SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION |
Washington, D.C. 20549 |
Form N-1A | |
REGISTRATION STATEMENT (NO. 2-14336) | |
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | [X] |
Pre-Effective Amendment No. | [ ] |
Post-Effective Amendment No. 119 | [X] |
and |
REGISTRATION STATEMENT (NO. 811-834) UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT | |
OF 1940 | |
Amendment No. 122 | [X] |
VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS | |
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust) | |
P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Office) | |
Registrant’s Telephone Number (610) 669-1000 | |
Heidi Stam, Esquire | |
P.O. Box 876 | |
Valley Forge, PA 19482 | |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: | |
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box) |
[ ] | immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) |
[] | on Date, pursuant to paragraph (b) |
[ ] | 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
[ X] | on October 12, 2012, pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
[ ] | 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) |
[ ] | on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485 |
If appropriate, check the following box: | |
[ ] | This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a |
previously filed post-effective amendment. |
Vanguard Windsor Fund |
Prospectus |
October 12, 2012 |
Investor Shares & Admiral Shares |
Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares (VWNDX) |
Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares (VWNEX) |
This prospectus contains financial data for the Fund through the fiscal period ended April 30, 2012. |
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
Contents | |||
Fund Summary | 1 | Investing With Vanguard | 23 |
More on the Fund | 6 | Purchasing Shares | 23 |
The Fund and Vanguard | 13 | Converting Shares | 26 |
Investment Advisors | 14 | Redeeming Shares | 27 |
Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 16 | Exchanging Shares | 30 |
Share Price | 19 | Frequent-Trading Limitations | 31 |
Financial Highlights | 20 | Other Rules You Should Know | 33 |
Fund and Account Updates | 37 | ||
Contacting Vanguard | 39 | ||
Additional Information | 40 | ||
Glossary of Investment Terms | 41 |
Fund Summary
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and income.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees | ||
(Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
Investor Shares | Admiral Shares | |
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None | None |
Purchase Fee | None | None |
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None | None |
Redemption Fee | None | None |
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000) | $20/year | $20/year |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
Investor Shares | Admiral Shares | |
Management Expenses | 0.38% | 0.29% |
12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | None |
Other Expenses | 0.03% | 0.02% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 | 0.41% | 0.31% |
1 The expense information shown in the table has been restated to reflect estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
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Examples
The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the Shares provide a return of 5% a year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. The results apply whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Investor Shares | $42 | $132 | $230 | $518 |
Admiral Shares | $32 | $100 | $174 | $393 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 49%.
Primary Investment Strategies
The Fund invests mainly in large- and mid-capitalization companies whose stocks are considered by an advisor to be undervalued. Undervalued stocks are generally those that are out of favor with investors and that the advisor feels are trading at prices that are below average in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors.
Primary Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range, like the fluctuations of the overall stock market. The Fund’s performance could be hurt by:
• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.
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• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large- and mid-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently.
• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection or focus on securities in a particular sector, category, or group of companies will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shareshas varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on June 30, 2012, was 9.08%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 18.93% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –20.60% (quarter ended December 31, 2008).
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Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2011 | |||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | –4.00% | –3.30% | 2.50% |
Return After Taxes on Distributions | –4.22 | –3.93 | 1.76 |
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –2.29 | –2.79 | 2.10 |
Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares | |||
Return Before Taxes | –3.95% | –3.19% | 2.60% |
Russell 1000 Value Index | |||
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 0.39% | –2.64% | 3.89% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares will be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisors
Pzena Investment Management, LLC.
Wellington Management Company, LLP
Portfolio Managers
Richard Pzena, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and co-Chief Investment Officer of Pzena. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012.
John P. Goetz, Managing Principal and co-Chief Investment Officer of Pzena. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012.
Antonio DeSpirito, Managing Principal of Pzena. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012.
James N. Mordy, Senior Vice President and Equity Portfolio Manager of Wellington Management. He has managed a portion of the Fund since 2008.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The following table provides the Funds minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.
Account Minimums | Investor Shares | Admiral Shares |
To open and maintain an account | $3,000 | $50,000 |
To add to an existing account | Generally $100 (other than | Generally $100 (other than |
by Automatic Investment | by Automatic Investment | |
Plan, which has no | Plan, which has no | |
established minimum) | established minimum) |
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisors do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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More on the Fund
This prospectus describes the primary risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: The higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: The lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this
symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether the Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
The Fund offers two separate classes of shares: Investor Shares and Admiral Shares.
Both share classes offered by the Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
Plain Talk About Fund Expenses |
All mutual funds have operating expenses. These expenses, which are deducted |
from a fund’s gross income, are expressed as a percentage of the net assets of |
the fund. Assuming that operating expenses remain as stated in the Fees and |
Expenses section, Vanguard Windsor Fund’s expense ratios would be as follows: |
for Investor Shares, 0.41%, or $4.10 per $1,000 of average net assets; for |
Admiral Shares, 0.31%, or $3.10 per $1,000 of average net assets. The average |
expense ratio for multi-cap value funds in 2011 was 1.24%, or $12.40 per $1,000 |
of average net assets (derived from data provided by Lipper Inc., which reports |
on the mutual fund industry). |
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing |
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That’s because |
you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, |
plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These |
costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital |
appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, |
over time, have a dramatic effect on a fund’s performance. |
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The following sections explain the primary investment strategies and policies that the Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Fund’s board of trustees, which oversees the Fund’s management, may change investment strategies or policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental.
Market Exposure
The Fund invests mainly in large- and mid-cap companies (although the advisors will occasionally select stocks with lower market capitalizations) whose stocks are considered by an advisor to be undervalued. Undervalued stocks are generally those that are out of favor with investors and that the advisor feels are trading at prices that are below average in relation to measures such as earnings and book value.
Stocks of publicly traded companies and funds that invest in stocks are often classified according to market value, or market capitalization. These classifications typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It’s important to understand that, for both companies and stock funds, market-capitalization ranges change over time. Also, interpretations of size vary, and there are no “official” definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors. The asset-weighted median market capitalization of the Fund as of October 31, 2011, was $24.6 billion.
The Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.
To illustrate the volatility of stock prices, the following table shows the best, worst, and average annual total returns for the U.S. stock market over various periods as measured by the Standard & Poor‘s 500 Index, a widely used barometer of market activity. (Total returns consist of dividend income plus change in market price.) Note that the returns shown do not include the costs of buying and selling stocks or other expenses that a real-world investment portfolio would incur.
U.S. Stock Market Returns | ||||
(1926–2011) | ||||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | |
Best | 54.2% | 28.6% | 19.9% | 17.8% |
Worst | –43.1 | –12.4 | –1.4 | 3.1 |
Average | 11.7 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 11.2 |
The table covers all of the 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year periods from 1926 through 2011. You can see, for example, that although the average annual return on common stocks for all of the 5-year periods was 9.9%, average annual returns for individual 5-year periods
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ranged from –12.4% (from 1928 through 1932) to 28.6% (from 1995 through 1999). These average annual returns reflect past performance of common stocks; you should not regard them as an indication of future performance of either the stock market as a whole or the Fund in particular.
Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds |
Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund |
managers. Growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to |
have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or other |
similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields and above-average |
prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. Value funds |
typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below average in relation to those |
measures; these stocks often have above-average dividend yields. Growth and |
value stocks have historically produced similar long-term returns, though each |
category has periods when it outperforms the other. |
The Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large- and mid-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently.
Security Selection
The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.
Each advisor employs active investment management methods, which means that securities are bought and sold according to the advisor’s evaluations of companies and their financial prospects, the prices of the securities, and the stock market and the economy in general. Each advisor will sell a security when, in the view of the advisor, it is no longer as attractive as an alternative investment.
Although each advisor uses a different process to select securities, each is committed to investing in large- and mid-cap stocks that, in the advisor’s opinion, are undervalued. Undervalued stocks are generally those that are out of favor with investors and that the advisor feels are trading at prices that are below average in relation to measures such as earnings and book value.
Wellington Management Company, LLP (Wellington Management), which manages approximately 71% of the Fund’s assets, relies on the depth and experience of its investment team and supporting global industry analysts to identify stocks that the
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advisor believes are significantly undervalued by the market. The portfolio typically offers prospective growth of earnings plus a dividend yield comparable with broad market averages, while at the same time being undervalued relative to the market.
Pzena Investment Management, LLC (Pzena), which manages approximately 28% of the Funds assets, utilizes a fundamental, bottom-up, deep-value-oriented investment strategy. Pzena seeks to buy good businesses at low prices, focusing exclusively on companies that are underperforming their historically demonstrated earnings power.
Pzena conducts intensive fundamental research, investing in companies only when all three of the following criteria are generally met: 1) the companys identified problems, if any, are temporary; 2) the companys management has a viable strategy to generate a recovery in earnings; and 3) there is meaningful downside protection in case the earnings recovery does not materialize.
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), manages a small portion (approximately 1%) of the Funds assets to facilitate cash flows to and from the Funds advisors. Vanguard typically invests its portion of the Funds assets in stock index futures and/or shares of exchange-traded funds. For more details, see Other Investment Policies and Risks.
The Fund is subject to manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection or focus on securities in a particular sector, category, or group of companies will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
Other Investment Policies and Risks
In addition to investing in undervalued common stocks, the Fund may make other kinds of investments to achieve its objective.
The Fund typically invests a limited portion, up to 30%, of its assets in foreign securities, which may include depositary receipts. Foreign securities may be traded on U.S. or foreign markets. To the extent that it owns foreign securities, the Fund is subject to country risk and currency risk. Country risk is the chance that world eventssuch as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasterswill adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries. In addition, the prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks have, at times, moved in opposite directions. Currency risk is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.
The Fund may invest in money market instruments, fixed income securities, convertible securities, and other equity securities, such as preferred stocks. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in restricted securities with limited marketability or in other illiquid securities.
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The Fund may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, bond, or currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), or a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index). Investments in derivatives may subject the Fund to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of the underlying securities, assets, or market indexes. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
The Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts, which are a type of derivative. A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement to buy or sell a countrys currency at a specific price on a specific date, usually 30, 60, or 90 days in the future. In other words, the contract guarantees an exchange rate on a given date. Managers of funds that invest in foreign securities can use these contracts to guard against unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. These contracts, however, would not prevent the Funds securities from falling in value during foreign market downswings.
Plain Talk About Derivatives |
Derivatives can take many forms. Some forms of derivatives, such as |
exchange-traded futures and options on securities, commodities, or indexes, |
have been trading on regulated exchanges for decades. These types of |
derivatives are standardized contracts that can easily be bought and sold, and |
whose market values are determined and published daily. Nonstandardized |
derivatives (such as swap agreements), on the other hand, tend to be more |
specialized or complex, and may be harder to value. |
Vanguard typically invests a small portion of the Funds assets in stock index futures, which are a type of derivative, and/or shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ETF Shares issued by Vanguard stock funds. Stock index futures and ETFs provide returns similar to those of common stocks. Vanguard may purchase futures or ETFs when doing so will reduce the Funds transaction costs or add value because the instruments are favorably priced. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from investing Fund assets in ETF Shares of other Vanguard funds. Fund assets invested in ETF Shares are excluded when allocating to the Fund its share of the costs of Vanguard operations.
Cash Management
The Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund,
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the Fund bears its proportionate share of the at-cost expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests.
Temporary Investment Measures
The Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when an advisor believes that doing so is in the Funds best interest, so long as the alternative is consistent with the Funds investment objective. For instance, the Fund may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Funds objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case if the Fund is transitioning assets from one advisor to another or receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.
In addition, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its normal investment policies and strategiesfor instance, by allocating substantial assets to cash, commercial paper, or other less volatile instrumentsin response to adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions. In doing so, the Fund may succeed in avoiding losses but may otherwise fail to achieve its investment objective.
Frequent Trading or Market-Timing
Background. Some investors try to profit from strategies involving frequent trading of mutual fund shares, such as market-timing. For funds holding foreign securities, investors may try to take advantage of an anticipated difference between the price of the funds shares and price movements in overseas markets, a practice also known as time-zone arbitrage. Investors also may try to engage in frequent trading of funds holding investments such as small-cap stocks and high-yield bonds. As money is shifted into and out of a fund by a shareholder engaging in frequent trading, the fund incurs costs for buying and selling securities, resulting in increased brokerage and administrative costs. These costs are borne by all fund shareholders, including the long-term investors who do not generate the costs. In addition, frequent trading may interfere with an advisors ability to efficiently manage the fund.
Policies to Address Frequent Trading. The Vanguard funds (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds) do not knowingly accommodate frequent trading. The board of trustees of each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds) has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and discourage frequent trading and, in some cases, to compensate the fund for the costs associated with it. These policies and procedures do not apply to Vanguard ETF® Shares because frequent trading in ETF Shares does not disrupt portfolio management or otherwise harm fund shareholders. Although there is no assurance
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that Vanguard will be able to detect or prevent frequent trading or market-timing in all circumstances, the following policies have been adopted to address these issues:
Each Vanguard fund reserves the right to reject any purchase requestincluding exchanges from other Vanguard fundswithout notice and regardless of size. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because of a history of frequent trading by the investor or if Vanguard determines that such purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds) generally prohibits, except as otherwise noted in the Investing With Vanguard section, an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 60 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account.
Certain Vanguard funds charge shareholders purchase and/or redemption fees on transactions.
See the Investing With Vanguard section of this prospectus for further details on Vanguards transaction policies.
Each fund (other than money market funds), in determining its net asset value, will, when appropriate, use fair-value pricing, as described in the Share Price section. Fair-value pricing may reduce or eliminate the profitability of certain frequent-trading strategies.
Do not invest with Vanguard if you are a market-timer.
Turnover Rate
Although the Fund generally seeks to invest for the long term, it may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for the Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that the Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. The average turnover rate for large-cap value funds was approximately 56%, as reported by Morningstar, Inc., on October 31, 2011.
Plain Talk About Turnover Rate |
Before investing in a mutual fund, you should review its turnover rate. This gives |
an indication of how transaction costs, which are not included in the funds |
expense ratio, could affect the funds future returns. In general, the greater the |
volume of buying and selling by the fund, the greater the impact that brokerage |
commissions and other transaction costs will have on its return. Also, funds with |
high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains that must be |
distributed to shareholders as taxable income. |
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The Fund and Vanguard
The Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 170 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $1.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure |
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by |
the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. |
Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be |
owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors |
who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by |
these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost |
of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member |
funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the |
funds expenses low. |
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Investment Advisors
The Fund uses a multimanager approach. Each advisor independently manages its assigned portion of the Funds assets, subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguard and the Funds board of trustees. The board of trustees designates the proportion of Fund assets to be managed by each advisor and may change these proportions at any time.
Pzena Investment Management, LLC, 120 West 45th Street, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10036, is a global investment management firm founded in 1995. The members of the firms executive committee and other employees collectively own 65% of the firm, unaffiliated persons own approximately 20%, and the remaining 15% is publicly owned. As of March 31, 2012, Pzena managed approximately $14.7 billion in assets.
Wellington Management Company, LLP, 280 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership, is an investment counseling firm that provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 70 years. As of March 31, 2012, Wellington Management had investment management authority with respect to approximately $719 billion in assets.
The Fund pays each of its investment advisors a base fee plus or minus a performance adjustment. Each base fee, which is paid quarterly, is a percentage of average daily net assets managed by the advisor during the most recent fiscal quarter. The base fee has breakpoints, which means that the percentage declines as assets go up. The performance adjustment, also paid quarterly, is based on the cumulative total return of each advisors portion of the Fund relative to that of the Russell 1000 Value Index (for Pzena) or the S&P 500 Index (for Wellington Management) over the preceding 36-month period. When the performance adjustment is positive, the Funds expenses increase; when it is negative, expenses decrease.
For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011, the aggregate advisory fee represented an effective annual rate of 0.13% of the Funds average net assets before a performance-based increase of 0.03%.
Under the terms of an SEC exemption, the Funds board of trustees may, without prior approval from shareholders, change the terms of an advisory agreement or hire a new investment advisoreither as a replacement for an existing advisor or as an additional advisor. Any significant change in the Funds advisory arrangements will be communicated to shareholders in writing. In addition, as the Funds sponsor and overall manager, The Vanguard Group may provide additional investment advisory services to the Fund, on an at-cost basis, at any time. Vanguard may also recommend to the board of trustees that an advisor be hired, terminated, or replaced, or that the terms of an existing advisory agreement be revised.
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For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved the Funds investment advisory agreement with Wellington Management, see the semiannual report to shareholders dated April 30, 2012. For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved the Funds investment advisory agreement with Pzena, see the annual report to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, which will be available 60 days after that date.
The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are:
Richard Pzena, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and co-Chief Investment Officer of Pzena. He has worked in investment management since 1984; has managed investment portfolios for Pzena since 1996; and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012. Education: B.S. and M.B.A., The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
John P. Goetz, Managing Principal, co-Chief Investment Officer of Pzena. He has worked in investment management since 1979; has managed investment portfolios for Pzena since 1996; and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012. Education: B.A., Wheaton College; M.B.A., the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.
Antonio DeSpirito, Managing Principal of Pzena. He has worked in investment management and managed investment portfolios for Pzena since 1996, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012. Education: B.S., The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; J.D., Harvard Law School.
James N. Mordy, Senior Vice President and Equity Portfolio Manager of Wellington Management. He has been with Wellington Management and has worked on the Windsor Fund investment team since 1985; has managed investment portfolios for Wellington Management since 1997; and has managed a portion of the Fund since 2008. Education: B.A., Stanford University; M.B.A., The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Fund.
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Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
The Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. Income dividends generally are distributed semiannually in June and December; capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund.
Plain Talk About Distributions |
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a funds income from interest |
and dividends as well as capital gains from the funds sale of investments. Income |
consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from any stock holdings and the |
interest it receives from any money market and bond investments. Capital gains are |
realized whenever the fund sells securities for higher prices than it paid for them. |
These capital gains are either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the |
fund held the securities for one year or less or for more than one year. |
Basic Tax Points
Vanguard will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all your distributions. In addition, investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any dividend and short-term capital gains distributions that you receive are taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income,if any, distributed by the Fund. The special tax treatment of qualified dividend income will expire for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, unless Congress enacts legislation providing otherwise.
Any distributions of net long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long youve owned shares in the Fund.
Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Funds normal investment activities and cash flows.
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A sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have a capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you complete your tax return.
Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.
Dividend and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale or exchange of Fund shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
Plain Talk About Buying a Dividend |
Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as an |
IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before the |
fund makes a distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is |
known as buying a dividend. For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, |
buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on |
December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You |
still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares |
x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you |
receivedeven if you reinvest it in more shares. To avoid buying a dividend, |
check a funds distribution schedule before you invest. |
General Information
Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 28% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:
Provide us with your correct taxpayer identification number;
Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct; and
Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.
Similarly, Vanguard must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.
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Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Fund offered in this prospectus, generally are not sold outside the United States, except to certain qualified investors. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the Non-U.S. Investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguards non-U.S. products.
Invalid addresses. If a dividend or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.
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Share Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to each share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On holidays or other days when the Exchange is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Fund does not transact purchase or redemption requests. However, on those days the value of the Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open.
Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available. Certain short-term debt instruments used to manage a funds cash are valued on the basis of amortized cost. The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security). A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the funds pricing time but after the close of the primary markets or exchanges on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the funds pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement), or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that are deemed to affect the value of foreign securities. Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securitiesfor example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the funds pricing time or if a security does not trade in the course of a day, and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.
Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Vanguard fund share prices are published daily on our website at vanguard.com/prices.
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). The information for the six-month period ended April 30, 2012, has not been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm. The information for all periods in the table through October 31, 2011 has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportalong with the Funds financial statementsis included in the Funds most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report online at vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables |
This explanation uses the Funds Investor Shares as an example. The Investor |
Shares began fiscal period 2012 with a net asset value (price) of $12.92 per share. |
During the period, each Investor Share earned $.123 from investment income |
(interest and dividends) and $1.492 from investments that had appreciated in |
value or that were sold for higher prices than the Fund paid for them. |
Shareholders received $.115 per share in the form of dividend distributions. A |
portion of each years distributions may come from the prior years income or |
capital gains. |
The share price at the end of the period was $14.42, reflecting earnings of $1.615 |
per share and distributions of $.115 per share. This was an increase of $1.50 per |
share (from $12.92 at the beginning of the period to $14.42 at the end of the |
period). For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of |
more shares, the total return was 12.61% for the period. |
As of April 30, 2012, the Investor Shares had approximately $7.1 billion in net |
assets. For the period, the expense ratio was 0.37% ($3.70 per $1,000 of net |
assets), and the net investment income amounted to 1.82% of average net |
assets. The Fund sold and replaced securities valued at 45% of its net assets. |
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Windsor Fund Investor Shares | ||||||
Six | ||||||
Months Ended |
||||||
April | ||||||
30, | Year Ended October 31, | |||||
For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 |
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $12.92 | $12.56 | $10.97 | $9.51 | $19.52 | $19.27 |
Investment Operations | ||||||
Net Investment Income | .123 | .184 | .190 1 | .197 | .279 | .298 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | ||||||
on Investments | 1.492 | .346 | 1.586 | 1.486 | (7.985) | 1.782 |
Total from Investment Operations | 1.615 | .530 | 1.776 | 1.683 | (7.706) | 2.080 |
Distributions | ||||||
Dividends from Net Investment Income | (.115) | (.170) | (.186) | (.223) | (.289) | (.301) |
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | — | — | — | — | (2.015) | (1.529) |
Total Distributions | (.115) | (.170) | (.186) | (.223) | (2.304) | (1.830) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $14.42 | $12.92 | $12.56 | $10.97 | $9.51 | $19.52 |
Total Return2 | 12.61% | 4.15% 16.31% 18.22% –43.88% | 11.24% | |||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $7,120 | $6,736 | $7,999 | $7,610 | $7,041 $14,490 | |
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets3 | 0.37% | 0.39% | 0.33% | 0.33% | 0.30% | 0.31% |
Ratio of Net Investment Income to | ||||||
Average Net Assets | 1.82% | 1.34% | 1.59%1 | 2.03% | 1.91% | 1.50% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 45% | 49% | 50% | 61%4 | 55% | 40% |
The expense ratio, net income ratio, and turnover rate for the current period have been annualized.
1 Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $.036 and 0.29%, respectively, resulting from a cash payment received in connection with the merger of Schering-Plough Corp. and Merck & Co. in November 2009.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.
3 Includes performance-based investment advisory fee increases (decreases) of 0.01%, 0.03%, (0.03%), (0.05%), (0.03%), and (0.01%).
4 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s capital shares.
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Windsor Fund Admiral Shares | ||||||
Six | ||||||
Months Ended |
||||||
April 30, | Year Ended October 31, | |||||
For a Share Outstanding Throughout | ||||||
Each Period | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 |
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $43.59 | $42.37 | $37.01 | $32.08 | $65.90 | $65.04 |
Investment Operations | ||||||
Net Investment Income | .441 | .664 | .6851 | .701 | .999 | 1.085 |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | ||||||
on Investments | 5.040 | 1.171 | 5.348 | 5.020 | (26.974) | 6.019 |
Total from Investment Operations | 5.481 | 1.835 | 6.033 | 5.721 | (25.975) | 7.104 |
Distributions | ||||||
Dividends from Net Investment Income | (.411) | (.615) | (.673) | (.791) | (1.047) | (1.085) |
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | — | — | — | — | (6.798) | (5.159) |
Total Distributions | (.411) | (.615) | (.673) | (.791) | (7.845) | (6.244) |
Net Asset Value, End of Period | $48.66 | $43.59 | $42.37 | $37.01 | $32.08 | $65.90 |
Total Return2 | 12.69% | 4.26% 16.44% 18.38% –43.85% | 11.38% | |||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $5,537 | $4,994 | $4,680 | $4,203 | $4,723 | $9,770 |
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets3 | 0.27% | 0.29% | 0.22% | 0.20% | 0.17% | 0.19% |
Ratio of Net Investment Income to | ||||||
Average Net Assets | 1.92% | 1.44% | 1.70%1 | 2.16% | 2.04% | 1.62% |
Portfolio Turnover Rate | 45% | 49% | 50% | 61%4 | 55% | 40% |
The expense ratio, net income ratio, and turnover rate for the current period have been annualized.
1 Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $.120 and 0.29%, respectively, resulting from a cash payment received in connection with the merger of Schering-Plough Corp. and Merck & Co. in November 2009.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.
3 Includes performance-based investment advisory fee increases (decreases) of 0.01%, 0.03%, (0.03%), (0.05%), (0.03%), and (0.01%).
4 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s capital shares.
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Investing With Vanguard
This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies, without notice to shareholders. Please call or check online for current information.
Each fund you hold in an account is a separate fund account. For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accountsand this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to you in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.
Purchasing Shares
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account, or to add to an existing fund account.
Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.
Account Minimums for Investor Shares To open and maintain an account. $3,000.
Add to an existing account. Generally $100 (other than by Automatic Investment Plan, which has no established minimum).
Account Minimums for Admiral Shares
To open and maintain an account. $50,000. If you request Admiral Shares when you open a new account, but the investment amount does not meet the account minimum for Admiral Shares, your investment will be placed in Investor Shares of the Fund. Institutional clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them.
Add to an existing account. Generally $100 (other than by Automatic Investment Plan, which has no established minimum).
How to Initiate a Purchase Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.
Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website at vanguard.com if you are a registered user.
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By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement), with a deposit slip (available online), or with a written request. You may also send a written request to Vanguard to make an exchange. For a list of Vanguard addresses, see Contacting Vanguard.
How to Pay for a Purchase
By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer option on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the option is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan) or from time to time. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are a registered user of vanguard.com), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.
By check. You may send a check to make initial or additional purchases to your fund account. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request: By mail. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguardxx). For a list of Fund numbers (for share classes in this prospectus), see Additional Information.
By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of vanguard.com), by telephone, or by written request. See Exchanging Shares.
Trade Date
The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading (a business day).
For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds, and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer (not using an Automatic
24
Investment Plan) into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.
For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.
For purchases by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Investment Plan: Your trade date generally will be one business day before the date you designated for withdrawal from your bank account.
If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
Admiral Shares. Please note that Admiral Shares generally are not available for:
SIMPLE IRAs and Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts or
Certain retirement plan accounts receiving special administrative services from Vanguard, including Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Vanguard does not accept cash, travelers checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse starter checks and checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.
New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable.
25
Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because of a history of frequent trading by the investor or because the purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Large purchases. Please call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.
Converting Shares
When a conversion occurs, you receive shares of one class in place of shares of another class of the same fund. At the time of conversion, the dollar value of the new shares you receive equals the dollar value of the old shares that were converted. In other words, the conversion has no effect on the value of your investment in the fund at the time of the conversion. However, the number of shares you own after the conversion may be greater than or less than the number of shares you owned before the conversion, depending on the net asset values of the two share classes.
A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.
Trade Date
The trade date for any conversion request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request. Your conversion will be executed using the NAVs of the different share classes on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For a conversion request received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. For a conversion request received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day. See Other Rules You Should Know.
Conversions From Investor Shares to Admiral Shares
Self-directed conversions. If your account balance in the Fund is at least $50,000, you may ask Vanguard to convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares. You can request a conversion online (if you are a registered user of vanguard.com), by telephone, or by mail. Institutional clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them. See Contacting Vanguard.
26
Automatic conversions. Vanguard conducts periodic reviews of account balances and may, if your account balance in the Fund exceeds $50,000, automatically convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares. You will be notified before an automatic conversion occurs and will have an opportunity to instruct Vanguard not to effect the conversion. Institutional clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them.
Mandatory Conversions to Investor Shares
If an account no longer meets the balance requirements for Admiral Shares, Vanguard may automatically convert the shares in the account to Investor Shares. A decline in the account balance because of market movement may result in such a conversion. Vanguard will notify the investor in writing before any mandatory conversion occurs.
Redeeming Shares
How to Initiate a Redemption Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.
Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website at vanguard.com if you are a registered user.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send a written request to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
How to Receive Redemption Proceeds
By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer option on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the option is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan) or from time to time. Your redemption request can be initiated online, by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption option, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.
27
By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of vanguard.com), by telephone, or by written request. See
Exchanging Shares.
By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, generally to the address of record.
Trade Date
The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you designated for withdrawal of funds (redemption of shares) from your Vanguard account. Proceeds of redeemed shares generally will be credited to your designated bank account two business days after your trade date. If the date you designated for withdrawal of funds from your
28
Vanguard account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer not using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Other Redemption Rules You Should Know
Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.
Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kindthat is, in the form of securitiesif we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the funds operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption. Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations for information about Vanguards policies to limit frequent trading.
Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to ten calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.
29
Share certificates. If you hold shares in certificates, those shares cannot be redeemed, exchanged, converted, or transferred (reregistered) until you return the certificates (unsigned) to Vanguard by registered mail. For the correct address, see
Contacting Vanguard.
Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction on your ability to request check redemptions online and by telephone. You can request a redemption in writing at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.
Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.
Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC.
Exchanging Shares
An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are a registered user of vanguard.com), by telephone, or by written request. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.
If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order for additional information on all transaction requests.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.
Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See Frequent-Trading Limitations for additional restrictions on exchanges.
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Frequent-Trading Limitations
Because excessive transactions can disrupt management of a fund and increase the funds costs for all shareholders, the board of trustees of each Vanguard fund places certain limits on frequent trading in the funds. Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds) limits an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 60 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account. ETF Shares are not subject to these frequent-trading limits.
For Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, the limitations apply to exchanges made online or by phone.
These frequent-trading limitations do not apply to the following:
Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
Transactions through Vanguards Automatic Investment Plan, Automatic Exchange Service, Direct Deposit Service, Automatic Withdrawal Plan, Required Minimum Distribution Service, and Vanguard Small Business Online®.
Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
Transaction requests submitted by mail to Vanguard from shareholders who hold their accounts directly with Vanguard. (Transaction requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
Transfers and reregistrations of shares within the same fund.
Purchases of shares by asset transfer or direct rollover.
Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
Checkwriting redemptions.
Section 529 college savings plans.
Certain approved institutional portfolios and asset allocation programs, as well as trades made by Vanguard funds that invest in other Vanguard funds. (Please note that shareholders of Vanguards funds of funds are subject to the limitations.)
For participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans,* the frequent-trading limitations do not apply to:
Purchases of shares with participant payroll or employer contributions or loan repayments.
Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
Distributions, loans, and in-service withdrawals from a plan.
Redemptions of shares as part of a plan termination or at the direction of the plan.
Automated transactions executed during the first six months of a participants enrollment in the Vanguard Managed Account Program.
31
Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
Share or asset transfers or rollovers.
Reregistrations of shares.
Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
Exchange requests submitted by written request to Vanguard. (Exchange requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
* The following Vanguard fund accounts are subject to the frequent-trading limitations: SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Accounts Held by Institutions (Other Than Defined Contribution Plans)
Vanguard will systematically monitor for frequent trading in institutional clients accounts. If we detect suspicious trading activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include applying to a clients accounts the 60-day policy previously described, prohibiting a clients purchases of fund shares, and/or revoking the clients exchange privilege.
Accounts Held by Intermediaries
When intermediaries establish accounts in Vanguard funds for the benefit of their clients, we cannot always monitor the trading activity of the individual clients. However, we review trading activity at the intermediary (omnibus) level, and if we detect suspicious activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If necessary, Vanguard may prohibit additional purchases of fund shares by an intermediary, including for the benefit of certain of the intermediarys clients. Intermediaries also may monitor their clients trading activities with respect to Vanguard funds.
For those Vanguard funds that charge purchase and/or redemption fees, intermediaries will be asked to assess these fees on client accounts and remit these fees to the funds. The application of purchase and redemption fees and frequent-trading limitations may vary among intermediaries. There are no assurances that Vanguard will successfully identify all intermediaries or that intermediaries will properly assess purchase and redemption fees or administer frequent-trading limitations. If you invest with Vanguard through an intermediary, please read that firms materials carefully to learn of any other rules or fees that may apply.
32
Other Rules You Should Know
Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings
Vanguard attempts to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings by sending just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report when two or more shareholders have the same last name and address. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online.
Vanguard.com
Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions online. You must register for this service online.
Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preference under Account Profile. You can revoke your electronic consent at any time online, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.
Telephone Transactions
Automatic. When we set up your account, well automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.
Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguards automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.
Proof of a callers authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:
Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).
Account registration and address.
Fund name and account number, if applicable.
Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.
33
Good Order
We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in good order. Good order generally means that your instructions:
Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguards policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.
Include the fund name and account number.
Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).
Written instructions also must include:
Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction.
(Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)
Any supporting documentation that may be required.
The requirements vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.
Future Trade-Date Requests
Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.
Accounts With More Than One Owner
If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
Responsibility for Fraud
Vanguard will not be responsible for any account losses because of fraud if we reasonably believe that the person transacting business on an account is authorized to do so. Please take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account information private, and immediately review any account statements or other information that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately about any transactions or changes to your account that you believe to be unauthorized.
Uncashed Checks
Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks.
