Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(3) | Amendment No. 1 to Plans of Distribution (Classes A through Q) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 24, 1991, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(4) | Plan of Distribution (Zeta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(5) | Plan of Distribution (Eta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. | |||
(6) | Plan of Distribution (Theta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refilled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrants Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998. |
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(7) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. | |||
(8) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997. | |||
(9) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Bond Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997. | |||
(10) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 1998. | |||
(11) | Amendment to Plans of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998. | |||
(12) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 12, 1998. | |||
(13) | Plan of Distribution (Principal Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998. | |||
(14) | Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long Short Equity) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999. | |||
(15) | Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002. | |||
(16) | Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Senbanc Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005. | |||
(17) | Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco Core Bond Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005. | |||
(18) | Agreement between Registrant, Bear Stearns Securities Corp. and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated as of November 17, 2005 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrants Registration Statement filed on December 29, 2005. | |||
(19) | Plan of Distribution Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a/ Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Investor Class) is filed herewith. | |||
(n) |
Rule 18f-3 Plan. | |||
(1) | Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan is filed herewith. | |||
(p) |
Code of Ethics. | |||
(1) | Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006. | |||
(2) | Code of Ethics of Boston Partners Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. |
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(3) | Code of Ethics of Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(4) | Code of Ethics of Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(5) | Code of Ethics of Bogle Investment Management, L.P. incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No . 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(6) | Code of Ethics of PFPC Distributors, Inc is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No . 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(7) | Code of Ethics of Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006. | |||
(8) | Code of Ethics of J.J.B. Hilliard W.L. Lyons, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005. | |||
(9) | Code of Ethics of Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006. | |||
(10) | Code of Ethics of Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006. | |||
(11) | Code of Ethics of Abundance Technologies, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrants Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007. |
Item 24. | PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT |
None.
Item 25. | INDEMNIFICATION |
Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Article VIII of Registrants Articles of Incorporation, as amended, incorporated herein by reference as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(3), provide as follows:
Section 1. To the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of directors and officers are permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, no director or officer of the Corporation shall have any liability to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person serves as a director or officer of the Corporation whether or not such person is a director or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted.
Section 2. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and its former directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors is permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its officers to the same extent as its directors and to such further extent as is consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by law, resolution or agreement make further provision for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation law.
Section 3. No provision of this Article shall be effective to protect or purport to protect any director or officer of the Corporation against any liability to the Corporation or its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.
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Section 4. References to the Maryland General Corporation Law in this Article are to the law as from time to time amended. No further amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall decrease, but may expand, any right of any person under this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to such amendment. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Sections 2 and 3 of the Assumption Agreement between PNC Bank, N.A. (PNC) and BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (BIMC), dated April 29, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(3), provide for the indemnification of BIMC and PNC against certain losses.
Section 13 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Numeric Investors, LLC (Numeric), each dated November 12, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(12), (d)(13), (d)(14) and (d)(15), provides for the indemnification of Numeric against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, LLC (Boston Partners), each dated October 25, 2002 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(4), (d)(5), (d)(7), (d)(8), and (d)(10), provides for the indemnification of Boston Partners against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. (Bogle), dated September 15, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d) (9) provides for the indemnification of Bogle against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(20), (d)(22) and (d)(23) provides for the indemnification of Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments against certain losses.
Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. (PFPC), dated January 2, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(1) provides for the indemnification of PFPC Distributors against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J. J. B. Hilliard, W. L. Lyons (Hilliard) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(21) provides for the indemnification of Hilliard against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc., (Bear Stearns), on behalf of the Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio , is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(25) provides for the indemnification of Bear Stearns against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc., (Bear Stearns), on behalf of the Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund, is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(28) provides for the indemnification of Bear Stearns against certain losses.
Section 12 of the Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., (Marvin & Palmer Associates) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(29) provides for the indemnification of Marvin & Palmer Associates against certain losses.
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Section 12 of the Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., (Abundance) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(30) provides for the indemnification of Abundance against certain losses.
