February 28, 2006
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Travelers Series Fund Inc.
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
1-800-842-8573
This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) supplements the information contained in the current Prospectuses (collectively, the “Prospectuses”) of the portfolios of the Travelers Series Fund Inc. (the “Company”), each dated February 28, 2005 (as amended or supplemented from time to time), and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses. The Company is a series investment company consisting of nine portfolios (each, a “fund”). The Prospectuses for each fund may be obtained, without charge, from the Company or a broker-dealer, financial intermediary, financial institution or a distributor’s financial consultant. This SAI, although not in itself a prospectus, is incorporated by reference into each Prospectus as applicable in its entirety.
Shares of each fund are offered to and may only be purchased by insurance company separate accounts (the “Separate Accounts”) that fund certain variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts and certain qualified plans (the “Contracts”). The Separate Accounts invest in shares of one or more of the funds in accordance with allocation instructions received from Contract owners. Such allocation rights are further described in the accompanying Contract prospectus. Shares of each fund are offered to Separate Accounts without a sales charge at their net asset value, next determined after receipt of an order by an insurance company. The offering of shares of a fund may be suspended from time to time and the Company reserves the right to reject any specific purchase order.
The Company, the investment underlying certain variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts, offers a choice of nine funds:
The Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio seeks total return on its assets from growth of capital and income and will invest at least 80% of its assets in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of established non-U.S. issuers.
The Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio seeks long-term growth of capital with current income a secondary objective. This fund invests equity securities of U.S. companies with larger market capitalization.
The Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio seeks long-term growth of capital by investing in equity securities of U.S. companies with large market capitalization of at least $5 billion at the time of investment.
The Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio seeks capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks of companies the manager believes are experiencing, or will experience, growth in earnings that exceeds the average rate of earnings growth of the companies comprising the S&P 500 Index.
The Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio seeks long-term growth of capital by investing primarily in equity securities of medium sized companies.
The Smith Barney High Income Portfolio seeks primarily high current income by investing at least 80% of its assets in high-yielding corporate debt obligations and preferred stock of U.S. and foreign issuers. Capital appreciation is a secondary objective.
The SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio seeks to provide high current income and to limit the degree of fluctuation of its net asset value from movements in interest rates by investing in adjustable rate securities.
The Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio seeks maximum current income consistent with preservation of capital. Shares of Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. Government. There is no assurance that the fund will be able to maintain a stable net asset value of $1.00 per share.
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The Social Awareness Stock Portfolio seeks long-term capital appreciation and retention of net investment income by investing at least 80% of its assets in equity securities. The fund seeks to invest in companies that meet the manager’s investment screen and, when possible, certain social criteria.
In all cases, there can be no assurance that a fund will achieve its investment objective.
CONTENTS
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DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
The Directors and Officers of the Company, their ages, their principal occupations during the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of investment companies associated with Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) the Directors oversee, and other directorships held, are set forth below. Each Director serves until a successor is elected and qualified. The “Fund Complex” consists of the Company and certain other investment companies associated with Legg Mason.
Each Director and Officer of the Company noted as an interested person is interested by virtue of that individual’s position with Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”) or its affiliates described in the table below, and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” All other Directors are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Company, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”), and are referred to as “Non-Interested Directors.”
| | | | | | | | | | |
Name, Address, and Year of Birth
| | Position(s) Held with Company
| | Term of Office* and Length of Time Served
| | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
| | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director
| | Other Directorships Held by Director**
|
Non-Interested Directors: | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Robert A. Frankel 1961 Deergrass Way Carlsbad, CA 92009 Year of Birth: 1927 | | Director | | Since 1999 | | Managing Partner of Robert A. Frankel Management Consultants; Former Vice President of The Readers Digest Association, Inc. | | 18 | | None |
| | | | | |
Michael E. Gellert 122 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10168 Year of Birth: 1931 | | Director | | Since 1999 | | General Partner of Windcrest Partners, a venture capital firm | | 11 | | Director of Dalet S.A. (media management operations), SEACOR Holdings, Inc. (offshore marine services provider) and Six Flags, Inc. (worldwide regional theme park operators) |
| | | | | |
Rainer Greeven 630 5th Avenue New York, NY 10111 Year of Birth: 1936 | | Director | | Since 1994 | | Attorney, Rainer Greeven PC | | 11 | | None |
| | | | | |
Susan M. Heilbron P.O. Box 557 Chilmark, MA 02535 Year of Birth: 1945 | | Director | | Since 1994 | | Owner/Consultant of Lacey & Heilbron, a public relations firm | | 11 | | None |
| | | | | |
Interested Director: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
R. Jay Gerken*** CAM 399 Park Avenue 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1951 | | Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer | | Since 2002 | | Managing Director of CAM; Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management Inc. (“CFM”); President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason; Formerly, President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers Investment Adviser, Inc. (from 2002 to 2005), Portfolio Manager of Smith Barney Allocation Series Inc. (from 1996-2001) and Smith Barney Growth and Income Fund (from 1996-2000) | | 182 | | None |
* | | Directors serve until their successors are elected and qualified. |
** | | This column includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |
*** | | Mr. Gerken is an “interested person” of the Company as defined in the 1940 Act because he is an officer of the investment manager or its affiliates. |
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| | | | | | | | | | |
Name, Address, and Year of Birth
| | Position(s) Held with Company
| | Term of Office* and Length of Time Served
| | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
| | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director
| | Other Directorships Held by Director**
|
| | | | | |
Officers: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Andrew B. Shoup CAM 125 Broad Street 10th Floor New York, NY 10004 Year of Birth: 1956 | | Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer | | Since 2003 | | Director of CAM; Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason; Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason; formerly, Head of International Funds Administration of CAM (from 2001 to 2003) and Director of Global Funds Administration of CAM (from 2000 to 2001) | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
James Giallanza CAM 125 Broad Street New York, NY 10004 Year of Birth: 1966 | | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | | Since 2004 | | Director of CAM; Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of other mutual funds associated with Legg Mason; formerly, Director and Controller of the US wholesale business at UBS Global Asset Management US Inc. (September 2001 through July 2004) and Director of Global Funds Administration at Citigroup Asset Management (June 2000 through September 2001) | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Jeffrey J. Russell CAM 399 Park Avenue 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1957 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 1994 | | Managing Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Martin R. Hanley Western Asset Management Company (“Western Asset”) 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1965 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 1994 | | Portfolio manager of CAM and Western Asset, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, and an affiliate of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Richard A. Freeman CAM 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1953 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 1999 | | Managing Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Brian Angerame CAM 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1972 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2005 | | Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
* | | Directors serve until their successors are elected and qualified. |
** | | This column includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |
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| | | | | | | | | | |
Name, Address, and Year of Birth
| | Position(s) Held with Company
| | Term of Office* and Length of Time Served
| | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
| | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director
| | Other Directorships Held by Director**
|
| | | | | |
Officers: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
Derek Deutsch CAM 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1969 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2005 | | Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Peter Stournaras CAM 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1973 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2005 | | Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Alan J. Blake CAM 399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1949 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 1998 | | Managing Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Theresa M. Veres Western Asset 399 Park Avenue New York, New York 10022 Year of Birth: 1966 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2003 | | Portfolio manager of CAM and Western Asset Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Mark McAllister CAM 399 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1962 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2004 | | Managing Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Robert Feitler CAM 399 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1959 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2004 | | Director of CAM; Investment Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Ted P. Becker CAM 399 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1951 | | Chief Compliance Officer | | Since 2006 | | Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2005); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (since 2006); formerly, Managing Director of Compliance at CAM (2002-2005); Managing Director—Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup (prior to 2002). | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
John Chiota CAM 100 First Stamford Place 5th Floor Stamford, CT 06902 Birth Year: 1968 | | Chief Anti- Money Laundering Compliance Officer | | Since 2006 | | Vice President of CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (since 2006); prior to August 2004, Chief AML Compliance Officer with TD Waterhouse. | | N/A | | N/A |
* | | Directors serve until their successors are elected and qualified. |
** | | This column includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |
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| | | | | | | | | | |
Name, Address, and Year of Birth
| | Position(s) Held with Company
| | Term of Office* and Length of Time Served
| | Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
| | Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director
| | Other Directorships Held by Director**
|
| | | | | |
Executive Officers: | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | |
William Theriault CAM 399 Park Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10022 Year of Birth: 1966 | | Vice President and Investment Officer | | Since 2005 | | Director, CAM; Portfolio Manager for CAM or its predecessor firms since 1996 | | N/A | | N/A |
| | | | | |
Robert I. Frenkel CAM 300 First Stamford Place 4th Floor Stamford, CT 06902 Year of Birth: 1954 | | Secretary and Chief Legal Officer | | Since 2003 | | Managing Director and General Counsel, Global Mutual Funds for CAM and its predecessor (since 1994); Secretary of CFM; Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason | | N/A | | N/A |
* | | Directors serve until their successors are elected and qualified. |
** | | This column includes only directorships of companies required to register or file reports with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. |
The business affairs of each fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.
The Board has an audit committee (the “Audit Committee”) which is composed of all of the Non-Interested Directors. In accordance with its written charter adopted by the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the quality and integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund. The Audit Committee oversees the scope of the fund’s audits, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and their internal controls. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Non-Interested Directors of the company for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the funds by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the funds’ independent registered public accounting firm to SBFM and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the funds’ operations and financial reporting. During the most recent fiscal year, the Audit Committee met twice.
The Board also has a standing governance committee (the “Governance Committee”). All Non-Interested Directors are members of the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance Committee does not have a procedure to consider nominees recommended by shareholders. During the most recent fiscal year, the Governance Committee did not meet.
The following sets forth the dollar range of equity securities in the Company beneficially owned by each Director, and, on an aggregate basis, in all registered investment companies overseen by each Director in the Fund Complex as of December 31, 2005:
| | | | |
Name of Director
| | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Company
| | Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies overseen by Director in Family of Investment Companies
|
Robert A. Frankel | | None | | Over $100,000 |
Michael E. Gellert | | None | | None |
Rainer Greeven | | None | | None |
Susan M. Heilbron | | None | | None |
R. Jay Gerken | | None | | Over $100,000 |
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Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”), the parent company of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”), one of the Company’s distributors, has invested approximately $8 to $10 million in Virtual Growth Inc. through a private placement; Windcrest Partners, of which Michael Gellert is the general partner, has also invested in Virtual Growth Inc. Citibank N.A. has issued a $12 million line of credit to Windcrest Partners; the balance was $250,000 as of December 31, 2005. Citibank N.A. has also issued a $1.8 million line of credit in Mr. Gellert’s name; the balance as of December 31, 2005 is $0.
The following table shows the compensation paid by the Company and the Fund Complex to each Director during the Company’s last fiscal year. None of the officers of the Company received any compensation from the Company for such period. The Company does not pay retirement benefits to its Directors and Executive Officers. Officers and Interested Directors of the Company are compensated by CAM.
| | | | | |
Name of Person
| | Compensation from Company and Fund Complex Paid to Directors Calendar Year Ended 12/31/05
| | Number of Funds for Which Director Serves Within Fund Complex
|
Robert A. Frankel | | $ | 111,250 | | 18 |
Michael Gellert | | $ | 35,400 | | 11 |
Rainer Greeven | | $ | 35,700 | | 11 |
Susan M. Heilbron | | $ | 35,400 | | 11 |
R. Jay Gerken | | | 0 | | 182 |
| | | | |
| | Aggregate Compensation From Funds FYE 10/31/05
|
Name of Person
| | LCV
| | SOC
|
Robert A. Frankel | | $2,747.79 | | $179.89 |
Michael Gellert | | $2,663.65 | | $179.89 |
Rainer Greeven | | $2,670.31 | | $179.89 |
Susan M. Heilbron | | $2,663.65 | | $179.89 |
R. Jay Gerken | | 0 | | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | Aggregate Compensation From Funds FYE 10/31/05
|
Name of Person
| | HI
| | MM
| | LCG
|
Robert A. Frankel | | $ | 2,540.58 | | $ | 3,727.13 | | $ | 3,133.80 |
Michael Gellert | | $ | 2,456.41 | | $ | 3,642.99 | | $ | 3,049.61 |
Rainer Greeven | | $ | 2,463.08 | | $ | 3,649.65 | | $ | 3,056.28 |
Susan M. Heilbron | | $ | 2,456.41 | | $ | 3,642.99 | | $ | 3,049.61 |
R. Jay Gerken | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Aggregate Compensation From Funds FYE 10/31/05
|
Name of Person
| | SBMC
| | AG
| | IACG
| | ADJ
|
Robert A. Frankel | | $ | 1,557.52 | | $ | 6,876.77 | | $ | 1,819.21 | | $ | 1,053.20 |
Michael Gellert | | $ | 1,473.37 | | $ | 6,792.58 | | $ | 1,735.03 | | $ | 969.05 |
Rainer Greeven | | $ | 1,480.03 | | $ | 6,799.25 | | $ | 1,741.70 | | $ | 975.71 |
Susan M. Heilbron | | $ | 1,473.37 | | $ | 6,792.58 | | $ | 1,735.03 | | $ | 969.05 |
R. Jay Gerken | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 |
| | |
LCV Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | AG Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio |
HI Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | IACG Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio |
MM Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio | | ADJ SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio |
LCG Smith Barney Large Cap Growth Portfolio | | SOC Social Awareness Stock Portfolio |
SBMC Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | |
On February 2, 2006, Directors and Executive Officers owned in the aggregate less than 1% of the outstanding securities of the Company.
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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES
Each fund’s investment objectives and certain investment restrictions (described under “Investment Restrictions”) are deemed to be “fundamental,” and therefore may be changed only by the “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” as defined under the 1940 Act. However, each fund’s investment policies are nonfundamental, and thus may be changed without shareholder approval by the Board of Directors, provided such change is not prohibited by such fund’s fundamental investment restrictions or applicable law, and any such change will first be disclosed in the then current Prospectus or SAI.
Set forth below is a discussion of certain nonfundamental investment policies for each fund. Refer to the “Investment Practices” and “Risk Factors” sections of this SAI for further information.
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio
Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its assets in a diversified portfolio of equity securities and may invest up to 20% of its assets in bonds, notes and debt securities (consisting of securities issued in the Eurocurrency markets or obligations of the United States or foreign governments and their political sub-divisions).
In seeking to achieve its objective, the fund invests its assets primarily in common stocks of foreign companies which in the opinion of SBFM have potential for growth of capital. However, there is no requirement that the fund invest exclusively in common stocks or other equity securities and, if deemed advisable, the fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in bonds, notes and other debt securities (including securities issued in the Eurocurrency markets or obligations of the United States or foreign governments and their political subdivisions).
The fund will generally invest its assets broadly among countries and will normally have represented in the portfolio business activities in not less than three different countries. Except as stated below, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in companies organized or governments located in any area of the world other than the United States, such as the Far East (e.g., Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia), Western Europe (e.g., United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Switzerland), Eastern Europe (e.g., the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and the countries of the former Soviet Union), Central and South America (e.g., Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela), Australia, Canada and such other areas and countries as SBFM may determine from time to time. Concentration of the fund’s assets in one or a few countries or currencies will subject the fund to greater risks than if the fund’s assets were not geographically concentrated.
It is expected that securities held by the funds will ordinarily be traded on a stock exchange or other market in the country in which the issuer is principally based, but may also be traded on markets in other countries including, in many cases, the U.S. securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets.
The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with broker/dealers and other financial institutions up to 5% of its net assets.
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio
Under normal market conditions the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of U.S. companies with large market capitalizations. Large market capitalization companies are currently defined as those whose market capitalizations are similar to companies in the Russell 1000 Index. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered securities of large capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy.
The fund may make investments in foreign securities, though management currently intends to limit such investments to 5% of the fund’s assets, and an additional 10% of its assets may be invested in sponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which are certificates issued by U.S. banks representing the right to receive securities of a foreign issuer deposited with that bank or a correspondent bank. The fund may also lend up to 20% of the value of its total assets and may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis.
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The fund may buy or sell covered put and covered call options up to 15% of its net assets, provided such options are listed on a national securities exchange.
The fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio
Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of U.S. companies with large market capitalizations. Large market capitalization companies are currently defined as those whose market capitalizations are similar to companies in the Russell 1000 Index. Companies whose capitalization falls below this level after purchase will continue to be considered large capitalization companies for purposes of the 80% policy. The core holdings of the fund will be large capitalization companies that are dominant in their industries, global in scope and have a long-term history of performance. The fund has the flexibility, however, to invest up to 20% of the fund’s net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes in companies with other market capitalizations. Companies with large market capitalizations typically have a large number of publicly held shares and a high trading volume resulting in a high degree of liquidity.
The fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers in the form of ADRs, European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or similar securities representing interests in the common stock of foreign issuers. Management intends to limit the fund’s investment in these types of securities to 10% of the fund’s net assets. ADRs are receipts, typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company, which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs are receipts issued in Europe which evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. The underlying securities are not always denominated in the same currency as the ADRs or EDRs. Although investment in the form of ADRs or EDRs facilitates investment in foreign securities, it does not mitigate the risks associated with investing in foreign securities.
Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the fund’s portfolio will consist of common stocks, but it also may contain money market instruments for cash management purposes, including U.S. government securities; certificates of deposit (“CDs”), time deposits (“TDs”) and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with respect to such instruments.
The fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio
The fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies the manager believes are experiencing, or will experience, growth in earnings that exceeds the average rate of earnings growth of the companies comprising the S&P 500 Index. The fund may invest in the securities of large, well-known companies that offer prospects of long-term earnings growth. However, because higher earnings growth rates are often achieved by small to medium-sized companies, a significant portion of the fund’s assets are invested in the securities of such companies.
SBFM emphasizes individual security selection while diversifying the fund’s investments across industries, which may help to reduce risk. SBFM focuses primarily, but not exclusively, on emerging growth companies that have passed their “start-up” phase and show positive earnings and the prospect of achieving significant profit gains in the two to three years after the fund acquires their stocks.
The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in foreign securities.
9
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio
The fund invests, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities or other investments with similar economic characteristics of medium sized companies. Medium sized companies are those with a market capitalization of at least $1 billion and not exceeding (i) $10 billion or (ii) the highest month-end capitalization value of any stock in the Russell Mid Cap Index for the previous 12 months, whichever is greater. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered to be securities of mid capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy. The size of the companies in, and the composition of, the Russell Mid Cap Index changes with market conditions.
SBFM focuses on medium capitalization companies that exhibit attractive growth characteristics. SBFM selects individual “growth” stocks for investment in two ways: by identifying those companies which exhibit the most favorable growth prospects and by identifying those companies which have favorable valuations relative to their growth characteristics. This strategy is commonly known as “growth at a reasonable price” and offers investors style diversification within a single fund.
The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in foreign securities.
The fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio
The fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal conditions at least 80% of the value of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in high-yield corporate debt obligations and preferred stock of U.S. and foreign issuers or other investments with similar economic characteristics. Up to 20% of the fund’s net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, may be invested in common stock or common stock equivalents, including convertible securities, options, warrants and rights, and/or securities rated higher than Ba by Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. (“Moodys”) and BB by the Standard & Poor’s Division of the McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. (“S&P”). The fund’s equity investments may be made in securities of companies of any size depending on the relative attractiveness of the company and the economic sector in which it operates. Fixed income securities purchased by the fund will generally be lower-rated securities, and may be rated as low as C by Moody’s or D by S&P, or in non-rated income securities that SBFM determines to be of comparable quality. The fund will not purchase securities rated lower than B by both Moody’s and S&P, if, immediately after such purchase, more than 20% of the fund’s total assets are invested in such securities.
The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in securities of foreign issuers that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and may invest without limitation in securities of foreign issuers that are denominated in U.S. dollars.
The fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio
In seeking to achieve its investment objectives, the fund will invest principally in adjustable rate securities and U.S. government securities. Under normal market conditions, the fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in adjustable rate securities, which may include U.S. government securities, or others investments with similar economic characteristics. The fund’s assets not invested in U.S. government securities may be invested in, among other instruments, fixed rate and adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities (“MBSs”), asset-backed securities (“ABSs”) and corporate debt securities rated within the two highest long-term debt categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”), such as those rated Aa by Moody’s or AA by S&P and money market instruments with a comparable short-term rating. Up to 20% of the fund’s total assets may be invested in securities that are unrated but deemed to be of comparable credit quality by SBFM, and up to
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10% of the fund’s total assets may be invested in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities, including MBSs and ABSs issued by foreign entities that are of comparable credit quality. The foregoing policies as to ratings of portfolio securities will be applicable at the time securities are purchased by the fund; if portfolio securities of the fund are subsequently assigned lower ratings, if they cease to be rated or if they cease to be deemed to be comparable, SBFM will reassess whether the fund should continue to hold the securities.
The fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in municipal obligations and in zero coupon securities, including zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities. In addition, the fund may engage in various hedging strategies to increase investment return and/or protect against interest rate changes in an effort to maintain the stability of its net asset value.
Adjustable Rate Securities
The fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in adjustable rate securities (“Adjustable Rate Securities”), consisting principally of MBS and ABS. Adjustable Rate Securities are instruments that bear interest at rates that adjust at periodic intervals at a fixed amount (typically referred to as a “spread”) over the market levels of interest rates as reflected in specified indexes. MBSs are securities that directly or indirectly represent an interest in, or are backed by and are payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property. ABSs are similar in structure to MBSs, except that the underlying asset pools consist of credit card, automobile or other types of receivables, or of commercial loans. MBSs and ABSs are issued in structured financings through which a sponsor securitizes the underlying mortgage loans or financial assets to provide the underlying assets with greater liquidity or to achieve certain other financial goals. The collateral backing MBSs and ABSs is usually held by an independent bailee, custodian or trustee on behalf of the holders of the related MBSs or ABSs. The holder of the related MBSs or ABSs (such as the fund) will have either an ownership interest or security interest in the underlying collateral and can exercise its rights to it through the bailee, custodian or trustee.
Payments of principal of and interest on MBSs and ABSs are made more frequently than are payments on conventional debt securities. In addition, holders of MBSs and of certain ABSs (such as ABSs backed by home equity loans) may receive unscheduled payments of principal at any time representing prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or financial assets. These prepayments may usually be made by the related obligor without penalty. Prepayment rates are affected by changes in prevailing interest rates and numerous economic, geographic, social and other factors. (ABSs backed by assets other than home equity loans do not generally prepay in response to changes in interest rates, but may be subject to prepayments in response to other factors.) Changes in the rates of prepayments will generally affect the yield to maturity of the security.
Among the specific types of MBSs in which the fund may invest are ARMs, which are pass-through mortgage securities collateralized by mortgages with adjustable rather than fixed rates. ARMs eligible for inclusion in a mortgage pool generally provide for a fixed initial mortgage interest rate for either the first 3, 6, 12, 13, 36 or 60 scheduled monthly payments. Thereafter, the interest rates are subject to periodic adjustment based on changes in a designated benchmark index.