34
Dormant Accounts
If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Unusual Circumstances
If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request by regular or express mail. See Contacting Vanguard for addresses.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, broker, or investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply.
Please see Frequent-Trading LimitationsAccounts Held by Intermediaries for information about the assessment of any purchase or redemption fees and the monitoring of frequent trading for accounts held by intermediaries.
Account Service Fee
For most shareholders, Vanguard charges a $20 account service fee on all fund accounts that have a balance below $10,000 for any reason, including market fluctuation. The account service fee applies to both retirement and nonretirement fund accounts and will be assessed on fund accounts in all Vanguard funds, regardless of a funds minimum initial investment amount. The fee, which will be collected by redeeming fund shares in the amount of $20, will be deducted from a fund account only once per calendar year.
If you register on vanguard.com and elect to receive electronic delivery of statements, reports, and other materials for all of your fund accounts, the account service fee for balances below $10,000 will not be charged, so long as that election remains in effect.
The account service fee also does not apply to the following:
Money market sweep accounts owned in connection with a Vanguard Brokerage Services® account.
Accounts held through intermediaries.
Accounts held by Voyager, Voyager Select, and Flagship clients. Eligibility is based on total household assets held at Vanguard, with a minimum of $50,000 to qualify for Vanguard Voyager Services®, $500,000 for Vanguard Voyager Select Services®, and $1 million for Vanguard Flagship Services®. Vanguard determines eligibility by aggregating assets of all qualifying accounts held by the investor and immediate family members who reside at the same address. Aggregate assets include investments in Vanguard mutual funds, Vanguard ETFs®, certain annuities through
35
Vanguard, the Vanguard 529 Plan, and certain small-business accounts. Assets in employer-sponsored retirement plans for which Vanguard provides recordkeeping services may be included in determining eligibility if the investor also has a personal account holding Vanguard mutual funds. Note that assets held in a Vanguard Brokerage Services account (other than Vanguard funds, including Vanguard ETFs) are not included when determining a households eligibility.
Participant accounts in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans.* Please consult your enrollment materials for the rules that apply to your account.
Section 529 college savings plans.
* The following Vanguard fund accounts have alternative fee structures: SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Low-Balance Accounts
The Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the minimum initial investment for any reason, including market fluctuation. This policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries.
Right to Change Policies
In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are deemed to be in the best interest of a fund.
36
Share Classes
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.
Fund and Account Updates
Confirmation Statements
We will send (or provide online, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Portfolio Summaries
We will send (or provide online, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the current calendar quarter. Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Tax Information Statements
For most accounts, we are required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms, which are generally mailed in January, will report the previous years dividends, capital gains distributions, proceeds from the sale of shares from taxable accounts, and distributions from IRAs and other retirement plans. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view these forms online. Vanguard may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
37
Annual and Semiannual Reports
We will send (or provide online, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard Windsor Fund twice a year, in June and December. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:
Portfolio Holdings
We generally post on our website at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the Funds Portfolio & Management page, a detailed list of the securities held by the Fund as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter. This list is generally updated within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter. Vanguard may exclude any portion of these portfolio holdings from publication when deemed in the best interest of the Fund. We also generally post the ten largest stock portfolio holdings of the Fund and the percentage of the Funds total assets that each of these holdings represents, as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter. This list is generally updated within 15 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter. Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of the Funds portfolio holdings.
38
Contacting Vanguard
Web | |
Vanguard.com | For the most complete source of Vanguard news |
24 hours a day, 7 days a week | For fund, account, and service information |
For most account transactions | |
For literature requests |
Phone | |
Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273 | For automated fund and account information |
(ON-BOARD) | Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Investor Information 800-662-7447 (SHIP) For fund and service information | |
(Text telephone for people with hearing | For literature requests |
impairment at 800-749-7273) | Hours of operation: MondayFriday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., |
Eastern time; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time | |
Client Services 800-662-2739 (CREW) | For account information |
(Text telephone for people with hearing | For most account transactions |
impairment at 800-749-7273) | Hours of operation: MondayFriday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., |
Eastern time; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time | |
Institutional Division | For information and services for large institutional investors |
888-809-8102 | Hours of operation: MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., |
Eastern time | |
Intermediary Sales Support | For information and services for financial intermediaries |
800-997-2798 | including broker-dealers, trust institutions, insurance |
companies, and financial advisors | |
Hours of operation: MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., | |
Eastern time |
Vanguard Addresses | |
Please be sure to use the correct address. Use of an incorrect address could delay the | |
processing of your transaction. | |
Regular Mail (Individuals) | The Vanguard Group |
P.O. Box 1110 | |
Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110 | |
Regular Mail (Institutions) | The Vanguard Group |
P.O. Box 2900 | |
Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
Registered, Express, or Overnight | The Vanguard Group |
455 Devon Park Drive | |
Wayne, PA 19087-1815 |
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Additional Information | |||||
Inception | Suitable | Newspaper | Vanguard | CUSIP | |
Date | for IRAs | Abbreviation | Fund Number | Number | |
Windsor Fund | |||||
Investor Shares | 10/23/1958 | Yes | Wndsr | 22 | 922018106 |
Admiral Shares | 11/12/2001 | Yes | WndsrAdml | 5022 | 922018403 |
Morningstar data © 2012 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
40
Glossary of Investment Terms
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Cash Investments. Cash deposits, short-term bank deposits, and money market instruments that include U.S. Treasury bills and notes, bank certificates of deposit (CDs), repurchase agreements, commercial paper, and bankers acceptances.
Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation. A stockholder is entitled to share in the companys profits, some of which may be paid out as dividends.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a funds stocks, weighted by the proportion of the funds assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the funds assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
Principal. The face value of a debt instrument or the amount of money put into an investment.
Russell 1000 Value Index. An index that measures the investment performance of domestic large-capitalization value stocks.
41
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
42
P.O. Box 2600 | |
Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600 | |
Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
For More Information | If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would |
If you would like more information about Vanguard | like information about your account, account |
Windsor Fund, the following documents are available | transactions, and/or account statements, please call: |
free upon request: | |
Client Services Department | |
Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | Telephone: 800-662-2739 (CREW) |
Additional information about the Funds investments is | Text telephone for people with hearing impairment: |
available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | 800-749-7273 |
to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a | |
Information Provided by the Securities and | |
discussion of the market conditions and investment | |
Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
strategies that significantly affected the Funds | |
You can review and copy information about the Fund | |
performance during its last fiscal year. | |
(including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room | |
Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
The SAI provides more detailed information about the | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
Fund and is incorporated by reference into (and thus | other information about the Fund are also available in |
legally a part of) this prospectus. | the EDGAR database on the SECs website at sec.gov, |
or you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, | |
To receive a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual | |
by electronic request at the following e-mail address: | |
report or the SAI, or to request additional information | |
publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference | |
about the Fund or other Vanguard funds, please visit | |
Section, Securities and Exchange Commission, | |
vanguard.com or contact us as follows: | |
Washington, DC 20549-1520. | |
The Vanguard Group | |
Funds Investment Company Act file number: 811-834 | |
Investor Information Department | |
P.O. Box 2600 | |
Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600 | |
Telephone: 800-662-7447 (SHIP) | |
Text telephone for people with hearing impairment: | |
800-749-7273 | |
© 2012 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
P 022 102012 |
PART B
VANGUARD® WINDSOR™ FUNDS
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
February 27, 2012 (revised October 12, 2012)
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ current prospectuses (dated October 12, 2012 for Vanguard Windsor Fund; and dated February 27, 2012 for Vanguard Windsor II). To obtain, without charge, a prospectus or the most recent Annual Report to Shareholders, which contains the Fund’s financial statements as hereby incorporated by reference, please contact The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
Phone: Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447 Online: vanguard.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
Description of the Trust | B-1 |
Fundamental Policies | B-3 |
Investment Strategies and Nonfundamental Policies | B-4 |
Share Price | B-19 |
Purchase and Redemption of Shares | B-19 |
Management of the Funds | B-20 |
Investment Advisory Services | B-33 |
Portfolio Transactions | B-45 |
Proxy Voting Guidelines | B-46 |
Financial Statements | B-51 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
Vanguard Windsor Funds (the Trust) currently offers the following funds and share classes (identified by ticker symbol):
Share Classes1 | ||
Fund2 | Investor | Admiral |
Vanguard Windsor Fund | VWNDX | VWNEX |
Vanguard Windsor II Fund | VWNFX | VWNAX |
1 Individually, a class; collectively, the classes. | ||
2 Individually, a Fund; collectively, the Funds. |
The Trust has the ability to offer additional funds or classes of shares. There is no limit on the number of full and fractional shares that may be issued for a single fund or class of shares.
Organization
The Trust was organized as Wellington Equity Fund, Inc., a Delaware corporation, in 1958. It was reorganized as a Maryland corporation in 1973 and subsequently was reorganized as a Pennsylvania business trust in 1985. The Trust then was reorganized as a Maryland corporation later in 1985 and, finally, was reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in 1998. Prior to its reorganization as a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust was known as Vanguard/Windsor Funds, Inc. The Trust is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) as an open-end management investment company. All Funds within the Trust are classified as diversified within the meaning of the 1940 Act.
B-1
Service Providers
Custodian. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 40 Water Street, Boston, MA 02109, serves as the Funds custodian. The custodian is responsible for maintaining the Funds assets, keeping all necessary accounts and records of Fund assets, and appointing any foreign subcustodians or foreign securities depositories.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, Suite 1700, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042, serves as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the Funds annual financial statements and provides other related services.
Transfer and Dividend-Paying Agent. The Funds transfer agent and dividend-paying agent is Vanguard, P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
Characteristics of the Funds Shares
Restrictions on Holding or Disposing of Shares. There are no restrictions on the right of shareholders to retain or dispose of the Funds shares, other than those described in the Funds current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information. Each Fund or class may be terminated by reorganization into another mutual fund or class or by liquidation and distribution of the assets of the Fund or class. Unless terminated by reorganization or liquidation, each Fund and share class will continue indefinitely.
Shareholder Liability. The Trust is organized under Delaware law, which provides that shareholders of a statutory trust are entitled to the same limitations of personal liability as shareholders of a corporation organized under Delaware law. This means that a shareholder of the Fund generally will not be personally liable for payment of the Funds debts. Some state courts, however, may not apply Delaware law on this point. We believe that the possibility of such a situation arising is remote.
Dividend Rights. The shareholders of each class of the Fund are entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions declared by the Fund for each such class. No shares of the Fund have priority or preference over any other shares of the Fund with respect to distributions. Distributions will be made from the assets of the Fund and will be paid ratably to all shareholders of a particular class according to the number of shares of the class held by shareholders on the record date. The amount of dividends per share may vary between separate share classes of the Fund based upon differences in the net asset values of the different classes and differences in the way that expenses are allocated between share classes pursuant to a multiple class plan.
Voting Rights. Shareholders are entitled to vote on a matter if (1) the matter concerns an amendment to the Declaration of Trust that would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the shares of the Fund or any class; (2) the trustees determine that it is necessary or desirable to obtain a shareholder vote; (3) a merger or consolidation, share conversion, share exchange, or sale of assets is proposed and a shareholder vote is required by the 1940 Act to approve the transaction; or (4) a shareholder vote is required under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires a shareholder vote under various circumstances, including to elect or remove trustees upon the written request of shareholders representing 10% or more of the Funds net assets, to change any fundamental policy of the Fund, and to enter into certain merger transactions. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, shareholders of the Fund receive one vote for each dollar of net asset value owned on the record date, and a fractional vote for each fractional dollar of net asset value owned on the record date. However, only the shares of the Fund or class affected by a particular matter are entitled to vote on that matter. In addition, each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to that class, and each class has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of another. Voting rights are noncumulative and cannot be modified without a majority vote.
Liquidation Rights. In the event that the Fund is liquidated, shareholders will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets. In the event that a class of shares is liquidated, shareholders of that class will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets that are allocated to that class. Shareholders may receive cash, securities, or a combination of the two.
Preemptive Rights. There are no preemptive rights associated with the Funds shares.
Conversion Rights. Fund shareholders may convert their shares to another class of shares of the same Fund upon the satisfaction of any then-applicable eligibility requirements as described in the Funds current prospectus.
B-2
Redemption Provisions. Each Funds redemption provisions are described in its current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information.
Sinking Fund Provisions. The Funds have no sinking fund provisions.
Calls or Assessment. Each Funds shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Tax Status of the Funds
Each Fund expects to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the IRC). This special tax status means that the Fund will not be liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to shareholders. In order to preserve its tax status, each Fund must comply with certain requirements. If the Fund fails to meet these requirements in any taxable year, the Fund will, in some cases, be able to cure such failure, including by paying a fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund is ineligible to or otherwise does not cure such failure for any year, it will be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before regaining its tax status as a regulated investment company.
Dividends received and distributed by each Fund on shares of stock of domestic corporations may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction applicable to corporate shareholders. Corporations must satisfy certain requirements in order to claim the deduction. Capital gains distributed by the Funds are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction.
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Each Fund is subject to the following fundamental investment policies, which cannot be changed in any material way without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Funds shares. For these purposes, a majority of shares means shares representing the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the Funds net assets voted, so long as shares representing more than 50% of the Funds net assets are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the Funds net assets.
Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow money only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Commodities. Each Fund may invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Diversification. With respect to 75% of its total assets, each Fund may not: (1) purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer; or (2) purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Funds total assets would be invested in that issuers securities. This limitation does not apply to obligations of the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
Industry Concentration. Each Fund will not concentrate its investments in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry.
Investment Objective. The investment objective of each Fund may not be materially changed without a shareholder vote.
Loans. Each Fund may make loans to another person only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Real Estate. Each Fund may not invest directly in real estate unless it is acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments (1) issued by companies that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate; or (2) backed or secured by real estate or interests in real estate.
Senior Securities. Each Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Underwriting. Each Fund may not act as an underwriter of another issuers securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
B-3
Compliance with the fundamental policies previously described is generally measured at the time the securities are purchased. Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (as is the case with borrowing), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time the investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market value of assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction. All fundamental policies must comply with applicable regulatory requirements. For more details, see Investment Strategies and Nonfundamental Policies.
None of these policies prevents the Funds from having an ownership interest in Vanguard. As a part owner of Vanguard, each Fund may own securities issued by Vanguard, make loans to Vanguard, and contribute to Vanguards costs or other financial requirements. See Management of the Funds for more information.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND NONFUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Some of the investment strategies and policies described on the following pages and in each Funds prospectus set forth percentage limitations on the Funds investment in, or holdings of, certain securities or other assets. Unless otherwise required by law, compliance with these strategies and policies will be determined immediately after the acquisition of such securities or assets by the Fund. Subsequent changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Funds investment strategies and policies.
The following investment strategies and policies supplement each Funds investment strategies and policies set forth in the prospectus. With respect to the different investments discussed as follows, the Fund may acquire such investments to the extent consistent with its investment strategies and policies.
Borrowing. A funds ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations; by the 1940 Act; and by applicable exemptions, no-action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by the SEC and its staff or any other regulatory authority with jurisdiction. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the funds total assets made for temporary or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the funds total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or for other reasons, a fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.
Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a funds portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. A fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
The SEC takes the position that transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. These transactions can include entering into reverse repurchase agreements; engaging in mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than short sales against-the-box); buying and selling certain derivatives (such as futures contracts); selling (or writing) put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; entering into firm-commitment and standby-commitment agreements; engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-commitment transactions; and other similar trading practices. (Additional discussion about a number of these transactions can be found on the following pages.) A borrowing transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position; segregates liquid assets (with such liquidity determined by the advisor in accordance with procedures established by the board of trustees) equal (as determined on a daily mark-to-market basis) in value to the funds potential economic exposure under the borrowing transaction; or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively, covers the transaction). A fund may have to buy or sell a security at a disadvantageous time or price in order to cover a borrowing transaction. In addition, segregated assets may not be available to satisfy redemptions or for other purposes.
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Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Common stock typically entitles the owner to vote on the election of directors and other important matters, as well as to receive dividends on such stock. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds, other debt holders, and owners of preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt securities or preferred stock that may be converted (on a voluntary or mandatory basis) within a specified period of time (normally for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. Convertible securities also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Other convertible securities with features and risks not specifically referred to herein may become available in the future. Convertible securities involve risks similar to those of both fixed income and equity securities. In a corporations capital structure, convertible securities are senior to common stock, but are usually subordinated to senior debt obligations of the issuer.
The market value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value and its conversion value. A securitys investment value represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a nonconvertible fixed income security). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer, and the seniority of the security in the issuers capital structure. A securitys conversion value is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like nonconvertible debt or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that circumstance, the convertible security takes on the characteristics of a bond, and its price moves in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that case, the convertible securitys price may be as volatile as that of common stock. Because both interest rates and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security generally is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying equity security. Convertible securities are often rated below investment grade or are not rated, and they are generally subject to a high degree of credit risk.
Although all markets are prone to change over time, the generally high rate at which convertible securities are retired (through mandatory or scheduled conversions by issuers or through voluntary redemptions by holders) and replaced with newly issued convertibles may cause the convertible securities market to change more rapidly than other markets. For example, a concentration of available convertible securities in a few economic sectors could elevate the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the specific risks of those sectors. Moreover, convertible securities with innovative structures, such as mandatory-conversion securities and equity-linked securities, have increased the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the special risks of those innovations, which may include risks different from, and possibly greater than, those associated with traditional convertible securities. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price set in the governing instrument of the convertible security. If a convertible security held by a fund is subject to such redemption option and is called for redemption, the fund must allow the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell the security to a third party.
Debt Securities. A debt security, sometimes called a fixed income security, is a security consisting of a certificate or other evidence of a debt (secured or unsecured) on which the issuing company or governmental body promises to pay the holder thereof a fixed, variable, or floating rate of interest for a specified length of time, and to repay the debt on the specified maturity date. Some debt securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, do not make regular interest payments but are issued at a discount to their principal or maturity value. Debt securities include a variety of fixed income obligations, including, but not limited to, corporate bonds, government securities, municipal securities, convertible securities, mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities. Debt securities include investment-grade securities, non-investment-grade securities, and unrated securities. Debt securities are subject to a variety of risks, such as interest rate risk, income risk, call/prepayment risk, inflation risk, credit risk, and (in the case of foreign securities) country risk and currency risk. The reorganization of an issuer under the federal bankruptcy laws may result in the issuers debt securities
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being cancelled without repayment, repaid only in part, or repaid in part or in whole through an exchange thereof for any combination of cash, debt securities, convertible securities, equity securities, or other instruments or rights in respect of the same issuer or a related entity.
Debt Securities Non-Investment-Grade Securities. Non-investment-grade securities, also referred to as high-yield securities or junk bonds, are debt securities that are rated lower than the four highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (for example, lower than Baa3 by Moodys Investors Service, Inc. (Moodys) or below BBB by Standard & Poors) or are determined to be of comparable quality by the funds advisor. These securities are generally considered to be, on balance, predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation, and they will generally involve more credit risk than securities in the investment-grade categories. Non-investment-grade securities generally provide greater income and opportunity for capital appreciation than higher quality securities, but they also typically entail greater price volatility and principal and income risk.
Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high-yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of investment-grade securities. Thus, reliance on credit ratings in making investment decisions entails greater risks for high-yield securities than for investment-grade securities. The success of a funds advisor in managing high-yield securities is more dependent upon its own credit analysis than is the case with investment-grade securities.
Some high-yield securities are issued by smaller, less-seasoned companies, while others are issued as part of a corporate restructuring such as an acquisition, merger, or leveraged buyout. Companies that issue high-yield securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them. Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of such issuers generally is greater than is the case with investment-grade securities. Some high-yield securities were once rated as investment grade but have been downgraded to junk-bond status because of financial difficulties experienced by their issuers.
The market values of high-yield securities tend to reflect individual issuer developments to a greater extent than do investment-grade securities, which in general react to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. High-yield securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are investment-grade securities. A projection of an economic downturn or of a sustained period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in junk-bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payments on its debt securities. If an issuer of high-yield securities defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, a fund investing in such securities may incur additional expenses to seek recovery.
The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment-grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the ability of a funds advisor to sell a high-yield security or the price at which a funds advisor could sell a high-yield security, and it could also adversely affect the daily net asset value of fund shares. When secondary markets for high-yield securities are less liquid than the market for investment-grade securities, it may be more difficult to value the securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.
Except as otherwise provided in a funds prospectus, if a credit-rating agency changes the rating of a portfolio security held by a fund, the fund may retain the portfolio security if the advisor deems it in the best interests of shareholders.
Depositary Receipts. Depositary receipts are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities that have been deposited with a depository. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored and include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other depositary receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs are issued in registered form, denominated in U.S. dollars, and designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. Other depositary receipts, such as GDRs and EDRs, may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and they are generally designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Although the two types of depositary receipt facilities (sponsored and unsponsored) are similar, there are differences regarding a holders rights and obligations and the practices of market participants.
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A depository may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by (or acquiescence of) the underlying issuer; typically, however, the depository requests a letter of non-objection from the underlying issuer prior to establishing the facility. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depository usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depository of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights to depositary receipt holders with respect to the underlying securities.
Sponsored depositary receipt facilities are created in generally the same manner as unsponsored facilities, except that sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depository and the underlying issuer through a deposit agreement. The deposit agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of the underlying issuer, the depository, and the depositary receipt holders. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depository), although most sponsored depositary receipt holders may bear costs such as deposit and withdrawal fees. Depositories of most sponsored depositary receipts agree to distribute notices of shareholder meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuers request.
For purposes of a funds investment policies, investments in depositary receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a depositary receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. Depositary receipts do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of foreign issuers.
Derivatives. A derivative is a financial instrument that has a value based onor derived fromthe values of other assets, reference rates, or indexes. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying references, such as commodities, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and related indexes. Derivatives include futures contracts and options on futures contracts, forward-commitment transactions, options on securities, caps, floors, collars, swap agreements, and other financial instruments. Some derivatives, such as futures contracts and certain options, are traded on U.S. commodity and securities exchanges, while other derivatives, such as swap agreements, are privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act), certain swap agreements may be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. New regulations could, among other things, increase the costs of such transactions. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities, assets, or market indexes on which the derivatives are based. Derivatives are used by some investors for speculative purposes. Derivatives also may be used for a variety of purposes that do not constitute speculation, such as hedging, risk management, seeking to stay fully invested, seeking to reduce transaction costs, seeking to simulate an investment in equity or debt securities or other investments, seeking to add value by using derivatives to more efficiently implement portfolio positions when derivatives are favorably priced relative to equity or debt securities or other investments, and for other purposes. There is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by a funds advisor will succeed. The counterparties to the funds derivatives will not be considered the issuers thereof for purposes of certain provisions of the 1940 Act and the IRC, although such derivatives may qualify as securities or investments under such laws. The funds advisors, however, will monitor and adjust, as appropriate, the funds credit risk exposure to derivative counterparties.
Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions.
The use of derivatives generally involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the other party to the contract (usually referred to as a counterparty) or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the use of credit derivatives can result in losses if a funds advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit derivative is based.
Derivatives may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many OTC derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.
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Derivatives may be subject to pricing or basis risk, which exists when a particular derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity.
Because many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A derivative transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Like most other investments, derivative instruments are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a funds interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other financial or economic factors in establishing derivative positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use a derivative as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the derivative will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many derivatives (in particular, OTC derivatives) are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
Exchange-Traded Funds. A fund may purchase shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ETF Shares issued by other Vanguard funds. Typically, a fund would purchase ETF shares for the same reason it would purchase (and as an alternative to purchasing) futures contracts: to obtain exposure to all or a portion of the stock or bond market. ETF shares enjoy several advantages over futures. Depending on the market, the holding period, and other factors, ETF shares can be less costly and more tax-efficient than futures. In addition, ETF shares can be purchased for smaller sums, offer exposure to market sectors and styles for which there is no suitable or liquid futures contract, and do not involve leverage.
An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate within a wide range, and a fund could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (1) the market price of the ETFs shares may trade at a discount or a premium to their net asset value; (2) an active trading market for an ETFs shares may not develop or be maintained; and (3) trading of an ETFs shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide circuit breakers (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage), if the shares are delisted from the exchange without first being listed on another exchange, or if the listing exchanges officials deem such action appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or to protect investors.
Most ETFs are investment companies. Therefore, a funds purchases of ETF shares generally are subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a funds investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading Other Investment Companies.
Vanguard ETF®* Shares are exchange-traded shares that represent an interest in an investment portfolio held by Vanguard funds. A funds investments in Vanguard ETF Shares are also generally subject to the descriptions, limitations, and risks described under the heading Other Investment Companies, except as provided by an exemption granted by the SEC that permits registered investment companies to invest in a Vanguard fund that issues ETF Shares beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions.
* U.S. Pat. No. 6,879,964 B2; 7,337,138; 7,720,749; 7,925,573; 8,090,646.
Foreign Securities. Typically, foreign securities are considered to be equity or debt securities issued by entities organized, domiciled, or with a principal executive office outside the United States, such as foreign corporations and governments. Securities issued by certain companies organized outside the United States may not be deemed to be foreign securities if the companys principal operations are conducted from the United States or when the companys
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equity securities trade principally on a U.S. stock exchange. Foreign securities may trade in U.S. or foreign securities markets. A fund may make foreign investments either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of similar instruments (depositary receipts) for foreign securities. Direct investments in foreign securities may be made either on foreign securities exchanges or in the OTC markets. Investing in foreign securities involves certain special risk considerations that are not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. companies or governments.
Because foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers, there may be less publicly available information about certain foreign issuers than about U.S. issuers. Evidence of securities ownership may be uncertain in many foreign countries. As a result, there are multiple risks that could result in a loss to the fund, including, but not limited to, the risk that a funds trade details could be incorrectly or fraudulently entered at the time of the transaction. Securities of foreign issuers are generally less liquid than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. In certain countries, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, war, terrorism, nationalization, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Although an advisor will endeavor to achieve most favorable execution costs for a funds portfolio transactions in foreign securities under the circumstances, commissions (and other transaction costs) are generally higher than those on U.S. securities. In addition, it is expected that the custodian arrangement expenses for a fund that invests primarily in foreign securities will be somewhat greater than the expenses for a fund that invests primarily in domestic securities. Certain foreign governments levy withholding taxes against dividend and interest income from foreign securities. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes is recoverable by the fund, the nonrecovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from the companies making up a fund.
The value of the foreign securities held by a fund that are not U.S. dollar-denominated may be significantly affected by changes in currency exchange rates. The U.S. dollar value of a foreign security generally decreases when the value of the U.S. dollar rises against the foreign currency in which the security is denominated, and it tends to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar falls against such currency (as discussed under the heading Foreign Securities Foreign Currency Transactions, a fund may attempt to hedge its currency risks). In addition, the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other expenses incurred in converting between various currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign securities, as well as by currency restrictions, exchange control regulation, currency devaluations, and political and economic developments.
Foreign Securities Emerging Market Risk. Investing in emerging market countries involves certain risks not typically associated with investing in the United States, and it imposes risks greater than, or in addition to, risks of investing in more developed foreign countries. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: greater risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations; greater social, economic, and political uncertainty and instability (including amplified risk of war and terrorism); more substantial government involvement in the economy; less government supervision and regulation of the securities markets and participants in those markets, and possible arbitrary and unpredictable enforcement of securities regulations; controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital and on the funds ability to exchange local currencies for U.S. dollars; unavailability of currency-hedging techniques in certain emerging market countries; the fact that companies in emerging market countries may be smaller, less seasoned, or newly organized; the difference in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; the risk that it may be more difficult to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States; and greater price volatility, substantially less liquidity, and significantly smaller market capitalization of securities markets. Also, any change in the leadership or politics of emerging market countries, or the countries that exercise a significant influence over those countries, may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities. Furthermore, high rates of inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries. Custodial services and other investment-related costs are often more expensive in emerging market countries, which can reduce a funds income from investments in securities or debt instruments of emerging market country issuers.
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Foreign Securities Foreign Currency Transactions. The value in U.S. dollars of a funds non-dollar-denominated foreign securities may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and the fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. To seek to minimize the impact of such factors on net asset values, a fund may engage in foreign currency transactions in connection with its investments in foreign securities. A fund will not speculate in foreign currency exchange and will enter into foreign currency transactions only to attempt to hedge the currency risk associated with investing in foreign securities. Although such transactions tend to minimize the risk of loss that would result from a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also may limit any potential gain that might result should the value of such currency increase.
Currency exchange transactions may be conducted either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market or through forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are entered into with large commercial banks or other currency traders who are participants in the interbank market. Currency exchange transactions also may be effected through the use of swap agreements or other derivatives.
Currency exchange transactions may be considered borrowings. A currency exchange transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of foreign currency involved in underlying security transactions, a fund may be able to protect itself against part or all of the possible loss between trade and settlement dates for that purchase or sale resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as transaction hedging. In addition, when the advisor reasonably believes that a particular foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, a fund may enter into a forward contract to sell an amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as portfolio hedging. Similarly, when the advisor reasonably believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, a fund may enter into a forward contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount.
A fund may also attempt to hedge its foreign currency exchange rate risk by engaging in currency futures, options, and cross-hedge transactions. In cross-hedge transactions, a fund holding securities denominated in one foreign currency will enter into a forward currency contract to buy or sell a different foreign currency (one that the advisor reasonably believes generally tracks the currency being hedged with regard to price movements). The advisor may select the tracking (or substitute) currency rather than the currency in which the security is denominated for various reasons, including in order to take advantage of pricing or other opportunities presented by the tracking currency or because the market for the tracking currency is more liquid or more efficient. Such cross-hedges are expected to help protect a fund against an increase or decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar against certain foreign currencies.
A fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these assets are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.
The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward currency contract. Accordingly, a fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if its advisors predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave a fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because forward currency contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that a fund will have flexibility to roll over a forward currency contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.
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Foreign Securities Foreign Investment Companies. Some of the countries in which a fund may invest may not permit, or may place economic restrictions on, direct investment by outside investors. Fund investments in such countries may be permitted only through foreign government-approved or authorized investment vehicles, which may include other investment companies. Such investments may be made through registered or unregistered closed-end investment companies that invest in foreign securities. Investing through such vehicles may involve layered fees or expenses and may also be subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a funds investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading Other Investment Companies.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. Futures contracts and options on futures contracts are derivatives. A futures contract is a standardized agreement between two parties to buy or sell at a specific time in the future a specific quantity of a commodity at a specific price. The commodity may consist of an asset, a reference rate, or an index. A security futures contract relates to the sale of a specific quantity of shares of a single equity security or a narrow-based securities index. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying commodity. The buyer of a futures contract enters into an agreement to purchase the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be long the contract. The seller of a futures contract enters into an agreement to sell the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be short the contract. The price at which a futures contract is entered into is established either in the electronic marketplace or by open outcry on the floor of an exchange between exchange members acting as traders or brokers. Open futures contracts can be liquidated or closed out by physical delivery of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount on the settlement date, depending on the terms of the particular contract. Some financial futures contracts (such as security futures) provide for physical settlement at maturity. Other financial futures contracts (such as those relating to interest rates, foreign currencies, and broad-based securities indexes) generally provide for cash settlement at maturity. In the case of cash-settled futures contracts, the cash settlement amount is equal to the difference between the final settlement price on the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the contract was entered into. Most futures contracts, however, are not held until maturity but instead are offset before the settlement date through the establishment of an opposite and equal futures position.
The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying commodity unless the contract is held until the settlement date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit initial margin with a futures commission merchant (FCM) when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as a percentage of the contracts market value. If the value of either partys position declines, that party will be required to make additional variation margin payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. This process is known as marking-to-market. A futures transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
An option on a futures contract (or futures option) conveys the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) a specific futures contract at a specific price (called the exercise or strike price) any time before the option expires. The seller of an option is called an option writer. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case, for example, if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is in-the-money at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying futures contract exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying futures contract. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer.
A fund that takes the position of a writer of a futures option is required to deposit and maintain initial and variation margin with respect to the option, as previously described in the case of futures contracts. A futures option transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
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Each fund intends to comply with Rule 4.5 of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, under which a mutual fund is conditionally excluded from the definition of the term commodity pool operator. A fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options that are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts Risks. The risk of loss in trading futures contracts and in writing futures options can be substantial because of the low margin deposits required, the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures and options pricing, and the potential high volatility of the futures markets. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for 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 contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract, and the writing of a futures option, may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the position. In the event of adverse price movements, a fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In such situations, if the fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements (and segregation requirements, if applicable) at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, on the settlement date, a fund may be required to make delivery of the instruments underlying the futures positions it holds.
A fund could suffer losses if it is unable to close out a futures contract or a futures option because of an illiquid secondary market. Futures contracts and futures options may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for such products. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures product at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close a futures or option position. Moreover, most 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 days settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of 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 future positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. The inability to close futures and options positions also could have an adverse impact on the ability to hedge a portfolio investment or to establish a substitute for a portfolio investment. Treasury futures are generally not subject to such daily limits.
