94-31530. United Funds Inc. et al.; Notice of Application  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-31530]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: December 23, 1994]
    
    
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    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
    [Investment Company Act Release No. 20782; 812-9252]
    
     
    
    United Funds Inc. et al.; Notice of Application
    
    December 16, 1994.
    agency: Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'').
    
    action: Notice of Application for Exemption under the Investment 
    Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'').
    
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    applicants: United Funds, Inc., United Retirement Shares, Inc., United 
    International Growth Fund, Inc., United Continental Income Funds, Inc., 
    United Vanguard Fund, Inc., United Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., United 
    High Income Fund, Inc., United Government Securities Fund, Inc., United 
    New Concepts Fund, Inc., United Gold & Government Fund, Inc., United 
    Municipal High Income Fund, Inc., United High Income Fund II, Inc., 
    United Cash Management, Inc., and United Asset Strategy Fund, Inc. 
    (collectively, the ``United Group Funds''); Waddell & Reed Funds, Inc. 
    (the ``W&R Funds''); Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company 
    (``WRIMCO''); Waddell & Reed, Inc. (``Waddell & Reed''); and any future 
    open-end management investment company or series thereof (a) for which 
    WRIMCO, or any person controlling, controlled by or under common 
    control with WRIMCO, serves as investment adviser and/or Waddell & 
    Reed, or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control 
    with Waddell & Reed, serves as principal underwriter and (b) that 
    issues and sells one or more classes of shares which are identical in 
    all material respects to the classes described in the application.
    
    relevant act sections: Order requested under section 6(c) for 
    exemptions from sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 18(f)(1), 18(g), 18(i), 
    22(c), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c-1 thereunder.
    
    summary of applications: Applicants request an order which would permit 
    them to offer an unlimited number of classes, add a conversion feature, 
    and assess and, under certain circumstances waive, a contingent 
    deferred sales charge (``CDSC'') on redemptions of shares. The order 
    would supersede a prior order that permits certain of the investment 
    company applicants to assess and, under certain circumstances, waive a 
    CDSC on redemptions of shares.
    
    filing dates: The application was filed on September 27, 1994, and was 
    amended on November 21, 1994 and December 14, 1994.
    
    hearing or notification of hearing: An order granting the application 
    will be issued unless the SEC orders a hearing. Interested persons may 
    request a hearing by writing to the SEC's Secretary and serving 
    applicant with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing 
    requests should be received by the SEC by 5:30 p.m. on January 10, 
    1995, and should be accompanied by proof of service on the applicants, 
    in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. 
    Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, the 
    reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons may request 
    notification of a hearing by writing to the SEC's Secretary.
    
    addresses: Secretary, SEC, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
    20549. Applicants, 6300 Lamar Avenue, P.O. Box 29217, Shawnee Mission, 
    Kansas 66201-9217.
    
    for further information contact: Sarah A. Wagman, Law Clerk, at (202) 
    942-0654, or Barry D. Miller, Senior Special Counsel, at (202) 942-0564 
    (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company 
    Regulation).
    
    supplementary information: The following is a summary of the 
    application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee from 
    the SEC's Public Reference Branch.
    
