Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited)
1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies
The California Money Market Portfolio (“Fund”), a separate investment fund of the Smith Barney Muni Funds (“Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust, is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as an open-end management investment company.
The following are significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund and are in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions regarding assets, liabilities and changes in net assets resulting from operations when financial statements are prepared. Changes in the economic environment, financial markets and any other parameters used in determining these estimates could cause actual results to differ.
(a) Investment Valuation — The Fund uses the amortized cost method for valuing investments; accordingly, the cost of securities plus accreted discount, or minus amortized premium, approximates value.
(b) Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends and distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The character of income and gains to be distributed is determined in accordance with income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. The Fund declares and records a dividend of substantially all of its net investment income on each business day. Such dividends are paid or reinvested monthly in Fund shares on the payable date. Furthermore, the Fund intends to satisfy conditions that will enable interest from municipal securities, which is exempt from regular Federal income tax and from designated state income taxes, to retain such tax-exempt status when distributed to the shareholders of the Fund. Capital gain distributions, if any, are taxable to shareholders, and are declared and paid at least annually.
(c) Class Accounting — Class specific expenses are charged to each class; management fees and general fund expenses are allocated on the basis of relative net assets of each class or on another reasonable basis.
(d) Fund Concentration — Because the Fund invests primarily in obligations of issuers within California, it is subject to possible concentration risks associated with economic, political, or legal developments or industrial or regional matters specifically affecting California.
22 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
(e) Federal Income Taxes — It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the federal income and excise tax requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable to regulated investment companies. Accordingly, the Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its taxable income and net realized gains on investments, if any, to shareholders each year. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required.
(f) Other — Security transactions are accounted for on trade date. Interest income, adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of discount, is recorded on an accrual basis. Gains or losses on the sale of securities are calculated by using the specific identification method.
2. Management Agreement and Other Transactions
Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup Inc.(“Citigroup”), acts as investment manager to the Fund. The Fund pays SBFM a management fee calculated at an annual rate of 0.475% on the first $1 billion of the Fund’s average daily net assets; 0.450% on the next $1 billion; 0.425% on the next $3 billion; 0.400% on the next $5 billion and 0.375% on the Fund’s average daily net assets in excess of $10 billion. This fee is calculated daily and paid monthly.
During the six months ended September 30, 2004, SBFM waived a portion of its management fee in the amount of $153,658.
Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb. (“CTB”), another subsidiary of Citigroup, acts as the Fund’s transfer agent. PFPC Inc. (“PFPC”) acts as the Fund’s sub-transfer agent. CTB receives account fees and asset-based fees that vary according to the size and type of account. PFPC is responsible for shareholder recordkeeping and financial processing for all shareholder accounts and is paid by CTB. For the six months ended September 30, 2004, the Fund paid transfer agent fees of $191,388 to CTB.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGM”), another indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, acts as the Fund’s distributor.
All officers and one Trustee of the Trust are employees of Citigroup or its affiliates and do not receive compensation from the Fund.
23 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
3. Class Specific Expenses
Pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan, the Fund pays a service fee with respect to Class A shares calculated at an annual rate of 0.10% of the average daily net assets of that class. For the six months ended September 30, 2004, total Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan fees, which are accrued daily and paid monthly, were $1,128,801.
For the six months ended September 30, 2004, total Transfer Agency Service expenses were as follows:
| | Class A | | Class Y | |
|
Transfer Agency Service Expenses | | $208,885 | | $41 | |
|
For the six months ended September 30, 2004, total Shareholder Communication expenses were as follows:
| | Class A | | Class Y | |
|
Shareholder Communication Expenses | | $18,618 | | $383 | |
|
4. Distributions Paid to Shareholders by Class
| Six Months Ended September 30, 2004 | Year Ended March 31, 2004 |
---|
|
Net Investment Income | | | | | | | | |
Class A | | | $ | 6,398,622 | | $ | 10,514,312 | |
Class Y | | | | 160,877 | | | 82,947 | |
|
Total | | | $ | 6,559,499 | | $ | 10,597,259 | |
|
5. Shares of Beneficial Interest
At September 30, 2004, the Trust had an unlimited amount of shares of beneficial interest authorized with a par value of $0.001 per share. The Fund has the ability to issue multiple classes of shares. Each share of a class represents an identical interest in the Fund and has the same rights, except that each class bears certain expenses specifically related to the distribution of its shares.
24 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Transactions in shares of the Fund were as follows:
| Six Months Ended September 30, 2004 | Year Ended March 31, 2004 |
---|
|
Class A | | | | | | | | |
Shares sold | | | | 4,453,274,764 | | | 8,640,554,636 | |
Shares issued on reinvestment | | | | 5,832,297 | | | 10,381,572 | |
Shares reacquired | | | | (4,628,830,156 | ) | | (8,641,366,497 | ) |
|
Net Increase (Decrease) | | | | (169,723,095 | ) | | 9,569,711 | |
|
Class Y | | |
Shares sold | | | | 77,461,500 | | | 79,849,368 | |
Shares issued on reinvestment | | | | 147,044 | | | 63,026 | |
Shares reacquired | | | | (62,849,536 | ) | | (33,062,877 | ) |
|
Net Increase | | | | 14,759,008 | | | 46,849,517 | |
|
6. Additional Information
In connection with an investigation previously disclosed by Citigroup, the Staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has notified Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that includes the funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies; Citicorp Trust Bank (“CTB”), an affiliate of CAM; Thomas W. Jones, the former CEO of CAM; and two other individuals, one of whom is an employee and the other of whom is a former employee of CAM, that the SEC Staff is considering recommending a civil injunctive action and/or an administrative proceeding against each of them relating to the creation and operation of an internal transfer agent unit to serve various CAM-managed funds.