Item 26. | BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS. |
1. | BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation: |
BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (BIMC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock). Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. has a 49.80% economic interest and a 45% voting interest in BlackRock and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has approximately a 34% economic and voting interest in BlackRock. BIMCs principal business address is 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809. BIMC is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser for registered investment companies. Information as to the directors and officers of BIMC is as follows:
Name and Position with BIMC |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
Paul L. Audet Managing Director and Director |
BlackRock Provident Institutional Funds Wilmington, DE |
Treasurer | ||
BlackRock Funds Wilmington, DE |
Treasurer | |||
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Director | |||
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Director | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director | |||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director | |||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director | |||
Steven E. Buller Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director |
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director | ||
Laurence J. Carolan Managing Director and Director |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director |
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BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director | |||
Robert P. Connolly Managing Director, General Counsel and Secretary |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | ||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | |||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | |||
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary | |||
BlackRock Investments, Inc. New York, NY |
General Counsel & Secretary | |||
Laurence D. Fink Chief Executive Officer |
BlackRock Funds Wilmington, DE |
President & Trustee | ||
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Chief Executive Officer | |||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Chairman & CEO | |||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
Chairman & CEO | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
Chairman & CEO | |||
BlackRock Investments, Inc. New York, NY |
Chairman & CEO | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Chief Executive Officer |
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BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Chairman & CEO | |||
BlackRock HPB Management LLC New York, NY |
Director | |||
Charles S. Hallac Vice Chairman |
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Chairman, BlackRock Solutions. | ||
Robert S. Kapito Vice Chairman and Director |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Vice Chairman & Director | ||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
Vice Chairman & Director | |||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Chairman | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Vice Chairman & Director | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Chairman & Director | |||
BlackRock Investments, Inc. New York, NY |
Director | |||
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Chairman & Director | |||
Kevin M. Klingert Managing Director and Director |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director | ||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director | |||
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
John P. Moran Managing Director, Treasurer and Director |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director |
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BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director & Director | |||
BlackRock Investments, Inc. New York, NY |
President | |||
Barbara G. Novick Vice Chairman |
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Charman, Account Management Group, BlackRock, Inc. | ||
Ralph L. Schlosstein President and Director |
BlackRock Provident Institutional Funds Wilmington, DE |
Chairman & President | ||
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock Investments, Inc. New York, NY |
Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
President & Director | |||
BlackRock HPB Management LLC New York, NY |
Director | |||
Keith T. Anderson Vice Chairman |
BlackRock Capital Management, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director | ||
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock Advisors, Inc. Wilmington, DE |
Managing Director |
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BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock International, Ltd. Edinburgh, Scotland |
Managing Director | |||
BlackRock (Japan), Inc. New York, NY |
Managing Director | |||
Mark G. Steinberg Managing Director and Director |
None. | None | ||
Susan L. Wagner Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer |
BlackRock, Inc. New York, NY |
Vice Chairman and Chief Operating
Officer |
2. | Numeric Investors LLC: |
The sole business activity of Numeric Investors LLC (Numeric), One Memorial Drive, 9 th Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, is to serve as an investment adviser. Numeric is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Information as to the directors and officers of Numeric is as follows:
Name and Position with Numeric |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
P. Andrews McLane Member of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
TA Associates Boston, MA |
Senior Managing Director and Member of the Executive Committee of Board | ||
Michael Wilson Member of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
TA Associates Boston, MA | Managing Director | ||
Peter Carman Member of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
Retired | None | ||
Michael Even President and Chief Executive Officer Member of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
None | None | ||
Langdon B. Wheeler Chief Investment Officer Chairman of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
None | None |
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Raymond J. Joumas Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer Member of the Board of Directors of Numeric |
None | None | ||
Robert E. Furdak Managing Director |
None | None | ||
Ed Goldfarb Managing Director |
None | None | ||
Arup Datta Managing Director |
None | None | ||
Shanta Puchtler Managing Director |
None | None |
3. | Bogle Investment Management, LP: |
The sole business activity of Bogle Investment Management, LP (Bogle), 2310 Washington Street, Suite 310, Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462, is to serve as an investment adviser. Bogle is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
The directors and officers have not held any positions with other companies during the last two fiscal years.
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4. | Schneider Capital Management Company: |
The sole business activity of Schneider Capital Management Company (Schneider), 460 E. Swedesford Road, Suite 1080, Wayne, PA 19087, is to serve as an investment adviser. Schneider is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Information as to the directors and officers of Schneider is as follows:
Name and Position with Schneider |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
Arnold C. Schneider, III President and Chief Investment Officer |
Turnbridge Management Partners Corp. | President | ||
Steven J. Fellin Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
Turnbridge Management Partners Corp. | Vice President |
5. | Robeco Investment Management , Inc. |
The sole business activity of Robeco Investment Management, Inc. LLC (RIM), 909 Third Avenue, New York 10022, is to serve as an investment adviser.