    Applicants' Representations
    
        1. Each of the United Group Funds and the W&R Funds (collectively, 
    ``Corporations'') is a Maryland corporation registered under the Act as 
    an open-end, diversified management investment company.\1\ Some 
    Corporations have multiple series, each of which has separate 
    investment objectives and policies (hereinafter, the series of each 
    Corporation, and each Corporation which is organized in other than 
    series form and that in the future is subject to the order requested by 
    this application, are referred to collectively as the ``Funds'' and 
    individually as a ``Fund'').
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        \1\Each Corporation reserves the right to, and may, from time to 
    time, reorganize from corporate to business trust or other form 
    under the laws of another state, consistent with applicable state 
    and federal law and the Corporation's articles of incorporation. 
    Except as otherwise noted herein, references to Corporations, 
    Directors, and articles of incorporation shall be deemed to apply to 
    any form in which a Corporation or Fund may be organized.
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        2. For each existing Fund, WRIMCO serves as the investment adviser 
    and Waddell & Reed serves as principal underwriter. WRIMCO is a wholly-
    owned subsidiary of Waddell & Reed, which is an indirect subsidiary of 
    Torchmark Corporation and United Investors Management Company, and is a 
    direct subsidiary of Waddell & Reed Financial Services, Inc.
        3. Existing shares of United Group Funds, other than United Cash 
    Management, Inc.\2\ and United Asset Strategy Fund, Inc.,\3\ are 
    currently sold at net asset value per share plus a front-end sales 
    charge. Shares of the W&R Funds are sold at net asset value per share 
    plus a CDSC, in accordance with a prior order (the ``Prior Order'').\4\ 
    In addition to the front-end sales charge and the CDSC described above, 
    each Fund, other than United Cash Management, Inc., has adopted a rule 
    12b-1 plan.
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        \2\Existing shares of United Cash Management, Inc. are sold at 
    net asset value, without the imposition of a front-end sales load or 
    CDSC.
        \3\On October 3, 1994, United Asset Strategy Fund, Inc. filed a 
    registration statement to register its shares under the Securities 
    Act of 1933. As of the date of this notice, its registration had not 
    yet become effective.
        \4\Investment Company Act Release Nos. 18777 (June 11, 1992) 
    (notice) and 18833 (July 7, 1992) (order). The Prior Order permits 
    W&R Funds, WRIMCO, and Waddell & Reed to assess and, under certain 
    circumstances, waive a CDSC on redemptions of shares. Applicants 
    request that any order granted pursuant to this applicant supersede 
    the Prior Order.
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    A. The Multiple Class System
    