A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use a futures contract or a futures option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the futures position will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving futures products can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments.
A fund could lose margin payments it has deposited with its FCM, if, for example, the FCM breaches its agreement with the fund or becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy. In that event, the fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the FCMs other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the fund.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending. The SEC has granted an exemption permitting the Vanguard funds to participate in Vanguards interfund lending program. This program allows the Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes. The program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no fund may borrow or lend money through the program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank for a comparable transaction; (2) no equity, taxable bond, or money market fund may loan money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the program to exceed 5%, 7.5%, or 10%, respectively, of its net assets at the time of the loan; and (3) a funds interfund loans to any one fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending funds net assets. In addition, a Vanguard fund may participate in the program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the funds investment objective and investment policies. The boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds are responsible for overseeing the interfund lending program. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.
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Investing for Control. The Vanguard funds invest in securities and other instruments for the sole purpose of achieving a specific investment objective. As such, they do not seek to acquire enough of a companys outstanding voting stock to have control over management decisions. The Vanguard funds do not invest for the purpose of controlling a companys management.
Options. An option is a derivative. An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for the payment of a premium, the right, but not the obligation, to buy from (in the case of a call option) or sell to (in the case of a put option) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration date of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price (in the case of a call option) or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security (in the case of a put option). The writer of an option on an index has the obligation upon exercise of the option to pay an amount equal to the cash value of the index minus the exercise price, multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. The multiplier for an index option determines the size of the investment position the option represents. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. Although this type of arrangement allows the purchaser or writer greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
The buyer (or holder) of an option is said to be long the option, while the seller (or writer) of an option is said to be short the option. A call option grants to the holder the right to buy (and obligates the writer to sell) the underlying security at the strike price. A put option grants to the holder the right to sell (and obligates the writer to buy) the underlying security at the strike price. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer, but that person could also seek to profit from an anticipated rise or decline in option prices. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is in-the-money at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying position exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying position. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer. The writing of an option will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
If a trading market in particular options were to become unavailable, investors in those options (such as the funds) would be unable to close out their positions until trading resumes, and they may be faced with substantial losses if the value of the underlying instrument moves adversely during that time. Even if the market were to remain available, there may be times when options prices will not maintain their customary or anticipated relationships to the prices of the underlying instruments and related instruments. Lack of investor interest, changes in volatility, or other factors or conditions might adversely affect the liquidity, efficiency, continuity, or even the orderliness of the market for particular options.
A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use an option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the option will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment, which could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving options can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many options, in particular OTC options, are complex and often valued based on subjective factors. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
Other Investment Companies. A fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law or SEC exemption. Under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, a fund generally may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of investment companies and up to 5% of its assets in any one investment company, as long as no investment
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represents more than 3% of the voting stock of an acquired investment company. In addition, no funds for which Vanguard acts as an advisor may, in the aggregate, own more than 10% of the voting stock of a closed-end investment company. The 1940 Act and related rules provide certain exemptions from these restrictions. If a fund invests in other investment companies, shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the funds expenses (including operating expenses and the fees of the advisor), but also, indirectly, may bear the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Certain investment companies, such as business development companies (BDCs), are more akin to operating companies and, as such, their expenses are not direct expenses paid by fund shareholders and are not used to calculate the funds net asset value. SEC rules nevertheless require that any expenses incurred by a BDC be included in a funds expense ratio as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense ratio of a fund that holds a BDC will need to overstate what the fund actually spends on portfolio management, administrative services, and other shareholder services by an amount equal to these Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not included in a funds financial statements, which provide a clearer picture of a funds actual operating expenses. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the investments of the fund, but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that typically trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or discount to their net asset value. Others are continuously offered at net asset value but also may be traded on the secondary market.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stock normally pays dividends at a specified rate and has precedence over common stock in the event the issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy. However, in the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, often has a stated dividend rate payable from the corporations earnings. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative, participating, or auction rate. Cumulative dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuers common stock. Participating preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of such stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed, which can limit the benefit of a decline in interest rates. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks to which common stock and debt securities are subject. In addition, preferred stock may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than common stock or debt securities due to the fact that preferred stock may trade less frequently and in more limited volume.
Repurchase Agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a fund acquires a fixed income security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a bankers acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a commercial bank, broker, or dealer, and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed-upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The resale price reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by a fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument. In these transactions, the securities acquired by a fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by a custodian bank until repurchased. In addition, the investment advisor will monitor a funds repurchase agreement transactions generally and will evaluate the creditworthiness of any bank, broker, or dealer party to a repurchase agreement relating to a fund. The aggregate amount of any such agreements is not limited, except to the extent required by law.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. One risk is the sellers ability to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the fund may incur costs in disposing of the collateral, which would reduce the amount realized thereon. If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws, the disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited. For example, if the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the bankruptcy or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by the fund not within its control and therefore the realization by the fund on such collateral may be automatically stayed. Finally, it is possible that the fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven business days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on a funds
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books. The SEC generally limits aggregate holdings of illiquid securities by a mutual fund to 15% of its net assets (5% for money market funds). A fund may experience difficulty valuing and selling illiquid securities and, in some cases, may be unable to value or sell certain illiquid securities for an indefinite period of time. Illiquid securities may include a wide variety of investments, such as (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days (unless the agreements have demand/redemption features), (2) OTC options contracts and certain other derivatives (including certain swap agreements), (3) fixed time deposits that are not subject to prepayment or do not provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), (4) loan interests and other direct debt instruments, (5) municipal lease obligations, (6) commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act, and (7) securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws. Illiquid securities include restricted, privately placed securities that, under the federal securities laws, generally may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers. If a substantial market develops for a restricted security held by a fund, it may be treated as a liquid security, in accordance with procedures and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. This generally includes securities that are unregistered, that can be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, or that are exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, such as commercial paper. Although a funds advisor monitors the liquidity of restricted securities, the board of trustees oversees and retains ultimate responsibility for the advisors liquidity determinations. Several factors that the trustees consider in monitoring these decisions include the valuation of a security; the availability of qualified institutional buyers, brokers, and dealers that trade in the security; and the availability of information about the securitys issuer.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund sells a security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon price and time. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the fund that it is obligated to repurchase. A reverse repurchase agreement may be considered a borrowing transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act. A reverse repurchase agreement transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing. A fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the advisor. If the buyer in a reverse repurchase agreement becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, a funds use of proceeds from the sale may be restricted while the other party or its trustee or receiver determines if it will honor the funds right to repurchase the securities. If the fund is unable to recover the securities it sold in a reverse repurchase agreement, it would realize a loss equal to the difference between the value of the securities and the payment it received for them.
Securities Lending. A fund may lend its investment securities to qualified institutional investors (typically brokers, dealers, banks, or other financial institutions) who may need to borrow securities in order to complete certain transactions, such as covering short sales, avoiding failures to deliver securities, or completing arbitrage operations. By lending its investment securities, a fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the securities lent. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities lent that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the fund. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, a fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. If a fund is not able to recover the securities lent, a fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. The value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased. Cash received as collateral through loan transactions may be invested in other eligible securities. Investing this cash subjects that investment to market appreciation or depreciation. Currently, Vanguard funds that lend securities invest the cash collateral received in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds.
The terms and the structure of the loan arrangements, as well as the aggregate amount of securities loans, must be consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules or interpretations of the SEC thereunder. These provisions limit the amount of securities a fund may lend to 33 1/3% of the funds total assets, and require that (1) the borrower pledge and maintain with the fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government having at all times not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; (2) the borrower add to such
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collateral whenever the price of the securities lent rises (i.e., the borrower marks-to-market on a daily basis); (3) the loan be made subject to termination by the fund at any time; and (4) the fund receive reasonable interest on the loan (which may include the funds investing any cash collateral in interest-bearing short-term investments), any distribution on the lent securities, and any increase in their market value. Loan arrangements made by each fund will comply with all other applicable regulatory requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, which presently require the borrower, after notice, to redeliver the securities within the normal settlement time of three business days. The advisor will consider the creditworthiness of the borrower, among other things, in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to oversight by the board of trustees. At the present time, the SEC does not object if an investment company pays reasonable negotiated fees in connection with lent securities, so long as such fees are set forth in a written contract and approved by the investment companys trustees. In addition, voting rights pass with the lent securities, but if a fund has knowledge that a material event will occur affecting securities on loan, and in respect of which the holder of the securities will be entitled to vote or consent, the lender must be entitled to call the loaned securities in time to vote or consent. A fund bears the risk that there may be a delay in the return of the securities, which may impair the funds ability to vote on such a matter.
Pursuant to Vanguards securities lending policy, Vanguards fixed income and money market funds are not permitted to, and do not, lend their investment securities.
Swap Agreements. A swap agreement is a derivative. A swap agreement is an agreement between two parties (counterparties) to exchange payments at specified dates (periodic payment dates) on the basis of a specified amount (notional amount) with the payments calculated with reference to a specified asset, reference rate, or index.
Examples of swap agreements include, but are not limited to, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, equity swaps, commodity swaps, foreign currency swaps, index swaps, excess return swaps, and total return swaps. Most swap agreements provide that when the periodic payment dates for both parties are the same, payments are netted, and only the net amount is paid to the counterparty entitled to receive the net payment. Consequently, a funds current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty. Swap agreements allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments; U.S. dollar-denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in a different currency; and payments tied to the price of one asset, reference rate, or index may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of another asset, reference rate, or index.
An option on a swap agreement, also called a swaption, is an option that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap on a future date in exchange for paying a market-based premium. A receiver swaption gives the owner the right to receive the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. A payer swaption gives the owner the right to pay the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. Swaptions also include options that allow an existing swap to be terminated or extended by one of the counterparties.
The use of swap agreements by a fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions.
Swap agreements may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many OTC swaps), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. In addition, swap transactions may be subject to a funds limitation on investments in illiquid securities.
Swap agreements may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a particular swap becomes extraordinarily expensive (or cheap) relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity or to realize the intrinsic value of the swap agreement.
Because some swap agreements have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A leveraged swap
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transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a funds interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many swaps, OTC swaps in particular, are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
The use of a swap agreement also involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the agreement. Additionally, the use of credit default swaps can result in losses if a funds advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit swap is based.
The market for swaps and swaptions is a relatively new market and is largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect a funds ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. As previously noted, under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain swaps that may be used by a fund may be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility.
Tax Matters Federal Tax Discussion. Discussion herein of U.S. federal income tax matters summarizes some of the important, generally applicable U.S. federal tax considerations relevant to investment in a fund based on the IRC, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority. These authorities are subject to change by legislative, administrative, or judicial action, possibly with retroactive effect. A shareholder should consult his or her tax professional regarding the particular situation for information on the possible application of U.S. federal, state, local, foreign, and other taxes.
Tax Matters Federal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions. A funds transactions in derivative instruments (including, but not limited to, options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements), as well as any of the funds hedging, short sale, securities loan, or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules that affect the treatment of gains or losses recognized by the fund as ordinary or capital. These transactions may also accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the fund, defer losses to the fund, and cause adjustments in the holding period of the funds securities.
Tax Matters Federal Tax Treatment of Futures Contracts. A fund generally must recognize for federal income tax purposes, as of the end of each taxable year, any net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures contracts, as well as any gains and losses actually realized during the year. In these cases, any gain or loss recognized with respect to a futures contract is considered to be 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, without regard to the holding period of the contract. Gains and losses on certain other futures contracts (primarily non-U.S. futures contracts) are not recognized until the contracts are closed and are treated as long-term or short-term, depending on the holding period of the contract. Sales of futures contracts that are intended to hedge against a change in the value of securities held by a fund may affect the holding period of such securities and, consequently, the nature of the gain or loss on such securities upon disposition. A fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on one position, such as futures contracts, to the extent of any unrecognized gains on a related offsetting position held by the fund.
In order for a fund to continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a regulated investment company, at least 90% of its gross income for a taxable year must be derived from qualifying incomei.e., dividends, interest, income derived from securities loans, gains from the sale of securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to the funds business of investing in securities or currencies. It is anticipated that any net gain recognized on futures contracts will be considered qualifying income for purposes of the 90% requirement.
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A fund will distribute to shareholders annually any net capital gains that have been recognized for federal income tax purposes on futures transactions. Such distributions will be combined with distributions of capital gains realized on the funds other investments and shareholders will be advised on the nature of the distributions.
Tax Matters Federal Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Transactions. Special rules govern the federal income tax treatment of certain transactions denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar or determined by reference to the value of one or more currencies other than the U.S. dollar. The types of transactions covered by the special rules include the following: (1) the acquisition of, or becoming the obligor under, a bond or other debt instrument (including, to the extent provided in Treasury regulations, preferred stock); (2) the accruing of certain trade receivables and payables; and (3) the entering into or acquisition of any forward contract, futures contract, option, or similar financial instrument if such instrument is not marked-to-market. The disposition of a currency other than the U.S. dollar by a taxpayer whose functional currency is the U.S. dollar is also treated as a transaction subject to the special currency rules. However, foreign-currency-related regulated futures contracts and non-equity options are generally not subject to the special currency rules if they are or would be treated as sold for their fair market value at year end under the marking-to-market rules applicable to other futures contracts unless an election is made to have such currency rules apply. With respect to transactions covered by the special rules, foreign currency gain or loss is calculated separately from any gain or loss on the underlying transaction and is normally taxable as ordinary income or loss. A taxpayer may elect to treat, as capital gain or loss, foreign currency gain or loss arising from certain identified forward contracts, futures contracts, and options that are capital assets in the hands of the taxpayer and that are not part of a straddle. The Treasury Department issued regulations under which certain transactions subject to the special currency rules that are part of a section 988 hedging transaction (as defined in the IRC and the Treasury regulations) will be integrated and treated as a single transaction or otherwise treated consistently for purposes of the IRC. Any gain or loss attributable to the foreign currency component of a transaction engaged in by a fund that is not subject to the special currency rules (such as foreign equity investments other than certain preferred stocks) will be treated as a capital gain or loss and will not be segregated from the gain or loss on the underlying transaction. It is anticipated that some of the non-U.S. dollar-denominated investments and foreign currency contracts a fund may make or enter into will be subject to the special currency rules described within this policy.
Tax Matters Foreign Tax Credit. Foreign governments may withhold taxes on dividends and interest paid with respect to foreign securities held by a fund. Foreign governments may also impose taxes on other payments or gains with respect to foreign securities. If, at the close of its fiscal year, more than 50% of a funds total assets are invested in securities of foreign issuers, the fund may elect to pass through foreign income taxes paid and thereby allow shareholders to take a deduction or, if they meet certain holding period requirements, a tax credit on their tax returns. If shareholders do not meet the holding period requirements, they may still be entitled to a deduction for certain gains that were actually distributed by the fund. Similarly, if, at the close of each quarter of a funds taxable year, at least 50% of its total assets consist of interests in other regulated investment companies, the fund is permitted to elect to pass through to its shareholders the foreign income taxes paid by the fund in connection with foreign securities held directly by the fund or held by a regulated investment company in which the fund invests that itself has elected to pass through such taxes to shareholders.
Tax Matters Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Investors. U.S. withholding and estate taxes may apply to any investments made by non-U.S. investors in Vanguard funds.
Warrants. Warrants are instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.
When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery, and Forward-Commitment Transactions. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. When purchasing securities pursuant to one of these transactions, payment for the securities is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations and the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. When a fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the fund does not participate in further
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gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss. A fund may renegotiate a when-issued or forward-commitment transaction and may sell the underlying securities before delivery, which may result in capital gains or losses for the fund. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Regulatory restrictions in India. Shares of the Windsor Fund have not been, and will not be, registered under the laws of India, and are not intended to benefit from any laws in India promulgated for the protection of shareholders. Due to regulatory requirements in India, shares of the Fund shall not be knowingly offered to (directly or indirectly) or sold or delivered to (within India); transferred to or purchased by; or held for, on the account of, or for the benefit of (i) a person resident in India (as defined in the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999), (ii) a non-resident Indian, an overseas corporate body, or a person of Indian origin, (as each such term is defined in the Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2000), or (iii) any other entity or person disqualified or otherwise prohibited from accessing the Indian securities market under applicable laws, as may be amended from time to time. Each investor, prior to purchasing shares of the Fund, must satisfy itself regarding compliance with these requirements.
SHARE PRICE
Multiple-class funds do not have a single share price. Rather, each class has a share price, called its net asset value, or NAV, that is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the Exchange), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. NAV per share is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to each share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On holidays or other days when the Exchange is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not transact purchase or redemption requests. However, on those days the value of the Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Funds hold foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open.
The Exchange typically observes the following holidays: New Years Day; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; Presidents Day (Washingtons Birthday); Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; and Christmas Day. Although each Fund expects the same holidays to be observed in the future, the Exchange may modify its holiday schedule or hours of operation at any time.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Purchase of Shares
The purchase price of shares of each Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the purchase request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Redemption of Shares
The redemption price of shares of each Fund is the NAV next determined after the redemption request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Each Fund may suspend redemption privileges or postpone the date of payment for redeemed shares (1) during any period that the Exchange is closed or trading on the Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; (2) during any period when an emergency exists, as defined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities it owns or to fairly determine the value of its assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit.
The Trust has filed a notice of election with the SEC to pay in cash all redemptions requested by any shareholder of record limited in amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund at the beginning of such period.
If Vanguard determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, the Fund may pay the redemption price in whole or in part by a distribution in
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kind of readily marketable securities held by the Fund in lieu of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors may incur brokerage charges on the sale of such securities received in payment of redemptions.
The Funds do not charge a redemption fee. Shares redeemed may be worth more or less than what was paid for them, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund.
Right to Change Policies
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are deemed to be in the best interest of a fund.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
Each Fund has authorized certain agents to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders, and those agents are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Funds behalf (collectively, Authorized Agents). A Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Agent accepts the order in accordance with the Funds instructions. In most instances, a customer order that is properly transmitted to an Authorized Agent will be priced at the NAV next determined after the order is received by the Authorized Agent.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Vanguard
Each Fund is part of the Vanguard group of investment companies, which consists of more than 170 funds. Through their jointly owned subsidiary, Vanguard, the funds obtain at cost virtually all of their corporate management, administrative, and distribution services. Vanguard also provides investment advisory services on an at-cost basis to several of the Vanguard funds.
Vanguard employs a supporting staff of management and administrative personnel needed to provide the requisite services to the funds and also furnishes the funds with necessary office space, furnishings, and equipment. Each fund pays its share of Vanguards total expenses, which are allocated among the funds under methods approved by the board of trustees of each fund. In addition, each fund bears its own direct expenses, such as legal, auditing, and custodial fees.
The funds officers are also officers and employees of Vanguard.
Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation (VMC), the funds advisors, and the funds have adopted Codes of Ethics designed to prevent employees who may have access to nonpublic information about the trading activities of the funds (access persons) from profiting from that information. The Codes permit access persons to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be held by a fund, but place substantive and procedural restrictions on the trading activities of access persons. For example, the Codes require that access persons receive advance approval for most securities trades to ensure that there is no conflict with the trading activities of the funds.
Vanguard was established and operates under an Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement. The Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement provides that each Vanguard fund may be called upon to invest up to 0.40% of its current net assets in Vanguard. The amounts that each fund has invested are adjusted from time to time in order to maintain the proportionate relationship between each funds relative net assets and its contribution to Vanguards capital.
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As of October 31, 2011, each Fund had contributed capital to Vanguard as follows: | |||
Capital | Percentage of | Percent of | |
Contribution | Fund’s Average | Vanguard’s | |
Vanguard Fund | to Vanguard | Net Assets | Capitalization |
Windsor Fund | $1,871,000 | 0.02% | 0.75% |
Windsor II Fund | 5,314,000 | 0.02 | 2.13 |
Management. Corporate management and administrative services include (1) executive staff, (2) accounting and financial, (3) legal and regulatory, (4) shareholder account maintenance, (5) monitoring and control of custodian relationships, (6) shareholder reporting, and (7) review and evaluation of advisory and other services provided to the funds by third parties.
Distribution. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, 400 Devon Park Drive A39, Wayne, PA 19087, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the principal underwriter for the funds and in that capacity performs and finances marketing, promotional, and distribution activities (collectively, marketing and distribution activities) that are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds’ shares. VMC performs marketing and distribution activities at cost in accordance with the conditions of a 1981 SEC exemptive order that permits the Vanguard funds to internalize and jointly finance the marketing, promotion, and distribution of their shares. The funds’ trustees review and approve the marketing and distribution expenses incurred by the funds, including the nature and cost of the activities and the desirability of each fund’s continued participation in the joint arrangement.
To ensure that each fund’s participation in the joint arrangement falls within a reasonable range of fairness, each fund contributes to VMC’s marketing and distribution expenses in accordance with an SEC-approved formula. Under that formula, one half of the marketing and distribution expenses are allocated among the funds based upon their relative net assets. The remaining half of those expenses is allocated among the funds based upon each fund’s sales for the preceding 24 months relative to the total sales of the funds as a group; provided, however, that no fund’s aggregate quarterly rate of contribution for marketing and distribution expenses shall exceed 125% of the average marketing and distribution expense rate for Vanguard, and that no fund shall incur annual marketing and distribution expenses in excess of 0.20% of its average month-end net assets. Each fund’s contribution to these marketing and distribution expenses helps to maintain and enhance the attractiveness and viability of the Vanguard complex as a whole, which benefits all of the funds and their shareholders.
VMC’s principal marketing and distribution expenses are for advertising, promotional materials, and marketing personnel.
Other marketing and distribution activities that VMC undertakes on behalf of the funds may include, but are not limited to:
n Conducting or publishing Vanguard-generated research and analysis concerning the funds, other investments, the |
financial markets, or the economy; |
n Providing views, opinions, advice, or commentary concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or |
the economy; |
n Providing analytical, statistical, performance, or other information concerning the funds, other investments, the |
financial markets, or the economy; |
n Providing administrative services in connection with investments in the funds or other investments, including, but not |
limited to, shareholder services, recordkeeping services, and educational services; |
n Providing products or services that assist investors or financial service providers (as defined below) in the investment |
decision-making process; |
n Providing promotional discounts, commission-free trading, fee waivers, and other benefits to clients of Vanguard |
Brokerage Services® who maintain qualifying investments in the funds; and |
n Sponsoring, jointly sponsoring, financially supporting, or participating in conferences, programs, seminars, |
presentations, meetings, or other events involving fund shareholders, financial service providers, or others concerning |
the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy, such as industry conferences, prospecting trips, |
due diligence visits, training or education meetings, and sales presentations. |
VMC performs most marketing and distribution activities itself. Some activities may be conducted by third parties |
pursuant to shared marketing arrangements under which VMC agrees to share the costs and performance of marketing |
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and distribution activities in concert with a financial service provider. Financial service providers include, but are not limited to, investment advisors, broker-dealers, financial planners, financial consultants, banks, and insurance companies. Under these cost- and performance-sharing arrangements, VMC may pay or reimburse a financial service provider (or a third party it retains) for marketing and distribution activities that VMC would otherwise perform. VMCs cost- and performance-sharing arrangements may be established in connection with Vanguard investment products or services offered or provided to or through the financial service providers. VMCs arrangements for shared marketing and distribution activities may vary among financial service providers, and its payments or reimbursements to financial service providers in connection with shared marketing and distribution activities may be significant. VMC does not participate in the offshore arrangement Vanguard has established with a third party to provide marketing, promotional, and other services to qualifying Vanguard funds that are distributed in certain foreign countries on a private-placement basis to government-sponsored and other institutional investors. In exchange for such services, the third party receives an annual base (fixed) fee, and may also receive discretionary fees or performance adjustments.
In connection with its marketing and distribution activities, VMC may give financial service providers (or their representatives) (1) promotional items of nominal value that display Vanguards logo, such as golf balls, shirts, towels, pens, and mouse pads; (2) gifts that do not exceed $100 per person annually and are not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; (3) an occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment that is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety and is not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; and (4) reasonable travel and lodging accommodations to facilitate participation in marketing and distribution activities.
VMC, as a matter of policy, does not pay asset-based fees, sales-based fees, or account-based fees to financial service providers in connection with its marketing and distribution activities for the Vanguard funds. VMC policy also prohibits marketing and distribution activities that are intended, designed, or likely to compromise suitability determinations by, or the fulfillment of any fiduciary duties or other obligations that apply to, financial service providers. Nonetheless, VMCs marketing and distribution activities are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds shares, and, as such, its activities, including shared marketing and distribution activities, may influence participating financial service providers (or their representatives) to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. In addition, Vanguard or any of its subsidiaries may retain a financial service provider to provide consulting or other services, and that financial service provider also may provide services to investors. Investors should consider the possibility that any of these activities or relationships may influence a financial service providers (or its representatives) decision to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. Each financial service provider should consider its suitability determinations, fiduciary duties, and other legal obligations (or those of its representatives) in connection with any decision to consider, recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class.
The following table describes the expenses of Vanguard and VMC that are incurred by the Funds on an at-cost basis. Amounts captioned Management and Administrative Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the management, administrative, and transfer agency services Vanguard provides to the funds. Amounts captioned Marketing and Distribution Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the marketing and distribution activities that VMC conducts on behalf of the Vanguard funds.
As is the case with all mutual funds, transaction costs incurred by the Funds for buying and selling securities are not reflected in the table. Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses are based on expenses incurred in the fiscal years ended October 31, 2009, 2010, and 2011, and are presented as a percentage of each Funds average month-end net assets.
Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses | |||
(Shared Expenses Deducted from Fund Assets) | |||
Vanguard Fund | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Windsor Fund | |||
Management and Administrative Expenses: | 0.17% | 0.17% | 0.16% |
Marketing and Distribution Expenses: | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
Windsor II Fund | |||
Management and Administrative Expenses: | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.16% |
Marketing and Distribution Expenses: | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
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Each Funds investment advisors may direct certain security trades, subject to obtaining the best price and execution, to brokers who have agreed to rebate to the Funds part of the commissions generated. Such rebates are used solely to reduce the Funds management and administrative expenses and are not reflected in these totals.
Officers and Trustees
Each Vanguard fund is governed by the board of trustees of its trust and a single set of officers. Consistent with the boards corporate governance principles, the trustees believe that their primary responsibility is oversight of the management of each fund for the benefit of its shareholders, not day-to-day management. The trustees set broad policies for the funds; select investment advisors; monitor fund operations, regulatory compliance, performance, and costs; nominate and select new trustees; and elect fund officers. Vanguard manages the day-to-day operations of the funds under the direction of the board of trustees.
The trustees play an active role, as a full board and at the committee level, in overseeing risk management for the funds. The trustees delegate the day-to-day risk management of the funds to various groups, including portfolio review, investment management, risk management, compliance, legal, fund accounting, and fund financial services. These groups provide the trustees with regular reports regarding investment, valuation, liquidity, and compliance, as well as the risks associated with each. The trustees also oversee risk management for the funds through regular interactions with the funds internal and external auditors.
The full board participates in the funds risk oversight, in part, through the Vanguard funds compliance program, which covers the following broad areas of compliance: investment and other operations; recordkeeping; valuation and pricing; communications and disclosure; reporting and accounting; oversight of service providers; fund governance; and codes of ethics, insider trading controls, and protection of nonpublic information. The program seeks to identify and assess risk through various methods, including through regular interdisciplinary communications between compliance professionals and business personnel who participate on a daily basis in risk management on behalf of the funds. The funds chief compliance officer regularly provides reports to the board in writing and in person.
The audit committee of the board, which is composed of all independent trustees, oversees management of financial risks and controls. The audit committee serves as the channel of communication between the independent auditors of the funds and the board with respect to financial statements and financial-reporting processes, systems of internal control, and the audit process. The head of internal audit reports directly to the audit committee and provides reports to the committee in writing and in person on a regular basis. Although the audit committee is responsible for overseeing the management of financial risks, the entire board is regularly informed of these risks through committee reports.
All of the trustees bring to each funds board a wealth of executive leadership experience derived from their service as executives (in many cases chief executive officers), board members, and leaders of diverse public operating companies, academic institutions, and other organizations. In determining whether an individual is qualified to serve as a trustee of the funds, the board considers a wide variety of information about the trustee, and multiple factors contribute to the boards decision. Each trustee is determined to have the experience, skills, and attributes necessary to serve the funds and their shareholders because each trustee demonstrates an exceptional ability to consider complex business and financial matters, evaluate the relative importance and priority of issues, make decisions, and contribute effectively to the deliberations of the board. The board also considers the individual experience of each trustee and determines that the trustees professional experience, education, and background contribute to the diversity of perspectives on the board. The business acumen, experience, and objective thinking of the trustees are considered invaluable assets for Vanguard management and, ultimately, the Vanguard funds shareholders. The specific roles and experience of each board member that factor into this determination are presented on the following pages. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
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Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
Position(s) | Funds’ Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
Name, Year of Birth | Held with Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
Interested Trustee1 | ||||
F. William McNabb III | Chairman of the | July 2009 | Mr. McNabb has served as Chairman of the Board of | 179 |
(1957) | Board, Chief | Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||
Executive Officer, | served by Vanguard, since January 2010; Trustee of | |||
and President | each of the investment companies served by | |||
Vanguard, since 2009; Director of Vanguard since | ||||
2008; and Chief Executive Officer and President of | ||||
Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||||
served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. McNabb also | ||||
serves as Director of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. | ||||
Mr. McNabb served as a Managing Director of | ||||
Vanguard from 1995 to 2008. |
1 Mr. McNabb is considered an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because he is an officer of the Trust.
Independent Trustees | ||||
Emerson U. Fullwood | Trustee | January 2008 | Mr. Fullwood is the former Executive Chief Staff and | 179 |
(1948) | Marketing Officer for North America and Corporate | |||
Vice President (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation | ||||
(document management products and services). | ||||
Previous positions held at Xerox by Mr. Fullwood | ||||
include President of the Worldwide Channels Group, | ||||
President of Latin America, Executive Chief Staff Officer | ||||
of Developing Markets, and President of Worldwide | ||||
Customer Services. Mr. Fullwood is the Executive in | ||||
Residence and 2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at | ||||
the Rochester Institute of Technology. Mr. Fullwood | ||||
serves as a director of SPX Corporation (multi-industry | ||||
manufacturing), Amerigroup Corporation (managed | ||||
health care), the University of Rochester Medical | ||||
Center, Monroe Community College Foundation, the | ||||
United Way of Rochester, and North Carolina A&T | ||||
University. | ||||
Rajiv L. Gupta | Trustee | December 2001 | Mr. Gupta is the former Chairman and Chief Executive | 179 |
(1945) | Officer (retired 2009) and President (2006–2008) of | |||
Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals). Mr. Gupta serves as a | ||||
director of Tyco International, Ltd. (diversified | ||||
manufacturing and services), Hewlett-Packard | ||||
Company (electronic computer manufacturing), and | ||||
Delphi Automotive LLP (automotive components); as | ||||
Senior Advisor at New Mountain Capital; and as a | ||||
trustee of The Conference Board. | ||||
Amy Gutmann | Trustee | June 2006 | Dr. Gutmann has served as the President of the | 179 |
(1949) | University of Pennsylvania since 2004. She is the | |||
Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of | ||||
Political Science in the School of Arts and Sciences | ||||
with secondary appointments at the Annenberg | ||||
School for Communication and the Graduate School | ||||
of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. | ||||
Dr. Gutmann also serves on the National Commission | ||||
on the Humanities and Social Sciences, and as a | ||||
trustee of Carnegie Corporation of New York and of the | ||||
National Constitution Center. Dr. Gutmann is Chair of | ||||
the Presidential Commission for the Study of | ||||
Bioethical Issues. |
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Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
Position(s) | Funds’ Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
Name, Year of Birth | Held with Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | Trustee | July 1998 | Ms. Heisen is the former Corporate Vice President | 179 |
(1950) | and Chief Global Diversity Officer (retired 2008) | |||
and a former Member of the Executive Committee | ||||
(1997–2008) of Johnson & Johnson (pharmaceuticals/ | ||||
medical devices/consumer products). Ms. Heisen | ||||
served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer | ||||
of Johnson & Johnson from 1997 to 2005. Ms. Heisen | ||||
serves as a director of Skytop Lodge Corporation | ||||
(hotels), the University Medical Center at Princeton, | ||||
the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Center | ||||
for Talent Innovation; and as a member of the advisory | ||||
board of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public | ||||
Affairs at Syracuse University. | ||||
F. Joseph Loughrey | Trustee | October 2009 | Mr. Loughrey is the former President and Chief | 179 |
(1949) | Operating Officer (retired 2009) and Vice Chairman of | |||
the Board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial | ||||
machinery). Mr. Loughrey serves as a director of | ||||
SKF AB (industrial machinery), Hillenbrand, Inc. | ||||
(specialized consumer services), the Lumina | ||||
Foundation for Education, and Oxfam America; and as | ||||
Chairman of the Advisory Council for the College of | ||||
Arts and Letters and Member of the Advisory Board to | ||||
the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the | ||||
University of Notre Dame. Mr. Loughrey served as a | ||||
director of Sauer-Danfoss Inc. (machinery) from 2000 | ||||
to 2010, of Cummins Inc. from 2005 to 2009, and of | ||||
Tower Automotive Inc. (manufacturer of automobile | ||||
components) from 1994 to 2007. | ||||
Mark Loughridge | Trustee | March 2012 | Mr. Loughridge has served as Senior Vice President | 179 |
(1953) | and Chief Financial Officer at IBM (information | |||
technology services) since 2004. Mr. Loughridge also | ||||
serves as a fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan | ||||
Committee. Previous positions held by Mr. Loughridge | ||||
since joining IBM in 1977 include Senior Vice President | ||||
and General Manager of Global Financing (2002–2004), | ||||
Vice President and Controller (1998–2002), and a | ||||
variety of management roles. | ||||
Scott C. Malpass | Trustee | March 2012 | Mr. Malpass has served as Chief Investment Officer | 179 |
(1962) | since 1989 and Vice President since 1996 at the | |||
University of Notre Dame. Mr. Malpass serves as an | ||||
Assistant Professor of Finance at the Mendoza College | ||||
of Business at the University of Notre Dame and is a | ||||
member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment | ||||
Committee. Mr. Malpass also serves on the board of | ||||
TIFF Advisory Services, Inc. (investment advisor), and | ||||
as a member of the investment advisory committees | ||||
of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) | ||||
and of Major League Baseball. |
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Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
Position(s) | Funds’ Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
Name, Year of Birth | Held with Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
André F. Perold | Trustee | December 2004 | Dr. Perold is the former George Gund Professor of | 179 |
(1952) | Finance and Banking at the Harvard Business School | |||
(retired 2011). Dr. Perold serves as Chief Investment | ||||
Officer and Managing Partner of HighVista Strategies | ||||
LLC (private investment firm). Dr. Perold also serves as | ||||
a director of Rand Merchant Bank and as an overseer | ||||
of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. From 2003 to | ||||
2009, Dr. Perold served as chairman of the board of | ||||
UNX, Inc. (equities trading firm). | ||||
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. | Lead | January 1993 | Mr. Rankin serves as Chairman, President, and Chief | 179 |
(1941) | Independent | Executive Officer of NACCO Industries, Inc. (forklift | ||
Trustee | trucks/housewares/lignite). Mr. Rankin also serves as a | |||
director of Goodrich Corporation (industrial products/ | ||||
aircraft systems and services) and the National | ||||
Association of Manufacturers; Chairman of the Board of | ||||
the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and of University | ||||
Hospitals of Cleveland; and Advisory Chairman of the | ||||
Board of The Cleveland Museum of Art. | ||||
Peter F. Volanakis | Trustee | July 2009 | Mr. Volanakis is the retired President and Chief | 179 |
(1955) | Operating Officer (retired 2010) of Corning | |||
Incorporated (communications equipment). | ||||
Mr. Volanakis served as a director of Corning | ||||
Incorporated (2000–2010) and of Dow Corning (2001– | ||||
2010). Mr. Volanakis serves as a director of SPX | ||||
Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing), as an | ||||
Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business | ||||
Administration at Dartmouth College, and as an | ||||
Advisor to the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. | ||||
Executive Officers | ||||
Glenn Booraem | Controller | July 2010 | Mr. Booraem, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as | 179 |
(1967) | Controller of each of the investment companies served | |||
by Vanguard, since 2010. Mr. Booraem served as | ||||
Assistant Controller of each of the investment | ||||
companies served by Vanguard, from 2001 to 2010. | ||||
Thomas J. Higgins | Chief Financial | September 2008 | Mr. Higgins, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as Chief | 179 |
(1957) | Officer | Financial Officer of each of the investment companies | ||
served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. Higgins served as | ||||
Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | ||||
by Vanguard, from 1998 to 2008. | ||||
Kathryn J. Hyatt | Treasurer | November 2008 | Ms. Hyatt, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as | 179 |
(1955) | Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | |||
by Vanguard, since 2008. Ms. Hyatt served as | ||||
Assistant Treasurer of each of the investment | ||||
companies served by Vanguard, from 1988 to 2008. | ||||
Heidi Stam | Secretary | July 2005 | Ms. Stam has served as a Managing Director of | 179 |
(1956) | Vanguard since 2006; General Counsel of Vanguard | |||
since 2005; Secretary of Vanguard and of each of the | ||||
investment companies served by Vanguard, since | ||||
2005; and Director and Senior Vice President of | ||||
Vanguard Marketing Corporation since 2005. Ms. Stam | ||||
served as a Principal of Vanguard from 1997 to 2006. |
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All but one of the trustees are independent. The independent trustees designate a lead independent trustee. The lead independent trustee is a spokesperson and principal point of contact for the independent trustees and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the independent trustees, including calling regular executive sessions of the independent trustees; developing the agenda of each meeting together with the chairman; and chairing the meetings of the independent trustees, including the meetings of the audit, compensation, and nominating committees.
