UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. _____________)
Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]
Check the appropriate box:
[_] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[_] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by
Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
[_] Definitive Proxy Statement
[X] Definitive Additional Materials
[_] Soliciting Material Pursuant to 240.14a-12
The Hartford Mutual Funds, Inc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11.
(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction
computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the
amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it
was determined):
(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
(5) Total fee paid:
[_] Fee paid previously by written preliminary materials.
[_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
(1) Amount Previously Paid:
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
(3) Filing Party:
(4) Date Filed:
September 18, 2006.
2006 THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP GROWTH FUND AND
THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP VALUE FUND PROXY Q&A
We encourage you to read the Proxy Statement. However, we thought it would
be helpful to provide brief answers to some questions.
Q. 1. WHAT PROPOSALS ARE SHAREHOLDERS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER AT THE UPCOMING
SPECIAL MEETING?
A. 1. THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP GROWTH FUND:
Shareholders of The Hartford Select MidCap Growth Fund (the "Fund"), a
series of The Hartford Mutual Funds, Inc. (the "Company"), are being
asked to consider one proposal (the "Proposal"): to approve a proposed
sub-advisory agreement (the "Agreement") between Hartford Investment
Financial Services, LLC ("HIFSCO"), the Fund's investment manager, and
Hartford Investment Management Company ("Hartford Investment
Management"), an affiliate of HIFSCO, pursuant to which Hartford
Investment Management will replace the Fund's current sub-advisers,
Chartwell Investment Partners, LP ("Chartwell"), Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, LP ("GSAM") and Northern Capital Management, LLC ("Northern
Capital"), and manage the Fund's assets as the sole sub-adviser.
THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP VALUE FUND:
Shareholders of The Hartford Select MidCap Value Fund (the "Fund"), a
series of The Hartford Mutual Funds, Inc. (the "Company"), are being
asked to consider one proposal (the "Proposal"): to approve a proposed
sub-advisory agreement (the "Agreement") between Hartford Investment
Financial Services, LLC ("HIFSCO"), the Fund's investment manager, and
Hartford Investment Management Company ("Hartford Investment
Management"), an affiliate of HIFSCO, pursuant to which Hartford
Investment Management will replace the Fund's current sub-advisers,
Artisan Partners Limited Partnership ("Artisan"), Cramer Rosenthal
McGlynn, LLC ("CRM") and Sterling Capital Management LLC ("Sterling"),
and manage the Fund's assets as the sole sub-adviser.
Q. 2. THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP GROWTH FUND:
HOW WILL REPLACING CHARTWELL, GSAM AND NORTHERN CAPITAL WITH HARTFORD
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BENEFIT THE FUND AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS?
A. 2. HIFSCO believes that replacing Chartwell, GSAM and Northern Capital
with Hartford Investment Management as sub-adviser to the Fund will
benefit Fund shareholders by: (1) reducing costs, due to the proposed
lower management fee schedule; (2) providing access to a talented and
experienced portfolio manager; and (3) increasing the potential for
economies of scale by providing greater opportunities for additional
asset growth.
Q. 3. THE HARTFORD SELECT MIDCAP VALUE FUND:
HOW WILL REPLACING ARTISAN, CRM AND STERLING WITH HARTFORD INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT BENEFIT THE FUND AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS?
A. 3. HIFSCO believes that replacing Artisan, CRM and Sterling with Hartford
Investment Management as sub-adviser to the Fund will benefit Fund
shareholders by: (1) reducing costs, due to the proposed lower management
fee schedule; (2) providing access to a talented and experienced
portfolio manager; and (3) increasing the potential for economies of
scale by providing greater opportunities for additional asset growth.
2006 Select Funds Proxy Q&A, Page 2
Q. 4. WHY ARE SHAREHOLDERS BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A NEW SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
WITH HARTFORD INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT?
A. 4. The laws governing mutual funds require a fund to obtain shareholder
approval before entering into a new advisory or sub-advisory agreement.
