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0001206774-10-001135.txt : 20100430
0001206774-10-001135.hdr.sgml : 20100430
20100430171552
ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001206774-10-001135
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 485BPOS
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 10
FILED AS OF DATE: 20100430
DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20100430
EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20100430
FILER:
COMPANY DATA:
COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED-TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000357059
IRS NUMBER: 232448704
FISCAL YEAR END: 1231
FILING VALUES:
FORM TYPE: 485BPOS
SEC ACT: 1933 Act
SEC FILE NUMBER: 002-75526
FILM NUMBER: 10788784
BUSINESS ADDRESS:
STREET 1: ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
STREET 2: 2005 MARKET STREET
CITY: PHILADELPHIA
STATE: PA
ZIP: 19103
BUSINESS PHONE: 18005231918
MAIL ADDRESS:
STREET 1: ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
STREET 2: 2005 MARKET STREET
CITY: PHILADELPHIA
STATE: PA
ZIP: 19103
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19991223
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS INC
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19950828
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP TREASURY RESERVES INC
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703
FILER:
COMPANY DATA:
COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED-TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000357059
IRS NUMBER: 232448704
FISCAL YEAR END: 1231
FILING VALUES:
FORM TYPE: 485BPOS
SEC ACT: 1940 Act
SEC FILE NUMBER: 811-03363
FILM NUMBER: 10788786
BUSINESS ADDRESS:
STREET 1: ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
STREET 2: 2005 MARKET STREET
CITY: PHILADELPHIA
STATE: PA
ZIP: 19103
BUSINESS PHONE: 18005231918
MAIL ADDRESS:
STREET 1: ONE COMMERCE SQUARE
STREET 2: 2005 MARKET STREET
CITY: PHILADELPHIA
STATE: PA
ZIP: 19103
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19991223
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS INC
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19950828
FORMER COMPANY:
FORMER CONFORMED NAME: DELAWARE GROUP TREASURY RESERVES INC
DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703
0000357059
S000002397
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND
C000006359
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND CLASS A
DTRIX
C000006360
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND CLASS B
DTIBX
C000006361
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND CLASS C
DTICX
C000006362
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND CLASS R
DLTRX
C000006363
DELAWARE LIMITED-TERM DIVERSIFIED INCOME FUND INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
DTINX
485BPOS
1
dellimitedtermrtl_485bpos.htm
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT FILED PURSUANT TO SECURITIES ACT RULE 485(B)
dellimitedtermrtl_485bpos.htm
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM N-1A
File No. 002-75526 |
File No. 811-03363 |
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 |
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/X/ |
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Pre-Effective Amendment
No. |
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/ / |
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 |
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/X/ |
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and/or |
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REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF
1940 |
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/X/ |
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Amendment No. 66 |
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(Check appropriate box
or boxes.)
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DELAWARE
GROUP LIMITED-TERM GOVERNMENT FUNDS |
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified
in Charter) |
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2005 Market Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
19103-7094 |
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(Address of Principal Executive
Offices) |
(Zip
Code) |
Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: |
(800) 523-1918 |
David F. Connor, Esq., 2005
Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094
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(Name and Address of Agent for
Service) |
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: |
April 30, 2010
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It is proposed that this
filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
/X/ |
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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
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/
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on (date) pursuant to paragraph
(b)
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/
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60 days
after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
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/
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on
(date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) |
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75 days
after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
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/
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on
(date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485. |
If appropriate check the
following box:
/
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this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
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--- C O N T E N T S
- ---
This Post-Effective
Amendment No. 66 to Registration File No. 002-75526 includes the following:
1. |
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Facing Page |
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2. |
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Contents Page |
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3. |
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Part A – Prospectuses |
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4. |
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Part B - Statement of Additional Information |
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5. |
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Part C - Other Information |
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6. |
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Signatures |
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7. |
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Exhibits |
Prospectus
Fixed income
April 30, 2010
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
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CUSIP
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Nasdaq
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Class A
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245912308
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DTRIX
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Class B
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245912605
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DTIBX
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Class C
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245912704
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DTICX
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Class R
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245912803
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DLTRX
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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of
this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Get shareholder reports and prospectuses online instead of in the mail.
Visit www.delawareinvestments.com/edelivery.
Fund summary
What is the Fund's investment objective?
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund seeks maximum total return, consistent with reasonable risk.
What are the Fund's fees and expenses?
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
You may qualify for sales-charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000
in Delaware Investments® Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor, in this statutory prospectus
under the section entitled "About your account," and in the Fund's statement of additional information under the section entitled
"Purchasing shares."
Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class |
A |
B |
C |
R |
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price |
2.75% |
none |
none |
none |
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever
is lower |
none |
2.00%1 |
1.00%1 |
none |
Exchange fees2 |
none |
none |
none |
none |
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Class |
A |
B |
C |
R |
Management fees |
0.49% |
0.49% |
0.49% |
0.49% |
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
0.30% |
1.00% |
1.00% |
0.60% |
Other expenses |
0.25% |
0.25% |
0.25% |
0.25% |
Total annual fund operating expenses |
1.04% |
1.74% |
1.74% |
1.34% |
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements3 |
(0.19%) |
(0.04%) |
(0.04%) |
(0.14%) |
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements |
0.85% |
1.70% |
1.70% |
1.20% |
1
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If you redeem Class B shares during the first year after you buy them, you will pay a CDSC of 2.00%, which declines to 1.00%
during the second and third years, and 0% thereafter. Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a
1.00% CDSC.
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2
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Exchanges are subject to the requirements of each Delaware Investments® Fund. A front-end sales charge may apply if you exchange your shares into a fund that has a front-end sales charge.
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3
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The Fund's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), is contractually waiving its investment advisory fees
and/or paying expenses (excluding any 12b-1 plan and certain other expenses) to the extent necessary to prevent total annual
fund operating expenses from exceeding 0.70% of the Fund's average daily net assets from April 30, 2010 through April 30,
2011. In addition, the Fund's distributor, Delaware Distributors, L.P. (Distributor), has contracted to limit the Class A
and Class R shares' 12b-1 fees from April 30, 2010 through April 30, 2011 to no more than 0.15% and 0.50%, respectively, of
the classes' average daily net assets. These waivers and reimbursements may be terminated only by agreement of the Manager
or the Distributor, as applicable, and the Fund.
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Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual
funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the
Manager's and the applicable Distributor's waivers and reimbursements for the one-year period and the total operating expenses
without waivers for years 2 through 10. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your
costs would be:
|
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(if redeemed) |
(if redeemed) |
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Class |
A |
B |
B |
C |
C |
R |
1 year |
$359 |
$173 |
$373 |
$173 |
$273 |
$122 |
3 years |
$578 |
$544 |
$644 |
$544 |
$544 |
$411 |
5 years |
$815 |
$940 |
$940 |
$940 |
$940 |
$721 |
10 years |
$1,494 |
$1,614 |
$1,813 |
$2,048 |
$2,048 |
$1,601 |
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 higher taxes when Fund shares are held
in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the
Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 287% of the average value of
its portfolio.
What are the Fund's principal investment strategies?
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment grade fixed income securities,
including, but not limited to, fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
and by U.S. corporations. Investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated at least BBB by Standard & Poor's
(S&P) or Fitch, Inc. (Fitch), Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service (Moody's), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (NRSRO). The Fund will maintain an average effective duration from one to three years. The
Fund's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager or we), will determine how much of the Fund's assets to allocate
among the different types of fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest based on our evaluation of economic and
market conditions and our assessment of the returns and potential for appreciation that can be achieved from various sectors
of the fixed income market.
The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of U.S.
companies and, subject to the limitations described below, non-U.S. companies. The Fund may also invest in a variety of securities
which are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government, and by various agencies
or instrumentalities which have been established or are sponsored by the U.S. government, and, subject to the limitations
described below, securities issued by foreign governments.
Additionally, the Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies
or instrumentalities, government-sponsored corporations, and mortgage-backed securities issued by certain private, nongovernment
entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card
loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or "junk" bonds).
In general, the below-investment-grade securities that the Fund may purchase in this sector will generally be rated BB or
lower by S&P or Fitch, Ba or lower by Moody's, or similarly rated by another NRSRO.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities
of issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund's total non-U.S. dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate,
to no more than 10% of net assets.
What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?
Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value
of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund's
portfolio. Principal risks include:
Risk
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Definition
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Market risk
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The risk that securities or industries in a certain market—like the stock or bond market—will decline in value because of
economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence.
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Interest rate risk
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The risk that securities, particularly bonds with longer maturities, will decrease in value if interest rates rise.
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Credit risk
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The risk that a bond's issuer will be unable to make timely payments of interest and principal.
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High yield risk
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The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as "junk bonds", are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers; increased
risk of default and a more limited and less liquid secondary market than higher rated securities; and greater price volatility
and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher rated securities.
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Prepayment risk
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The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a portfolio will be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest
rates are lower than what that bond was paying. A portfolio may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
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Liquidity risk
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The possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which a fund has valued
them, which may prevent the Manager from disposing of securities at a favorable time or price during periods of infrequent
trading of such securities.
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Derivatives risk
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Derivatives may involve additional expenses and are subject to the risk that a security or a securities index to which the
derivative is associated moves in the opposite direction from what the portfolio manager had anticipated. Another risk of
derivative transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty because the transactions rely upon the counterparty's
ability to fulfill its contractual obligations.
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Foreign risk
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The risk that foreign securities (particularly in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes
in currency exchange rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; or inadequate or
different regulatory and accounting standards.
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Bank loans and other direct indebtedness risk
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The risk that the portfolio will not receive payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these
investments and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and the lending institution.
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Valuation risk
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The risk that a less liquid secondary market may make it more difficult for a fund to obtain precise valuations of certain
securities in its portfolio.
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How has Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund performed?
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how annual returns
for the Fund's Class A shares have varied over the past 10 calendar years. The table shows the Fund's average annual total
returns for certain time periods compared to the returns of a broad-based securities index. The Fund's past performance (before
and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The returns reflect expense caps in
effect during these periods. The returns would be lower without the expense caps. You may obtain the Fund's most recently
available month-end performance by calling 800 523-1918 or by visiting our web site at www.delawareinvestments.com/performance.
Effective November 30, 2007, the Fund's investment objective, strategies, and policies were changed to permit the Fund to
invest in a diversified portfolio of limited-term fixed income securities. These changes allowed the Fund to invest in a broader
range of fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities, foreign government securities, and corporate and high
yield securities of domestic and foreign issuers.
Year-by-year total return (Class A)
During the periods illustrated in this bar chart, Class A's highest quarterly return was 4.76% for the quarter ended June
30, 2009 and its lowest quarterly return was -1.33% for the quarter ended June 30, 2004. The maximum Class A sales charge
of 5.75%, which is normally deducted when you purchase shares, is not reflected in the previous sentence or in the bar chart.
If this sales charge were included, the returns would be less than those shown. The average annual returns in the table below
do include the sales charge.
Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2009
|
1 year |
5 years |
10 years or lifetime1 |
Class A return before taxes |
9.80% |
4.73% |
5.18% |
Class A return after taxes on distributions |
8.31% |
3.18% |
3.43% |
Class A return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares |
6.32% |
3.11% |
3.35% |
Class B return before taxes2 |
9.82% |
4.41% |
5.01% |
Class C return before taxes2 |
10.80% |
4.40% |
4.56% |
Class R return before taxes |
12.50% |
4.94% |
4.02% |
Barclays Capital 1–3 Year Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
3.82% |
4.32% |
4.86% |
1
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The returns shown for the Fund's Class R shares are for the lifetime period because they commenced operations on June 2, 2003.
The Index returns for the Class R lifetime periods is 3.63%. The Index reports returns on a monthly basis as of the last day
of the month.
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2
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Total returns assume redemption of shares at the end of the period. If shares were not redeemed, the returns for Class B would
be 11.82%, 4.41%, and 5.01% for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods, respectively, and the returns for Class C would be 11.80%,
4.40%, and 4.56% for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods, respectively.
|
After-tax performance is presented only for Class A shares of the Fund. The after-tax returns for other Fund classes may vary.
Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's individual tax situation and may differ from the returns shown. After-tax
returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual
retirement accounts (IRAs). The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income
tax rates in effect during the Fund's lifetime and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Who manages the Fund?
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company
Portfolio managers
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Title with Delaware Management Company
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Start date on the Fund
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Paul Grillo, CFA
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Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer–Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
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February 1999
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Roger A. Early, CPA, CFA, CFP
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Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer–Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
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May 2007
|
Purchase and redemption of Fund shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for business (Business
Day). Shares may be purchased or redeemed: through your financial advisor; by regular mail (c/o Delaware Investments, P.O.
Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691); by overnight courier service (c/o Delaware Service Center, 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas
City, MO 64105); by telephone to our Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time;
by telephone to our automated telephone service at 800 362-3863 at any time; through our web site at www.delawareinvestments.com;
or by wire.
In most cases, the minimum initial investment is $1,000 and subsequent investments can be made for as little as $100. If you
are buying shares in an IRA or Roth IRA, under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, or through
a direct deposit purchase plan or an automatic investment plan, the minimum initial investment is $250 and subsequent investments
can be made for as little as $25. The minimum initial purchase for a Coverdell Education Savings Account is $500 and subsequent
investments can be made for as little as $25. There is no minimum initial purchase requirement for Class R shares, but certain
eligibility requirements must be met. The minimums vary for retirement plans other than IRAs, Roth IRAs, or Coverdell Education
Savings Accounts. We may reduce or waive the above minimums in certain cases. As of May 31, 2007, no new or subsequent investments
are allowed in the Fund's Class B shares, except through a reinvestment of dividends or capital gains or permitted exchanges.
Tax information
The Fund's distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of
both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
Payments to broker/dealers and other
financial intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker/dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and
its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create
a conflict of interest by influencing the broker/dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over
another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's web site for more information.
How we manage the Fund
We take a disciplined approach to investing, combining investment strategies and risk management techniques that we believe
can help shareholders meet their goals.
Our investment strategies
We analyze economic and market conditions, seeking to identify the securities or market sectors that we believe are the best
investments for the Fund. Securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, such as U.S. Treasurys;
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Securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities of the Government National Mortgage
Association (GNMA);
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Investment grade and below-investment-grade corporate bonds;
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Nonagency mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), collateralized
mortgage obligations (CMOs), and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs);
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Securities of foreign issuers in both developed and emerging markets, denominated in foreign currencies and U.S. dollars;
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Loan participations; and
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Short-term investments.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment grade fixed income securities.
The Fund may invest in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and
by U.S. corporations. The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial
paper of U.S. companies. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund may invest include a variety of securities which
are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities
which have been established or are sponsored by the U.S. government.
The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
or by government-sponsored corporations. Other mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest are issued by certain
private, nongovernment entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home
equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans,
and leases.
The Fund maintains an average effective duration of one to three years.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or "junk"
bonds). The Fund may invest in domestic corporate debt obligations, including notes, which may be convertible or nonconvertible,
commercial paper, units consisting of bonds with stock or warrants to buy stock attached, debentures and convertible debentures.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated bonds. Unrated bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated bonds.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities
of issuers located in emerging markets. The Manager will limit non-U.S.-dollar-denominated securities to no more than 20%
of net assets. The Fund's total non-U.S.-dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of
net assets. These fixed income securities may include foreign government securities, debt obligations of foreign companies,
and securities issued by supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity established or financially supported
by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Examples of supranational entities
include, among others, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (more commonly known as the World Bank),
the European Economic Community, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts, European depositary receipts, or global depositary
receipts. The Fund may also invest in zero coupon bonds and may purchase shares of other investment companies.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated foreign securities.
The Fund may invest in securities issued in any currency and may hold foreign currencies. Securities of issuers within a given
country may be denominated in the currency of another country or in multinational currency units, such as the euro. The Fund
may, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency transactions in order
to expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations.
The Fund's investment objective is nonfundamental. This means that the Board may change the Fund's objective without obtaining
shareholder approval. If the objective were changed, we would notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change in the
objective became effective.
The securities in which the Fund typically invests
Fixed income securities offer the potential for greater income payments than stocks, and also may provide capital appreciation.
Please see the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI) for additional information about certain of the securities
described below as well as other securities in which the Fund may invest.
Direct U.S. Treasury obligations
Direct U.S. Treasury obligations include Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of varying maturities. U.S. Treasury securities
are backed by the "full faith and credit" of the United States.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest without limit in U.S. Treasury securities, although they are typically not the Fund's largest holding
because they generally do not offer as high a level of current income as other fixed income securities.
Mortgage-backed securities
Mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent pools of mortgages, with investors receiving principal
and interest payments as the underlying mortgage loans are paid back. Many are issued and guaranteed against default by the
U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Fannie Mae, and
the Government National Mortgage Association. Others are issued by private financial institutions, with some fully collateralized
by certificates issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
How the Fund uses them: There is no limit on government-related mortgage-backed securities.
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities
or by government-sponsored corporations.
The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities that are secured by the underlying collateral of the private issuer.
Such securities are not government securities and are not directly guaranteed by the U.S. government in any way. These include
CMOs, REMICs, and CMBS.
Asset-backed securities
Asset-backed securities are bonds or notes backed by accounts receivable, including home equity, automobile, or credit loans.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by an NRSRO.
Corporate bonds
Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by a corporation.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in corporate bonds.
High yield corporate bonds (junk bonds)
High yield corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by a corporation and rated lower than investment grade by an NRSRO
such as S&P or Moody's. High yield bonds, also known as "junk bonds," are issued by corporations that have lower credit quality
and may have difficulty repaying principal and interest.
How the Fund uses them: Emphasis is typically on those rated BB or Ba by an NRSRO. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in below-investment-grade
securities.
We carefully evaluate an individual company's financial situation, its management, the prospects for its industry, and the
technical factors related to its bond offering. Our goal is to identify those companies that we believe will be able to repay
their debt obligations in spite of poor ratings. We may invest in unrated bonds if we believe their credit quality is comparable
to the rated bonds we are permitted to invest in. Unrated bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated bonds.
Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs)
CMOs are privately issued mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is the mortgages that are collected into different
pools according to their maturity. They are issued by U.S. government agencies and private issuers. REMICs are privately issued
mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. Like CMOs,
REMICs offer different pools.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in CMOs and REMICs. Certain CMOs and REMICs may have variable or floating interest rates and others may
be stripped. Stripped mortgage securities are generally considered illiquid and to such extent, together with any other illiquid
investments, will not exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets, which is the Fund's limit on investments in illiquid securities.
In addition, subject to certain quality and collateral limitations, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in CMOs
and REMICs issued by private entities that are not collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government,
its agencies, or instrumentalities, so called "nonagency" mortgage-backed securities.
Short-term debt instruments
These instruments include: (1) time deposits, certificates of deposit, and bankers acceptances issued by a U.S. commercial
bank; (2) commercial paper of the highest quality rating; (3) short-term debt obligations with the highest quality rating;
(4) U.S. government securities; and (5) repurchase agreements collateralized by the instruments described in (1)-(4) above.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in these instruments either as a means of achieving its investment objective or, more commonly, as temporary
defensive investments or pending investment in the Fund's principal investment securities. When investing all or a significant
portion of the Fund's assets in these instruments, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
Foreign securities
Debt issued by a non-U.S. company or a government other than the United States or by an agency, instrumentality, or political
subdivision of such government.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities of foreign companies or governments.
Forward foreign currency transactions
A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency on a fixed future
date at a price that is set at the time of the contract. The future date may be any number of days from the date of the contract
as agreed by the parties involved.
How the Fund uses them: Although we value the Fund's assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, we do not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies
into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. We may, however, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage
in forward foreign currency transactions in order to expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value
fluctuations.
Bank loans
Bank loans represent an interest in a loan or other direct indebtedness, such as an assignment, that entitles the acquiring
of such interest to payments of interest, principal and/or other amounts due under the structure of the loan or other direct
indebtedness. In addition to being structured as secured or unsecured loans, such investments could be structured as novations
or assignments or represent trade or other claims owed by a company to a supplier.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest without restriction in bank loans that meet the Manager's credit standards. We perform our own independent
credit analysis on each borrower and on the collateral securing each loan. We consider the nature of the industry in which
the borrower operates, the nature of the borrower's assets, and the general quality and creditworthiness of the borrower.