RIM is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser to domestic and foreign institutional investors, investment companies, commingled trust funds, private investment partnerships and collective investment vehicles. Information as to the directors and officers of Robeco Investment Management, Inc. is as follows:
Name and Position with RIM |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
William J. Kelly Chief Executive Officer |
||||
Mary Ann Iudice Chief Compliance Officer |
||||
Roland Toppen Senior Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer |
||||
William George Butterly Senior Managing Director, General Counsel |
||||
James Ramsey Senior Managing Director, Fixed Income |
PIMCO | Senior Vice President | ||
Joseph F. Feeney Senior Managing Director, Equity |
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Paul Heathwood Senior Managing
Director, Sales and Marketing |
||||
Davis Barr Clayson Senior Managing Director, Client Services | ||||
George Moeller Director | ||||
Franciscus L. Kusse Director | ||||
Cornelis Korthout Director |
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6. | Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors: |
Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is located at 501 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is a division of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. (Hilliard). Hilliard is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is also a registered broker-dealer. Hilliard is wholly-owned by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
Information as to the directors and officers of Hilliard is as follows:
Name and Position with Hilliard |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
James M. Rogers Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Director |
None | None | ||
James R. Allen President, Chief Executive Officer and Director |
None | None | ||
Paul J. Moretti Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
None | None | ||
William S. Demchak Director |
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Blue Mountain Credit Alternatives, Ltd Blackrock, Inc. |
Vice Chairman Director Director |
||
Joseph C. Guyaux Director |
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Duquesne Light Holdings, Inc. Private Export Funding Corp. Highmark, Inc. |
President Director Director Director |
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Joan L. Gulley Director |
PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. | Executive Vice President | ||
John R. Bugh Executive Vice President |
None | None | ||
Carmella Miller Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Director |
None | None |
7. | Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. |
Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. (BSAM) serves as the investment adviser to the Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio and the Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund. BSAM is located at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179. BSAM is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. BSAMs Form ADV is available on the SECs website.
Information as to the directors and officers of BSAM is as follows:
Name and Position with BSAM |
Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
Richard A. Marin, Director/Chairman of the Board/Chief Executive Officer/President/Senior Managing Director |
Beehive Ventures, LLC Big Red Venture Fund Cayuga MBA Fund eMarketer, Inc. Network Storage Solutions Restricted Stock Solutions, Inc. |
Director/Manager/General Partner Director Director/Investor Director Director Director |
||
Touch Pak, Inc. | Director | |||
John W. Geissinger, Director/Chief Investment Officer/Senior Managing Director |
None | None | ||
Rajan Govindan, Director/Chief Operating Officer/Senior Managing Director |
None | None | ||
Barbara A. Keller, S ecretary/Chief Compliance Officer |
Compliance Science, Inc. | Director | ||
Mary Kay Scucci, Chief Financial Officer |
None | None | ||
Laurence S. Godin, Executive Vice President/General Counsel/Senior Managing Director |
None | None |
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8. | Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc.: |
The sole business activity of Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., 1201 N. Market Street, Suite 2300, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1165, is to serve as an investment adviser. Marvin & Palmer Associates is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Marvin & Palmer Associates indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.
Name and Position with Marvin & Palmer Associates |
Name of Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
David F. Marvin Chairman & Chief Executive Officer |
Cash Management Policy Board Office of the State Treasurer 820 Silver Lake Boulevard Suite 100 Dover, Delaware 19901 |
Board Member | ||
Wilmington College Board of Trustees 320 DuPont Highway New Castle, Delaware 19720 |
Trustee | |||
Stanley Palmer President | None | None | ||
Karen T. Buckley Chief Financial Officer |
None | None | ||
The Rt. Hon. Lord Moore, P.C. Director |
The Monitor Company Michelin House 81 Fulham Road London United Kingdom |
European Chairman and Director | ||
Rolls-Royce Pension Fund Trustees Moor Lane Derby, DE24 8BJ United Kingdom |
Chairman |
|||
The Hon. Charles J. Pilliod, Jr. Director |
The University of Akron University of Akron Foundation 302 Buchtel Common Akron, Ohio 44325-6220 |
Board Member | ||
Madelyn B. Smith Director |
Badgley Funds Inc. Badgley, Phelps and Bell 1420 Fifth Avenue Suite 3200 Seattle, Washington 98101-2349 |
Director | ||
University of Puget Sound Endowment Committee 1500 North Warner Street Tacoma, Washington 98416 |
Committee Member |
|||
Bellarmine Preparatory School Retirement Board 2300 S. Washington Tacoma, Washington 98405-1399 |
Board Member |
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9. | Abundance Technologies, Inc.: |
The sole business activity of Abundance Technologies, Inc., 3700 Park 42 Drive, Suite 105A Cincinnati, OH 45241, is to serve as an investment adviser. Abundance Technologies is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Abundance Technologies indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.
Name and Position with Abundance Technologies |
Name of Other Company |
Position With Other Company |
||
Mark E Matson President/CEO |
Abundance Horizons LLC | 50% owner | ||
Michelle Matson Vice President/ Secretary |
none | |||
A. Lawain McNeil Vice President |
none |
Item 27 . | Principal Underwriter |
(a) | PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the Distributor) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers. As of April 23, 2007, the Distributor acted as principal underwriter for the following investment companies: |
AFBA 5 Star Funds, Inc.
Aston Funds
Atlantic Whitehall Funds Trust
BHR Institutional Funds
CRM Mutual Fund Trust
E.I.I. International Property Fund
E.I.I. Realty Securities
GuideStone Funds
Highland Floating Rate Fund
Highland Floating Rate Advantage Fund
Highland Funds I
Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust
Matthews Asian Funds
Metropolitan West Funds
New Alternatives Fund
Old Westbury Funds
PAX World Funds Series Trust I
The RBB Fund, Inc.