Indices. The key determinant of the interest rates paid on Adjustable Rate Securities is the interest rate index chosen (and the spread, above or below the interest rate of the index, required to be paid on the security). Certain indices are tied to the interest rate paid on specified securities, such as one-, three- or five-year U.S. Treasury securities, whereas other indices are more general. A prominent example of a general type of index is the cost of funds for member institutions (that is, savings and loan associations and savings banks) of the Federal Home Loan Bank (the “FHLB”) of San Francisco (the 11th District Cost of Funds Index or “COFI”). A number of factors may affect the COFI and cause it to behave differently from indices tied to specific types of securities. The COFI is dependent upon, among other things, the origination dates and maturities of the member institutions’ liabilities. Consequently, the COFI may not reflect the average prevailing market interest rates on new liabilities of similar maturities, and may not move in the same direction as prevailing interest rates since, as longer term deposits or borrowings mature and are renewed at market interest rates, the COFI will rise or fall depending upon the differential between the prior and the new rates on the deposits and borrowings. In addition,
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in the thrift industry in recent years have caused and may continue to cause the cost of funds of thrift institutions to change for reasons unrelated to changes in general interest rate levels. Any movement in the COFI as compared to other indices based upon specific interest rates may be affected by changes instituted by the FHLB of San Francisco in the method used to calculate the COFI. To the extent that the COFI may reflect interest changes on a more delayed basis than other indices, in a period of rising interest rates any increase may produce a higher yield later than would be produced by the other indices. In a period of declining interest rates, the COFI may remain higher than other market interest rates, which may result in a higher level of principal prepayments on mortgage loans that adjust in accordance with the COFI than mortgage or other loans that adjust in accordance with other indices. In addition, to the extent that the COFI may lag behind other indices in a period of rising interest rates, securities based on the COFI may have a lower market value than would result from use of other indices. In a period of declining interest rates, securities based on the COFI may reflect a higher market value than would securities based on other indices.
The interest rates paid on Adjustable Rate Securities are generally readjusted periodically to an increment over the chosen interest rate index. Such readjustments occur at intervals ranging from one to 36 months. The degree of volatility in the market value of the Adjustable Rate Securities in the fund’s portfolio will be a function of the frequency of the adjustment period, the applicable index and the degree of volatility in the applicable index. It will also be a function of the maximum increase or decrease of the interest rate adjustment on any one adjustment date, in any one year and over the life of the securities. These maximum increases and decreases are typically referred to as “caps” and “floors,” respectively. The fund will not seek to maintain an overall average cap or floor, although SBFM will consider caps or floors in selecting Adjustable Rate Securities for the fund.
The adjustable interest rate feature underlying the Adjustable Rate Securities in which the fund invests generally will act as a buffer to reduce sharp changes in the fund’s net asset value in response to normal interest rate fluctuations. As the interest rates on the mortgages underlying the fund’s MBSs are reset periodically, yields of portfolio securities will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market rates and should cause the net asset value of the fund to fluctuate less dramatically than it would if the fund invested in more traditional long-term, fixed rate debt securities. During periods of rapidly rising interest rates, however, changes in the coupon rate may temporarily lag behind changes in the market rate, possibly resulting in a lower net asset value until the coupon resets to market rates. Thus, investors could suffer some principal loss if they sell their shares of the fund before the interest rates on the underlying mortgages are adjusted to reflect current market rates.
Unlike fixed rate mortgages, which generally decline in value during periods of rising interest rates, the fund’s MBSs will allow the fund to participate in increases in interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of the underlying mortgages, resulting in both higher current yields and lower price fluctuations. In addition, if prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the fund generally will be able to reinvest those amounts in securities with a higher current rate of return. The fund will not benefit from increases in interest rates to the extent that interest rates rise to the point at which they cause the current coupon of Adjustable Rate Securities to exceed the maximum allowable caps. The fund’s net asset value could vary to the extent that current yields on Adjustable Rate Securities are different from market yields during interim periods between the coupon reset dates.
MBSs. Three basic types of MBSs are currently available for investments: (a) those issued or guaranteed by the United States Government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities, primarily consisting of securities either guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) or issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”); (b) those issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by MBSs issued or guaranteed by the United States government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities; and (c) those issued by private issuers that represent an interest in or are collateralized by whole mortgage loans or MBSs without a United States Government guarantee but usually having some form of private credit enhancement.
MBSs and ABSs issued by Nongovernmental Entities. Certain of the MBSs, as well as certain of the ABSs, in which the fund may invest will be issued by private issuers. Such MBSs and ABSs may take a form similar to the
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pass-through MBSs issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States, or may be structured in a manner similar to the other types of MBSs or ABSs described below. Private issuers include originators of or investors in mortgage loans and receivables such as savings and loan associations, savings banks, commercial banks, investment banks, finance companies and special purpose finance subsidiaries of these types of institutions.
Credit Enhancements. Credit enhancements for certain MBSs and ABSs issued by nongovernmental entities typically are provided by external entities such as banks or financial institutions or by the structure of a transaction itself. Credit enhancements provided for certain MBSs and ABSs issued by non-governmental entities typically take one of two forms: (a) liquidity protection or (b) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from default ensures ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool. This protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of these approaches. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information with respect to the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in a security. The fund will not pay any additional fees for credit support, although the existence of credit support may increase the price of a security. SBFM will monitor, on an ongoing basis, the creditworthiness of the providers of credit enhancement for such MBSs and ABSs held by the fund.
Examples of such credit support arising out of the structure of the transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple class securities with one or more classes being senior to other subordinated classes as to the payment of principal and interest, with the result that defaults on the underlying assets are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class), creation of “reserve funds” (in which case cash or investments, sometimes funded from a portion of the payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against future losses) and “overcollateralization” (in which case the scheduled payments on, or the principal amount of, the underlying assets exceeds that required to make payment of the securities and pay any servicing or other fees). The fund may purchase subordinated securities that, as noted above, may serve as a form of credit support for senior securities purchased by other investors.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. The fund may invest in MBSs taking the form of CMOs, which are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities. Typically, CMOs are collateralized by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC certificates, but also may be collateralized by whole loans or private mortgage pass-through securities (this collateral being referred to collectively as “Mortgage Assets”). Multi-class pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of Mortgage Assets. Payments of principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets, and any reinvestment income on the Mortgage Assets, provide the funds to pay debt service on the CMOs or make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through securities. CMOs may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including depository institutions, mortgage banks, investment banks and special purpose subsidiaries of these types of institutions.
In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a “tranche,” is issued at a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of the CMOs on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. The principal of and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the several classes of a CMO series in a number of different ways. Generally, the purpose of the allocation of the cash flow of a CMO to the various classes is to obtain a more predictable cash flow to the individual tranches than exists with the underlying collateral of the CMO. As a general rule, the more predictable the cash flow is on a CMO tranche, the lower the anticipated yield will be on that tranche at the time of issuance relative to prevailing market yields on MBSs.
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Amortization Class CMOs (“PAC Bonds”). Parallel pay CMOs are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, like other CMO structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PAC Bonds are parallel pay CMOs that generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date; the required principal payments on PAC Bonds have the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes.
ABSs. The fund will invest in various types of Adjustable Rate Securities in the form of ABSs. The securitization techniques for ABSs are similar to those used for MBSs; through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations, various types of receivables (such as home equity loans and automobile and credit card receivables) are securitized in pass-through structures similar to the mortgage pass-through structures described above or in a pay-through structure similar to the CMO structure. ABSs are typically bought or sold from or to the same entities that act as primary dealers in U.S. government securities.
Certain of the ABSs in which the fund will invest will be guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The SBA is an independent agency of the United States, and ABSs guaranteed by the SBA carry a guarantee of both principal and interest backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. These ABSs may include pass-through securities collateralized by SBA-guaranteed loans whose interest rates adjust in much the same fashion as described above with respect to ARMs. These loans generally include commercial loans, such as working capital loans and equipment loans. The underlying loans are originally made by private lenders and are guaranteed in part by the SBA, the guaranteed portion of the loans constituting the underlying financial assets in these ABSs. In general, the collateral supporting ABSs is of shorter maturity than mortgage loans and may be less likely to experience substantial prepayments. Like MBSs, ABSs are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. Currently, pass-through securities collateralized by SBA-guaranteed loans and home equity loans are the most prevalent ABSs that are Adjustable Rate Securities.
ABSs are relatively new and untested instruments and may be subject to greater risk of default during periods of economic downturn than other securities, including MBSs, which could result in possible losses to the fund. In addition, the secondary market for ABSs may not be as liquid as the market for other securities, including MBSs, which may result in the fund’s experiencing difficulty in valuing ABSs.
U.S. Government Agencies or Instrumentalities. MBSs issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States Government are generally considered to be of higher quality than those issued or guaranteed by nongovernmental entities.
Government National Mortgage Association. GNMA is a wholly owned corporate instrumentality of the United States Government within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The National Housing Act of 1934, as amended (the “Housing Act”), authorizes GNMA to guarantee the timely payment of the principal of and interest on securities that are based on and backed by a pool of specified mortgage loans. For these types of securities to qualify for a GNMA guarantee, the underlying mortgages must be insured by the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) under the Housing Act, or Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (“FHA Loans”), or be guaranteed by the Veterans’ Administration under the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, as amended (“VA Loans”), or be pools of other eligible mortgage loans. The Housing Act provides that the full faith and credit of the United States Government is pledged to the payment of all amounts that may be required to be paid under any guarantee.
GNMA pass-through MBSs may represent a proportionate interest in one or more pools of the following types of mortgage loans: (a) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (b) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (c) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (d) fixed rate mortgage loans secured by manufactured (mobile) homes; (e) mortgage loans on multifamily residential properties under construction; (f) mortgage loans on completed multifamily projects; (g) fixed rate mortgage loans as to which escrowed funds are used to reduce the borrower’s monthly payments during the early years of the mortgage loans (“buydown” mortgage loans); (h) mortgage loans that provide for adjustments on payments based on periodic changes in interest rates or in other payment terms of the mortgage loans; and (i) mortgage-backed serial notes.
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Federal National Mortgage Association. FNMA is a federally chartered and privately owned corporation established under the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act. FNMA was originally organized in 1938 as a United States Government agency to add greater liquidity to the mortgage market, and was transformed into a private sector corporation by legislation enacted in 1968. FNMA provides funds to the mortgage market primarily by purchasing home mortgage loans from local lenders, thereby providing them with funds for additional lending. FNMA acquires funds to purchase loans from investors that may not ordinarily invest in mortgage loans directly, thereby expanding the total amount of funds available for housing. FNMA guarantees timely payment of principal and interest on FNMA MBSs. The obligations of FNMA are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Nevertheless, because of the relationship between FNMA and the United States, MBSs issued by FNMA are generally considered to be high quality securities with minimal credit risk.
Each FNMA pass-through MBS represents a proportionate interest in one or more pools of FHA Loans, VA Loans or conventional mortgage loans (that is, mortgage loans that are not insured or guaranteed by any government agency). The loans contained in those pools consist of: (a) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (b) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (c) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (d) variable rate mortgage loans; (e) other adjustable rate mortgage loans; and (f) fixed rate mortgage loans secured by multifamily projects.
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. FHLMC is a corporate instrumentality of the United States established by the Emergency Home Finance Act of 1970, as amended (the “FHLMC Act”). FHLMC was organized primarily for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit to finance needed housing. The operations of FHLMC currently consist primarily of the purchase of first lien, conventional, residential mortgage loans and participation interests in mortgage loans and the sale of the mortgage loans in the form of MBSs.
The mortgage loans underlying FHLMC MBSs typically consist of fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans with original terms to maturity of between 10 and 30 years, substantially all of which are secured by first liens on one- to four-family residential properties or multifamily projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set out in the FHLMC Act. Mortgage loans underlying FHLMC MBSs may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans and undivided interests in whole loans and participations in another FHLMC MBS.
FHLMC guarantees (a) the timely payment of interest on all FHLMC MBSs, (b) the ultimate collection of principal with respect to some FHLMC MBSs and (c) the timely payment of principal with respect to other FHLMC MBSs. The obligations of FHLMC are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Nevertheless, because of the relationship of FHLMC to the United States, MBSs issued by FHLMC are generally considered to be high quality securities with minimal credit risk.
U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA is an independent agency of the United States established by the Small Business Act of 1953. The SBA was organized primarily to assist independently owned and operated businesses that are not dominant in their respective markets. The SBA provides financial assistance, management counseling and training for small businesses, as well as acting generally as an advocate of small businesses. The SBA guarantees the payment of principal and interest on portions of loans made by private lenders to certain small businesses. The loans are generally commercial loans such as working capital loans and equipment loans. The SBA is authorized to issue from time to time, through its fiscal and transfer agent, SBA-guaranteed participation certificates evidencing fractional undivided interests in pools of these SBA-guaranteed portions of loans made by private lenders. The SBA’s guarantee of the certificates, and its guarantee of a portion of the underlying loan, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Other Investments of the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio
Fixed Rate MBSs. Fixed rate MBSs in which the fund may invest consist primarily of fixed rate pass-through securities and fixed rate CMOs. Like Adjustable Rate Securities, these fixed rate securities may be
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issued either by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States Government or by the types of private issuers described above. The basic structures of fixed rate MBSs are the same as those described above with respect to Adjustable Rate Securities. The principal difference between fixed rate securities and Adjustable Rate Securities is that the interest rate on the former type of securities is set at a predetermined amount and does not vary according to changes in any index.
Stripped MBSs. The fund may invest in stripped MBSs (“SMBSs”), which are derivative multi-class mortgage-backed securities typically issued by the same types of issuers that issue MBSs. Unlike MBSs, SMBSs commonly involve two classes of securities that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common variety of SMBSs contemplates one class (the principal only or “PO” class) receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the underlying assets, and the other class (the interest only or “IO” class) receiving most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, the IO class receives all of the interest, while the PO class receives all of the principal. Although the fund may purchase securities of a PO class, it is more likely to purchase the securities of an IO class.
Although IO class SMBSs individually have greater market volatility than Adjustable Rate Securities, the fund will seek to combine investments in IOs with other investments that have offsetting price patterns. The value of IOs varies with a direct correlation to changes in interest rates, whereas the value of fixed rate MBSs, like that of other fixed rate debt securities, varies inversely with interest rate fluctuations. Therefore, active management of IOs in combination with fixed rate MBSs is intended to add incremental yield from changes in market rates while not materially increasing the volatility of the fund’s net asset value.
The yield to maturity of an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments in excess of that considered in pricing the securities will have a material adverse effect on an IO security’s yield to maturity. If the underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater-than-anticipated payments of principal, the fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in IOs. The sensitivity of an IO that represents the interest portion of a particular class as opposed to the interest portion of an entire pool to interest rate fluctuations may be increased because of the characteristics of the principal portion to which it relates.
Foreign Securities. The fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities, including MBSs and ABSs issued by foreign entities.
Investments in foreign securities involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. These risks include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions.
Municipal Obligations. The fund may invest up to 5% of its total assets in obligations issued by state and local governments, political subdivisions, agencies and public authorities (“Municipal Obligations”). Any Municipal Obligation that is backed directly or indirectly by U.S. Treasury securities or the full faith and credit of the United States Government will be considered by SBFM to have the highest rating.
Short Sales. The fund may make short sales of securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. The fund may make short sales both as a form of hedging to offset potential declines in securities positions it holds in similar securities and in order to maintain portfolio flexibility.
The fund may make short sales “against the box” without complying with the limitations described above. In a short sale against the box transaction, the fund, at the time of the sale, owns or has the immediate and unconditional right to acquire at no additional cost the identical security sold. This is distinguished from a “naked short,” in which the fund does not own or have the right to acquire the security sold.
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To complete a short sale, the fund must arrange through a broker to borrow the securities to be delivered to the buyer. The proceeds received by the fund from the short sale are retained by the broker until the fund replaces the borrowed securities. In borrowing the securities to be delivered to the buyer, the fund becomes obligated to replace the securities borrowed at their market price at the time of replacement, whatever that price may be. The fund may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable on the securities until they are replaced.
The fund’s obligation to replace the securities borrowed in connection with a short sale will be secured by collateral deposited with the broker, which collateral consists of cash or U.S. government securities. In addition, the fund will place in a segregated account an amount of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities equal to the difference, if any, between (a) the market value of the securities sold at the time they were sold short and (b) any cash or U.S. government securities deposited as collateral with the broker in connection with the short sale (not including the proceeds of the short sale). Until it replaces the borrowed securities, the fund will maintain the segregated account daily at a level such that the amount deposited in the account plus the amount deposited with the broker (not including the proceeds from the short sale) will equal the current market value of the securities sold short and will not be less than the market value of the securities at the time they were sold short.
The fund will not enter into a short sale of securities if, as a result of the sale, the total market value of all securities sold short by the fund would exceed 25% of the value of the fund’s assets. In addition, the fund may not (a) sell short the securities of any single issuer listed on a national securities exchange to the extent of more than 2% of the value of the fund’s net assets or (b) sell short the securities of any class of an issuer to the extent of more than 2% of the outstanding securities of the class at the time of the transaction.
Transactions Involving Eurodollar Instruments. The fund may from time to time purchase Eurodollar instruments traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. These instruments are in essence U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts or options on futures contracts that are linked to the London Inter Bank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings. The fund intends to use Eurodollar futures contracts and options on futures contracts to hedge against changes in LIBOR, to which many interest rate swaps are linked. The use of these instruments is subject to the same limitations and risks as those applicable to the use of the interest rate futures contracts and options on futures contracts described below.
The fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio
The fund operates as a money market fund, and utilizes certain investment policies so that, to the extent reasonably possible, its price per share will not change from $1.00, although no assurance can be given that this goal will be achieved on a continuous basis. For example, the fund will not purchase a security which, after giving effect to any demand features, has a remaining maturity of greater than 13 months, or maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity in excess of 90 days (securities used as collateral for repurchase agreements are not subject to these restrictions).
The fund’s investments are limited to dollar denominated instruments that the Board of Directors determines present minimal credit risks and that are Eligible Securities at the time acquired by the fund. The term Eligible Securities includes securities rated by the “Requisite NRSROs” in one of the two highest short-term rating categories, securities of issuers that have received such ratings with respect to other short-term debt securities and comparable unrated securities. “Requisite NRSROs” means (a) any two NRSROs that have issued a rating with respect to a security or class of debt obligations of an issuer, or (b) one NRSRO, if only one NRSRO has issued such a rating at the time that the fund acquires the security. The NRSROs currently designated as such by
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the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) are S&P, Moody’s, Fitch Inc. and Dominion Bond Rating Service Ltd. See Appendix A for a discussion of the ratings categories of the NRSROs.
The fund may enter into repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities with any broker/dealer or other financial institution that is deemed creditworthy by SBFM, under guidelines approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The fund will not enter into a repurchase agreement on behalf of the fund if, as a result thereof, more than 10% of the fund’s net assets (taken at current value) at that time would be subject to repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
The following are also permitted investments for the fund:
High Quality Commercial Paper. The fund’s purchase of commercial paper is restricted to direct obligations of issuers that at the time of purchase are Eligible Securities that are rated by at least one NRSRO in the highest category for short-term debt securities or comparable unrated securities. The fund may invest without limit in the dollar-denominated commercial paper of foreign issuers.
High Quality Corporate Obligations. Obligations of corporations that are: (1) rated AA or better by S&P or Aa or better by Moody’s or (2) issued by an issuer that has a class of short-term debt obligations that are comparable in priority and security with the obligation and that have been rated in one of the two highest rating categories for short-term debt obligations. The fund will invest in corporate obligations only with remaining maturities of 13 months or less.
Bank Obligations. Obligations (including CDs, bankers’ acceptances and fixed TDs) and securities backed by letters of credit of U.S. banks or other U.S. financial institutions that are members of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) (including obligations of foreign branches of such members) if either: (a) the principal amount of the obligation is insured in full by the FDIC, or (b) the issuer of such obligation has capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million or total assets of $1 billion (as reported in its most recently published financial statements prior to the date of investment). Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one CD is $100,000; therefore, CDs in denominations greater than $100,000 that are purchased by the fund will not be fully insured. The fund currently intends to limit its investment in fixed TDs with an ultimate maturity of from two business days to six months and will invest in such TDs only if, when combined with other illiquid assets of the fund, not more than 10% of its assets would be invested in all such instruments. The fund may also invest in securities of foreign branches of U.S. banks. Such investments involve considerations that are not ordinarily associated with investing in domestic CDs. The fund may invest in instruments issued by domestic banks, including those issued by their branches outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada, and instruments issued by foreign banks through their branches located in the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition, the fund may invest in fixed TDs of foreign banks issued through their branches located in Grand Cayman Island, London, Nassau, Tokyo and Toronto.
The purchase of obligations of foreign banks will involve similar investment and risk considerations that are applicable to investing in obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks. These factors will be carefully considered by SBFM in selecting investments for the fund. See “Risk Factors.”
High Quality Municipal Obligations. Debt obligations of states, cities, counties, municipalities, municipal agencies and regional districts rated SP-1+, A-1, AA or better by S&P or MIG 2, VMIG 2, or Prime-1 or Aa or better by Moody’s or, if not rated, are determined by SBFM to be of comparable quality. At certain times, supply/demand imbalances in the tax-exempt market cause municipal obligations to yield more than taxable obligations of equivalent credit quality and maturity length. The purchase of these securities could enhance the fund’s yield. The fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in municipal obligations.
The fund may, to a limited degree, engage in short-term trading to attempt to take advantage of short-term market variations, or may dispose of a portfolio security prior to its maturity if it believes such disposition advisable or it needs to generate cash to satisfy redemptions. In such cases, the fund may realize a gain or loss.
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As a matter of fundamental policy, the fund may borrow money from banks for temporary purposes but only in an amount up to 10% of the value of its total assets and may pledge its assets in an amount up to 10% of the value of its total assets only to secure such borrowings. The fund will borrow money only to accommodate requests for the redemption of shares while effecting an orderly liquidation of portfolio securities or to clear securities transactions and not for leveraging purposes. The fund may also lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Such loans, if and when made, may not exceed 20% of the fund’s total assets, taken at value.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing investment policies, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in U.S. government securities.
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio
Set forth below is a discussion of certain nonfundamental investment policies and investment strategies for the fund.
The fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation and retention of net investment income. The fund seeks to fulfill this objective by selecting investments, primarily equity securities, that SBFM determines meet its investment screen, based on analysis of data, and, to the extent possible, certain social criteria. SBFM has discretion to determine the source for the data.
The fund normally invests 80% of its assets in equity securities (“80% investment policy”). The portfolio manager generally selects common stocks that are diversified across industries and companies. For defensive purposes or for temporary investment of cash flows, however, the fund may invest in bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness, issued publicly or placed privately, deemed to be of suitable credit quality, including U.S. government securities.
Social Criteria. SBFM uses certain supportive social criteria in seeking common stocks that are acceptable investments for the fund. Supportive criteria are such factors as favorable attitudes toward preserving the environment, waste management strategies, and supportive employee work environments. Companies are avoided as unacceptable investments for the fund if a significant portion of their revenues, as determined by SBFM, is derived from: (1) producing tobacco, tobacco products, alcohol, or military defense systems, or (2) providing military defense related services or (3) gambling services. These investment restrictions are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.
