94-5477. Composite Bond & Stock Fund, Inc., et al.; Notice of Application  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-5477]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: March 10, 1994]
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
    [Rel. No. IC-20111; 812-8648]
    
     
    
    Composite Bond & Stock Fund, Inc., et al.; Notice of Application
    
    March 3, 1994.
    AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'').
    
    ACTION: Notice of application for exemption under the Investment 
    Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'').
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Applicants: Composite Bond & Stock Fund, Inc., Composite Growth Fund, 
    Inc., Composite Northwest 50 Fund Inc., Composite U.S. Government 
    Securities, Inc., Composite Income Fund, Inc., Composite Tax-Exempt 
    Bond Fund, Inc., Composite Cash Management Company (the ``Existing 
    Funds''), Composite Research & Management Co. (the ``Adviser''), and 
    Murphey Favre, Inc. (the ``Distributor'') on their own behalf and on 
    behalf of any other registered open-end management investment companies 
    which the Adviser may in the future serve as the investment adviser or 
    which the Distributor may in the future serve as the distributor that 
    are in the ``same group of investment companies,'' as defined in rule 
    11a-3 under the Act (together with the Existing Funds, the ``Funds'').
    
    Relevant Act Sections: Exemption requested pursuant to section 6(c) 
    from sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 18(f), 18(g), 18(i), 22(c), 22(d) of 
    the Act and from rule 22c-1 thereunder.
    
    Summary of Application: Applicants seek an order to permit the Funds: 
    (i) To issue and sell two classes of securities representing interests 
    in the same investment portfolio and (ii) to assess and, under certain 
    circumstances, waive or defer a CDSC on certain redemptions of their 
    shares.
    
    FILING DATE: The application was filed on October 25, 1993 and amended 
    on January 6, 1994. In a letter dated March 2, 1994, applicants' 
    counsel has stated that an amendment, the substance of which is 
    incorporated herein, will be filed during the notice period.
    
    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 
    applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing 
    requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m., on March 
    28, 1994 and should be accompanied by proof of service on 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: Secretarty, SEC, 450 Fifth Street NW., Washington, DC 20549. 
    Applicants, 601 West Riverside Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201-0694.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    James M. Curtis, Senior Counsel, at (202) 504-2406, or Barry D. Miller, 
    Senior Special Counsel, at (202) 272-3018 (Office of Investment Company 
    Regulation, Division of Investment Management).
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
    application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the 
    SEC's Public Reference Branch.
    