The independent trustees appoint the chairman of the board. The roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer currently are held by the same person; as a result, the chairman of the board is an interested trustee. The independent trustees generally believe that the Vanguard funds chief executive officer is best qualified to serve as chairman and that fund shareholders benefit from this leadership structure through accountability and strong day-to-day leadership.
Board Committees: The Trust's board has the following committees:
The Nominating Committee will consider shareholder recommendations for trustee nominees. Shareholders may send recommendations to Mr. Rankin, Chairman of the Committee.
Trustee Compensation
The same individuals serve as trustees of all Vanguard funds and each fund pays a proportionate share of the trustees compensation. The funds also employ their officers on a shared basis; however, officers are compensated by Vanguard, not the funds.
Independent Trustees. The funds compensate their independent trustees (i.e., the ones who are not also officers of the funds) in three ways:
Interested Trustee. Mr. McNabb serves as trustee, but is not paid in this capacity. He is, however, paid in his role as an officer of Vanguard.
Compensation Table. The following table provides compensation details for each of the trustees. We list the amounts paid as compensation and accrued as retirement benefits by the Funds for each trustee. In addition, the table shows the total amount of benefits that we expect each trustee to receive from all Vanguard funds upon retirement, and the total amount of compensation paid to each trustee by all Vanguard funds. (Mark Loughridge and Scott C. Malpass are not included in the table because they did not serve as trustees until March 22, 2012.)
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VANGUARD Windsor FUNDS | ||||
TRUSTEES COMPENSATION TABLE | ||||
Pension or Retirement | Accrued Annual | Total Compensation | ||
Aggregate | Benefits Accrued | Retirement | from All Vanguard | |
Compensation | as Part of the | Benefit at | Funds Paid | |
Trustee | from the Funds1 | Funds Expenses1 | January 1, 20112 | to Trustees3 |
F. William McNabb III | | | | |
Emerson U. Fullwood | $12,435 | | | $210,000 |
Rajiv L. Gupta | 12,435 | | | 210,000 |
Amy Gutmann | 12,435 | | | 210,000 |
JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | 12,435 | $386 | $5,231 | 210,000 |
F. Joseph Loughrey | 12,435 | | | 210,000 |
André F. Perold | 12,435 | | | 210,000 |
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. | 14,214 | 757 | 10,251 | 240,000 |
Peter F. Volanakis | 12,435 | | | 210,000 |
1 | The amounts shown in this column are based on the Trusts fiscal year ended October 31, 2011. Each Fund within the Trust is responsible for a proportionate share of these amounts. |
2 | Each trustee is eligible to receive retirement benefits only after completing at least 5 years (60 consecutive months) of service as a trustee for the Vanguard funds. The annual retirement benefit will be paid in monthly installments, beginning with the month following the trustees retirement from service, and will cease after 10 years of payments (120 monthly installments). Trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the retirement benefit plan. |
3 | The amounts reported in this column reflect the total compensation paid to each trustee for his or her service as trustee of 180 Vanguard funds for the 2011 calendar year. |
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Ownership of Fund Shares
All trustees allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds based on their own investment needs. The following table shows each trustee’s ownership of shares of each Fund and of all Vanguard funds served by the trustee as of December 31, 2011. (Mark Loughridge and Scott C. Malpass are not included in the table because they did not serve as trustees as of December 31, 2011.)
Dollar Range of | Aggregate Dollar Range of | ||
Fund Shares | Vanguard Fund Shares | ||
Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
Windsor Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | — | Over $100,000 |
Rajiv L. Gupta | — | Over $100,000 | |
Amy Gutmann | — | Over $100,000 | |
JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | — | Over $100,000 | |
F. Joseph Loughrey | — | Over $100,000 | |
F. William McNabb III | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
André F. Perold | — | Over $100,000 | |
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
Peter F. Volanakis | — | Over $100,000 |
Dollar Range of | Aggregate Dollar Range of | ||
Fund Shares | Vanguard Fund Shares | ||
Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
Windsor II Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | — | Over $100,000 |
Rajiv L. Gupta | — | Over $100,000 | |
Amy Gutmann | — | Over $100,000 | |
JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | — | Over $100,000 | |
F. Joseph Loughrey | — | Over $100,000 | |
F. William McNabb III | — | Over $100,000 | |
André F. Perold | — | Over $100,000 | |
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
Peter F. Volanakis | — | Over $100,000 |
As of September 30, 2012, the trustees and officers of the funds owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of each class of each fund’s outstanding shares.
As of September 30, 2012, the following owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class:
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Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures
Introduction
Vanguard and the Boards of Trustees of the Vanguard funds (Boards) have adopted Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures (Policies and Procedures) to govern the disclosure of the portfolio holdings of each Vanguard fund. Vanguard and the Boards considered each of the circumstances under which Vanguard fund portfolio holdings may be disclosed to different categories of persons under the Policies and Procedures. Vanguard and the Boards also considered actual and potential material conflicts that could arise in such circumstances between the interests of Vanguard fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the fund’s investment advisor, distributor, or any affiliated person of the fund, its investment advisor, or its distributor, on the other. After giving due consideration to such matters and after the exercise of their fiduciary duties and reasonable business judgment, Vanguard and the Boards determined that the Vanguard funds have a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to the persons described in each of the circumstances set forth in the Policies and Procedures and that the Policies and Procedures are reasonably designed
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to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings and information about portfolio holdings is in the best interests of fund shareholders and appropriately addresses the potential for material conflicts of interest.
The Boards exercise continuing oversight of the disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Policies and Procedures, the Code of Ethics, and the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information (collectively, the portfolio holdings governing policies) by the Chief Compliance Officer of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds; (2) considering reports and recommendations by the Chief Compliance Officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings governing policies; and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any amendment to any portfolio holdings governing policies. Vanguard and the Boards reserve the right to amend the Policies and Procedures at any time and from time to time without prior notice at their sole discretion. For purposes of the Policies and Procedures, the term portfolio holdings means the equity and debt securities (e.g., stocks and bonds) held by a Vanguard fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the fund.
Online Disclosure of Ten Largest Stock Holdings
Each of the Vanguard equity funds and Vanguard balanced funds generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentages that each of these ten largest stock portfolio holdings represents of the funds total assets as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter (quarter-end ten largest stock holdings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. In addition, those funds generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 10 business days after the end of the month. Together, the quarter-end and month-end ten largest stock holdings are referred to as the ten largest stock holdings. Online disclosure of the ten largest stock holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons.
Online Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings
Each of the Vanguard funds, excluding Vanguard money market funds and Vanguard Market Neutral Fund, generally will seek to disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. In accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, each of the Vanguard money market funds will disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the last business day of the prior month online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, no later than the fifth business day of the current month. The complete portfolio holdings information for money market funds will remain available online for at least six months after the initial posting. Vanguard Market Neutral Fund generally will seek to disclose the Funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the Funds Portfolio & Management page, 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Online disclosure of complete portfolio holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons. Vanguards Portfolio Review Department will review complete portfolio holdings before online disclosure is made and, except with respect to the complete portfolio holdings of the Vanguard money market funds, may withhold any portion of the funds complete portfolio holdings from online disclosure when deemed to be in the best interests of the fund after consultation with a Vanguard funds investment advisor.
Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Service Providers Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard, for legitimate business purposes, may disclose Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings at times it deems necessary and appropriate to rating and ranking organizations; financial printers; proxy voting service providers; pricing information vendors; third parties that deliver analytical, statistical, or consulting services; and other third parties that provide services (collectively, Service Providers) to Vanguard, Vanguard subsidiaries, and/or the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider is conditioned on the Service Provider
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being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information.
The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed to a Service Provider, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to a Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings by Vanguard to a Service Provider must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives.
Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Service Providers as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Abel/Noser Corporation; Advisor Software, Inc.; Alcom Printing Group Inc.; Apple Press, L.C.; Bloomberg L.P.; Brilliant Graphics, Inc.; Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; FactSet Research Systems Inc.; Innovation Printing & Communications; Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.; Intelligencer Printing Company; Investment Technology Group, Inc.; Lipper, Inc.; Markit WSO Corporation; McMunn Associates Inc.; Oce Business Services, Inc.; Reuters America Inc.; R.R. Donnelley, Inc.; State Street Bank and Trust Company; Triune Color Corporation; and Tursack Printing Inc.
Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Vanguard Affiliates and Certain Fiduciaries Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among the following persons (collectively, Affiliates and Fiduciaries) for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, subject to such persons continuing legal duty of confidentiality and legal duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information, as such duties are imposed under the Code of Ethics, the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information, by agreement, or under applicable laws, rules, and regulations: (1) persons who are subject to the Code of Ethics or the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information; (2) an investment advisor, distributor, administrator, transfer agent, or custodian to a Vanguard fund; (3) an accounting firm, an auditing firm, or outside legal counsel retained by Vanguard, a Vanguard subsidiary, or a Vanguard fund; (4) an investment advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed for due diligence purposes when the advisor is in merger or acquisition talks with a Vanguard funds current advisor; and (5) a newly hired investment advisor or sub-advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed prior to the time it commences its duties.
The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed between and among the Affiliates and Fiduciaries, is determined by such Affiliates and Fiduciaries based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to any Affiliates and Fiduciaries as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund to Affiliates and Fiduciaries must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Affiliates and Fiduciaries as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Vanguard and each investment advisor, custodian, and independent registered public accounting firm identified in each funds Statement of Additional Information.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings to Broker-Dealers in the Normal Course of Managing a Funds Assets
An investment advisor, administrator, or custodian for a Vanguard fund may, for legitimate business purposes within the scope of its official duties and responsibilities, disclose portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete
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portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up the fund to one or more broker-dealers during the course of, or in connection with, normal day-to-day securities and derivatives transactions with or through such broker-dealers subject to the broker-dealers legal obligation not to use or disclose material nonpublic information concerning the funds portfolio holdings, other investment positions, securities transactions, or derivatives transactions without the consent of the fund or its agents. The Vanguard funds have not given their consent to any such use or disclosure and no person or agent of Vanguard is authorized to give such consent except as approved in writing by the Boards of the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard to broker-dealers must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Disclosure of Nonmaterial Information
The Policies and Procedures permit Vanguard fund officers, Vanguard fund portfolio managers, and other Vanguard representatives (collectively, Approved Vanguard Representatives) to disclose any views, opinions, judgments, advice, or commentary, or any analytical, statistical, performance, or other information, in connection with or relating to a Vanguard fund or its portfolio holdings and/or other investment positions (collectively, commentary and analysis) or any changes in the portfolio holdings of a Vanguard fund that occurred after the end of the most recent calendar quarter (recent portfolio changes) to any person if (1) such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose, (2) such disclosure does not effectively result in the disclosure of the complete portfolio holdings of any Vanguard fund (which can be disclosed only in accordance with the Policies and Procedures), and (3) such information does not constitute material nonpublic information. Disclosure of commentary and analysis or recent portfolio changes by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
An Approved Vanguard Representative must make a good faith determination whether the information constitutes material nonpublic information, which involves an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. Vanguard believes that in most cases recent portfolio changes that involve a few or even several securities in a diversified portfolio or commentary and analysis would be immaterial and would not convey any advantage to a recipient in making an investment decision concerning a Vanguard fund. Nonexclusive examples of commentary and analysis about a Vanguard fund include (1) the allocation of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions among various asset classes, sectors, industries, and countries; (2) the characteristics of the stock and bond components of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions; (3) the attribution of fund returns by asset class, sector, industry, and country; and (4) the volatility characteristics of the fund. Approved Vanguard Representatives may, at their sole discretion, deny any request for information made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason. Approved Vanguard Representatives include, for purposes of the Policies and Procedures, persons employed by or associated with Vanguard or a subsidiary of Vanguard who have been authorized by Vanguards Portfolio Review Department to disclose recent portfolio changes and/or commentary and analysis in accordance with the Policies and Procedures.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Related Information to the Issuer of a Security for Legitimate Business Purposes
Vanguard, at its sole discretion, may disclose portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security if the issuer presents, to the satisfaction of Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit, convincing evidence that the issuer has a legitimate business purpose for such information. Disclosure of this information to an issuer is conditioned on the issuer being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information. The frequency with which portfolio holdings information concerning a security may be disclosed to the issuer of such security, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the issuer, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to an issuer cannot be determined in advance of a specific request and will vary based upon the particular facts and circumstances and the legitimate business purposes, but in unusual situations could be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department.
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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law
Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up a fund shall be disclosed to any person as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Examples of such required disclosure include, but are not limited to, disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body, (2) in connection with seeking recovery on defaulted bonds in a federal bankruptcy case, (3) in connection with a lawsuit, or (4) as required by court order. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Prohibitions on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
No person is authorized to disclose Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions (whether online at vanguard.com, in writing, by fax, by e-mail, orally, or by other means) except in accordance with the Policies and Procedures. In addition, no person is authorized to make disclosure pursuant to the Policies and Procedures if such disclosure is otherwise unlawful under the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act). Furthermore, Vanguard’s management, at its sole discretion, may determine not to disclose portfolio holdings or other investment positions that make up a Vanguard fund to any person who would otherwise be eligible to receive such information under the Policies and Procedures, or may determine to make such disclosures publicly as provided by the Policies and Procedures.
Prohibitions on Receipt of Compensation or Other Consideration
The Policies and Procedures prohibit a Vanguard fund, its investment advisor, and any other person from paying or receiving any compensation or other consideration of any type for the purpose of obtaining disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions. “Consideration” includes any agreement to maintain assets in the fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the investment advisor or by any affiliated person of the investment advisor.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Trust currently uses eight investment advisors:
The Trust previously employed one other investment advisor:
n AllianceBernstein L.P. managed a portion of the Windsor Fund’s assets from 1999 to 2012.
For funds that are advised by independent third-party advisory firms unaffiliated with Vanguard, the board of each fund hires investment advisory firms, not individual portfolio managers, to provide investment advisory services to such funds. Vanguard negotiates each advisory agreement, which contains advisory fee arrangements, on an arms-length basis with the advisory firm. Each advisory agreement is reviewed annually by each fund’s board of trustees, taking into account numerous factors, which include, without limitation, the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided; investment performance; and the fair market value of the services provided. Each advisory agreement is between the Trust and the advisory firm, not between the Trust and the portfolio manager. The structure of the advisory fee paid to each unaffiliated investment advisory firm is described in the following sections. In addition, each firm has established
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policies and procedures designed to address the potential for conflicts of interest. Each firms compensation structure and management of potential conflicts of interest are summarized by the advisory firm in the following sections for the period ended October 31, 2011 (June 30, 2012, for Pzena Investment Management, LLC).
I. Vanguard Windsor Fund
Vanguard Windsor Fund uses a multimanager approach. The Fund is a party to an investment advisory agreement with each advisor whereby the advisor manages the investment and reinvestment of the portion of the Windsor Funds assets that the Funds board of trustees determines to assign to each advisor. Hereafter, each portion is referred to as the Portfolio. In this capacity, each advisor continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the Portfolios investment program. Each advisor discharges its responsibilities subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguards Portfolio Review Group and the officers and trustees of the Fund. Vanguards Portfolio Review Group is responsible for recommending changes in a funds advisory arrangements to the funds board of trustees, including changes in the amount of assets allocated to each advisor, and whether to hire, terminate, or replace an advisor.
The Windsor Fund pays each of its investment advisors a base fee plus or minus a performance adjustment. Each base fee, which is paid quarterly, is a percentage of average daily net assets managed by the advisor during the most recent fiscal quarter. The base fee has breakpoints, which means that the percentage declines as assets go up. The performance adjustment, also paid quarterly, is based on the cumulative total return of each advisors portion of the Fund relative to that of the Russell 1000 Value Index (for Pzena) or the S&P 500 Index (for Wellington Management) over the preceding 36-month period.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2009, 2010, and 2011, Vanguard Windsor Fund incurred aggregate investment advisory fees of $13,438,000 (before a performance-based decrease of $5,030,000), $15,912,000 (before a performance-based increase of $3,830,000), and $16,442,000 (before a performance-based increase of $3,901,000), respectively.
A. Pzena Investment Management (Pzena)
Pzena, based in New York, New York, was founded in 1995. In 2007, the firm completed a initial public offering, whereby the majority ownership of the firm was retained by the members of the Executive Committee and other employees.
1. Other Accounts Managed
Richard Pzena co-manages a portion of the Windsor Fund; as of June 30, 2012, the Fund held assets of $12.1 billion. As of June 30, 2012, Mr. Pzena also managed seven other registered investment companies with total assets of $2.2 billion (advisory fee not based on account performance), 34 other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $474 million (advisory fee not based on account performance), and 148 other accounts with total assets of $4.54 billion (advisory fee based on account performance for two of these accounts with total assets of $451.3 million).
John P. Goetz co-manages a portion of the Windsor Fund; as of June 30, 2012, the Fund held assets of $12.1 billion. As of June 30, 2012, Mr. Goetz also managed nine other registered investment companies with total assets of $2.9 billion (advisory fee based on account performance for one of these accounts with total assets of $20.8 million), 27 other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $3.2 billion (advisory fee based on account performance for one of these accounts with total assets of $141.3 million), and 56 other accounts with total assets of $4.1 billion (advisory fee based on account performance for two of these accounts with total assets of $101.3 million).
Antonio DeSpirito co-manages a portion of the Windsor Fund; as of June 30, 2012, the Fund held assets of $12.1 billion. As of June 30, 2012, Mr. Despirito also managed four other registered investment companies with total assets of $2.0 billion (advisory fee not based on account performance), 25 other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $457.4 million (advisory fee not based on account performance), and 110 other accounts with total assets of $3.3 billion (advisory fee based on account performance for two of these accounts with total assets of $442.7 million).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may arise in managing the Fund's portfolio investments, on the one hand, and the portfolios of Pzena's other clients and/or accounts, on the other. Set forth below is a brief description of some of the material
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conflicts of interest that may arise and Pzena's policy or procedure for handling such conflicts. Although Pzena has designed such procedures to prevent and address conflicts, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect every situation in which a conflict arises.
The management of multiple accounts inherently carries the risk that there may be competing interests for the portfolio management team's time and attention. Pzena seeks to minimize this by using one investment approach (i.e., classic value investing), and by managing all accounts on a product specific basis. Thus, all accounts in the same strategy (e.g. large-cap diversified value), whether they are accounts for the Fund, institutional accounts or individual accounts are managed using the same investment discipline, strategy and proprietary investment model.
If the portfolio management team identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one account, the Fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity. However, Pzena has adopted procedures for allocating portfolio transactions across accounts so that each account is treated fairly. First, all orders are allocated among participating portfolios of the same or similar mandates at the time of trade creation/ initial order preparation. Factors affecting allocations include the availability of cash, the existence of client-imposed trading restrictions or prohibitions, and the tax status of the account. With respect to partial fills for an order, depending upon the size of the execution, Pzena may choose to allocate the executed shares on a pro rata basis or on a random basis. As with all trade allocations, each account generally receives pro rata allocations of any new issue or IPO security that is appropriate for its investment objective. Permissible reasons for excluding an account from an otherwise acceptable IPO or new issue investment include the account having FINRA restricted person status, lack of available cash to make the purchase, or a client-imposed trading prohibition on IPOs or on the business of the issuer.
With respect to securities transactions for the accounts, Pzena determines which broker to use to execute each order, consistent with its duty to seek best execution. Pzena will bunch or aggregate like orders where doing so will be beneficial to the accounts. However, with respect to certain accounts, Pzena may be limited by the client with respect to the selection of brokers or may be instructed to direct trades through a particular broker. In these cases, Pzena may place separate, nonsimultaneous, transactions for the Fund and another account, which may temporarily affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction to the detriment of one or the other.
Conflicts of interest may arise when members of the portfolio management team transact personally in securities investments made or to be made for the Fund or other accounts. To address this, Pzena has adopted a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics designed to prevent and detect personal trading activities that may interfere or conflict with client interests (including Fund shareholders' interests) or its current investment strategy. The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics generally requires that most transactions in securities by Pzena's Access Persons and their spouses, whether or not such securities are purchased or sold on behalf of the accounts, be cleared prior to execution by appropriate approving parties and compliance personnel. Securities transactions for Access Persons' personal accounts also are subject to reporting requirements, and annual and quarterly certification requirements. The term Access Persons is defined to include persons who have access to non-public information about client securities transactions, portfolio recommendations, or holdings, and thus covers all of Pzena's full-time employees except those whose job functions are solely clerical. In addition, no Access Person, including an investment person, shall be permitted to effect a short-term trade (i.e., to purchase and subsequently sell within 60 calendar days, or to sell and subsequently purchase within 60 calendar days) of securities which (i) are issued by a mutual fund which is advised or sub-advised by Pzena, or (ii) are the same (or equivalent) securities purchased or sold by or on behalf of the advisory accounts unless and until the advisory accounts have effected a transaction which is the same as the Access Person's contemplated transaction. Finally, orders for proprietary accounts (i.e., accounts of Pzena's principals, affiliates, or employees, or their immediate family that are managed by Pzena) are subject to written trade allocation procedures designed to ensure fair treatment of client accounts.
Pzena manages some accounts under performance-based fee arrangements. Pzena recognizes that this type of incentive compensation creates the risk for potential conflicts of interest. The structure may create inherent pressure to allocate investments having a greater potential for higher returns to those accounts with higher performance fees. To prevent conflicts of interest associated with managing accounts with different fee structures, Pzena generally requires portfolio decisions to be made on a product-specific basis. Pzena also requires preallocation of all client orders based on specific fee-neutral criteria set forth above. Additionally, Pzena requires average pricing of all aggregated orders. Finally, Pzena has adopted a policy prohibiting portfolio managers (and all employees) from placing the investment interests of one client or a group of clients with the same investment objectives above the investment interests of any other client or group of clients with the same or similar investment objectives.
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3. Description of Compensation
The compensation and incentive approach for Pzena's investment professionals is designed to reward superior performers. The system has three elements: base salary, discretionary performance bonus, and, if appropriate, equity ownership. Everyone in the firm, regardless of their role, is subject to this three-part compensation plan.
Pzena avoids a compensation model that is driven by individual security performance, as it believes this can lead to short-term thinking which is contrary to the firm's value investment philosophy. Pzena considers both quantitative and qualitative factors when determining performance bonuses. The portfolio managers' bonuses are not specifically dependent upon the performance of a fund relative to the performance of the fund's benchmark. For investment professionals, Pzena examines such things as effort, efficiency, ability to focus on the correct issues, stock modeling ability, and ability to successfully interact with company management. However, Pzena always looks at the person as a whole and the contributions that they have made and are likely to make in the future. The time frame Pzena examines for bonus compensation is annual. Longer-term success is required for equity ownership consideration. Mr. Pzena, Mr. Goetz and Mr. DeSpirito are equity owners of the firm. Ultimately, equity ownership is the primary tool used by Pzena for attracting and retaining the best people.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of June 30, 2012, Mr. Pzena, Mr. Goetz, and Mr. DeSpirito did not own any shares of the Windsor Fund.
B. Wellington Management Company, LLP (Wellington Management)
Wellington Management is a Massachusetts private limited liability partnership with principal offices at 280 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210. The firm is owned by 120 partners, all fully active in the firm. Wellington Management is a professional investment counseling firm that provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 70 years.
1. Other Accounts Managed
James N. Mordy manages a portion of the Windsor Fund; as of June 30, 2012, the Fund held assets of $12.1 billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Mordy also managed 11 other registered investment companies with total assets of $3.5 billion (advisory fees based on account performance for one of these accounts with total assets of $368 million), three other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $457 million (advisory fees not based on account performance), and seven other accounts with total assets of $895 million (advisory fees based on account performance for one of these accounts with total assets of $21.8 million).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
Individual investment professionals at Wellington Management manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions, such as pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, or separately managed account programs sponsored by financial intermediaries), bank common trust accounts, and hedge funds. The Funds manager listed in the prospectus who is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Wellington Management portion of the Fund (the Portfolio Manager) generally manages accounts in several different investment styles. These accounts may have investment objectives, strategies, time horizons, tax considerations, and risk profiles that differ from those of the Fund. The Portfolio Manager makes investment decisions for each account, including the Fund, based on the investment objectives, policies, practices, benchmarks, cash flows, tax, and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that account. Consequently, the Portfolio Manager may purchase or sell securities, including IPOs, for one account and not another account, and the performance of securities purchased for one account may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other accounts. Alternatively, these accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus the accounts may have similar, and in some cases nearly identical, objectives, strategies, and/or holdings to those of the Fund.
The Portfolio Manager or other investment professionals at Wellington Management may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact
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the Fund depending on market conditions. For example, an investment professional may purchase a security in one account while appropriately selling that same security in another account. Similarly, the Portfolio Manager may purchase the same security for the Fund and one or more other accounts at or about the same time. In those instances the other accounts will have access to their respective holdings prior to the public disclosure of the Funds holdings. In addition, some of these accounts have fee structures, including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher, in some cases significantly higher, than the fees Wellington Management receives for managing the Fund. Because incentive payments paid by Wellington Management to the Portfolio Manager are tied to revenues earned by Wellington Management and, where noted, to the performance achieved by the manager in each account, the incentives associated with any given account may be significantly higher or lower than those associated with other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager. Finally, the Portfolio Manager may hold shares or investments in the other pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts identified above.
Wellington Managements goal is to meet its fiduciary obligation to treat all clients fairly and provide high quality investment services to all of its clients. Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures, including brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Wellington Management monitors a variety of areas, including compliance with primary account guidelines, the allocation of IPOs, and compliance with the firms Code of Ethics, and places additional investment restrictions on investment professionals who manage hedge funds and certain other accounts. Furthermore, senior investment and business personnel at Wellington Management periodically review the performance of Wellington Managements investment professionals. Although Wellington Management does not track the time an investment professional spends on a single account, Wellington Management does periodically assess whether an investment professional has adequate time and resources to effectively manage the investment professionals various client mandates.
3. Description of Compensation
Wellington Management receives a fee based on the assets under management of the portion of the Fund Wellington Management manages as set forth in the Investment Advisory Agreement between Wellington Management and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. Wellington Management pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to the Fund.
Wellington Managements compensation structure is designed to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals necessary to deliver high quality investment management services to its clients. Wellington Managements compensation of the Portfolio Manager includes a base salary and incentive components. The base salary for the Portfolio Manager, who is a partner of Wellington Management, is generally a fixed amount that is determined by the Managing Partners of the firm. The Portfolio Manager is eligible to receive an incentive payment based on the revenues earned by Wellington Management from the Fund and generally each other account managed by the Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Managers incentive payment relating to the Fund is linked to the net pre-tax performance of the portion of the Fund managed by the Portfolio Manager compared to the Standard & Poors 500 Index over one- and three-year periods, with an emphasis on three-year results. Wellington Management applies similar incentive compensation structures (although the benchmarks or peer groups, time periods, and rates may differ) to other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager, including accounts with performance fees.
Portfolio-based incentives across all accounts managed by an investment professional can, and typically do, represent a significant portion of an investment professionals overall compensation; incentive compensation varies significantly by individual and can vary significantly from year to year. The Portfolio Manager may also be eligible for bonus payments based on his overall contribution to Wellington Managements business operations. Senior management at Wellington Management may reward individuals as it deems appropriate based on other factors. Each partner of Wellington Management is eligible to participate in a partner-funded tax-qualified retirement plan, the contributions to which are made pursuant to an actuarial formula. Mr. Mordy is a partner of the firm.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Mordy owned shares of the Windsor Fund in an amount exceeding $1 million.
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II. Vanguard Windsor II Fund
Vanguard Windsor II Fund uses a multimanager approach. The Fund is a party to an investment advisory agreement with each advisor whereby the advisor manages the investment and reinvestment of the portion of the Windsor II Funds assets that the Funds board of trustees determines to assign to the advisor (hereafter referred to as each Portfolio). In this capacity, each advisor continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the Portfolios investment program. Each advisor discharges its responsibilities subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguards Portfolio Review Group and the officers and trustees of the Fund. Vanguards Portfolio Review Group is responsible for recommending changes in a funds advisory arrangements to the funds board of trustees, including changes in the amount of assets allocated to each advisor, and whether to hire, terminate, or replace an advisor.