The fund’s principal objective does not preclude it from realizing short-term gains when SBFM believes that conditions suggest the fund’s long-term goal is best accomplished by such short-term transactions. Further, if a company fails to meet the fund’s social criteria after the fund has purchased the company’s common stock, or if the fund inadvertently acquires a security that is not an acceptable investment, SBFM may determine to sell such securities within a reasonable period of time. However, SBFM does not anticipate engaging in active and frequent trading as it generally manages the fund in a “buy and hold” style.
Operating Policies. Changes in the fund’s investments may be made from time to time to take into account changes in the outlook for particular industries or companies. The fund’s investments will not be concentrated in any one industry, which means that no more than twenty-five percent of the value of its assets will be invested in any one industry. While the fund may occasionally invest in foreign securities through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), it is not anticipated that such investments will, at any time, account for more than 10% of its investment portfolio.
The fund’s assets generally are kept fully invested except that: (1) sufficient cash may be kept on hand reasonably to provide for contract obligations, and (2) reasonable amounts of cash, U.S. government or other liquid securities, such as short-term bills and notes, may be held for limited periods, pending investments in
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accordance with its investment policies. When SBFM determines that investments of other types may be advantageous for defensive purposes or for temporary investment of cash flows, however, investments may be made in cash and cash investments, bonds, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness, issued publicly or placed privately, deemed to be of suitable credit quality, including U.S. government securities.
The fund may also invest assets in securities of companies that have operated for less than three years, including the operations of predecessors. The fund has undertaken that it will not make investments that will result in more than 5% of total assets being invested in the securities of newly formed companies and equity securities that are not readily marketable. Investing in securities of unseasoned companies may, under certain circumstances, involve greater risk than is customarily associated with investment in more established companies.
The fund does not intend to make short sales of securities or make purchases on margin, except for short-term credits that are necessary for the clearance of transactions, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.
In pursuing its objective, the fund currently is subject to fundamental investment policies and operating (non-fundamental) investment policies described below under “Investment Restrictions.”
INVESTMENT PRACTICES
Each of the following investment practices is subject to any limitations set forth under “Investment Objectives and Management Policies” or under “Investment Restrictions.” See “Risk Factors” for additional information about the risks of these investment practices.
Equity Securities
Common Stocks (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). Each fund may purchase common stocks. Common stocks are shares of a corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other shareholder or class of shareholders, including holders of the entity’s preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so. Common stocks include securities issued by limited partnerships, limited liability companies, business trusts and companies organized outside the United States.
Convertible Securities (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). Each fund may invest in convertible securities, which are fixed-income securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock. Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both fixed-income and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities.
Like fixed-income securities, convertible securities are investments which provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course, like all fixed-income securities, there can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock. However, there can be no assurance of capital appreciation because securities prices fluctuate.
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Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock of the same issuer. Because of the subordination feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.
Synthetic Convertible Securities (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). Each fund may invest in synthetic convertible securities. Synthetic convertible securities differ from convertible securities in certain respects, including that each component of a synthetic convertible security has a separate market value and responds differently to market fluctuations. Investing in synthetic convertible securities involves the risk normally involved in holding the securities comprising the synthetic convertible security.
Unlike a convertible security, which is a single security, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of distinct securities that together resemble convertible securities in certain respects. Synthetic convertible securities are typically created by combining non-convertible bonds or preferred stocks with warrants or stock call options. The options that will form elements of synthetic convertible securities may be listed on a securities exchange or on Nasdaq or may be privately traded. The components of a synthetic convertible security generally are not offered as a unit and may be purchased and sold by the fund at different times. Synthetic convertible securities differ from convertible securities in certain respects, including that each component of a synthetic convertible security has a separate market value and responds differently to market fluctuations.
Warrants or Rights (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). Warrants or rights may be acquired by each fund in connection with other securities or separately and provide the fund with the right to purchase at a later date other securities of the issuer. Each fund has undertaken that its investment in warrants or rights, valued at the lower of cost or market, will not exceed 5% of the value of its net assets and not more than 2% of such assets will be invested in warrants and rights which are not listed on the American or New York Stock Exchange. Warrants or rights acquired by a fund in units or attached to securities will be deemed to be without value for purposes of this restriction.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). Each fund may invest without limitations in shares of REITs, except for AIM Capital Appreciation which may invest up to 15% of its assets in REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs may also include operating or finance companies. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. Generally, a REIT is not taxed on its income that it distributes to its shareholders provided the REIT complies with several requirements of the Code. A mortgage trust can make construction, development or long-term mortgage loans, which are sensitive to the credit quality of the borrower. Mortgage trusts derive their income from interest payments. Hybrid trusts combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage trusts, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.
Investment Company Securities (each fund). The fund may invest in investment company securities including shares of closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, and open-end investment companies. Investment companies are professionally managed portfolios that may invest in any type of instrument. Investing in other investment companies involves substantially the same risks as investing directly in the underlying instruments, but may involve additional expenses at the investment company level, such as portfolio management fees and operating expenses. The expenses would be in addition to those paid by the fund for similar services. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or a discount to their net asset value. Others are continuously offered at net asset value, but may also be traded in the secondary market. Generally, the fund may purchase and sell securities of open and closed-end investment companies subject to the limits prescribed under the 1940 Act.
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Indexed Securities (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). The fund may purchase securities whose prices are indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indices, currencies, precious metals or other commodities, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities typically, but not always, are debt securities or deposits whose value at maturity or coupon rate is determined by reference to a specific instrument or statistic. Gold-indexed securities, for example, typically provide for a maturity value that depends on the price of gold, resulting in a security whose price tends to rise and fall together with gold prices. Currency-indexed securities typically are short-term to intermediate-term debt securities whose maturity values or interest rates are determined by reference to the values of one or more specified foreign currencies, and may offer higher yields than U.S. dollar-denominated securities of equivalent issuers. Currency-indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed; that is, their maturity value may increase when the specified currency value increases, resulting in a security that performs similarly to a foreign-denominated instrument, or their maturity value may decline when foreign currencies increase, resulting in a security whose price characteristics are similar to a put on the underlying currency. Currency- indexed securities may also have prices that depend on the values of a number of different foreign currencies relative to each other.
The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the security, currency, or other instrument to which they are indexed, and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the United States and abroad. At the same time, indexed securities are subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuer’s creditworthiness deteriorates. Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and certain U.S. government agencies. Indexed securities may be more volatile than the underlying instruments.
Fixed Income Securities
Corporate Debt Obligations (each fund). Each fund may invest in corporate debt obligations and zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions and corporations. Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity. Zero coupon securities are securities sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security.
U.S. Government Securities (each fund). Each fund may invest in U.S. government securities, which are debt obligations issued or guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. Government (including Treasury bills, notes and bonds, certain mortgage participation certificates and CMOs) or by its agencies and instrumentalities and government-approved enterprises (such as GNMA, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Bank for Cooperatives, the Farmers Home Administration, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., the Federal Housing Administration, FHLMC, the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Financing Bank and FNMA). Some of these securities (such as Treasury bills) are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others (such as obligations of the Federal Home Loan Banks) are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the Treasury; while still others (such as obligations of FNMA and the Student Loan Marketing Association) are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality.
Zero Coupon, Pay-In-Kind and Delayed Interest Securities (Smith Barney High Income and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). Each fund may invest in zero coupon, pay-in-kind and delayed interest securities as well as custodial receipts or certificates underwritten by securities dealers or banks that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. government securities. Zero coupon securities pay no cash income to their holders until they mature and are issued at substantial discounts from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return comes from the difference between their purchase price and their maturity value. Zero-coupon and delayed interest securities are issued at a significant discount from their principal amount. While zero-coupon bonds do not require the periodic payment of interest, deferred interest bonds provide for a period of delay before the regular payment of interest begins. Payment-in-kind bonds
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allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. Because interest on zero coupon, pay-in-kind and delayed interest securities is not paid on a current basis, the values of securities of this type are subject to greater fluctuations than are the values of securities that distribute income regularly and may be more speculative than such securities.
Custodial receipts evidencing specific coupon or principal payments have the same general attributes as zero coupon U.S. government securities but are not considered to be U.S. government securities. Although under the terms of a custodial receipt a fund is typically authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the fund may be required to assert through the custodian bank such rights as may exist against the underlying issuer. Thus, in the event the underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, a fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the fund had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying security has been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation, instead of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying security would be reduced in respect of any taxes paid.
Mortgage-Backed Securities (Smith Barney High Income and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). Each fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities, which are securities representing interests in “pools” of mortgage loans. Monthly payments of interest and principal by the individual borrowers on mortgages are “passed through” to the holders of the securities (net of fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the securities) as the mortgages in the underlying mortgage pools are paid off. The average lives of mortgage pass-throughs are variable when issued because their average lives depend on prepayment rates. The average life of these securities is likely to be substantially shorter than their stated final maturity as a result of unscheduled principal prepayments. Prepayments on underlying mortgages result in a loss of anticipated interest, and all or part of a premium if any has been paid, and the actual yield (or total return) to a fund may be different than the quoted yield on the securities. Mortgage prepayments generally increase with falling interest rates and decrease with rising interest rates. Additional payments may be made out of unscheduled repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying residential property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Prepayments of principal on mortgage-backed securities may tend to increase due to refinancing of mortgages as interest rates decline. Like other fixed income securities, when interest rates rise the value of a mortgage pass-through security generally will decline; however, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage pass-through securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities.
Payment of principal and interest on some mortgage pass-through securities (but not the market value of the securities themselves) may be guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (in the case of securities guaranteed by GNMA; or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (such as FNMA or FHLMC which are supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations). Mortgage pass-through securities may also be issued by non governmental issuers (such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers). Some of these mortgage pass-through securities may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees.
Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment that consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by prepayments of principal resulting from the sale, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying property, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage pass-through securities (such as securities issued by GNMA) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgages in the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.
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The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage pass-through securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages. These guarantees, however, do not apply to the market value or yield of mortgage pass-through securities. GNMA securities are often purchased at a premium over the maturity value of the underlying mortgages. This premium is not guaranteed and will be lost if prepayment occurs.
Government-related guarantors (i.e., whose guarantees are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional residential mortgages (i.e., mortgages not insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency) from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally-chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks, credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment by FNMA of principal and interest.
FHLMC is also a government-sponsored corporation owned by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (“PCs”) which represent interests in conventional mortgages (i.e., not federally insured or guaranteed) from FHLMC’s national portfolio. FHLMC guarantees timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal regardless of the status of the underlying mortgage loans. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of mortgage loans. Such issuers may also be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of mortgage loans in these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. A fund may also buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees.
Collateralized mortgage obligations are a type of bond secured by an underlying pool of mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates that are structured to direct payments on underlying collateral to different series of classes of the obligations.
Asset-Backed Securities (Smith Barney High Income, SB Adjustable Rate Income and Smith Barney Money Market Portfolios). Each fund may invest in asset-backed securities. These securities, issued by trusts and special purpose corporations, are backed by a pool of assets, such as credit card and automobile loan receivables, representing the obligations of a number of different parties. Asset-backed securities arise through the grouping by governmental, government-related and private organizations of loans, receivables and other assets originated by various lenders. Interests in pools of these assets differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal paid at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, asset-backed securities provide periodic payments which generally consist of both interest and principal payments.
Corporate asset-backed securities present certain risks. For instance, in the case of credit card receivables, these securities may not have the benefit of any security interest in the related collateral. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a
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risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the related automobile receivables. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities.
Corporate asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors to make payments on underlying assets, the securities may contain elements of credit support which fall into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default ensures payment through insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties. A fund will not pay any additional or separate fees for credit support. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquency or loss in excess of that anticipated or failure of the credit support could adversely affect the return on an instrument in such a security.
Loan Participations, Assignments and Other Direct Indebtedness (Smith Barney High Income Portfolio). The fund may invest a portion of its assets in loan participations (“Participations”) and other direct claims against a borrower. By purchasing a Participation, the fund acquires some or all of the interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a corporate or government borrower. The Participations typically will result in the fund’s having a contractual relationship only with the lender, not the borrower. The fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. Many such loans are secured, although some may be unsecured. Such loans may be in default at the time of purchase. Loans that are fully secured offer the fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.
These loans are made generally to finance internal growth, mergers, acquisitions, stock repurchases, leveraged buy-outs and other corporate activities. Such loans are typically made by a syndicate of lending institutions, represented by an agent lending institution which has negotiated and structured the loan and is responsible for collecting interest, principal and other amounts due on its own behalf and on behalf of the others in the syndicate, and for enforcing its and their other rights against the borrower. Alternatively, such loans may be structured as a novation, pursuant to which the fund would assume all of the rights of the lending institution in a loan, or as an assignment, pursuant to which the fund would purchase an assignment of a portion of a lender’s interest in a loan either directly from the lender or through an intermediary. The fund may also purchase trade or other claims against companies, which generally represent money owed by the company to a supplier of goods or services. These claims may also be purchased at a time when the company is in default.
The fund will acquire Participations only if the lender interpositioned between the fund and the borrower is determined by management to be creditworthy.
Corporate Loans (Smith Barney High Income Portfolio). The fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in corporate loans. Corporate loans are negotiated and underwritten by a bank or syndicate of banks and other institutional investors. The fund may acquire an interest in corporate loans through the primary market by acting as one of a group of lenders of a corporate loan. The primary risk in an investment in corporate loans is that the borrower may be unable to meet their interest and/or principal payment obligations. The occurrence of such default would have an adverse affect on the fund’s net asset value. Corporate loans in which the fund may invest
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may be collateralized or uncollateralized and senior or subordinate. Investments in uncollateralized and/or subordinate loans entail a greater risk of nonpayment than do investments in corporate loans that hold a more senior position in the borrower’s capital structure or that are secured with collateral.
The fund may also acquire an interest in corporate loans by purchasing both Participations in and Assignments of portions of corporate loans from third parties. By purchasing a Participation, the fund acquires some or all of the interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a corporate borrower. The Participations typically will result in the fund’s having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not the borrower. The fund will have the right to receive payments or principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, the fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the Participation. The fund will acquire Participations only if the lender interpositioned between the fund and the borrower is determined by management to be creditworthy. When the fund purchases Assignments from lenders, the fund will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the loan. However, since Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the fund as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigned lender.
In addition, the fund may have difficulty disposing of its investments in corporate loans. The liquidity of such securities is limited and the fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market could have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on the fund’s ability to dispose of particular Assignments or Participations when necessary to meet the fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for corporate loans also may make it more difficult for the fund to assign a value to those securities for purposes of valuing the fund’s investments and calculating its net asset value. The fund’s policy limiting its illiquid securities will be applicable to investments in corporate loans.
Foreign Investments
Depositary Receipts (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). For many foreign securities, there are U.S. dollar-denominated ADRs, which are traded in the United States on exchanges or over the counter and are sponsored and issued by domestic banks. ADRs represent the right to receive securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank or a correspondent bank. Because ADRs trade on United States securities exchanges, they are not generally treated as foreign securities. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are receipts issued by either a U.S. or non-U.S. banking institution evidencing ownership of the underlying foreign securities. EDRs, which sometimes are referred to as Continental Depository Receipts (“CDRs”), are receipts issued in Europe typically by foreign banks and trust companies that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the United States securities markets, and GDRs, EDRs, and CDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. Although investment in the form of ADRs, EDRs or GDRs facilitates trading in foreign securities, it does not mitigate the risks associated with investing in foreign securities. By investing in depositary receipts rather than directly in foreign issuers’ stock, a fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market for many depositary receipts. The information available for depositary receipts is subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards of the domestic market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are more uniform and more exacting that those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.
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Emerging Markets (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth and Smith Barney High Income Portfolios). Emerging market countries include any country determined by the manager or subadviser, as the case may be, to have an emerging market economy, taking into account a number of factors, including the country’s foreign currency debt rating, its political and economic stability and the development of its financial and capital markets. The manager or subadviser determines an issuer’s principal trading market for its securities and the source of its revenues and assets. The issuer’s principal activities generally are deemed to be located in a particular country if: (a) the security is issued or guaranteed by the government of that country or any of its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities; (b) the issuer is organized under the laws of, and maintains a principal office in, that country; (c) the issuer has its principal securities trading market in that country; or (d) the issuer has 50% or more of its assets in that country.
Money Market Securities
Commercial Bank Obligations (each fund). For the purposes of each fund’s investment policies with respect to bank obligations (such as CDs, TDs and bankers’ acceptances), obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing bank, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by government regulation. As with investment in non-U.S. securities in general, investments in the obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may subject a fund to investment risks that are different in some respects from those of investments in obligations of domestic issuers. See “Investment Risks.” Although a fund will typically acquire obligations issued and supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks having total assets at the time of purchase of at least U.S. $500 million (or the equivalent thereof), this U.S. $500 million figure is not a fundamental investment policy or restriction of the funds. For calculation purposes with respect to the U.S. $500 million figure, the assets of a bank will be deemed to include the assets of its U.S. and non-U.S. branches.
Commercial Paper (each fund). Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement involving periodically fluctuating rates of interest under a letter agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an institutional lender, pursuant to which the lender may determine to invest varying amounts. Transfer of such notes is usually restricted by the issuer, and there is no secondary trading market for such notes. Each fund, except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio, therefore, may not invest in a master demand note, if as a result more than 15% of the value of each such fund’s net assets would be invested in such notes and other illiquid securities. Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio may not invest in such notes if more than 10% of the value of its total assets would be invested in such notes and other illiquid securities.
Certificates of Deposit (each fund). Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate can usually be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.
Certificates of deposit are limited to U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of U.S. banks that have at least $1 billion in deposits as of the date of their most recently published financial statements (including foreign branches of U.S. banks, U.S. branches of foreign banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and savings and loan associations that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation).
The Social Awareness Stock Portfolio does not acquire time deposits or obligations issued by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank or the Inter-American Development Bank. Additionally, the fund does not currently intend to purchase such foreign securities (except to the extent that certificates of deposit of foreign branches of U.S. banks may be deemed foreign securities) or purchase certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances or other similar obligations issued by foreign banks.
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Bankers’ Acceptances (each fund). Bankers’ acceptances in which the fund may invest are issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions. Bankers’ acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by the bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset, or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less. Bankers’ acceptances acquired by the fund must have been accepted by U.S. commercial banks, including foreign branches of U.S. commercial banks, having total deposits at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion and must be payable in U.S. dollars.
Letters of Credit (each fund). The funds may also engage in trades of commercial paper and other short-term obligations that are backed by irrevocable letters of credit issued by banks which assume the obligation for payment of principal and interest in the event of default by an issuer. Only banks the securities of which, in the opinion of SBFM, are of investment quality comparable to other permitted investments of the fund may be used for letters of credit-backed investments.
Other Investment Practices
Illiquid and Restricted Securities (each fund). Each fund (except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio) may invest up to 1.5% of its net assets in securities that are restricted as to resale (“restricted securities”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its net assets in such securities. Illiquid securities are those that are not readily marketable within seven days in the ordinary course of business and may include restricted securities that may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) and Rule 144A securities. In most instances restricted securities are traded at a discount from the market value of unrestricted securities of the same issuer until the restriction is eliminated. If the fund sells such portfolio securities, it may be deemed an underwriter, as such term is defined in the 1933 Act, with respect to those sales, and registration of such securities under the 1933 Act may be required. The fund will not bear the expense of such registration. In determining securities subject to the percentage limitation, the fund will include, in addition to restricted securities, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other securities not having readily available market quotations, including options traded over-the-counter and other securities subject to restrictions on resale. Some restricted securities can be offered and sold to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. The Board of Directors may determine, based upon a continuing review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted securities are liquid and therefore not subject to a fund’s restriction on illiquid investments. The Board of Directors has adopted guidelines and delegated to management the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of restricted securities available pursuant to Rule 144A. The Board, however, retains sufficient oversight and is ultimately responsible for the determinations. Since it is not possible to predict with assurance exactly how the market for Rule 144A restricted securities will develop, the Board will carefully monitor each fund’s investments in these securities, focusing on such important factors, among others, as valuation, liquidity and availability of information. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in a fund to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these restricted securities.
Repurchase Agreements (each fund). Each fund may enter into repurchase agreements, wherein the seller agrees to repurchase a security from the fund at an agreed-upon future date, normally the next business day. Approved counterparties are limited to national banks or broker-dealers on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of primary reporting dealers, in each case meeting SBFM’s credit quality standards as presenting minimal risk of default. All repurchase transactions must be collateralized by U.S. government securities with market value no less than 102% of the amount of the transaction, including accrued interest. Repurchase
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transactions generally mature the next business day but in the event of a transaction of longer maturity, collateral will be marked-to-market daily and, when required, the counterparty will provide additional cash or qualifying collateral. The resale price is greater than the purchase price, which reflects the agreed-upon rate of return for the period the fund holds the security and which is not related to the coupon rate on the purchased security. If the seller defaults, realization upon the collateral by the fund may be delayed or limited or the fund might incur a loss if the value of the collateral securing the repurchase agreement declines and might incur disposition costs in connection with liquidating the collateral. It is the policy of each fund (except the Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio) not to invest in repurchase agreements that do not mature within seven days if any such investment together with any other illiquid assets held by a fund amount to more than 15% of that fund’s net assets. The Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio may not invest in such securities if any such investment together with any other illiquid assets held by it amount to more than 10% of its total assets.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Aggressive Growth, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, SB Adjustable Rate Income and Social Awareness Stock Portfolios). Each fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the same parties with whom it may enter into repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements involve the sale of fund securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have the characteristics of borrowing. Since the proceeds of borrowings under reverse repurchase agreements are invested, this would introduce the speculative factor known as “leverage.” The securities purchased with the funds obtained from the agreement and securities collateralizing the agreement will have maturity dates no later than the repayment date. Such transactions are only advantageous if the fund has an opportunity to earn a greater rate of interest on the cash derived from the transaction than the interest cost of obtaining that cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available, and the fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when management believes it will be advantageous to the fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of the participating fund’s assets. The fund’s custodian bank will maintain a separate account for the fund with securities having a value equal to or greater than such commitments.
At the time a fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will establish and maintain a segregated account with an approved custodian containing cash or liquid securities that have a value no less than the repurchase price, including accrued interest. Reverse repurchase agreements will be treated as borrowings and will be considered in the fund’s overall borrowing limitation.
Borrowing and Leverage (each fund). Each fund may borrow from banks, on a secured or unsecured basis. If the fund borrows and uses the proceeds to make additional investments, income and appreciation from such investments will improve its performance if they exceed the associated borrowing costs but impair its performance if they are less than such borrowing costs. This speculative factor is known as “leverage.” Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Aggressive Growth and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios are the only funds that will utilize leverage. Should any fund engage in leverage, immediately after such borrowing the value of its assets, including the amount borrowed, less liabilities, must be equal to at least 300% of the amount borrowed, plus all outstanding borrowings.
“Dollar Roll” Transactions (SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio). The fund may enter into “dollar roll” transactions pursuant to which the fund sells fixed income or mortgage backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar (i.e., same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities. The fund is compensated for the lost interest by the difference between the current sales price and the lower price for the future purchase (often referred to as the “drop”) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The fund may also be compensated by receipt of a commitment fee.