    Applicants' Representations
    
        1. Each Existing Fund is an open-end management investment company 
    registered under the Act. Composite Cash Management Company is the only 
    Existing Fund which currently has multiple series.
        2. The Adviser, a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Washington 
    Mutual Savings Bank, is registered with the Commission as an investment 
    adviser and provides investment advisory and management services to 
    each of the Existing Funds. Each Existing Fund has entered into a 
    management agreement with the Adviser.
        3. The Distributor is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of 
    Washington Mutual Savings Bank. Each Existing Fund has entered into a 
    distribution contract pursuant to which the Distributor acts as the 
    distributor for the Funds. Each Existing Fund currently reimburses the 
    Distributor for expenses incurred in connection with the distribution 
    of its shares pursuant to a plan adopted by the Existing Fund in 
    accordance with rule 12b-1 under the Act (a ``12b-1 Plan''). Murphey 
    Favre Securities Services, Inc., a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of 
    Washington Mutual Savings Bank, provides transfer agent and related 
    services to each Existing Fund.
        4. Each Existing Fund currently has only one class of shares. 
    Shares of each Existing Fund except Composite Cash Management Company 
    are currently sold at net asset value plus a sales load calculated as a 
    percentage of the offering price. Composite Cash Management Company is 
    a money market fund and its shares currently are sold at net asset 
    value with no front-end sales load.
        5. The Directors of each Existing Fund, including all the members 
    of the Board of Directors who are not interested persons of that Fund 
    as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act (``Disinterested 
    Directors''), have approved the establishment of a multiple class 
    distribution system (the ``Multiple Class Distribution System''). The 
    Multiple Class Distribution System will enable a Fund to offer 
    investors the option of purchasing shares in one of two alternative 
    manners: (i) Subject to a conventional front-end sales load and a 
    separate 12b-1 Plan for that class (``Class A shares'') or (ii) subject 
    to no front-end sales load, but subject to a separate 12b-1 Plan for 
    that class with expected higher 12b-1 Plan fees and a CDSC (``Class B 
    shares'').
        6. The Multiple Class Distribution System will be implemented by 
    having the Funds create and issue two classes of shares, with the 
    currently authorized shares of each Existing Fund being redesignated as 
    Class A shares. The actual creation and issuance of multiple classes of 
    shares will be made on a Fund-by-Fund basis. Each class of a Fund will 
    represent interests in the same portfolio of investments of such Fund. 
    Each class of a Fund will be identical except that: (i) Each class will 
    be subject to a different 12b-1 Plan and may pay different 12b-1 Plan 
    fees pursuant thereto; (ii) each class will bear different Class 
    Expenses (as defined below); (iii) each class will vote separately as a 
    class with respect to the 12b-1 Plan for that class except as provided 
    in condition 15 below; (iv) each class will have different exchange 
    privileges; (v) only Class B will have a conversion feature; and (vi) 
    each class will bear a different name or designation.
        7. Investors purchasing Class A shares of the Funds other than 
    Composite Cash Management Company will do so at net asset value plus a 
    front-end sales load. The front-end sales load charges, volume 
    discounts and waivers for Class A shares of each Existing Fund are 
    initially expected to remain the same as currently in existence for 
    that Existing Fund. Class A shares of each Fund will also pay 12b-1 
    Plan fees pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for that class (the ``Class A 
    Distribution Plan'').
        8. Investors purchasing Class B shares will do so at net asset 
    value without the imposition of a front-end sales load. Class B shares 
    will pay an asset-based distribution charge pursuant to a 12b-1 Plan 
    for that class at an annual rate not to exceed 0.75% per annum of the 
    average daily net asset value of the Class B shares (the ``Class B 
    Distribution Plan'') and a service fee of 0.25% per annum.\1\ In 
    addition, a redemption of Class B shares made within a specified period 
    of their purchase generally will be subject to a CDSC imposed by the 
    Distributor. The CDSC will decrease over the applicable CDSC period, so 
    that redemptions of shares held after that period will not be subject 
    to a CDSC. The Class B alternative is designated to permit the investor 
    to purchase Class B shares without the assessment of a front-end sales 
    load and at the same time permit the Distributor to pay financial 
    intermediaries (typically broker-dealers) selling shares of each Fund a 
    commission on the sale of Class B shares.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \1\The term ``service fee'' has the meaning given that term in 
    Article III, Section 26(d)(9) of the Rules of Fair Practice of the 
    National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (``NASD'') (NASD 
    Manual, CCH 2176). Applicants will comply with the provisions of 
    Section 26(d).
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        9. Under the Multiple Class Distribution System, a Fund's Board of 
    Directors, acting in its sole discretion, could determine that any of 
    certain expenses attributable to the shares of a particular class 
    (``Class Expenses'') would be borne by the class to which they are 
    attributable. In addition to 12b-1 Plan fees, Class Expenses borne by a 
    class of shares will be limited solely to: (a) Transfer agency fees 
    attributable to a particular class; (b) printing and postage expenses 
    related to preparing and distributing to a particular class materials 
    such as shareholder reports, prospectuses and proxy statements; (c) 
    state and federal registration fees incurred by a specific class of 
    shares; and (d) legal expenses relating to a particular class of 
    shares.
        10. Under the Multiple Class Distribution System, expenses that 
    were attributable to a particular series of a Fund, but not to a 
    particular class thereof, would be borne by each class on the basis of 
    the aggregate net assets of such class.
        11. Because of the varying 12b-1 Plan fees and Class Expenses that 