The Windsor II Fund pays each of its investment advisors (other than Vanguard) a base fee plus or minus a performance adjustment. Each base fee, which is paid quarterly, is a percentage of average daily net assets managed by the advisor during the most recent fiscal quarter. The base fee has breakpoints, which means that the percentage declines as assets go up. The performance adjustment, also paid quarterly, is based on the cumulative total return of each advisors portion of the Fund relative to that of the Russell 1000 Value Index (for Armstrong Shaw), the MSCI US Prime Market 750 Index (for Barrow, Hanley), the MSCI US Investable Market 2500 Index (for Hotchkis and Wiley), the S&P 500 Index (for Lazard), or the Russell 3000 Index (for Sanders), over the preceding 60-month period (a 36-month period for Barrow, Hanley and for Lazard).
For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2009, 2010, and 2011, Vanguard Windsor II Fund incurred aggregate investment advisory fees and expenses of $50,757,000 (before a performance-based decrease of $4,126,000), $52,444,000 (before a performance-based decrease of $4,955,000), and $xx,xxx,000 (before a performance-based decrease/increase of $x,xxx,000), respectively.
Of the aggregate fees and expenses previously described, the investment advisory expenses paid to Vanguard for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011, were $xxx,000 (representing an effective annual rate of less than 0.xx%). The investment advisory fees paid to the remaining advisors for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011, were $xx,xxx,000 (representing an effective annual rate of approximately 0.xx%).
A. Armstrong Shaw Associates Inc. (Armstrong Shaw)
Armstrong Shaw, a privately owned Delaware corporation, was founded in 1984 by Raymond Armstrong (now retired) and Jeffrey M. Shaw. Jeffrey M. Shaw is the majority shareholder of the firm and the remaining equity is distributed among the five other Principals of the firm, Mr. Armstrongs family, and a former employee. All of the assets managed by Armstrong Shaw are invested in large-cap products. Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, Jeffrey M. Shaw, leads an investment team of five professionals with diverse backgrounds in the financial services industry.
1. Other Accounts Managed
Jeffrey M. Shaw manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Shaw also managed xx other registered investment companies with total assets of $xx million, xxx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xxx million, and xx other accounts with total assets of $x.x billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
It is possible that from time to time, potential conflicts of interest may arise between the portfolio managers management of the investments in the Windsor II Fund (Armstrong Shaw Portfolio), on the one hand, and the management of other accounts, on the other. Armstrong Shaw does not believe any of these potential conflicts of interest pose significant risk to the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio. Armstrong Shaw believes that its compliance policies and procedures are appropriate to detect, prevent, and eliminate many conflicts of interest between Armstrong Shaw, its access persons (all employees and directors), and clients. However, clients should be aware that no set of policies and procedures can possibly anticipate or relieve all potential conflicts of interest. It is possible that additional potential conflicts of interest may exist that Armstrong Shaw has not identified in the summary below.
A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio managers day-to-day management of the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio. Because of the portfolio managers positions with the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio, the portfolio manager
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knows the size, timing, and possible market impact of the Funds trades. It is theoretically possible that the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of the other accounts he manages and to the possible detriment of the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio. Armstrong Shaw has adopted a Code of Ethics containing policies and procedures to ensure against this potential conflict.
The portfolio manager may serve as advisor to certain accounts which have advisory fees based partially or entirely on performance. Performance fee arrangements may create a conflict of interest for the portfolio manager in that the portfolio manager may have an incentive to allocate the investment opportunities that they believe might be the most profitable to accounts with incentive fees. Armstrong Shaw believes it has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to allocate investment opportunities between the accounts it manages on a fair and equitable basis over time.
Potential conflicts of interest may arise when allocating and/or aggregating trades. Armstrong Shaw often aggregates into a single trade order many individual contemporaneous client trade orders in a single security. Armstrong Shaw has in place policies and procedures to ensure such transactions will be allocated to all participating client accounts in a fair and equitable manner.
3. Description of Compensation
Compensation at Armstrong Shaw consists primarily of two components: salary and bonus. The salary portion of compensation is fixed and based on a combination of factors including, but not necessarily limited to, industry experience, firm experience, and job performance. The bonus portion of compensation is variable, depending on both the overall firm results (i.e., profitability) and merit. Bonuses are a very meaningful piece of overall compensation. Everyone at the firm participates in the bonus program. The remaining component of compensation is the company-paid health insurance.
Mr. Shaws compensation is not specifically dependant on the performance of the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio, on an absolute basis or relative to the style-specific benchmark, the Russell 1000 Value Index. Mr. Shaw is not compensated based on the growth of the Armstrong Shaw Portfolio, or any other clients assets, except to the extent that such growth contributes to the firms overall asset growth, which in turn contributes to the firms overall profitability. Mr. Shaw does not receive a percentage of the revenue earned on any client portfolios. Mr. Shaws compensation is not increased or decreased specifically as the result of any performance fee that may be earned by Armstrong Shaw.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Shaw owned no shares of the Windsor II Fund.
B. Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC (Barrow, Hanley)
Barrow, Hanley, a Delaware limited liability company, is an investment management firm founded in 1979, which provides investment advisory services to separately managed domestic and foreign equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios for large institutional clients, mutual funds, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, limited liability companies, and other institutions and individuals. Barrow, Hanley is a subsidiary of Old Mutual Asset Managers (US) LLC, which is a subsidiary of Old Mutual plc, based in London, England.
1. Other Accounts Managed
James P. Barrow manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $x.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Barrow also managed xx other registered investment companies with total assets of $x.x billion (advisory fees based on account performance for xxx of these accounts with total assets of $x.x billion), xxx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xxx million (advisory fees not based on account performance), and xx other accounts with total assets of $x.x billion (advisory fees not based on account performance).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
Actual or potential conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has management responsibilities to more than one account (including the Windsor II Fund). Barrow, Hanley manages potential conflicts between funds or with other types of accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes, and oversight by directors and independent third parties to ensure that no client, regardless of type or fee structure, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations where two or more funds
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or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities. Barrow, Hanley does not manage any private accounts.
3. Description of Compensation
In addition to base salary, all Barrow, Hanley portfolio managers and analysts share in a bonus pool that is distributed semiannually. Portfolio managers and analysts are rated on their value added to the team-oriented investment process. Overall compensation applies with respect to all accounts managed and compensation does not differ with respect to distinct accounts managed by a portfolio manager. Compensation is not tied to a published or private benchmark. It is important to understand that contributions to the overall investment process may include not recommending securities in an analysts sector if there are no compelling opportunities in the industries covered by that analyst.
The compensation of portfolio managers is not directly tied to fund performance or growth in assets for any fund or other account managed by a portfolio manager, and portfolio managers are not compensated for bringing in new business. Of course, growth in assets from the appreciation of existing assets and/or growth in new assets will increase revenues and profit. The consistent, long-term growth in assets at any investment firm is to a great extent, dependent upon the success of the portfolio management team. The compensation of the portfolio management team at Barrow, Hanley will increase over time, if and when assets continue to grow through competitive performance. Lastly, many key investment personnel have a long-term incentive compensation plan in the form of an equity interest in Barrow, Hanley.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Barrow owned shares of the Windsor II Fund in an amount exceeding $x million.
C. Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC (Hotchkis and Wiley)
Hotchkis and Wiley is a Delaware limited liability company, the primary members of which are HWCap Holdings, a limited liability company whose members are current and former employees of Hotchkis and Wiley, and Stephens-H&W, a limited liability company whose primary member is SF Holding Corp., which is a diversified holding company.
1. Other Accounts Managed
The investment process employed is the same for similar accounts, including the portion of the Windsor II Fund managed by Hotchkis and Wiley (the Hotchkis and Wiley Portfolio), and is team-based utilizing primarily in-house, fundamental research. The investment research staff is organized by industry and sector and supports all of the accounts managed in each of Hotchkis and Wileys strategies. Portfolio coordinators for each strategy ensure that the best thinking of the investment team is reflected in the target portfolios. Investment ideas for the Hotchkis and Wiley Portfolio are generated by Hotchkis and Wileys investment team. Although the Hotchkis and Wiley Portfolio is managed by Hotchkis and Wileys investment team, Hotchkis and Wiley has identified George H. Davis, Jr., and Sheldon J. Leiberman as the portfolio managers with the most significant responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Hotchkis and Wiley Portfolio.
Mr. Davis and Mr. Lieberman co-manage a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Davis and Mr. Lieberman also jointly managed xx other registered investment companies with total assets of $x.x billion (advisory fees not based on account performance), xx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xx million (advisory fees not based on account performance), and xx other accounts with total assets of $x.x billion (advisory fees based on account performance for xxx of these accounts with total assets of $xxx million).
2. Material Conflicts of Interests
The Investment Team also manages institutional accounts and other mutual funds in several different investment strategies. The portfolios within an investment strategy are managed using a target portfolio; however, each portfolio may have different restrictions, cash flows, tax, and other relevant considerations which may preclude a portfolio from participating in certain transactions for that investment strategy. Consequently, the performance of portfolios may vary due to these different considerations. The Investment Team may place transactions for one investment strategy that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of another investment strategy. Hotchkis and Wiley may be restricted from purchasing more than a limited percentage of the outstanding shares of a company. If a
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company is a viable investment for more than one investment strategy, Hotchkis and Wiley has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably.
Different types of accounts and investment strategies may have different fee structures. Additionally, certain accounts pay Hotchkis and Wiley performance-based fees, which may vary depending on how well the account performs compared with a benchmark. Because such fee arrangements have the potential to create an incentive for Hotchkis and Wiley to favor such accounts in making investment decisions and allocations, Hotchkis and Wiley has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that all of its clients are treated fairly and equitably, including in respect of allocation decisions, such as initial public offerings.
Since all accounts are managed to a target portfolio by the Investment Team, adequate time and resources are consistently applied to all accounts in the same investment strategy.
3. Description of Compensation
Hotchkis and Wileys Portfolio Managers are compensated in various forms, which may include a base salary, an annual bonus, and equity ownership. Compensation is used to reward, attract, and retain high-quality investment professionals.
The Portfolio Managers are evaluated and accountable at three levels. The first level is individual contribution to the research and decision-making process, including the quality and quantity of work achieved. The second level is teamwork, generally evaluated through contribution within sector teams. The third level pertains to overall portfolio and firm performance.
Fixed salaries and discretionary bonuses for investment professionals are determined by the Chief Executive Officer of Hotchkis and Wiley using annual evaluations, compensation surveys, feedback from other employees, and advice from members of Hotchkis and Wileys Executive and Compensation Committees. The amount of the bonus is determined by the total amount of Hotchkis and Wileys bonus pool available for the year, which is generally a function of revenues. No investment professional receives a bonus that is a pre-determined percentage of revenues or net income. Compensation is thus subjective rather than formulaic.
The majority of the Portfolio Managers own equity in Hotchkis and Wiley. Hotchkis and Wiley believes that the ownership structure of the firm is a significant factor in ensuring a motivated and stable employee base going forward. Hotchkis and Wiley believes that the combination of competitive compensation levels and equity ownership provides Hotchkis and Wiley with a demonstrable advantage in the retention and motivation of employees. Portfolio Managers who own equity in Hotchkis and Wiley receive their pro rata share of Hotchkis and Wileys profits. Investment professionals may also receive contributions under Hotchkis and Wileys profit sharing/401K plan.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, neither Mr. Davis nor Mr. Leiberman owned shares of the Windsor II Fund.
D. Lazard Asset Management LLC (Lazard)
Lazard is a registered investment advisor and is a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Lazard Freres & Co., LLC, and an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Lazard Ltd., both of which also are Delaware limited liability companies.
1. Other Accounts Managed
Andrew Lacey co-manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Lacey also managed xx other registered investment companies with total assets of $xx billion, xxx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xxx million, and xxx other accounts with total assets of $x.x billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance) .
Christopher Blake co-manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Blake also managed xxx other registered investment companies with total assets of $x.x billion, xxx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xxx million, and xxx other accounts with total assets of $x billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
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2. Material Conflicts of Interest
Although the potential for conflicts of interest exists when an investment advisor and portfolio managers manage other accounts with similar investment objectives and strategies as those of the Fund (Similar Accounts), Lazard has procedures in place that are designed to ensure that all accounts are treated fairly and that the Fund is not disadvantaged, including procedures regarding trade allocations and conflicting trades (e.g., long and short positions in the same security, as described below). In addition, the Fund, as a registered investment company, is subject to different regulations than certain of the Similar Accounts, and consequently, may not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions, or to engage in such techniques or transactions to the same degree, as the Similar Accounts.
Potential conflicts of interest may arise because of Lazards management of a portion of the Fund (Lazard Portfolio) and Similar Accounts. For example, conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of limited investment opportunities, as Lazard may be perceived as causing accounts it manages to participate in an offering to increase Lazards overall allocation of securities in that offering, or to increase Lazards ability to participate in future offerings by the same underwriter or issuer. Allocations of bunched trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially filled due to limited availability, and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as Lazard may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to preferred accounts. Initial public offerings, in particular, are frequently of very limited availability. Additionally, portfolio managers may be perceived to have a conflict of interest because of the large number of Similar Accounts, in addition to the Lazard Portfolio, that they are managing on behalf of Lazard. Although Lazard does not track each individual portfolio managers time dedicated to each account, Lazard periodically reviews each portfolio managers overall responsibilities to ensure that they are able to allocate the necessary time and resources to effectively manage the Lazard Portfolio. In addition, Lazard could be viewed as having a conflict of interest to the extent that Lazard and/or portfolio managers have a materially larger investment in a Similar Account than their investment in the Lazard Portfolio.
A potential conflict of interest may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in a different account, such as when a purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by the other account, or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account. Lazard manages hedge funds that are subject to performance/incentive fees. Certain hedge funds managed by Lazard may also be permitted to sell securities short. When Lazard engages in short sales of securities of the type in which the Lazard Portfolio invests, Lazard could be seen as harming the performance of the Lazard Portfolio for the benefit of the account managing short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. As described above, Lazard has procedures in place to address these conflicts. Additionally, portfolio managers/analysts and portfolio management teams are generally not permitted to manage long-only assets alongside long/short assets, although may from time to time manage both hedge funds and long-only accounts, including open-end and closed-end registered investment companies.
3. Description of Compensation
Lazard compensates portfolio managers by a competitive salary and bonus structure, which is determined both quantitatively and qualitatively. Salary and bonus are paid in cash, stock, and restricted interests in funds managed by Lazard or its affiliates. Portfolio managers are compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of portfolios managed by the teams of which they are a member rather than for a specific fund or account. Various factors are considered in the determination of a portfolio managers compensation. All of the portfolios managed by a portfolio manager are comprehensively evaluated to determine his or her positive and consistent performance contribution over time. Further factors include the amount of assets in the portfolios as well as qualitative aspects that reinforce Lazards investment philosophy. Total compensation is generally not fixed, but rather is based on the following factors: (1) leadership, teamwork, and commitment; (2) maintenance of current knowledge and opinions on companies owned in the portfolio; (3) generation and development of new investment ideas, including the quality of security analysis and identification of appreciation catalysts; (4) ability and willingness to develop and share ideas on a team basis; and (5) the performance results of the portfolios managed by the investment teams of which the portfolio manager is a member.
Variable bonus is based on the portfolio managers quantitative performance as measured by his or her ability to make investment decisions that contribute to the returns of the accounts managed by the teams of which the portfolio manager is a member, by comparison of each account to a predetermined benchmark (as set forth in a prospectus or other governing document, or otherwise, such as the benchmark corresponding to a particular investment strategy managed by Lazard) over the current fiscal year and the longer-term performance (3-, 5-, or 10-year, if applicable) of such
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account, as well as performance of the account relative to peers. The portfolio managers bonus also can be influenced by subjective measurement of the managers ability to help others make investment decisions.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, neither Mr. Lacey nor Mr. Blake owned any shares of the Windsor II Fund.
E. Sanders Capital, LLC (Sanders)
Sanders, a New York limited liability company, is a registered investment advisor founded in 2009 by Lewis Sanders, former chairman and CEO of AllianceBernstein L.P. Mr. Sanders is the firms controlling owner, CEO, and Co-CIO, with the remaining ownership stake divided among several of his key employees.
1. Other Accounts Managed
Lewis A. Sanders and John P. Mahedy co-manage a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Sanders and Mr. Mahedy also jointly managed xx other registered investment companies with total assets of $xxx million (advisory fees not based on account performance), xx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xxx billion (advisory fees not based on account performance), and xxx other accounts with total assets of $xxx million (advisory fees based on account performance for xx of these accounts with total assets of $xxx million).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
Mr. Sanders and Mr. Mahedy are co-chief investment officers of Sanders. In addition to the Fund, Sanders manages on a discretionary basis other accounts that use the value equity strategy utilized for the Fund or that utilize a different strategy but hold some of the same securities as the Fund, including, at October 31, 2011, two accounts belonging to Mr. Sanders personally. Sanders expects to manage additional such accounts in the future. Sanders has strict policies in force to ensure that all clients are treated fairly. For example, when practical, all client orders for the same security entered at the same time are aggregated in a single order, and if the order cannot be filled by day-end, Sanders allocates shares to underlying accounts on a pro rata basis. If any order is filled at several prices through multiple trades with the same broker, an average price and commission will be used for the executed trades in the order. For allocation and other purposes, managed accounts of staff members are treated the same as accounts of other clients, in keeping with Sanders belief that staff investments in Sanders products aligns the interests of Sanders and the clients. Sanders has strict rules with respect to personal trading by staff members to ensure that client interests always come first. Staff members must obtain permission prior to executing any trade in a personal account; permission is denied if Sanders is purchasing or considering purchasing a security for clients until all client orders are completed. Once a purchase is made, the staff member must hold the security for at least one year, and beyond that time if the security is then held in client accounts.
3. Description of Compensation
Sanders compensates Mr. Sanders and Mr. Mahedy by means of a fixed guaranteed salary (draw) and a fixed guaranteed bonus. In addition, each Portfolio Manager is entitled to participate in the firms 401(k) plan and, depending on the amount of their contributions, to receive a matching firm contribution to their 401(k) account. Both Mr. Sanders and Mr. Mahedy are members (i.e., part owners) of Sanders Capital, LLC; accordingly, they are each entitled to a proportionate share of the firms profits, if and when earned. Neither Mr. Sanders nor Mr. Mahedy receives any compensation based upon the assets in the Fund or the performance of the Fund. The Portfolio Managers are also members of an affiliate of the firm, which is the General Partner of a Limited Partnership with four portfolios managed by the firm; the General Partner is entitled to a performance allocation if the returns in these portfolios exceed stated amounts. In such event, the Portfolio Managers would benefit proportional to their ownership interests in the General Partner.
4. Ownership of Securities
As of October 31, 2011, neither Mr. Sanders nor Mr. Mahedy owned shares of the Windsor II Fund.
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F. Vanguard
Vanguard, through its Equity Investment Group, provides investment advisory services on an at-cost basis for a portion of Vanguard Windsor II Funds assets. The compensation and other expenses of the Equity Investment Groups advisory staff are allocated among the funds utilizing the Equity Investment Groups advisory services.
1. Other Accounts Managed
James D. Troyer co-manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Troyer also managed all or a portion of xxx other registered investment companies with total assets of $xx.x billion and xxx other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $xx.x million (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
James P. Stetler co-manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion. As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Stetler also managed all or a portion of xxx other registered investment companies with total assets of $xx.x billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
Michael R. Roach co-manages a portion of the Windsor II Fund; as of October 31, 2011, the Fund held assets of $xx.x billion.
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
At Vanguard, individual portfolio managers may manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition to mutual funds, these other accounts may include separate accounts, collective trusts, or offshore funds. Managing multiple accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest including, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Vanguard manages potential conflicts between funds or with other types of accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes, and oversight by directors and independent third parties. Vanguard has developed trade allocation procedures and controls to ensure that no one client, regardless of type, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations where two or more funds or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities.
3. Description of Compensation
Each named Vanguard portfolio manager is a Vanguard employee. This section describes the compensation of the Vanguard employees who manage Vanguard mutual funds. As of October 31, 2011, a Vanguard portfolio managers compensation generally consists of base salary, bonus, and payments under Vanguards long-term incentive compensation program. In addition, portfolio managers are eligible for the standard retirement benefits and health and welfare benefits available to all Vanguard employees. Also, certain portfolio managers may be eligible for additional retirement benefits under several supplemental retirement plans that Vanguard adopted in the 1980s to restore dollar-for-dollar the benefits of management employees that had been cut back solely as a result of tax law changes. These plans are structured to provide the same retirement benefits as the standard retirement plans.
In the case of portfolio managers responsible for managing multiple Vanguard funds or accounts, the method used to determine their compensation is the same for all funds and investment accounts. A portfolio managers base salary is determined by the managers experience and performance in the role, taking into account the ongoing compensation benchmark analyses performed by Vanguards Human Resources Department. A portfolio managers base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of an annual review, upon assumption of new duties, or when a market adjustment of the position occurs.
A portfolio managers bonus is determined by a number of factors. One factor is gross, pre-tax performance of a fund relative to expectations for how the fund should have performed, given its objective, policies, strategies, and limitations, and the market environment during the measurement period. This performance factor is not based on the value of assets held in the funds portfolio. For the portion of the Windsor II Fund managed by Vanguard, the performance factor depends on how successfully the portfolio manager outperforms the MSCI US Prime Market Value Index and maintains the risk parameters of the Fund over a three-year period. Additional factors include the portfolio managers contributions to the investment management functions within the sub-asset class, contributions to the development of other investment professionals and supporting staff, and overall contributions to strategic planning and decisions for the
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investment group. The target bonus is expressed as a percentage of base salary. The actual bonus paid may be more or less than the target bonus, based on how well the manager satisfies the objectives stated above. The bonus is paid on an annual basis.
Under the long-term incentive compensation program, all full-time employees receive a payment from Vanguards long-term incentive compensation plan based on their years of service, job level, and, if applicable, management responsibilities. Each year, Vanguards independent directors determine the amount of the long-term incentive compensation award for that year based on the investment performance of the Vanguard funds relative to competitors and Vanguards operating efficiencies in providing services to the Vanguard funds.
4. Ownership of Securities
Vanguard employees, including portfolio managers, allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds based on their own individual investment needs and goals. Vanguard employees, as a group, invest a sizeable portion of their personal assets in Vanguard funds. As of October 31, 2011, Vanguard employees collectively invested more than $2.8 billion in Vanguard funds. F. William McNabb III, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds, and George U. Sauter, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Director of Vanguard, invest substantially all of their personal financial assets in Vanguard funds.
As of October 31, 2011, Mr. Troyer and Mr. Stetler owned no shares of the Windsor II Fund, and Mr. Roach owned shares of the Fund within the $xx$xx range.
Duration and Termination of Investment Advisory Agreements
The Funds current investment advisory agreements with the unaffiliated advisors (other than Pzena) are renewable for successive one-year periods, only if (1) each renewal is specifically approved by a vote of the Funds board of trustees, including the affirmative votes of a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such approval, or (2) each renewal is specifically approved by a vote of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities. An agreement is automatically terminated if assigned, and may be terminated without penalty at any time either (1) by vote of the board of trustees of the Fund upon thirty (30) days written notice to the advisor (no prior written notice to Pzena), (2) by a vote of a majority of the Funds outstanding voting securities upon 30 days written notice to the advisor (no prior written notice to Pzena), or (3) by the advisor upon ninety (90) days written notice to the Fund.
The intial investment advisory agreement with Pzena is binding for a two-year period. At the end of that time, the agreement will become renewable for successive one-year periods, subject to the above-conditions.
Vanguard provides at-cost investment advisory services to the Vanguard Windsor II Fund pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement. This agreement will continue in full force and effect until terminated or amended by mutual agreement of the Vanguard funds and Vanguard.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The advisor decides which securities to buy and sell on behalf of the Fund and then selects the brokers or dealers that will execute the trades on an agency basis or the dealers with whom the trades will be effected on a principal basis. For each trade, the advisor must select a broker-dealer that it believes will provide best execution. Best execution does not necessarily mean paying the lowest spread or commission rate available. In seeking best execution, the SEC has said that an advisor should consider the full range of a broker-dealers services. The factors considered by the advisor in seeking best execution include, but are not limited to, the broker-dealers execution capability; clearance and settlement services; commission rate; trading expertise; willingness and ability to commit capital; ability to provide anonymity; financial responsibility; reputation and integrity; responsiveness; access to underwritten offerings and secondary markets; and access to company management, as well as the value of any research provided by the broker-dealer. In assessing which broker-dealer can provide best execution for a particular trade, the advisor also may consider the timing and size of the order and available liquidity and current market conditions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the advisor may select a broker based partly on brokerage or research services provided to the advisor and its clients, including the Funds. The advisor may cause the Fund to pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the advisor determines in good faith that the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of services
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provided. The advisor also may receive brokerage or research services from broker-dealers that are provided at no charge in recognition of the volume of trades directed to the broker. To the extent research services or products may be a factor in selecting brokers, services and products may include written research reports analyzing performance or securities; discussions with research analysts; meetings with corporate executives to obtain oral reports on company performance; market data; and other products and services that will assist the advisor in its investment decision-making process. The research services provided by brokers through which the Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the advisor in servicing all of its accounts, and some of the services may not be used by the advisor in connection with the Fund.
During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2009, 2010, and 2011, the Funds paid the following approximate amounts in brokerage commissions:
Vanguard Fund | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
Windsor Fund | $12,967,000 | $10,360,000 | $11,336,000 |
Windsor II Fund1 | 23,600,000 | 12,569,000 | 14,968,000 |
1 A general decrease in market volatility, along with a reduction in broker fees, resulted in lower brokerage commissions for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2010.
Some securities that are considered for investment by the Fund may also be appropriate for other Vanguard funds or for other clients served by the advisors. If such securities are compatible with the investment policies of the Fund and one or more of an advisors other clients, and are considered for purchase or sale at or about the same time, then transactions in such securities may be aggregated by the advisor and the purchased securities or sale proceeds may be allocated among the participating Vanguard funds and the other participating clients of the advisor in a manner deemed equitable by the advisor. Although there may be no specified formula for allocating such transactions, the allocation methods used, and the results of such allocations, will be subject to periodic review by the Funds board of trustees.
The ability of Vanguard and external advisors to purchase or dispose of investments in regulated industries, the derivatives markets, and certain international markets, or to exercise rights or undertake business transactions on behalf of the Fund, may be restricted or impaired due to limitations on the aggregate level of investment unless regulatory or corporate consents are obtained. As a result, Vanguard and external advisors on behalf of the Fund may be required to limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of shareholder rights, including voting rights.
As of October 31, 2011, each Fund held securities of its regular brokers or dealers, as that term is defined in Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act, as follows:
Vanguard Fund | Regular Broker or Dealer (or Parent) | Aggregate Holdings |
Windsor Fund | Citigroup Global Markets Inc. | $110,707,000 |
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | 228,208,000 | |
UBS Securities LLC | | |
Windsor II Fund | Barclays Capital Inc. | 55,161,000 |
BNP Paribas Securities Corp. | 28,383,000 | |
Goldman, Sachs & Co. | 104,812,000 | |
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | 832,589,000 | |
Morgan Stanley | 18,965,000 |
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
The Board of Trustees (the Board) of each Vanguard fund that invests in stocks has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern proxy voting by the fund. The Board has delegated oversight of proxy voting to the Proxy Oversight Committee (the Committee), made up of senior officers of Vanguard and subject to the operating procedures and guidelines described below. The Committee reports directly to the Board. Vanguard is subject to these procedures and guidelines to the extent that they call for Vanguard to administer the voting process and implement the resulting voting decisions, and for these purposes the guidelines have been approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.
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The overarching objective in voting is simple: to support proposals and director nominees that maximize the value of a funds investmentsand those of fund shareholdersover the long term. Although the goal is simple, the proposals the funds receive are varied and frequently complex. As such, the guidelines adopted by the Board provide a rigorous framework for assessing each proposal. Under the guidelines, each proposal must be evaluated on its merits, based on the particular facts and circumstances as presented.
For ease of reference, the procedures and guidelines often refer to all funds. However, our processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual funds. For most proxy proposals, particularly those involving corporate governance, the evaluation will result in the same position being taken across all of the funds and the funds voting as a block. In some cases, however, a fund may vote differently, depending upon the nature and objective of the fund, the composition of its portfolio, and other factors.
The guidelines do not permit the Board to delegate voting responsibility to a third party that does not serve as a fiduciary for the funds. Because many factors bear on each decision, the guidelines incorporate factors the Committee should consider in each voting decision. A fund may refrain from voting some or all of its shares if doing so would be in the funds and its shareholders best interests. These circumstances may arise, for example, if the expected cost of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, if exercising the vote would result in the imposition of trading or other restrictions, or if a fund (or all Vanguard-advised funds in the aggregate) were to own more than a maximum percentage of a companys stock (as determined by the companys governing documents).
In evaluating proxy proposals, we consider information from many sources, including, but not limited to, the investment advisor for the fund, the management or shareholders of a company presenting a proposal, and independent proxy research services. We will give substantial weight to the recommendations of the companys board, absent guidelines or other specific facts that would support a vote against management. In all cases, however, the ultimate decision rests with the members of the Proxy Oversight Committee, who are accountable to the funds Board.
While serving as a framework, the following guidelines cannot contemplate all possible proposals with which a fund may be presented. In the absence of a specific guideline for a particular proposal (e.g., in the case of a transactional issue or contested proxy), the Committee will evaluate the issue and cast the funds vote in a manner that, in the Committees view, will maximize the value of the funds investment, subject to the individual circumstances of the fund.
I. | The Board of Directors |
A. | Election of directors |
Good governance starts with a majority-independent board, whose key committees are made up entirely of independent directors. As such, companies should attest to the independence of directors who serve on the Compensation, Nominating, and Audit committees. In any instance in which a director is not categorically independent, the basis for the independence determination should be clearly explained in the proxy statement.
Although the funds will generally support the boards nominees, the following factors will be taken into account in determining each funds vote:
Factors For Approval | Factors Against Approval |
Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of | Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of |
independent directors. | non-independent directors. |
All members of Audit, Nominating, and Compensation | Audit, Nominating, and/or Compensation committees include |
committees are independent of management. | non-independent members. |
Incumbent board member failed to attend at least 75% of meetings | |
in the previous year. | |
Actions of committee(s) on which nominee serves are inconsistent with | |
other guidelines (e.g., excessive option grants, substantial non-audit fees, | |
lack of board independence). | |
B. Contested director elections |
In the case of contested board elections, we will evaluate the nominees qualifications, the performance of the incumbent board, and the rationale behind the dissidents campaign, to determine the outcome that we believe will maximize shareholder value.
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C. Classified boards
The funds will generally support proposals to declassify existing boards (whether proposed by management or shareholders), and will block efforts by companies to adopt classified board structures in which only part of the board is elected each year.
II. Approval of Independent Auditors
The relationship between the company and its auditors should be limited primarily to the audit, although it may include certain closely related activities that do not, in the aggregate, raise any appearance of impaired independence. The funds will generally support managements recommendation for the ratification of the auditor, except in instances in which audit and audit-related fees make up less than 50% of the total fees paid by the company to the audit firm. We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis instances in which the audit firm has a substantial non-audit relationship with the company (regardless of its size relative to the audit fee) to determine whether independence has been compromised.
III. | Compensation Issues |
A. | Stock-based compensation plans |
Appropriately designed stock-based compensation plans, administered by an independent committee of the board and approved by shareholders, can be an effective way to align the interests of long-term shareholders with the interests of management, employees, and directors. The funds oppose plans that substantially dilute their ownership interest in the company, provide participants with excessive awards, or have inherently objectionable structural features.
An independent compensation committee should have significant latitude to deliver varied compensation to motivate the companys employees. However, we will evaluate compensation proposals in the context of several factors (a companys industry, market capitalization, competitors for talent, etc.) to determine whether a particular plan or proposal balances the perspectives of employees and the companys other shareholders. We will evaluate each proposal on a case-by-case basis, taking all material facts and circumstances into account.
The following factors will be among those considered in evaluating these proposals:
Factors For Approval | Factors Against Approval |
Company requires senior executives to hold a minimum amount | Total potential dilution (including all stock-based plans) exceeds 15% of |
of company stock (frequently expressed as a multiple of salary). | shares outstanding. |
Company requires stock acquired through option exercise to be | Annual option grants have exceeded 2% of shares outstanding. |
held for a certain period of time. | |
Compensation program includes performance-vesting awards, | Plan permits repricing or replacement of options without |
indexed options, or other performance-linked grants. | shareholder approval. |
Concentration of option grants to senior executives is limited | Plan provides for the issuance of reload options. |
(indicating that the plan is very broad-based). | |
Stock-based compensation is clearly used as a substitute for | Plan contains automatic share replenishment (evergreen) feature. |
cash in delivering market-competitive total pay. |
B. Bonus plans
Bonus plans, which must be periodically submitted for shareholder approval to qualify for deductibility under Section 162(m) of the IRC, should have clearly defined performance criteria and maximum awards expressed in dollars. Bonus plans with awards that are excessive, in both absolute terms and relative to a comparative group, generally will not be supported.
C. Employee stock purchase plans
The funds will generally support the use of employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value and that shares reserved under the plan amount to less than 5% of the outstanding shares.