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Stratton Multi-Cap Fund
Stratton Monthly Dividend REIT Shares, Inc.
The Stratton Funds, Inc.
Sterling Capital Small Cap Value Fund
The Torray Fund
Van Wagoner Funds
Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc.
Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
Distributed by BB&T AM Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:
BB&T Funds
Distributed by BlackRock Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:
BlackRock Funds
BlackRock Bond Allocation Target Shares
BlackRock Liquidity Funds
International Dollar Reserve Fund I, Ltd.
Distributed by MGI Funds Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:
MGI Funds
Distributed by Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:
Northern Funds
Northern Institutional Funds
(b) | The Distributor is a Massachusetts corporation located at 760 Moore Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406. The Distributor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC, Inc. and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a publicly traded company. |
The following is a list of the directors and executive officers of the Distributor:
Name |
Position(s) with Distributor |
|
Brian Burns | Chairman; Director; | |
President; Chief Executive Officer | ||
Michael Denofrio | Director | |
Nicholas Marsini | Director | |
Rita G. Adler | Chief Compliance Officer | |
John Munera | Anti-Money Laundering Officer | |
Jodi Jamison | Chief Legal Officer | |
Bradley A. Stearns | Secretary; Clerk | |
Julie Bartos | Assistant Secretary; Assistant Clerk | |
Charlene Wilson | Treasurer; Chief Financial Officer; | |
Financial & Operations Principal | ||
Maria Schaffer | Assistant Treasurer; Controller | |
Bruno Di Stefano | Vice President | |
Susan K. Moscaritolo | Vice President |
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Item 28. | LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS |
(1) | PFPC Trust Company (assignee under custodian agreement), 8800 Tinicum Boulevard, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser and custodian). |
(2) | PFPC Distributors, Inc., 760 Moore Road, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 19406. (records relating to its functions as distributor). |
(3) | BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation, Bellevue Corporate Center, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser, sub-adviser and administrator). |
(4) | PFPC Inc., Bellevue Corporate Center, 103 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent). |
(5) | Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, 18th and Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (Registrants Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Minute Books). |
(6) | Numeric Investors LLC, 1 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(7) | Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (formerly Boston Partners Asset Management, L.L.C.), 28 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(8) | Schneider Capital Management Co., 460 East Swedesford Road, Suite 1080, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(9) | Bogle Investment Management, L.P., 57 River Street, Suite 206, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(10) | Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., Funds Management Department, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (records relating to its function as co-administrator for investment portfolios advised by Numeric Investors, LLC) |
(12) | Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (formerly Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments), 909 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(13) |
Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J. J. B. Hilliard, W. L. Lyons, Inc., 501 South 4 th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(14) | Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(15) | Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., 1201 N. Market Street, Suite 2300, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1165 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
(16) | Abundance Technologies, Inc., 3700 Park 42 Drive, Suite 105A, Cincinnati, OH 45241 (records relating to its function as investment adviser). |
Item 29. | MANAGEMENT SERVICES |
None.
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Item 30. | UNDERTAKINGS |
(a) | Registrant hereby undertakes to hold a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of considering the removal of directors in the event the requisite number of shareholders so request. |
(b) | Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish each person to whom a prospectus is delivered a copy of Registrants latest annual report to shareholders upon request and without charge. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Wilmington, and State of Delaware on the 13th day of July, 2007.
THE RBB FUND, INC. | ||
By: | /s/ Edward J. Roach | |
Edward J. Roach | ||
President and Treasurer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Post-Effective Amendment to Registrants Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
SIGNATURE |
TITLE |
DATE |
||
/s/ Edward J. Roach Edward J. Roach |
President (Principal Executive Officer) and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | July 13, 2007 | ||
*J. Richard Carnall J. Richard Carnall |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Francis J. McKay Francis J. McKay |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Marvin E. Sternberg Marvin E. Sternberg |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Julian A. Brodsky Julian A. Brodsky |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Arnold M. Reichman Arnold M. Reichman |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Robert Sablowsky Robert Sablowsky |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Robert Straniere Robert Straniere |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Nicholas A. Giordano Nicholas A. Giordano |
Director | July 13, 2007 | ||
*Mark A. Sargent Mark A. Sargent |
Director | July 13, 2007 |
*By: | /s/ Edward J. Roach | |
Edward J. Roach Attorney-in-Fact |
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THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Francis J. McKay, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | November 9, 2000 | |
/s/ Francis J. McKay | ||
Francis J. McKay |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Marvin E. Sternberg, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | November 9, 2000 | |
/s/ Marvin E. Sternberg | ||
Marvin E. Sternberg |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Julian Brodsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | November 9, 2000 | |
/s/ Julian Brodsky | ||
Julian Brodsky |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Arnold Reichman, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | November 9, 2000 | |
/s/ Arnold Reichman | ||
Arnold Reichman |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Sablowsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | November 9, 2000 | |
/s/ Robert Sablowsky | ||
Robert Sablowsky |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, J. Richard Carnall, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | September 10, 2002 | |
/s/ J. Richard Carnall | ||
J. Richard Carnall |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Straniere, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | June 8, 2006 | |
/s/ Robert Straniere | ||
Robert Straniere |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Mark A. Sargent, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | September 21, 2006 | |
/s/ Mark A. Sargent | ||
Mark A. Sargent |
THE RBB FUND, INC.