        1. Applicants seek an exemptive order that would permit the Funds 
    to issue an unlimited number of classes of shares. Each class of such 
    new shares (``New Shares'') of a Fund would be identical in all 
    respects, except that: (a) Each class of shares would have a different 
    class designation; (b) certain classes of shares may have different 
    sales charges; (c) certain classes of shares may bear fees under a plan 
    adopted pursuant to rule 12b-1 (``12b-1 Plan''), a non-rule 12b-1 
    shareholder services plan (``Shareholder Services Plan''), or a 
    combination of these (collectively, the ``Plans''); (d) each class of 
    shares could also bear certain other expenses that are directly 
    attributable only to that class (``Class Expenses,'' as described in 
    condition 1, below); (e) only the holders of a class of shares would be 
    entitled to vote on matters pertaining to a 12b-1 Plan and any related 
    agreements, or any other matters, relating to such class; (f) exchange 
    privileges could vary among the classes; and (g) only certain classes 
    will have a conversion feature.
        2. Each 12b-1 Plan applicable to New Shares would contemplate 
    compensation and/or reimbursement to the principal underwriter for: (1) 
    the distribution of shares, the provision of other distribution-related 
    services, and the payment of related expenses (``Distribution 
    Services'');\5\ and/or (2) the provision of certain personal and/or 
    account maintenance services and the payment of related expenses 
    (``Maintenance Services'').\6\ The amount of 12b-1 Plan payments by a 
    class of 12b-1 Shares for Distribution and Maintenance Services will 
    not exceed .75% and .25%, respectively, per annum of the average daily 
    net assets of that class, or such other amount as may be permitted 
    pursuant to applicable NASD rules.
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        \5\These expenses may include, for example, advertising 
    expenses, costs of printing and mailing to prospective shareholders 
    prospectuses and other sales promotion materials relating to the 
    applicable Fund, costs relating to the Distributor's selling and 
    servicing activities, including, among other things, employee 
    salaries and overhead expenses, and ongoing fees to entities that 
    have sold shares subject to a rule 12b-1 Plan (``12b-1 Shares'').
        \6\These expenses may include, for example, ongoing fees to 
    entities that provide such services.
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        3. Under a Shareholder Services Plan applicable to New Shares, one 
    or more organizations would provide various administrative support 
    services (``Support Services'') to shareholders of the particular 
    class.\7\ With respect to each class of New Shares, a Fund could enter 
    into Shareholder Services Plan agreements with the principal 
    underwriter and/or other organizations, such as broker-dealers or 
    banks.
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        \7\These services may include, for example, preparing, printing, 
    and distributing prospectuses and annual reports to shareholders; 
    ensuring compliance with securities laws; processing purchase, 
    exchange, and redemption requests for shares from customers; 
    providing information to shareholders concerning their shares; 
    providing and maintaining elective services; acting as shareholder 
    of record; maintaining account records; and responding to 
    shareholder inquiries.
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        4. The Distribution, Maintenance, and/or Support Services provided 
    under the Plans are intended to complement, rather than duplicate, the 
    services to be provided to each Fund by WRIMCO, the principal 
    underwriter, and the various parties that provide custody, shareholder 
    servicing, and accounting services to each Fund. If a class of shares 
    is subject to both a rule 12b-1 Plan and a Shareholder Services Plan, 
    the services provided under one Plan would augment, rather than 
    duplicate, the services provided under the other Plan. In establishing 
    and implementing the Plans, applicants will comply with subsection (d) 
    of Article III, section 26, of the Rules of Fair Practice of the 
    National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (``NASD''), to the 
    extent applicable.
        5. The expenses of a Corporation that has established more than one 
    Fund, which expenses cannot be attributed directly to any one Fund 
    (``Corporation Expenses'') will be allocated to each Fund based on the 
    relative daily net assets of those Funds. Expenses which may be 
    attributable to a particular Fund, but not to a particular class 
    (``Fund Expenses''), will be allocated to each class of the particular 
    Fund's shares based on the relative daily net assets of the class. 
    Further, Plan payments and Class Expenses will be charged directly to 
    the net assets of the particular class and thus will be borne on a pro 
    rata basis by the outstanding shares of such class.
        6. The shares in different classes within a Fund will have 
    different exchange privileges. The applicable exchange privileges will 
    comply with rule 11a-3 under the Act.
        7. WRIMCO may choose to reimburse or waive Class Expenses on 
    certain classes of the Fund on a voluntary, temporary basis. The amount 
    of Class Expenses reimbursed or waived by WRIMCO may vary from class to 
    class. Class Expenses are by their nature specific to a given class and 
    obviously expected to vary from one class to another. Applicants thus 
    believe that it is acceptable and consistent with shareholder 
    expectations to reimburse or waive Class Expenses at different levels 
    for different classes of the same Fund.
        8. In addition, WRIMCO may waive or reimburse Corporation Expenses 
    and/or Fund Expenses (with or without a waiver or reimbursement of 
    Class Expenses), but only if the same proportionate amount of 
    Corporation Expenses and/or Fund Expenses is waived or reimbursed for 
    each class of a Fund. Thus, any Corporation Expenses that are waived or 
    reimbursed would be credited to each class of a Fund according to the 
    relative net assets of the classes. Similarly, any Fund Expenses that 
    are waived or reimbursed would be credited to each class of that Fund 
    according to the relative net assets of the classes. Corporation 
    Expenses and Fund Expenses apply equally to all classes of a given 
    Fund. Accordingly, it may not be appropriate to waive or reimburse 
    Corporation Expenses or Fund Expenses at different levels for different 
    classes of the same Fund.
        9. Shares of one or more classes (``Purchase Class Shares'') may 
    automatically convert to another class (``Target Class Shares'') after 
    a prescribed period of time. It currently is expected that such 
    Purchase Class Shares will convert to Target Class Shares following the 
    expiration of approximately eight years from the purchase date, 
    although a shorter period may be prescribed.
        10. Purchase Class Shares in a shareholder's account that were 
    acquired through the reinvestment (or payment in shares) of dividends 
    and other distributions paid in respect of Purchase Class Shares will 
    be considered to be held in a separate sub-account (``Dividend Purchase 
    Shares''). Each time any Purchase Class Shares in the shareholder's 
    account covert to Target Class Shares, a pro rata share of the Dividend 
    Purchase Shares also will convert to Target Class Shares. The portion 
    converted will be determined by the ratio that the shareholder's 
    convertain Purchase Class Shares bears to the total of the 
    shareholder's Purchase Class Shares subject to the conversion feature, 
    excluding Dividend Purchase Shares.
        11. The conversion of the Purchase Class Shares into Target Class 
    Shares will be subject to the availability of an opinion of counsel or 
    an Internal Revenue service private letter ruling to the effect that 
    the conversion of the Purchase Class Shares does not constitute a 
    taxable event under federal income tax law. The proposed conversion 
    feature may be suspended if such a ruling or opinion is not available.
    