D. Executive severance agreements (golden parachutes)
Although executives incentives for continued employment should be more significant than severance benefits, there are instancesparticularly in the event of a change in controlin which severance arrangements may be appropriate.
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Severance benefits triggered by a change in control that do not exceed three times an executives salary and bonus may generally be approved by the compensation committee of the board without submission to shareholders. Any such arrangement under which the beneficiary receives more than three times salary and bonusor where severance is guaranteed absent a change in controlshould be submitted for shareholder approval.
IV. Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
The exercise of shareholder rights, in proportion to economic ownership, is a fundamental privilege of stock ownership that should not be unnecessarily limited. Such limits may be placed on shareholders ability to act by corporate charter or by-law provisions, or by the adoption of certain takeover provisions. In general, the market for corporate control should be allowed to function without undue interference from these artificial barriers.
The funds positions on a number of the most commonly presented issues in this area are as follows:
A. Shareholder rights plans (poison pills)
A companys adoption of a so-called poison pill effectively limits a potential acquirers ability to buy a controlling interest without the approval of the targets board of directors. Such a plan, in conjunction with other takeover defenses, may serve to entrench incumbent management and directors. However, in other cases, a poison pill may force a suitor to negotiate with the board and result in the payment of a higher acquisition premium.
In general, shareholders should be afforded the opportunity to approve shareholder rights plans within a year of their adoption. This provides the board with the ability to put a poison pill in place for legitimate defensive purposes, subject to subsequent approval by shareholders. In evaluating the approval of proposed shareholder rights plans, we will consider the following factors:
Factors For Approval | Factors Against Approval |
Plan is relatively short-term (3-5 years). | Plan is long term (>5 years). |
Plan requires shareholder approval for renewal. | Renewal of plan is automatic or does not require shareholder approval. |
Plan incorporates review by a committee of independent | Board with limited independence. |
directors at least every three years (so-called TIDE provisions). | |
Ownership trigger is reasonable (15-20%). | Ownership trigger is less than 15%. |
Highly independent, non-classified board. | Classified board. |
Plan includes permitted-bid/qualified-offer feature (chewable | |
pill) that mandates a shareholder vote in certain situations. |
B. Cumulative voting
The funds are generally opposed to cumulative voting under the premise that it allows shareholders a voice in director elections that is disproportionate to their economic investment in the corporation.
C. Supermajority vote requirements
The funds support shareholders ability to approve or reject matters presented for a vote based on a simple majority. Accordingly, the funds will support proposals to remove supermajority requirements and oppose proposals to impose them.
D. Right to call meetings and act by written consent
The funds support shareholders right to call special meetings of the board (for good cause and with ample representation) and to act by written consent. The funds will generally vote for proposals to grant these rights to shareholders and against proposals to abridge them.
E. Confidential voting
The integrity of the voting process is enhanced substantially when shareholders (both institutions and individuals) can vote without fear of coercion or retribution based on their votes. As such, the funds support proposals to provide confidential voting.
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F. Dual classes of stock
We are opposed to dual class capitalization structures that provide disparate voting rights to different groups of shareholders with similar economic investments. We will oppose the creation of separate classes with different voting rights and will support the dissolution of such classes.
V. Corporate and Social Policy Issues
Proposals in this category, initiated primarily by shareholders, typically request that the company disclose or amend certain business practices. The Board generally believes that these are ordinary business matters that are primarily the responsibility of management and should be evaluated and approved solely by the corporations board of directors. Often, proposals may address concerns with which the Board philosophically agrees, but absent a compelling economic impact on shareholder value (e.g., proposals to require expensing of stock options), the funds will typically abstain from voting on these proposals. This reflects the belief that regardless of our philosophical perspective on the issue, these decisions should be the province of company management unless they have a significant, tangible impact on the value of a funds investment and management is not responsive to the matter.
VI. Voting in Foreign Markets
Corporate governance standards, disclosure requirements, and voting mechanics vary greatly among the markets outside the United States in which the funds may invest. Each funds votes will be used, where applicable, to advocate for improvements in governance and disclosure by each funds portfolio companies. We will evaluate issues presented to shareholders for each funds foreign holdings in the context with the guidelines described above, as well as local market standards and best practices. The funds will cast their votes in a manner believed to be philosophically consistent with these guidelines, while taking into account differing practices by market. In addition, there may be instances in which the funds elect not to vote, as described below.
Many foreign markets require that securities be blocked or reregistered to vote at a companys meeting. Absent an issue of compelling economic importance, we will generally not subject the fund to the loss of liquidity imposed by these requirements.
The costs of voting (e.g., custodian fees, vote agency fees) in foreign markets may be substantially higher than for U.S. holdings. As such, the fund may limit its voting on foreign holdings in instances in which the issues presented are unlikely to have a material impact on shareholder value.
VII. Voting Shares of a Company that has an Ownership Limitation
Certain companies have provisions in their governing documents that restrict stock ownership in excess of a specified limit. The ownership limit may be applied at the individual fund level or across all Vanguard-advised funds. Typically, these ownership restrictions are included in the governing documents of real estate investment trusts, but may be included in other companies governing documents.
A companys governing documents normally allow the company to grant a waiver of these ownership limits, which would allow a fund (or all Vanguard-advised funds) to exceed the stated ownership limit. Sometimes a company will grant a waiver without restriction. From time to time, a company may grant a waiver only if a fund (or funds) agrees to not vote the companys shares in excess of the normal specified limit. In such a circumstance, a fund may refrain from voting shares if owning the shares beyond the companys specified limit is in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.
VIII. Voting on a Funds Holdings of Other Vanguard Funds
Certain Vanguard funds (owner funds) may, from time to time, own shares of other Vanguard funds (underlying funds). If an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, votes for and against such matters on behalf of the owner funds will be cast in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund.
IX. The Proxy Voting Group
The Board has delegated the day-to-day operations of the funds proxy voting process to the Proxy Voting Group, which the Committee oversees. Although most votes will be determined, subject to the individual circumstances of each fund,
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by reference to the guidelines as separately adopted by each of the funds, there may be circumstances when the Proxy Voting Group will refer proxy issues to the Committee for consideration. In addition, at any time, the Board has the authority to vote proxies, when, at the Boards or the Committees discretion, such action is warranted.
The Proxy Voting Group performs the following functions: (1) managing proxy voting vendors; (2) reconciling share positions; (3) analyzing proxy proposals using factors described in the guidelines; (4) determining and addressing potential or actual conflicts of interest that may be presented by a particular proxy; and (5) voting proxies. The Proxy Voting Group also prepares periodic and special reports to the Board, and any proposed amendments to the procedures and guidelines.
X. The Proxy Oversight Committee
The Board, including a majority of the independent trustees, appoints the members of the Committee who are senior officers of Vanguard.
The Committee does not include anyone whose primary duties include external client relationship management or sales. This clear separation between the proxy voting and client relationship functions is intended to eliminate any potential conflict of interest in the proxy voting process. In the unlikely event that a member of the Committee believes he or she might have a conflict of interest regarding a proxy vote, that member must recuse himself or herself from the committee meeting at which the matter is addressed, and not participate in the voting decision.
The Committee works with the Proxy Voting Group to provide reports and other guidance to the Board regarding proxy voting by the funds. The Committee has an obligation to conduct its meetings and exercise its decision-making authority subject to the fiduciary standards of good faith, fairness, and Vanguards Code of Ethics. The Committee shall authorize proxy votes that the Committee determines, at its sole discretion, to be in the best interests of each funds shareholders. In determining how to apply the guidelines to a particular factual situation, the Committee may not take into account any interest that would conflict with the interest of fund shareholders in maximizing the value of their investments.
The Board may review these procedures and guidelines and modify them from time to time. The procedures and guidelines are available on Vanguards website at vanguard.com.
You may obtain a free copy of a report that details how the funds voted the proxies relating to the portfolio securities held by the funds for the prior 12-month period ended June 30 by logging on to Vanguards website at vanguard.com or the SECs website at sec.gov.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Each Funds Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011, appearing in the Funds 2011 Annual Reports to Shareholders, and the reports thereon of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, also appearing therein and the unaudited financial statements for the six months ended April 30 apprearing in the Windsor Funds Semiannual report to shareholders, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information. For a more complete discussion of each Funds performance, please see the Funds Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
The Vanguard funds are not in any way sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by FTSE International Limited (FTSE) the London Stock Exchange Group companies (LSEG) (together the Licensor Parties) and none of the Licensor Parties make any claim, prediction, warranty or representation whatsoever, expressly or impliedly, either as to (i) the results to be obtained from the use of a FTSE Index (the Index) (upon which a Vanguard fund is based), (ii) the figure at which the Index is said to stand at any particular time on any particular day or otherwise, or (iii) the suitability of the Index for the purpose to which it is being put in connection with the Vanguard fund. None of the Licensor Parties have provided or will provide any financial or investment advice or recommendation in relation to the Index to Vanguard or to its clients. The Index is calculated by FTSE or its agent. None of the Licensor Parties shall be (a) liable (whether in negligence or otherwise) to any person for any error in the Index or (b) under any obligation to advise any person of any error therein. All rights in the Index vest in FTSE. FTSE® is a trademark of LSEG and is used by FTSE under licence. The Russell Indexes and Russell® are registered trademarks of Russell Investments and have been licensed for use by The Vanguard Group, Inc. The products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Russell Investments and Russell Investments makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the products. Standard & Poors®, S&P ®, S&P 500 ®, Standard & Poors 500, 500 ®, S&P MidCap 400 ®, and S&P SmallCap 600 ®are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P) and have been licensed for use by The Vanguard Group, Inc. The Vanguard mutual funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by S&P or its Affiliates, and S&P and its Affiliates make no representation, warranty, or condition regarding the advisability of buying, selling, or holding units/shares in the funds. Vanguard ETFs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by Barclays Capital. Barclays Capital makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of Vanguard ETFs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Vanguard ETFs particularly or the ability of the Barclays Capital Index to track general bond market performance. Barclays Capital hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Barclays Capital Index and any data included therein. Barclays Capitals only relationship to Vanguard and Vanguard ETFs is the licensing of the Barclays Capital Index which is determined, composed, and calculated by
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Barclays Capital without regard to Vanguard or the Vanguard ETFs. Barclays Capital is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of Vanguard ETFs to be issued. CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst ® are trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
SAI022 102012
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PART C
VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
(a) | Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, filed on |
February 26, 2009, Post-Effective Amendment No. 111, are hereby incorporated by reference. | |
(b) | By-Laws, filed on February 24, 2011, Post-Effective Amendment No. 115, are hereby |
incorporated by reference. | |
(c) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders, reference is made to Articles III and V of the |
Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, refer to Exhibit (a) | |
above. | |
(d) | Investment Advisory Contracts, for Wellington Management Company, LLP, filed on February |
22, 2008, Post-Effective Amendment No. 110; for Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, | |
LLC, filed on December 21, 2009, Post-Effective Amendment No. 112; for Sanders Capital, | |
LLC, filed on February 24, 2010, Post-Effective Amendment No. 114; and for Barrow, Hanley, | |
Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC, Lazard Asset Management, LLC, and Armstrong Shaw | |
Associates Inc., filed on February 27, 2012, Post-Effective Amendment No. 117, are hereby | |
incorporated by reference. For Pzena Investment Management, LLC, is filed herewith. | |
The Vanguard Group, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Windsor II Fund | |
at cost pursuant to the Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement, | |
refer to (h) below. | |
(e) | Underwriting Contracts, not applicable |
(f) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts, reference is made to the section entitled “Management of |
the Funds” in Part B of this Registration Statement. | |
(g) | Custodian Agreement, for Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., filed on February 27, 2012, Post- |
Effective Amendment No. 117, is hereby incorporated by reference. | |
(h) | Other Material Contracts, Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement, filed on |
February 27, 2012, Post-Effective Amendment No. 117, is hereby incorporated by reference. | |
(i) | Legal Opinion, not applicable. |
(j) | Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, to be filed |
by amendment. | |
(k) | Omitted Financial Statements, not applicable. |
(l) | Initial Capital Agreements, not applicable. |
(m) | Rule 12b-1 Plan, not applicable. |
(n) | Rule 18f-3 Plan, is filed herewith. |
(o) | Reserved. |
(p) | Codes of Ethics, for Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC, and Barrow, Hanley, |
Mewhinney & Srauss, LLC, filed on February 22, 2008, Post-Effective Amendment No. 110; | |
for Sanders Capital, LLC, and The Vanguard Group, Inc., filed on January 13, 2010, Post- | |
Effective Amendment No. 113; for Wellington Management Company, LLP, filed on February | |
24, 2011, Post-Effective Amendment No. 115; and for Armstrong Shaw Associates Inc. and | |
Lazard Asset Management, LLC, filed on February 27, 2012, Post-Effective Amendment No. | |
117, are hereby incorporated by reference. For Pzena Investment Management, LLC, is filed | |
herewith. |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
Registrant is not controlled by or under common control with any person.
Item 30. Indemnification
The Registrants organizational documents contain provisions indemnifying Trustees and officers against liability incurred in their official capacities. Article VII, Section 2 of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Registrant may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to the performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer. Article VI of the By-Laws generally provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its Trustees and officers from any liability arising out of their past or present service in that capacity. Among other things, this provision excludes any liability arising by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or the reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Trustees or officers office with the Registrant.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers
Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss, LLC (Barrow, Hanley) is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the Advisers Act). The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Barrow, Hanley, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Barrow, Hanley pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-31237).
Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management, LLC (Hotchkis and Wiley) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Hotchkis and Wiley, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Hotchkis and Wiley pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-60512).
Wellington Management Company, LLP (Wellington Management) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and partners of Wellington Management, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and partners during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Wellington Management pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-15908).
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Vanguard, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Vanguard pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-11953).
Armstrong Shaw Associates Inc. (Armstrong Shaw) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Armstrong Shaw, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Armstrong Shaw pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-20597).
Lazard Asset Management LLC (Lazard) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Lazard Asset Management, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Lazard pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-61701).
Sanders Capital, LLC (Sanders) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and members of Sanders, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and members during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Sanders pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-70661).
Pzena Investment Management, LLC (Pzena) is an investment adviser registerd under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Pzena, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is hereby incorporated by reference from Form ADV filed by Pzena pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-50838).
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
(a)Vanguard Marketing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the principal underwriter of each fund within the Vanguard group of investment companies, a family of more than 170 mutual funds.
(b)The principal business address of each named director and officer of Vanguard Marketing Corporation is 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355.
Name | Positions and Office with Underwriter | Positions and Office with Funds |
Mortimer J. Buckley | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
Martha G. King | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
Chris D. McIsaac | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
F. William McNabb III | Chairman | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
Michael S. Miller | Director and Managing Director | None |
Glenn W. Reed | Director | None |
George U. Sauter | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
Heidi Stam | Director and Senior Vice President | Secretary |
Richard D. Carpenter | Treasurer | None |
David L. Cermak | Principal | None |
Joseph Colaizzo | Financial and Operations Principal | None |
Salvatore L. Pantalone | Financial and Operations Principal and Assistant Treasurer | None |
Michael L. Kimmel | Secretary | None |
John C. Heywood | Principal | None |
Jack T. Wagner | Assistant Treasurer | None |
Jennifer M. Halliday | Assistant Treasurer | None |
Caroline Cosby | Assistant Secretary | None |
Joseph F. Miele | Registered Municipal Securities Principal | None |
Jane K. Myer | Principal | None |
Pauline C. Scalvino | Chief Compliance Officer | Chief Compliance Officer |
Paul Atkins | Assistant Treasurer | None |
Timothy P. Holmes | Principal | None |
Colin M. Kelton | Principal | None |
(c)Not Applicable.
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books, accounts, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act and the rules promulgated thereunder will be maintained at the offices of the Registrant, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrants Transfer Agent, The Vanguard Group, Inc., 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; and the Registrants Custodian, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., 40 Water Street, Boston, MA 02109.
Item 34. Management Services
Other than as set forth in the section entitled Management of the Funds in Part B of this Registration Statement, the Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not Applicable
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 2nd day of August, 2012.
VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS
BY:____________/s/ F. William McNabb III*____
F. William McNabb III
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:
Signature | Title | Date |
/S/ F. WILLIAM MCNABB III* | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | August 2, 2012 |
F. William McNabb | ||
/S/ EMERSON U. FULLWOOD* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Emerson U. Fullwood | ||
/S/ RAJIV L. GUPTA* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Rajiv L. Gupta | ||
/S/ AMY GUTMANN* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Amy Gutmann | ||
/S/ JOANN HEFFERNAN HEISEN* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | ||
/S/ F. JOSEPH LOUGHREY* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
F. Joseph Loughrey | ||
/S/ MARK LOUGHRIDGE* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Mark Loughridge | ||
/S/ SCOTT C. MALPASS* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Scott C. Malpass | ||
/S/ ANDRÉ F. PEROLD* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
André F. Perold | ||
/S/ ALFRED M. RANKIN, JR.* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Alfred M. Rankin, Jr. | ||
/S/ PETER F. VOLANAKIS* | Trustee | August 2, 2012 |
Peter F. Volanakis | ||
/S/ THOMAS J. HIGGINS* | Chief Financial Officer | August 2, 2012 |
Thomas J. Higgins |
*By: /s/ Heidi Stam
Heidi Stam, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on March 27, 2012, see File Number 2-11444, Incorporated by Reference.
INDEX TO EXHIBITS | |
Investment Advisory Agreement, Pzena Investment Management, LLC. | Ex.99.D |
Rule 18f-3 Plan | Ex.99.N |
Codes of Ethics, Pzena Investment Management, LLC. | Ex-99.P |
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of this 2nd the day of August, 2012, between Vanguard Windsor Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and Pzena Investment Management, LLC (the “Advisor”), a Delaware limited liability company.
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end, diversified management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and
WHEREAS, the Trust offers a series of shares known as Vanguard Windsor Fund (the “Fund”); and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Advisor to render investment advisory services to the Fund, and the Advisor is willing to render such services.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings set forth in this “Agreement,” the Trust and the Advisor hereby agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Advisor. The Trust hereby employs the Advisor as investment advisor, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, for the portion of the assets of the Fund that the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board of Trustees”) determines in its sole discretion to assign to the Advisor from time to time (referred to in this Agreement as the “Pzena Portfolio”), as communicated to the Advisor on behalf of the Board of Trustees by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (“Vanguard”). The Board of Trustees may, from time to time, make additions to, and withdrawals from, the assets of the Fund assigned to the Advisor. The Advisor accepts such employment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided.
2. Duties of Advisor. The Trust employs the Advisor to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Pzena Portfolio; to continuously review, supervise, and administer an investment program for the Pzena Portfolio; to determine in its discretion the securities to be purchased or sold and the portion of such assets to be held uninvested; to provide the Fund with all records concerning the activities of the Advisor that the Fund is required to maintain; and to render regular reports to the Trust’s officers and the Board of Trustees concerning the discharge of the foregoing responsibilities. The Advisor will discharge the foregoing responsibilities subject to the supervision and oversight of the Trust’s officers and the Board of Trustees, and in compliance with the objective, policies, and limitations set forth in the Fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, any additional operating policies or procedures that the Fund communicates to the Advisor in writing, and applicable laws and regulations. The Advisor agrees to provide, at its own expense, the office space, furnishings and equipment, and personnel required by it to perform the services on the terms and for the compensation provided herein.
3. Securities Transactions. The Advisor is authorized to select the brokers or dealers that will execute purchases and sales of securities for the Pzena Portfolio, and is directed to seek to obtain best execution for such transactions, consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such authority shall include the power to sign and deliver standard account opening documents in connection with the opening of brokerage accounts, including, without limitation, agreements for the use of electronic trading systems and services for the purpose of executing trades. In selecting brokers or dealers to execute trades for the Pzena Portfolio, the Advisor will comply with all applicable statutes, rules, interpretations by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff, other applicable law, and the written policies and procedures established by the Board of Trustees and communicated to the Advisor in writing.
1 |
4. Compensation of Advisor. For services to be provided by the Advisor pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund will pay to the Advisor, and the Advisor agrees to accept as full compensation therefor, an investment advisory fee consisting of a base fee plus a performance adjustment at the rates specified in Schedule A to this Agreement, payable quarterly in arrears.
5. Reports. The Fund and the Advisor agree to furnish to each other current prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, certified copies of their financial statements, and such other information with regard to their affairs as each may reasonably request, including, but not limited to, information about changes in investment officers of the Advisor who are responsible for managing the Pzena Portfolio.
6. Compliance. The Advisor agrees to comply with all Applicable Law and all policies, procedures or reporting requirements that the Board of Trustees reasonably adopts and communicates to the Advisor in writing, including, without limitation, any such policies, procedures, or reporting requirements relating to soft dollar or other brokerage arrangements. “Applicable Law” means (i) the “federal securities laws” as defined in Rule 38a-1(e)(1) under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) any and all other laws, rules, and regulations, whether foreign or domestic, in each case applicable at any time and from time to time to the investment management operations of the Advisor in relation to the Pzena Portfolio.
7. Status of Advisor. The services of the Advisor to the Fund are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Advisor will be free to render similar services to others so long as its services to the Fund are not impaired thereby. The Advisor will be deemed to be an independent contractor and will, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Trust.
8. Liability of Advisor. It is understood that the Advisor shall act in good faith and shall not be liable for any loss incurred in connection with recommendations or investments made or other action taken on behalf of the Pzena Portfolio due to errors of judgment or by reason of its advice, including action take or omitted prior to a written notice of termination. No provision of this Agreement will be deemed to protect the Advisor against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which it might otherwise be subject by reason of any willful misfeasance, bad faith, or negligence in the performance of its duties or the reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement; provided however, that nothing in this Agreement shall constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights that the Fund may have under applicable Federal or State securities law. The Advisor shall not be responsible for any loss incurred by reason of any act or omission of the Fund, a custodian, or any broker or dealer. In addition, the Advisor shall not be liable for any breach of fiduciary duty or responsibility by another fiduciary of the Fund, so long as such fiduciary is not an affiliate of the Advisor.
9. Limitations on Consultations. The Advisor is prohibited from consulting with other advisors of the Fund, except Vanguard, concerning transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets.
10. Acknowledgement of the Trust. The Trust understands that the information provided by the Trust on any account opening forms, including without limitation, information pertaining to the Fund’s legal or tax status, address or other contact information, investment objective and policies, and new issue eligibility shall be relied on by the Advisor, and the Trust agrees that if any such information shall hereafter change or become inaccurate, the Trust shall notify the Advisor in writing of such change or inaccuracy.
11. Duration; Termination; Notices; Amendment. This Agreement will become effective on the date hereof and will continue in effect for a period of two years thereafter, and shall continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods thereafter, only so long as each such continuance specifically is approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to such Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. In addition, the question of continuance of the Agreement may be presented to the shareholders of the Fund; in such event, such continuance will be effected only if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, (i) this Agreement may at any time be terminated without payment of any penalty either by vote of the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, with no prior written notice to the Advisor, (ii) this Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment, and (iii) this Agreement may be terminated by the Advisor on ninety days’ written notice to the Fund. Any notice under this Agreement will be given in writing, addressed and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the other party as follows:
If to the Fund, at:
Vanguard Windsor Fund
P.O. Box 2600
Valley Forge, PA 19482
Attention: Sean P. Hagerty
Telephone: 610-669-4617
Facsimile: 610-503-5855
If to the Advisor, at:
Pzena Investment Management, LLC
120 West 45th Street, 20th Floor
New York, New York 10036
Attention: William L. Lipsey
Telephone: (212) 583-1408
Facsimile: (212) 308-0010
This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent, but the consent of the Trust must be approved (i) by a majority of those members of the Board of Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such amendment, and (ii) to the extent required by the 1940 Act, by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
As used in this Section 10, the terms “assignment,” “interested persons,” and “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” will have the respective meanings set forth in Section 2(a)(4), Section 2(a)(19) and Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act.
12. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement will be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement will not be affected thereby.
13. Confidentiality. The Advisor shall keep confidential any and all information obtained in connection with the services rendered hereunder and relating directly or indirectly to the Fund, the Trust, or Vanguard and shall not disclose any such information to any person other than the Trust, the Board of Trustees, Vanguard, and any director, officer, or employee of the Trust or Vanguard, except (i) with the prior written consent of the Trust, (ii) as required by law, regulation, court order or the rules or regulations of any self-regulatory organization, governmental body, or official having jurisdiction over the Advisor, or (iii) for information that is publicly available other than due to disclosure by the Advisor or its affiliates or becomes known to the Advisor from a source other than the Trust, the Board of Trustees, or Vanguard.
14. Proxy Policy. The Advisor acknowledges that Vanguard, at the direction of the Fund, will vote the shares of all securities that are held by the Fund. In addition, the Trust acknowledges and agrees that the Advisor shall not have any responsibility to initiate, consider, or participate in any bankruptcy, class action, or other litigation against or involving any issue or securities held in or formerly held in the Pzena Portfolio or to advise or take any action on behalf of the Fund with respect to any such actions or litigation. The Advisor will forward any important information received by it about such actions to the Fund.
15. Acknowledgement of Receipt of Form ADV Part 2. The Trust hereby acknowledges receipt of Part 2 of the Advisor’s Form ADV. The Trust hereby consents to the Advisor’s use of electronic mail to satisfy its disclosure delivery requirements under the federal securities laws (including the Advisor’s obligation to deliver its Form ADV), and to deliver any other reports and documents. Such consent shall be effective for the duration of this Agreement, unless the Trust revokes such consent, in writing. The Trust hereby acknowledges that there may be potential costs associated with electronic delivery.
16. Governing Law. All questions concerning the validity, meaning, and effect of this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws (without giving effect to the conflict-of-law principles thereof) of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in that state.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Investment Advisory Agreement to be executed as of the date first set forth herein.
Pzena Investment Management, LLC |
Vanguard Windsor Fund |
/s/ William L. Lipsey 7/20/12 _______________________________ _________ Signature Date
WILLIAM L. LIPSEY ____________________________ Print Name
|
/s/ F. William McNabb 7/27/2012 _______________________________ _________ Signature Date
F. WILLIAM MCNABB ____________________________ Print Name
|
VANGUARD FUNDS
MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
I. INTRODUCTION
This Multiple Class Plan (the Plan) describes six separate classes of shares that may be offered by investment company members of The Vanguard Group (collectively the Funds, individually a Fund). The Plan explains the separate arrangements for each class, how expenses are allocated to each class, and the conversion features of each class. Each Fund may offer any one or more of the specified classes.
The Plan has been approved by the Board of Directors of The Vanguard Group (Vanguard). In addition, the Plan has been adopted by a majority of the Board of Trustees of each Fund, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of each Fund. The classes of shares offered by each Fund are designated in Schedule A hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
II. SHARE CLASSES
A Fund may offer any one or more of the following share classes:
Investor Shares
AdmiralShares
SignalShares
Institutional Shares
Institutional Plus Shares
ETF Shares
III. DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABILITY AND ELIGIBILITY
Distribution arrangements for all classes are described below. Vanguard retains sole discretion in determining share class availability, and whether Fund shares shall be offered either directly or through certain financial intermediaries, or on certain financial intermediary platforms. Eligibility requirements for purchasing shares of each class will differ, as follows:
A. Investor Shares
Investor Shares generally will be available to investors who are not permitted to purchase other classes of shares, subject to the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for
1
Investor Shares will be substantially lower than the amount required for any other class of shares.
B. Admiral Shares
Admiral Shares generally will be available to individual and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. These eligibility requirements may include, but are not limited to the following factors: (i) the total amount invested the Fund; or (ii) any other factors deemed appropriate by a Funds Board of Trustees.
C. Signal Shares
Signal Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that Signal Shares will be offered to Vanguards institutional clients according to eligibility criteria deemed appropriate by the Funds Board of Trustees.
D. Institutional Shares
Institutional Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount per account for Institutional Shares will be substantially higher than the amounts required for Investor Shares, Admiral Shares or Signal Shares.
E. Institutional Plus Shares
Institutional Plus Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Institutional Plus Shares will be substantially higher than the amount required for any other class of the Funds shares.
F. ETF Shares
The Fund will sell ETF Shares to investors that are (or who purchase through) Authorized DTC Participants, and who pay for their ETF shares by depositing a prescribed basket of securities rather than paying cash. An Authorized DTC Participant is an institution, usually a broker-dealer, that is a participant in the Depository Trust Company (DTC) and that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Funds distributor. Additional eligibility requirements may be specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be
2
amended from time to time. Investors who are not Authorized Participants may buy and sell ETF shares through various exchanges and market centers.
IV. SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS
All share classes will receive a range of services provided by Vanguard on a per account basis. These account-based services may include transaction processing and shareholder recordkeeping, as well as the mailing of updated prospectuses, shareholder reports, tax statements, confirmation statements, quarterly portfolio summaries, and other items. It is expected that the aggregate amount of account-based services provided to Investor Shares will materially exceed the amount of such services provided to any other class, due to the existence of many more accounts holding Investor Shares. In addition to this difference in the volume of services provided, arrangements will differ among the classes as follows:
A. Investor Shares
Investor Shares generally will receive the most basic level of service from Vanguard. Investor Shares generally will be serviced through a pool of Vanguard client service representatives.
B. Admiral Shares
Admiral Shares will receive a different level of service from Vanguard as compared to Investor Shares. Special client service representatives may be assigned to service Admiral Shares, and holders of such shares may from time to time receive special mailings and unique additional services.
C. Signal Shares
Signal Shares will receive a level of service from Vanguard that differs from the service provided to the holders of shares of other classes. Such services may include informational newsletters and other similar materials devoted to investment topics of interest. Such newsletters or other materials may be mailed on a periodic basis. These newsletters or other materials may also be available to Signal shareholders through separate electronic venues including a dedicated web site. In addition, special client service representatives may be assigned to service Signal Shares.
D. Institutional Shares
Institutional Shares will receive from Vanguard a level of service that differs from the service provided to the holders of shares of other classes. Such services may include special client service representatives who will be assigned to service Institutional Shares. Most holders of Institutional Shares periodically will
3
receive | special investment updates from Vanguards investment staff. Holders of | ||
Institutional | Shares also may receive unique additional services from Vanguard, | ||
and | generally will be permitted to transact with Vanguard through the National | ||
Securities | Clearing Corporations FundSERV system and other special servicing | ||
platforms | for institutional investors. | ||
E. | Institutional Plus Shares | ||
Institutional Plus Shares generally will receive a very high level of service | |||
from | Vanguard as compared to any other share classes. Special client service | ||
representatives | will be assigned to service Institutional Plus Shares, and most | ||
holders | of such shares periodically, but more than the holders of all other shares, | ||
will | receive special updates from Vanguards investment staff. Holders of | ||
Institutional | Plus Shares may receive unique additional services from Vanguard, | ||
and | generally will be permitted to transact with Vanguard through the National | ||
Securities | Clearing Corporations FundSERV system and other special servicing | ||
platforms | for institutional investors. Investors who receive VISTA or similar | ||
retirement | plan recordkeeping services from Vanguard generally may not own | ||
Institutional | Plus Shares | ||
F. | ETF Shares | ||
A Fund is expected to maintain only one shareholder of record for ETF | |||
Shares¯DTC | or its nominee. Special client service representatives will be | ||
assigned | to the DTC account, and all transactions on this account will be handled | ||
electronically. | Due to the nature and purpose of the DTC account, ETF Shares | ||
will | not receive any special updates from Vanguards investment staff. | ||
V. | CONVERSION FEATURES | ||
A. | Self-Directed Conversions | ||
1. | Conversion into Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, Signal | ||
Shares, Institutional Shares, and Institutional Plus Shares. | |||
Shareholders may conduct self-directed conversions from one share class into another share class for which they are eligible. Self-directed conversions may be initiated by the shareholder; however, depending upon the particular share class and the complexity of the shareholders accounts, such conversions may require the assistance of a Vanguard representative. Shareholders may convert from one share class into another share class | |||
provided | that following the conversion the shareholder: (i) meets the then | ||
applicable eligibility requirements for the share class into which they are converting; and (ii) receives services consistent with such new share class. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the |
4
share classes next calculated after Vanguards receipt of the shareholders request in good order.
2. Conversion into ETF Shares. Except as otherwise provided, a shareholder may convert Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, Signal Shares or Institutional Shares into ETF Shares (if available), provided that: (i) the shares to be converted are not held through an employee benefit plan; and (ii) following the conversion, the shareholder will hold ETF Shares through a brokerage account. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after Vanguards receipt of the shareholders request in good order. Vanguard or the Fund may charge an administrative fee to process conversion transactions. None of the Funds that are series of Vanguard Bond Index Funds (see Schedule A) shall permit holders of Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, Signal Shares or Institutional Shares to convert those shares into ETF Shares.