(the Company)
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Nicholas A. Giordano, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.
DATED: | September 21, 2006 | |
/s/ Nicholas A. Giordano | ||
Nicholas A. Giordano |
PEA 113
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT |
DESCRIPTION |
|
(a)(51) | Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Investor Class) | |
(m)(19) | Plan of Distribution Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a/ Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Investor Class) | |
(n)(1) | Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan |
Exhibit (a)(51)
THE RBB FUND, INC.
ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY
THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation having its principal office in Baltimore, Maryland (hereinafter called the Corporation), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:
FIRST: In accordance with the requirements of Section 2-208 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has classified One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class EEEE shares of Common Stock representing interests in the Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Investor Class pursuant to the following resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation on May 24, 2007:
RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority expressly given to the Board of Directors in Article VI, Section (4) of the Corporations Charter, the Board hereby classifies authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, par value $.001 per share, and hereby fixes and determines the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to such classes of Common Stock as follows:
Class EEEE Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class EEEE shares of Common Stock representing interests in the Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund Investor Class.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that a description of the shares so classified with the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption as set or changed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation is as set forth in Article VI, section (6) of the Corporations Articles of Incorporation and as is set forth elsewhere in the Charter of the Corporation with respect to stock of the Corporation generally, and as follows:
1. To the full extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation may, without the vote of the shares of any class of capital stock of the Corporation then outstanding and if so determined by the Board of Directors:
(A)(1) sell and convey the assets belonging to Class EEEE Common Stock (the Class) to another trust or corporation that is a management investment company (as
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and is organized under the laws of any state of the United States for consideration, which may include the assumption of all outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to the Class and which may include securities issued by such trust or corporation. Following such sale and conveyance, and after making provision for the payment of any liabilities belonging to the Class that are not assumed by the purchaser of the assets belonging to the Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of the Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter of the Corporation to the contrary, the redemption price may be paid in any combination of cash or other assets belonging to the Class, including but not limited to the distribution of the securities or other consideration received by the Corporation for the assets belonging to the Class upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation;
(2) sell and convert the assets belonging to the Class into money and, after making provision for the payment of all obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to the Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of the Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation; or
(3) combine the assets belonging to the Class with the assets belonging to any one or more other classes of capital stock of the Corporation if the Board of Directors reasonably determines that such combination will not have a material adverse effect on the stockholders of any class of capital stock of the Corporation participating in such combination. In connection with any such combination of assets, the shares of the Class then outstanding may, if so determined by the Board of Directors, be converted into shares of any other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation with respect to which conversion is permitted by applicable law, or may be redeemed, at the option of the Corporation, at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, or conversion cost, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles Supplementary or the Articles of Incorporation to the contrary, any redemption price, or part thereof, paid pursuant to this section may be paid in shares of any other existing or future class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation; and
(B) without limiting the foregoing, at its option, to redeem shares of the Class for any other reason if the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interest of the Corporation to do so. Any such redemption shall be at the net asset value of such shares of the Class being redeemed less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be
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fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors and shall be made and effective upon such terms and in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors at such time.
2. The shares of Class EEEE Common Stock will be issued without stock certificates.
SECOND: The shares aforesaid have been duly classified by the Board of Directors of the Corporation pursuant to authority and power contained in the Charter of the Corporation.
THIRD: (1) Immediately before the classification of additional authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of Common Stock as Class EEEE Common Stock:
(a) the Corporation had the authority to issue one hundred billion (100,000,000,000) shares of its Common Stock and the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes was one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000); and
(b) the number of authorized shares of each class was as follows:
Class A | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class B | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class C | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class D | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class E | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class F | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class G | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class H | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class I | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class J | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class K | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class L | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class M | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class N | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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Class LLL | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class MMM | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class NNN | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class OOO | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class PPP | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class QQQ | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class RRR | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class SSS | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class TTT | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class UUU | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class VVV | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class WWW | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class XXX | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class YYY | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class ZZZ | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class AAAA | - | fifty billion (50,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class BBBB | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class CCCC | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class DDDD | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Select | - | seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Beta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Beta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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Class Beta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Principal Money | - | seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Gamma 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Gamma 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Gamma 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Money | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Municipal Money | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Government Money | - | one billion (1,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Delta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Eta 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Eta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Eta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Eta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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Class Theta 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Theta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Theta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Theta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
for a total of seventy-six billion nine hundred seventy-three million (76,973,000,000) shares classified into separate classes of Common Stock.