    B. The CDSC
    
        1. Applicants also seek to impose a CDSC on redemptions of certain 
    classes of shares of the Funds (``CDSC Shares'') and to waive or reduce 
    the CDSC with respect to certain types of redemptions. Under the 
    proposed CDSC arrangement, some or all shares of certain classes of a 
    Fund may be subject to a CDSC if such shares are redeemed or 
    repurchases within a prescribed period of time after their purchase. 
    The CDSC may be imposed at a constant or declining rate over a 
    specified period of years. No CDSC will be imposed with respect to: (a) 
    the portion of redemption or repurchase proceeds attributable to 
    increases in the value of the shares due to capital appreciation; (b) 
    shares representing reinvestment or payment of dividends or other 
    distributions; or (c) shares held for more than a certain time after 
    their purchase. The amount of a CDSC would be calculated as the lesser 
    of the net asset value of the shares at the time of purchase and the 
    net asset value of the shares at the time of repurchase or redemption.
        2. In determining the applicability and rate of any CDSC, it will 
    be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing 
    capital appreciation, next of shares representing reinvestment of 
    dividends and capital gains distributions, and finally of other shares 
    held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. This will 
    result in any such charge being imposed on the fewest number of shares 
    at the lowest possible rate. The amount of the CDSC and the 
    circumstances and timing of its imposition may vary among classes and 
    may be changed with respect to any class. The Funds may change the 
    length of time during which the CDSC will be imposed or the percentage 
    used to calculate the amount of the CDSC, if issued shares would be 
    unaffected or, if such issued shares would be affected, the changes 
    would be to shareholders' benefit. Except in accordance with the Prior 
    Order, a CDSC will not be imposed on any shares issued by the Funds 
    prior to the date of the order requested by this application.
        3. Each Fund will have the ability to waive or reduce a CDSC in 
    connection with certain categories of transactions, as described in 
    that Fund's prospectus. In waiving or reducing a CDSC, the Funds will 
    comply with the requirements of rule 22d-1 under the Act.
    
    Applicants' Legal Analysis
    
        1. Applicants request an order pursuant to section 6(c) of the Act 
    exempting them from sections 18(f)(1) and 18(g) of the Act to the 
    extent that the proposed creation, issuance, and sale of multiple 
    classes of shares may result in a ``senior security'' prohibited by 
    section 18(f), and in a violation of section 18(i) of the Act to the 
    extent that the different voting rights associated with such classes 
    may be deemed to result in one or more classes of shares having unequal 
    voting rights with other classes of shares. In addition, applicants 
    request an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 22(c), and 22(d) 
    of the Act and rule 22c-1 thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit 
    the proposed CDSC arrangement.
        2. Applicants believe that the proposed allocation of expenses and 
    voting rights is equitable and would not discriminate against any group 
    of shareholders. The proposed arrangement does not involve borrowing 
    and will not affect the Funds's existing assets or reserves. It will 
    not increase the speculative character of the shares in a Fund, since 
    all shares will participate in all of the Fund's appreciation, income, 
    and expenses in the manner described in the representations above.
    