Since the fund will receive interest on the securities in which it invests the transaction proceeds, such transactions may involve leverage. However, since such securities must satisfy the quality requirements of the
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fund and will mature on or before the settlement date on the transaction, management believes that such transactions do not present the risks to the fund that are associated with other types of leverage. Dollar roll transactions are considered borrowings by the fund and will be subject to the fund’s overall borrowing limitation. Dollar roll transactions are considered speculative.
Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the fund may decline below the repurchase price of those securities. At the time that the fund enters into a dollar roll transaction, it will place in a segregated account cash or other liquid securities having a value equal to the repurchase price and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that its value is maintained.
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Securities Lending (each fund). Each fund may seek to increase its net investment income by lending its securities provided such loans are callable at any time and are continuously secured by cash or U.S. government securities equal to no less than the market value, determined daily, of the securities loaned. The fund will receive amounts equal to dividends or interest on the securities loaned. It will also earn income for having made the loan because cash collateral pursuant to these loans will be invested in short-term money market instruments. In connection with lending of securities the fund may pay reasonable finders, administrative and custodial fees. From time to time a fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason, of which SBFM is a wholly-owned subsidiary, or CGMI, one of the fund’s co-distributors, and is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.
Management will limit such lending to not more than the percentages shown below:
| | | |
Fund
| | Limit as a % of Total Assets
| |
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | 15 | % |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | 20 | % |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | 20 | % |
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio | | 33 1/3 | % |
Where voting or consent rights with respect to loaned securities pass to the borrower, management will follow the policy of calling the loan, in whole or in part as may be appropriate, to permit the exercise of such voting or consent rights if the issues involved have a material effect on the fund’s investment in the securities loaned. Apart from lending its securities and acquiring debt securities of a type customarily purchased by financial institutions, none of the foregoing funds will make loans to other persons. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will only be made to borrowers whom management deems to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of management, the interest to be earned from such loans would justify the risk.
By lending its securities, a fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities, by investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or by obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. Each fund will adhere to the following conditions whenever it lends its securities: (1) the fund must receive at least 102% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower, which amount of collateral will be maintained by daily marking to market; (2) the borrower must increase the collateral whenever the market value of the securities loaned rises above the level of the collateral; (3) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned
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securities, and any increase in market value; (5) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (6) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, except that, if a material event adversely affecting the investment in the loaned securities occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the fund’s right to vote the securities.
When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment Securities. Each fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Such transactions arise when securities are purchased or sold by a fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the fund at the time of entering into the transaction. In when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions, delivery of the securities occurs beyond normal settlement periods, but no payment or delivery will be made by a fund prior to the actual delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. A fund will not accrue income with respect to a when-issued or delayed-delivery security prior to its stated delivery date.
Purchasing such securities involves the risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to settlement date. The sale of securities for delayed delivery involves the risk that the prices available in the market on the delivery date may be greater than those obtained in the sale transaction. Each fund’s custodian will maintain, in a segregated account on behalf of the fund, cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities having a value equal to or greater than the fund’s purchase commitments; the custodian will likewise segregate securities sold on a delayed basis. Placing securities rather than cash in the segregated account may have a leveraging effect on the fund’s net asset value per share. To the extent that the fund remains substantially fully invested in securities at the same time that it has committed to purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, greater fluctuations in its net asset value per share may occur than if it had set aside cash to satisfy its purchase commitments.
Short Sales Against the Box (SB Adjustable Rate Income, Smith Barney High Income and Social Awareness Stock Portfolios). Each fund may make short sales of securities in order to reduce market exposure and/or to increase its income if, at all times when a short position is open, the fund owns an equal or greater amount of such securities or owns preferred stock, debt or warrants convertible or exchangeable into an equal or greater number of the shares of the securities sold short. Short sales of this kind are referred to as short sales “against the box.” The broker-dealer that executes a short sale generally invests the cash proceeds of the sale until they are paid to the fund. Arrangements may be made with the broker-dealer to obtain a portion of the interest earned by the broker on the investment of short sale proceeds. The fund will segregate the securities against which short sales against the box have been made in a special account with its custodian.
Derivative Contracts
Futures, Options and Currency Transactions (each fund except Smith Barney Aggressive Growth and Smith Barney Money Market Portfolios). Each fund may enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of equity or fixed-income securities or contracts based on financial indices including interest rates or an index of U.S. government or foreign government securities or equity or fixed-income securities (“futures contracts”), and may buy and write put and call options to buy or sell futures contracts (“options on futures contracts”). A call option written by a fund is “covered” if the fund owns the securities or currency underlying the option or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security or currency without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other securities or currencies held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the fund holds, on a share-for-share basis, a call on the same security or holds a call on the same currency as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or greater than the exercise price of the call written, if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash, Treasury bills or other high-grade, short-term obligations in a segregated account on the fund’s books. When a fund buys or sells a futures contract it incurs a contractual obligation to receive or deliver the underlying instrument (or a cash payment based on the difference between the underlying instrument’s closing price and the price at which the
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contract was entered into) at a specified price on a specified date. An option on a futures contract gives a fund the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date.
Except as noted below the funds will not enter into transactions in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for speculation and will not enter into such transactions other than to hedge against potential changes in interest or currency exchange rates or the price of a security or a securities index which might correlate with or otherwise adversely affect either the value of the fund’s securities or the prices of securities which the fund is considering buying at a later date. The Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core and Smith Barney High Income Portfolios, however, may enter into futures contracts and options on futures contracts for non-hedging purposes consistent with applicable law.
Although futures contracts by their terms call for the delivery or acquisition of the underlying commodities or a cash payment based on the value of the underlying commodities, in most cases the contractual obligation is offset before the delivery date of the contract by buying, in the case of a contractual obligation to sell, or selling, in the case of a contractual obligation to buy, an identical futures contract on a commodities exchange. Such a transaction cancels the obligation to make or take delivery of the commodities. Since all transactions in the futures market are made through a member of, and are offset or fulfilled through a clearinghouse associated with, the exchange on which the contracts are traded, a fund will incur brokerage fees when it buys or sells futures contracts.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) recently eliminated limitations on futures transactions and options thereon by registered investment companies, provided that the investment manager to the registered investment company claims an exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator. Each fund is operated by a person who has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act. As a result of these CFTC rule changes, each fund is no longer restricted in its ability to enter into futures transactions and options thereon under CFTC regulations. Each fund, however, continues to have policies with respect to futures and options thereon as set forth herein. The current view of the staff of the SEC is that a fund’s long and short positions in future contracts as well as put and call options on futures written by it must be collateralized with cash or other liquid securities and segregated with the fund’s custodian or a designated sub-custodian or “covered” in a manner similar to that for covered options on securities and designed to eliminate any potential leveraging.
Writing Covered Call Options (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney High Income, Social Awareness Stock and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). Each fund may write (sell) covered call options. A fund may write (sell) covered call options for hedging purposes or to increase its portfolio return. Covered call options will generally be written on securities and currencies which, in the opinion of management, are not expected to make any major price moves in the near future but which, over the long term, are deemed to be attractive investments for the fund.
A call option gives the holder (buyer) the right to purchase a security or currency at a specified price (the exercise price) at any time until a certain date (the expiration date). So long as the obligation of the writer of a call option continues, he may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which such option was sold, requiring him to deliver the underlying security or currency against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates upon the expiration of the call option, or such earlier time at which the writer effects a closing purchase transaction by purchasing an option identical to that previously sold. Management believes that the writing of covered call options is less risky than writing uncovered or “naked” options, which the funds will not do.
Securities or currencies on which call options may be written will be purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with each fund’s investment objective. When writing a covered call option, a fund, in return for the premium, gives up the opportunity for profit from a price increase in the underlying
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security or currency above the exercise price and retains the risk of loss should the price of the security or currency decline. Unlike one who owns securities or currencies not subject to an option, the fund has no control over when it may be required to sell the underlying securities or currencies, since the option may be exercised at any time prior to the option’s expiration. If a call option which the fund has written expires, the fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium; however, such gain may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying security or currency during the option period. If the call option is exercised, the fund will realize a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security or currency. The security or currency covering the call option will be maintained in a segregated account of the fund’s custodian. Each fund does not consider a security or currency covered by a call option to be “pledged” as that term is used in the fund’s policy which limits the pledging or mortgaging of its assets.
The premium a fund receives for writing a call option is deemed to constitute the market value of an option. The premium the fund will receive from writing a call option will reflect, among other things, the current market price of the underlying security or currency, the relationship of the exercise price to such market price, the historical price volatility of the underlying security or currency, and the length of the option period. In determining whether a particular call option should be written on a particular security or currency, management will consider the reasonableness of the anticipated premium and the likelihood that a liquid secondary market will exist for those options. The premium received by the fund for writing covered call options will be recorded as a liability in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This liability will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value. The liability will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The liability with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the purchase of an identical option in a closing transaction.
Closing transactions will be effected in order to realize a profit on an outstanding call option, to prevent an underlying security or currency from being called, or to permit the sale of the underlying security or currency. Furthermore, effecting a closing transaction will permit a fund to write another call option on the underlying security or currency with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. If the fund desires to sell a particular security or currency from its portfolio on which it has written a call option or purchases a put option, it will seek to effect a closing transaction prior to, or concurrently with, the sale of the security or currency. There is no assurance that the fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price. If the fund cannot enter into such a transaction, it may be required to hold a security or currency that it might otherwise have sold, in which case it would continue to be a market risk with respect to the security or currency.
Each fund will pay transaction costs in connection with the writing of options and in entering into closing purchase contracts. Transaction costs relating to options activity are normally higher than those applicable to purchases and sales of portfolio securities.
Call options written by each fund will normally have expiration dates of less than nine months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the current market values of the underlying securities or currencies at the time the options are written. From time to time, the fund may purchase an underlying security or currency for delivery in accordance with the exercise of an option, rather than delivering such security or currency from its portfolio. In such cases, additional costs will be incurred.
Each fund will realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or more, respectively, than the premium received from the writing of the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security or currency, any loss resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security or currency owned by the fund.
Purchasing Call Options (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney High Income, Social Awareness Stock and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). Each fund may purchase call options. As the holder of a call option, a fund has the right to
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purchase the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire. Call options may be purchased by the fund for the purpose of acquiring the underlying security or currency for its portfolio. Utilized in this fashion, the purchase of call options enables the fund to acquire the security or currency at the exercise price of the call option plus the premium paid. At times the net cost of acquiring the security or currency in this manner may be less than the cost of acquiring the security or currency directly. This technique may also be useful to the fund in purchasing a large block of securities that would be more difficult to acquire by direct market purchases. So long as it holds such a call option rather than the underlying security or currency itself, the fund is partially protected from any unexpected decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency and in such event could allow the call option to expire, incurring a loss only to the extent of the premium paid for the option.
A fund may also purchase call options on underlying securities or currencies it owns in order to protect unrealized gains on call options previously written by it. Call options may also be purchased at times to avoid realizing losses that would result in a reduction of the fund’s current return.
Purchasing Put Options (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney High Income, Social Awareness Stock and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). Each fund may purchase put options. As the holder of a put option, the fund has the right to sell the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire.
Each fund may purchase a put option on an underlying security or currency (a “protective put”) owned by the fund as a hedging technique in order to protect against an anticipated decline in the value of the security or currency. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when the fund, as the holder of the put option, is able to sell the underlying security or currency at the put exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying security’s market price or currency’s exchange value. For example, a put option may be purchased in order to protect unrealized appreciation of a security or currency when management deems it desirable to continue to hold the security or currency. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs would reduce any gains otherwise available for distribution when the security or currency is eventually sold.
Each fund may also purchase put options at a time when the fund does not own the underlying security or currency. By purchasing put options on a security or currency it does not own, the fund seeks to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency. If the put option is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security or currency remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the fund will lose its entire investment in the put option. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security or currency must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs, unless the put option is sold in a closing sale transaction.
The premium paid by a fund when purchasing a put option will be recorded as an asset in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This asset will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value, which will be calculated as described in “Determination of Net Asset Value” in this SAI. The asset will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or the delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The asset with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the writing of an identical option in a closing transaction.
Writing Put Options (SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio). The fund may write put options that give the holder of the option the right to sell the underlying security to the fund at the stated exercise price. The fund will receive a premium for writing a put option, which increases the fund’s return. The fund will write only covered put options, which means that so long as the fund is obligated as the writer of the option it will have placed and
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maintained cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the underlying securities. By writing a put, the fund will be obligated to purchase the underlying security at a price that may be higher than the market value of that security at the time of exercise for as long as the option is outstanding. The fund may engage in closing transactions to terminate put options that it has written.
Options on Securities (each fund except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio). In an effort to reduce fluctuations in net asset value or to increase portfolio return, the funds may write covered put and call options and may buy put and call options and warrants on securities traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges. The purpose of such transactions is to hedge against changes in the market value of portfolio securities caused by fluctuating interest rates, fluctuating currency exchange rates and changing market conditions, and to close out or offset existing positions in such options or futures contracts as described below. A fund may write and buy options on the same types of securities that the fund could buy directly and may buy options on financial indices as described below with respect to futures contracts. There are no specific limitations on the writing and buying of options on securities except as noted above.
A put option gives the holder the right, upon payment of a premium, to deliver a specified amount of a security to the writer of the option on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. A call option gives the holder the right, upon payment of a premium, to call upon the writer to deliver a specified amount of a security on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price.
In purchasing an option, a fund would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the underlying security increased (in the case of a call) or decreased (in the case of a put) by an amount in excess of the premium paid, and would realize a loss if the price of the underlying security did not increase (in the case of a call) or decrease (in the case of a put) during the period by more than the amount of the premium. If a put or call option bought by the fund were permitted to expire without being sold or exercised, the fund would lose the amount of the premium.
Although they entitle the holder to buy equity securities, options to purchase equity securities do not entitle the holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, nor do they represent any rights in the assets of the issuer of those securities.
If a put or call option written by a fund were exercised, the fund would be obligated to buy or sell the underlying security at the exercise price. Writing a put option involves the risk of a decrease in the market value of the underlying security, in which case the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold by the option holder to the fund at a higher price than its current market value. Writing a call option involves the risk of an increase in the market value of the underlying security, in which case the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold by the fund to the option holder at a lower price than its current market value. Those risks could be reduced by entering into an offsetting transaction. The fund retains the premium received from writing a put or call option whether or not the option is exercised.
Each fund may buy or write options in privately negotiated transactions on the types of securities and indices based on the types of securities in which the fund is permitted to invest directly. The fund will effect such transactions only with investment dealers and other financial institutions (such as commercial banks or savings and loan institutions) deemed creditworthy, and only pursuant to procedures adopted by management for monitoring the creditworthiness of those entities. To the extent that an option bought or written by the fund in a negotiated transaction is illiquid, the value of an option bought or the amount of the fund’s obligations under an option written by the fund, as the case may be, will be subject to the fund’s limitation on illiquid investments. In the case of illiquid options, it may not be possible for the fund to effect an offsetting transaction at a time when management believes it would be advantageous for the fund to do so.
Options on Foreign Currencies (Smith Barney High Income, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value and Smith Barney International All Cap Growth
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Portfolios). Each fund may buy put and call options and may write covered put and call options on foreign currencies to hedge against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign currency-denominated securities held by the fund and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign currency-denominated securities being considered for purchase by the fund. As in the case of other options, however, the writing of an option on a foreign currency will constitute only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received, and the fund could be required to buy or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on a foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against fluctuations in exchange rates, although, in the event of rate movements adverse to the fund’s options position, the option may expire worthless and the fund will lose the amount of the premium. There is no specific percentage limitation on each fund’s investments in options on foreign currencies.
A put option on currency gives a fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to sell a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until the expiration of the option. A call option gives the fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until its expiration. The fund might purchase a currency put option, for example, to protect itself during the contract period against a decline in the value of a currency in which it holds or anticipates holding securities. If the currency’s value should decline, the loss in currency value should be offset, in whole or in part, by an increase in the value of the put. If the value of the currency instead should rise, any gain to the fund would be reduced by the premium it had paid for the put option. A currency call option might be purchased, for example, in anticipation of, or to protect against, a rise in the value of a currency in which the fund anticipates purchasing securities.
A fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in foreign currency options is subject to the existence of a liquid market. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. In addition, options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and investments generally.
A position in an exchange-listed option may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for identical options. Exchange markets for options on foreign currencies exist but are relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on the exchanges is subject to maintenance of a liquid secondary market. Closing transactions may be effected with respect to options traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets (currently the primary markets for options on foreign currencies) only by negotiating directly with the other party to the option contract or in a secondary market for the option if such market exists. Although each fund intends to purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option at any specific time. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing transactions with respect to certain options, with the result that the fund would have to exercise those options which it has purchased in order to realize any profit. Any OTC options acquired by a fund and assets used as “cover” for OTC options written by the fund would be considered illiquid and subject to each fund’s limitation on investing in such securities.
Options on Securities Indices (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Social Awareness Stock, Smith Barney Large Cap Value, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth, Smith Barney High Income, SB Adjustable Rate Income, and Smith Barney High Income Portfolios). Each fund may enter into options on securities indices. Through the writing or purchase of index options, a fund can achieve many of the same objectives as through the use of options on individual securities. Options on securities indices are similar to options on a security except that, rather than the right to take or make delivery of a security at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the securities index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Unlike options on securities (which require, upon exercise, delivery of the underlying security), settlements of options on securities indices, upon exercise thereof, are in cash, and the gain or loss of an option on an index depends on price movements in
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the market generally (or in a particular industry or segment of the market on which the underlying index is based) rather than price movements in individual securities, as is the case with respect to options on securities.
When a fund writes an option on a securities index, it will be required to deposit with its custodian eligible securities equal in value to 100% of the exercise price in the case of a put, or the contract’s value in the case of a call. In addition, where the fund writes a call option on a securities index at a time when the contract value exceeds the exercise price, the fund will segregate, until the option expires or is closed out, cash or cash equivalents equal in value to such excess.
Options on securities and index options involve risks similar to those risks relating to transactions in financial futures described below. Also, an option purchased by the fund may expire worthless, in which case the fund would lose the premium paid therefor.
Except as provided below, each fund intends to write over-the-counter options only with primary U.S. government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Also, the contracts which each fund has in place with such primary dealers will provide that each fund has the absolute right to repurchase an option it writes at any time at a price which represents the fair market value, as determined in good faith through negotiation between the parties, but which in no event will exceed a price determined pursuant to a formula in the contract. Although the specific formula may vary between contracts with different primary dealers, the formula will generally be based on a multiple of the premium received by a fund for writing the option, plus the amount, if any, of the option’s intrinsic value (i.e., the amount that the option is in-the-money). The formula may also include a factor to account for the difference between the price of the security and the strike price of the option if the option is written out-of-money. Each fund will treat all or a part of the formula price as illiquid for purposes of the fund’s limit on investment in illiquid securities. Each fund may also write over-the-counter options with non-primary dealers, including foreign dealers, and will treat the assets used to cover these options as illiquid for purposes of the fund’s limit on investment in illiquid securities.
Forward Currency Transactions (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney High Income, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth and Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolios). Each fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward currency contracts”) to attempt to minimize the risk to the fund from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and other currencies. A forward currency contract is an obligation to buy or sell an amount of a specified currency for an agreed-upon price (which may be in U.S. dollars or a foreign currency) at a future date, which is individually negotiated between currency traders and their customers. A fund may enter into a forward currency contract, for example, when it enters into a contract to buy or sell a security denominated in a foreign currency in order to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security (“transaction hedge”). Additionally, when a fund believes that a foreign currency in which its securities are denominated may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, the fund may enter into a forward currency contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the portfolio securities denominated in that currency, or, when the fund believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, the fund may enter into a forward currency contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed U.S. dollar amount (“position hedge”). A fund also may enter into a forward currency contract with respect to a currency where the fund is considering the purchase of investments denominated in that currency but has not yet done so (“anticipatory hedge”). In any of these circumstances the fund may, alternatively, enter into a forward currency contract with respect to a different foreign currency when the fund believes that the U.S. dollar value of that currency will correlate with the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which portfolio securities of, or being considered for purchase by, the fund are denominated (“cross hedge”). Each fund may invest in forward currency contracts with stated contract values of up to the value of the fund’s assets.
The matching of the increase in value of a forward contract and the decline in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the foreign currency denominated asset that is the subject of the hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, a fund may not always be able to enter into foreign currency forward contracts at attractive prices and
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this will limit the fund’s ability to use such contract to hedge or cross-hedge its assets. Also, with regard to the fund’s use of cross-hedges, there can be no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will continue. Thus, at any time poor correlation may exist between movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies underlying the fund’s cross-hedges and the movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which the fund’s assets that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated.
Forward contracts are traded in an interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement and is consummated without payment of any commission. A fund, however, may enter into forward contracts with deposit requirements or commissions.
A fund also may enter into forward contracts to buy or sell at a later date instruments in which the fund may invest directly or on financial indices based on those instruments. The market for those types of forward contracts is developing and it is not currently possible to identify instruments on which forward contracts might be created in the future.
A fund may also enter into currency swaps where each party exchanges one currency for another on a particular date and agrees to reverse the exchange on a later date at a specific exchange rate.
Interest Rate, Securities Index, Financial Futures and Currency Futures Contracts. Each fund may enter into interest rate, securities index and financial futures contracts (each fund except Smith Barney Aggressive Growth and Smith Barney Money Market Portfolios). Smith Barney High Income, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth, Smith Barney Large Cap Value and Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolios may enter into currency future contracts. A fund may enter into futures contracts as a hedge against changes in prevailing levels of interest rates or currency exchange rates in order to establish more definitely the effective return on securities or currencies held or committed to be acquired by the fund. A fund’s hedging may include holding futures as an offset against anticipated changes in interest or currency exchange rates. A fund may also enter into futures contracts based on financial indices including any index of U.S. government securities, foreign government securities or corporate debt securities.
A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument or currency for a specified price at a designated date, time and place. The purchaser of a futures contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the contract (“current contract value”) and the price at which the contract was originally struck. No physical delivery of the debt securities underlying the index is made. Brokerage fees are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained at all times that the futures contract is outstanding.
The principal interest rate and currency futures exchanges in the United States are the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Futures exchanges and trading are regulated under the Commodity Exchange Act by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Futures are traded in London at the London International Financial futures Exchange.
Although techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts could be used to reduce a fund’s exposure to interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations, the fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and at a lower cost through using futures contracts.
Although futures contracts typically require future delivery of and payment for financial instruments or currencies, futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract sale or purchase is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract purchase or sale, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical financial instrument or currency and the same delivery date. If the
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offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits of the underlying financial instrument or currency on the relevant delivery date.
As an example of an offsetting transaction, the contractual obligations arising from the sale of one futures contract of September Treasury Bills on an exchange may be fulfilled at any time before delivery under the futures contract is required (i.e., on a specific date in September, the “delivery month”) by the purchase of another futures contract of September Treasury Bills on the same exchange. In such instance the difference between the price at which the futures contract was sold and the price paid for the offsetting purchase, after allowance for transaction costs, represents the profit or loss to the fund.