(2) After the classification of additional authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of Common Stock as Class EEEE Common Stock:
(a) the Corporation has the authority to issue one hundred billion (100,000,000,000) shares of its Common Stock and the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes is one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000); and
(b) the number of authorized shares of each class is now as follows:
Class A | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class B | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class C | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class D | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class E | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class F | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class G | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class H | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class I | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class J | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class K | - | five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class L | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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Class JJJ | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class KKK | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class LLL | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class MMM | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class NNN | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class OOO | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class PPP | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class QQQ | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class RRR | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class SSS | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class TTT | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class UUU | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class VVV | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class WWW | - | fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class XXX | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class YYY | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class ZZZ | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class AAAA | - | fifty billion (50,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class BBBB | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class CCCC | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class DDDD | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class EEEE | - | one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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Class Select | - | seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Beta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Beta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Beta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Principal Money | seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | |||
Class Gamma 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Gamma 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Gamma 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Money | - | two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Municipal Money | - | one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Bear Stearns | ||||
Government Money | - | one billion (1,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Delta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Epsilon 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 2 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 3 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Zeta 4 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; | ||
Class Eta 1 | - | one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share; |
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for a total of seventy-seven billion seventy-three million (77,073,000,000) shares classified into separate classes of Common Stock.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The RBB Fund, Inc. has caused these presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and witnessed by its Secretary on the 24th day of May, 2007.
WITNESS: | THE RBB FUND, INC. | |||||||
By: | /s/ Tina M.Payne | By: | /s/ Edward J. Roach | |||||
Tina M. Payne Secretary |
Edward J. Roach President |
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CERTIFICATE
THE UNDERSIGNED, President of The RBB Fund, Inc., who executed on behalf of said Corporation the foregoing Articles Supplementary to the Charter, of which this certificate is made a part, hereby acknowledges that the foregoing Articles Supplementary are the act of the said Corporation and further certifies that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the approval thereof are true in all material respects, under the penalties of perjury.
/s/ Edward J. Roach |
Edward J. Roach President and Treasurer |
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Exhibit (m)(19)
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION PURSUANT TO RULE 12b-1
OF
THE RBB FUND, INC.
WHEREAS, The RBB Company, Inc. (the Company) intends to engage in business as an open-end management investment company and is registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Act); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to adopt a Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act with respect to shares of the Investor Class Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the Investor Class Shares) of its Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund and the Board of Directors has determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this Plan of Distribution will benefit the Company and its stockholders;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company hereby adopts, and the Company's Distributor hereby agrees to the terms of, this Plan of Distribution (the Plan) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Act on the following terms and conditions:
1. The Company shall pay to its distributor (the Distributor), as the distributor of the Investor Class Shares, compensation for distribution of its shares at an annual rate of .25% of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class Shares. The amount of such compensation shall be agreed upon by the Board of Directors of the Company and by the Distributor and shall be calculated and accrued daily and paid monthly or at such other intervals as the Board of Directors and the Distributor shall mutually agree.
2. The amount set forth in paragraph 1 of this Plan shall be paid for the Distributor's services as distributor of the Investor Class Shares. Such amount may be spent by the Distributor on any activities or expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of Investor Class Shares, including, but not limited to: compensation to and expenses of employees of the Distributor who engage in or support distribution of the Investor Class Shares, including overhead and telephone expenses; printing of prospectuses and reports for other than existing shareholders; preparation, printing and distribution of sales literature and advertising materials; and compensation to certain financial institutions (Service Organizations) who sell Investor Class Shares. The Distributor may negotiate with any such Service Organizations the services to be provided by the Service Organization to shareholders in connection with the sale of Investor Class Shares (Distribution Services), and all or any portion of the compensation paid to the Distributor under paragraph 1 of this Plan may be reallocated by the Distributor to Service Organizations who sell Investor Class Shares.
The compensation paid to Service Organizations with respect to Distribution Services will compensate Service Organizations to cover certain expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of Investor Class Shares, including, but not limited to: (a) costs of payments made to employees that engage in the sale of Investor Class Shares; (b) payments made to, and expenses of, persons who provide support services in connection with the sale of Investor Class Shares, including, but not limited to, office space and equipment, telephone facilities, processing shareholder transactions and providing any other shareholder services not otherwise provided by the Companys transfer agent; (c) costs relating to the formulation and implementation of marketing and promotional activities, including, but not limited to, direct mail promotions and television, radio, newspaper, magazine and other mass media advertising; (d) costs of printing and distributing prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports relating to the Investor Class Shares to prospective shareholders of the Investor Class Shares; (e) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to the Investor Class Shares; and (f) costs involved in obtaining whatever information, analyses and reports with respect to marketing and promotional activities that the Service Organization may, from time to time, deem advisable.