    Applicants' Conditions
    
        Applicants agree that the order granting the requested exemptions 
    will be subject to the following conditions:
        1. Each class of shares of a Fund will represent interests in the 
    same portfolio of investments, and be identical in all respects, except 
    as set forth below. The only differences among the classes of shares of 
    a Fund will relate solely to one or more of the following: (a) Expenses 
    assessed to a class pursuant to a Plan, if any, with respect to such 
    class; (b) the impact of Class Expenses, which are limited to any or 
    all of the following: (i) transfer agent and shareholder servicing fees 
    identified as being attributable to a specific class of shares, (ii) 
    stationery, printing, postage, and delivery expenses related to 
    preparing and distributing materials such as shareholder reports, 
    prospectuses, and proxy statements to current shareholders of a 
    specific class of shares, (iii) Blue Sky registration fees incurred by 
    a specific class of shares, (iv) Commission registration fees incurred 
    by a specific class of shares, (v) expenses of administrative personnel 
    and services as required to support the shareholders of a specific 
    class of shares, (vi) Directors' fees or expenses incurred as a result 
    of issues relating to a specific class of shares, (vii) accounting 
    expenses relating solely to a specific class of shares, (viii) 
    auditors' fees, litigation expenses, and legal fees and expenses 
    relating to a specific class of shares, (ix) expenses incurred in 
    connection with shareholders meetings as a result of issues relating to 
    a specific class of shares, and (x) any other expenses subsequently 
    identified which should be properly allocated to a specific class of 
    shares and which, as such, are approved by the Commission pursuant to 
    an amended order; (c) certain classes of shares may have different 
    sales charges; (d) the fact that the classes will vote separately with 
    respect to matters relating to the applicable Plan or any other 
    matters, if any, relating to a class, except as provided in condition 
    16 below; (e) the different exchange privileges of the classes of 
    shares, if any; (f) the designation of each class of shares of a Fund; 
    and (g) the fact that only certain classes will have a conversion 
    feature.
        2. The Board of Directors of each Corporation, including a majority 
    of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Corporation 
    (``Independent Directors''), will have approved the Multiple Class 
    System with respect to a particular Fund of the Corporation prior to 
    the implementation of the system by that Fund. The minutes of the 
    meetings of the Board of the Corporation regarding the deliberations of 
    the Directors with respect to the approvals necessary to implement the 
    Multiple Class System will reflect in detail the reasons for the 
    determination by the Board that the proposed Multiple Class System is 
    in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders.
        3. The initial determination of the Class Expenses that will be 
    allocated to a particular class and any subsequent changes thereto will 
    be reviewed and approved by a vote of the appropriate Board of 
    Directors, including a majority of the Independent Directors. Any 
    person authorized to direct the allocation and disposition of monies 
    paid or payable by a Fund to meet Class Expenses shall provide to the 
    applicable Board, and the Directors shall review, at least quarterly, a 
    written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which 
    such expenditures were made.
        4. On an ongoing basis, the Board of each Corporation, pursuant to 
    its fiduciary responsibilities under the Act and otherwise, will 
    monitor each Fund, as applicable, for the existence of any material 
    conflicts among the interests of the classes of its shares, if there is 
    more than one class. The Board, including a majority of the Independent 
    Directors, shall take such action as is reasonably necessary to 
    eliminate any such conflicts that may develop. Each Fund's principal 
    underwriter and investment adviser will be responsible for reporting 
    any potential or existing conflicts to the appropriate Board. If such a 
    conflict arises, the Fund's principal underwriter and investment 
    adviser, at their own expense, will take such actions as are necessary 
    to remedy such conflict, including establishing a new registered 
    management investment company, if necessary.
        5. Each Shareholder Services Plan will be adopted and operated in 
    accordance with the procedures set forth in rule 12b-1 (b) through (f) 
    as if the expenditures made thereunder were subject to rule 12b-1, 
    except that shareholders need not enjoy the voting rights specified in 
    rule 12b-1.
        6. The principal underwriter of each Fund implementing a Multiple 
    Class System will adopt compliance standards as to when each class of 
    shares may appropriately be sold to particular investors. Applicants 
    will require all persons selling shares of the Fund to agree to conform 
    to such standards.