In 1999, CTB entered the transfer agent business. CTB hired an unaffiliated subcontractor to perform some of the transfer agent services. The subcontractor, in exchange, had signed a separate agreement with CAM in 1998 that guaranteed investment management revenue to CAM and investment banking revenue to a CAM affiliate. The subcontractor’s business was later taken over by PFPC Inc., and at that time the revenue guarantee was eliminated and a one-time payment was made by the subcontractor to a CAM affiliate.
CAM did not disclose the revenue guarantee when the boards of various CAM-managed funds hired CTB as transfer agent. Nor did CAM disclose to the boards of the various CAM-managed funds the one-time payment received by the CAM affiliate when it was made.
25 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
In addition, the SEC Staff has indicated that it is considering recommending action based on the adequacy of the disclosures made to the fund boards that approved the transfer agency arrangement, CAM’s initiation and operation of, and compensation for, the transfer agent business and CAM’s retention of, and agreements with, the subcontractor.
Citigroup is cooperating fully in the investigation and will seek to resolve the matter in discussions with the SEC Staff. Although there can be no assurance, Citigroup does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Fund. As previously disclosed, CAM has already agreed to pay the applicable funds, primarily through fee waivers, a total of approximately $17 million (plus interest) that is the amount of the revenue received by Citigroup relating to the revenue guarantee.
7. Legal Matters
Class action lawsuits have been filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “Distributor”) and a number of its affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (the “Advisers”), substantially all of the mutual funds managed by the Advisers (the “Funds”), and directors or trustees of the Funds. The complaints allege, among other things, that the Distributor created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Advisers caused the Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to the Distributor for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also allege that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on Fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Funds’ contracts with the Advisers, recovery of all fees paid to the Advisers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. Citigroup Asset Management believes that the suits are without merit and intends to defend the cases vigorously.
26 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
Notes to Financial Statements (unaudited) (continued)
Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed against the defendants in the future. Neither Citigroup Asset Management nor the Funds believe that any of the pending actions will have a material adverse effect on the Funds or the ability of the Distributor or the Advisers to perform under their respective contracts with the Funds.
27 Smith Barney Muni Funds | 2004 Semi-Annual Report |
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SMITH BARNEY MUNI FUNDS
TRUSTEES | INVESTMENT MANAGER |
Lee Abraham | Smith Barney Fund Management LLC |
Allan J. Bloostein | |
Jane F. Dasher | DISTRIBUTOR |
Donald R. Foley | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
R. Jay Gerken, CFA | . |
Chairman | CUSTODIAN |
Richard E. Hanson, Jr. | State Street Bank and |
Paul Hardin | Trust Company |
Roderick C. Rasmussen | |
John P. Toolan | TRANSFER AGENT |
| Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb. |
OFFICERS | 125 Broad Street, 11th Floor |
R. Jay Gerken, CFA | New York, New York 10004 |
President and Chief | |
Executive Officer | SUB-TRANSFER AGENT |
| PFPC Inc. |
Andrew B. Shoup | P.O. Box 9699 |
Senior Vice President and | Providence, Rhode Island |
Chief Administrative Officer | 02940-9699 |
| |
Robert J. Brault | |
Chief Financial Officer | |
and Treasurer | |
| |
Julie P. Callahan, CFA | |
Vice President and | |
Investment Officer | |
| |
Joseph P. Deane | |
Vice President and | |
Investment Officer | |
| |
Kaprel Ozsolak | |
Controller | |
| |
Robert I. Frenkel | |
Secretary and | |
Chief Legal Officer | |
Smith Barney Muni Funds
California Money Market Portfolio
The Fund is a separate investment fund of the Smith Barney Muni Funds, a Massachusetts business trust.
The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with Securities and Exchange Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q are available on the Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund’s Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington D.C., and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. To obtain information on Form N-Q from the Fund, shareholders can call 1-800-451-2010.
Information on how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the 12 month period ended June 30, 2004 and a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-451-2010, (2) on the Fund’s website at www.citigroupAM.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
This report is submitted for general information of the shareholders of Smith Barney Muni Funds — California Money Market Portfolio.
SMITH BARNEY MUNI FUNDS
Smith Barney Mutual Funds
125 Broad Street
10th Floor, MF-2
New York, New York 10004
©2004 Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Member NASD, SIPC
Not Applicable.
ITEM 3. | AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT. |
Not Applicable.
ITEM 4. | PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES. |
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. | AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS. |
Not applicable.
ITEM 7. | DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES. |
Not applicable.
ITEM 9. | SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS. |
Not applicable.
ITEM 10. | CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. |
| (a) | The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a- 3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)) are effective as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on their evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the 1940 Act and 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| (b) | There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the 1940 Act) that occurred during the registrant’s last fiscal half-year (the registrant’s second fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that have materially affected, or are likely to materially affect the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| Exhibit 99.CERT | Certifications pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
| Exhibit 99.906CERT | Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, there unto duly authorized.
Smith Barney Muni Funds
By: | /s/ R. Jay Gerken R. Jay Gerken Chief Executive Officer of Smith Barney Muni Funds |
Date: December 1, 2004
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By: | /s/ R. Jay Gerken R. Jay Gerken Chief Executive Officer of Smith Barney Muni Funds |
Date: December 1, 2004
By: | /s/ Robert J. Brault Robert J. Brault Chief Financial Officer of Smith Barney Muni Funds |
Date: December 1, 2004