    could be borne by each class of shares, the net income of (and 
    dividends payable with respect to) each class could be different from 
    the net income of (and dividend payable with respect to) the other 
    class of shares of a Fund. Dividends, however, paid to each class of 
    shares in a Fund would be declared and paid on the same days and at the 
    same times and, except as noted with respect to the varying 12b-1 Plan 
    fees and Class Expenses, would be determined and paid in the same 
    manner.
        12. Under the Multiple Class Distribution System, Class A shares of 
    a Fund will be exchangeable for (i) Class A shares of the other Funds 
    or (ii) shares of any Fund which offers only one class of shares 
    (provided such Fund does not impose a CDSC), on the basis of relative 
    net asset value per share, plus any applicable front-end sales charge. 
    Class B shares of a Fund will be exchangeable for: (i) Class B shares 
    of the other Funds or (ii) shares of any Fund which offers only one 
    class (and which imposes a CDSC), on the basis of relative net asset 
    value per share, without the payment of any CDSC that might otherwise 
    be due on redemption of the Class B shares being exchanged. The 
    exchange privileges applicable to each of the classes of shares will 
    comply with rule 11a-3 under the Act.
        13. The CDSC will not be imposed on redemptions of: (a) Shares 
    which were purchased more than six years (the ``CDSC Period'') prior to 
    their redemption, or (b) Class B Shares derived from reinvestment of 
    distributions. Furthermore, no CDSC will be imposed on an amount which 
    represents an increase in the value of the shareholder's account 
    resulting from capital appreciation above the amount paid for shares 
    purchased during the CDSC Period. In determining the applicability and 
    rate of a CDSC, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of 
    any shares that were not subject to a CDSC and then of other shares in 
    the order purchased.
        14. Applicants reserve the right to change from time to time the 
    CDSC and CDSC Period for any Fund. The CDSC Period, however, will not 
    exceed six years. In all cases, however, any change in the terms of a 
    CDSC would be reflected in the affected Fund's prospectus. In addition, 
    such changes would not affect shares that had already been issued 
    unless the change resulted in terms more favorable to the holders of 
    such shares.
        15. Under the proposed CDSC arrangement, the CDSC will be 
    accompanied by a conversion feature. Under this conversion feature, 
    after the expiration of a specified conversion period, Class B shares 
    automatically convert at their net asset value into Class A shares. For 
    purposes of the conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares, all 
    Class B shares in a shareholder's Fund account that were purchased 
    through reinvestment of dividends and other distributions paid in 
    respect of Class B shares (and that have not converted) would be 
    considered to be held in a separate sub-account. Each time any Class B 
    shares in the shareholder's Fund account convert, an equal pro rata 
    portion of shares then in the sub-account also would convert and would 
    no longer be considered held in the sub-account. The portion would be 
    determined by the ratio that the shareholder's Class B shares being 
    converted bears to the shareholder's total Class B shares subject to 
    the conversion feature.
        16. Under the proposed CDSC arrangement, any conversion of Class B 
    shares would be subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of 
    counsel or a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service to 
    the effect that the conversion of shares did not constitute a taxable 
    event under federal income tax law. Conversion of Class B shares to 
    Class A shares might be suspended if such a opinion or ruling were no 
    longer available.
        17. The Funds may waive the CDSC on redemptions of Class B shares: 
    (i) Following the death or disability of a shareholder, (ii) in 
    connection with certain distributions from an IRA or other retirement 
    plan,\2\ (iii) pursuant to the Funds' systematic withdrawal plan but 
    limited to 12% annually of the initial value of the account at the date 
    upon which the plan was established, and (iv) effected pursuant to the 
    right of the Fund to liquidate a shareholder's account.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \2\The charge may be waived for any total or partial redemption 
    in connection with a lump-sum or other distribution from an 
    Individual Retirement Account (``IRA''), a custodial account 
    maintained pursuant to Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
    (``IRC'') section 403(b)(7), or a qualified pension or profit 
    sharing plan (``Retirement Plans'') following retirement or, in the 
    case of an IRA or Keogh Plan or custodial account pursuant to IRC 
    section 403(b)(7), after attaining age 59\1/2\. The charge also may 
    be waived on any redemption which results from a tax-free return of 
    an excess contribution pursuant to section 408(d) (4) or (5) of the 
    IRC, the return of excess deferral amounts pursuant to IRC section 
    401(k)(8) or 402(g)(2), or from the death or disability of the 
    employee. In sum, the CDSC may be waived on redemptions of Class B 
    shares which constitute Retirement Plan distributions which are 
    permitted to be made without penalty pursuant to the IRC, other than 
    tax-free rollovers or transfers of assets.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        18. The Funds may defer the CDSC on a redemption of Class B shares 
    of a Fund which is followed by a reinvestment of Class B shares of such 
    Fund or another Fund within 120 days after the redemption. The deferral 
    will be effected by reimbursement of the CDSC previously paid, with the 
    reimbursement being made by credit to the shareholder's account and 
    being paid by the Distributor. The Class B shares acquired upon such 
    reinvestment will remain subject to the CDSC applicable to the redeemed 
    shares. In computing the holding period of the Class B shares acquired 
    upon such reinvestment for purposes of the CDSC arrangement and the 
    conversion feature, the holding period of the redeemed shares will be 
    ``tacked'' to the holding period of the acquired shares.
        19. All front-end sales loads, asset-based sales charges, and CDSCs 
    of each Fund will comply with Article III, section 26(d) of the Rules 
    of Fair Practice of the NASD.
    