The Fund may invest in bank loans in order to enhance total return, to affect diversification, or to earn additional income.
We will not use bank loans for reasons inconsistent with the Fund's investment objective.
Repurchase agreements
A repurchase agreement is an agreement between a buyer of securities, such as a fund, and a seller of securities, in which
the seller agrees to buy the securities back within a specified time at the same price the buyer paid for them, plus an amount
equal to an agreed-upon interest rate. Repurchase agreements are often viewed as equivalent to cash.
How the Fund uses them: Typically, the Fund may use repurchase agreements as short-term investments for the Fund's cash position. In order to enter
into these repurchase agreements, the Fund must have collateral of at least 102% of the repurchase price. The Fund will only
enter into repurchase agreements in which the collateral is U.S. government securities. In the Manager's discretion, the Fund
may invest overnight cash balances in short-term discount notes issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies
or instrumentalities, or government-sponsored enterprises.
Futures and options
Futures contracts are agreements for the purchase or sale of a security or a group of securities at a specified price, on
a specified date. Unlike purchasing an option, a futures contract must be executed unless it is sold before the settlement
date.
Options represent a right to buy or sell a security or a group of securities at an agreed upon price at a future date. The
purchaser of an option may or may not choose to go through with the transaction. The seller of an option, however, must go
through with the transaction if its purchaser exercises the option.
Certain options and futures may be considered derivative securities.
How the Fund uses them:
At times when we anticipate adverse conditions, we may want to protect gains on securities without actually selling them.
We might use options or futures to neutralize the effect of any price declines, without selling a bond or bonds, or as a hedge
against changes in interest rates. We may also sell an option contract (often referred to as "writing" an option) to earn
additional income for the Fund.
Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of the Fund and can lead to loss of principal.
The Fund has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange
Act (CEA) and, therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA.
Restricted securities
Restricted securities are privately placed securities whose resale is restricted under U.S. securities laws.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in privately placed securities, including those that are eligible for resale only among certain institutional
buyers without registration, which are commonly known as "Rule 144A Securities." Restricted securities that are determined
to be illiquid may not exceed the Fund's limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Illiquid securities
Illiquid securities are securities that do not have a ready market and cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately
the price at which a fund has valued them.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
Interest rate swap, index swap, and credit default swap agreements
In an interest rate swap, a fund receives payments from another party based on a variable or floating interest rate, in return
for making payments based on a fixed interest rate. An interest rate swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving payments
based on a fixed interest rate and making payments based on a variable or floating interest rate.
In an index swap, a fund receives gains or incurs losses based on the total return of a specified index, in exchange for making
interest payments to another party. An index swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving interest payments from another
party in exchange for movements in the total return of a specified index.
In a credit default swap, a fund may transfer the financial risk of a credit event occurring (a bond default, bankruptcy,
or restructuring, for example) on a particular security or basket of securities to another party by paying that party a periodic
premium; likewise, a fund may assume the financial risk of a credit event occurring on a particular security or basket of
securities in exchange for receiving premium payments from another party.
Interest rate swaps, index swaps, and credit default swaps may be considered illiquid.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may use interest rate swaps to adjust its sensitivity to interest rates or to hedge against changes in interest
rates. Index swaps may be used to gain exposure to markets that the Fund invests in, such as the corporate bond market. The
Fund may also use index swaps as a substitute for futures or options contracts if such contracts are not directly available
to the Fund on favorable terms. The Fund may enter into credit default swaps in order to hedge against a credit event, to
enhance total return, or to gain exposure to certain securities or markets.
Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of the Fund and lead to loss of principal.
Time deposits
Time deposits are nonnegotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution for a specified period of time at a stated interest
rate.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund will not purchase time deposits maturing in more than seven days and time deposits maturing from two business days
through seven calendar days will not exceed 15% of the Fund's total assets.
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind bonds
Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity
or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest, and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from
their face amounts or par value. Pay-in-kind (PIK) bonds pay interest through the issuance to holders of additional securities.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may purchase fixed income securities, including zero coupon bonds and PIK bonds consistent with its investment objective.
American depositary receipts (ADRs), European depositary receipts (EDRs), and global depositary receipts (GDRs)
ADRs are receipts issued by a U.S. depositary (usually a U.S. bank) and EDRs and GDRs are receipts issued by a depositary
outside of the U.S. (usually a non-U.S. bank or trust company or a foreign branch of a U.S. bank). Depositary receipts represent
an ownership interest in an underlying security that is held by the depositary. Generally, the underlying security represented
by an ADR is issued by a foreign issuer and the underlying security represented by an EDR or GDR may be issued by a foreign
or U.S. issuer. Sponsored depositary receipts are issued jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and the depositary,
and unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by the depositary without the participation of the issuer of the underlying
security. Generally, the holder of the depositary receipt is entitled to all payments of interest, dividends, or capital gains
that are made on the underlying security.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored ADRs. The Fund will typically invest in ADRs that are actively traded in
the United States.
In conjunction with the Fund's investments in foreign securities, it may also invest in sponsored and unsponsored EDRs and
GDRs.
Other investment strategies
The Fund may also invest in other securities, including certificates of deposit and obligations of both U.S. and foreign banks,
corporate debt, and commercial paper.
Borrowing from banks
The Fund may borrow money from banks as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes or to facilitate redemptions.
The Fund will be required to pay interest to the lending banks on the amounts borrowed. As a result, borrowing money could
result in the Fund being unable to meet its investment objective.
Lending securities
The Fund may lend up to 25% of its assets to qualified broker/dealers or institutional investors for their use in securities
transactions. Borrowers of the Fund's securities must provide collateral to the Fund and adjust the amount of collateral each
day to reflect changes in the value of the loaned securities. These transactions may generate additional income for the Fund.
Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis
The Fund may buy or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis; that is, paying for securities before delivery
or taking delivery at a later date. We will designate cash or securities in amounts sufficient to cover the Fund's obligations,
and will value the designated assets daily.
The risks of investing in the Fund
Investing in any mutual fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment,
and the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Before you invest in the Fund, you should carefully evaluate
the risks. Because of the nature of the Fund, you should consider your investment to be a long-term investment that typically
provides the best results when held for a number of years. The table below describes the principal risks you assume when investing
in the Fund. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of these risks and other risks not discussed here.
Market risk
Market risk is the risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market — like the stock or bond market — will
decline in value because of economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence.
Index swaps are subject to the same market risks as the investment market or sector that the index represents. Depending on
the actual movements of the index and how well the portfolio manager forecasts those movements, a fund could experience a
higher or lower return than anticipated.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We maintain a long-term investment approach and focus on securities that we believe can continue to provide returns over
an extended time frame regardless of interim market fluctuations. Generally, we do not try to predict overall market movements.
In evaluating the use of an index swap for the Fund, we carefully consider how market changes could affect the swap and how
that compares to our investing directly in the market the swap is intended to represent. When selecting dealers with whom
we would make interest rate or index swap agreements for the Fund, we focus on those dealers with high-quality ratings and
do careful credit analysis before engaging in the transaction.
Industry and security risks
Industry risk is the risk that the value of securities in a particular industry (such as financial services or manufacturing)
will decline because of changing expectations for the performance of that industry.
Security risk is the risk that the value of an individual stock or bond will decline because of changing expectations for
the performance of the individual company issuing the stock or bond (due to situations that could range from decreased sales
to events such as a pending merger or actual or threatened bankruptcy).
How the Fund strives to manage them: We limit the amount of the Fund's assets invested in any one industry and in any individual security or issuer. We also follow
a rigorous selection process when choosing securities for the portfolio.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that securities will decrease in value if interest rates rise. The risk is greater for bonds
with longer maturities than for those with shorter maturities. Investments in equity securities issued by small- and medium-size
companies, which often borrow money to finance operations, may also be adversely affected by rising interest rates.
Swaps may be particularly sensitive to interest rate changes. Depending on the actual movements of interest rates and how
well the portfolio manager anticipates them, a fund could experience a higher or lower return than anticipated.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund will not invest in swaps with maturities of more than 10 years. Each business day (as defined below), we will calculate
the amount the Fund must pay for swaps it holds and will segregate enough cash or other liquid securities to cover that amount.
Credit risk
Credit risk is the possibility that a bond's issuer (or an entity that insures the bond) will be unable to make timely payments
of interest and principal. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating may affect a security's
value, which would impact a fund's performance.
Investing in so-called "junk" or "high yield" bonds entails the risk of principal loss, which may be greater than the risk
involved in investment grade bonds. High yield bonds are sometimes issued by companies whose earnings at the time the bond
is issued are less than the projected debt payments on the bonds.
A protracted economic downturn may severely disrupt the market for high yield bonds, adversely affect the value of outstanding
bonds and adversely affect the ability of high yield issuers to repay principal and interest.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund strives to minimize credit risk by investing primarily in higher quality, investment grade corporate bonds.
Any portion of a Fund that is invested in high yielding, lower-quality corporate bonds is subject to greater credit risk.
The Manager strives to manage that risk through careful bond selection, by limiting the percentage of the Fund that can be
invested in lower-quality bonds, and by maintaining a diversified portfolio of bonds representing a variety of industries
and issuers.
Prepayment risk
Prepayment risk is the risk that homeowners will prepay mortgages during periods of low interest rates, forcing a fund to
reinvest its money at interest rates that might be lower than those on the prepaid mortgage. Prepayment risk may also affect
other types of debt securities, but generally to a lesser extent than mortgage securities.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We take into consideration the likelihood of prepayment when we select mortgages. We may look for mortgage securities that
have characteristics that make them less likely to be prepaid, such as low outstanding loan balances or below-market interest
rates.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which
a fund has valued them. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may be subject
to wide fluctuations in market value. A fund also may not be able to dispose of illiquid securities at a favorable time or
price during periods of infrequent trading of an illiquid security.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund limits exposure to illiquid securities to no more than 15% of its net assets.
Derivatives risk
Derivatives risk is the possibility that a fund may experience a significant loss if it employs a derivatives strategy (including
a strategy involving swaps such as interest rate swaps, index swaps, and credit default swaps) related to a security or a
securities index and that security or index moves in the opposite direction from what the fund manager had anticipated. Another
risk of derivative transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty because the transaction depends on the willingness
and ability of the counterparty to fulfill its contractual obligations. Derivatives also involve additional expenses, which
could reduce any benefit or increase any loss to a fund from using the strategy.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We will use derivatives for defensive purposes, such as to protect gains or hedge against potential losses in the portfolio
without actually selling a security, to neutralize the impact of interest rate changes, to increase diversification, or to
earn additional income.
Currency risk
Currency risk is the risk that the value of a fund's investments may be negatively affected by changes in foreign currency
exchange rates. Adverse changes in exchange rates may reduce or eliminate any gains produced by investments that are denominated
in foreign currencies and may increase any losses.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund, which has exposure to global and international investments, may be affected by changes in currency rates and exchange
control regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversions between currencies. To hedge this currency risk associated
with investments in non-U.S.-dollar-denominated securities, we may invest in forward foreign currency contracts. These activities
pose special risks which do not typically arise in connection with investments in U.S. securities. In addition, we may engage
in foreign currency options and futures transactions.
Foreign risk
Foreign risk is the risk that foreign securities may be adversely affected by political instability, changes in currency exchange
rates, foreign economic or government conditions, increased transaction costs, or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We attempt to reduce the risks presented by such investments by conducting world-wide fundamental research, including country
visits. In addition, we monitor current economic and market conditions and trends, the political and regulatory environment,
and the value of currencies in different countries in an effort to identify the most attractive countries and securities.
Additionally, when currencies appear significantly overvalued compared to average real exchange rates, we may hedge exposure
to those currencies for defensive purposes.
Emerging markets risk
Emerging markets risk is the possibility that the risks associated with international investing will be greater in emerging
markets than in more developed foreign markets because, among other things, emerging markets may have less stable political
and economic environments. In addition, in many emerging markets there is substantially less publicly available information
about issuers and the information that is available tends to be of a lesser quality. Economic markets and structures tend
to be less mature and diverse and the securities markets, which are subject to less government regulation or supervision,
may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. We cannot eliminate these
risks but will attempt to reduce these risks through portfolio diversification, credit analysis, and attention to trends in
the economy, industries and financial markets, and other relevant factors. The Fund will limit investments in emerging markets,
in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of its net assets.
Foreign government securities risk
Foreign government securities risk involves the ability of a foreign government or government-related issuer to make timely
principal and interest payments on its external debt obligations. This ability to make payments will be strongly influenced
by the issuer's balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credits and investments, fluctuations
in interest rates, and the extent of its foreign reserves.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund attempts to reduce the risks associated with investing in foreign governments by limiting the portion of its assets
that may be invested in such securities. The Fund will not invest more than 20% of its net assets in foreign securities.
Government and regulatory risks
Governments or regulatory authorities have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect various
sectors of the securities markets. Government involvement in the private sector may, in some cases, include government investment
in, or ownership of, companies in certain commercial business sectors; wage and price controls; or imposition of trade barriers
and other protectionist measures. For example, an economic or political crisis may lead to price controls, forced mergers
of companies, expropriation, the creation of government monopolies, or other measures that could be detrimental to the investments
of a fund.
How the Fund strives to manage them: We evaluate the economic and political climate in the U.S. before selecting securities for the Fund. We typically diversify
the Fund's assets among a number of different securities in a variety of sectors in order to minimize the impact to the Fund
of any legislative or regulatory development affecting particular issuers, or market sectors.
Bank loans and other direct indebtedness risk
The risk that a fund will not receive payment of principal, interest and other amounts due in connection with these investments
and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. Loans that are fully secured offer a fund more protection
than an unsecured loan in the event of nonpayment of scheduled interest or principal, although there is no assurance that
the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral
can be liquidated. Some loans or claims may be in default at the time of purchase. Certain of the loans and the other direct
indebtedness acquired by a fund may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing commitments which obligate
a fund to pay additional cash on a certain date or on demand. These commitments may require a fund to increase its investment
in a company at a time when that fund might not otherwise decide to do so (including at a time when the company's financial
condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that a fund is committed to advance additional
funds, it will at all times hold and maintain cash or other high-grade debt obligations in an amount sufficient to meet such
commitments.
As a fund may be required to rely upon another lending institution to collect and pass onto the fund amounts payable with
respect to the loan and to enforce the fund's rights under the loan and other direct indebtedness, an insolvency, bankruptcy
or reorganization of the lending institution may delay or prevent the fund from receiving such amounts. The highly leveraged
nature of many such loans and other direct indebtedness may make such loans and other direct indebtedness especially vulnerable
to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Investments in such loans and other direct indebtedness may involve additional
risk to the fund.
How the Fund strives to manage it: These risks may not be completely eliminated, but we will attempt to reduce them through portfolio diversification, credit
analysis, and attention to trends in the economy, industries, and financial markets. Should we determine that any of these
securities may be illiquid, these would be subject to the Fund's restriction on illiquid securities.
Counterparty risk
If a fund enters into a derivative contract (such as a swap, futures, or options contract) or a repurchase agreement, it
will be subject to the risk that the counterparty to such a contract or agreement may fail to perform its obligations under
the contract or agreement due to financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization). As a result, the fund may
experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may only obtain a limited recovery, or may obtain no recovery at
all.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund tries to minimize this risk by considering the creditworthiness of all parties before it enters into transactions
with them. The Fund will hold collateral from counterparties consistent with applicable regulations.
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind bonds
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind (PIK) bonds are generally considered to be more interest sensitive than income-bearing bonds,
to be more speculative than interest-bearing bonds, and to have certain tax consequences which could, under certain circumstances,
be adverse to the Fund. For example, the Fund accrues, and is required to distribute to shareholders, income on its zero coupon
bonds. However, the Fund may not receive the cash associated with this income until the bonds are sold or mature. If the Fund
does not have sufficient cash to make the required distribution of accrued income, the Fund could be required to sell other
securities in its portfolio or to borrow to generate the cash required.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund may invest in zero coupon and PIK bonds to the extent consistent with its investment objective. We cannot eliminate
the risks of zero coupon bonds, but we do try to address them by monitoring economic conditions, especially interest rate
trends and their potential impact on the Fund.
Valuation risk
A less liquid secondary market as described above can make it more difficult to obtain precise valuations of the high yield
securities in its portfolio. During periods of reduced liquidity, judgment plays a greater role in valuing high yield securities.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We will strive to manage this risk by carefully evaluating individual bonds and by limiting the amount of the Fund's assets
that can be allocated to privately placed high yield securities.
High yield corporate bond risk
High yield corporate bonds (commonly known as junk bonds), while generally having higher yields, are subject to reduced creditworthiness
of issuers, increased risks of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market than higher-rated securities.
These securities are subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher rated securities.
Lower rated and unrated fixed income securities tend to reflect short-term corporate and market developments to a greater
extent than higher rated fixed income securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates.
Fixed income securities of this type are considered to be of poor standing and primarily speculative. Such securities are
subject to a substantial degree of credit risk.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund limits investments in high yield corporate bonds to 20% of its net assets. The Manager also attempt to reduce the
risk associated with investment in high yield debt securities through portfolio diversification, credit analysis, and attention
to trends in the economy, industries, and financial markets.
Disclosure of portfolio holdings information
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available
in the SAI.
Who manages the Fund
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company (Manager) is a series of Delaware Management Business Trust, which is a subsidiary of Delaware
Management Holdings, Inc. (DMHI). DMHI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Group Ltd. The Manager makes investment decisions
for the Fund, manages the Fund's business affairs, and provides daily administrative services. For its services to the Fund,
the Manager was paid aggregate fees, net of fee waivers, of 0.44% of the Fund's average daily net assets during the last fiscal
year.
A discussion of the basis for the Board's approval of the Fund's investment advisory contract is available in the Fund's annual
report to shareholders for the period ended December 31, 2009.
Portfolio managers
Paul Grillo and Roger Early have day-to-day responsibilities for making investment decisions for the Fund.
Paul Grillo, CFA,Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer — Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
Paul Grillo
is a member of the firm's taxable fixed income portfolio management team with primary responsibility for portfolio
construction and strategic asset allocation. He is also a member of the firm's asset allocation committee, which is responsible
for building and managing multi-asset class portfolios. He joined Delaware Investments in 1992 as a mortgage-backed and asset-backed
securities analyst, assuming portfolio management responsibilities in the mid-1990s. Grillo serves as co-lead portfolio manager
for the firm's Diversified Income products and has been influential in the growth and distribution of the firm's multisector
strategies. Prior to joining Delaware Investments, Grillo served as a mortgage strategist and trader at Dreyfus Corporation.
He also worked as a mortgage strategist and portfolio manager at Chemical Investment Group and as a financial analyst at Chemical
Bank. Grillo holds a bachelor's degree in business management from North Carolina State University and an MBA with a concentration
in finance from Pace University.
Roger A. Early, CPA, CFA, CFP,Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer — Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
Roger A. Early rejoined Delaware Investments in March 2007 as a member of the firm's taxable fixed income portfolio management
team, with primary responsibility for portfolio construction and strategic asset allocation. During his previous time at the
firm, from 1994 to 2001, he was a senior portfolio manager in the same area, and he left Delaware Investments as head of its
U.S. investment grade fixed income group. In recent years, Early was a senior portfolio manager at Chartwell Investment Partners
and Rittenhouse Financial and served as the chief investment officer for fixed income at Turner Investments. Prior to joining
Delaware Investments in 1994, he worked for more than 10 years at Federated Investors where he managed more than $25 billion
in mutual fund and institutional portfolios in the short-term and investment grade markets. He left the firm as head of institutional
fixed income management. Earlier in his career, he held management positions with the Federal Reserve Bank, PNC Financial,
Touche Ross, and Rockwell International. Early earned his bachelor's degree in economics from The Wharton School of the University
of Pennsylvania and an MBA with concentrations in finance and accounting from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member
of the CFA Society of Philadelphia.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio
managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of Fund shares.