Persons who trade in futures contracts may be broadly classified as “hedgers” and “speculators.” Hedgers, whose business activity involves investment or other commitment in securities or other obligations, use the futures markets to offset unfavorable changes in value that may occur because of fluctuations in the value of the securities and obligations held or committed to be acquired by them or fluctuations in the value of the currency in which the securities or obligations are denominated. Debtors and other obligors may also hedge the interest cost of their obligations. The speculator, like the hedger, generally expects neither to deliver nor to receive the financial instrument underlying the futures contract, but, unlike the hedger, hopes to profit from fluctuations in prevailing interest rates or currency exchange rates.
“Margin” with respect to futures contracts is the amount of funds that must be deposited by a fund with a broker in order to initiate futures trading and to maintain the fund’s open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit made when the futures contract is entered into (“initial margin”) is intended to assure the fund’s performance of the futures contract. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin, which may be 5% or less of the value of the futures contract being traded.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin deposit (“variation margin”). If, however, the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, it is anticipated that the broker will pay the excess to the fund. In computing daily net asset values, each fund will mark to market the current value of its open Futures Contracts. Each fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.
Options on Futures Contracts (each fund except Smith Barney Aggressive Growth and Smith Barney Money Market Portfolios). Each fund may enter into options on futures contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on Futures Contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account, which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the securities or currencies upon which the futures contracts are based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.
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As an alternative to purchasing call and put options on futures, each fund may purchase call and put options on the underlying securities or currencies themselves (see “Purchasing Put Options” and “Purchasing Call Options” above). Such options would be used in a manner identical to the use of options on futures contracts.
To reduce or eliminate the leverage then employed by a fund or to reduce or eliminate the hedge position then currently held by the fund, the fund may seek to close out an option position by selling an option covering the same securities or currency and having the same exercise price and expiration date. The ability to establish and close out positions on options on futures contracts is subject to the existence of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will exist at any specific time.
Swaps and Swap-Related Products (Smith Barney International All Cap Growth, Smith Barney High Income and SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolios). As one way of managing its exposure to different types of investments, each fund may enter into interest rate swaps, currency swaps and other types of available swap agreements, such as caps, collars and floors. Swaps involve the exchange by a fund with another party of cash payments based upon different interest rate indexes, currencies, and other prices or rates, such as the value of mortgage prepayment rates. For example, in the typical interest rate swap, a fund might exchange a sequence of cash payments based on a floating rate index for cash payments based on a fixed rate. Payments made by both parties to a swap transaction are based on a principal amount determined by the parties.
A fund may also purchase and sell caps, floors and collars. In a typical cap or floor agreement, one party agrees to make payments only under specified circumstances, usually in return for payment of a fee by the counterparty. For example, the purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the buyer, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a contractually based principal amount from the counterparty selling such interest rate cap. The sale of an interest rate floor obligates the seller to make payments to the extent that a specified interest rate falls below an agreed-upon level. A collar arrangement combines elements of buying a cap and selling a floor.
Swap agreements will tend to shift a fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, if a fund agreed to exchange payments in dollars for payments in foreign currency, in each case based on a fixed rate, the swap agreement would tend to decrease the fund’s exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of a fund’s investments and its share price and yield.
Swap agreements are sophisticated hedging instruments that typically involve a small investment of cash relative to the magnitude of risks assumed. As a result, swaps can be highly volatile and may have a considerable impact on a fund’s performance. Swap agreements are subject to risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform, and may decline in value if the counterparty’s creditworthiness deteriorates. A fund may also suffer losses if it is unable to terminate outstanding swap agreements or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions. Each fund expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. Each fund intends to use these transactions as a hedge and not as a speculative investment. Swap agreements may be individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease a fund’s exposure to long or short-term interest rates (in the U.S. or abroad), foreign currency values, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors such as securities prices or inflation rates. Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names. A fund is not limited to any particular form or variety of swap agreement if management determines it is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and policies.
A fund may enter into swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will usually enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis,
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i.e., the two payment streams are netted with the fund’s receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as these hedging transactions are entered into for good faith hedging purposes, management and each fund believes such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly will not treat them as being subject to its borrowing restrictions. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by its custodian. If a fund enters into a swap agreement on other than a net basis, it will maintain cash or liquid assets with a value equal to the full amount of such fund’s accrued obligations under the agreement. A fund will not enter into any swap, cap, floor or collar transaction unless the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated in the highest rating category of at least one nationally recognized rating organization at the time of entering into such transaction. The most significant factor in the performance of swaps, caps, floors and collars is the change in specific interest rate, currency or other factor that determines the amount of payments to be made under the arrangement. If management is incorrect in its forecasts of such factors, the investment performance of the fund would be less than what it would have been if these investment techniques had not been used. If a swap agreement calls for payments by the fund the fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if the counterparty’s creditworthiness declined, the value of the swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses. If the counterparty defaults, the fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the fund is contractually entitled to receive. Each fund anticipates that it will be able to eliminate or reduce its exposure under these arrangements by assignment or other disposition or by entering into an offsetting agreement with the same or another counterparty. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.
New options and futures contracts and various combinations thereof continue to be developed and a fund may invest in any such options and contracts as may be developed to the extent consistent with its investment objective and regulatory and tax requirements applicable to investment companies.
RISK FACTORS
General. Investors in each fund other than Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio should realize that risk of loss is inherent in the ownership of any securities and that each fund’s net asset value will fluctuate, reflecting the fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions. The following sections describe some of the important risk factors involved in connection with the types of investments or investment practices indicated. See “Investment Objectives and Management Policies” and “Investment Practices” for a description of the permissible investments and investment practices of each fund.
Fixed Income Securities. Investments in fixed income securities may subject the funds to risks, including the following.
Interest Rate Risk. When interest rates decline, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decline. The volatility of a security’s market value will differ depending upon the security’s duration, the issuer and the type of instrument.
Default Risk/Credit Risk. Investments in fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the issuer of the security could default on its obligations, causing a fund to sustain losses on such investments. A default could impact both interest and principal payments.
Call Risk and Extension Risk. Fixed income securities may be subject to both call risk and extension risk. Call risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation earlier than
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scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned earlier than expected. This typically results when interest rates have declined and a fund will suffer from having to reinvest in lower yielding securities. Extension risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation later than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned later than expected. This typically results when interest rates have increased, and a fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yield securities.
Foreign Securities (in general). Investments in foreign securities involve risks that are different in some respects from investments in securities of U.S. issuers, such as the risk of fluctuations in the value of the currencies in which they are denominated, the risk of adverse political, social, economic and diplomatic developments, the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions and, with respect to certain countries, the possibility of expropriation of assets, nationalization or confiscatory taxation or limitations on the removal of funds or other assets of the funds. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Non-U.S. securities markets, while growing in volume, have for the most part substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and there is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S. Dividend and interest income (and, in some cases, capital gains) from non-U.S. securities will generally be subject to withholding or other taxes by the country in which the issuer is located and may not be recoverable by the fund or the investors. There also may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers than domestic issuers, and foreign issuers generally are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to domestic issuers. Delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions in certain foreign markets, and the funds will incur costs in converting foreign currencies into U.S. dollars. Investments in foreign securities also may result in higher expenses due to the costs of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars, the payment of fixed brokerage commissions on foreign exchanges, the expenses of maintaining securities with foreign custodians, the imposition of transfer taxes or transaction charges associated with foreign exchanges or foreign withholding taxes. There is also a risk of the adoption of government regulations that might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on securities held by a fund. In addition, a fund may encounter greater difficulties in invoking legal processes abroad than would be the case in the U.S. Finally, changes in foreign currency exchange rates will, to the extent a fund does not adequately hedge against such fluctuations, affect the value of securities in its portfolio and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments so far as U.S. investors are concerned.
Emerging Markets Securities. Because of the special risks associated with investing in emerging markets, an investment in a fund that invests in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Investors are strongly advised to consider carefully the special risks involved in emerging markets, which are in addition to the usual risks of investing in developed foreign markets around the world.
The risks of investing in securities in emerging countries include: (i) less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading, which result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility; (iii) certain national policies that may restrict the fund’s investment opportunities, including restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; (iv) foreign taxation; and (v) the absence of developed structures governing private or foreign investment or allowing for judicial redress for injury to private property.
Investors should note that upon the accession to power of authoritarian regimes, the governments of a number of emerging market countries previously expropriated large quantities of real and personal property similar to the property which maybe represented by the securities purchased by the funds. The claims of property owners against those governments were never finally settled. There can be no assurance that any property represented by securities purchased by the funds will not also be expropriated, nationalized, or otherwise confiscated at some time in the future. If such confiscation were to occur, the funds could lose a substantial portion or all of their investments in such countries. A fund’s investments would similarly be adversely affected by exchange control regulation in any of those countries.
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Certain countries in which the funds may invest may have vocal minorities that advocate radical religious or revolutionary philosophies or support ethnic independence. Any disturbance on the part of such individuals could carry the potential for widespread destruction or confiscation of property owned by individuals and entities foreign to such country and could cause the loss of the funds’ investment in those countries.
Settlement mechanisms in emerging market securities may be less efficient and reliable than in more developed markets. In such emerging securities markets there may be delays and failures in share registration and delivery.
Investing in emerging markets involves risks relating to potential political and economic instability within such markets and the risks of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property, the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and the repatriation of capital invested. Many emerging market countries have also experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities of certain emerging market countries.
Economies in emerging markets generally are dependent heavily upon international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be affected adversely by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been and may continue to be affected adversely by economic conditions in the countries in which they trade.
The securities markets of emerging countries are substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the securities markets of the United States and other more developed countries. Disclosure and regulatory standards in many respects are less stringent than in the United States and other major markets. There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of emerging securities markets and the activities of investors in such markets, and enforcement of existing regulations has been extremely limited.
In addition, brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs relating to investment in foreign markets generally are more expensive than in the United States, particularly with respect to emerging markets. Such markets have different settlement and clearance procedures. 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. The inability of a fund to make intended securities purchases due to settlement problems could cause it to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of a portfolio security caused by settlement problems could result either in losses to a fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.
The risk also exists that an emergency situation may arise in one or more emerging markets as a result of which trading of securities may cease or may be substantially curtailed and prices for the portfolio securities in such markets may not be readily available. Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act permits a registered investment company to suspend redemption of its shares for any period during which an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC. Accordingly, if a fund believes that appropriate circumstances warrant, it will promptly apply to the SEC for a determination that an emergency exists within the meaning of Section 22(a) of the 1940 Act. During the period commencing from a fund’s identification of such conditions until the date of SEC action, the portfolio securities in the affected markets will be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). As part of EMU, on January 1, 1999 11 European countries adopted a single common currency—the euro. Budgetary decisions remain in the hands of each participating country, but are subject to each country’s commitment to avoid “excessive deficits” and other more specific budgetary criteria. The European Central Bank is responsible for setting the official interest rate within the euro
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zone. EMU may create new economic opportunities for investors, such as easier cross-border mergers, acquisitions and similar restructurings, more efficient distribution and product packaging and greater competition; however, EMU and the introduction of the euro present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EMU-participating countries, including: (i) monetary and economic union on this scale has never before been attempted; (ii) there is uncertainty whether participating countries will remain committed to EMU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EMU may increase the volatility of European markets and may adversely affect the prices of securities of European issuers in the funds’ portfolios; (iv) there is uncertainty concerning the fluctuation of the euro relative to non-euro currencies; and (v) there is no assurance that interest rate, tax and labor regimes of EMU-participating countries will converge over time. These and other factors may cause market disruption and could adversely affect European securities and currencies held by the funds.
Sovereign Debt. Investments in the sovereign debt of foreign countries involve special risks. The issuer of the debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. Periods of economic uncertainty may result in the volatility of market prices of sovereign debt obligations, and in turn a fund’s net asset value, to a greater extent than the volatility inherent in domestic fixed income securities.
A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and pay interest in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward principal international lenders and the political constraints to which a sovereign debtor may be subject. Emerging market governments could default on their sovereign debt. Such sovereign debtors also may be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and other entities abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a sovereign debtor’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations.
Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts.
The occurrence of political, social or diplomatic changes in one or more of the countries issuing sovereign debt could adversely affect a fund’s investments. Emerging markets are faced with social and political issues and some of them have experienced high rates of inflation in recent years and have extensive internal debt. Among other effects, high inflation and internal debt service requirements may adversely affect the cost and availability of future domestic sovereign borrowing to finance governmental programs, and may have other adverse social, political and economic consequences. Political changes or a deterioration of a country’s domestic economy or balance of trade may affect the willingness of countries to service their sovereign debt. Although management intends to manage each fund in a manner that will minimize the exposure to such risks, there can be no assurance that adverse political changes will not cause a fund to suffer a loss of interest or principal on any of its holdings.
In recent years, some of the emerging market countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their sovereign debt obligations. Some of these countries have withheld payments of interest and/or principal of sovereign debt. These difficulties have also led to agreements to restructure external debt obligations in particular, commercial bank loans, typically by rescheduling principal payments, reducing interest rates and extending new credits to finance interest payments on existing debt. In the future, holders of emerging market sovereign debt securities may be requested to participate in similar rescheduling of such debt. Certain emerging market countries are among the largest debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. Currently, Brazil, Russia and Mexico are among the largest debtors among developing countries. At times certain emerging market countries have declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on external debt; such a moratorium is currently in effect in certain emerging market countries. There is no bankruptcy proceeding by which a creditor may collect in whole or in part sovereign debt on which an emerging market government has defaulted.
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The ability of emerging market governments to make timely payments on their sovereign debt securities is likely to be influenced strongly by a country’s balance of trade and its access to trade and other international credits. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities could be vulnerable to a decline in the international prices of one or more of such commodities. Increased protectionism on the part of a country’s trading partners could also adversely affect its exports. Such events could diminish a country’s trade account surplus, if any. To the extent that a country receives payments for its exports in currencies other than hard currencies, its ability to make hard currency payments could be affected.
As noted above, sovereign debt obligations issued by emerging market governments generally are deemed to be the equivalent in terms of quality to securities rated below investment grade by Moody’s and S&P. Such securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk exposure to adverse conditions. Some of such securities, with respect to which the issuer currently may not be paying interest or may be in payment default, may be comparable to securities rated D by S&P or C by Moody’s. The funds may have difficulty disposing of and valuing certain sovereign debt obligations because there may be a limited trading market for such securities. Because there is no liquid secondary market for many of these securities, each fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors.
Currency Risks. The funds that invest substantially in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, or that hold foreign currencies, will be affected favorably or unfavorably by exchange control regulations or changes in the exchange rates between such currencies and the U.S. dollar. Changes in currency exchange rates will influence the value of each fund’s shares and also may affect the value of dividends and interest earned by the funds and gains and losses realized by the funds. Currencies generally are evaluated on the basis of fundamental economic criteria (e.g., relative inflation and interest rate levels and trends, growth rate forecasts, balance of payments status and economic policies) as well as technical and political data. The exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and other currencies are determined by supply and demand in the currency exchange markets, the international balance of payments, governmental intervention, speculation and other economic and political conditions. If the currency in which a security is denominated appreciates against the U.S. dollar, the dollar value of the security will increase. Conversely, a decline in the exchange rate of the currency would adversely affect the value of the security expressed in U.S. dollars.
Real Estate Investment Trusts. The values of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation, the possibility of failing to qualify for the ability to avoid tax by satisfying distribution requirements under the Code, and failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act. Also, a fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses incurred by REITs in which the fund invests. REITs are also sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values and property taxes, interest rates, overbuilding and creditworthiness of the issuer.
Zero Coupon, Pay-In-Kind and Delayed Interest Securities. The values of these securities may be highly volatile as interest rates rise or fall. In addition, a fund’s investments in zero coupon, pay-in-kind and delayed interest securities will result in special tax consequences. Although zero coupon securities do not make interest payments, for tax purposes, a portion of the difference between a zero coupon security’s stated redemption price at maturity and its issue price is taxable income of the fund each year.
The value of zero coupon bonds is subject to greater fluctuation in market value in response to changes in market interest rates than bonds of comparable maturity which pay interest currently. Both zero coupon and payment-in-kind bonds allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments. Accordingly, such bonds may involve greater credit risks than bonds that pay interest currently. Even though such bonds do not pay current interest in cash, a fund is nonetheless required to accrue interest income on such investments and to distribute such amounts at least annually to shareholders. Accordingly, for a fund to continue to qualify for tax treatment as a regulated investment company and to avoid income and possibly excise tax, the
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fund may be required to distribute as a dividend an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash it actually receives. These distributions must be made from the fund’s cash assets or, if necessary, from the proceeds of sales of portfolio securities. The fund will not be able to purchase additional income-producing securities with cash used to make such distributions and its current income ultimately may be reduced as a result.
Ratings Categories. General. In general, the ratings of NRSROs represent the opinions of these organizations as to the quality of securities that they rate. Such ratings, however, are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality and do not evaluate the market value risk of the securities. It is possible that a NRSRO might not change its rating of a particular issue to reflect subsequent events. These ratings may be used by a fund as initial criteria for the selection of portfolio securities, but each fund also will rely upon the independent advice of its manager or subadviser, as the case may be, to evaluate potential investments. Management will take various factors into consideration in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issue, whether rated or non-rated. These factors may include, among others, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, the operating history of and the community support for the facility financed by the issue, the capabilities of the issuer’s management, and regulatory matters.
Investment Grade Categories. Fixed income securities rated in the highest four ratings categories for long-term debt by a NRSRO are considered “investment grade.” Obligations rated in the lowest of the top four ratings (e.g., Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P) are considered to have some speculative characteristics. Unrated securities will be considered to be investment grade if deemed by the manager or subadviser to be comparable in quality to instruments so rated, or if other outstanding obligations of the issuer of such securities are rated Baa/ BBB or better. For a description of the ratings, see Appendix A.
Lower-Rated and Non-Rated Securities. The funds that may invest in debt securities rated below investment grade are subject to special risks, including a greater risk of loss of principal and non-payment of interest. An investor should carefully consider the following factors before investing in these funds.
Generally, lower-quality securities offer a higher return potential than investment grade securities but involve greater volatility of price and greater risk of loss of income and principal, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities. Lower-quality securities and comparable non-rated securities will likely have large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions and are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. The occurrence of adverse conditions and uncertainties would likely reduce the value of securities held by a fund, with a commensurate effect on the value of the fund’s shares.
The markets in which lower-quality securities or comparable non-rated securities are traded generally are more limited than those in which higher-quality securities are traded. The existence of limited markets for these securities may restrict the availability of securities for a fund to purchase and also may restrict the ability of a fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing securities and calculating net asset value or to sell securities at their fair value. An economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of issuers of lower-quality securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon.
While the market values of lower-quality securities and comparable non-rated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of investment grade securities, the market values of certain of these securities also tend to be more sensitive to individual corporate developments and changes in economic conditions than higher-quality securities. In addition, lower-quality securities and comparable non-rated securities generally present a higher degree of credit risk. Issuers of lower-quality securities and comparable non-rated securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. The risk of loss due to default by such issuers is significantly greater because lower-quality securities and comparable non-rated securities generally are unsecured and frequently are subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. A fund may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.
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Securities of Unseasoned Issuers. The issuers of these securities may lack a significant operating history and be dependent on products or services without an established market share.
Borrowing and Leverage. Leverage creates an opportunity for increased returns to shareholders of a fund but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leverage may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of a fund’s shares and in the fund’s yield. Although the principal or stated value of such borrowings will be fixed, the fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. By leveraging the fund, changes in net asset values, higher or lower, may be greater in degree than if leverage was not employed. Leverage will create interest or dividend expenses for a fund which can exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income or other gain derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest and other charges the fund will have to pay in respect thereof, the fund’s net income or other gain will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income or other gain from the incremental assets is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the net income or other gain of the fund will be less than if leverage had not been used. If the amount of income from the incremental securities is insufficient to cover the cost of borrowing, securities might have to be liquidated to obtain required funds. Depending on market or other conditions, such liquidations could be disadvantageous to a fund.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by a fund may decline below the price of the securities the fund has sold but is obliged to repurchase. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreements may effectively be restricted pending such decision.
Loan Participations or Assignments. The funds may have difficulty disposing of assignments and loan participations. The liquidity of such securities is limited, and each fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market could have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on each fund’s ability to dispose of particular assignments or participations when necessary to meet the fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for the fund to assign a value to those securities for purposes of valuing the fund’s portfolio securities and calculating its net asset value.
Certain of the loan participations acquired by a fund may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing commitments which obligate the fund to pay additional cash on a certain date or on demand. These commitments may have the effect of requiring a fund to increase its investment in a company at a time when it might not otherwise decide to do so (including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that a fund is committed to advance additional funds, it will at all times hold and maintain in a segregated account cash or other high grade debt obligations in an amount sufficient to meet such commitments. A fund’s ability to receive payments of principal, interest and other amounts due in connection with these investments will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. In selecting the loan participations and other direct investments which a fund will purchase, management will rely upon its own credit analysis (and not that of the original lending institution) of the borrower. As a fund may be required to rely upon another lending institution to collect and pass on to it amounts payable with respect to the loan and to enforce its rights under the loan, an insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the lending institution may delay or prevent a fund from receiving such amounts. In such cases, a fund will evaluate as well the creditworthiness of the lending institution and will treat both the borrower and the lending institution as an “issuer” of the loan participation for purposes of certain investment restrictions pertaining to the diversification of the fund’s portfolio investments. In connection with purchasing participations, a fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and a fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, a fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation.
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The highly leveraged nature of many such loans may make such loans especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Investments in such loans may involve additional risks to a fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, a fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, a fund could be held liable as a co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protection against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, each fund relies on management’s research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the fund. In addition, loan participations and other direct investments may not be in the form of securities or may be subject to restrictions on transfer, and only limited opportunities may exist to resell such instruments. As a result, a fund may be unable to sell such investments at an opportune time or may have to resell them at less than fair market value. To the extent that management determines that any such investments are illiquid, a fund will include them in the limitations on investments in illiquid securities described below under “Investment Restrictions.”
Derivative Instruments. In accordance with its investment policies, a fund may invest in certain derivative instruments, which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties (and not a true security like a stock or a bond). Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments. A derivative instrument is more accurately viewed as a way of reallocating risk among different parties or substituting one type of risk for another. Every investment by a fund, including an investment in conventional securities, reflects an implicit prediction about future changes in the value of that investment. Every fund investment also involves a risk that the portfolio managers’ expectations will be wrong. Transactions in derivative instruments often enable a fund to take investment positions that more precisely reflect the portfolio managers’ expectations concerning the future performance of the various investments available to the fund. Derivative instruments can be a legitimate and often cost-effective method of accomplishing the same investment goals as could be achieved through other investments in conventional securities.
Derivative contracts include options, futures contracts, forward contracts, forward commitment and when-issued securities transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate, mortgage and currency swaps. The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments.
Market risk: The risk that the instrument will decline in value or that an alternative investment would have appreciated more, but this is no different from the risk of investing in conventional securities.