    Applicants' Legal Analysis
    
        1. Applicants request an exemptive order to the extent that the 
    proposed issuance and sale of Class A and Class B shares representing 
    interests in the Funds might be deemed: (i) To result in the issuance 
    of a ``senior security'' within the meaning of section 18(g) of the Act 
    and thus be prohibited by section 18(f)(1) of the Act and (ii) to 
    violate the equal voting provisions of section 18(i) of the Act. The 
    creation of multiple classes of shares may result in shares of a class 
    having ``priority over [another] class as to * * * payment of 
    dividends'' and having unequal voting rights, because under the 
    proposed arrangement: (1) The holders of different classes would pay 
    different fees pursuant to different 12b-1 Plans and different Class 
    Expenses and (2) each class would vote separately with respect to its 
    12b-1 Plan.
        2. Moreover, owners of each class of shares may be relieved under 
    the Multiple Class Distribution System of a portion of the fixed costs 
    normally associated with investing in mutual funds since the costs 
    would, potentially, be spread over a greater number of shares than they 
    would be otherwise. Similarly, if sales increase because of the 
    addition of Class B shares, the owners of each class of shares could 
    expect to enjoy, under the proposed arrangement, lower effective 
    investment management fee rates than they would enjoy if the 
    arrangement were not implemented. Therefore, in order to achieve these 
    potential benefits and obviate the risks associated with the creation 
    of a separate series for each new class of shares, the Funds propose to 
    establish the Multiple Class Distribution System.
        3. Applicants believe that the proposed allocation of expenses and 
    voting rights relating to the 12b-1 Plans in the manner described above 
    is equitable and would not discriminate against either group of 
    shareholders. Moreover, the possibility that the interests of the two 
    classes of shares will ever conflict would be remote. The rights and 
    privileges of each class are substantially identical and the interests 
    of each class of shareholders are adequately protected by the 
    requirements of rule 12b-1, including the requirement that the 12b-1 
    Plan be approved and continued on an annual basis by the Directors of 
    each Fund, including the Disinterested Directors.
        4. The abuses that section 18 of the Act is intended to redress are 
    set forth in section 1(b) of the Act which declares ``that the national 
    public interest and the interest of investors are adversely affected * 
    * * (7) when investment companies by excessive borrowing and the 
    issuance of excessive amounts of senior securities increase unduly the 
    speculative character of their junior securities; or (8) when 
    investment companies operate without adequate assets or reserves.'' The 
    Multiple Class Distribution System described in the application does 
    not involve borrowings and does not affect the Fund's existing assets 
    or reserves. Nor will the proposed arrangement increase the speculative 
    character of the shares of the Funds, since all shares will participate 
    pro rata in all of each Fund's income and expenses (with the exception 
    of the differing 12b-1 Plan fees and expenses).
        5. Each class of shares will be redeemable at all times. No class 
    of shares will have any preference or priority over the other class in 
    each Fund. No class will have distribution or liquidation preferences 
    with respect to particular assets, nor any right to require that lapsed 
    dividends be paid before dividends are declared on the other class, nor 
    any protection by a reserve or other account. The similarities and, 
    with respect to the 12b-1 Plans and associated voting rights and the 
    exchange privileges, dissimilarities, of the Class A and Class B 
    shares, will be fully disclosed in each Fund's prospectus. Investors 
    will not be given misleading impressions as to the safety or risk of 
    any class of shares and the nature of the Class A and Class B shares 
    will not be rendered speculative.
    