Manager of managers structure
The Fund and the Manager have received an exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to operate
under a manager of managers structure that permits the Manager, with the approval of the Board, to appoint and replace sub-advisors,
enter into sub-advisory agreements, and materially amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements on behalf of the Fund without
shareholder approval (Manager of Managers Structure). Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the Manager has ultimate responsibility,
subject to oversight by the Fund's Board, for overseeing the Fund's sub-advisors and recommending to the Board their hiring,
termination, or replacement. The SEC order does not apply to any sub-advisor that is affiliated with the Fund or the Manager.
While the Manager does not currently expect to use the Manager of Managers Structure with respect to the Fund, the Manager
may, in the future, recommend to the Fund's Board the establishment of the Manager of Managers Structure by recommending the
hiring of one or more sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the Fund's portfolio.
The Manager of Managers Structure enables the Fund to operate with greater efficiency and without incurring the expense and
delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to sub-advisors or sub-advisory agreements. The
Manager of Managers Structure does not permit an increase in the overall management and advisory fees payable by the Fund
without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any changes made to sub-advisors or sub-advisory agreements
within 90 days of the changes.
Who's who
Board of trustees: A mutual fund is governed by a board of trustees, which has oversight responsibility for the management of the fund's business
affairs. Trustees establish procedures and oversee and review the performance of the fund's service providers. The Fund relies
on certain exemptive rules adopted by the SEC that require the board of trustees to be composed of a majority of trustees
independent of a fund's investment manager and distributor.
Investment manager: An investment manager is a company responsible for selecting portfolio investments consistent with the objective and policies
stated in the mutual fund's prospectus. A written contract between a mutual fund and its investment manager specifies the
services the investment manager performs and the fee the manager is entitled to receive.
Portfolio managers: Portfolio managers make investment decisions for individual portfolios.
Distributor: Most mutual funds continuously offer new shares to the public through distributors that are regulated as broker/dealers and
are subject to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules governing mutual fund sales practices.
Service agent: Mutual fund companies employ service agents (sometimes called transfer agents) to maintain records of shareholder accounts,
calculate and disburse dividends and capital gains, and prepare and mail shareholder statements and tax information, among
other functions. Many service agents also provide customer service to shareholders.
Custodian: Mutual funds are legally required to protect their portfolio securities, and most funds place them with a qualified bank
custodian that segregates fund securities from other bank assets.
Financial advisors: Financial advisors provide advice to their clients. They are associated with securities broker/dealers who have entered into
selling and/or service arrangements with the distributor. Selling broker/dealers and financial advisors are compensated for
their services generally through sales commissions, and through 12b-1 fees and/or service fees deducted from a fund's assets.
Shareholders: Mutual fund shareholders have specific voting rights on matters such as material changes in the terms of a fund's management
contract and changes to fundamental investment policies.
About your account
Investing in the Fund
You can choose from a number of share classes for the Fund. Because each share class has a different combination of sales
charges, fees, and other features, you should consult your financial advisor to determine which class best suits your investment
goals and time frame.Delaware Management Trust Company will not accept applications to open new 403(b) custodial accounts or contributions into
existing 403(b) custodial accounts.
Choosing a share class
Class A
-
Class A shares have an up-front sales charge of up to 2.75% that you pay when you buy the shares.
-
If you invest $100,000 or more, your front-end sales charge will be reduced.
-
You may qualify for other reduced sales charges, and, under certain circumstances, the sales charge may be waived, as described
in "How to reduce your sales charge" below.
-
Class A shares are also subject to an annual 12b-1 fee no greater than 0.30% (currently limited to 0.15%) of average daily
net assets, which is lower than the 12b-1 fee for Class C, and Class R shares. See "Dealer compensation" below for further
information.
-
Class A shares generally are not subject to a CDSC except in the limited circumstances described in the table below.
-
Class A shares generally are not available for purchase by anyone qualified to purchase Class R shares, except as described
below.
Class A sales charges
The table below details your sales charges on purchases of Class A shares. The offering price for Class A shares includes
the front-end sales charge. The sales charge as a percentage of the net amount invested is the maximum percentage of the amount
invested rounded to the nearest hundredth. The actual sales charge that you pay as a percentage of the offering price and
as a percentage of the net amount invested will vary depending on the then-current NAV, the percentage rate of sales charge,
and rounding.
Amount of purchase |
Sales charge as a % of offering price |
Sales charge as a % of net amount invested |
Less than $100,000 |
2.75% |
|
3.23% |
$100,000 but less than $250,000 |
2.00% |
|
2.44% |
$250,000 but less than $1 million |
1.00% |
|
1.34% |
$1 million or more |
none* |
|
none* |
* There is no front-end sales charge when you purchase $1 million or more of Class A shares. However, if the Distributor paid
your financial advisor a commission on your purchase of $1 million or more of Class A shares, you will have to pay a limited
contingent deferred sales charge (Limited CDSC) of 0.75% if you redeem these shares within the first year after your purchase,
unless a specific waiver of the Limited CDSC applies. The Limited CDSC will be paid to the Distributor and will be assessed
on an amount equal to the lesser of: (1) the NAV at the time the Class A shares being redeemed were purchased; or (2) the
NAV of such Class A shares at the time of redemption. For purposes of this formula, the "NAV at the time of purchase" will
be the NAV at purchase of the Class A shares even if those shares are later exchanged for shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund and, in the event of an exchange of Class A shares, the "NAV of such shares at the time of redemption" will be the NAV
of the shares acquired in the exchange. In determining whether a Limited CDSC is payable, it will be assumed that shares not
subject to the Limited CDSC are the first redeemed followed by other shares held for the longest period of time. See "Dealer
compensation" below for a description of the dealer commission that is paid.
Class B
As of May 31, 2007, no new or subsequent investments, including investments through automatic investment plans and by qualified
retirement plans (such as 401(k) or 457 plans), are allowed in the Fund's Class B shares, except through a reinvestment of
dividends or capital gains or permitted exchanges. Existing shareholders of Class B shares may continue to hold their Class
B shares, reinvest dividends into Class B shares, and exchange their Class B shares of one Delaware Investments® Fund for Class B shares of another Fund, as permitted by existing exchange privileges. Existing Class B shareholders wishing
to make subsequent purchases in the Fund's shares will be permitted to invest in other classes of the Fund, subject to that
class's pricing structure and eligibility requirements, if any.
For Class B shares outstanding as of May 31, 2007, and Class B shares acquired upon reinvestment of dividends or capital gains,
all Class B share attributes, including the CDSC schedules, conversion to Class A schedule, and distribution and service (12b-1)
fees, will continue in their current form. In addition, because the Fund's or its Distributor's ability to assess certain
sales charges and fees is dependent on the sale of new shares, the termination of new purchases of Class B shares could ultimately
lead to the elimination and/or reduction of such sales charges and fees. The Fund may not be able to provide shareholders
with advance notice of the reduction in these sales charges and fees. You will be notified via a Prospectus supplement if
there are any changes to any attributes, sales charges, or fees.
-
Class B shares have no up-front sales charge, so the full amount of your purchase is invested in the Fund. However, you will
pay a CDSC if you redeem your shares within three years after you buy them.
-
If you redeem Class B shares during the first year after you buy them, the shares will be subject to a CDSC of 2.00%. The
CDSC is 1.00% during the second and third years, and 0% thereafter.
-
In determining whether the CDSC applies to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed that shares held for more than
three years are redeemed first, followed by shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions, and finally
by shares held longest during the three-year period. For further information on how the CDSC is determined, please see "Calculation
of contingent deferred sales charges — Class B and Class C" below.
-
Under certain circumstances, the CDSC may be waived; please see "Waivers of contingent deferred sales charges" below for further
information.
-
For approximately five years after you buy your Class B shares, they are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee no greater than 1.00%
of average daily net assets (of which 0.25% is a service fee) paid to the Distributor, dealers, or others for providing services
and maintaining shareholder accounts.
-
Because of their higher 12b-1 fee, Class B shares have higher expenses and any dividends paid on these shares are generally
lower than dividends on Class A and Class R shares.
-
Approximately five years after you buy them, Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares with a 12b-1 fee of no
more than 0.30%. Conversion may occur as late as three months after the fifth anniversary of purchase, during which time Class
B's higher 12b-1 fee applies.
Class C
-
Class C shares have no up-front sales charge, so the full amount of your purchase is invested in the Fund. However, you will
pay a CDSC of 1.00% if you redeem your shares within 12 months after you buy them.
-
In determining whether the CDSC applies to a redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that shares held for more than
12 months are redeemed first, followed by shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions, and finally
by shares held for 12 months or less. For further information on how the CDSC is determined, please see "Calculation of contingent
deferred sales charges — Class B and Class C" below.
-
Under certain circumstances, the CDSC may be waived; please see "Waivers of contingent deferred sales charges" below for further
information.
-
Class C shares are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee no greater than 1.00% of average daily net assets (of which 0.25% is a service
fee) paid to the Distributor, dealers, or others for providing services and maintaining shareholder accounts.
-
Because of their higher 12b-1 fee, Class C shares have higher expenses and any dividends paid on these shares are generally
lower than dividends on Class A and Class R shares.
-
Class C shares do not automatically convert to another class.
-
You may purchase only up to $1 million of Class C shares at any one time. Orders that exceed $1 million will be rejected.
The limitation on maximum purchases varies for retirement plans.
Class R
-
Class R shares have no up-front sales charge, so the full amount of your purchase is invested in the Fund. Class R shares
are not subject to a CDSC.
-
Class R shares are subject to an annual 12b-1 fee no greater than 0.60% (currently limited to 0.50%) of average daily net
assets, which is lower than the 12b-1 fee for Class C shares.
-
Because of the higher 12b-1 fee, Class R shares have higher expenses and any dividends paid on these shares are generally
lower than dividends on Class A shares.
-
Class R shares do not automatically convert to another class.
-
Class R shares generally are available only to: (i) qualified and nonqualified plan shareholders covering multiple employees
(including 401(k), 401(a), 457, and noncustodial 403(b) plans, as well as other nonqualified deferred compensation plans)
with assets (at the time shares are considered for purchase) of $10 million or less; and (ii) individual retirement account
(IRA) rollovers from plans that were previously maintained on the Delaware Investments® retirement recordkeeping system or BISYS's retirement recordkeeping system that are offering Class R shares to participants.
Except as noted above, no other IRAs are eligible for Class R shares (for example, no traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SIMPLE
IRAs, SEPs, SARSEPs, etc.). For purposes of determining plan asset levels, affiliated plans may be combined at the request
of the plan sponsor.
Any account holding Class A shares as of June 2, 2003 (the date Class R shares were made available) continues to be eligible
to purchase Class A shares after that date. Any account holding Class R shares is not eligible to purchase Class A shares.
Each share class may be eligible for purchase through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries that require the purchase
of a specific class of shares.
Each share class of the Fund has adopted a separate 12b-1 plan that allows it to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution
of its shares. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase
the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.
Calculation of contingent deferred sales charges — Class B and Class C
CDSCs are charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject to the CDSC. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal
to the lesser of the NAV at the time the shares being redeemed were purchased or the NAV of those shares at the time of redemption.
No CDSC will be imposed on increases in NAV above the initial purchase price, nor will a CDSC be assessed on redemptions of
shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. For purposes of this formula, the "NAV at
the time of purchase" will be the NAV at purchase of Class B shares or Class C shares of the Fund, even if those shares are
later exchanged for shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund. In the event of an exchange of the shares, the "NAV of such shares at the time of redemption" will be the NAV of the
shares that were acquired in the exchange.
Dealer compensation
The financial advisor that sells you shares of the Fund may be eligible to receive the following amounts as compensation
for your investment in the Fund. These amounts are paid by the Distributor to the securities dealer with whom your financial
advisor is associated.
|
Class A1 |
Class B2 |
Class C3 |
Class R4 |
Commission (%) |
— |
2.00% |
1.00% |
— |
Investment less than $100,000 |
2.35% |
— |
— |
— |
$100,000 but less than $250,000 |
1.75% |
— |
— |
— |
$250,000 but less than $5 million |
0.75% |
— |
— |
— |
$5 million but less than $25 million |
0.50% |
— |
— |
— |
$25 million or more |
0.25% |
— |
— |
— |
12b-1 fee to dealer |
0.30% |
0.15% |
1.00% |
0.60% |
1 On sales of Class A shares, the Distributor reallows to your securities dealer a portion of the front-end sales charge depending
upon the amount you invested. Your securities dealer may be eligible to receive a 12b-1 fee of up to 0.30% from the date of
purchase. However, the Distributor has voluntarily agreed to limit this amount to 0.15% from April 30, 2010 through April
30, 2011.
2 On sales of Class B shares, the Distributor may pay your securities dealer an up-front commission of 2.00%. Your securities
dealer may be eligible to receive a 12b-1 service fee of up to 0.25% from the date of purchase. After approximately five years,
Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares and dealers may then be eligible to receive the 0.30% 12b-1 fee applicable
to Class A shares.
3 On sales of Class C shares, the Distributor may pay your securities dealer an up-front commission of 1.00%. The up-front
commission includes an advance of the first year's 12b-1 service fee of up to 0.25%. During the first 12 months, the Distributor
retains the full 1.00% 12b-1 fee to partially offset the up-front commission and the prepaid 0.25% service fee advanced at
the time of purchase. Starting in the 13th month, your securities dealer may be eligible to receive the full 1.00% 12b-1 fee
applicable to Class C. Alternatively, certain intermediaries may not be eligible to receive the up-front commission of 1.00%,
but may receive the 12b-1 fee for Class C shares from the date of purchase.
4 On sales of Class R shares, the Distributor does not pay your securities dealer an up-front commission. Your securities dealer
may be eligible to receive a 12b-1 fee of up to 0.60% from the date of purchase. However, the Distributor has contracted to
limit this amount to 0.50% from April 30, 2010 through April 30, 2011.
Payments to intermediaries
The Distributor and its affiliates may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as an expense of the Fund)
to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (Financial Intermediaries) in connection
with the sale or retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder servicing, including providing the Fund with "shelf space" or
a higher profile with the Financial Intermediary's consultants, salespersons, and customers (distribution assistance). The
level of payments made to a qualifying Financial Intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC
and FINRA rules and other applicable laws and regulations, the Distributor may pay, or allow its affiliates to pay, other
promotional incentives or payments to Financial Intermediaries.
If a mutual fund sponsor or distributor makes greater payments for distribution assistance to your Financial Intermediary
with respect to distribution of shares of that particular mutual fund than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds
make to your Financial Intermediary with respect to the distribution of the shares of their mutual funds, your Financial Intermediary
and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund making the higher payments
over shares of other mutual funds or over other investment options. In addition, depending on the arrangements in place at
any particular time, a Financial Intermediary may also have a financial incentive for recommending a particular share class
over other share classes. You should consult with your Financial Intermediary and review carefully any disclosure provided
by such Financial Intermediary as to compensation it receives in connection with investment products it recommends or sells
to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your Financial Intermediary.
Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of the Fund's shares.
For more information, please see the SAI.
How to reduce your sales charge
We offer a number of ways to reduce or eliminate the sales charge on shares. Please refer to the SAI for detailed information
and eligibility requirements. You can also get additional information from your financial advisor. You or your financial advisor
must notify us at the time you purchase shares if you are eligible for any of these programs. You may also need to provide
information to your financial advisor or the Fund in order to qualify for a reduction in sales charges. Such information may
include your Delaware Investments® Funds holdings in any other accounts, including retirement accounts, held indirectly or through an intermediary, and the
names of qualifying family members and their holdings. Class R shares have no up-front sales charge or CDSC. We reserve the
right to determine whether any purchase is entitled, by virtue of the foregoing, to the reduced sales charge.
Letter of intent
Through a letter of intent you agree to invest a certain amount in Delaware Investments® Funds (except money market funds with no sales charge) over a 13-month period to qualify for reduced front-end sales charges.
Class A |
Class B |
Class C |
Available |
Not available |
Although the letter of intent does not apply to the purchase of Class C shares, you can combine the value of your Class A
shares with your purchase of Class C shares to fulfill your letter of intent. |
Rights of accumulation
You can combine your holdings or purchases of all Delaware Investments® Funds (except money market funds with no sales charge), as well as the holdings and purchases of your spouse and children
under 21 to qualify for reduced front-end sales charges.
Class A |
Class B |
Class C |
Available |
Although the rights of accumulation do not apply to the purchase of Class B shares acquired upon reinvestment of dividends
or capital gains, you can combine the value of your Class B shares purchased on or before May 31, 2007 with your purchase
of Class A shares to qualify for rights of accumulation. |
Although the rights of accumulation do not apply to the purchase of Class C shares, you can combine your purchase of Class
A shares with your purchase of Class C shares to fulfill your rights of accumulation. |
Reinvestment of redeemed shares
Up to 12 months after you redeem shares, you can reinvest the proceeds without paying a sales charge.
Class A |
Class B and Class C |
|
You will not have to pay an additional front-end sales charge. |
Not available |
|
SIMPLE IRA, SEP, SARSEP, 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase,
403(b)(7), and 457 Retirement Plans
These investment plans may qualify for reduced sales charges by combining the purchases of all members of the group. Members
of these groups may also qualify to purchase shares without a front-end sales charge and may qualify for a waiver of any CDSCs
on Class A shares.
Class A |
Class B and Class C |
You will not have to pay an additional front-end sales charge. |
Not available |
Buying Class A shares at net asset value
Class A shares of the Fund may be purchased at NAV under the following circumstances, provided that you notify the Fund in
advance that the trade qualifies for this privilege. The Fund reserves the right to modify or terminate these arrangements
at any time.
-
Shares purchased under the Delaware Investments® dividend reinvestment plan and, under certain circumstances, the exchange privilege and the 12-month reinvestment privilege.
-
Purchases by: (i) current and former officers, Trustees/Directors, and employees of any Delaware Investments® Fund, the Manager, or any of the Manager's current affiliates and those that may in the future be created; (ii) legal counsel
to the Delaware Investments® Funds; and (iii) registered representatives and employees of broker/dealers who have entered into dealer's agreements with
the Distributor. At the direction of such persons, their family members (regardless of age), and any employee benefit plan
established by any of the foregoing entities, counsel, or broker/dealers may also purchase shares at NAV.
-
Shareholders who own Class A shares of Delaware Cash Reserve® Fund as a result of a liquidation of a Delaware Investments® Fund may exchange into Class A shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund at NAV.
-
Purchases by bank employees who provide services in connection with agreements between the bank and unaffiliated brokers or
dealers concerning sales of shares of the Delaware Investments® Funds.
-
Purchases by certain officers, trustees, and key employees of institutional clients of the Manager or any of its affiliates.
-
Purchases for the benefit of the clients of brokers, dealers, and registered investment advisors if such brokers, dealers,
or investment advisors have entered into an agreement with the Distributor providing specifically for the purchase of Class
A shares in connection with special investment products, such as wrap accounts or similar fee-based programs. Investors may
be charged a fee when effecting transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent that offers these special investment
products.
-
Purchases by financial institutions investing for the accounts of their trust customers if they are not eligible to purchase
shares of the Fund's Institutional Class, if applicable.
-
Purchases by retirement plans that are maintained on retirement platforms sponsored by financial intermediary firms, provided
the financial intermediary firms have entered into a Class A NAV agreement with respect to such retirement platforms.
-
Purchases by certain legacy bank sponsored retirement plans that meet requirements set forth in the SAI.
-
Purchases by certain legacy retirement assets that meet requirements set forth in the SAI.
-
Investments made by plan level and/or participant retirement accounts that are for the purpose of repaying a loan taken from
such accounts.
-
Purchases by certain participants in defined contribution plans and their spouses whose plan assets will be rolled over into
Foundation® IRA accounts.
-
Purchases by participants of certain group retirement plans and members of their households as described in the SAI.
-
Loan repayments made to a Fund account in connection with loans originated from accounts previously maintained by another
investment firm.