The Fund operates pursuant to an order from the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission that permits its investment manager to implement new
investment sub-advisory agreements with sub-advisers for the Fund that
are not affiliated with the investment manager with the approval of the
Fund's Board of Directors but without shareholder approval (the "Order").
Under the Order, the investment manager may not enter into a sub-advisory
agreement with a sub-adviser that is an "affiliated person," as defined
in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, of the Fund or the
investment manager without that sub-advisory agreement being approved by
Fund shareholders. Because Hartford Investment Management is affiliated
with HIFSCO, shareholder approval of the proposed sub-advisory agreement
is required.
Q. 5. WILL THE FUND'S INVESTMENT GOAL CHANGE IF THE PROPOSAL IS APPROVED?
A. 5. THE HARTFORD MIDCAP GROWTH FUND:
No. The Fund's investment goal of seeking long-term capital appreciation,
as well as its policy of investing primarily in mid cap growth style
stocks, will remain the same. However, it is expected that Hartford
Investment Management will use different strategies to achieve this goal
than Chartwell, GSAM and Northern Capital currently use. It is expected
that Hartford Investment Management will use a quantitative multifactor
approach to bottom-up stock selection, utilizing a set of varied market
factors to model each stock's relative attractiveness, with a focus on
those factors driving the market. Please refer to the Proxy Statement for
additional information regarding Hartford Investment Management's
investment approach.
THE HARTFORD MIDCAP VALUE FUND:
No. The Fund's investment goal of seeking long-term capital appreciation,
as well as its policy of investing primarily in mid cap value style
stocks, will remain the same. However, it is expected that Hartford
Investment Management will use different strategies to achieve this goal
than Artisan, CRM and Sterling currently use. It is expected that
Hartford Investment Management will use a quantitative multifactor
approach to bottom-up stock selection, utilizing a set of varied market
factors to model each stock's relative attractiveness, with a focus on
those factors driving the market. Please refer to the Proxy Statement for
additional information regarding Hartford Investment Management's
investment approach.
Q. 6. WILL THE PROPOSAL RESULT IN HIGHER FUND EXPENSES?
A. 6. No. The Proposal will not increase Fund expenses for either Fund. The
Funds pay an advisory fee to HIFSCO and HIFSCO is responsible for paying
the sub-advisory fee to Hartford Investment Management. If the Proposal
is approved, HIFSCO has agreed to reduce the Funds' investment advisory
fee schedule at all asset levels while the Funds' other fees will remain
the same. Please refer to the Proxy Statement for further information on
the reductions to the investment advisory fee schedule.
2006 Select Funds Proxy Q&A, Page 3
Q. 7. HAS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED THE PROPOSAL?
A. 7. Yes. The Board of Directors has reviewed and approved both Proposals, and
recommends that you vote FOR the Proposals.
Q. 8. HOW CAN I VOTE?
A. 8. You can vote:
o By mail: complete and return your proxy card in the addressed
postage-paid envelope.
o By telephone: call the toll-free number listed on your proxy card
and follow the recorded instructions.
o By Internet: log on to the website listed on your proxy card and
follow the on-screen instructions.
Whichever method you choose, please take the time to read the Proxy
Statement before you vote.
Q. 9. WHEN SHOULD I VOTE?
A. 9. Please vote as soon as possible. Representatives of The Hartford or
Computershare Fund Services, a firm authorized by The Hartford to assist
in the solicitation of proxies, may be contacting you to urge you to vote
on this important matter.
Q.10. WHERE CAN I OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROXY STATEMENT?
A.10. For information about voting, please call toll-free 1-866-390-6174.
To view The Hartford Mutual Funds' Annual Report for the year ended
October 31, 2005, Semi-Annual Report for the period ended April 30, 2006,
a copy of this Proxy Statement, or to obtain additional information about
the Proxy Statement:
Please go to www.hartfordinvestor.com (see "Your Vote Counts! Get Your
2006 Proxy Information" under "Points of Interest" on or after September
18, 2006);
Or call 1-888-843-7824 to request a copy.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End