    Applicants' Conditions
    
        Applicants agree that the order of the Commission granting the 
    requested relief shall be subject to the following conditions:
        1. Each class of shares will represent interests in the same 
    portfolio of investments of a Fund, and be identical in all respects, 
    except as set forth below. The only differences among the various 
    classes of a Fund will relate solely to: (a) The different payments 
    pursuant to the different 12b-1 Plans of each class; (b) the different 
    Class Expenses, which will be limited to: (i) Transfer agency fees 
    attributable to a particular class; (ii) printing and postage expenses 
    related to preparing and distributing to a particular class materials 
    such as shareholder reports, prospectuses, and proxy statements; (iii) 
    state and federal registration fees incurred by a particular class; and 
    (iv) legal expenses relating to a particular class; (c) the separate 
    class voting rights of each class with respect to the 12b-1 Plans 
    except as provided in condition 15 below, (d) the different exchange 
    privileges of each class; (e) only Class B will have a conversion 
    feature; and (f) the different name or designation of each class of 
    shares of the Funds. Any additional expenses not specifically 
    identified above that are subsequently identified and determined to be 
    properly allocated to one class of shares shall not be so allocated 
    until approved by the Commission.
        2. The Directors of each Fund, including a majority of the 
    Disinterested Directors of the Fund, shall have approved the Multiple 
    Class Distribution System. The minutes of the meetings of the Directors 
    of each Fund regarding the deliberations of the Directors with respect 
    to the approvals necessary to implement the Multiple Class Distribution 
    System will reflect in detail the reasons for the Directors' 
    determination that the proposed Multiple Class Distribution System is 
    in the best interests of Fund and its shareholders.
        3. The initial determination of the Class Expenses that will be 
    applied to a class of shares and any subsequent changes thereto will be 
    reviewed and approved by votes of the Directors of each Fund, including 
    a majority of the Disinterested Directors of the Fund. Any person 
    authorized to direct the allocation and disposition of monies paid or 
    payable by the Fund to meet Class Expenses shall provide to the 
    Directors, and the Directors shall review, at least quarterly, a 
    written report of the amount so expended and the purposes for which 
    such expenditures were made.
        4. On an ongoing basis, the Directors of each Fund, pursuant to 
    their fiduciary responsibilities under the Act and otherwise, will 
    monitor the Fund for the existence of any material conflicts among the 
    interests of the various classes of shares. The Directors, including a 
    majority of the Disinterested Directors of the Fund shall take such 
    action as is reasonably necessary to eliminate any such conflicts that 
    may develop. The Adviser and the Distributor will be responsible for 
    reporting any potential or existing conflicts to the Directors. If a 
    conflict arises, the Adviser and the Distributor at their own cost will 
    remedy such conflict up to and including establishing a new registered 
    management investment company.
        5. The Directors of each Fund will receive quarterly and annually 
    Statements concerning distribution and shareholders servicing 
    expenditures 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 support the 12b-1 fee charged to shareholders of 
    that class of shares. Expenditures not related to the sale or servicing 
    of a particular class will not be presented to the Directors to justify 
    any fee attributable to that class of shares. The Statements, including 
    the allocations upon which they are based, will be subject to the 
    review and approval of the Disinterested Directors in the exercise of 
    their fiduciary duties.
        6. Dividends paid by a Fund with respect to each class of shares, 
    to the extent any dividends are paid, will be calculated in the same 
    manner at the same time on the same day and will be in the same amount, 
    except that 12b-1 Plan fee payments and Class Expenses relating to each 
    respective class of shares will be borne exclusively by that class.
        7. The methodology and procedures for calculating the net asset 
    value and dividends and distribution of the various classes and the 
    proper allocation of income and expenses among such classes have been 
    reviewed by an expert (the ``Expert'') who has rendered a report to 
    Applicants, which has been provided to the staff of the Commission, 
    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 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 shall be filed as part of the 
    periodic reports filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 30(a) 
    and 30(b)(1) of the 1940 Act. The work papers of the Expert with 
    respect to such reports, following the request by the Funds (which each 
    Fund agrees to provide), will be available for inspection by the 
    Commission staff upon the written request 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 Administrator 
    or Associate and Assistant Administrators. The initial report of the 
    Expert is a ``report on policies and procedures placed in operation'' 
    and the ongoing reports will be ``reports on policies and procedures 