Waivers of contingent deferred sales charges
Certain sales charges may be based on historical cost. Therefore, you should maintain any records that substantiate these
costs because the Fund, its transfer agent, and financial intermediaries may not maintain this information. Information about
existing sales charges and sales charge reductions and waivers is available free of charge on the Delaware Investments® Funds' web site at www.delawareinvestments.com. Additional information on sales charges can be found in the SAI, which is
available upon request.
The Fund's applicable CDSCs may be waived under the following circumstances:
Redemptions in accordance with a systematic withdrawal plan
Redemptions in accordance with a systematic withdrawal plan, provided the annual amount selected to be withdrawn under the
plan does not exceed 12% of the value of the account on the date that the systematic withdrawal plan was established or modified.
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Redemptions that result from the right to liquidate a shareholder's account
Redemptions that result from the right to liquidate a shareholder's account if the aggregate NAV of the shares held in the
account is less than the then-effective minimum account size.
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Section 401(a) qualified retirement plan distributions
Distributions to participants or beneficiaries from a retirement plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (Code).
Class A1 |
Classes B and C |
Available |
Not available |
Section 401(a) qualified retirement plan redemptions
Redemptions pursuant to the direction of a participant or beneficiary of a retirement plan qualified under Section 401(a)
of the Code with respect to that retirement plan.
Class A1 |
Classes B and C |
Available |
Not available |
Periodic distributions from an individual retirement account
Periodic distributions from an individual retirement account (traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP, SARSEP, Coverdell
ESA) or a qualified plan1 (401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, 403(b)(7), and 457 Retirement Plans) not subject to a penalty under
Section 72(t)(2)(A) of the Code or a hardship or unforeseen emergency provision in the qualified plan as described in Treas.
Reg. §1.401(k)-1(d)(3) and Section 457(d)(1)(A)(iii) of the Code.
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Returns of excess contributions due to any regulatory limit
Returns of excess contributions due to any regulatory limit from an individual retirement account (traditional IRA, Roth IRA,
SIMPLE IRA, SEP, SARSEP, Coverdell ESA) or a qualified plan1 (401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, 403(b)(7), and 457 Retirement Plans).
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Distributions by other employee benefit plans
Distributions by other employee benefit plans to pay benefits.
Class A1 |
Classes B and C |
Available |
Not available |
Systematic withdrawals from a retirement account or qualified plan
Systematic withdrawals from a retirement account or qualified plan that are not subject to a penalty pursuant to Section 72(t)(2)(A)
of the Code or a hardship or unforeseen emergency provision in the qualified plan2 as described in Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)-1(d)(3) and Section 457(d)(1)(A)(iii) of the Code. The systematic withdrawal may be
pursuant to the systematic withdrawal plan for the Delaware Investments® Funds or a systematic withdrawal permitted by the Code.
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Distributions from an account of a redemption resulting from death or disability
Distributions from an account of a redemption resulting from the death or disability (as defined in Section 72(t)(2)(A) of
the Internal Revenue Code, as amended (Code)) of a registered owner or a registered joint owner occurring after the purchase
of the shares being redeemed. In the case of accounts established under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or Uniform Transfers
to Minors Act or trust accounts, the waiver applies upon the death of all beneficial owners.
Classes A1, B, and C |
Available |
Redemptions by certain legacy retirement assets
Redemptions by certain legacy retirement assets that meet the requirements set forth in the SAI.
Class A1 |
Class B |
Class C |
Available |
Not available |
Available |
Redemptions by the classes of shareholders who are permitted to purchase shares at NAV
Redemptions by the classes of shareholders who are permitted to purchase shares at NAV, regardless of the size of the purchase.
See "Buying Class A shares at net asset value" above.
Class A1 |
Classes B and C |
Available |
Not available |
1The waiver of Class A shares relates to a waiver of the Limited CDSC. Please note that you or your financial advisor will
have to notify us at the time of purchase that the trade qualifies for such waiver.
2Qualified plans that are fully redeemed at the direction of the plan's fiduciary are subject to any applicable CDSC or Limited
CDSC, unless the redemption is due to the termination of the plan.
How to buy shares
Through your financial advisor
Your financial advisor can handle all the details of purchasing shares, including opening an account. Your financial advisor
may charge a separate fee for this service.
By mail
Complete an investment slip and mail it with your check, made payable to the fund and class of shares you wish to purchase,
to Delaware Investments, P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 for
investments by overnight courier service. If you are making an initial purchase by mail, you must include a completed investment
application (or an appropriate retirement plan application if you are opening a retirement account) with your check.
Please note that purchase orders submitted by mail will not be accepted until such orders are received by Delaware Investments
at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 for investments by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
for investments by overnight courier service. Please do not send purchase orders to 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094.
By wire
Ask your bank to wire the amount you want to invest to The Bank of New York Mellon, ABA #021000018, bank account number 8900403748.
Include your account number and the name of the fund and class of shares in which you want to invest. If you are making an
initial purchase by wire, you must first call us at 800 523-1918 so we can assign you an account number.
By exchange
You may exchange all or part of your investment in one or more Delaware Investments® Funds for shares of other Delaware Investments® Funds. Please keep in mind, however, that under most circumstances you are allowed to exchange only between like classes
of shares. To open an account by exchange, call the Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918.
Through automated shareholder services
You may purchase or exchange shares through Delaphone, our automated telephone service, or through our web site, www.delawareinvestments.com.
For more information about how to sign up for these services, call our Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918.
Once you have completed an application, you can open an account with an initial investment of $1,000 and make additional investments
at any time for as little as $100. The minimum initial purchase is $250, and you can make additional investments of $25 or
more, if you are buying shares in an IRA or Roth IRA, under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or the Uniform Transfers to Minors
Act, or through an Automatic Investing Plan. The minimum initial purchase for a Coverdell Education Savings Account (formerly,
an "Education IRA") is $500. The minimums vary for retirement plans other than IRAs, Roth IRAs, or Coverdell Education Savings
Accounts.
The price you pay for shares will depend on when we receive your purchase order. If an authorized agent or we receive your
order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE, which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, you will pay that day's closing
share price, which is based on a fund's NAV. If your order is received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, you
will pay the next Business Day's price. We reserve the right to reject any purchase order.
We determine the NAV per share for each class of a fund at the close of regular trading on the NYSE on each Business Day.
The NAV per share for each class of a fund is calculated by subtracting the liabilities of each class from its total assets
and dividing the resulting number by the number of shares outstanding for that class. We generally price securities and other
assets for which market quotations are readily available at their market value. For a fund that invests primarily in foreign
securities, the NAV may change on days when a shareholder will not be able to purchase or redeem fund shares because foreign
markets are open at times and on days when U.S. markets are not. We price fixed income securities on the basis of valuations
provided to us by an independent pricing service that uses methods approved by the Board. For all other securities, we use
methods approved by the Board that are designed to price securities at their fair market value.
Fair valuation
When the Fund uses fair value pricing, it may take into account any factors it deems appropriate. The Fund may determine fair
value based upon developments related to a specific security, current valuations of foreign stock indices (as reflected in
U.S. futures markets), and/or U.S. sector or broad stock market indices. The price of securities used by the Fund to calculate
its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing may involve subjective judgments
and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized
upon the sale of that security.
The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances,
such as the early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund
may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things,
most foreign markets close well before the Fund values its securities at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these
foreign markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in
the interim. To account for this, the Fund may frequently value many foreign equity securities using fair value prices based
on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.
The Board has delegated responsibility for valuing the Fund's assets to a Pricing Committee of the Manager, which operates
under the policies and procedures approved by the Board and which is subject to the Board's oversight.
Retirement plans
In addition to being an appropriate investment for your IRA, Roth IRA, and Coverdell Education Savings Account, the Fund
may be suitable for group retirement plans. You may establish your IRA account even if you are already a participant in an
employer-sponsored retirement plan. For more information on how the Fund can play an important role in your retirement planning
or for details about group plans, please consult your financial advisor, or call our Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918.
Document delivery
If you have an account in the same Delaware Investments® Fund as another member of your household, we send your household one copy of the Fund's prospectus and annual and semiannual
reports unless you opt otherwise. This will help us reduce the printing and mailing expenses associated with the Fund. We
will continue to send one copy of each of these documents to your household until you notify us that you wish to receive individual
materials. If you wish to receive individual materials, please call our Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918 or your
financial advisor. We will begin sending you individual copies of these documents 30 days after receiving your request.
How to redeem shares
Through your financial advisor
Your financial advisor can handle all the details of redeeming your shares (selling them back to the Fund). Your financial
advisor may charge a separate fee for this service.
By mail
You may redeem your shares by mail by writing to: Delaware Investments at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 or 430
W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 for redemptions by overnight courier service. All owners of the account must sign
the request. For redemptions of more than $100,000, you must include a signature guarantee for each owner. Signature guarantees
are also required when redemption proceeds are going to an address other than the address of record on the account.
Please note that redemption orders submitted by mail will not be accepted until such orders are received by Delaware Investments
at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 for redemptions by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
for redemptions by overnight courier service. Please do not send redemption requests to 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19103-7094.
By telephone
You may redeem up to $100,000 of your shares by telephone. You may have the proceeds sent to you by check, or, if you redeem
at least $1,000 of shares, you may have the proceeds sent directly to your bank by wire. If you request a wire deposit, a
bank wire fee may be deducted from your proceeds. Bank information must be on file before you request a wire redemption.
By wire
You may redeem $1,000 or more of your shares and have the proceeds deposited directly to your bank account, normally the
next Business Day after we receive your request. If you request a wire deposit, a bank wire fee may be deducted from your
proceeds. Bank information must be on file before you request a wire redemption.
Through automated shareholder services
You may redeem shares through Delaphone, our automated telephone service, or through our web site, www.delawareinvestments.com.
For more information about how to sign up for these services, call our Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918.
If you hold your shares in certificates, you must submit the certificates with your request to sell the shares. We recommend
that you send your certificates by certified mail.
When you send us a properly completed request to redeem or exchange shares and an authorized agent or we receive the request
before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time), you will receive the NAV next determined
after we receive your request. If we receive your request after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, you will receive
the NAV next determined on the next Business Day. We will deduct any applicable CDSCs. You may also have to pay taxes on the
proceeds from your sale of shares. We will send you a check, normally the next Business Day, but no later than seven days
after we receive your request to sell your shares. If you purchased your shares by check, we will wait until your check has
cleared, which can take up to 15 days, before we send your redemption proceeds.
If you are required to pay a CDSC when you redeem your shares, the amount subject to the fee will be based on the shares'
NAV when you purchased them or their NAV when you redeem them, whichever is less. This arrangement ensures that you will not
pay a CDSC on any increase in the value of your shares. You also will not pay the charge on any shares acquired by reinvesting
dividends or capital gains. If you exchange shares of one fund for shares of another, you do not pay a CDSC at the time of
the exchange. If you later redeem those shares, the purchase price for purposes of the CDSC formula will be the price you
paid for the original shares, not the exchange price. The redemption price for purposes of this formula will be the NAV of
the shares you are actually redeeming.
Redemptions-in-kind
The Fund has reserved the right to pay for redemptions with portfolio securities under certain conditions. See the SAI for
more information on redemptions-in-kind.
Account minimums
If you redeem shares and your account balance falls below the required account minimum of $1,000 ($250 for IRAs, Roth IRAs,
Uniform Gifts to Minors Act and Uniform Transfers to Minors Act accounts, or accounts with automatic investing plans, and
$500 for Coverdell Education Savings Accounts) for three or more consecutive months, you will have until the end of the current
calendar quarter to raise the balance to the minimum. If your account is not at the minimum by the required time, you may
be charged a $9 fee for that quarter and each quarter after that until your account reaches the minimum balance. If your account
does not reach the minimum balance, we may redeem your account after 60 days' written notice to you.
Special services
To help make investing with us as easy as possible, and to help you build your investments, we offer the following special
services.
Automatic investment plan
The automatic investment plan allows you to make regular monthly or quarterly investments directly from your checking account.
Direct deposit
With direct deposit, you can make additional investments through payroll deductions, recurring government or private payments
such as Social Security, or direct transfers from your bank account.
Electronic delivery
With Delaware eDelivery, you can receive your fund documents electronically instead of via U.S. mail. When you sign up for
eDelivery, you can access your account statements, shareholder reports, and other fund materials online, in a secure internet
environment at any time, from anywhere.
Online account access
Online account access is a password-protected area of the Delaware Investments® Funds' web site that gives you access to your account information and allows you to perform transactions in a secure internet
environment.
Systematic exchange option
With the systematic exchange option, you can arrange automatic monthly exchanges between your shares in one or more Delaware
Investments® Funds. These exchanges are subject to the same rules as regular exchanges (see below) and require a minimum monthly exchange
of $100 per fund.
Dividend reinvestment plan
Through the dividend reinvestment plan, you can have your distributions reinvested in your account or the same share class
in another Delaware Investments® Fund. The shares that you purchase through the dividend reinvestment plan are not subject to a front-end sales charge or
to a CDSC. Under most circumstances, you may reinvest dividends only into like classes of shares.
Exchanges
You may generally exchange all or part of your shares for shares of the same class of another Delaware Investments® Fund without paying a front-end sales charge or a CDSC at the time of the exchange. However, if you exchange shares from
a money market fund that does not have a sales charge or from Class R shares of any fund, you will pay any applicable sales
charge on your new shares. When exchanging Class B and Class C shares of one fund for the same class of shares in other funds,
your new shares will be subject to the same CDSC as the shares you originally purchased. The holding period for the CDSC will
also remain the same, with the amount of time you held your original shares being credited toward the holding period of your
new shares. You do not pay sales charges on shares that you acquired through the reinvestment of dividends. You may have to
pay taxes on your exchange. When you exchange shares, you are purchasing shares in another fund so you should be sure to get
a copy of the fund's prospectus and read it carefully before buying shares through an exchange. The Fund may refuse the purchase
side of any exchange request, if, in the Manager's judgment, the Fund would be unable to invest effectively in accordance
with its investment objective and policies or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected.
On demand service
Through the on demand service, you or your financial advisor may transfer money between your Fund account and your predesignated
bank account by telephone request. This service is not available for retirement plans. There is a minimum transfer of $25
and a maximum transfer of $100,000, except for purchases into IRAs. Delaware Investments does not charge a fee for this service;
however, your bank may assess one.
Direct deposit service
Through the direct deposit service, you can have $25 or more in dividends and distributions deposited directly to your bank
account. Delaware Investments does not charge a fee for this service; however, your bank may assess one. This service is not
available for retirement plans.
Systematic withdrawal plan
Through the systematic withdrawal plan, you can arrange a regular monthly or quarterly payment from your account made to you
or someone you designate. If the value of your account is $5,000 or more, you can make withdrawals of at least $25 monthly,
or $75 quarterly. You may also have your withdrawals deposited directly to your bank account through the direct deposit service.
The applicable Limited CDSC for Class A shares and the CDSC for Class B and C shares redeemed via a systematic withdrawal
plan will be waived if the annual amount withdrawn in each year is less than 12% of the account balance on the date that the
plan is established. If the annual amount withdrawn in any year exceeds 12% of the account balance on the date that the systematic
withdrawal plan is established, all redemptions under the plan will be subject to the applicable CDSC, including an assessment
for previously redeemed amounts under the plan.
Frequent trading of Fund shares
The Fund discourages purchases by market timers and purchase orders (including the purchase side of exchange orders) by shareholders
identified as market timers may be rejected. The Board has adopted policies and procedures designed to detect, deter, and
prevent trading activity detrimental to the Fund and its shareholders, such as market timing. The Fund will consider anyone
who follows a pattern of market timing in any Delaware Investments® Fund or the Optimum Fund Trust to be a market timer and may consider anyone who has followed a similar pattern of market
timing at an unaffiliated fund family to be a market timer.
Market timing of a fund occurs when investors make consecutive, rapid, short-term "roundtrips" — that is, purchases into a
fund followed quickly by redemptions out of that fund. A short-term roundtrip is any redemption of fund shares within 20 Business
Days of a purchase of that fund's shares. If you make a second such short-term roundtrip in a fund within 90 rolling calendar
days as a previous short-term roundtrip in that fund, you may be considered a market timer. In determining whether market
timing has occurred, the Fund will consider short-term roundtrips to include rapid purchases and sales of Fund shares through
the exchange privilege. The Fund reserves the right to consider other trading patterns to be market timing.
Your ability to use the Fund's exchange privilege may be limited if you are identified as a market timer. If you are identified
as a market timer, we will execute the redemption side of your exchange order but may refuse the purchase side of your exchange
order. The Fund reserves the right to restrict or reject, without prior notice, any purchase order or exchange order for any
reason, including any purchase order or exchange order accepted by any shareholder's financial intermediary or in any omnibus-type
account. Transactions placed in violation of the Fund's market timing policy are not necessarily deemed accepted by the Fund
and may be rejected by the Fund on the next Business Day following receipt by the Fund.
Redemptions will continue to be permitted in accordance with the Fund's current Prospectus. A redemption of shares under these
circumstances could be costly to a shareholder if, for example, the shares have declined in value, the shareholder recently
paid a front-end sales charge, the shares are subject to a CDSC, or the sale results in adverse tax consequences. To avoid
this risk, a shareholder should carefully monitor the purchases, sales, and exchanges of Fund shares and avoid frequent trading
in Fund shares.
The Fund reserves the right to modify this policy at any time without notice, including modifications to the Fund's monitoring
procedures and the procedures to close accounts to new purchases. Although the implementation of this policy involves judgments
that are inherently subjective and may be selectively applied, we seek to make judgments and applications that are consistent
with the interests of the Fund's shareholders. While we will take actions designed to detect and prevent market timing, there
can be no assurance that such trading activity will be completely eliminated. Moreover, the Fund's market timing policy does
not require the Fund to take action in response to frequent trading activity. If the Fund elects not to take any action in
response to frequent trading, such frequent trading activity could continue.
Risks of market timing
By realizing profits through short-term trading, shareholders that engage in rapid purchases and sales or exchanges of the
Fund's shares dilute the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Volatility resulting from excessive purchases and
sales or exchanges of Fund shares, especially involving large dollar amounts, may disrupt efficient portfolio management.
In particular, the Fund may have difficulty implementing its long-term investment strategies if it is forced to maintain a
higher level of its assets in cash to accommodate significant short-term trading activity. Excessive purchases and sales or
exchanges of the Fund's shares may also force the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to raise cash to
accommodate short-term trading activity. This could adversely affect the Fund's performance, if, for example, the Fund incurs
increased brokerage costs and realization of taxable capital gains without attaining any investment advantage.
A fund that invests significantly in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to short-term trading strategies.
This is because foreign securities are typically traded on markets that close well before the time a fund calculates its NAV
(normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Developments that occur between the closing of the foreign market and a fund's NAV calculation
may affect the value of these foreign securities. The time zone differences among international stock markets can allow a
shareholder engaging in a short-term trading strategy to exploit differences in fund share prices that are based on closing
prices of foreign securities established some time before a fund calculates its own share price.
Any fund that invests in securities that are thinly traded, traded infrequently, or relatively illiquid has the risk that
the securities prices used to calculate the fund's NAV may not accurately reflect current market values. A shareholder may
seek to engage in short-term trading to take advantage of these pricing differences. Funds that may be adversely affected
by such arbitrage include, in particular, funds that significantly invest in small-cap securities, technology, and other specific
industry sector securities, and in certain fixed income securities, such as high yield bonds, asset-backed securities, or
municipal bonds.
Transaction monitoring procedures
The Fund, through its transfer agent, maintains surveillance procedures designed to detect excessive or short-term trading
in Fund shares. This monitoring process involves several factors, which include scrutinizing transactions in Fund shares for
violations of the Fund's market timing policy or other patterns of short-term or excessive trading. For purposes of these
transaction monitoring procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity by multiple accounts under common ownership, control,
or influence to be trading by a single entity. Trading activity identified by these factors, or as a result of any other available
information, will be evaluated to determine whether such activity might constitute market timing. These procedures may be
modified from time to time to improve the detection of excessive or short-term trading or to address other concerns. Such
changes may be necessary or appropriate, for example, to deal with issues specific to certain retirement plans; plan exchange
limits; U.S. Department of Labor regulations; certain automated or pre-established exchange, asset-allocation, or dollar cost
averaging programs; or omnibus account arrangements.
Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of the Fund, particularly among certain broker/dealers and
other financial intermediaries, including sponsors of retirement plans and variable insurance products. The Fund will attempt
to have financial intermediaries apply the Fund's monitoring procedures to these omnibus accounts and to the individual participants
in such accounts. However, to the extent that a financial intermediary is not able or willing to monitor or enforce the Fund's
frequent trading policy with respect to an omnibus account, the Fund or its agents may require the financial intermediary
to impose its frequent trading policy, rather than the Fund's policy, to shareholders investing in the Fund through the financial
intermediary.
A financial intermediary may impose different requirements or have additional restrictions on the frequency of trading than
the Fund. Such restrictions may include, without limitation, requiring the trades to be placed by U.S. mail, prohibiting purchases
for a designated period of time (typically 30 to 90 days) by investors who have recently purchased or redeemed Fund shares,
and similar restrictions. The Fund's ability to impose such restrictions with respect to accounts traded through particular
financial intermediaries may vary depending on systems capabilities, applicable contractual and legal restrictions, and cooperation
of those financial intermediaries.
You should consult your financial intermediary regarding the application of such restrictions and to determine whether your
financial intermediary imposes any additional or different limitations. In an effort to discourage market timers in such accounts,
the Fund may consider enforcement against market timers at the participant level and at the omnibus level, up to and including
termination of the omnibus account's authorization to purchase Fund shares.
Limitations on ability to detect and curtail market timing
Shareholders seeking to engage in market timing may employ a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts
of the Fund and its agents to detect market timing in Fund shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify
these shareholders or curtail their trading practices. In particular, the Fund may not be able to detect market timing attributable
to a particular investor who effects purchase, redemption, and/or exchange activity in Fund shares through omnibus accounts.
The difficulty of detecting market timing may be further compounded if these entities utilize multiple tiers or omnibus accounts.
Dividends, distributions, and taxes
Dividends and distributions
The Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under the Code. As a regulated investment company,
the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. The Fund expects to declare dividends
daily and distribute all of its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends monthly. The Fund will distribute
net realized capital gains, if any, twice a year. The Fund may distribute such income dividends and capital gains more frequently,
if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on the Fund. The amount of any distribution will
vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either an income dividend or a capital gains distribution. We automatically
reinvest all dividends and any capital gains, unless you direct us to do otherwise.
Annual statements
Every January, you will receive a statement that shows the tax status of distributions you received the previous calendar
year. Distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month, but paid in January, are taxable as if they
were paid in December. The Fund may reclassify income after your tax reporting statement is mailed to you. Prior to issuing
your statement, the Fund makes every effort to search for reclassified income to reduce the number of corrected forms mailed
to shareholders. However, when necessary, the Fund will send you a corrected Form 1099-DIV to reflect reclassified information.
Avoid "buying a dividend"
At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the Fund's net asset value may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital
gains, or net unrealized appreciation in value of portfolio securities held by the Fund. A subsequent distribution to you
of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment would be taxable.
Tax considerations
In general, if you are a taxable investor, Fund distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or some
combination of both. This is true whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
For federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions of short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Fund
distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains no matter how long you have owned your
shares. With respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning before January 1, 2011, unless such provision is extended or made
permanent, a portion of income dividends designated by the Fund may be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation by
individual shareholders at long-term capital gain rates provided certain holding period requirements are met. Because the
income of the Fund primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only
a small portion of the income dividends paid to you by the Fund may be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation by
individuals at long-term capital gain tax rates.
Sale or redemption of Fund shares. A sale or redemption of Fund shares is a taxable event and, accordingly, a capital gain or loss may be recognized. For tax
purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different Delaware Investments® Fund is the same as a sale.
Backup withholding. By law, if you do not provide the Fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications,
you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your
shares. The Fund also must withhold if the Internal Revenue Service instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the
amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
Other. Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your Fund shares generally are subject to state and local taxes.
Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject
to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from
U.S. withholding tax are provided for capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from long-term capital gains, if any, and, with
respect to taxable years of the Fund that began before January 1, 2010 (unless such sunset date is extended, possibly retroactively
to January 1, 2010, or made permanent), interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income
from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at
the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains will be subject to backup withholding at a rate
of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
This discussion of "Dividends, distributions, and taxes" is not intended or written to be used as tax advice. Because everyone's
tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state, local, or foreign tax consequences
before making an investment in the Fund.
Certain management considerations
Investments by funds of funds and similar investment vehicles
The Fund may accept investments from funds of funds, as well as from similar investment vehicles, such as 529 Plans. A "529
Plan" is a college savings program that operates under Section 529 of the Code. From time to time, the Fund may experience
large investments or redemptions due to allocations or rebalancings by these funds of funds and/or similar investment vehicles.
While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio
management. For example, the Fund may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do
so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales of securities result in gains, and could also increase transaction
costs or portfolio turnover.
Financial highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past 5 years or,
if shorter, the period of the Fund's operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The
total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming
reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Ernst & Young, LLP, independent registered
public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the annual report, which
is available upon request by calling 800 523-1918.
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
Class A Shares |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
Year ended Dec. 31, 2005 |
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
$8.480 |
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income1 |
0.328 |
0.294 |
0.310 |
0.284 |
0.278 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currencies |
0.710 |
(0.112) |
0.199 |
0.019 |
(0.132) |
Total from investment operations |
1.038 |
0.182 |
0.509 |
0.303 |
0.146 |
Less dividends and distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.338) |
(0.342) |
(0.379) |
(0.363) |
(0.356) |
Total dividends and distributions |
(0.338) |
(0.342) |
(0.379) |
(0.363) |
(0.356) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$8.880 |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
Total return2 |
12.89% |
2.21% |
6.36% |
3.76% |
1.76% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) |
$958,305 |
$252,563 |
$177,183 |
$173,362 |
$189,845 |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
0.84% |
0.84% |
0.83% |
0.81% |
0.82% |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
1.04% |
1.12% |
1.12% |
1.14% |
1.12% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
3.78% |
3.55% |
3.77% |
3.46% |
3.32% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
3.58% |
3.27% |
3.48% |
3.13% |
3.02% |
Portfolio turnover |
287% |
351% |
236% |
276% |
259% |
1
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008,
and 2007.
|
2
|
Total investment return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of
dividends and disributions at net asset value and does not reflect the impact of a sales charge. Total investment return during
all of the periods shown reflects waivers by the manager and distributor. Performance would have been lower had the waivers
not been in effect.
|
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
Class B Shares |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
Year ended Dec. 31, 2005 |
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$8.180 |
$8.330 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
$8.480 |
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income1 |
0.255 |
0.223 |
0.240 |
0.215 |
0.207 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currencies |
0.700 |
(0.101) |
0.189 |
0.019 |
(0.132) |
Total from investment operations |
0.955 |
0.122 |
0.429 |
0.234 |
0.075 |
Less dividends and distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.265) |
(0.272) |
(0.309) |
(0.294) |
(0.285) |
Total dividends and distributions |
(0.265) |
(0.272) |
(0.309) |
(0.294) |
(0.285) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$8.870 |
$8.180 |
$8.330 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
Total return2 |
11.82% |
1.47% |
5.34% |
2.89% |
0.90% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) |
$2,884 |
$3,728 |
$5,631 |
$11,674 |
$19,857 |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.69% |
1.69% |
1.68% |
1.66% |
1.67% |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
1.74% |
1.82% |
1.82% |
1.84% |
1.82% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
2.93% |
2.70% |
2.92% |
2.61% |
2.47% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
2.88% |
2.57% |
2.78% |
2.43% |
2.32% |
Portfolio turnover |
287% |
351% |
236% |
276% |
259% |
1
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008,
and 2007.
|
2
|
Total investment return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of
dividends and disributions at net asset value and does not reflect the impact of a sales charge. Total investment return during
all of the periods shown reflects a waiver by the manager. Performance would have been lower had the waiver not been in effect.
|
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
Class C Shares |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
Year ended Dec. 31, 2005 |
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$8.180 |
$8.330 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
$8.480 |
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income1 |
0.255 |
0.224 |
0.240 |
0.215 |
0.207 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currencies |
0.699 |
(0.102) |
0.189 |
0.019 |
(0.132) |
Total from investment operations |
0.954 |
0.122 |
0.429 |
0.234 |
0.075 |
Less dividends and distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.264) |
(0.272) |
(0.309) |
(0.294) |
(0.285) |
Total dividends and distributions |
(0.264) |
(0.272) |
(0.309) |
(0.294) |
(0.285) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$8.870 |
$8.180 |
$8.330 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
Total return2 |
11.80% |
1.47% |
5.34% |
2.89% |
0.90% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) |
$327,809 |
$52,205 |
$19,847 |
$21,716 |
$32,235 |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.69% |
1.69% |
1.68% |
1.66% |
1.67% |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
1.74% |
1.82% |
1.82% |
1.84% |
1.82% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
2.93% |
2.70% |
2.92% |
2.61% |
2.47% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
2.88% |
2.57% |
2.78% |
2.43% |
2.32% |
Portfolio turnover |
287% |
351% |
236% |
276% |
259% |
1
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008,
and 2007.
|
2
|
Total investment return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of
dividends and disributions at net asset value and does not reflect the impact of a sales charge. Total investment return during
all of the periods shown reflects a waiver by the manager. Performance would have been lower had the waiver not been in effect.
|
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
Class R Shares |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
Year ended Dec. 31, 2005 |
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.220 |
$8.270 |
$8.490 |
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income1 |
0.298 |
0.265 |
0.281 |
0.255 |
0.244 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currencies |
0.710 |
(0.112) |
0.189 |
0.029 |
(0.142) |
Total from investment operations |
1.008 |
0.153 |
0.470 |
0.284 |
0.102 |
Less dividends and distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.308) |
(0.313) |
(0.350) |
(0.334) |
(0.322) |
Total dividends and distributions |
(0.308) |
(0.313) |
(0.350) |
(0.334) |
(0.322) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$8.880 |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.220 |
$8.270 |
Total return2 |
12.50% |
1.86% |
5.86% |
3.53% |
1.34% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) |
$6,331 |
$1,446 |
$517 |
$1,876 |
$1,860 |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
1.19% |
1.19% |
1.18% |
1.16% |
1.23% |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
1.34% |
1.42% |
1.42% |
1.44% |
1.42% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
3.43% |
3.20% |
3.42% |
3.11% |
2.91% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
3.28% |
2.97% |
3.18% |
2.83% |
2.72% |
Portfolio turnover |
287% |
351% |
236% |
276% |
259% |
1
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008,
and 2007.
|
2
|
Total investment return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of
dividends and distributions at net asset value. Total investment return during all of the periods shown reflects waivers by
the manager and distributor. Performance would have been lower had the waivers not been in effect.
|
How to read the financial highlights
Net investment income (loss)
Net investment income (loss) includes dividend and interest income earned from a fund's investments; it is calculated after
expenses have been deducted.
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
A realized gain occurs when we sell an investment at a profit, while a realized loss occurs when we sell an investment at
a loss. When an investment increases or decreases in value but we do not sell it, we record an unrealized gain or loss. The
amount of realized gain per share, if any, that we pay to shareholders would be listed under "Less dividends and distributions
from: Net realized gain on investments."
Net asset value (NAV)
This is the value of a mutual fund share, calculated by dividing the net assets by the number of shares outstanding.
Total return
This represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a fund. In calculating this figure
for the financial highlights table, we include applicable fee waivers, exclude front-end sales charges and contingent deferred
sales charges, and assume the shareholder has reinvested all dividends and realized gains.
Net assets
Net assets represent the total value of all the assets in a fund's portfolio, less any liabilities, that are attributable
to that class of the fund.
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
The expense ratio is the percentage of net assets that a fund pays annually for operating expenses and management fees. These
expenses include accounting and administration expenses, services for shareholders, and similar expenses.
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets
We determine this ratio by dividing net investment income (loss) by average net assets.
Portfolio turnover
This figure tells you the amount of trading activity in a fund's portfolio. A turnover rate of 100% would occur if, for example,
a fund bought and sold all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of a year or frequently traded a single security.
A high rate of portfolio turnover in any year may increase brokerage commissions paid and could generate taxes for shareholders
on realized investment gains.
Additional information
Contact information
-
Web site: www.delawareinvestments.com
-
E-mail: service@delinvest.com
-
Shareholder Service Center: 800 523-1918
Call the Shareholder Service Center weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time:
-
For fund information, literature, price, yield, and performance figures.
-
For information on existing regular investment accounts and retirement plan accounts including wire investments, wire redemptions,
telephone redemptions, and telephone exchanges.
-
Delaphone Service: 800 362-FUND (800 362-3863)
For convenient access to account information or current performance information on all Delaware Investments® Funds seven days a week, 24 hours a day, use this touch-tone service.
-
Written correspondence: P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 or
430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407.
Additional information about the Fund's investments is available in its annual and semiannual shareholder reports. In the Fund's annual shareholder report, you will find a discussion
of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the period covered
by the report. You can find more information about the Fund in its current SAI, which is filed electronically with the SEC,
and which is legally a part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). To receive a free copy of the SAI, or the
annual or semiannual report, or if you have any questions about investing in the Fund, write to us at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 by overnight courier service, or call toll-free 800 523-1918. The SAI and shareholder reports are available, free of charge, through the Fund's Web site (www.delawareinvestments.com).
You may also obtain additional information about the Fund from your financial advisor. You can find reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR database on the SEC Web site (www.sec.gov). You can
get copies of this information, after paying a duplication fee, by e-mailing the SEC at publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing to
the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-1520. Information about the Fund, including its SAI, can be reviewed and copied at
the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. For information on the Public Reference Room, call the SEC at 202 551-8090. PR-022 [12/09] DG3 15064 [4/10] Investment Company Act number: 811-03363 |
Prospectus
Fixed income
April 30, 2010
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
|
CUSIP
|
Nasdaq
|
Institutional Class
|
245912506
|
DTINX
|
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of
this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Get shareholder reports and prospectuses online instead of in the mail.
Visit www.delawareinvestments.com/edelivery.
Fund summary
What is the Fund's investment objective?
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund seeks maximum total return, consistent with reasonable risk.
What are the Fund's fees and expenses?
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment) |
Class |
Institutional |
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price |
none |
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever
is lower |
none |
Exchange fees1 |
none |
Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) |
Class |
Institutional |
Management fees |
0.49% |
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees |
none |
Other expenses |
0.25% |
Total annual fund operating expenses |
0.74% |
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements2 |
(0.04%) |
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursement |
0.70% |
1
|
Exchanges are subject to the requirements of each Delaware Investments® Fund. A front-end sales charge may apply if you exchange your shares into a fund that has a front-end sales charge.
|
2
|
The Fund's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), is contractually waiving its investment advisory fees
and/or paying expenses (excluding any 12b-1 plan and certain other expenses) to the extent necessary to prevent total annual
fund operating expenses from exceeding 0.70% of the Fund's average daily net assets from April 30, 2010 through April 30,
2011. These waivers and reimbursements may be terminated only by agreement of the Manager and the Fund.
|
Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual
funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your
shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the
Manager's expense waivers and reimbursements for the one-year contractual period and the total operating expenses without
waivers for years 2 through 10. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would
be:
Class |
Institutional |
1 year |
$72 |
3 years |
$233 |
5 years |
$408 |
10 years |
$915 |
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 higher taxes when Fund shares are held
in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the
Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 287% of the average value of
its portfolio.
What are the Fund's principal investment strategies?
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment grade fixed income securities,
including, but not limited to, fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
and by U.S. corporations. Investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated at least BBB by Standard & Poor's
(S&P) or Fitch, Inc. (Fitch), Baa3 by Moody's Investors Service (Moody's), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized
statistical rating organization (NRSRO). The Fund will maintain an average effective duration from one to three years. The
Fund's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager or we), will determine how much of the Fund's assets to allocate
among the different types of fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest based on our evaluation of economic and
market conditions and our assessment of the returns and potential for appreciation that can be achieved from various sectors
of the fixed income market.
The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of U.S.
companies and, subject to the limitations described below, non-U.S. companies. The Fund may also invest in a variety of securities
which are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government, and by various agencies
or instrumentalities which have been established or are sponsored by the U.S. government, and, subject to the limitations
described below, securities issued by foreign governments.
Additionally, the Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies
or instrumentalities, government-sponsored corporations, and mortgage-backed securities issued by certain private, nongovernment
entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card
loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or "junk" bonds).
In general, the below-investment-grade securities that the Fund may purchase in this sector will generally be rated BB or
lower by S&P or Fitch, Ba or lower by Moody's, or similarly rated by another NRSRO.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities
of issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund's total non-U.S. dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate,
to no more than 10% of net assets.
What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?
Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value
of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund's
portfolio. Principal risks include:
Risk
|
Definition
|
Market risk
|
The risk that securities or industries in a certain market—like the stock or bond market—will decline in value because of
economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence.
|
Interest rate risk
|
The risk that securities, particularly bonds with longer maturities, will decrease in value if interest rates rise.
|
Credit risk
|
The risk that a bond's issuer will be unable to make timely payments of interest and principal.
|
High yield risk
|
The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as "junk bonds", are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers; increased
risk of default and a more limited and less liquid secondary market than higher rated securities; and greater price volatility
and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher rated securities.
|
Prepayment risk
|
The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a portfolio will be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest
rates are lower than what that bond was paying. A portfolio may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
|
Liquidity risk
|
The possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which a fund has valued
them, which may prevent the Manager from disposing of securities at a favorable time or price during periods of infrequent
trading of such securities.
|
Derivatives risk
|
Derivatives may involve additional expenses and are subject to the risk that a security or a securities index to which the
derivative is associated moves in the opposite direction from what the portfolio manager had anticipated. Another risk of
derivative transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty because the transactions rely upon the counterparty's
ability to fulfill its contractual obligations.
|
Foreign risk
|
The risk that foreign securities (particularly in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes
in currency exchange rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; or inadequate or
different regulatory and accounting standards.
|
Bank loans and other direct indebtedness risk
|
The risk that the portfolio will not receive payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these
investments and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and the lending institution.
|
Valuation risk
|
The risk that a less liquid secondary market may make it more difficult for a fund to obtain precise valuations of certain
securities in its portfolio.
|
How has Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund performed?
The bar chart and table below can help you evaluate the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the annual
return for the Fund's Institutional Class shares have varied over the past calendar year. The table shows the Fund's average
annual total returns for certain time periods compared to the returns of a broad-based securities index. The Fund's past performance
(before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The returns reflect expense
caps in effect during these periods. The returns would be lower without the expense caps. You may obtain the Fund's most recently
available month-end performance by calling 800 523-1918 or by visiting our web site at www.delawareinvestments.com/performance.
Effective November 30, 2007, the Fund's investment objective, strategies, and policies were changed to permit the Fund to
invest in a diversified portfolio of limited-term fixed income securities. These changes allowed the Fund to invest in a broader
range of fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities, foreign government securities, and corporate and high
yield securities of domestic and foreign issuers.
Year-by-year total return (Institutional Class)
During the periods illustrated in this bar chart, the Institutional Class' highest quarterly return was 4.80% for the quarter
ended June 30, 2009 and its lowest quarterly return was -1.29% for the quarter ended June 30, 2004.
Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2009
|
1 year |
5 years |
10 years |
Return before taxes |
12.93% |
5.45% |
5.62% |
Return after taxes on distributions |
11.34% |
3.84% |
3.80% |
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares |
8.36% |
3.69% |
3.70% |
Barclays Capital 1–3 Year Government/Credit Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
3.82% |
4.32% |
4.86% |
The after-tax returns for other Fund classes may vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's individual tax situation
and may differ from the returns shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles
such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The after-tax returns shown are calculated
using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the Fund's lifetime and do not reflect the
impact of state and local taxes.
Who manages the Fund?