Leverage and associated price volatility: Leverage causes increased volatility in the price and magnifies the impact of adverse market changes, but this risk may be consistent with the investment objective of even a conservative fund in order to achieve an average portfolio volatility that is within the expected range for that type of fund.
Credit risk: The issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal.
Liquidity and valuation risk: Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Nevertheless, many derivative instruments are actively traded and can be priced with as much accuracy as conventional securities. Derivative instruments that are custom designed to meet the specialized investment needs of a relatively narrow group of institutional investors such as the funds are not readily marketable and are subject to a fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments.
Correlation risk: There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.
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Each derivative instrument purchased for a fund’s portfolio is reviewed and analyzed by the fund’s portfolio managers to assess the risk and reward of each such instrument in relation the fund’s portfolio investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the fund and its shareholders.
Special Investment Considerations and Risks With Respect to Futures, Options and Currency Transactions and Swaps and Swap-Related Products. The successful use of the investment practices described above with respect to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts, options on securities and on foreign currencies, and swaps and swap-related products draws upon skills and experience which are different from those needed to select the other instruments in which a fund invests. Should interest or exchange rates or the prices of securities or financial indices move in an unexpected manner, a fund may not achieve the desired benefits of futures, options, swaps and forwards or may realize losses and thus be in a worse position than if such strategies had not been used. Unlike many exchange-traded futures contracts and options on futures contracts, there are no daily price fluctuation limits with respect to options on currencies, forward contracts and other negotiated or over-the-counter instruments, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. In addition, the correlation between movements in the price of the securities and currencies hedged or used for cover will not be perfect and could produce unanticipated losses.
With respect to interest rate swaps, each fund recognizes that such arrangements are relatively illiquid and will include the principal amount of the obligations owed to it under a swap as an illiquid security for purposes of the fund’s investment restrictions except to the extent a third party (such as a large commercial bank) has guaranteed the fund’s ability to offset the swap at any time.
A fund’s ability to dispose of its positions in the foregoing instruments will depend on the availability of liquid markets in the instruments. Markets in a number of the instruments are relatively new and still developing, and it is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in those instruments in the future. Particular risks exist with respect to the use of each of the foregoing instruments and could result in such adverse consequences to the fund as the possible loss of the entire premium paid for an option bought by the fund, and the inability of the fund, as the writer of a covered call option, to benefit from the appreciation of the underlying securities above the exercise price of the option. As a result, no assurance can be given that the fund will be able to use those instruments effectively for the purposes set forth above.
In connection with its transactions in futures, options, swaps and forwards, each fund may be required to place assets in a segregated account with the fund’s custodian bank to ensure that the fund will be able to meet its obligations under these instruments. Assets held in a segregated account generally may not be disposed of for so long as the fund maintains the positions giving rise to the segregation requirement. Segregation of a large percentage of the fund’s assets could impede implementation of the fund’s investment policies or the fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Particular Risks of Futures Contracts. The prices of futures contracts are volatile and are influenced, among other things, by actual and anticipated changes in interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events.
At best, the correlation between changes in prices of futures contracts and of the securities or currencies being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for futures and for debt securities or currencies, including technical influences in futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard futures contracts available for trading, with respect to interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.
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Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as well as gain, to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the futures contract were then closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract. The fund, however, would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline.
Furthermore, in the case of a futures contract purchase, in order to be certain that a fund has sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a futures contract, the fund sets aside and commits to back the futures contract an amount of cash, U.S. government securities and other liquid, high-grade debt securities equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit. In the case of a futures contract sale, a fund will either set aside amounts as in the case of a futures contract purchase, own the security underlying the contract, or hold a call option permitting the fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the contract price. Assets used as cover cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding futures contract is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a significant portion of the fund’s assets to cover could impede portfolio management or the fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Most United States futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.
Mortgage-Backed Securities. To the extent a fund purchases mortgage-related securities at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and prepayments of principal (which may be made at any time without penalty) may result in some loss of the fund’s principal investment to the extent of the premium paid. The yield generated by a fund that invests in mortgage-related securities may be affected by reinvestment of prepayments at higher or lower rates than the original investment. In addition, like other debt securities, the values of mortgage-related securities, including government and government related mortgage pools, generally will fluctuate in response to market interest rates.
Other Asset-Backed Securities. The estimated life of an asset-backed security varies with the prepayment experience with respect to the underlying debt instruments. The rate of such prepayments, and hence the life of an asset-backed security, will be primarily a function of current market interest rates, although other economic and demographic factors may be involved. For example, falling interest rates generally result in an increase in the rate of prepayments of mortgage loans, while rising interest rates generally decrease the rate of prepayments. An acceleration in prepayments in response to sharply falling interest rates will shorten the security’s average maturity and limit the potential appreciation in the security’s value relative to a conventional debt security. Consequently, asset-backed securities are not as effective in locking in high long-term yields. Conversely, in periods of sharply rising rates, prepayments generally slow, increasing the security’s average life and its potential for price depreciation.
Adjustable Rate Securities. The types of securities in which the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio will invest have certain unique attributes that warrant special consideration or that present risks that may not exist in other types of mutual fund investments. Some of these risks and special considerations are peculiar to Adjustable Rate Securities whereas others, most notably the risk of prepayments, pertain to the characteristics of MBSs or ABSs generally.
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Payments of principal of and interest on MBSs and ABSs are made more frequently than are payments on conventional debt securities. In addition, holders of MBSs and of certain ABSs (such as ABSs backed by home equity loans) may receive unscheduled payments of principal at any time, representing prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans or financial assets. When the holder of the security attempts to reinvest prepayments or even the scheduled payments of principal and interest, it may receive a rate of interest that is higher or lower than the rate on the MBS or ABS originally held. To the extent that MBSs or ABSs are purchased by the fund at a premium, mortgage foreclosures and principal prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If MBSs or ABSs are bought at a discount, however, both scheduled payments of principal and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and will accelerate the recognition of income which, when distributed to shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. SBFM will consider remaining maturities or estimated average lives of MBSs and ABSs in selecting them for the fund.
ABSs may present certain risks not relevant to MBSs. Although ABSs are a growing sector of the financial markets, they are relatively new instruments and may be subject to a greater risk of default during periods of economic downturn than MBSs. In addition, assets underlying ABSs such as credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and debtors are entitled to the protection of various state and federal consumer protection laws, some of which provide a right of set-off that may reduce the balance owed. Finally, the market for ABS may not be as liquid as that for MBSs.
The interest rate reset features of Adjustable Rate Securities held by the fund will reduce the effect on the net asset value of fund shares caused by changes in market interest rates. The market value of Adjustable Rate Securities and, therefore, the fund’s net asset value, however, may vary to the extent that the current interest rate on the securities differs from market interest rates during periods between interest reset dates. The longer the adjustment intervals on Adjustable Rate Securities held by the fund, the greater the potential for fluctuations in the fund’s net asset value.
Investors in the fund will receive increased income as a result of upward adjustments of the interest rates on Adjustable Rate Securities held by the fund in response to market interest rates. The fund and its shareholders will not benefit, however, from increases in market interest rates once those rates rise to the point at which they cause the rates on the Adjustable Rate Securities to reach their maximum adjustment rate, annual or lifetime caps. Because of their interest rate adjustment feature, Adjustable Rate Securities are not an effective means of “locking-in” attractive rates for periods in excess of the adjustment period. In addition, mortgagors on loans underlying MBSs with respect to which the underlying Mortgage Assets carry no agency or instrumentality guarantee are often qualified for the loans on the basis of the original payment amounts; the mortgagor’s income may not be sufficient to enable it to continue making its loan payments as the payments increase, resulting in a greater likelihood of default.
Any benefits to the fund and its shareholders from an increase in the fund’s net asset value caused by declining market interest rates are reduced by the potential for increased prepayments and a decline in the interest rates paid on Adjustable Rate Securities held by the fund. When market rates decline significantly, the prepayment rate on Adjustable Rate Securities is likely to increase as borrowers refinance with fixed rate mortgage loans, thereby decreasing the capital appreciation potential of Adjustable Rate Securities. As a result, the fund should not be viewed as consistent with an objective of seeking capital appreciation.
Options and Futures Markets. Participation in the options or futures markets involves investment risks and transaction costs to which the fund would not be subject absent the use of these strategies. If SBFM’s predictions of movements in the direction of the securities and interest rate markets are not accurate, the adverse consequences to the fund may leave the fund in a worse position than if options or futures strategies were not used. Risks inherent in the use of options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts include: (a) dependence on SBFM’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of interest rates and securities prices; (b) imperfect correlation between the price of options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and movements in the prices of the securities being hedged; and (c) the skills needed to use these
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strategies being different from those needed to select portfolio securities. In addition, positions in futures contracts and options on futures contracts may be closed out only on the exchange or board of trade on which they were entered into, and no assurance can be given that an active market will exist for a particular contract or option at a particular time.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The funds have adopted policies and procedures developed by CAM, the business unit that includes the funds’ investment manager, with respect to the disclosure of the funds’ portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about each fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about any fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of such fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of SBFM, the funds’ distributors or their affiliates be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding a fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-CAM employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.
CAM’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. CAM believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.
Under the policy, a fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-CAM employees with simultaneous public disclosure month-end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a CAM or the funds’ Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.
The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:
1. A fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.
2. A fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.
3. A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.
4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).
5. A fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g. analysis of the fund’s out performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.
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6. A fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Non-Interested Directors, and its independent public accountants, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.
Under the policy, if information about a fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, a fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither a fund, CAM, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about a fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by a fund’s Board.
The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with CAM’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to a fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
Each fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after month-end on the Manager’s website, www.citigroupam.com.
Set forth below is a list, as of October 1, 2005, of those parties with whom CAM, on behalf of a fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.
| | | | |
Recipient
| | Frequency
| | Delay Before Dissemination
|
| | |
State Street Bank & Trust Co., (Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent) | | Daily | | None |
Institutional Shareholders Services, (Proxy Voting Services) | | As necessary | | None |
Bloomberg | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Lipper | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
S&P | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Morningstar | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Vestek | | Daily | | None |
Factset | | Daily | | None |
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Portfolio holdings information for a fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:
| | | | |
Baseline | | Daily | | None |
Frank Russell | | Monthly | | 1 Day |
Callan | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Mercer | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
eVestment Alliance | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
CRA RogersCasey | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Cambridge Associates | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Marco Consulting | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Wilshire | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Informa Investment | | | | |
Services (Efron) | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
CheckFree (Mobius) | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Nelsons Information | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Investors Tools | | Daily | | None |
Advent | | Daily | | None |
BARRA | | Daily | | None |
Plexus | | Quarterly | | Sent the 1-3 business day following the end of a Quarter |
Elkins/McSherry | | Quarterly (Calendar) | | Sent the first business day following the end of a Quarter |
Quantitative Services Group | | Daily | | None |
AMBAC | | Daily | | None |
Deutsche Bank | | Monthly | | Sent 6-8 business days following month end |
Fitch | | Monthly | | Sent 6-8 business days following month end |
Liberty Hampshire | | Weekly and Month End | | None |
Sun Trust | | Weekly and Month End | | None |
New England Pension Consultants | | Quarterly | | 25 Days after Quarter End |
Evaluation Associates | | Quarterly | | 25 days after Quarter End |
Watson Wyatt | | Quarterly | | 25 days after Quarter End |
Moody’s | | Weekly Tuesday Night | | 1 business day |
S&P | | Weekly Tuesday Night | | 1 business day |
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS
The funds have adopted the following investment restrictions and policies that are “fundamental” and cannot be changed without the approval of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the fund affected by the change, as defined under the 1940 Act (see “Other Information about the Company—Voting Rights”). Following the list of each fund’s fundamental investment restrictions which is set forth below is a list of other policies or restrictions that are not fundamental. Investment policies and restrictions that are not fundamental may be changed by the Company’s Board of Directors without shareholder approval. If a fund adheres to a percentage restriction at the time of an investment by the fund, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting solely from a change in values of portfolio securities or amount of total or net assets will not be considered a violation of such percentage restriction.
Each of the Smith Barney International All Cap Growth and Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolios may not:
1. Invest in a manner that would cause it to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2. Invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities, the issuers of which conduct their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government
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(including its agencies and instrumentalities) and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
3. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent the fund from (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options on currencies to the extent consistent with the funds’ investment objective and policies); or (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
4. With respect to Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio, borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), the fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed), is derived from such transactions.
5. With respect to Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio, borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks under certain circumstances where the fund’s Manager reasonably believes that (i) the cost of borrowing and related expenses will be exceeded by the fund’s return from investments of the proceeds of the borrowing in fund securities, or (ii) the meeting of redemption requests might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of the value of the fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques.
6. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which the fund may invest consistent with its investment objectives and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
7. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in disposing of portfolio securities.
8. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
Notwithstanding any other investment restriction of Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio or Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio, each such fund may invest all of its investable assets in an open-end management investment company having the same investment objective and restrictions as the fund.
In addition, the following nonfundamental policies have also been adopted by Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio and Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio. Each fund may not:
1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.
55
2. Have more than 15% of its net assets invested in puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof.
3. Purchase oil, gas or other mineral leases, rights or royalty contracts or exploration or development programs, except that the fund may invest in the securities of companies which operate, invest in, or sponsor such programs.
4. Invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer with less than three years of continuous operation (including that of predecessors) or so-called “unseasoned” equity securities that are not either admitted for trading on a national stock exchange or regularly quoted in the over-the-counter market.
5. Invest in any company for the purpose of exercising control of management.
6. Acquire securities subject to restrictions on disposition or securities for which there is no readily available market, enter into repurchase agreements or purchase time deposits or variable amount master demand notes, if any of the foregoing have a term or demand feature of more than seven days, or purchase OTC options or set aside assets to cover OTC options written by the fund if, immediately after and as a result, the value of such securities would exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the fund’s net assets. Subject to this limitation, the Company’s Board of Directors has authorized the fund to invest in restricted securities if such investment is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and has authorized such securities to be considered to be liquid to the extent the Manager determines on a daily basis that there is a liquid institutional market for such securities. The Board of Directors retains ultimate ongoing responsibility for the determination that a restricted security is liquid.
7. Invest in securities of another investment company except as permitted by Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act, or as part of a merger, consolidation, or acquisition.
The Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio may not:
1. Invest in a manner that would cause it to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2. Invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities, the issuers of which conduct their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
3. Borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), the fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) is derived from such transactions.
4. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which the fund may invest consistent with its investment objectives and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
5. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent the fund from (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options on currencies to the extent consistent with the funds’ investment objective and policies); or (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
56
6. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in disposing of portfolio securities.
7. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
In addition, the following nonfundamental policies have also been adopted by Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio. The fund may not:
1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.
2. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral leases or exploration or development programs.
3. Write or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations of those transactions, except as permitted under the fund’s investment objective and policies.
4. Invest in securities of another investment company except as permitted by Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act, or as part of a merger, consolidation or acquisition.
5. Purchase a security if, as a result, the fund would then have more than 5% of its total assets invested in securities of issuers (including predecessors) that have been in continuous operation for fewer than three years, except that this limitation will be deemed to apply to the entity supplying the revenues from which the issue is to be paid, in the case of private activity bonds purchased.
6. Make investments for the purpose of exercising control of management.
Each of the Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio and the Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio may not:
1. Invest in a manner that would cause it to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act, and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
3. Invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities, the issuers of which conduct their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
4. Borrow money, except that (a) a fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) a fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), a fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed), is derived from such transactions.
5. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which a fund may invest consistent with its investment objective and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
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6. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that a fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in disposing of portfolio securities.
7. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent a fund from: (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options on currencies to the extent consistent with a fund’s investment objective and policies); or (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
In addition, the following nonfundamental policies have also been adopted by Smith Barney Aggressive Growth and Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolios. Each fund may not:
1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by a fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.
2. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs.
3. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of each fund’s net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.
4. Invest for the purpose of exercising control of management.
The Smith Barney High Income Portfolio may not:
1. Invest in a manner that would cause it to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2. Borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), the fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) is derived from such transactions.
3. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in disposing of portfolio securities.
4. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
5. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent the fund from (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options
58
on currencies to the extent consistent with the funds’ investment objective and policies); or (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
6. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which the fund may invest consistent with its investment objectives and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
7. Invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities, the issuers of which conduct their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and securities of state and municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
Notwithstanding any other investment restriction of the Smith Barney High Income Portfolio, the fund may invest all of its investable assets in an open-end management investment company having the same investment objective and restrictions as the fund.
The following nonfundamental investment policies have been adopted by the Smith Barney High Income Portfolio. The fund may not:
1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.
2. Invest in securities of other investment companies registered or required to be registered under the 1940 Act, except as they may be acquired as part of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, acquisition of assets or an offer of exchange, or to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.
The SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio may not:
1. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
2. Invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities, the issuers of which conduct their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and securities of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.
3. Borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), the fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed), is derived from such transactions.
4. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which the fund may invest consistent with its investment objectives and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
5. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act in disposing of portfolio securities.
6. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent the fund from (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate
59
business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options on currencies to the extent consistent with the fund’s investment objective and policies); and (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
7. Invest in a manner that would cause the fund to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
8. Purchase securities on margin, except that the fund may obtain any short-term credits necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities and except that the fund may pay initial or variation margin in connection with options or futures contracts.
9. Make short sales of securities, or maintain a short position if, when added together, more than 25% of the value of the fund’s net assets would be (a) deposited as collateral for the obligation to replace securities borrowed to effect the short sales and (b) allocated to segregated accounts in connection with the short sales. Short sales “against-the-box” are not subject to this restriction.
The following nonfundamental policies have been adopted by the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio. The fund may not:
1. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.
2. Write or purchase puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations of those transactions, except as consistent with the fund’s investment objectives and policies.
3. Purchase securities, other than MBSs, ABSs or U.S. government securities, of any issuer having a record, together with predecessors, of less than three years of continuous operations if, immediately after the purchase, more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in such securities.
4. Invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs, except that the fund may invest in the securities of companies that invest in or sponsor those programs.
5. Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.
6. Invest in securities of another investment company except as permitted by Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act or as part of a merger, consolidation, or acquisition of substantially all of the assets of another investment company.
7. Purchase or retain securities of any issuer if, to the knowledge of the fund, any of the fund’s officers or trustees or any officer or director of SBFM individually owns more than 1/2 of 1% of the outstanding securities of the issuer and together they own beneficially more than 5% of the securities.
The Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio may not:
1. Borrow money, except that (a) the fund may borrow from banks for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities, and (b) the fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, enter into reverse repurchase agreements, forward roll transactions and similar investment strategies and techniques. To the extent that it engages in transactions described in (a) and (b), the fund will be limited so that no more than 33 1/3% of the value of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), valued at the lesser of cost or market, less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) is derived from such transactions.
2. Invest in a manner that would cause it to fail to be a “diversified company” under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
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3. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate mortgages, commodities or commodity contracts, but this restriction shall not prevent the fund from (a) investing in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate (including interests in limited partnerships owning or otherwise engaging in the real estate business or the business of investing in real estate) and securities which are secured by real estate or interests therein; (b) holding or selling real estate received in connection with securities it holds or held; (c) trading in futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including options on currencies to the extent consistent with the funds’ investment objective and policies); or (d) investing in real estate investment trust securities.
4. Invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in any industry, except it may not invest less than 25% of its assets in bank obligations (including both domestic and foreign bank obligations) and it reserves freedom of action to concentrate in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
5. Make loans. This restriction does not apply to: (a) the purchase of debt obligations in which the fund may invest consistent with its investment objectives and policies; (b) repurchase agreements; and (c) loans of its portfolio securities, to the fullest extent permitted under the 1940 Act.
6. Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by other persons, except to the extent that the fund may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in disposing of portfolio securities.
7. Issue “senior securities” as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and orders thereunder.
Notwithstanding any other investment restriction of Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio, the fund may invest all of its investable assets in an open-end management investment company having the same investment objective and restrictions as the fund.
The following non-fundamental investment policies have been adopted by Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio. The fund may not:
1. Acquire securities subject to restrictions on disposition or securities for which there is no readily available market, enter into repurchase agreements or purchase time deposits or variable amount master demand notes, if any of the foregoing have a term or demand feature of more than seven days if, immediately after and as a result, the value of such securities would exceed, in the aggregate, 10% of the fund’s total assets. Subject to this limitation, the fund’s Board of Directors has authorized the fund to invest in restricted securities if such investment is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and has authorized such securities to be considered to be liquid to the extent the manager determines on a daily basis that there is a liquid institutional market for such securities. The Board of Directors retains ultimate ongoing responsibility for the determination that a restricted security is liquid.
2. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.
3. Write or purchase put or call options.
4. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 10% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.
5. Purchase or sell oil and gas interests.
6. Invest in companies for the purposes of exercising control.
7. Invest in securities of another investment company except as permitted by Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or as part of a merger, consolidation, or acquisition.
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The Social Awareness Stock Portfolio has adopted the following fundamental investment policies:
1. Diversification: with respect to 75% of its assets, the fund may not purchase a security other than a security issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities, or government-sponsored enterprises or a security of an investment company if, as a result: (1) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of a single issuer, or (2) the fund would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any single issuer.
2. Industry Concentration: the fund may not purchase a security if, as a result, more than 25% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry. For purposes of this policy, there is no limit on: (1) investments in U. S. government securities, in repurchase agreements covering U. S. government securities, in securities issued by the states, territories or possessions of the United States (“municipal securities”) or in foreign government securities; or (2) investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the fund may invest in one or more investment companies; provided that, except to the extent that it invests in other investment companies pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act, the fund treats the assets of the investment companies in which it invests as its own for purposes of this policy.
3. Borrowing: the fund may not borrow money if, as a result, outstanding borrowings would exceed an amount equal to one-third of the fund’s total assets.
4. Real Estate: the fund may not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or in securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).
5. Lending: the fund may not make loans to other parties if, as a result, more than one third of its total assets would be loaned to other parties. For purposes of this policy, entering into repurchase agreements, lending securities and acquiring any debt security are not deemed to be the making of loans.
6. Commodities: the fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts and options on futures or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).
7. Underwriting: the fund may not be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the 1933 Act) of securities issued by other persons except, to the extent that in connection with the disposition of its assets, the fund may be deemed to be an underwriter.
8. Senior Securities: the fund may not issue any class of senior securities except to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act.
The following non-fundamental investment policies have been adopted by Social Awareness Stock Portfolio:
1. Borrowing: for purpose of the borrowing limitation, the following are not treated as borrowings to the extent they are fully collateralized: (1) the delayed delivery of purchased securities (such as the purchase of when-issued securities); (2) reverse repurchase agreements; (3) dollar-roll transactions; and (4) the lending of securities (“leverage transactions”). (See Fundamental Policy No. 3, “Borrowing.”)
2. Liquidity: the fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in: (1) securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at their then-current value; (2) repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to payment of principal within seven days; and (3) securities subject to restrictions on the sale of the securities to the public without registration under the 1933 Act (“restricted securities”) that are not readily marketable. The fund may treat certain restricted securities as liquid pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors.