B. | Automatic Conversions | |
1. | Automatic conversion into Admiral Shares. Vanguard may | |
automatically convert Investor Shares into Admiral Shares (if available), | ||
provided | that following the conversion the shareholder: (i) meets the then | |
applicable eligibility requirements for Admiral Shares; and (ii) receives services consistent with Admiral Shares. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after Vanguards conversion without the imposition of any charge. Such | ||
automatic | conversions may occur on a periodic, or one-time basis. | |
Automatic conversions may occur at different times due to the differing mechanisms through which an account is funded or meets the required investment minimum. Automatic conversions do not apply to certain types of accounts (e.g., accounts held through certain intermediaries, or other accounts as may be excluded by Vanguard management). | ||
2. | Automatic conversion into Signal Shares, Institutional | |
Shares or Institutional Plus Shares. Vanguard may conduct automatic conversions of any share class into either Signal Shares, Institutional Shares, or Institutional Plus Shares in accordance with then-current | ||
eligibility | requirements. If a Fund offers Signal Shares, the Admiral | |
Shares and Investor Shares of that Fund held by certain institutional clients also may be automatically converted into Signal Shares to align the share class eligibility requirements. | ||
C. | Involuntary Conversions and Cash Outs | |
1. | Cash Outs. If a shareholder in any class of shares no longer | |
meets | the eligibility requirements for such shares, the Fund may cash out |
5
the shareholders remaining account balance. Any such cash out will be preceded by written notice to the shareholder and will be subject to the Funds normal redemption fees, if any.
2. Conversion of Admiral Shares, Signal Shares, Institutional Shares, and Institutional Plus Shares. If a shareholder no longer meets the eligibility requirements for the share class currently held, the Fund may convert the shareholders holdings into the share class for which such shareholder is eligible. Any such conversion will be preceded by written notice to the shareholder, and will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes without the imposition of any sales load, fee, or other charge.
VI. | EXPENSE ALLOCATION AMONG CLASSES | ||
A. | Background | ||
Vanguard | is a jointly-owned subsidiary of the Funds. Vanguard provides | ||
the | Funds, on an at-cost basis, virtually all of their corporate management, | ||
administrative | and distribution services. Vanguard also may provide investment | ||
advisory | services on an at-cost basis to the Funds. Vanguard was established and | ||
operates | pursuant to a Funds Service Agreement between itself and the Funds | ||
(the | Agreement), and pursuant to certain exemptive orders granted by the U.S. | ||
Securities | and Exchange Commission (Exemptive Orders). Vanguards direct | ||
and | indirect expenses of providing corporate management, administrative and | ||
distribution | services to the Funds are allocated among such funds in accordance | ||
with | methods specified in the Agreement. | ||
B. | Class Specific Expenses | ||
1. | Expenses for Account-Based Services. Expenses associated | ||
with Vanguards provision of account-based services to the Funds will be | |||
allocated | among the share classes of each Fund on the basis of the amount | ||
incurred by each such class as follows: |
(a) Account maintenance expenses. Expenses associated with the maintenance of investor accounts will be proportionately allocated among each Funds share classes based upon a monthly determination of the costs to service each class of shares. Factors considered in this determination are (i) the percentage of total shareholder accounts represented by each class; (ii) the percentage of total account transactions performed by Vanguard for each class; and (iii) the percentage of new accounts opened for each class.
6
(b) Expenses of special servicing arrangements.
Expenses relating to any special servicing arrangements for a specific class will be proportionally allocated among each eligible Funds share classes primarily based on their percentage of total shareholder accounts receiving the special servicing arrangements.
(c) Literature production and mailing expenses.
Expenses associated with shareholder reports, proxy materials and other literature will be allocated among each Funds share classes based upon the number of such items produced and mailed for each class.
2. Other Class Specific Expenses. Expenses for the primary benefit of a particular share class will be allocated to that share class. Such expenses would include any legal fees attributable to a particular class.
C. | Fund-Wide Expenses | |
1. | Marketing and Distribution Expenses. Expenses associated | |
with Vanguards marketing and distribution activities will be allocated among the Funds and their separate share classes according to the Vanguard Modified Formula, with each share class treated as if it were a separate Fund. The Vanguard Modified Formula, which is set forth in the Agreement and in certain of the SEC Exemptive Orders, has been deemed an appropriate allocation methodology by each Funds Board of Trustees under paragraph (c)(1)(v) of Rule 18f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. | ||
2. | Asset Management Expenses. Expenses associated with | |
management of a Funds assets (including all advisory, tax preparation and custody fees) will be allocated among the Funds share classes on the basis of their relative net assets. | ||
3. | Other Fund Expenses. Any other Fund expenses not | |
described | above will be allocated among the share classes on the basis of | |
their relative net assets. |
VII. ALLOCATION OF INCOME, GAINS AND LOSSES
Income, gains and losses will be allocated among each Funds share classes on the basis of their relative net assets. As a result of differences in allocated expenses, it is expected that the net income of, and dividends payable to, each class of shares will vary. Dividends and distributions paid to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, on the same day and at the same time.
7
VIII. VOTING AND OTHER RIGHTS
Each share class will have: (i) exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to its service or distribution arrangements; and (ii) separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of the other class; and (iii) in all other respects the same rights, obligations and privileges as each other, except as described in the Plan.
IX. AMENDMENTS
All material amendments to the Plan must be approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of each Fund, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund. In addition, any material amendment to the Plan must be approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000
Last Approved by Board: March 22, 2012
8
SCHEDULE A | ||
to | ||
VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN | ||
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Admiral Funds | ||
| Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund | Investor |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P MidCap 400 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P MidCap 400 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
Vanguard Bond Index Funds | ||
| Short-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Long-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, Institutional Plus, |
ETF | ||
| Total Bond Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Total Bond Market II Index Fund | Investor, Institutional |
| Inflation-Protected Securities Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional |
Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
1
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Chester Funds | ||
| PRIMECAP Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Target Retirement Income Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2005 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2010 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2015 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2020 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2025 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2030 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2035 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2040 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2045 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2050 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2055 Fund | Investor |
| Target Retirement 2060 Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund | Investor | |
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
Vanguard Fenway Funds | ||
| Equity Income Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Growth Equity Fund | Investor |
| PRIMECAP Core Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Fixed Income Securities Funds | ||
| Short-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Short-Term Federal Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional |
| Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| GNMA Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Long-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| High-Yield Corporate Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard Florida Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Florida Focused Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard Horizon Funds | ||
| Capital Opportunity Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Global Equity Fund | Investor |
| Strategic Equity Fund | Investor |
| Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund | Investor |
2
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Index Funds | ||
| 500 Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, ETF |
| Extended Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
| Large-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
| Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| Mid-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Mid-Cap Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| Small-Cap Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| Small-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| Small-Cap Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| Total Stock Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
| Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
Vanguard International Equity Index Funds | ||
| Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus | ||
MSCI Emerging Markets ETF | ETF | |
| European Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus | ||
MSCI Europe ETF | ETF | |
| FTSE All-World ex US Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, Institutional |
Plus, ETF | ||
| Pacific Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus | ||
MSCI Pacific ETF | ETF | |
| Total World Stock Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, ETF |
| FTSE All World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, ETF |
| Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund | Investor, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
Vanguard Malvern Funds | ||
| Capital Value Fund | Investor |
| U.S. Value Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds | ||
| Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Money Market Funds | ||
| Prime Money Market Fund | Investor, Institutional |
| Federal Money Market Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund | Investor, Admiral |
3
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Montgomery Funds | ||
| Vanguard Market Neutral Fund | Investor, Institutional |
Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds | ||
| Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
Vanguard Quantitative Funds | ||
| Growth and Income Fund | Investor, Admiral |
4
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Scottsdale Funds | ||
| Short-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Long-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund | Institutional, Signal, ETF |
| Explorer Value Fund | Investor |
| Russell 1000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 1000 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 2000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 2000 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Russell 3000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
Vanguard Specialized Funds | ||
| Energy Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Precious Metals Fund | Investor |
| Health Care Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Dividend Growth Fund | Investor |
| REIT Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, ETF |
| Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Investor, ETF |
Vanguard STAR Funds | ||
| Developed Markets Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus | ||
| LifeStrategy Conservative Growth Fund | Investor |
| LifeStrategy Growth Fund | Investor |
| LifeStrategy Income Fund | Investor |
| LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund | Investor |
| STAR Fund | Investor |
| Total International Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional, |
Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
Vanguard Tax-Managed Funds | ||
| Tax-Managed Balanced Fund | Admiral |
| Tax-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund | Admiral, Institutional |
| Tax-Managed Growth and Income Fund | Admiral, Institutional |
| Tax-Managed International Fund | Institutional |
Vanguard MSCI EAFE ETF | ETF | |
| Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund | Admiral, Institutional |
5
Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
Vanguard Trustees Equity Fund | ||
| International Value Fund | Investor |
| Diversified Equity Fund | Investor |
| Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Valley Forge Funds | ||
| Balanced Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Signal, Institutional |
| Managed Payout Growth Focus Fund | Investor |
| Managed Payout Growth and Distribution Fund | Investor |
| Managed Payout Distribution Focus Fund | Investor |
Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds | ||
| Balanced Portfolio | Investor |
| Conservative Allocation Portfolio | Investor |
| Diversified Value Portfolio | Investor |
| Equity Income Portfolio | Investor |
| Equity Index Portfolio | Investor |
| Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| Total Bond Market Index Portfolio | Investor |
| High Yield Bond Portfolio | Investor |
| International Portfolio | Investor |
| Mid-Cap Index Portfolio | Investor |
| Moderate Allocation Portfolio | Investor |
| Money Market Portfolio | Investor |
| REIT Index Portfolio | Investor |
| Short-Term Investment Grade Portfolio | Investor |
| Small Company Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| Capital Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| Total Stock Market Index Portfolio | Investor |
Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
Vanguard Wellington Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
Vanguard Whitehall Funds | ||
| Selected Value Fund | Investor |
| Mid-Cap Growth Fund | Investor |
| International Explorer Fund | Investor |
| High Dividend Yield Index Fund | Investor, ETF |
Vanguard Windsor Funds | ||
| Windsor Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Windsor II | Investor, Admiral |
6
Vanguard Fund
Share Classes Authorized
Vanguard World Fund
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000 Last Updated: February 10, 2012
Institutional, Institutional Plus, ETF Investor, Institutional Investor, Admiral Institutional, ETF
Institutional, ETF Institutional, ETF Investor, Admiral Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF
7
SCHEDULE B to
VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
Vanguard has policies and procedures designed to ensure consistency and compliance with the offering of multiple classes of shares within this Multiple Class Plans eligibility requirements. These policies are reviewed and monitored on an ongoing basis in conjunction with Vanguards Compliance Department.
Investor Shares - Eligibility Requirements
Investor Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000. Particular Vanguard Funds may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Investor Shares. Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors.
Admiral Shares Eligibility Requirements
Admiral Shares generally are intended for clients who meet the required minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $10,000 in index funds and $50,000 for retail clients in actively managed funds. Financial intermediary and other institutional clients may hold Admiral Shares of actively managed funds without restriction. Vanguard Funds may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Admiral Shares and Vanguard reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Admiral Share class eligibility also is subject to the following rule:
Signal Shares Eligibility Requirements
Signal Shares generally are intended for institutional and financial intermediary clients who meet the then-current eligibility requirements. Eligibility criteria are subject to the discretion of Vanguard management, and Vanguard reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors and to change such requirements at any time. Signal Share class eligibility also is subject to the following rules:
Institutional Shares Eligibility Requirements
Institutional Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $5,000,000. However, Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules:
Institutional Plus Shares - Eligibility Requirements
Institutional Plus Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $100,000,000. However, Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Plus Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules:
Financial Intermediaries - Institutional Plus Shares are not available to | ||
financial | intermediaries who would meet the eligibility requirements by | |
aggregating | the holdings of underlying investors. However, a financial | |
intermediary | may hold Institutional Plus Shares in an omnibus account if: | |
(1) | each underlying investor in the omnibus account individually meets the | |
investment | minimum amount described above; and | |
(2) | the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the | |
underlying | investor accounts with the investment minimum amount; or | |
(3) | a sub-accounting arrangement between Vanguard and the financial | |
intermediary | for the omnibus account allows Vanguard to monitor compliance |
ETF Shares Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility requirements for ETF Shares will be set forth in the Funds Registration Statement. To be eligible to purchase ETF Shares directly from a Fund, an investor must be (or must purchase through) an Authorized DTC Participant, as defined in Paragraph III.D of the Multiple Class Plan. Investors purchasing ETF Shares from a Fund must purchase a minimum number of shares, known as a Creation Unit. The number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit may vary from Fund to Fund, and will be set forth in the relevant prospectus. The value of a Fund's Creation Unit will vary with the net asset value of the Funds ETF Shares, but is expected to be several million dollars. An eligible investor generally must purchase a Creation Unit by depositing a prescribed basket of securities with the Fund, rather than paying cash.
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000
Last Approved by Board: May 18, 2012
PZENA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
PZENA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS (Effective as of October 25, 2007) (Revised as of January 4, 2010)
Dear Colleagues/Associates:
The good name and reputation of Pzena Investment Management, Inc., Pzena Investment Management, LLC and their subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") are a result of the dedication and hard work of all of us. Together, we are responsible for preserving and enhancing this reputation, a task that is fundamental to our continued well-being. Our goal is not just to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to our business; we also strive to abide by the highest standards of business conduct.
Set forth in the succeeding pages is the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics ("the Code"). The purpose of the Code is to reinforce and enhance the Company's ethical way of doing business and, in particular, to provide regulations and procedures consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The contents of the Code are not new, however. The policies set forth here are part of the Company's long-standing tradition of ethical business standards.
All employees, officers and directors are expected to comply with the policies set forth in the Code. Read the Code carefully and make sure that you understand it, the consequences of non-compliance, and the Codes importance to the success of the Company. If you have any questions, speak to the Chief Compliance Officer or any of the alternate Compliance Officers identified in the Code.
The Code should be viewed as the minimum requirements for conduct. The Code cannot and is not intended to cover every applicable law or provide answers to all questions that might arise; for that we must ultimately rely on each person's good sense of what is right, including a sense of when it is proper to seek guidance from others on the appropriate course of conduct. When in doubt about the advisability or propriety of a particular practice or matter, please confer with the Legal and Compliance group.
We at the Company are committed to providing the best and most competitive services to our clients. Adherence to the policies set forth in the Code will help us achieve that goal.
Sincerely,
Richard S. Pzena
Table of Contents | |
Page | |
PUTTING THIS CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS TO WORK | 1 |
About this Code of Business Conduct and Ethics | 1 |
Purpose | 1 |
Employee Provisions | 2 |
Implementation | 2 |
Definitions | 4 |
RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR ORGANIZATION | 5 |
Conflicts of Interest | 5 |
Prohibited Transactions with Respect to Non-Company Securities | 6 |
Employee Trading Exceptions with Respect to Non-Company Securities | 7 |
Exempt Transactions | 8 |
Pre-Clearance Requirement | 8 |
Reporting Requirements | 9 |
Company Disclosures | 10 |
Review | 11 |
Reporting Violations | 11 |
Background Checks | 11 |
Sanctions | 11 |
Required Records | 12 |
Record Retention | 12 |
Waivers of this Code | 13 |
Corporate Opportunities | 13 |
Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets | 13 |
Client Information | 13 |
Portfolio Company Information | 13 |
Company Information | 14 |
INSIDER TRADING | 14 |
FAIR DEALING | 14 |
Antitrust Laws | 14 |
Conspiracies and Collaborations Among Competitors | 15 |
Distribution Issues | 15 |
Penalties | 16 |
Gathering Information About the Company's Competitors | 16 |
RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR PEOPLE | 17 |
Equal Employment Opportunity | 17 |
Non-Discrimination Policy | 17 |
Anti-Harassment Policy | 17 |
Individuals and Conduct Covered | 17 |
Retaliation | 17 |
Reporting an Incident of Harassment, Discrimination or Retaliation | 18 |
LEAVE POLICIES | 18 |
Bereavement Leave | 18 |
Jury Duty | 18 |
Family and Medical Leave Act | 18 |
i |
Disability | 18 |
Maternity Leave Program | 19 |
Parenting Leave | 19 |
Coordination with FMLA Leave | 19 |
Coordination with Vacation | 19 |
Approval | 19 |
Job Security | 19 |
Safety in the Workplace | 20 |
Weapons and Workplace Violence | 20 |
Drugs and Alcohol | 20 |
INTERACTING WITH GOVERNMENT | 20 |
Prohibition on Gifts to Government Officials and Employees | 20 |
Political Contributions and Activities | 20 |
Lobbying Activities | 21 |
Bribery of Foreign Officials | 21 |
Amendments and Modifications | 21 |
Form ADV Disclosure | 21 |
Employee Certification | 21 |
ii
PUTTING THIS CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS TO WORK
About this Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We at the Company are committed to the highest standards of business conduct in our relationships with each other and with our clients, suppliers, shareholders and others. This requires that we conduct our business in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and in accordance with the highest standards of business conduct. The Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (this "Code") helps each of us in this endeavor by providing a statement of the fundamental principles and key policies and procedures that govern the conduct of our business. Furthermore, this Code sets out procedures for compliance by the Company, a registered investment adviser to separately managed advisory accounts including the registered investment companies from time to time identified on Schedule A hereto (the "Funds") as well as unregistered funds and other private accounts, with Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, Rule 204A-1 and Rule 204-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (hereinafter, the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 shall collectively be referred to as the "1940 Acts" and Rule 17j-1, Rule 204A-1 and Rule 204-2 shall be collectively referred to as the "Rules"). This Code is designed to establish standards and procedures for the detection and prevention of activities by which persons having knowledge of the investments and investment intentions of the Company's advisory accounts may breach their fiduciary duties, and to avoid and regulate situations that may give rise to conflicts of interest that the Rules address.
This Code is based on the principle that the Company owes a fiduciary duty to clients, to ensure that its employees conduct their Personal Security Transactions (as defined below) in a manner that does not interfere with clients transactions or otherwise take unfair advantage of the Companys relationship to its clients. The fiduciary principles that govern personal investment activities reflect, at a minimum, the following: (1) the duty at all times to place the interests of the client first; (2) the requirement that all Personal Security Transactions be conducted consistent with this Code and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of an individual's position of trust and responsibility; (3) the fundamental standard that investment personnel should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions; and (4) the requirement that investment personnel comply with applicable Federal securities laws. Our business depends on the reputation of all of us for integrity and principled business conduct. Thus, in many instances, the policies referenced in this Code go beyond the requirements of the law.
Honesty and integrity are required of the Company and its employees, officers and directors at all times. The standards herein should be viewed as the minimum requirements for conduct. All employees, officers and directors of the Company are encouraged and expected to go above and beyond the standards outlined in this Code in order to provide clients with top level service while adhering to the highest ethical standards.
This Code is a statement of policies for individual and business conduct and does not, in any way, constitute an employment contract or an assurance of continued employment. Employees of the Company are employed at-will, except when covered by an express, written employment agreement. This means that employees may choose to resign their employment at any time, for any reason or for no reason at all. Similarly, the Company may choose to terminate employees employment at any time, for any legal reason or for no reason at all, but not for an unlawful reason.
Purpose
The purpose of this Code is to reinforce and enhance the Company's ethical way of doing business and, in particular, to provide regulations and procedures consistent with the 1940 Acts and the Rules. As required by Rule 204A-1, this Code sets forth standards of conduct, requires compliance with the Federal securities laws and addresses personal trading. In addition, this Code is designed to give effect to the general prohibitions set forth in Rule 17j-1(b), to wit:
1
"It is unlawful for any affiliated person of or principal underwriter for a Fund, or any affiliated person of an investment adviser of or principal underwriter for a Fund, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by the person of a security held or to be acquired by the Fund:
(i) To employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Fund;
(ii) To make any untrue statement of a material fact to the Fund or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to the Fund, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;
(iii) To engage in any act, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on the Fund; or
(iv) To engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the Fund.
Employee Provisions
All Access Persons are required to file reports of their Personal Security Transactions (as defined below), excluding exempted securities, as provided in the "Pre-Clearance Requirement" and Reporting Requirements sections below and, if they wish to trade in the Companys stock or in the same securities as any of the Company's advisory accounts, must comply with the specific procedures in effect for such transactions.
The reports of employees will be reviewed and compared with the activities of the Company's advisory accounts and, if a pattern emerges that indicates abusive trading or noncompliance with applicable procedures, the matter will be referred to the Company's Chief Compliance Officer (the "CCO"), who will make appropriate inquiries and decide what action, if any, is then appropriate, including escalation to the Company's management as needed.
Implementation
In order to implement this Code, a CCO and one or more alternate Compliance Officers (each, an "Alternate") shall be designated from time to time for the Company. The current CCO is Joan F. Berger and the current Alternates are Steven M. Coffey, Michelle C. Houck, and Jacques Pompy.
The duties of the CCO and each Alternate shall include:
(i) | Continuous maintenance of a current list of the names of all employees with a description of their title or employment and updating Schedule B of this Code; |
(ii) | Furnishing all employees with a copy of this Code, and initially and periodically informing them of their duties and obligations thereunder; |
(iii) | Training and educating employees regarding this Code and their responsibilities hereunder; |
(iv) | Maintaining, or supervising the maintenance of, all records required by this Code; |
(v) | Maintaining a list of the Funds that the Company advises or subadvises and updating Schedule A of this Code; |
2
(vi) | Determining with the assistance of an Approving Officer (as defined below) | |
whether | any particular Personal Security Transaction should be exempted | |
pursuant | to the provisions of the sections titled "Conflicts of Interest" or | |
"Prohibited | Transactions" of this Code; | |
(vii) | Determining with the assistance of an Approving Officer whether special | |
circumstances | warrant that any particular security or Personal Security | |
Transaction | be temporarily or permanently restricted or prohibited; | |
(viii) | Maintaining, from time to time as appropriate, a current list of the securities that | |
are | restricted or prohibited pursuant to (vii) above; | |
(ix) | Issuing any interpretation of this Code that may appear consistent with the | |
objectives | of the Rules and this Code; | |
(x) | Conducting such inspections or investigations as shall reasonably be required to | |
detect | and report violations of this Code, as described in paragraphs (xi) and (xii) | |
below, | to the Company's management and the Board of Directors of Pzena | |
Investment | Management, Inc. (the "Board"); | |
(xi) | Submitting periodic reports to the Company's management containing: (A) a | |
description | of any material violation by any non-executive employee of the | |
Company | and the sanction imposed; (B) a description of any violation by any | |
director | or executive officer of the Company and the sanction imposed; (C) | |
interpretations | issued by and any material exemptions or waivers found | |
appropriate | by the CCO; and (D) any other significant information concerning | |
the | appropriateness of this Code; and | |
(xii) | Submitting a report at least annually to the Board and the Executive Committee | |
of | Pzena Investment Management, LLC (the "Executive Committee") that: | |
(A) | summarizes existing procedures concerning personal investing and any | |
changes | in the procedures made during the past year; (B) identifies the violations | |
described | in clauses (A) and (B) of the preceding paragraph (xi); (C) identifies | |
any | recommended changes in existing restrictions or procedures based upon | |
experience | under this Code, evolving industry practices or developments in | |
applicable | laws or regulations; and (D) reports of efforts made with respect to the | |
implementation | of this Code through orientation and training programs and | |
ongoing | reminders. |
Each of us is responsible for knowing and understanding the policies and guidelines contained in the following pages. If persons have questions, please ask them; if they have ethical concerns, please raise them. The CCO, who is responsible for overseeing and monitoring compliance with this Code, and the other resources set forth in this Code are available to answer questions and provide guidance and for persons to report suspected misconduct. Our conduct should reflect the Company's values, demonstrate ethical leadership, and promote a work environment that upholds the Company's reputation for integrity, ethical conduct and trust.
Copies of this Code are available from the CCO, the General Counsel and on the Company's website. A statement of compliance with this Code must be signed by all officers, directors and employees on an annual basis.
This Code cannot provide definitive answers to all questions. If employees have questions regarding any of the policies discussed in this Code or if employees are in doubt about the best course of action in a particular situation, employees should seek guidance from a supervisor, the CCO or the other resources identified in this Code.
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This Code is a statement of the fundamental principles and key policies and procedures that govern the conduct of the Company's business. It is not intended to and does not create any obligations to or rights in any employee, director, client, supplier, competitor, shareholder or any other person or entity.
Definitions
For purposes of this Code:
(i) | "Access Person(s)" means any employee, officer, or director (provided that directors may rebut the presumption of access established under Rule 17j-1(a)(1) by way of certification) of the Company. |
(ii) | "Approving Officer" means Richard S. Pzena, John P. Goetz, or Michael Peterson. |
(iii) | A security is "being considered for purchase or sale" when, subject to the Company's systematic buy/sell discipline as described in its Form ADV and client and prospect presentations, (i) a recommendation to purchase or sell that security has been made by the Company to an advisory account (e.g., the Portfolio Manager has instructed Portfolio Administration to begin preparing orders) or (ii) the Portfolio Manager is seriously considering making such a recommendation. |
(iv) | "Beneficial Ownership" means any interest by which an employee or officer or any member of such person's immediate family (which, for purposes of this Code includes a spouse or civil partner (wherever they may live), dependent child or stepchild (wherever they may live), or parent, sibling or other relative by blood or marriage living in the same household as the employee) can directly or indirectly derive a monetary benefit from the purchase, sale or ownership of a Security. Thus, a person may be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of Securities held in accounts in such person's own name, such person's spouses name, and in all other accounts over which such person does or could be presumed to exercise investment decision-making powers, or other influence or control1, including trust accounts, partnership accounts, corporate accounts or other joint ownership or pooling arrangements; provided however, that with respect to spouses, a person shall no longer be deemed to have Beneficial |
Ownership | of any accounts not held jointly with his or her spouse if the person |
and | the spouse are legally separated or divorced and are not living in the same |
household. | |
(v) | "Exempt Transactions" means the transactions described in the section hereof |
titled | "Exempt Transactions." |
(vi) | "Personal Security Transaction" means, for any employee or officer, a purchase, |
sale, | gifting or donation of a Security in which such person has, had, or will |
acquire | a Beneficial Ownership. |
1 In accordance with foreign regulations, this would include, without limitation, any Security with which the Access Person is linked as a result of: (i) directly or indirectly controlling the Security (in particular, but without limitation, by way of (i) having a majority of the voting rights in that Security; or (ii) by being a shareholder in that Security and having rights to appoint or remove a majority of the relevant Board, or to exercise a dominant influence over it under a shareholders agreement); or (ii) having a participating interest in the Security, by holding, directly or indirectly, at least 20% or more of the voting rights or capital.
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(vii) "Purchase and Sale of a Security" includes, inter alia, the writing of an option to purchase or sell a Security. In addition, the "sale of a Security" also includes the disposition by a person of that security by donation or gift. On the other hand, the acquisition by a person of a security by inheritance or gift is not treated as a "purchase" of that Security under this Code as it is an involuntary purchase that is an Exempt Transaction under clause (iii) of the section titled "Exempt Transactions" below.
(viii) "Security" shall mean any common stock, preferred stock, treasury stock, single stock future, exchange traded fund or note, hedge fund, mutual fund, private
placement, limited partnership interest, note, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, transferable share, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a Security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any Security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group of Securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a "Security," or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing.
RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR ORGANIZATION
Company employees, officers and directors are expected to dedicate their best efforts to advancing the Company's interests and to make decisions that affect the Company based on the Company's best interests, independent of outside influences.
Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest occurs when employees private interests interfere, or even appear to interfere, with the interests of the Company. A conflict situation may arise when employees take actions or have interests that make it difficult for employees to perform Company work objectively and effectively. Each employees obligation to conduct the Company's business in an honest and ethical manner includes the ethical handling of actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest between personal and business relationships. This includes full disclosure of any actual, apparent or potential conflicts of interest as set forth below.
As a fiduciary, the Company has an affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty, and good faith to act in the best interest of its clients. Compliance with this duty can be achieved by avoiding conflicts of interest or, when impracticable to do so, by fully disclosing all material facts concerning any conflict that does arise with respect to any client and following appropriate procedures designed to minimize any such conflict. Employees must try to avoid situations that have even the appearance of conflict or impropriety.
(i) | Conflicts of interest may arise where the Company or its employees have reason to favor the interests of one client over another client. Favoritism of one client over another client constitutes a breach of fiduciary duty. |
(ii) | Employees are prohibited from using knowledge about pending or currently considered securities transactions for clients to profit personally, directly or indirectly, as a result of such transactions, including by purchasing or selling such securities. Conflicts raised by Personal Security Transactions also are addressed more specifically below. |
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(iii) | If the Company determines that an employees Beneficial Ownership of a Security presents a material conflict, the employee may be restricted from participating in any decision-making process regarding the Security. This may be particularly true in the case of proxy voting, and employees are expected to refer to and strictly adhere to the Companys proxy voting policies and procedures in this regard. |
(iv) | Employees are required to act in the best interests of the Companys clients regarding execution and other costs paid by clients for brokerage services. |
Employees are expected to refer to and strictly adhere to the Companys Best Execution policies and procedures. | |
(v) | Access Persons are not permitted to knowingly sell to or purchase from a client any security or other property, except Securities issued by the client. |
Employees, officers and directors are prohibited from trading, either personally or on behalf of others, while in possession of material, nonpublic information. The Companys Insider Trading Policy is hereby incorporated by reference and employees, officers and directors are required to comply with the provisions therein.
Prohibited Transactions with Respect to Non-Company Securities*
(i) | No Access Person or any member of such Access Person's immediate family may enter into a Personal Security Transaction with actual knowledge that, at the same time, such Security is "being considered for purchase or sale" by advisory accounts of the Company, or that such Security is the subject of an outstanding purchase or sale order by advisory accounts of the Company except as provided below in the section titled "Employee Trading Exceptions with Respect to Non- Company Securities"; |
(ii) | Except under the circumstances described in the section below titled "Employee Trading Exceptions with Respect to Non-Company Securities," no Access Person or any member of such Access Person's immediate family shall purchase or sell any Security within one business day before or after the purchase or sale of that Security by advisory accounts of the Company; |
(iii) | No Access Person or any member of such Access Persons immediate family shall be permitted to effect a short-term trade (i.e., to purchase and subsequently sell within 60 calendar days, or to sell and subsequently purchase within 60 calendar days) involving the same or equivalent Securities; |
(iv) | No Access Person or any member of such Access Persons immediate family is permitted to enter into a Personal Security Transaction for any Security that is named on a restricted list; |
(v) | No Access Person or any member of such Access Person's immediate family shall purchase any Security in an Initial Public Offering (other than a Security issued by the Company); |
(vi) | No Access Person or any member of such Access Persons immediate family shall, without the express prior approval of the CCO, acquire any Security in a private placement, and if a private placement Security is acquired, such employee must disclose that investment when he/she becomes aware of the Company's subsequent consideration of any investment in that issuer, and in such |
circumstances, | an independent review shall be conducted by the CCO; |
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(vii) | No Access Person shall accept any gifts or anything else of more than a de | |
minimis | value from any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of | |
the | Company or any of the advisory accounts of the Company. For purposes | |
hereof, | "de minimis value" shall mean a value of less than $100, or such higher | |
amount | as may be set forth in FINRA Conduct Rule 3220 from time to time. | |
Furthermore, | all gifts to consultants and other decision-makers for client | |
accounts | must be reasonable in value and must be pre-approved by the Managing | |
Principal, | Marketing and Client Services and the CCO before distribution; | |
(viii) | No Access Person may make political or charitable contributions for the purpose | |
of | obtaining or retaining advisory contracts with government entities. In | |
addition, | no Access Person may consider the Company's current or anticipated | |
business | relationships as a factor in soliciting political or charitable contributions; | |
and | ||
(ix) | No director or executive officer of the Company may serve on the board of | |
directors | (or similar governing body) of any corporation or business entity | |
without | the prior written approval of the Company's management. Non- | |
executive | employees of the Company may only serve on the board of directors | |
(or | similar governing body) of a corporation or business entity with the prior | |
written | approval of the CCO, in consultation with the Company's management, | |
and | if necessary the Board. Prior written approval of the CCO is also required in | |
the | following two (2) additional scenarios: | |
(1) | Advisory Committee positions of any business, government or charitable entity where the members of the committee have the ability or authority to affect or influence the selection of investment managers or the selection of the investment of the entity's operating, endowment, pension or other funds. | |
(2) | Positions on the board of directors, trustees or any advisory committee of a Company client or any potential client who is actively considering engaging the Companys investment advisory services. | |
(x) | Access Persons, subject to prior written supervisory approval and departmental | |
restrictions, | are permitted to engage in outside employment or other business | |
activity | (Outside Business Activity) if it is free of any actions that could be | |
considered | a conflict of interest. Outside Business Activity must not adversely | |
affect | an Access Person's job performance at the Company, and must not result in | |
absenteeism, | tardiness or an Access Person's inability to work overtime when | |
requested | or required. Access Persons may not engage in Outside Business | |
Activity | that requires or involves using Company time, materials or resources. |
*For any transactions by employees, directors and certain related persons in the Companys Securities, please refer to the separate policy titled "Restrictions on Transactions in the Companys Securities."
Employee Trading Exceptions with Respect to Non-Company Securities*
Notwithstanding the prohibitions of the above section titled "Conflicts of Interest," an employee is permitted to purchase or sell any Security other than the Company's Securities within one business day of the purchase or sale of that Security by advisory accounts of the Company if the purchase or sale of the Security is approved or allocated only after the Company's advisory accounts have each received their full allocation of the Security purchased or sold on that day.