The compensation paid to Service Organizations with respect to Shareholder Services will compensate Service Organizations for personal service and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts, including but not limited to (a) responding to inquiries of customers or clients of the Service Organization who beneficially own Investor Class Shares (Customers), (b) providing information on Customer investments and (c) providing other shareholder liaison services.
The compensation paid to Service Organizations with respect to Administrative Services will compensate Service Organizations for administrative and accounting services to their Customers, including, but not limited to: (a) aggregating and processing purchase and redemption requests from Customers and placing net purchase and redemption orders with the Companys distributor or transfer agent; (b) providing Customers with a service that invests the assets of their accounts in the Investor Class Shares; (c) processing dividend payments from the Investor Class Shares on behalf of Customers; (d) providing information periodically to Customers showing their positions in the Investor Class Shares; (e) arranging for bank wires; (f) providing sub-accounting with respect to Investor Class Shares beneficially owned by Customers or the information to the Company necessary for sub-accounting; (g) forwarding shareholder communications from the Company (for example, proxies, shareholder reports, annual and semi-annual financial statements and dividend, distribution and tax notices related to the Investor Class Shares) to Customers, if required by law; and (h) providing other similar services to the extent permitted under applicable statutes, rules and regulations.
3. This Plan shall not take effect until it has been approved, together with any related agreements, by votes of a majority of both (a) the Board of Directors of the Company and (b) those directors of the Company who are not interested persons of the Company (as defined in the Act) and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it (the Rule 12b-1 Directors), cast in person at a meeting (or meetings) called for the purpose of voting on this Plan and such related agreements.
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4. This Plan shall continue in effect until August 16, 2008. Thereafter, this Plan shall continue in effect for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in the manner provided for approval of this Plan in paragraph 3.
5. The Distributor shall provide to the Board of Directors of the Company and the Board of Directors shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended pursuant to this Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made, including commissions, advertising, printing, interest, carrying charges and allocated overhead expenses.
6. This Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Directors, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding Investor Class Shares.
7. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of compensation provided for in paragraph 1 hereof unless such amendment is approved by a vote of at least a majority (as defined in the Act) of the outstanding Investor Class Shares, and no material amendment to the Plan of any kind, including an amendment which would increase materially the amount of compensation, shall be made unless approved in the manner provided for in paragraph 3 hereof.
8. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of Directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the Act) of the Company shall be committed to the discretion of the then current Directors who are not interested persons (as defined in the Act) of the Company.
9. The Company shall preserve copies of this Plan and any related agreements and all reports made pursuant to paragraph 5 hereof for a period of not less than six years from the date of this Plan, the agreements or such reports, as the case may be, the first two years in an easily accessible place.
Dated: May 24, 2007
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Exhibit (n)(1)
AMENDED RULE 18f-3 PLAN
1. A portfolio of the RBB Fund, Inc. (Portfolio) may issue more than one class of voting stock (Class), provided that:
(a) Each such Class:
(1) (i) Shall have a different arrangement for shareholder services or the distribution of securities or both, and shall pay all of the expenses of that arrangement; and
(ii) May pay a different share of other expenses, not including advisory or custodial fees or other expenses related to the management of the Portfolios assets, if those expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by that Class, or if the Class receives services of a different kind or to a different degree than other Classes;
(2) Shall have exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to its arrangement;
(3) Shall have separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one Class differ from the interests of any other Class; and
(4) Shall have in all other respects the same rights and obligations as each other class.
(b) Expenses may be waived or reimbursed by the Portfolios adviser, underwriter, or any other provider of services to the Portfolio.
(c)(1) Any payments made under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan (the Plan) shall conform to Appendix A to this Plan, as such Appendix A shall be amended from time to time by the Board.
(2) Before any vote on the Plan or Appendix A, the Directors shall be provided, and any agreement relating to a Class arrangement shall require the parties thereto to furnish, such information as may be reasonably necessary to evaluate the Plan.
(3) The provisions of the Plan in Appendix A are severable for each Class, and whenever any action is to be taken with respect to the Plan in Appendix A, that action will be taken separately for each Class.
(d) A Portfolio may offer a Class with an exchange privilege providing that securities of the Class may be exchanged for certain securities of another Portfolio. Such exchange privileges are summarized in Appendix B, as may be modified by the Board from time to time, and are set forth in greater detail in the prospectuses of each of the Classes.