    placed in operation and tests of operating effectiveness'' as defined 
    and described in SAS No. 70 of the AICPA, as it may be amended from 
    time to time, or in similar auditing standards as may be adopted by the 
    AICPA from time to time.
        8. The applicants have adequate facilities in place to ensure 
    implementation of the methodology and procedures for calculating the 
    net asset value and dividends and distributions among the classes of 
    shares and the proper allocation of income and expenses among such 
    classes of shares and this representation has been concurred with by 
    the Expert in the initial report referred to in condition 7 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 7 above. The applicants agree to take 
    immediate corrective measures if this representation is not concurred 
    in by the Expert or appropriate substitute Expert.
        9. The prospectus of each Fund will contain a statement to the 
    effect that a salespersons and any other person entitled to receive 
    compensation for selling or servicing Fund shares may receive different 
    compensation with respect to one particular class of shares over 
    another in the Fund.
        10. The Distributor will adopt compliance standards to assist 
    registered representatives in determining when Class A and Class B 
    shares may be sold to particular investors. The applicants will require 
    all persons selling shares of the Fund to agree to conform to such 
    standards.
        11. The conditions pursuant to which the exemptive order is granted 
    and the duties and responsibilities of the Directors of each Fund with 
    respect to the Multiple Class Distribution System will be set forth in 
    guidelines that will be furnished to the Directors.
        12. Each Fund will disclose the respective expenses, performance 
    data, distribution arrangements, services, fees, sales loads, deferred 
    sales loads, and exchange privileges applicable to each class of shares 
    in every prospectus, regardless of whether all classes of shares are 
    offered through each prospectus. Each Fund will disclose the respective 
    expenses and performance data applicable to all classes of 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 
    of performance data applicable to Class A or Class B, it will disclose 
    the expenses and/or performance data applicable to all classes of 
    shares. The information provided by applicants for publication in any 
    newspaper or similar listing of the Fund's net asset value and public 
    offering price will separately present Class A and Class B shares.
        13. The applicants acknowledge that the grant of the exemptive 
    order requested by the application will not imply Commission approval, 
    authorization, or acquiescence in any particular level of payments that 
    the Fund may make pursuant to their 12b-1 Plans in reliance on the 
    exemptive order.
        14. Class B shares will convert into Class A shares on the basis of 
    the relative net asset values to the two classes, without the 
    imposition of any sales load, 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.
        15. If a Fund implements any amendment to its 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 Class A shares under the plan, 
    existing Class B shares will stop converting into Class A unless the 
    Class B shareholders, voting separately as a class, approve the 
    proposal. The Directors shall take such action as is necessary to 
    ensure that existing Class B shares are exchanged or converted into a 
    new class of shares (``New Class A''), identical in all material 
    respects to Class A as it existed prior to implementation of the 
    proposal, no later than the date such shares previously were scheduled 
    to convert into Class A. If deemed advisable by the Directors to 
    implement the foregoing, such action may include the exchange of all 
    existing Class B shares for a new class (``New Class B''), identical to 
    existing Class B shares in all material respects except that New Class 
    B will convert into New Class A. New Class A or New Class B 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 New Class A or New Class B shall 
    be borne solely by the Adviser and the Distributor. Class B shares sold 
    after the implementation of the proposal may convert into Class A 
    shares subject to the higher maximum payment, provided that the 
    material features of the Class A plan and the relationship of such plan 
    to the Class B shares are disclosed in an effective registration 
    statement.
        16. The relief requested from the provisions of sections 2(a)(32), 
    2(a)(35), 22(d), and 22(c) of the Act and rule 22c-1 thereunder shall 
    be subject to applicants' compliance with the provisions of proposed 
    Rule 6c-10 under the Act (Investment Company Release No. 16619 
    (November 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. 94-5477 Filed 3-9-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 8010-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
03/10/1994
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:
94-5477
Dates:
The application was filed on October 25, 1993 and amended on January 6, 1994. In a letter dated March 2, 1994, applicants' counsel has stated that an amendment, the substance of which is incorporated herein, will be filed during the notice period.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: March 10, 1994, Rel. No. IC-20111, 812-8648