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company
Portfolio managers
|
Title with Delaware Management Company
|
Start date on the Fund
|
Paul Grillo, CFA
|
Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer–Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
|
February 1999
|
Roger A. Early, CPA, CFA, CFP
|
Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer–Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
|
May 2007
|
Purchase and redemption of Fund shares
You may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for business (Business
Day). Shares may be purchased or redeemed: through your financial advisor; by regular mail (c/o Delaware Investments, P.O.
Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691); by overnight courier service (c/o Delaware Service Center, 430 W. 7th Street,
Kansas City, MO 64105); by telephone to your Client Services Representative at 800 362-7500 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Eastern time; by telephone to our automated telephone service at 800 362-3863 at any time; through our web site at www.delawareinvestments.com;
or by wire.
There is no minimum initial purchase requirement for Institutional Class shares, but Institutional Class shares are available
for purchase only by the following: (1) retirement plans introduced by persons not associated with brokers or dealers that
are primarily engaged in the retail securities business and rollover IRAs from such plans; (2) tax-exempt employee benefit
plans of the Fund's Manager or its affiliates and of securities dealer firms with a selling agreement with Delaware Distributors,
L.P. (Distributor); (3) institutional advisory clients (including mutual funds) of the Manager or its affiliates, as well
as those clients' affiliates, and their corporate sponsors, subsidiaries, related employee benefit plans, and rollover IRAs
of, or from, such institutional advisory accounts; (4) a bank, trust company, or similar financial institution investing for
its own account or for the account of its trust customers for whom the financial institution is exercising investment discretion
in purchasing shares of the Class, except where the investment is part of a program that requires payment to the financial
institution of a Rule 12b-1 Plan fee; (5) registered investment advisors (RIAs) investing on behalf of clients that consist
solely of institutions and high net worth individuals having at least $1 million entrusted to an RIA for investment purposes
(use of the Institutional Class shares is restricted to RIAs who are not affiliated or associated with a broker or dealer
and who derive compensation for their services exclusively from their advisory clients); (6) certain plans qualified under
Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Code), for which the Fund's Manager, Distributor, or service
agent, or one or more of their affiliates provide recordkeeping, administrative, investment management, marketing, distribution,
or similar services; (7) programs sponsored by financial intermediaries where: (a) such programs allow or require the purchase
of Institutional Class shares, (b) the financial intermediary has entered into an agreement covering the arrangement with
the Distributor and/or the Fund's transfer agent, and (c) the financial intermediary (i) charges clients an ongoing fee for
advisory, investment consulting or similar service, or (ii) offers the Institutional Class shares through a no-commission
network or platform; or (8) private investment vehicles, including, but not limited to, foundations and endowments.
Tax information
The Fund's distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income, capital gains, or some combination of
both, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
Payments to broker/dealers and other
financial intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker/dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and
its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create
a conflict of interest by influencing the broker/dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over
another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's web site for more information.
How we manage the Fund
We take a disciplined approach to investing, combining investment strategies and risk management techniques that we believe
can help shareholders meet their goals.
Our investment strategies
We analyze economic and market conditions, seeking to identify the securities or market sectors that we believe are the best
investments for the Fund. Securities in which the Fund may invest include, but are not limited to, the following:
-
Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, such as U.S. Treasurys;
-
Securities issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, such as securities of the Government National Mortgage
Association (GNMA);
-
Investment grade and below-investment-grade corporate bonds;
-
Nonagency mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), collateralized
mortgage obligations (CMOs), and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs);
-
Securities of foreign issuers in both developed and emerging markets, denominated in foreign currencies and U.S. dollars;
-
Loan participations; and
-
Short-term investments.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in investment grade fixed income securities.
The Fund may invest in debt obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and
by U.S. corporations. The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial
paper of U.S. companies. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund may invest include a variety of securities which
are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities
which have been established or are sponsored by the U.S. government.
The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
or by government-sponsored corporations. Other mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest are issued by certain
private, nongovernment entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home
equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans,
and leases.
The Fund maintains an average effective duration of one to three years.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or "junk"
bonds). The Fund may invest in domestic corporate debt obligations, including notes, which may be convertible or nonconvertible,
commercial paper, units consisting of bonds with stock or warrants to buy stock attached, debentures and convertible debentures.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated bonds. Unrated bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated bonds.
The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities
of issuers located in emerging markets. The Manager will limit non-U.S.-dollar-denominated securities to no more than 20%
of net assets. The Fund's total non-U.S.-dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of
net assets. These fixed income securities may include foreign government securities, debt obligations of foreign companies,
and securities issued by supranational entities. A supranational entity is an entity established or financially supported
by the national governments of one or more countries to promote reconstruction or development. Examples of supranational entities
include, among others, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (more commonly known as the World Bank),
the European Economic Community, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.
The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American depositary receipts, European depositary receipts, or global depositary
receipts. The Fund may also invest in zero coupon bonds and may purchase shares of other investment companies.
The Fund will invest in both rated and unrated foreign securities.
The Fund may invest in securities issued in any currency and may hold foreign currencies. Securities of issuers within a given
country may be denominated in the currency of another country or in multinational currency units, such as the euro. The Fund
may, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage in forward foreign currency transactions in order
to expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value fluctuations.
The Fund's investment objective is nonfundamental. This means that the Board may change the Fund's objective without obtaining
shareholder approval. If the objective were changed, we would notify shareholders at least 60 days before the change in the
objective became effective.
The securities in which the Fund typically invests
Fixed income securities offer the potential for greater income payments than stocks, and also may provide capital appreciation.
Please see the Fund's Statement of Additional Information (SAI) for additional information about certain of the securities
described below as well as other securities in which the Fund may invest.
Direct U.S. Treasury obligations
Direct U.S. Treasury obligations include Treasury bills, notes, and bonds of varying maturities. U.S. Treasury securities
are backed by the "full faith and credit" of the United States.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest without limit in U.S. Treasury securities, although they are typically not the Fund's largest holding
because they generally do not offer as high a level of current income as other fixed income securities.
Mortgage-backed securities
Mortgage-backed securities are fixed income securities that represent pools of mortgages, with investors receiving principal
and interest payments as the underlying mortgage loans are paid back. Many are issued and guaranteed against default by the
U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Fannie Mae, and
the Government National Mortgage Association. Others are issued by private financial institutions, with some fully collateralized
by certificates issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
How the Fund uses them: There is no limit on government-related mortgage-backed securities.
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities
or by government-sponsored corporations.
The Fund may also invest in mortgage-backed securities that are secured by the underlying collateral of the private issuer.
Such securities are not government securities and are not directly guaranteed by the U.S. government in any way. These include
CMOs, REMICs, and CMBS.
Asset-backed securities
Asset-backed securities are bonds or notes backed by accounts receivable, including home equity, automobile, or credit loans.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities rated in one of the four highest rating categories by an NRSRO.
Corporate bonds
Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by a corporation.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in corporate bonds.
High yield corporate bonds (junk bonds)
High yield corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by a corporation and rated lower than investment grade by an NRSRO
such as S&P or Moody's. High yield bonds, also known as "junk bonds," are issued by corporations that have lower credit quality
and may have difficulty repaying principal and interest.
How the Fund uses them: Emphasis is typically on those rated BB or Ba by an NRSRO. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its total assets in below-investment-grade
securities.
We carefully evaluate an individual company's financial situation, its management, the prospects for its industry, and the
technical factors related to its bond offering. Our goal is to identify those companies that we believe will be able to repay
their debt obligations in spite of poor ratings. We may invest in unrated bonds if we believe their credit quality is comparable
to the rated bonds we are permitted to invest in. Unrated bonds may be more speculative in nature than rated bonds.
Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs) and real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs)
CMOs are privately issued mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is the mortgages that are collected into different
pools according to their maturity. They are issued by U.S. government agencies and private issuers. REMICs are privately issued
mortgage-backed bonds whose underlying value is a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. Like CMOs,
REMICs offer different pools.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in CMOs and REMICs. Certain CMOs and REMICs may have variable or floating interest rates and others may
be stripped. Stripped mortgage securities are generally considered illiquid and to such extent, together with any other illiquid
investments, will not exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets, which is the Fund's limit on investments in illiquid securities.
In addition, subject to certain quality and collateral limitations, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in CMOs
and REMICs issued by private entities that are not collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government,
its agencies, or instrumentalities, so called "nonagency" mortgage-backed securities.
Short-term debt instruments
These instruments include: (1) time deposits, certificates of deposit, and bankers acceptances issued by a U.S. commercial
bank; (2) commercial paper of the highest quality rating; (3) short-term debt obligations with the highest quality rating;
(4) U.S. government securities; and (5) repurchase agreements collateralized by the instruments described in (1)-(4) above.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in these instruments either as a means of achieving its investment objective or, more commonly, as temporary
defensive investments or pending investment in the Fund's principal investment securities. When investing all or a significant
portion of the Fund's assets in these instruments, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
Foreign securities
Debt issued by a non-U.S. company or a government other than the United States or by an agency, instrumentality, or political
subdivision of such government.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest up to 20% of its total assets in securities of foreign companies or governments.
Forward foreign currency transactions
A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency on a fixed future
date at a price that is set at the time of the contract. The future date may be any number of days from the date of the contract
as agreed by the parties involved.
How the Fund uses them: Although we value the Fund's assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, we do not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies
into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. We may, however, from time to time, purchase or sell foreign currencies and/or engage
in forward foreign currency transactions in order to expedite settlement of Fund transactions and to minimize currency value
fluctuations.
Bank loans
Bank loans represent an interest in a loan or other direct indebtedness, such as an assignment, that entitles the acquiring
of such interest to payments of interest, principal and/or other amounts due under the structure of the loan or other direct
indebtedness. In addition to being structured as secured or unsecured loans, such investments could be structured as novations
or assignments or represent trade or other claims owed by a company to a supplier.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest without restriction in bank loans that meet the Manager's credit standards. We perform our own independent
credit analysis on each borrower and on the collateral securing each loan. We consider the nature of the industry in which
the borrower operates, the nature of the borrower's assets, and the general quality and creditworthiness of the borrower.
The Fund may invest in bank loans in order to enhance total return, to affect diversification, or to earn additional income.
We will not use bank loans for reasons inconsistent with the Fund's investment objective.
Repurchase agreements
A repurchase agreement is an agreement between a buyer of securities, such as a fund, and a seller of securities, in which
the seller agrees to buy the securities back within a specified time at the same price the buyer paid for them, plus an amount
equal to an agreed-upon interest rate. Repurchase agreements are often viewed as equivalent to cash.
How the Fund uses them: Typically, the Fund may use repurchase agreements as short-term investments for the Fund's cash position. In order to enter
into these repurchase agreements, the Fund must have collateral of at least 102% of the repurchase price. The Fund will only
enter into repurchase agreements in which the collateral is U.S. government securities. In the Manager's discretion, the Fund
may invest overnight cash balances in short-term discount notes issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies
or instrumentalities, or government-sponsored enterprises.
Futures and options
Futures contracts are agreements for the purchase or sale of a security or a group of securities at a specified price, on
a specified date. Unlike purchasing an option, a futures contract must be executed unless it is sold before the settlement
date.
Options represent a right to buy or sell a security or a group of securities at an agreed upon price at a future date. The
purchaser of an option may or may not choose to go through with the transaction. The seller of an option, however, must go
through with the transaction if its purchaser exercises the option.
Certain options and futures may be considered derivative securities.
How the Fund uses them:
At times when we anticipate adverse conditions, we may want to protect gains on securities without actually selling them.
We might use options or futures to neutralize the effect of any price declines, without selling a bond or bonds, or as a hedge
against changes in interest rates. We may also sell an option contract (often referred to as "writing" an option) to earn
additional income for the Fund.
Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of the Fund and can lead to loss of principal.
The Fund has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange
Act (CEA) and, therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the CEA.
Restricted securities
Restricted securities are privately placed securities whose resale is restricted under U.S. securities laws.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in privately placed securities, including those that are eligible for resale only among certain institutional
buyers without registration, which are commonly known as "Rule 144A Securities." Restricted securities that are determined
to be illiquid may not exceed the Fund's limit on investments in illiquid securities.
Illiquid securities
Illiquid securities are securities that do not have a ready market and cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately
the price at which a fund has valued them.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
Interest rate swap, index swap, and credit default swap agreements
In an interest rate swap, a fund receives payments from another party based on a variable or floating interest rate, in return
for making payments based on a fixed interest rate. An interest rate swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving payments
based on a fixed interest rate and making payments based on a variable or floating interest rate.
In an index swap, a fund receives gains or incurs losses based on the total return of a specified index, in exchange for making
interest payments to another party. An index swap can also work in reverse with a fund receiving interest payments from another
party in exchange for movements in the total return of a specified index.
In a credit default swap, a fund may transfer the financial risk of a credit event occurring (a bond default, bankruptcy,
or restructuring, for example) on a particular security or basket of securities to another party by paying that party a periodic
premium; likewise, a fund may assume the financial risk of a credit event occurring on a particular security or basket of
securities in exchange for receiving premium payments from another party.
Interest rate swaps, index swaps, and credit default swaps may be considered illiquid.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may use interest rate swaps to adjust its sensitivity to interest rates or to hedge against changes in interest
rates. Index swaps may be used to gain exposure to markets that the Fund invests in, such as the corporate bond market. The
Fund may also use index swaps as a substitute for futures or options contracts if such contracts are not directly available
to the Fund on favorable terms. The Fund may enter into credit default swaps in order to hedge against a credit event, to
enhance total return, or to gain exposure to certain securities or markets.
Use of these strategies can increase the operating costs of the Fund and lead to loss of principal.
Time deposits
Time deposits are nonnegotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution for a specified period of time at a stated interest
rate.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund will not purchase time deposits maturing in more than seven days and time deposits maturing from two business days
through seven calendar days will not exceed 15% of the Fund's total assets.
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind bonds
Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations which do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity
or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest, and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from
their face amounts or par value. Pay-in-kind (PIK) bonds pay interest through the issuance to holders of additional securities.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may purchase fixed income securities, including zero coupon bonds and PIK bonds consistent with its investment objective.
American depositary receipts (ADRs), European depositary receipts (EDRs), and global depositary receipts (GDRs)
ADRs are receipts issued by a U.S. depositary (usually a U.S. bank) and EDRs and GDRs are receipts issued by a depositary
outside of the U.S. (usually a non-U.S. bank or trust company or a foreign branch of a U.S. bank). Depositary receipts represent
an ownership interest in an underlying security that is held by the depositary. Generally, the underlying security represented
by an ADR is issued by a foreign issuer and the underlying security represented by an EDR or GDR may be issued by a foreign
or U.S. issuer. Sponsored depositary receipts are issued jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and the depositary,
and unsponsored depositary receipts are issued by the depositary without the participation of the issuer of the underlying
security. Generally, the holder of the depositary receipt is entitled to all payments of interest, dividends, or capital gains
that are made on the underlying security.
How the Fund uses them: The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored ADRs. The Fund will typically invest in ADRs that are actively traded in
the United States.
In conjunction with the Fund's investments in foreign securities, it may also invest in sponsored and unsponsored EDRs and
GDRs.
Other investment strategies
The Fund may also invest in other securities, including certificates of deposit and obligations of both U.S. and foreign banks,
corporate debt, and commercial paper.
Borrowing from banks
The Fund may borrow money from banks as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes or to facilitate redemptions.
The Fund will be required to pay interest to the lending banks on the amounts borrowed. As a result, borrowing money could
result in the Fund being unable to meet its investment objective.
Lending securities
The Fund may lend up to 25% of its assets to qualified broker/dealers or institutional investors for their use in securities
transactions. Borrowers of the Fund's securities must provide collateral to the Fund and adjust the amount of collateral each
day to reflect changes in the value of the loaned securities. These transactions may generate additional income for the Fund.
Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis
The Fund may buy or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis; that is, paying for securities before delivery
or taking delivery at a later date. We will designate cash or securities in amounts sufficient to cover the Fund's obligations,
and will value the designated assets daily.
The risks of investing in the Fund
Investing in any mutual fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment,
and the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Before you invest in the Fund, you should carefully evaluate
the risks. Because of the nature of the Fund, you should consider your investment to be a long-term investment that typically
provides the best results when held for a number of years. The table below describes the principal risks you assume when investing
in the Fund. Please see the SAI for a further discussion of these risks and other risks not discussed here.
Market risk
Market risk is the risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market — like the stock or bond market — will
decline in value because of economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence.
Index swaps are subject to the same market risks as the investment market or sector that the index represents. Depending on
the actual movements of the index and how well the portfolio manager forecasts those movements, a fund could experience a
higher or lower return than anticipated.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We maintain a long-term investment approach and focus on securities that we believe can continue to provide returns over
an extended time frame regardless of interim market fluctuations. Generally, we do not try to predict overall market movements.
In evaluating the use of an index swap for the Fund, we carefully consider how market changes could affect the swap and how
that compares to our investing directly in the market the swap is intended to represent. When selecting dealers with whom
we would make interest rate or index swap agreements for the Fund, we focus on those dealers with high-quality ratings and
do careful credit analysis before engaging in the transaction.
Industry and security risks
Industry risk is the risk that the value of securities in a particular industry (such as financial services or manufacturing)
will decline because of changing expectations for the performance of that industry.
Security risk is the risk that the value of an individual stock or bond will decline because of changing expectations for
the performance of the individual company issuing the stock or bond (due to situations that could range from decreased sales
to events such as a pending merger or actual or threatened bankruptcy).
How the Fund strives to manage them: We limit the amount of the Fund's assets invested in any one industry and in any individual security or issuer. We also follow
a rigorous selection process when choosing securities for the portfolio.
Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the risk that securities will decrease in value if interest rates rise. The risk is greater for bonds
with longer maturities than for those with shorter maturities. Investments in equity securities issued by small- and medium-size
companies, which often borrow money to finance operations, may also be adversely affected by rising interest rates.
Swaps may be particularly sensitive to interest rate changes. Depending on the actual movements of interest rates and how
well the portfolio manager anticipates them, a fund could experience a higher or lower return than anticipated.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund will not invest in swaps with maturities of more than 10 years. Each business day (as defined below), we will calculate
the amount the Fund must pay for swaps it holds and will segregate enough cash or other liquid securities to cover that amount.
Credit risk
Credit risk is the possibility that a bond's issuer (or an entity that insures the bond) will be unable to make timely payments
of interest and principal. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating may affect a security's
value, which would impact a fund's performance.
Investing in so-called "junk" or "high yield" bonds entails the risk of principal loss, which may be greater than the risk
involved in investment grade bonds. High yield bonds are sometimes issued by companies whose earnings at the time the bond
is issued are less than the projected debt payments on the bonds.
A protracted economic downturn may severely disrupt the market for high yield bonds, adversely affect the value of outstanding
bonds and adversely affect the ability of high yield issuers to repay principal and interest.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund strives to minimize credit risk by investing primarily in higher quality, investment grade corporate bonds.
Any portion of a Fund that is invested in high yielding, lower-quality corporate bonds is subject to greater credit risk.
The Manager strives to manage that risk through careful bond selection, by limiting the percentage of the Fund that can be
invested in lower-quality bonds, and by maintaining a diversified portfolio of bonds representing a variety of industries
and issuers.
Prepayment risk
Prepayment risk is the risk that homeowners will prepay mortgages during periods of low interest rates, forcing a fund to
reinvest its money at interest rates that might be lower than those on the prepaid mortgage. Prepayment risk may also affect
other types of debt securities, but generally to a lesser extent than mortgage securities.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We take into consideration the likelihood of prepayment when we select mortgages. We may look for mortgage securities that
have characteristics that make them less likely to be prepaid, such as low outstanding loan balances or below-market interest
rates.
Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which
a fund has valued them. Illiquid securities may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may be subject
to wide fluctuations in market value. A fund also may not be able to dispose of illiquid securities at a favorable time or
price during periods of infrequent trading of an illiquid security.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund limits exposure to illiquid securities to no more than 15% of its net assets.