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3. Exercising Control of Issuers: the fund will not make investments for the purpose of exercising control of an issuer. Investments by the fund in entities created under the laws of foreign countries solely to facilitate investment in securities in that country will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control.
4. Other Investment Companies: the fund will not invest in securities of another investment company, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and exemptions thereunder.
5. Purchasing on Margin: the fund will not purchase securities on margin, except that the fund may use short-term credit for the clearance of its portfolio transactions, and provided that initial and variation margin payments in connection with futures contracts and options on futures contracts or other permissible investments shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin.
6. Lending: the fund will not lend a security if, as a result, the amount of loaned securities would exceed an amount equal to one-third of the fund’s total assets.
7. Pledging: the fund will not pledge its assets except as permitted by the 1940 Act.
8. Shareholder Notice: the fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to changing its 80% investment policy.
The fund, irrespective of any fundamental or non-fundamental, operating investment policies, may invest all or a portion of its assets in one or more investment companies without a shareholder vote.
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Although it is anticipated that most investments of each fund (except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio) will be long-term in nature, the rate of portfolio turnover will depend upon market and other conditions, and it will not be a limiting factor when management believes that portfolio changes are appropriate. The historical portfolio turnover rates for each fund (except Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio) are included in the Financial Highlights tables in its Prospectus. A higher rate of portfolio turnover may result in higher transaction costs, including brokerage commissions. Portfolio turnover rates for Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio are not shown in its Prospectus because of the short-term nature of the investments owned by the fund.
TAXATION
The following is a summary of certain material Federal income tax considerations that may affect the funds and their shareholders. This summary does not address all of the potential Federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the funds or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Each prospective shareholder is urged to consult his or her own tax adviser with respect to the specific Federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in a fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.
Each fund will be treated as a separate taxpayer for Federal income tax purposes with the result that: (a) each fund must qualify separately as a regulated investment company; and (b) the amounts of investment income and capital gains earned will be determined on a fund-by-fund (rather than on a Company-wide) basis.
Each fund intends to continue to qualify separately each year as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Code. To so qualify, each fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such
63
stock, securities or currencies; and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer or any two or more issuers that the fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses.
As a regulated investment company, a fund will not be subject to Federal income tax on the portion of its taxable net investment income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided the fund satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. A fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.
In addition, each fund intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, which relate to the tax-deferred status of the Separate Accounts. To comply with Treasury Department regulations promulgated under Section 817(h) of the Code, each fund will be required to diversify its investments so that on the last day of each calendar quarter no more than 55% of the value of its assets is represented by any one investment, no more than 70% is represented by any two investments, no more than 80% is represented by any three investments and no more than 90% is represented by any four investments. Generally, all securities of the same issuer are treated as a single investment. For the purposes of Section 817(h), obligations of the U.S. Treasury and of each U.S. government agency or instrumentality are treated as securities of separate issuers. The Treasury Department has indicated that it may issue future pronouncements addressing the circumstances in which a Contract owner’s control of the investments of a Separate Account may cause the Contract owner, rather than the participating insurance company, to be treated as the owner of the assets held by the Separate Account. If the Contract owner is considered the owner of the securities underlying the Separate Account, income and gains produced by those securities would be included currently in the Contract owner’s gross income. It is not known what standards will be set forth in such pronouncements or when, if ever, these pronouncements may be issued. In the event that rules or regulations are adopted, there can be no assurance that the funds will be able to operate as currently described, or that the Company will not have to change the investment goal or investment policies of a fund. The Board of Directors reserves the right to modify the investment policies of a fund as necessary to prevent any such prospective rules and regulations from causing a Contract owner to be considered the owner of the shares of the fund underlying the Separate Account.
Each fund intends to accrue dividend income for Federal income tax purposes in accordance with the rules applicable to regulated investment companies. In some cases, these rules may have the effect of accelerating (in comparison to other recipients of the dividend) the time at which the dividend is taken into account by a fund as taxable income.
On October 31, 2005, the unused capital loss carryforwards, by fund, were approximately as follows: Smith Barney International All Cap Growth: $(61,381,331), Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio: $(64,924,813), Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio: $0, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio: $0, Smith Barney High Income Portfolio: $(97,285,014), Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio: $(29,341,801), SB Adjustable Rate Portfolio: $(119,240) and Social Awareness Stock Portfolio: $(9,663,564). For Federal income tax purposes, these amounts are available to be applied, by the fund that has the carryforwards, against future capital gains of the respective fund that are realized prior to the expiration of the applicable carryforward. The carryforwards expire as follows:
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | October 31,
| |
Name of Fund
| | 2007
| | | 2008
| | | 2009
| | | 2010
| | | 2011
| | | 2012
| | | 2013
| |
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | $ | 38,021,872 | | | $ | 13,574,174 | | | $ | 9,785,285 | | | | — | | | | — | |
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | | — | | | $ | 2,019,427 | | | $ | 5,454,825 | | | $ | 30,604,559 | | | $ | 8,588,495 | | | $ | 5,325,802 | | | $ | (12,933,705 | ) |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | $ | (9,630,515 | ) | | $ | (18,327,807 | ) | | $ | (42,940,350 | ) | | $ | (21,882,303 | ) | | $ | (4,504,039 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | $ | (6,191,123 | ) | | $ | (23,150,678 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
SB Adjustable Rate Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | $ | (2,911 | ) | | $ | (38,733 | ) | | $ | (77,596 | ) |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | $ | (8,102,950 | ) | | $ | (1,560,614 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on any fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its net capital gains (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or net capital gain retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. Each fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.
Each fund intends at least annually to declare and make distributions of substantially all of its taxable income and net taxable capital gains to its shareholders (i.e., the Separate Accounts). Such distributions are automatically reinvested in additional shares of that fund at net asset value and are includable in gross income of the Separate Accounts holding such shares. See the accompanying contract prospectus for information regarding the Federal income tax treatment of distributions to the Separate Accounts and to holders of the Contracts.
If, in any taxable year, a fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. If a fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. In addition, if a fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains (the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized if the fund had been liquidated) if it qualifies as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year. Further, if a fund should fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, such fund would be considered as a single investment, which may result in Contracts invested in that fund not being treated as annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts under the Code.
A fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies) will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by such fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to such fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to
65
mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. Each fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.
A fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by such fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by such fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.
Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by a fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. A fund will not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.
Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time a fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.
If a fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. Federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
If any fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, such fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, a fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, a fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund’s being treated as if it had sold and repurchased all of the PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years of the fund, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, such fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund
66
may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.
Each fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.
The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. Federal income tax consequences affecting the funds and the investors. Prospective investors are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the funds.
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
The net asset value of each fund’s shares will be determined on any day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. The NYSE is closed in celebration of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Each fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London stock exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more brokers/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.
Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.
Foreign securities trading may not take place on all days on which the NYSE is open. Further, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days on which the NYSE is not open. Accordingly, the determination of the net asset value of a fund may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of investments held by such fund. Events affecting the values of investments that occur between the time their prices are determined and 4:00 P.M. Eastern time on each day that the NYSE is open will not be reflected in a fund’s net asset value unless management, under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, determines that the particular event would materially affect the net asset value. As a result, a fund’s net asset value may be significantly affected by such trading on days when a shareholder has no access to such fund.
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AVAILABILITY OF THE FUNDS
Investment in the Company is only available to owners of either variable annuity or variable life insurance contracts issued by insurance companies through their separate accounts and certain qualified plans. It is possible that in the future it may become disadvantageous for both variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts to be invested simultaneously in the Company. However, the Company does not currently foresee any disadvantages to the contractowners of the different contracts which are funded by such separate accounts. The Board monitors events for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between or among such owners, and each insurance company will take whatever remedial action may be necessary to resolve any such conflict. Such action could include the sale of fund shares by one or more of the insurance company separate accounts which fund these contracts, which could have adverse consequences to the fund. Material irreconcilable conflicts could result from, for example: (a) changes in state insurance laws; (b) changes in U.S. Federal income tax laws; or (c) differences in voting instructions between those given by variable annuity contractowners and those given by variable life insurance contractowners. If the Board were to conclude that separate series of the Company should be established for variable annuity and variable life separate accounts, each insurance company would bear the attendant expenses. Should this become necessary, contractowners would presumably no longer have the economies of scale resulting from a larger combined mutual fund.
REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Redemption payments shall be made wholly in cash unless the Directors believe that economic conditions exist that would make such a practice detrimental to the best interests of a fund and its remaining shareowners. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described above under “Determination of Net Asset Value” and a shareholder would incur brokerage expenses if these securities were then converted to cash.
MANAGEMENT
The Investment Managers
SBFM serves as the investment manager to each fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) with the Company with regard to each fund that was approved by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Non-Interested Directors, on August 1, 2005 and by the funds’ shareholders on November 15, 2005. The Investment Management Agreements became effective on December 1, 2005 as a result of the sale of substantially all of Citigroup’s asset management business to Legg Mason. The manager is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Prior to December 1, 2005, the manager was an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup.
Under the Investment Management Agreements, subject to the supervision and direction of the fund’s Board of Directors, the manager manages each fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, makes investment decisions for the fund, and places orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the Fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.
Each Investment Management Agreement further provides that all other expenses not specifically assumed by SBFM, under the Investment Management Agreement on behalf of a fund are borne by the Company.
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Expenses payable by the Company include, but are not limited to, all charges of custodians and shareholder servicing agents, expenses of preparing, printing and distributing all prospectuses, proxy material, reports and notices to shareholders, all expenses of shareholders’ and Directors’ meetings, filing fees and expenses relating to the registration and qualification of the Company’s shares and the Company under federal and state securities laws and maintaining such registrations and qualifications (including the printing of the Company’s registration statements), fees of auditors and legal counsel, costs of performing portfolio valuations, out-of-pocket expenses of Directors and fees of Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company as defined under the 1940 Act, interest, taxes and governmental fees, fees and commissions of every kind, expenses of issue, repurchase or redemption of shares, insurance expense, association membership dues, all other costs incident to the Company’s existence and extraordinary expenses such as litigation and indemnification expenses. Direct expenses are charged to each of the Company’s funds; general corporate expenses are allocated among the funds on the basis of relative net assets.
All orders for transactions in securities on behalf of a fund are made by management, with broker-dealers selected by management, including affiliated brokers. In placing orders management will seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available. In selecting broker-dealers, management may consider research and brokerage services furnished to it and its affiliates.
Each Investment Management Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Company’s Board of Directors or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Non-Interested Directors with such Non-Interested Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Company on behalf of a fund or its manager may terminate the Investment Management Agreement with respect to each fund on 60 days’ written notice without penalty. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $1 billion | | 0.550 | % |
Next $1 billion | | 0.525 | % |
Next $3 billion | | 0.500 | % |
Next $5 billion | | 0.475 | % |
Over $10 billion | | 0.450 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005, SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio paid the manager a management fee of 0.60% of its average daily net assets.
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The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $1 billion | | 0.750 | % |
Next $1 billion | | 0.725 | % |
Next $3 billion | | 0.700 | % |
Next $5 billion | | 0.675 | % |
Over $10 billion | | 0.650 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005, Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio paid the manager a management fee of 0.80% of its average daily net assets.
The fee management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney High Income Portfolio is 0.60% of the fund’s average daily net assets.
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney International All Cap Growth is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $1 billion | | 0.850 | % |
Next $1 billion | | 0.825 | % |
Next $3 billion | | 0.800 | % |
Next $5 billion | | 0.775 | % |
Over $10 billion | | 0.750 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005 Smith Barney International All Cap Growth paid the manager a management fee of 0.75% of its average daily net assets.
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
| | | |
First $500 million | | 0.600 | % |
Next $500 million | | 0.550 | % |
Over $1 billion | | 0.500 | % |
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $1 billion | | 0.750 | % |
Next $1 billion | | 0.725 | % |
Next $3 billion | | 0.700 | % |
Next $5 billion | | 0.675 | % |
Over $10 billion | | 0.650 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005 Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio paid the manager a management fee of 0.750% on the first $5 billion of average daily net assets, 0.725% on the next $2.5 billion of average daily net assets, 0.700% on the next $2.5 billion and 0.650% of average daily net assets, over $10 billion.
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The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio is as follows 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $1 billion | | 0.450 | % |
Next $1 billion | | 0.425 | % |
Next $3 billion | | 0.400 | % |
Next $5 billion | | 0.375 | % |
Over $10 billion | | 0.350 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005, Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio paid the manager a management fee of 0.50% of its average daily net assets.
The management fee payable by the fund under the Investment Management Agreement for the Social Awareness Stock Portfolio is as follows:
| | | |
Breakpoint Schedule Based on Net Assets of the Fund
| | Management Fee
| |
First $50 million | | 0.71 | % |
Next $50 million | | 0.61 | % |
Next $100 million | | 0.51 | % |
Over $200 million | | 0.46 | % |
Prior to November 1, 2005, Social Awareness Stock Portfolio paid the manager an investment advisory fee of 0.61% and an administrative fee of 0.06% of its average daily net assets.
The fee under each Investment Management Agreement calculated daily and paid monthly.
Management Fees. The manager has agreed to voluntarily waive its fee to the extent that the aggregate expenses of each of Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio, Social Awareness Stock Portfolio, and Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses, exceed 1.25% of the fund’s average daily net assets for any fiscal year. The manager has agreed to waive its fee to the extent that the aggregate expenses of each of Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest and extraordinary expenses, exceed 1.50% of the fund’s average daily net assets for any fiscal year. The manager has agreed to waive its fee to the extent that the aggregate expenses of Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses, exceed 1.00% of the fund’s average daily net assets for any fiscal year. The manager has agreed to waive its fee to the extent that the aggregate expenses of Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses, exceed 0.95% of the fund’s average daily net assets for any fiscal year. Each of these voluntary expense limitations shall be in effect until it is terminated by the manager and notice to shareholders is provided by supplement to the then-current Prospectus or SAI. The manager has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses of SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio through a period of 16 months from October 31, 2005 so that net annual operating expenses, exclusive of taxes, brokerage, interest and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification, will not exceed 1.00% of the fund’s average daily net assets. This contractual arrangement may be terminated during the term only by written agreement of the fund and the manager and with notice to shareholders by supplement to the then current Prospectus and SAI.
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For the periods shown, each fund paid the following management fee:
| | | | | | | | | | |
Fund
| | Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2003
| | | Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2004
| | Fiscal Year Ended October 31, 2005
|
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | $ | 1,518,148 | | | $ | 1,540,393 | | $ | 1,403,306 |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | | 2,256,242 | | | | 2,303,815 | | | 1,957,470 |
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | | 1,971,543 | | | | 3,010,901 | | | 2,936,582 |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | | 3,940,249 | | | | 6,441,853 | | | 8,084,509 |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | | 496,901 | | | | 758,853 | | | 890,458 |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | | 1,169,585 | | | | 1,572,294 | | | 1,728,486 |
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio** | | | 3,369,520 | | | | 2,689,274 | | | 2,458,420 |
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio | | | 8,379 | * | | | 93,092 | | | 196,871 |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio* | | | N/A | | | | N/A | | | 460,861 |
* | | For the period from January 1, 2005 (commencement of operations) to October 31, 2005. |
** | | The manager waived fees for the year ended October 31, 2005. If fees were not waived, the manager would have received $2,458,420 in management fees. |
Code of Ethics. Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the manager and the distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the funds. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.
Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the manager and the distributors are on file with the SEC.
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PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE
Portfolio Manager
The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to each fund’s portfolio managers. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of December 31, 2005.
Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager
The table below identifies, for each portfolio manager, the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which he or she has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. Unless otherwise noted, no accounts had fees based on performance.
| | | | | | | | |
Fund
| | Portfolio Manager(s)
| | Registered Investment Companies
| | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
| | Other Accounts
|
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio | | S. Kenneth Leech | | 36 registered investment companies with $23.6 billion in total assets under management | | 19 other pooled investment vehicles with $19.8 billion in assets under management | | 740 other accounts with $205.8 billion in total assets under management** |
| | | | |
| | Stephen A. Walsh | | 36 registered investment companies with $23.6 billion in total assets under management | | 19 other pooled investment vehicles with $19.8 billion in assets under management | | 740 other accounts with $205.8 billion in total assets under management** |
| | | | |
| | Ronald D. Mass | | 1 registered investment company with $173 billion in total assets under management | | 0 other pooled investment vehicles with $0 billion in assets under management | | 9 other accounts with $4.85 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Mark Lindbloom* | | 2 registered investment companies with $0.7 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.2 billion in assets under management | | 11 other accounts with $2.0 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Theresa Veres* | | 2 registered investment companies with $0.8 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.3 billion in assets under management | | 0 other accounts with $0 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | Richard A. Freeman* | | 13 registered investment companies with $10.7 billion in total assets under management | | 2 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.3 billion in assets under management | | 125,510 other accounts with $10.1 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | S. Kenneth Leech | | 36 registered investment companies with $23.6 billion in total assets under management | | 19 other pooled investment vehicles with $19.8 billion in assets under management | | 740 other accounts with $205.8 billion in total assets under management** |
* | | Information provided as of October 31, 2005. |
** | | Includes 77 accounts managed, totaling $20.7 billion, for which advisory fee is performance-based. |
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| | | | | | | | |
Fund
| | Portfolio Manager(s)
| | Registered Investment Companies
| | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
| | Other Accounts
|
| | Stephen A. Walsh | | 36 registered investment companies with $23.67 billion in total assets under management | | 19 other pooled investment vehicles with $19.8 billion in assets under management | | 740 other accounts with $205.8 billion in total assets under management** |
| | | | |
| | Michael C. Buchanan | | 3 registered investment companies with $744 billion in total assets under management | | 2 other pooled investment vehicles with $2.13 billion in assets under management | | 10 other accounts with $1.41 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Ian R. Edmonds | | 0 registered investment companies with $0 billion in total assets under management | | 0 other pooled investment vehicles with $0 billion in assets under management | | 1 other account with $46 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Timothy J. Settel | | 0 registered investment companies with $0 billion in total assets under management | | 0 other pooled investment vehicles with $0 billion in assets under management | | 0 other account with $0 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | Alan Blake* | | 17 registered investment companies with $6.7 billion in total assets under management | | 3 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.3 billion in assets under management | | 134,402 other accounts with $15.1 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | Robert Feitler* | | 17 registered investment companies with $8.1 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.1 billion in assets under management | | 30,363 other accounts with $5.0 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Mark McAllister* | | 17 registered investment companies with $8.1 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.1 billion in assets under management | | 30,363 other accounts with $5.0 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | Brian Angerame* | | 4 registered investment companies with $1.1 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0 billion in assets under management | | 3,333 other accounts with $0.1 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
| | Derek Deutsch* | | 4 registered investment companies with $1.1 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0 billion in assets under management | | 3,333 other accounts with $0.1 billion in total assets under management |
* | | Information provided as of October 31, 2005. |
** | | Includes 77 accounts managed, totaling $20.7 billion, for which advisory fee is performance-based. |
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| | | | | | | | |
Fund
| | Portfolio Manager(s)
| | Registered Investment Companies
| | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
| | Other Accounts
|
| | Peter Stournaras | | 4 registered investment companies with $1.1 billion in total assets under management | | 1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0 billion in assets under management | | 3,333 other accounts with $0.1 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | Jeffrey J. Russell | | 4 registered investment companies with $0.2 billion in total assets under management | | 2 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.1 billion in assets under management | | 12,136 other accounts with $0.8 billion in total assets under management |
| | | | |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio | | William Theriault | | 1 registered investment company with $0 billion in total assets under management | | 0 other pooled investment vehicles with $0 billion in assets under management | | 8 other accounts with $0 billion in total assets under management |
Note: The numbers above reflect the overall number of portfolios managed by Ms. Veres and Messrs. Leech, Walsh, Buchanan, Edmonds, Settel, Mass and Lindbloom. In addition to the funds, they also are involved in the management of portfolios advised by Western Asset asset’s and its affiliates, but they are not solely responsible for particular portfolios. Western’s investment discipline emphasizes a team approach that combines the efforts of groups of specialists working in different market sectors. They are responsible for overseeing implementation of Western Asset’s overall investment ideas and coordinating the work of the various sector teams. This structure ensures that client portfolios benefit from a consensus that draws on the expertise of all team members.
Portfolio Manager Compensation
CAM investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.
CAM has implemented an investment management incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the funds’ portfolio managers. Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Plan is designed to align the objectives of CAM investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other CAM clients. Under the Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of CAM’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and employee benefits expenses attributable to the team.
The investment term’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-CAM investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). CAM may also measure the team’s pre-tax investment performance against additional benchmarks, as it determines appropriate. Longer-term (5-year) performance will be more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1-year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted to reflect other factors (e.g., severance pay to departing members of the team, and
75
discretionary allocations by the applicable CAM chief investment officer from one investment team to another). The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable CAM chief investment officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.
Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. Of that principal deferred award amount, 50% will accrue a return based on the hypothetical returns of the investment fund or product that is the primary focus of the investment professional’s business activities with the Firm, and 50% may be received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.
With respect to the compensation of Ms. Veres and Messrs. Leech, Walsh, Buchanan, Edmonds, Settel, Mass and Lindbloom, Western Asset’s compensation system assigns each employee a total compensation “target” and a respective cap, which are derived from annual market surveys that benchmark each role with their job function and peer universe. This method is designed to reward employees with total compensation reflective of the external market value of their skills, experience, and ability to produce desired results. Standard compensation includes competitive base salaries, generous employee benefits, and a retirement plan.
In addition, Western Asset employees are eligible for bonuses. These are structured to closely align the interests of employees with those of Western Asset, and are determined by the professional’s job function and performance as measured by a formal review process. All bonuses are completely discretionary. One of the principal factors considered is a portfolio manager’s investment performance versus appropriate peer groups and benchmarks. Because portfolio managers are generally responsible for multiple accounts (including the funds) with similar investment strategies, they are compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of similar accounts, rather than a specific account. A smaller portion of a bonus payment is derived from factors that include client service, business development, length of service to the investment manager, management or supervisory responsibilities, contributions to developing business strategy and overall contributions to Western Asset’s business.
Finally, in order to attract and retain top talent, all professionals are eligible for additional incentives in recognition of outstanding performance. These are determined based upon the factors described above and include Legg Mason stock options and long-term incentives that vest over a set period of time past the award date.
Potential Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest may arise when a fund’s portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for certain of the portfolio managers listed in the table above. These potential conflicts include:
Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.
Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.
Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises
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investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.
Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise be available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.
Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment adviser’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment advisor and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain or raise assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager to lend preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.
Related Business Opportunities. The investment adviser or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.
Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership
The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by each Portfolio Manager. None of the portfolio managers own fund shares because fund shares are available only through the purchase of variable annuity or variable life insurance contracts issued by insurance companies through their separate accounts.
| | | | |
Fund
| | Portfolio Manager
| | Dollar Range of Ownership of Securities
|
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio | | S. Kenneth Leech Stephen A. Walsh Ronald D. Mass Mark Lindbloom Theresa Veres | | none none none none none |
| | |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | Richard A. Freeman | | none |
| | |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | S. Kenneth Leech Stephen A. Walsh Michael C. Buchanan Ian R. Edmonds Timothy J. Settel | | none none none none none |
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| | | | |
Fund
| | Portfolio Manager
| | Dollar Range of Ownership of Securities
|
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | Alan Blake | | none |
| | |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | Robert Feitler Mark McAllister | | none none |
| | |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | Brian Angerame Derek Deutsch Peter Stournaras | | none none none |
| | |
Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | Jeffrey J. Russell | | none |
| | |
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio | | Martin R. Hanley | | none |
| | |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio | | William Theriault | | none |
Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures
Although individual board members may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager, the Board has approved delegating proxy voting discretion to the manager believing that the manager should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.