Appendix A
RBB FUND
Current Distribution Fee Levels
May, 2007
A. | Money Market Portfolio |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Sansom Street (Class I) | fee 0.20% | 4/10/91 | |||
Shareholder Service Fee | 0.10% | 8/16/88 | ||||
2. | Bedford (Class L) | fee 0.65% | 11/17/94 |
B. | Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class QQ) | None | 5/29/98 | |||
2. | Advisor Class (Class SS) | fee 0.50% | 10/16/96 | |||
3. | Investor Class (Class RR) | fee 0.25% | 10/16/96 |
C. | Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Investor Class (Class TT) | fee 0.25% | 6/1/97 | |||
2. | Institutional Class (Class UU) | None | 5/29/98 |
2
D. | Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund |
Class |
Current
Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class VV) | None | 7/01/02 | |||
2. | Investor Class (Class WW) | fee 0.25% | 7/01/02 |
E. | Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Fund) |
Class |
Current
Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class DDD) | None | 7/01/98 | |||
2. | Investor Class (Class EEE) | fee 0.25% | 7/01/98 |
F. | Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity (formerly Market Neutral Fund) |
Class |
Current
Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class III) | None | 8/31/99 | |||
2. | Investor Class (Class JJJ) | fee 0.25% | 8/31/99 |
G. | Schneider Capital Management Small Cap Value Fund |
Class |
Current
Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Investor Class (Class YY) | None | 4/6/98 |
H. | Schneider Capital Management Value Fund |
Class |
Current
Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Investor Class (Class PPP) | None | 10/01/02 |
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I. | Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class NNN) | None | 9/15/99 | |||
2. | Investor (Class OOO) | 9/15/99 | ||||
Shareholder Services Fee | 0.25% |
J. | Baker 500 Growth Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class II) | None | 12/02/02 | |||
2. |
Class S (Class JJ) Shareholder Servicing Fee |
fee 0.50%
0.25% |
12/02/02 |
K. | Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class TTT) |
Shareholder
service fee 0.25% |
3/09/05 | |||
2. | Retirement Class (Class SSS) |
Shareholder
service fee 0.10% |
08/31/05 | |||
3. | Investor Class (Class XXX) |
12b-1 fee
0.25% |
__/__/05 |
L. | Robeco WPG Tudor Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class UUU) |
Shareholder
service fee 0.25% |
3/09/05 |
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M. | Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (formerly Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Institutional Class (Class VVV) |
Shareholder
service fee 0.25% |
3/09/05 | |||
2. | Investor Class (Class EEEE) |
12b-1 fee
0.25% |
05/24/07 |
O. | Senbanc Fund |
Class |
Current Distribution Fee Level |
Effective
Date |
||||
1. | Investor Class (Class WWW) |
12b-1
fee 0.60% |
08/30/05 |
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APPENDIX B
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGES OF THE PORTFOLIOS OF THE RBB FUND, INC.
FAMILY |
Each Portfolio (Class) . . . |
May Be Exchanged For Any of |
||
n/i* |
Emerging Growth (FF) Growth (GG) Mid Cap (HH) Small Cap Value (MMM) |
Emerging Growth (FF) Growth (GG) Mid Cap (HH) Small Cap Value (MMM) |
||
Robeco Boston Partners (Institutional Classes) |
Mid Cap Value (TT) Large Cap Value (QQ) All-Cap Value (VV) Small Cap Value II (DDD) Long/Short Equity (III) |
Robeco Boston Partners : Mid Cap Value (TT) Large Cap Value (QQ) All-Cap Value (VV) Small Cap Value II (DDD) Long/Short Equity (III)
Robeco WPG : Core Bond (TTT) Large Cap Growth (VVV) Small Cap Value Fund (formerly, Tudor) (UUU) |
||
Robeco Boston Partners (Investor Classes) |
Mid Cap Value (UU) Large Cap Value (RR) All-Cap Value (WW) Small Cap Value II (EEE) Long/Short Equity (JJJ) |
Robeco Boston Partners : Mid Cap Value (UU) Large Cap Value (RR) All-Cap Value (WW) Small Cap Value II (EEE) Long/Short Equity (JJJ) Fund (LLL)
Robeco WPG : Core Bond (XXX) 130/30 Large Cap Core (formerly, Large Cap Growth) (EEEE) |
||
Robeco WPG (Institutional Classes) |
Core Bond (TTT) 130/30 Large Cap Core (formerly, Large Cap Growth) (VVV) Small Cap Value Fund (formerly, Tudor) (UUU) |
Robeco Boston Partners : Mid Cap Value (TT) Large Cap Value (QQ) All-Cap Value (VV) Small Cap Value II (DDD) Long/Short Equity (III)
Robeco WPG : Core Bond (TTT) 130/30 Large Cap Core (formerly, Large Cap Growth) (VVV) Small Cap Value Fund (formerly, Tudor) (UUU) |
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Robeco WPG (Investor Classes) |
Core Bond (XXX) 130/30 Large Cap Core (formerly, Large Cap Growth) (EEEE) |
Robeco Boston Partners: Mid Cap Value (UU) Large Cap Value (RR) All-Cap Value (WW) Small Cap Value II (EEE) Long/Short Equity (JJJ)
Robeco WPG: Core Bond (XXX) |
* | During periods when these Portfolios are closed they are not eligible for exchange. |
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