        7. The Board of Directors of each Corporation will receive 
    quarterly and annual statements concerning the amounts expended under 
    the Corporation's Plans complying with paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of rule 
    12b-1, as it may be amended from time to time. In the statements, only 
    expenditures properly attributable to the sale or servicing of a 
    particular class of shares will be used to justify any fee for 
    Distribution, Maintenance, or Support Services charged to that class. 
    Expenditures not related to the sale or servicing of a particular class 
    will not be presented to the Board of justify any fee attributable to 
    that class. The statements, including the allocations upon which they 
    are based, will be subject to the review and approval of the 
    Independent Directors in the exercise of their fiduciary duties.
        8. Dividends and other distributions of income, including capital 
    gains, paid by the Fund with respect to each class of its shares, to 
    the extent any such dividends and other distributions are paid, will be 
    declared and paid on the same day and at the same time, and will be 
    determined in the same manner and will be in the same amount, except 
    that the amount of dividends and other distributions declared and paid 
    by a particular class may be different from that of another class 
    because of Plan payments made by a class and Class Expenses borne 
    exclusively by that class.
        9. The methodology and procedures for calculating the net asset 
    value and dividends and other distributions of the classes and the 
    proper allocation of expenses among the classes have been reviewed by 
    an expert (the ``Expert'') who has rendered a report to the Applicants, 
    which is attached as Exhibit A to the originally filed application, 
    stating that such methodology and procedures are adequate to ensure 
    that such calculations and allocations will be made in an appropriate 
    manner. On an ongoing basis, the Expert, or an appropriate substitute 
    Expert, will monitor the manner in which the calculations and 
    allocations are being made and, based upon such review, will render at 
    least annually a report to the Funds that the calculations and 
    allocations are being made properly. The reports of the Expert will be 
    filed as part of the periodic reports filed with the Commission 
    pursuant to sections 30(a) and 30(b)(1) of the Act. The work papers of 
    the Expert with respect to such reports, following request by the Funds 
    (which the Funds agree to provide), will be available for inspection by 
    the Commission staff upon the written request to the Funds for such 
    work papers by a senior member of the Division of Investment 
    Management, limited to the Director, an Associate Director, the Chief 
    Accountant, the Chief Financial Analyst, an Assistant Director, and any 
    Regional Administrators or Associate and Assistant Administrators. The 
    initial report of the Expert is a ``Special Purpose'' report on 
    ``policies and procedures placed in operation'' in accordance with 
    Statement of Auditing Standards (``SAS'') No. 70, ``Reports on the 
    Processing of Transactions by Service Organizations,'' of the American 
    Institute of Certified Public Accountants (``AICPA''). Ongoing reports 
    will be ``reports on policies and procedures placed in operation and 
    tests of operating effectiveness'' prepared in accordance with SAS No. 
    70 of the AICPA, as it may be amended from time to time, or such other 
    applicable auditing standards as may be adopted by the AICPA.
        10. Applicants have adequate facilities in place to ensure 
    implementation of the methodology and procedures for calculating the 
    net asset value and dividends and other distributions of the classes of 
    shares and the proper allocation of expenses among the classes of 
    shares, and this representation has been concurred with by the Expert 
    in the initial report referred to in condition 9, above, and will be 
    concurred with by the Expert, or an appropriate substitute Expert, on 
    an ongoing basis at least annually in the ongoing reports referred to 
    in condition 9, above. Applicants will take immediate corrective 
    measures if the Expert, or appropriate substitute Expert, does not so 
    concur in the ongoing reports.
        11. The prospectuses of each class of shares will contain a 
    statement to the effect that a salesperson and any other person 
    entitled to receive compensation for selling or servicing shares may 
    receive different compensation with respect to one particular class of 
    shares over another in the Funds.
        12. The conditions pursuant to which the exemptive order is granted 
    and the duties and responsibilities of the Board of each Fund with 
    respect to the Multiple Class System will be set forth in guidelines 
    that will be furnished to the Directors.
        13. Each Fund implementing a Multiple Class System will disclose 
    the respective expenses, performance data, distribution arrangements, 
    services, fees, sales charges, and exchange privileges applicable to 