Attached as Appendix B is a summary of the guidelines and procedures that the funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities, including the procedures that the funds use when a vote presents a conflict between the interests of fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the manager or any affiliated person of the funds or the manager, on the other. This summary of the guidelines gives a general indication as to how the manager will vote proxies relating to portfolio securities on each issue listed. However, the guidelines do not address all potential voting issues or the intricacies that may surround individual proxy votes. For that reason, there may be instances in which votes may vary from the guidelines presented. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the manager always endeavors to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities in accordance with each fund’s investment objectives.
Information on how the funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the 12-month period ended June 30 of each year is available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-451-2010, (2) on the funds’ website at http://www.CitigroupAM.com and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Distribution
Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, and CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, serve as the Company’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”), which were approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and by a majority of the Non-Interested Directors, casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, on November 21, 2005.
CGMI and LMIS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933.
The distributors’ obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributors are required to take and pay only for such shares of each fund as may be sold to the public. The distributors are not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. The distribution agreements have an initial term of two years and are renewable from year to year thereafter if approved (a) by the Directors or by a vote of a majority of the Company’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Directors who are not
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parties to the agreements or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice. The distributors are not currently paid a fee for the provision of distribution services with respect to the funds.
Distribution Plan
The Company has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Smith Barney Class shares of the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio. Under the Plan, the distribution fee may be used by a distributor or a life insurance company offering a Separate Account for which the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio is a funding medium for expenses related to the Smith Barney Class shares, including without limitation: (a) costs of printing and distributing the fund’s prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports to prospective investors in the fund; (b) costs involved in preparing, printing and distributing sales literature pertaining to the fund and including materials intended for use within the insurance company and reports for persons other than existing Contract owners; (c) an allocation of overhead and other branch office distribution-related expenses of a distributor or life insurance company; (d) payments made to, and expenses of, a distributor’s financial consultants, other broker-dealers, financial intermediaries and other persons who provide support or personal services to fund shareholders in connection with the distribution of the fund’s shares, including but not limited to, office space, equipment, communication facilities, answering routine inquiries regarding the fund and its operations, processing shareholder transactions, promotional, advertising or marketing services intended for use within the insurance company, sub-accounting and recordkeeping services (in excess of ordinary payments made to the fund’s transfer agent or other recordkeeper), obtaining Contract owner information and providing information about the fund, asset allocation services, compensating sales personnel, training sales personnel regarding the fund, maintaining and servicing Contract accounts (including the payment of a continuing fee to financial consultants); and (e) interest-related expenses, or the cost of capital associated with, the amount of the foregoing expenses that exceed the distribution fee; provided, however, that (i) the distribution fee may be used by a distributor or insurance company to cover expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of shares, including, without limitation, payments to the distributor’s financial consultants and other persons as compensation for the sale of the shares and (ii) a distributor or life insurance company may retain portions of the distribution fee in excess of its expenses incurred. Under the Plan, the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio pays a service and distribution fee not to exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of its shares.
The Plan is subject to annual approval by the Directors. The Plan is terminable at any time, without penalty, by a vote of a majority of the Non-Interested Directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding Smith Barney Class shares of the fund. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount that may be spent for distribution by the Smith Barney Class shares of the fund without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Smith Barney Class shares of the fund.
The Plan was adopted because of its anticipated benefits to the fund. These anticipated benefits include increased promotion and distribution of the fund’s shares, an enhancement in the fund’s ability to maintain accounts and improve asset retention and increased stability of net assets for the fund.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio paid CGMI $82,029 in fees under the prior distribution plan, of which $49,217 was waived by CGMI. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, CGMI incurred $31,786 in distribution expenses for the SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio, consisting of:
| | | | | | | | |
Smith Barney Financial Consultant Compensation
| | Branch Expenses
| | Advertising Expenses
| | Printing Expenses
| | Total Expenses
|
$3,934 | | $7,458 | | $8,355 | | $12,039 | | $31,786 |
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Portfolio Transactions
Shown below are the total brokerage commissions paid by the Company for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2003, October 31, 2004 and October 31, 2005 on behalf of the funds, the portion paid to CGMI and the portion paid to other brokers for the execution of orders allocated in consideration of research and statistical services or solely for their ability to execute the order. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2003, the total amount of commissionable transactions was $3,919,974,511, of which $78,128,454 (1.99%) was directed to CGMI and executed by unaffiliated brokers and $3,841,846,057 (98.01%) was directed to other brokers. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004, the total amount of commissionable transactions was $4,633,843,562, of which $125,600,548 (2.71%) was directed to CGMI and executed by unaffiliated brokers and $4,508,243,014 (97.29%) was directed to other brokers. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, the total amount of commissionable transactions was $907,316,710, of which $70,356,561 (7.75%) was directed to CGMI and executed by unaffiliated brokers and $836,960,149 (92.25%) was directed to other brokers.
Commissions:
| | | | | | | |
Fiscal Year Ended
| | Total Brokerage Commissions
| | Commissions Paid to CGMI and Affiliates
| | To Others (for execution only)
|
October 31, 2003 | | $ | 5,226,361 | | $111,056 (2.12%) | | $5,115,305 (97.88%) |
October 31, 2004 | | $ | 6,968,603 | | $144,949 (2.08%) | | $6,823,654 (97.92%) |
October 31, 2005 | | $ | 1,192,520 | | $ 61,140 (5.13%) | | $1,131,380 (94.87%) |
The Company attempts to obtain the most favorable execution of each portfolio transaction, that is, the best combination of net price and prompt reliable execution. In making its decision as to which broker or brokers are most likely to provide the most favorable execution, the management of the Company takes into account all relevant circumstances. These include, in varying degrees, the size of the order, the importance of prompt execution, the breadth and trends of the market in the particular security, anticipated commission rates, the broker’s familiarity with such security including its contacts with possible buyers and sellers and its level of activity in the security, the possibility of a block transaction and the general record of the broker for prompt, competent and reliable service in all aspects of order processing, execution and settlement.
Commissions are negotiated and take into account the difficulty involved in execution of a transaction, the time it took to conclude, the extent of the broker’s commitment of its own capital, if any, and the price received. Anticipated commission rates are an important consideration in all trades and are weighed along with the other relevant factors affecting order execution set forth above. In allocating brokerage among those brokers who are believed to be capable of providing equally favorable execution, the Company takes into consideration the fact that a particular broker may, in addition to execution capability, provide other services to the Company such as research and statistical information. It is not possible to place a dollar value on such services nor does their availability reduce the manager’s expenses in a determinable amount. These various services may, however, be useful to the manager in connection with its services rendered to other advisory clients and not all such services may be used in connection with the Company.
Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the Company or the funds under the 1940 Act. As a result, the funds are permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal). Similarly, the funds are permitted to purchase securities in underwritings in which CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI is a member without the restrictions imposed by certain rules of the SEC. The manager’s use of CGMI or affiliates of CGMI as agent in portfolio transactions with the funds will be governed by the Company’s policy of seeking the best overall terms available.
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For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, the funds held the following securities issued by their regular broker-dealers:
| | | | |
Issuer
| | D=Debt E=Equity
| | Par Value/Number of Shares
|
UBS AG | | E | | 3,394,110 |
Bear Stearns & Co. | | D | | 1,625,908 |
Morgan Stanley | | D | | 310,378 |
Banc of America Securities | | D | | 478,290 |
Deutsche Bank | | D | | 416,888 |
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. | | D | | 265,678 |
Deutsche Bank | | D | | 8,000,000 |
Banc of America LLC | | D | | 12,952,736 |
Goldman Sachs & Co. | | D | | 14,966,833 |
UBS Securities | | D | | 15,000,000 |
Morgan Stanley | | E | | 897,765 |
Bear Stearns & Co | | E | | 751,180 |
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith | | E | | 647,400 |
OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY
The Company, an open-end managed investment company, was incorporated in Maryland on February 22, 1994. The Company has an authorized capital of 6,000,000,000 shares with a par value of $.00001 per share. The Board of Directors has authorized the issuance of nine series of shares, each representing shares in one of nine separate funds—Smith Barney International All Cap Growth Portfolio, Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio, Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio, Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio, Smith Barney High Income Portfolio, SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio, Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio and Social Awareness Stock Portfolio. The assets of each fund are segregated and separately managed and a shareowner’s interest is in the assets of the fund in which he or she holds shares.
The Directors may authorize the creation of additional series of shares and additional classes of shares within any series. The investment objectives, policies and restrictions applicable to additional funds would be established by the Directors at the time such funds were established and may differ from those set forth in the Prospectuses and this SAI. In the event of liquidation or dissolution of a fund or of the Company, shares of a fund are entitled to receive the assets belonging to that fund and a proportionate distribution, based on the relative net assets of the respective funds, of any general assets not belonging to any particular fund that are available for distribution.
The Articles of Incorporation may be amended only upon the vote of a majority of the shares of capital stock of the Company outstanding and entitled to vote, and in accordance with applicable law, except for certain amendments that may be made by the Directors.
The Articles of Incorporation further provide that the Company shall indemnify its Directors, officers and employees against any liability to the Company or to a shareowner, except as such liability may arise from his or its own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of his or its duties. With the exceptions stated, the Articles of Incorporation provide that a Director, Officer or employee is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Company.
The Company shall continue without limitation of time subject to the provisions in the Articles of Incorporation concerning termination of the corporation or any of the series of the corporation by action of the shareowners or by action of the Directors upon notice to the shareowners.
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Licensing Agreement. Under a licensing agreement between Citigroup and Legg Mason, the name of the funds, the names of any classes of shares of funds, and the names of investment advisers of funds, as well as all logos, trademarks and service marks related to Citigroup or any of its affiliates (“Citi Marks”) are licensed for use by Legg Mason and by the fund. Citi Marks include, but are not limited to, “Smith Barney,” “Salomon Brothers,” “Citi,” and “Citigroup Asset Management,” Legg Mason and its affiliates, as well as the fund’s investment adviser, are not affiliated with Citigroup. All Citi Marks are owned by Citigroup, and are licensed for use until no later than one year after the date of the licensing agreement.
Voting Rights. The Company offers its shares only for purchase by insurance company separate accounts and certain qualified plans. Thus, the insurance companies are technically the shareholders of the Company and, under the 1940 Act, are deemed to be in control of the Company. Nevertheless, with respect to any Company shareholder meeting, an insurance company will solicit and accept timely voting instructions from its contractowners who own units in a separate account investment division which corresponds to shares in the Company in accordance with the procedures set forth in the prospectus for the applicable contract issued by the insurance company and to the extent required by law. Shares of the Company attributable to contractowner interests for which no voting instructions are received will be voted by an insurance company in proportion to the shares for which voting instructions are received.
Each share of a fund represents an equal proportionate interest in that fund with each other share of the same fund and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of the net income of that fund as are declared in the discretion of the Directors. Shareowners are entitled to one vote for each share held and will vote by individual fund except to the extent required by the 1940 Act. The Company is not required to hold shareowner meetings annually, although special meetings may be called for the Company as a whole, or a specific fund, for purposes such as electing or removing Directors, changing fundamental policies or approving a management contract.
Shares of the Company entitle their owners to one vote per share; however, on any matter submitted to a vote of the shareowners, all shares then entitled to vote will be voted by individual fund unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (in which case all shares will be voted in the aggregate). For example, a change in investment policy for a fund would be voted upon only by shareowners of the fund involved. Additionally, approval of an amendment to a fund’s management or subadvisory agreement is a matter to be determined separately by that fund. Approval of a proposal by the shareowners of one fund is effective as to that fund whether or not enough votes are received from the shareowners of the other funds to approve the proposal as to that fund except for matters on which shares of the Company must be voted in the aggregate.
The Directors themselves have the power to alter the number and the terms of office of the Directors, and they may at any time lengthen their own terms or make their terms of unlimited duration (subject to certain removal procedures) and appoint their own successors, provided that in accordance with the 1940 Act always at least a majority, but in most instances, at least two-thirds, of the Directors have been elected by the shareowners of the Company. Shares do not have cumulative voting rights and therefore the owners of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company may elect all of the Directors irrespective of the votes of other shareowners.
Custodian. Portfolio securities and cash owned by the Company on behalf of each fund are held in the custody of State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110.
Transfer Agent. PFPC Inc., whose address is P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the transfer agent and shareholder services agent of the funds.
Legal Counsel. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as legal counsel to the funds.
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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. KPMG LLP, 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154, has been selected as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, to audit and report on the financial statements and financial highlights of the Company for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2006.
As of February 2, 2006, to the knowledge of the funds, no single shareholder or “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) beneficially owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the funds with the exception of the following:
| | | | | | |
Portfolio
| | Shareholder Name/Address
| | Shares Held
| | Percent
|
SB Adjustable Rate Income Portfolio | | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 2,150,823.618 | | 53.7303 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 1,851,477.033 | | 46.2521 |
| | | |
Smith Barney Aggressive Growth Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 43,192,424.913 | | 57.2776 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 31,634,413.929 | | 41.9505 |
| | | |
Smith Barney High Income Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 26,092,015.767 | | 66.4325 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 11,740,748.240 | | 29.8929 |
| | | |
International All Cap Growth Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 5,637,050.476 | | 48.8570 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 4,833,646.817 | | 41.9024 |
| | | |
| | ING USA Annuity & Life Insurance Company Attn: Fund Accounting 1475 Dunwoody Drive West Chester PA 19380 | | 825,994.293 | | 7.1605 |
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| | | | | | |
Portfolio
| | Shareholder Name/Address
| | Shares Held
| | Percent
|
Smith Barney Large Capitalization Growth Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 15,667,945.400 | | 62.9980 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 9,158,864.390 | | 36.8261 |
| | | |
Smith Barney Large Cap Value Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 8,287,188.917 | | 52.5666 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 5,307,574.115 | | 33.6665 |
| | | |
| | ING USA Annuity & Life Insurance Company Attn: Fund Accounting 1475 Dunwoody Drive West Chester PA 19380 | | 1,909,393.928 | | 12.1115 |
| | | |
Smith Barney Mid Cap Core Portfolio | | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 6,453,852.202 | | 74.8844 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 2,135,750.827 | | 24.7812 |
| | | |
Smith Barney Money Market Portfolio | | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 298,020,877.110 | | 63.3596 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 165,142,909.240 | | 35.1096 |
| | | |
Social Awareness Stock Portfolio | | Travelers Insurance Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 2,605,948.519 | | 71.5105 |
| | | |
| | Travelers Life & Annuity Company Attn: Shareholder Accounting, GMS PO Box 990027 Hartford CT 06199-0027 | | 1,038,200.313 | | 28.4895 |
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Legal Matters
Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI, SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”) (collectively, the “Advisers”), substantially all of the mutual funds managed by the Advisers, including the funds (the “Funds”), and directors or trustees of the Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI 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 CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged 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 also alleged that the Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought 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.
On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. While the lawsuit is in its earliest stages, to the extent that the Complaint purports to state causes of action against the Funds, CAM believes the Funds have significant defenses to such allegations, which the Funds intend to vigorously assert in responding to the Complaint.
Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief could be filed against the Defendants in the future.
CAM and the Funds believe that the resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Funds or the ability of the Advisers and their affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.
The Defendants have moved to dismiss the Complaint. Those motions are pending before the court.
* * * *
Beginning in August 2005, five putative class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC described in the prospectus. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the advisor for the Smith Barney family of funds (the “Funds”), rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.
On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently-filed, related action, was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.
As of the date of this SAI, SBFM believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the funds or the ability of SBFM and its affiliates to continue to render service to the funds under their respective contracts.
On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM and CGMI relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds (the “Funds”).
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The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order finds that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the fund’s investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.
The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order requires Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan prepared and submitted for approval by the SEC. The order also requires that transfer agency fees received from the Funds since December 1, 2004 less certain expenses be placed in escrow and provides that a portion of such fees may be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order.
The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Company Board selected a new transfer agent for the funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.
At this time, there is no certainty as to how the proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. Although there can be no assurance, SBFM does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Funds.
On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.
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Additional Developments. The fund has received information from CAM concerning SBFM and SBAM. The fund receives investment management services from SBFM. The information received from CAM is as follows:
On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and SBAM that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or SBAM.
SBFM and SBAM are cooperating with the SEC. Although there can be no assurance, SBFM believes that these matters are not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund or its ability to perform investment management services relating to the fund.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Company’s Annual Reports for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005 are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. They were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 9, 2006 (Accession Numbers 0001193125-06-003479, 0001193125-06-003472, 0001193125-06-003446 and 0001193125-06-003424).
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OTHER INFORMATION
Smith Barney mutual funds offer more than 60 mutual funds. We understand that many investors prefer an active role in allocating the mix of funds in their portfolio, while others want the asset allocation decisions to be made by experienced managers.
That’s why we offer three “styles” of fund management that can be tailored to suit each investor’s unique financial goals.
Classic Series—our portfolio manager driven funds
Our Classic Series lets investors participate in mutual funds whose investment decisions are determined by experienced portfolio managers, based on each fund’s investment objectives and guidelines. Classic Series funds invest across asset classes and sectors, utilizing a range of strategies in order to achieve their objectives.
Research Series—driven by exhaustive fundamental securities analysis
Built on a foundation of substantial buy-side research under the direction of our Citibank Global Asset Management (CGAM) colleagues, our Research funds focus on well-defined industries, sectors and trends.
Style Pure Series—our solution to funds that stray
Our Style Pure Series funds are the building blocks of asset allocation. The funds stay fully invested within their asset class and investment style, enabling you to make asset allocation decisions in conjunction with your financial professional.
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APPENDIX A
RATINGS ON DEBT OBLIGATIONS
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”)
Aaa—Bonds that are rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edged.” Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa—Bonds that are rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the “Aaa” group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in “Aaa” securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present that make the long term risks appear somewhat larger than in “Aaa” securities.
A—Bonds that are rated “A” possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Baa—Bonds that are rated “Baa” are considered as medium grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.
Ba—Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.
B—Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.
Caa—Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.
Ca—Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.
C—Bonds which are rated C are the lowest class of bonds and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.
Note: The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category.
Standard & Poor’s, a Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”)
AAA—Debt rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA—Debt rated “AA” has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A-1
A—Debt rated “A” has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
BBB—Debt rated “BBB” is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories.
BB, B, CCC, CC, C—Debt rated “BB”, “B”, “CCC”, “CC” or “C” is regarded, on balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. ‘BB’ indicates the lowest degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.
Plus (+) or Minus (-): The ratings from “AA” to “B” may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
Provisional Ratings: The letter “p” indicates that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project being financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful and timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of, or the risk of default upon failure of, such completion. The investor should exercise judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.
L—The letter “L” indicates that the rating pertains to the principal amount of those bonds where the underlying deposit collateral is fully insured by the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corp. or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
+—Continuance of the rating is contingent upon S&P’s receipt of closing documentation confirming investments and cash flow.
*—Continuance of the rating is contingent upon S&P’s receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement.
NR—Indicates no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular type of obligation as a matter of policy.
Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”)
AAA—Bonds rated AAA by Fitch have the lowest expectation of credit risk. The obligor has an exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments which is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA—Bonds rated AA by Fitch have a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitment. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A—Bonds rated A by Fitch are considered to have a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.
A-2
BBB—Bonds rated BBB by Fitch currently have a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment grade category assigned by Fitch.
BB—Bonds rated BB by Fitch carry the possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time. Business or financial alternatives may, however, be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not considered by Fitch to be investment grade.
B—Bonds rated B by Fitch carry significant credit risk, however, a limited margin of safety remains. Although financial commitments are currently being met, capacity for continued payment depends upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.
CCC, CC, C—Default on bonds rated CCC, CC, and C by Fitch is a real possibility. The capacity to meet financial commitments depends solely on a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. Default of some kind on bonds rated CC appears probable, a C rating indicates imminent default.
Plus and minus signs are used by Fitch to indicate the relative position of a credit within a rating category. Plus and minus signs however, are not used in the AAA category.
COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS
Moody’s
Issuers rated “Prime-1” (or related supporting institutions) have a superior capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. Prime-1 repayment will normally be evidenced by the following characteristics: leading market positions in well-established industries; high rates of return on funds employed; conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection; broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial changes and high internal cash generation; well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers rated “Prime-2” (or related supporting institutions) have strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.
S&P
A-1—This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issuers determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics will be denoted with a plus (+) sign designation.
A-2—Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
Fitch
Fitch’s short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on demand or have original maturities of generally up to three years, including commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment notes.
The short-term rating places greater emphasis than a long-term rating on the existence of liquidity necessary to meet financial commitment in a timely manner.
A-3
Fitch’s short-term ratings are as follows:
F1+—Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest capacity for timely payments of financial commitments. The “+” denotes an exceptionally strong credit feature.
F1—Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
F2—Issues assigned this rating have 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.
F3—The capacity for the timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non investment grade.
A-4
APPENDIX B
CITIGROUP ASSET MANAGEMENT
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
The Board of Directors of each Fund has delegated the authority to develop policies and procedures relating to proxy voting to Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (the “Investment Manager”). The Investment Manager is part of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), a group of investment adviser affiliates of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). Along with the other investment advisers that comprise CAM, the Investment Manager has adopted a set of proxy voting policies and procedures (the “Policies”) to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.
In voting proxies, the Investment Manager is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. The Investment Manager attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. The Investment Manager may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, such recommendations do not relieve the Investment Manager of its responsibility for the proxy vote.
In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, the Investment Manager generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that CAM considers in voting on such issue, CAM votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that CAM considers in voting on such issue, CAM votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that CAM considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause CAM to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct CAM business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue.
In furtherance of the Investment Manager’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, the Investment Manager follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between the Investment Manager’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, CAM periodically notifies CAM employees (including employees of the Investment Manager) in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of CAM’s and the Investment Manager’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of compliance personnel. The Investment Manager also maintains and considers a list of significant relationships that could present a conflict of interest for the Investment Manager in voting proxies. The Investment Manager is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-CAM Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which the Investment Manager decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-CAM Legg Mason affiliate relationship that CAM or the Investment Manager for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which the Investment Manager decides to vote a proxy, the Investment Manager generally takes the position that non-CAM relationships between Legg Mason
B-1
and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for the Investment Manager in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that the Investment Manager is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between the Investment Manager and certain other Legg Mason business units.
CAM maintains a Proxy Voting Committee, of which the Investment Manager personnel are members, to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated position on an issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because the Investment Manager’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, the Investment Manager’s decision-making in voting proxies.
If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, the Investment Manager may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest. Methods of resolving a material conflict of interest may include, but are not limited to, disclosing the conflict to clients and obtaining their consent before voting, or suggesting to clients that they engage another party to vote the proxy on their behalf.
B-2