Derivatives risk
Derivatives risk is the possibility that a fund may experience a significant loss if it employs a derivatives strategy (including
a strategy involving swaps such as interest rate swaps, index swaps, and credit default swaps) related to a security or a
securities index and that security or index moves in the opposite direction from what the fund manager had anticipated. Another
risk of derivative transactions is the creditworthiness of the counterparty because the transaction depends on the willingness
and ability of the counterparty to fulfill its contractual obligations. Derivatives also involve additional expenses, which
could reduce any benefit or increase any loss to a fund from using the strategy.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We will use derivatives for defensive purposes, such as to protect gains or hedge against potential losses in the portfolio
without actually selling a security, to neutralize the impact of interest rate changes, to increase diversification, or to
earn additional income.
Currency risk
Currency risk is the risk that the value of a fund's investments may be negatively affected by changes in foreign currency
exchange rates. Adverse changes in exchange rates may reduce or eliminate any gains produced by investments that are denominated
in foreign currencies and may increase any losses.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund, which has exposure to global and international investments, may be affected by changes in currency rates and exchange
control regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversions between currencies. To hedge this currency risk associated
with investments in non-U.S.-dollar-denominated securities, we may invest in forward foreign currency contracts. These activities
pose special risks which do not typically arise in connection with investments in U.S. securities. In addition, we may engage
in foreign currency options and futures transactions.
Foreign risk
Foreign risk is the risk that foreign securities may be adversely affected by political instability, changes in currency exchange
rates, foreign economic or government conditions, increased transaction costs, or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We attempt to reduce the risks presented by such investments by conducting world-wide fundamental research, including country
visits. In addition, we monitor current economic and market conditions and trends, the political and regulatory environment,
and the value of currencies in different countries in an effort to identify the most attractive countries and securities.
Additionally, when currencies appear significantly overvalued compared to average real exchange rates, we may hedge exposure
to those currencies for defensive purposes.
Emerging markets risk
Emerging markets risk is the possibility that the risks associated with international investing will be greater in emerging
markets than in more developed foreign markets because, among other things, emerging markets may have less stable political
and economic environments. In addition, in many emerging markets there is substantially less publicly available information
about issuers and the information that is available tends to be of a lesser quality. Economic markets and structures tend
to be less mature and diverse and the securities markets, which are subject to less government regulation or supervision,
may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. We cannot eliminate these
risks but will attempt to reduce these risks through portfolio diversification, credit analysis, and attention to trends in
the economy, industries and financial markets, and other relevant factors. The Fund will limit investments in emerging markets,
in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of its net assets.
Foreign government securities risk
Foreign government securities risk involves the ability of a foreign government or government-related issuer to make timely
principal and interest payments on its external debt obligations. This ability to make payments will be strongly influenced
by the issuer's balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credits and investments, fluctuations
in interest rates, and the extent of its foreign reserves.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund attempts to reduce the risks associated with investing in foreign governments by limiting the portion of its assets
that may be invested in such securities. The Fund will not invest more than 20% of its net assets in foreign securities.
Government and regulatory risks
Governments or regulatory authorities have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect various
sectors of the securities markets. Government involvement in the private sector may, in some cases, include government investment
in, or ownership of, companies in certain commercial business sectors; wage and price controls; or imposition of trade barriers
and other protectionist measures. For example, an economic or political crisis may lead to price controls, forced mergers
of companies, expropriation, the creation of government monopolies, or other measures that could be detrimental to the investments
of a fund.
How the Fund strives to manage them: We evaluate the economic and political climate in the U.S. before selecting securities for the Fund. We typically diversify
the Fund's assets among a number of different securities in a variety of sectors in order to minimize the impact to the Fund
of any legislative or regulatory development affecting particular issuers, or market sectors.
Bank loans and other direct indebtedness risk
The risk that a fund will not receive payment of principal, interest and other amounts due in connection with these investments
and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. Loans that are fully secured offer a fund more protection
than an unsecured loan in the event of nonpayment of scheduled interest or principal, although there is no assurance that
the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral
can be liquidated. Some loans or claims may be in default at the time of purchase. Certain of the loans and the other direct
indebtedness acquired by a fund may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing commitments which obligate
a fund to pay additional cash on a certain date or on demand. These commitments may require a fund to increase its investment
in a company at a time when that fund might not otherwise decide to do so (including at a time when the company's financial
condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that a fund is committed to advance additional
funds, it will at all times hold and maintain cash or other high-grade debt obligations in an amount sufficient to meet such
commitments.
As a fund may be required to rely upon another lending institution to collect and pass onto the fund amounts payable with
respect to the loan and to enforce the fund's rights under the loan and other direct indebtedness, an insolvency, bankruptcy
or reorganization of the lending institution may delay or prevent the fund from receiving such amounts. The highly leveraged
nature of many such loans and other direct indebtedness may make such loans and other direct indebtedness especially vulnerable
to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Investments in such loans and other direct indebtedness may involve additional
risk to the fund.
How the Fund strives to manage it: These risks may not be completely eliminated, but we will attempt to reduce them through portfolio diversification, credit
analysis, and attention to trends in the economy, industries, and financial markets. Should we determine that any of these
securities may be illiquid, these would be subject to the Fund's restriction on illiquid securities.
Counterparty risk
If a fund enters into a derivative contract (such as a swap, futures, or options contract) or a repurchase agreement, it
will be subject to the risk that the counterparty to such a contract or agreement may fail to perform its obligations under
the contract or agreement due to financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization). As a result, the fund may
experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery, may only obtain a limited recovery, or may obtain no recovery at
all.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund tries to minimize this risk by considering the creditworthiness of all parties before it enters into transactions
with them. The Fund will hold collateral from counterparties consistent with applicable regulations.
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind bonds
Zero coupon and pay-in-kind (PIK) bonds are generally considered to be more interest sensitive than income-bearing bonds,
to be more speculative than interest-bearing bonds, and to have certain tax consequences which could, under certain circumstances,
be adverse to the Fund. For example, the Fund accrues, and is required to distribute to shareholders, income on its zero coupon
bonds. However, the Fund may not receive the cash associated with this income until the bonds are sold or mature. If the Fund
does not have sufficient cash to make the required distribution of accrued income, the Fund could be required to sell other
securities in its portfolio or to borrow to generate the cash required.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund may invest in zero coupon and PIK bonds to the extent consistent with its investment objective. We cannot eliminate
the risks of zero coupon bonds, but we do try to address them by monitoring economic conditions, especially interest rate
trends and their potential impact on the Fund.
Valuation risk
A less liquid secondary market as described above can make it more difficult to obtain precise valuations of the high yield
securities in its portfolio. During periods of reduced liquidity, judgment plays a greater role in valuing high yield securities.
How the Fund strives to manage it: We will strive to manage this risk by carefully evaluating individual bonds and by limiting the amount of the Fund's assets
that can be allocated to privately placed high yield securities.
High yield corporate bond risk
High yield corporate bonds (commonly known as junk bonds), while generally having higher yields, are subject to reduced creditworthiness
of issuers, increased risks of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market than higher-rated securities.
These securities are subject to greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher rated securities.
Lower rated and unrated fixed income securities tend to reflect short-term corporate and market developments to a greater
extent than higher rated fixed income securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates.
Fixed income securities of this type are considered to be of poor standing and primarily speculative. Such securities are
subject to a substantial degree of credit risk.
How the Fund strives to manage it: The Fund limits investments in high yield corporate bonds to 20% of its net assets. The Manager also attempt to reduce the
risk associated with investment in high yield debt securities through portfolio diversification, credit analysis, and attention
to trends in the economy, industries, and financial markets.
Disclosure of portfolio holdings information
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available
in the SAI.
Who manages the Fund
Investment manager
Delaware Management Company (Manager) is a series of Delaware Management Business Trust, which is a subsidiary of Delaware
Management Holdings, Inc. (DMHI). DMHI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Group Ltd. The Manager makes investment decisions
for the Fund, manages the Fund's business affairs, and provides daily administrative services. For its services to the Fund,
the Manager was paid aggregate fees, net of fee waivers, of 0.44% of the Fund's average daily net assets during the last fiscal
year.
A discussion of the basis for the Board's approval of the Fund's investment advisory contract is available in the Fund's annual
report to shareholders for the period ended December 31, 2009.
Portfolio managers
Paul Grillo and Roger Early have day-to-day responsibilities for making investment decisions for the Fund.
Paul Grillo, CFA,Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer — Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
Paul Grillo
is a member of the firm's taxable fixed income portfolio management team with primary responsibility for portfolio
construction and strategic asset allocation. He is also a member of the firm's asset allocation committee, which is responsible
for building and managing multi-asset class portfolios. He joined Delaware Investments in 1992 as a mortgage-backed and asset-backed
securities analyst, assuming portfolio management responsibilities in the mid-1990s. Grillo serves as co-lead portfolio manager
for the firm's Diversified Income products and has been influential in the growth and distribution of the firm's multisector
strategies. Prior to joining Delaware Investments, Grillo served as a mortgage strategist and trader at Dreyfus Corporation.
He also worked as a mortgage strategist and portfolio manager at Chemical Investment Group and as a financial analyst at Chemical
Bank. Grillo holds a bachelor's degree in business management from North Carolina State University and an MBA with a concentration
in finance from Pace University.
Roger A. Early, CPA, CFA, CFP,Senior Vice President, Co-Chief Investment Officer — Total Return Fixed Income Strategy
Roger A. Early rejoined Delaware Investments in March 2007 as a member of the firm's taxable fixed income portfolio management
team, with primary responsibility for portfolio construction and strategic asset allocation. During his previous time at the
firm, from 1994 to 2001, he was a senior portfolio manager in the same area, and he left Delaware Investments as head of its
U.S. investment grade fixed income group. In recent years, Early was a senior portfolio manager at Chartwell Investment Partners
and Rittenhouse Financial and served as the chief investment officer for fixed income at Turner Investments. Prior to joining
Delaware Investments in 1994, he worked for more than 10 years at Federated Investors where he managed more than $25 billion
in mutual fund and institutional portfolios in the short-term and investment grade markets. He left the firm as head of institutional
fixed income management. Earlier in his career, he held management positions with the Federal Reserve Bank, PNC Financial,
Touche Ross, and Rockwell International. Early earned his bachelor's degree in economics from The Wharton School of the University
of Pennsylvania and an MBA with concentrations in finance and accounting from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member
of the CFA Society of Philadelphia.
The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio
managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of Fund shares.
Manager of managers structure
The Fund and the Manager have received an exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to operate
under a manager of managers structure that permits the Manager, with the approval of the Board, to appoint and replace sub-advisors,
enter into sub-advisory agreements, and materially amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements on behalf of the Fund without
shareholder approval (Manager of Managers Structure). Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the Manager has ultimate responsibility,
subject to oversight by the Fund's Board, for overseeing the Fund's sub-advisors and recommending to the Board their hiring,
termination, or replacement. The SEC order does not apply to any sub-advisor that is affiliated with the Fund or the Manager.
While the Manager does not currently expect to use the Manager of Managers Structure with respect to the Fund, the Manager
may, in the future, recommend to the Fund's Board the establishment of the Manager of Managers Structure by recommending the
hiring of one or more sub-advisors to manage all or a portion of the Fund's portfolio.
The Manager of Managers Structure enables the Fund to operate with greater efficiency and without incurring the expense and
delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to sub-advisors or sub-advisory agreements. The
Manager of Managers Structure does not permit an increase in the overall management and advisory fees payable by the Fund
without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any changes made to sub-advisors or sub-advisory agreements
within 90 days of the changes.
Who's who
Board of trustees: A mutual fund is governed by a board of trustees, which has oversight responsibility for the management of the fund's business
affairs. Trustees establish procedures and oversee and review the performance of the fund's service providers. The Fund relies
on certain exemptive rules adopted by the SEC that require the board of trustees to be composed of a majority of trustees
independent of a fund's investment manager and distributor.
Investment manager: An investment manager is a company responsible for selecting portfolio investments consistent with the objective and policies
stated in the mutual fund's prospectus. A written contract between a mutual fund and its investment manager specifies the
services the investment manager performs and the fee the manager is entitled to receive.
Portfolio managers: Portfolio managers make investment decisions for individual portfolios.
Distributor: Most mutual funds continuously offer new shares to the public through distributors that are regulated as broker/dealers and
are subject to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) rules governing mutual fund sales practices.
Service agent: Mutual fund companies employ service agents (sometimes called transfer agents) to maintain records of shareholder accounts,
calculate and disburse dividends and capital gains, and prepare and mail shareholder statements and tax information, among
other functions. Many service agents also provide customer service to shareholders.
Custodian: Mutual funds are legally required to protect their portfolio securities and most funds place them with a qualified bank custodian that
segregates fund securities from other bank assets.
Shareholders: Mutual fund shareholders have specific voting rights on matters such as material changes in the terms of a fund's management
contract and changes to fundamental investment policies.
About your account
Investing in the Fund
Institutional Class shares are available for purchase only by the following:
-
retirement plans introduced by persons not associated with brokers or dealers that are primarily engaged in the retail securities
business and rollover IRAs from such plans;
-
tax-exempt employee benefit plans of the Manager or its affiliates and of securities dealer firms with a selling agreement
with the Distributor;
-
institutional advisory clients (including mutual funds) of the Manager or its affiliates, as well as those clients' affiliates,
and their corporate sponsors, subsidiaries, related employee benefit plans, and rollover IRAs of, or from, such institutional
advisory accounts;
-
a bank, trust company, or similar financial institution investing for its own account or for the account of its trust customers
for whom the financial institution is exercising investment discretion in purchasing shares of the Class, except where the
investment is part of a program that requires payment to the financial institution of a Rule 12b-1 Plan fee;
-
RIAs investing on behalf of clients that consist solely of institutions and high net worth individuals having at least $1
million entrusted to an RIA for investment purposes (use of the Institutional Class shares is restricted to RIAs who are not
affiliated or associated with a broker or dealer and who derive compensation for their services exclusively from their advisory
clients);
-
certain plans qualified under Section 529 of the Code, for which the the Manager, Distributor, or the Fund's service agent,
or one or more of their affiliates provide record keeping, administrative, investment management, marketing, distribution,
or similar services;
-
programs sponsored by and/or controlled by financial intermediaries where: (1) such programs allow or require the purchase
of Institutional Class shares; (2) the financial intermediary has entered into an agreement covering the arrangement with
the Distributor and/or the Fund's transfer agent; and (3) the financial intermediary (i) charges clients an ongoing fee for
advisory, investment consulting or similar services, or (ii) offers the Institutional Class shares through a no-commission
network or platform; or
-
private investment vehicles, including, but not limited to, foundations and endowments.
Payments to intermediaries
The Distributor and its affiliates may pay additional compensation (at their own expense and not as an expense of the Fund)
to certain affiliated or unaffiliated brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries (Financial Intermediaries) in connection
with the sale or retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder servicing, including providing the Fund with "shelf space" or
a higher profile with the Financial Intermediary's consultants, salespersons, and customers (distribution assistance). The
level of payments made to a qualifying Financial Intermediary in any given year will vary. To the extent permitted by SEC
and FINRA rules and other applicable laws and regulations, the Distributor may pay, or allow its affiliates to pay, other
promotional incentives or payments to Financial Intermediaries.
If a mutual fund sponsor or distributor makes greater payments for distribution assistance to your Financial Intermediary
with respect to distribution of shares of that particular mutual fund than sponsors or distributors of other mutual funds
make to your Financial Intermediary with respect to the distribution of the shares of their mutual funds, your Financial Intermediary
and its salespersons may have a financial incentive to favor sales of shares of the mutual fund making the higher payments
over shares of other mutual funds or over other investment options. In addition, depending on the arrangements in place at
any particular time, a Financial Intermediary may also have a financial incentive for recommending a particular share class
over other share classes. You should consult with your Financial Intermediary and review carefully any disclosure provided
by such Financial Intermediary as to compensation it receives in connection with investment products it recommends or sells
to you. In certain instances, the payments could be significant and may cause a conflict of interest for your Financial Intermediary.
Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of the Fund's shares.
For more information, please see the SAI.
How to buy shares
By mail
Complete an investment slip and mail it with your check, made payable to the fund and class of shares you wish to purchase,
to Delaware Investments, P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 for
investments by overnight courier service. If you are making an initial purchase by mail, you must include a completed investment
application (or an appropriate retirement plan application if you are opening a retirement account) with your check.
Please note that purchase orders submitted by mail will not be accepted until such orders are received by Delaware Investments
at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 for investments by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
for investments
by overnight courier service. Please do not send purchase orders to 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094.
By wire
Ask your bank to wire the amount you want to invest to The Bank of New York Mellon, ABA #021000018, bank account number 8900403748.
Include your account number and the name of the fund and class of shares in which you want to invest. If you are making an
initial purchase by wire, you must first call us at 800 362-7500 so we can assign you an account number.
By exchange
You may exchange all or part of your investment in one or more Delaware Investments® Funds for shares of other Delaware Investments® Funds. Please keep in mind, however, that you may not exchange your shares for Class A shares, other than Delaware Cash Reserve® Fund. You may not exchange shares for Class B, Class C, or Class R shares. To open an account by exchange, call your Client
Services Representative at 800 362-7500.
Through your financial advisor
Your financial advisor can handle all the details of purchasing shares, including opening an account. Your financial advisor
may charge a separate fee for this service.
The price you pay for shares will depend on when we receive your purchase order. If an authorized agent or we receive your
order before the close of regular trading on the NYSE, which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, you will pay that day's closing
share price, which is based on a fund's NAV. If your order is received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, you
will pay the next Business Day's price. We reserve the right to reject any purchase order.
We determine the NAV per share for each class of the Fund at the close of regular trading on the NYSE on each Business Day.
The NAV per share for each class of the Fund is calculated by subtracting the liabilities of each class from its total assets
and dividing the resulting number by the number of shares outstanding for that class. We generally price securities and other
assets for which market quotations are readily available at their market value. For a fund that invests in foreign securities,
the fund's NAV may change on days when a shareholder will not be able to purchase or sell fund shares because foreign markets
are open at times and on days when U.S. markets are not. We price fixed income securities on the basis of valuations provided
to us by an independent pricing service that uses methods approved by the Board. For all other securities, we use methods
approved by the Board that are designed to price securities at their fair market value.
Fair valuation
When the Fund uses fair value pricing, it may take into account any factors it deems appropriate. The Fund may determine fair
value based upon developments related to a specific security, current valuations of foreign stock indices (as reflected in
U.S. futures markets), and/or U.S. sector or broad stock market indices. The price of securities used by the Fund to calculate
its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Fair value pricing may involve subjective judgments
and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized
upon the sale of that security.
The Fund anticipates using fair value pricing for securities primarily traded on U.S. exchanges only under very limited circumstances,
such as the early closing of the exchange on which a security is traded or suspension of trading in the security. The Fund
may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things,
most foreign markets close well before the Fund values its securities at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these
foreign markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, may have occurred in
the interim. To account for this, the Fund may frequently value many foreign equity securities using fair value prices based
on third-party vendor modeling tools to the extent available.
The Board has delegated responsibility for valuing the Fund's assets to a Pricing Committee of the Manager, which operates
under the policies and procedures approved by the Board and which is subject to the Board's oversight.
Document delivery
If you have an account in the same Delaware Investments® Fund as another person or entity at your address, we send one copy of the Fund's prospectus and annual and semiannual reports
to that address, unless you opt otherwise. This will help us reduce the printing and mailing expenses associated with the
Fund. We will continue to send one copy of each of these documents to that address until you notify us that you wish to receive
individual materials. If you wish to receive individual materials, please call your Client Services Representative at 800
362-7500. We will begin sending you individual copies of these documents 30 days after receiving your request.
How to redeem shares
By mail
You may redeem your shares (sell them back to the Fund) by mail by writing to: Delaware Investments, P.O. Box 219691, Kansas
City, MO 64121-9691 or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 for redemptions by overnight courier service. All owners
of the account must sign the request. For redemptions of more than $100,000, you must include a signature guarantee for each
owner. Signature guarantees are also required when redemption proceeds are going to an address other than the address of record
on the account.
Please note that redemption orders submitted by mail will not be accepted until such orders are received by Delaware Investments
at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 for redemptions by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407
for redemptions by overnight courier service. Please do not send redemption requests to 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19103-7094.