    each class of its shares in every prospectus, regardless of whether all 
    classes of its shares are offered pursuant to each prospectus. Each 
    Fund will disclose the respective expenses and performance data 
    applicable to all classes of its shares in every shareholder report. 
    The shareholder reports will contain, in the statement of assets and 
    liabilities and statement of operations, information related to the 
    Fund as a whole generally and not on a per class basis. Each Fund's per 
    share data, however, will be prepared on a per class basis with respect 
    to all classes of shares of such Fund. To the extent any advertisement 
    or sales literature describes the expenses or performance data 
    applicable to any class of shares, it will also disclose the respective 
    expenses and/or performance data applicable to all classes of that 
    Fund's shares. The information provided by an applicant for publication 
    in any newspaper or similar listing of a Fund's net asset value and 
    public offering price will present each class of that Fund's shares 
    separately.
        14. Applicants acknowledge that the grant of the exemptive order 
    requested by this application will not imply Commission approval of, 
    authorization of, or acquiescence in any particular level of payments 
    that any Fund may make pursuant to a Plan in reliance on the exemptive 
    order.
        15. Any class of shares with a conversion feature will convert into 
    another class of shares on the basis of the relative net asset values 
    of the two classes, without the imposition of any sales charge, fee, or 
    other charge. After conversion, the converted shares will be subject to 
    an asset-based sales charge and/or service fee (as those terms are 
    defined in Article III, section 26 of the NASD's rules of Fair 
    Practice), if any, that in the aggregate are lower than the asset-based 
    sales charge and service fee to which they were subject prior to the 
    conversion.
        16. If a Fund implements any amendment to a 12b-1 Plan (or, if 
    presented to shareholders, adopts or implements any amendment of a non-
    rule 12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan) that would increase materially 
    the amount that may be borne by the Target Class Shares under the 12b-1 
    Plan, then existing Purchase Class Shares will stop converting into the 
    Target Class Shares unless Purchase Class shareholders, voting 
    separately as a class, approve the proposal. If the holders of a 
    majority of the Purchase Class Shares fail to approve such amendment, 
    the Directors shall take such action as is necessary to ensure that 
    existing Purchase Class Shares are exchanged or converted into a new 
    class of shares (``New Target Class Shares''), identical in all 
    material respects to Target Class Shares as they existed prior to 
    implementation of the amendment, no later than the date such shares 
    previously were scheduled to convert into Target Class Shares. If 
    deemed advisable by the Directors to implement the foregoing, such 
    action may include the exchange of all existing Purchase Class Shares 
    for a new class (``New Purchase Class Shares''), identical to existing 
    Purchase Class Shares in all material respects except that the New 
    Purchase Class Shares will convert into the New Target Class Shares. 
    The New Target Class Shares and New Purchase Class Shares may be formed 
    without further exemptive relief. Exchanges or conversions described in 
    this condition shall be effected in a manner that the Directors 
    reasonably believe will not be subject to federal taxation. In 
    accordance with condition 4, any additional cost associated with the 
    creation, exchange, or conversion of the New Target Class Shares or New 
    Purchase Class Shares will be borne solely by the investment adviser 
    and the principal underwriter. Purchase Class Shares sold after the 
    implementation of the amended 12b-1 Plan may convert into Target Class 
    Shares subject to the higher maximum payment, provided that the 
    material features of the amended 12b-1 Plan applicable to the Target 
    Class Shares and the relationship of such amended 12b-1 Plan to the 
    Purchase Class Shares are disclosed in an effective registration 
    statement.
        17. Applicants will comply with the provisions of proposed rule 6c-
    10 under the Act, Investment Company Act Release No. 16619 (Nov. 2, 
    1988), as such rule is currently proposed and as it may be reproposed, 
    adopted or amended.
    
        For the SEC, by the Division of Investment Management, under 
    delegated authority.
    Margaret H. McFarland,
    Deputy Secretary.
    [FR Doc. 94-31530 Filed 12-22-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 8010-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/23/1994
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Notice of Application for Exemption under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'').
Document Number:
94-31530
Dates:
The application was filed on September 27, 1994, and was amended on November 21, 1994 and December 14, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: December 23, 1994, Investment Company Act Release No. 20782, 812-9252