*For any transactions by employees, directors and certain related persons in the Companys Securities, please refer to the separate policy titled "Restrictions on Transactions in the Companys Securities."
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Exempt Transactions
Neither the prohibitions nor the transaction reporting requirements of this Code shall apply to:
(i) | Purchases or sales of Securities of an open-end mutual fund, index fund, money market fund or other registered investment company that is not advised or subadvised by the Company (provided however, that this exemption does not apply to closed-end mutual funds, exchange traded funds or notes); |
(ii) | Purchases or sales of Securities for an account over which an employee has no direct control and does not exercise indirect control (e.g., an account managed on a fully discretionary basis by a third party); |
(iii) | Involuntary purchases or sales made by an employee; |
(iv) | Purchases that are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan; |
(v) | Purchases that are part of an automatic investment plan, except that any transactions that override the preset schedule of allocations of the automatic investment plan must be reported in a quarterly transaction report; |
(vi) | Purchases or sales of U.S. Treasury Securities (including purchases directly from the Treasury or a Federal Reserve Bank) and other direct obligations of the U.S. |
Government, as well as unsecured obligations of U.S. Government sponsored enterprises; | |
(vii) | Purchases or sales of money market instruments, such as bankers acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, repurchase agreements and other high quality short-term debt instruments; |
(viii) | Purchases or sales of units in a unit investment trust if the unit investment trust is invested exclusively in unaffiliated mutual funds; |
(ix) | Purchases resulting from the exercise of rights acquired from an issuer as part of a pro rata distribution to all holders of a class of securities of such issuer and the sale of such rights. |
(x) | Purchases or sales of futures (except individual stock futures contracts) and commodity contracts; and |
(xi) | Purchases or sales of municipal securities (no pre-clearance is required, but transactions must be reported). |
Pre-Clearance Requirement
(i) | Unless an exception is granted by the CCO after consultation with and approval by the Company's management, each Access Person and each member of their immediate family must obtain pre-clearance of any Personal Security Transaction from an Approving Officer. Pre-clearance must be obtained by completing, signing and submitting to the CCO a Securities Transaction Pre-clearance Request Form (a copy of which is attached to this Code) that includes the signature of an Approving Officer (and the relevant portfolio manager, if applicable); |
(ii) | All pre-cleared Personal Security Transactions must take place on the same day that the clearance is obtained. If the transaction is not completed on the date of |
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clearance, a new clearance must be obtained, including one for any uncompleted portion. Post-approval is not permitted under this Code. If it is determined that a trade was completed before approval was obtained, it will be considered a violation of this Code; and
(iii) In addition to the restrictions contained in the "Conflicts of Interest" section hereof, an Approving Officer or the CCO may refuse to grant clearance of a Personal Security Transaction in his or her sole discretion without being required to specify any reason for the refusal. Generally, an Approving Officer or the CCO will consider the following factors in determining whether or not to clear a proposed transaction:
(1) | whether the amount or the nature of the transaction or person making it is likely to affect the price or market of the security; and |
(2) | whether the individual making the proposed purchase or sale is likely to receive a disproportionate benefit from purchases or sales being made or considered on behalf of any of the advisory clients of the Company. |
The preclearance requirement does not apply to Exempt Transactions. In case of doubt, the employee may present a Securities Transaction Pre-clearance Request Form to the CCO, indicating thereon that he or she disclaims any Beneficial Ownership in the securities included.
Reporting Requirements
No later than 10 days after becoming an employee, each individual shall provide a listing of all securities Beneficially Owned by the employee on the form provided as Attachment A (an "Initial Holdings Report"). The information in the Initial Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the person became an employee. The Initial Holdings Report should be furnished to the CCO, Alternate or any other person whom the Company designates. Thereafter:
(i) | All employees must direct their brokers and/or affiliated mutual fund custodians | |
to | supply the CCO on a timely basis with duplicate copies of monthly or | |
quarterly | statements for all personal securities accounts as are customarily | |
provided | by the firms maintaining such accounts; | |
(ii) | Such duplicate statements must contain the following information (as | |
applicable): | ||
(1) | The date and nature of each transaction (purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition), if any; | |
(2) | Title, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number (if any), interest rate and maturity date, number of shares and, principal amount of each security and the price at which the transaction was effected; | |
(3) | The name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected; and | |
(4) | The date of issuance of the duplicate statements. | |
(iii) | No later than 30 days after each calendar quarter, all employees covered by this | |
Code | shall provide quarterly transaction reports in the form attached as | |
Attachment | C confirming that they have disclosed or reported all Personal |
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Security Transactions and holdings required to be disclosed or reported pursuant hereto for the previous quarter. | |
(iv) | On a date to be selected by the CCO, all employees shall provide annual holdings |
reports listing all securities Beneficially Owned on the form provided as Attachment B by the employee (the "Annual Holdings Report"). The information contained in the Annual Holdings Report shall be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report is submitted.
(v) Any statement or report submitted in accordance with this section may, at the request of the employee submitting the report, contain a statement that it is not to be construed as an admission that the person making it has or had any direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership in any Security to which the report relates.
(vi) All employees shall certify in writing, annually, that they have read and understand this Code and have complied with the requirements hereof and that they have disclosed or reported all Personal Security Transactions and holdings required to be disclosed or reported pursuant hereto.
(vii) The CCO shall retain a separate file for each employee that shall contain the monthly/quarterly account statements, quarterly and annual reports listed above and all Securities Transaction Pre-clearance Forms.
(viii) With respect to the receipt of gifts and entertainment, all employees shall promptly report on a form designated by the CCO the nature of such gift or entertainment, the date received, its approximate value, the giver and the giver's relationship to the Company.
(ix) With respect to reports regarding accounting matters, the Company is committed to compliance with applicable securities laws, rules, and regulations, accounting standards and internal accounting controls. Employees are expected to report any complaints or concerns regarding accounting, internal accounting controls and auditing matters ("Accounting Matters") promptly. Reports may be made to the General Counsel or the CCO in person, or by calling the Helpline at 1-888-475-8376. Reports may be made anonymously to the Helpline; or in writing to the General Counsel or the CCO at their offices by inter-office or regular mail. All reports will be treated confidentially to the extent reasonably possible. No one will be subject to retaliation because of a good faith report of a complaint or concern regarding Accounting Matters.
Company Disclosures
It is Company policy to make full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in all reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the SEC and in all other public communications made by the Company.
Employees must complete all Company documents accurately, truthfully, and in a timely manner, including all travel and expense reports. When applicable, documents must be properly authorized. Employees must record the Company's financial activities in compliance with all applicable laws and accounting practices. The making of false or misleading entries, records or documentation is strictly prohibited. Employees must never create a false or misleading report or make a payment or establish an account on behalf of the Company with the understanding that any part of the payment or account is to be used for a purpose other than as described by the supporting documents.
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Review
All pre-clearance requests, statements and reports of Personal Security Transactions and completed portfolio transactions of each of the Companys advisory clients shall be compared by or under the supervision of the CCO to determine whether a possible violation of this Code and/or other applicable trading procedures may have occurred. Before making any final determination that a violation has been committed by any person, the CCO shall give such person an opportunity to supply additional explanatory information.
If the CCO or Alternate determines that a material violation of this Code has or may have occurred, he or she shall, following consultation with counsel to the Company if needed, submit a written determination and any additional explanatory material provided by the individual to the Company's management, the Board and the Executive Committee as necessary.
No person shall review his or her own report. If a Personal Security Transaction of the CCO or the CCO's spouse is under consideration, an Alternate shall act in all respects in the manner prescribed herein for the CCO.
Reporting Violations
Any violations of this Code including violations of applicable Federal securities laws, whether actual, known, apparent or suspected, should be reported promptly to the CCO or to any other person the Company may designate (as long as the CCO periodically receives reports of all violations). It is imperative that reporting persons not conduct their own preliminary investigations. Investigations of alleged violations may involve complex legal issues, and an employee acting on his own may compromise the integrity of an investigation and adversely affect both employees and the Company.
Any reports of violations will be treated confidentially to the extent permitted by law and reasonably possible, and investigated promptly and appropriately. Any such reports may also be submitted anonymously. Employees are encouraged to consult the CCO with respect to any transaction that may violate this Code and to refrain from any action or transaction that might lead to the appearance of a violation. Any retaliation against an individual who reports a violation is prohibited and constitutes a further violation of this Code.
The Company has a 24-hour Helpline, 1-888-475-8376, which employees can use to report violations of the Company's policies or to seek guidance on those policies. Employees may report suspected violations to or ask questions of the Helpline anonymously; however, providing such employee's name may expedite the time it takes the Company to respond to such employee's call, and it also allows the Company to contact an employee if necessary during any investigation. Either way, the Company should treat the information that employees provide as confidential.
Background Checks
Employees are required to promptly report any criminal, regulatory or governmental investigations or convictions to which they become subject. Each employee is required to promptly complete and return any background questionnaires that the Company's Legal and Compliance group may circulate.
Sanctions
The Company intends to use every reasonable effort to prevent the occurrence of conduct not in compliance with this Code and to halt any such conduct that may occur as soon as reasonably possible after its discovery. Any violation of this Code shall be subject to the imposition of such sanctions by the CCO as may be deemed appropriate under the circumstances to achieve the purposes of the Rules and this Code, and may include suspension or termination of employment or of trading privileges, the rescission of trades, a written censure, imposition of fines or of restrictions on the number or type of providers of personal accounts; and/or requiring equitable restitution.
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Required Records
Required Records (as listed in this section) must be kept in an easily accessible place. In addition, no records should be selectively destroyed and all records must be retained if they are connected with any litigation/government investigation. The CCO shall maintain and cause to be maintained in an easily accessible place, the following records:
(a) | A copy of any Code that has been in effect at any time during the past five years; |
(b) | A record of any violation of this Code and any action taken as a result of such violation for five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred; |
(c) | A copy of each report made by the CCO within two years from the end of the fiscal year of the Company in which such report or interpretation is made or issued (and for an additional three years in a place that need not be easily accessible); |
(d) | A list of the names of persons who are currently, or within the past five years were, employees; |
(e) | A record of all written acknowledgements of receipt of this Code for each person who is currently, or within the past five years was, subject to this Code; |
(f) | Holdings and transactions reports made pursuant to this Code, including any brokerage account statements made in lieu of these reports; |
(g) | All pre-clearance forms shall be maintained for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval was granted; |
(h) | A record of any decision approving the acquisition of securities by employees in limited offerings for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which approval was granted; |
(i) | Any exceptions reports prepared by Approving Officers or the Compliance Officer; |
(j) | A record of persons responsible for reviewing employees' reports currently or during the last five years; and |
(k) | A copy of reports provided to a Fund's board of directors regarding this Code. |
For the first two years, the required records shall be maintained in the Company's New York offices.
Record Retention
In the course of its business, the Company produces and receives large numbers of records. Numerous laws require the retention of certain Company records for various periods of time. The Company is committed to compliance with all applicable laws and regulations relating to the preservation of records. The Company's policy is to identify, maintain, safeguard and destroy or retain all records in the Company's possession on a systematic and regular basis. Under no circumstances are Company records to be destroyed selectively or to be maintained outside Company premises or designated storage facilities, except in those instances where Company records may be temporarily brought home by employees working from home in accordance with approvals from their supervisors or applicable policies about working from home or other remote locations.
If employees learn of a subpoena or a pending or contemplated litigation or government investigation, employees should immediately contact the General Counsel. Employees must retain and preserve ALL records that may be responsive to the subpoena or relevant to the litigation or that may pertain to the
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investigation until employees are advised by the Legal and Compliance group as to how to proceed. Employees must also affirmatively preserve from destruction all relevant records that without intervention would automatically be destroyed or erased (such as e-mails and voicemail messages). Destruction of such records, even if inadvertent, could seriously prejudice the Company. If employees have any questions regarding whether a particular record pertains to a pending or contemplated investigation or litigation or may be responsive to a subpoena or regarding how to preserve particular types of records, employees should preserve the records in question and ask the Legal and Compliance group for advice.
Waivers of this Code
Waivers for directors and executive officers may be made by either the Board or the Audit Committee of the Board and must be promptly disclosed as required by law. Waivers for non-executive officers and employees may be made by the CCO.
Corporate Opportunities
Employees and directors owe a duty to the Company to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises. If employees learn of a business or investment opportunity through the use of corporate property or information or an employee's position at the Company, such as from a competitor or actual or potential client, supplier or business associate of the Company, employees may not participate in the opportunity or make the investment without the prior written approval of the CCO. Directors must obtain the prior approval of the Board. Such an opportunity should be considered an investment opportunity for the Company in the first instance. Employees may not use corporate property or information or an employee's position at the Company for improper personal gain, and employees may not compete with the Company.
Protection and Proper Use of Company Assets
We each have a duty to protect the Company's assets and ensure their efficient use. Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on the Company's profitability. We should take measures to prevent damage to and theft or misuse of Company property. When employees leave the Company, all Company property must be returned to the Company. Except as specifically authorized, Company assets, including Company time, equipment, materials, resources and proprietary information, must be used for business purposes only.
Client Information
Current Federal regulations are designed to protect the privacy of customers of financial institutions and financial services providers. In this regard, the Company has adopted privacy policies (the "Privacy Policies") by which each employee of the Company must agree to abide. The CCO will ensure that each employee of the Company acknowledges their adherence to the Privacy Policies. A copy of the Privacy Policies is found in the Companys Compliance Manual. The Company will keep a copy of the Privacy Policies and will make them available upon request.
Portfolio Company Information
Certain limitations on trading and other activities may result from employees of the Company receiving access to material, nonpublic information regarding the plans, earnings, operations or financial condition of issuers ("Portfolio Companies"). If, in employee conversations, meetings or written communications with Portfolio Company management, employees are told (or have reason to believe) that the information employees have received is not public, employees should notify the CCO immediately. If employees are forewarned that the information employees are about to receive is confidential/not public, employees should ask the person not to disclose the information to employees until employees have a chance to check with the Legal and Compliance group. The Companys Insider Trading Policy more fully discusses material, nonpublic information.
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Company Information
Unless employees are doing so in connection with Company duties and responsibilities, employees should not discuss specific details about the Companys business with unauthorized persons, including family members. Even when representing the Company, employees need to be careful about disclosing certain information. Engaging in discussions with outside parties (who are not custodians and brokers or dealers implementing such strategies and transactions for us) about specific strategies or transactions in Portfolio Companies that the Company is or is considering implementing for clients may present a conflict of interest for the Company and may even subject the recipient of such information to this Code (including its personal trading policies). It is very important to remember this when having discussions with personal friends, social acquaintances and former business associates or colleagues who are active investment management professionals (e.g., hedge fund managers, other investment advisers). It is equally important to remember this when employees are discussing the Companys business or clients with colleagues in public places (e.g., elevators, lunch lines). Employees should be particularly careful not to use actual company or client names in any public settings.
Information that is proprietary to the Company should not be shared with others. With regard to what might constitute material that is proprietary and/or should not be shared, employees may use a simple guideline that if we paid for it or if we created it, it is likely proprietary and should not be shared. For example, the Company's proprietary stock analysis software should not be shared with others.
INSIDER TRADING
Various Federal and state securities laws and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Section 204A) require every investment adviser to establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed, taking into consideration the nature of such adviser's business, to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic information in violation of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 or other securities laws by the investment adviser or any person associated with the investment adviser.
The CCO has the primary responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the Company's Insider Trading Policy, practices, disclosures and recordkeeping. The Companys Insider Trading Policy is designed to detect and prevent illegal insider trading. The Insider Trading Policy covers: (i) the Company, (ii) all persons controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company (iii) consultants, subtenants, office occupants or other persons who are deemed to be Access Persons under this Code; and (iv) each and every employee, officer, director, general partner and member of the Company and any person described in clause (ii) (all persons described in this paragraph are referred to collectively as the "Covered Persons"). The Insider Trading Policy extends to activities both within and outside each Covered Persons relationship with the Company. The CCO will ensure that each employee of the Company acknowledges their adherence to the Insider Trading Policy. The Company will keep a copy of the Insider Trading Policy and will make it available upon request.
FAIR DEALING
The Company depends on its reputation for quality, service and integrity. The way we deal with our clients, competitors and suppliers molds our reputation, builds long-term trust and ultimately determines our success. Employees should endeavor to deal fairly with the Company's clients, suppliers, competitors and other employees. We must never take unfair advantage of others through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair dealing practice.
Antitrust Laws
While the Company competes vigorously in all of its business activities, its efforts in the marketplace must be conducted in accordance with all applicable antitrust and competition laws. While it is impossible to describe antitrust and competition laws fully in any code of business conduct, this Code gives an overview of the types of conduct that are particularly likely to raise antitrust concerns. If
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employees are or become engaged in activities similar to those identified in this Code, employees should consult the Legal and Compliance group for further guidance.
Conspiracies and Collaborations Among Competitors
One of the primary goals of the antitrust laws is to promote and preserve each competitor's independence when making decisions on price, output, and other competitively sensitive factors. Some of the most serious antitrust offenses are agreements between competitors that limit independent judgment and restrain trade, such as agreements to fix prices, restrict output or control the quality of products, or to divide a market for clients, territories, products or purchases. Employees should not agree with any competitor on any of these topics, as these agreements are virtually always unlawful. (In other words, no excuse will absolve employees or the Company of liability.)
Unlawful agreements need not take the form of a written contract or even express commitments or mutual assurances. Courts can -- and do -- infer agreements based on "loose talk," informal discussions, or the mere exchange between competitors of information from which pricing or other collusion could result. Any communication with a competitor's representative, no matter how innocuous it may seem at the time, may later be subject to legal scrutiny and form the basis for accusations of improper or illegal conduct. Employees should take care to avoid involving themselves in situations from which an unlawful agreement could be inferred.
By bringing competitors together, trade associations and standard-setting organizations may raise antitrust concerns, even though such groups serve many legitimate goals. The exchange of sensitive information with competitors regarding topics such as prices, profit margins, output levels, or billing or advertising practices may potentially violate antitrust and competition laws, as may creating a standard with the purpose and effect of harming competition. Employees must notify the Legal and Compliance group before joining any trade associations or standard-setting organizations. Further, if employees are attending a meeting at which potentially competitively sensitive topics are discussed without oversight by an antitrust lawyer, employees should object, leave the meeting, and notify the Legal and Compliance group immediately.
Joint ventures with competitors are not illegal under applicable antitrust and competition laws. However, like trade associations, joint ventures present potential antitrust concerns. The Legal and Compliance group should therefore be consulted before negotiating or entering into such a venture.
Distribution Issues
Relationships with clients and suppliers may also be subject to a number of antitrust prohibitions if these relationships harm competition. For example, it may be illegal for a company to affect competition by agreeing with a supplier to limit that supplier's sales to any of the Company's competitors. Collective refusals to deal with a competitor, supplier or client may be unlawful as well. While the Company generally is allowed to decide independently that it does not wish to buy from or sell to a particular person, when such a decision is reached jointly with others, it may be unlawful, regardless of whether it seems commercially reasonable.
Other activities that may raise antitrust concerns are:
(i) | discriminating in terms and services offered to clients, where the Company treats one client or group of clients differently than another; |
(ii) | exclusive dealing agreements, where the Company requires a client to buy only from a particular supplier, or the supplier to sell only to the Company or the client; |
(iii) | tying arrangements, where a client or supplier is required, as a condition of purchasing or selling one product or service, also to purchase or sell a second, distinct product or service; |
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(iv) | "bundled discounts," in which discount or rebate programs link the level of discounts available on one product or service to purchases of separate but related products or services; and |
(v) | "predatory pricing," where the Company offers a discount that results in the sales price of a product or service being below the products or service's cost (the definition of cost varies depending on the court), with the intention of sustaining that price long enough to drive competitors out of the market. |
Because these activities are prohibited under many circumstances, employees should consult the Legal and Compliance group before implementing any of them.
Penalties
Failure to comply with the antitrust laws could result in jail terms for individuals and large criminal fines and other monetary penalties for both the Company and individuals. In addition, private parties may bring civil suits to recover three times their actual damages, plus attorney's fees and court costs.
The antitrust laws are extremely complex. Because antitrust lawsuits can be very costly (even when a company has not violated the antitrust laws and is cleared in the end), it is important to consult with the Legal and Compliance group before engaging in any conduct that even appears to create the basis for an allegation of wrongdoing. It is far easier to structure employee conduct to avoid erroneous impressions than to explain their conduct in the future when an antitrust investigation or action is in progress. For that reason, when in doubt, consult the Legal and Compliance group with any concerns.
Gathering Information About the Company's Competitors
It is entirely proper for us to gather information about our marketplace, including information about our competitors and their products and services. However, there are limits to the ways that information should be acquired and used, especially information about competitors. In gathering competitive information, employees should abide by the following guidelines:
1. | We may gather information about our competitors from sources such as published articles, advertisements, brochures, other non-proprietary materials, surveys by consultants and conversations with our clients, as long as those conversations are not likely to suggest that we are attempting to (a) conspire with our competitors, using the client as a messenger, or (b) gather information in breach of a client's nondisclosure agreement with a competitor or through other wrongful means. Employees should be able to identify the source of any information about competitors. |
2. | We must never attempt to acquire a competitor's trade secrets or other proprietary information through unlawful means, such as theft, spying, bribery or breach of a competitor's nondisclosure agreement. |
3. | If there is any indication that information that employees obtain was not lawfully received by the party in possession, employees should refuse to accept it. If employees receive any competitive information anonymously or that is marked confidential, employees should not review it and should contact the Legal and Compliance group immediately. |
The improper gathering or use of competitive information could subject employees and the Company to criminal and civil liability. When in doubt as to whether a source of information is proper, employees should contact the Legal and Compliance group.
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RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR PEOPLE
Equal Employment Opportunity
It is the policy of the Company to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable Federal, state, or local law. Our employment practices and decisions adhere to the principles of non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity. All personnel involved in hiring, promotion, transfers, compensation, benefits, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment are made aware of their responsibilities in support of these corporate goals.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Company is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each employee has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, the Company expects that all relationships among persons in the office will be free of bias, prejudice and harassment.
Anti-Harassment Policy
The Company is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, we will not tolerate unlawful harassment of our employees by anyone, including any supervisor, co-worker or third party. Harassment consists of unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical or visual, that is based on a persons race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, disability or other protected characteristic, that (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment; (2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individuals work performance; or (3) otherwise adversely affects an individuals employment opportunities. Harassment will not be tolerated.
Harassment may include derogatory remarks, epithets, offensive jokes, intimidating or hostile acts, the display of offensive printed, visual or electronic material, or offensive physical actions. Sexual harassment deserves special mention. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other physical, verbal or visual conduct based on sex constitutes harassment when (1) submission to the conduct is required as a term or condition of employment or is the basis for employment action, or (2) the conduct unreasonably interferes with an individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive workplace. Sexual harassment may include propositions, innuendo, suggestive comments or unwelcome physical contact.
Individuals and Conduct Covered
These policies apply to all applicants and employees, and prohibit harassment, discrimination and retaliation whether engaged in by fellow employees, by a supervisor or manager or by someone not directly connected to the Company (e.g., an outside vendor, consultant or client).
Conduct prohibited by these policies is unacceptable in the workplace and in any work-related setting outside the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings and business related social events.
Retaliation
The Company prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment or participates in an investigation of such reports. Retaliation against an employee for reporting discrimination or harassment or for participating in an investigation of a claim of harassment or discrimination is a serious violation of this policy and, like harassment or discrimination itself, will be subject to disciplinary action.
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Reporting an Incident of Harassment, Discrimination or Retaliation
The Company strongly urges the timely reporting of all incidents of harassment, discrimination or retaliation regardless of the offenders identity or position. Individuals should file their complaints with their immediate supervisor, the General Counsel or any member of senior management before the conduct becomes severe or pervasive. Individuals should not feel obligated to file their complaints with their immediate supervisor first before bringing the matter to the attention of one of the other designated representatives identified above. To the fullest extent practicable, the Company will maintain the confidentiality of those involved, consistent with the need to investigate alleged harassment and take appropriate action. Misconduct constituting harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be dealt with promptly and appropriately.
Employees who have experienced conduct they believe is contrary to this policy have an obligation to take advantage of this complaint procedure.
LEAVE POLICIES
Bereavement Leave
In the unfortunate event of a death in an employee's immediate family, such employee will be able to take five days of bereavement leave with pay. Depending on the circumstances, extended pay or unpaid leave may be permitted, after discussion with such employee's manager. Immediate family for this purpose means an employee's spouse or domestic partner, an employee's parents or stepparents, grandparents, children or stepchildren, siblings, domestic partners or spouses parents, or domestic partners or spouses siblings.
Jury Duty
If employees are summoned to serve on a jury, notice will be given to such employee's manager and Human Resources. Employees will earn full base salary while such employee is on jury duty up to ten business days. When practical, on any day that an employee is dismissed early from the proceedings he or she is expected to come into the office. Upon returning from jury duty, employees must submit to Human Resources validated documentation of such employee's time on jury duty.
Family and Medical Leave Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") provides eligible employees with up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons during a 12 month period. During this leave, an eligible employee is entitled to group health plan coverage as if the employee had continued to work. At the conclusion of the leave, subject to some exceptions, an employee generally has a right to return to the same or to an equivalent position. Please see Human Resources for a copy of the Companys FMLA policy.
Disability
Regular full-time/part-time employees are eligible for coverage under the short-term disability insurance plan. Short-term disability insurance provides income replacement during a period of temporary disability that lasts for more than a week.
Under the short-term disability program, benefits are payable for non-work related injuries or illnesses. Benefits normally begin after seven days of disability and generally are payable up to a maximum of 26 weeks. Please see Human Resources for further details regarding short-term disability benefits or please review employee disability rights, which shall be made available by the Company upon request.
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Maternity Leave Program
Employees who have at least 12 months of service and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last consecutive 12 months are eligible for maternity leave. The Company offers up to 12 weeks of paid leave in connection with the birth of a child. Maternity leave will not affect employees' participation in the Companys benefit plans. Applicable benefit deductions will continue to be taken during an employee's leave. The time employees are on paid maternity leave is counted as time worked when calculating accrued vacation and retirement plan benefits. Medical certification may be required prior to maternity leave.
Parenting Leave
Employees who have at least 12 months of service and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the last consecutive 12 months are eligible for parenting leave. The Company offers up to 2 weeks of paid leave in connection with the birth of a child for the non-primary caregiver. Parenting leave may be taken in one-week increments or as otherwise approved by an employee's manager. Consistent with other FMLA leaves, employees will be required to use any other paid time available (for example, vacation days) concurrently with any portion of an employee's leave that exceeds the two-week paid leave under the firms parenting leave policy. Parenting leave must be taken within 12 months of the birth of the child. The time employees are on paid parenting leave is counted as time worked when calculating accrued vacation and retirement plan benefits.
Coordination with FMLA Leave
Both maternity leave and parenting leave run concurrently with any leave under the FMLA to which employees may be entitled.
Coordination with Vacation
Employees may not add vacation onto the end of their twelve-week maternity leave or any leave under the FMLA to which employees may be entitled.
Approval
Both the immediate supervisor and Human Resources should be notified of all leave requests in a timely manner. Human Resources will provide any and all required paperwork to be completed and will notify the employee if leave has been approved.
Any leave requests falling outside of the enumerated policies will be considered on an individual basis.
Job Security
At the conclusion of an approved leave, employees ordinarily will return to their previous position unless the position has been eliminated as a result of job reductions or a reorganization of the area. In such a case, the Company will make an attempt to place employees in an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits and other employment terms. Employees eligibility to be considered for such a position will be evaluated on the same basis as other employees.
The Company may require that an employee provide initial and periodic documentation of the basis for such employees leave. To aid the Company in its planning, the employee is expected to notify the employee's manager and Human Resources immediately. If the employees anticipated return to work date changes and it becomes necessary for the employee to take more or less leave than originally anticipated, the employee must provide the Company with reasonable notice (within 2 business days) of the employees changed circumstances and new return to work date. If an employee does not return to work following the conclusion of any of the above named leaves, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily resigned. The Company may recover health insurance premiums that the Company has paid
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on behalf of the employee during any leave except that the Companys share of such premiums may not be recovered if the employee fails to return to work because of the employees or a family members serious health condition or because of other circumstances beyond the employees control.
Safety in the Workplace
The safety and security of employees is of primary importance. Employees are responsible for maintaining our facilities free from recognized hazards and obeying all Company safety rules. Working conditions should be maintained in a clean and orderly state to encourage efficient operations and promote good safety practices.
Weapons and Workplace Violence
No employee may bring firearms, explosives, incendiary devices or any other weapons into the workplace or any work-related setting, regardless of whether or not employees are licensed to carry such weapons. Similarly, the Company will not tolerate any level of violence in the workplace or in any work-related setting. Violations of this policy must be referred to an employee's supervisor and the CCO immediately. Threats or assaults that require immediate attention should be reported to the police by calling 911.
Drugs and Alcohol
The Company intends to maintain a drug-free work environment. Except at approved Company functions, employees may not use, possess or be under the influence of alcohol on Company premises.
Employees cannot use, sell, attempt to use or sell, purchase, possess or be under the influence of any illegal drug on Company premises or while performing Company business on or off the premises.
INTERACTING WITH GOVERNMENT
Prohibition on Gifts to Government Officials and Employees
The various branches and levels of government have different laws restricting gifts, including meals, entertainment, transportation and lodging, which may be provided to government officials and government employees. Employees are prohibited from providing gifts, meals or anything of value to government officials or employees or members of their families without prior written approval from the CCO.
Political Contributions and Activities
Laws of certain jurisdictions prohibit the use of Company funds, assets, services, or facilities on behalf of a political party or candidate. Payments of corporate funds to any political party, candidate or campaign may be made only if permitted under applicable law and approved in writing and in advance by the CCO.
This policy does not prohibit the Company from establishing and maintaining political action committees (PACs), such as the Company's PAC, which are permitted under applicable law, nor does this policy prohibit the Company's eligible employees from giving to such PACs. Employee participation in any of these activities is strictly voluntary and employees have the right to refuse to contribute without reprisal.
Employees' work time may be considered the equivalent of a contribution by the Company. Therefore, employees will not be paid by the Company for any time spent running for public office, serving as an elected official, or campaigning for a political candidate. The Company will not compensate or reimburse employees, in any form, for a political contribution that employees intend to make or have made.
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Lobbying Activities
Laws of some jurisdictions require registration and reporting by anyone who engages in a lobbying activity. Generally, lobbying includes: (1) communicating with any member or employee of a legislative branch of government for the purpose of influencing legislation; (2) communicating with certain government officials for the purpose of influencing government action; or (3) engaging in research or other activities to support or prepare for such communication.
So that the Company may comply with lobbying laws, employees must notify the Legal and Compliance group before engaging in any activity on behalf of the Company that might be considered "lobbying" as described above.
Bribery of Foreign Officials
Company policy, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA"), and the laws of many other countries prohibit the Company and its officers, employees and agents from giving or offering to give money or anything of value to a foreign official, a foreign political party, a party official or a candidate for political office in order to influence official acts or decisions of that person or entity, to obtain or retain business, or to secure any improper advantage. A foreign official is an officer or employee of a government or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or of certain international agencies, such as the World Bank or the United Nations, or any person acting in an official capacity on behalf of one of those entities. Officials of government-owned corporations are considered to be foreign officials.
Payments need not be in cash to be illegal. The FCPA prohibits giving or offering to give "anything of value." Over the years, many non-cash items have been the basis of bribery prosecutions, including travel expenses, golf outings, automobiles, and loans with favorable interest rates or repayment terms. Indirect payments made through agents, contractors, or other third parties are also prohibited. Employees may not avoid liability by "turning a blind eye" when circumstances indicate a potential violation of the FCPA.
The FCPA does allow for certain permissible payments to foreign officials. Specifically, the law permits "facilitating" payments, which are payments of small value to effect routine government actions such as obtaining permits, licenses, visas, mail, utilities hook-ups and the like. However, determining what is a permissible "facilitating" payment involves difficult legal judgments. Therefore, employees must obtain permission from the Legal and Compliance group before making any payment or gift thought to be exempt from the FCPA.
Amendments and Modifications.
The CCO will periodically review the adequacy of this Code and the effectiveness of its implementation and shall make amendments or modifications as necessary. All material amendments and modifications shall be subject to the final approval of the Company's management, the Board and the Executive Committee as necessary.
Form ADV Disclosure.
In connection with making amendments to this Code, the CCO will review and update disclosure relating to this Code set forth in the Company's Schedule F of Form ADV, Part II.
Employee Certification.
Ultimate responsibility to ensure that we as a Company comply with the many laws, regulations and ethical standards affecting our business rests with each of us. Employees must become familiar with and conduct themselves strictly in compliance with those laws, regulations and standards and the Company's policies and guidelines pertaining to them. By signing the attached acknowledgment form, employees acknowledge that they have received and read the terms of this Code. Employees also certify that they
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recognize and understand the responsibilities and obligations incurred by them as a result of being subject to this Code and they hereby agree to abide by the terms hereof.
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Effective on October 25, 2007; and amended January 16, 2009 and January 4, 2010.
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