By telephone
You may redeem up to $100,000 of your shares by telephone. You may have the proceeds sent to you by check, or, if you redeem
at least $1,000 of shares, you may have the proceeds sent directly to your bank by wire. If you request a wire deposit, a
bank wire fee may be deducted from your proceeds. Bank information must be on file before you request a wire redemption.
By wire
You may redeem $1,000 or more of your shares and have the proceeds deposited directly to your bank account, normally the
next Business Day after we receive your request. If you request a wire deposit, a bank wire fee may be deducted from your
proceeds. Bank information must be on file before you request a wire redemption.
Through your financial advisor
Your financial advisor can handle all the details of redeeming your shares (selling them back to the Fund). Your financial
advisor may charge a separate fee for this service.
If you hold your shares in certificates, you must submit the certificates with your request to sell the shares. We recommend
that you send your certificates by certified mail.
When you send us a properly completed request to redeem or exchange shares, and an authorized agent or we receive the request
before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time), you will receive the NAV next determined
after we receive your request. If we receive your request after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, you will receive
the NAV determined on the next Business Day. You may also have to pay taxes on the proceeds from your sale of shares. We will
send you a check, normally the next Business Day, but no later than seven days after we receive your request to sell your
shares. If you purchased your shares by check, we will wait until your check has cleared, which can take up to 15 days, before
we send your redemption proceeds.
Redemptions-in-kind
The Fund has reserved the right to pay for redemptions with portfolio securities under certain conditions. See the SAI for
more information on redemptions-in-kind.
Account minimum
If you redeem shares and your account balance falls below $250, the Fund may redeem your account after 60 days' written notice
to you.
Exchanges
You may generally exchange all or part of your shares for shares of the same class of another Delaware Investments® Fund. If you exchange shares to a fund that has a sales charge, you will pay any applicable sales charges on your new shares.
You do not pay sales charges on shares that you acquired through the reinvestment of dividends. You may have to pay taxes
on your exchange. When you exchange shares, you are purchasing shares in another fund, so you should be sure to get a copy
of the fund's prospectus and read it carefully before buying shares through an exchange. You may not exchange your shares
for Class A shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund, other than Delaware Cash Reserve® Fund. You may not exchange your shares for Class B, Class C, or Class R shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund. The Fund may refuse the purchase side of any exchange request, if, in the Manager's judgment, the Fund would be unable
to invest effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies or would otherwise potentially be adversely
affected.
Frequent trading of Fund shares
The Fund discourages purchases by market timers and purchase orders (including the purchase side of exchange orders) by shareholders
identified as market timers may be rejected. The Board has adopted policies and procedures designed to detect, deter, and
prevent trading activity detrimental to the Fund and its shareholders, such as market timing. The Fund will consider anyone
who follows a pattern of market timing in any Delaware Investments® Fund or the Optimum Fund Trust to be a market timer and may consider anyone who has followed a similar pattern of market
timing at an unaffiliated fund family to be a market timer.
Market timing of a fund occurs when investors make consecutive, rapid, short-term "roundtrips" — that is, purchases into a
fund followed quickly by redemptions out of that fund. A short-term roundtrip is any redemption of fund shares within 20 Business
Days of a purchase of that fund's shares. If you make a second such short-term roundtrip in a fund within 90 rolling calendar
days as a previous short-term roundtrip in that fund, you may be considered a market timer. In determining whether market
timing has occurred, the Fund will consider short-term roundtrips to include rapid purchases and sales of Fund shares through
the exchange privilege. The Fund reserves the right to consider other trading patterns to be market timing.
Your ability to use the Fund's exchange privilege may be limited if you are identified as a market timer. If you are identified
as a market timer, we will execute the redemption side of your exchange order but may refuse the purchase side of your exchange
order. The Fund reserves the right to restrict or reject, without prior notice, any purchase order or exchange order for any
reason, including any purchase order or exchange order accepted by any shareholder's financial intermediary or in any omnibus-type
account. Transactions placed in violation of the Fund's market timing policy are not necessarily deemed accepted by the Fund
and may be rejected by the Fund on the next Business Day following receipt by the Fund.
Redemptions will continue to be permitted in accordance with the Fund's current Prospectus. A redemption of shares under these
circumstances could be costly to a shareholder if, for example, the shares have declined in value, the shareholder recently
paid a front-end sales charge, the shares are subject to a CDSC, or the sale results in adverse tax consequences. To avoid
this risk, a shareholder should carefully monitor the purchases, sales, and exchanges of Fund shares and avoid frequent trading
in Fund shares.
The Fund reserves the right to modify this policy at any time without notice, including modifications to the Fund's monitoring
procedures and the procedures to close accounts to new purchases. Although the implementation of this policy involves judgments
that are inherently subjective and may be selectively applied, we seek to make judgments and applications that are consistent
with the interests of the Fund's shareholders. While we will take actions designed to detect and prevent market timing, there
can be no assurance that such trading activity will be completely eliminated. Moreover, the Fund's market timing policy does
not require the Fund to take action in response to frequent trading activity. If the Fund elects not to take any action in
response to frequent trading, such frequent trading activity could continue.
Risks of market timing
By realizing profits through short-term trading, shareholders that engage in rapid purchases and sales or exchanges of the
Fund's shares dilute the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. Volatility resulting from excessive purchases and
sales or exchanges of Fund shares, especially involving large dollar amounts, may disrupt efficient portfolio management.
In particular, the Fund may have difficulty implementing its long-term investment strategies if it is forced to maintain a
higher level of its assets in cash to accommodate significant short-term trading activity. Excessive purchases and sales or
exchanges of the Fund's shares may also force the Fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to raise cash to
accommodate short-term trading activity. This could adversely affect the Fund's performance, if, for example, the Fund incurs
increased brokerage costs and realization of taxable capital gains without attaining any investment advantage.
A fund that invests significantly in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to short-term trading strategies.
This is because foreign securities are typically traded on markets that close well before the time a fund calculates its NAV
(normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Developments that occur between the closing of the foreign market and a fund's NAV calculation
may affect the value of these foreign securities. The time zone differences among international stock markets can allow a
shareholder engaging in a short-term trading strategy to exploit differences in fund share prices that are based on closing
prices of foreign securities established some time before a fund calculates its own share price.
Any fund that invests in securities that are thinly traded, traded infrequently, or relatively illiquid has the risk that
the securities prices used to calculate the fund's NAV may not accurately reflect current market values. A shareholder may
seek to engage in short-term trading to take advantage of these pricing differences. Funds that may be adversely affected
by such arbitrage include, in particular, funds that significantly invest in small-cap securities, technology, and other specific
industry sector securities, and in certain fixed income securities, such as high yield bonds, asset-backed securities, or
municipal bonds.
Transaction monitoring procedures
The Fund, through its transfer agent, maintains surveillance procedures designed to detect excessive or short-term trading
in Fund shares. This monitoring process involves several factors, which include scrutinizing transactions in Fund shares for
violations of the Fund's market timing policy or other patterns of short-term or excessive trading. For purposes of these
transaction monitoring procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity by multiple accounts under common ownership, control,
or influence to be trading by a single entity. Trading activity identified by these factors, or as a result of any other available
information, will be evaluated to determine whether such activity might constitute market timing. These procedures may be
modified from time to time to improve the detection of excessive or short-term trading or to address other concerns. Such
changes may be necessary or appropriate, for example, to deal with issues specific to certain retirement plans; plan exchange
limits; U.S. Department of Labor regulations; certain automated or pre-established exchange, asset-allocation, or dollar cost
averaging programs; or omnibus account arrangements.
Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of the Fund, particularly among certain broker/dealers and
other financial intermediaries, including sponsors of retirement plans and variable insurance products. The Fund will attempt
to have financial intermediaries apply the Fund's monitoring procedures to these omnibus accounts and to the individual participants
in such accounts. However, to the extent that a financial intermediary is not able or willing to monitor or enforce the Fund's
frequent trading policy with respect to an omnibus account, the Fund or its agents may require the financial intermediary
to impose its frequent trading policy, rather than the Fund's policy, to shareholders investing in the Fund through the financial
intermediary.
A financial intermediary may impose different requirements or have additional restrictions on the frequency of trading than
the Fund. Such restrictions may include, without limitation, requiring the trades to be placed by U.S. mail, prohibiting purchases
for a designated period of time (typically 30 to 90 days) by investors who have recently purchased or redeemed Fund shares,
and similar restrictions. The Fund's ability to impose such restrictions with respect to accounts traded through particular
financial intermediaries may vary depending on systems capabilities, applicable contractual and legal restrictions, and cooperation
of those financial intermediaries.
You should consult your financial intermediary regarding the application of such restrictions and to determine whether your
financial intermediary imposes any additional or different limitations. In an effort to discourage market timers in such accounts,
the Fund may consider enforcement against market timers at the participant level and at the omnibus level, up to and including
termination of the omnibus account's authorization to purchase Fund shares.
Limitations on ability to detect and curtail market timing
Shareholders seeking to engage in market timing may employ a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts
of the Fund and its agents to detect market timing in Fund shares, there is no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify
these shareholders or curtail their trading practices. In particular, the Fund may not be able to detect market timing attributable
to a particular investor who effects purchase, redemption, and/or exchange activity in Fund shares through omnibus accounts.
The difficulty of detecting market timing may be further compounded if these entities utilize multiple tiers or omnibus accounts.
Dividends, distributions, and taxes
Dividends and distributions
The Fund intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company under the Code. As a regulated investment company,
the Fund generally pays no federal income tax on the income and gains it distributes to you. The Fund expects to declare dividends
daily and distribute all of its net investment income, if any, to shareholders as dividends monthly. The Fund will distribute
net realized capital gains, if any, twice a year. The Fund may distribute such income dividends and capital gains more frequently,
if necessary, in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on the Fund. The amount of any distribution will
vary, and there is no guarantee the Fund will pay either an income dividend or a capital gains distribution. We automatically
reinvest all dividends and any capital gains, unless you direct us to do otherwise.
Annual statements
Every January, you will receive a statement that shows the tax status of distributions you received the previous calendar
year. Distributions declared in December to shareholders of record in such month, but paid in January, are taxable as if they
were paid in December. The Fund may reclassify income after your tax reporting statement is mailed to you. Prior to issuing
your statement, the Fund makes every effort to search for reclassified income to reduce the number of corrected forms mailed
to shareholders. However, when necessary, the Fund will send you a corrected Form 1099-DIV to reflect reclassified information.
Avoid "buying a dividend"
At the time you purchase your Fund shares, the Fund's net asset value may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital
gains, or net unrealized appreciation in value of portfolio securities held by the Fund. A subsequent distribution to you
of such amounts, although constituting a return of your investment would be taxable.
Tax considerations
In general, if you are a taxable investor, Fund distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains or some
combination of both. This is true whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash.
For federal income tax purposes, Fund distributions of short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income. Fund
distributions of long-term capital gains are taxable to you as long-term capital gains no matter how long you have owned your
shares. With respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning before January 1, 2011, unless such provision is extended or made
permanent, a portion of income dividends designated by the Fund may be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation by
individual shareholders at long-term capital gain rates provided certain holding period requirements are met. Because the
income of the Fund primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only
a small portion of the income dividends paid to you by the Fund may be qualified dividend income eligible for taxation by
individuals at long-term capital gain tax rates.
Sale or redemption of Fund shares. A sale or redemption of Fund shares is a taxable event and, accordingly, a capital gain or loss may be recognized. For tax
purposes, an exchange of your Fund shares for shares of a different Delaware Investments® Fund is the same as a sale.
Backup withholding. By law, if you do not provide the Fund with your proper taxpayer identification number and certain required certifications,
you may be subject to backup withholding on any distributions of income, capital gains, or proceeds from the sale of your
shares. The Fund also must withhold if the Internal Revenue Service instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the
amount will be 28% of any distributions or proceeds paid.
Other. Fund distributions and gains from the sale or exchange of your Fund shares generally are subject to state and local taxes.
Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject
to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from
U.S. withholding tax are provided for capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from long-term capital gains, if any, and, with
respect to taxable years of the Fund that began before January 1, 2010 (unless such sunset date is extended, possibly retroactively
to January 1, 2010, or made permanent), interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its qualified net interest income
from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain dividends. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at
the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains will be subject to backup withholding at a rate
of 28% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
This discussion of "Dividends, distributions, and taxes" is not intended or written to be used as tax advice. Because everyone's
tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state, local, or foreign tax consequences
before making an investment in the Fund.
Certain management considerations
Investments by funds of funds and similar investment vehicles
The Fund may accept investments from funds of funds, as well as from similar investment vehicles, such as 529 Plans. A "529
Plan" is a college savings program that operates under Section 529 of the Code. From time to time, the Fund may experience
large investments or redemptions due to allocations or rebalancings by these funds of funds and/or similar investment vehicles.
While it is impossible to predict the overall impact of these transactions over time, there could be adverse effects on portfolio
management. For example, the Fund may be required to sell securities or invest cash at times when it would not otherwise do
so. These transactions could also have tax consequences if sales of securities result in gains, and could also increase transaction
costs or portfolio turnover.
Financial highlights
The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past 5 years or,
if shorter, the period of the Fund's operations. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The
total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming
reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by Ernst & Young, LLP, independent registered
public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the annual report, which
is available upon request by calling 800 362-7500.
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
Institutional Class Shares |
2009 |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
Year ended Dec. 31, 2005 |
Net asset value, beginning of period |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
$8.480 |
Income (loss) from investment operations: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income1 |
0.341 |
0.306 |
0.322 |
0.297 |
0.291 |
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments and foreign currencies |
0.700 |
(0.111) |
0.199 |
0.019 |
(0.132) |
Total from investment operations |
1.041 |
0.195 |
0.521 |
0.316 |
0.159 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less dividends and distributions from: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net Investment Income |
(0.351) |
(0.355) |
(0.391) |
(0.376) |
(0.369) |
Total dividends and distributions |
(0.351) |
(0.355) |
(0.391) |
(0.376) |
(0.369) |
Net asset value, end of period |
$8.870 |
$8.180 |
$8.340 |
$8.210 |
$8.270 |
Total return2 |
12.93% |
2.37% |
6.52% |
3.92% |
1.91% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ratios and supplemental data: |
|
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period (000 omitted) |
$68,659 |
$7,420 |
$9,298 |
$21,873 |
$26,070 |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets |
0.69% |
0.69% |
0.68% |
0.66% |
0.67% |
Ratio of expenses to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
0.74% |
0.82% |
0.82% |
0.84% |
0.82% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets |
3.93% |
3.70% |
3.92% |
3.61% |
3.47% |
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets prior to fees waived and expense paid indirectly |
3.88% |
3.57% |
3.78% |
3.43% |
3.32% |
Portfolio turnover |
287% |
351% |
236% |
276% |
259% |
1
|
The average shares outstanding method has been applied for per share information for the years ended December 31, 2009, 2008,
and 2007.
|
2
|
Total investment return is based on the change in net asset value of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of
dividends and distributions at net asset value. Total investment return during all of the periods shown reflects a waiver
by the manager. Performance would have been lower had the waiver not been in effect.
|
How to read the financial highlights
Net investment income (loss)
Net investment income (loss) includes dividend and interest income earned from a fund's investments; it is calculated after
expenses have been deducted.
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
A realized gain occurs when we sell an investment at a profit, while a realized loss occurs when we sell an investment at
a loss. When an investment increases or decreases in value but we do not sell it, we record an unrealized gain or loss. The
amount of realized gain per share, if any, that we pay to shareholders would be listed under "Less dividends and distributions
from: Net realized gain on investments."
Net asset value (NAV)
This is the value of a mutual fund share, calculated by dividing the net assets by the number of shares outstanding.
Total return
This represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a fund. In calculating this figure
for the financial highlights table, we include applicable fee waivers, exclude front-end sales charges and contingent deferred
sales charges, and assume the shareholder has reinvested all dividends and realized gains.
Net assets
Net assets represent the total value of all the assets in a fund's portfolio, less any liabilities, that are attributable
to that class of the fund.
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
The expense ratio is the percentage of net assets that a fund pays annually for operating expenses and management fees. These
expenses include accounting and administration expenses, services for shareholders, and similar expenses.
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets
We determine this ratio by dividing net investment income (loss) by average net assets.
Portfolio turnover
This figure tells you the amount of trading activity in a fund's portfolio. A turnover rate of 100% would occur if, for example,
a fund bought and sold all of the securities in its portfolio once in the course of a year or frequently traded a single security.
A high rate of portfolio turnover in any year may increase brokerage commissions paid and could generate taxes for shareholders
on realized investment gains.
Additional information
Contact information
-
Web site: www.delawareinvestments.com
-
E-mail: service@delinvest.com
-
Client Services Representative: 800 362-7500
-
Delaphone Service: 800 362-FUND (800 362-3863)
For convenient access to account information or current performance information on all Delaware Investments® Funds seven days a week, 24 hours a day, use this touch-tone service.
Additional information about the Fund's investments is available in its annual and semiannual shareholder reports. In the Fund's annual shareholder report, you will find a discussion
of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the period covered
by the report. You can find more information about the Fund in its current SAI, which is filed electronically with the SEC,
and which is legally a part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). To receive a free copy of the SAI, or the
annual or semiannual report, or if you have any questions about investing in the Fund, write to us at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 by overnight courier service, or call toll-free 800 362-7500. The SAI and shareholder reports are available, free of charge, through the Fund's web site (www.delawareinvestments.com).
You may also obtain additional information about the Fund from your financial advisor. You can find reports and other information about the Fund on the EDGAR database on the SEC web site (www.sec.gov). You can
get copies of this information, after paying a duplication fee, by e-mailing the SEC at publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing to
the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549-1520. Information about the Fund, including its SAI, can be reviewed and copied at
the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. For information on the Public Reference Room, call the SEC at 202 551-8090. PR-047 [12/09] DG3 15065 [4/10] Investment Company Act number: 811-03363 |
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
April 30, 2010
DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED TERM GOVERNMENT
FUNDS
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19103-7094
|
Nasdaq tickers |
Class A |
DTRIX |
Class B |
DTIBX |
Class C |
DTICX |
Class R |
DLTRX |
Institutional Class |
DTINX
|
For Prospectuses, Performance, and Information
on Existing Accounts of:
Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares, and
Class R shares: 800 523-1918
Institutional Classes: 800 362-7500
Dealer Services (Broker/Dealers only): 800
362-7500
This Statement of Additional Information (“Part B”)
supplements the information contained in the current prospectuses for the Fund
(the “Prospectuses”), dated April 30, 2010, as they may be amended from time to
time. This Part B should be read in conjunction with the applicable Prospectus.
This Part B is not itself a Prospectus but is, in its entirety, incorporated by
reference into each Prospectus. A Prospectus may be obtained by writing or
calling your investment dealer or by contacting the Funds’ national distributor,
Delaware Distributors, L.P. (the “Distributor”), at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas
City, MO 64121-9691 by regular mail or 430 W. 7th Street, Kansas City, MO
64105-1407 by overnight courier service, or by phone toll-free at 800 523-1918.
Please do not send any correspondence to 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
19103-7094. The Fund’s financial statements, the notes relating thereto, the
financial highlights, and the report of the independent registered public
accounting firm are incorporated by reference from the Fund’s annual report
(“Annual Report”) into this Part B. The Annual Report will accompany any request
for Part B. The Annual Report can be obtained, without charge, by calling 800
523-1918.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS |
|
Page |
|
Page |
Organization and
Classification |
2 |
Purchasing Shares |
43 |
Investment Objective, Restrictions, and
Policies |
2 |
Investment Plans |
52 |
Investment Strategies and
Risks |
4 |
Determining Offering Price and Net Asset
Value |
55 |
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
Information |
26 |
Redemption and Exchange |
56 |
Management of the Trust |
27 |
Distributions and Taxes |
63 |
Investment Manager and Other Service
Providers |
34 |
Performance Information |
76 |
Portfolio Managers |
37 |
Financial Statements |
76 |
Trading Practices and
Brokerage |
40 |
Principal Holders |
77 |
Capital Structure |
42 |
Appendix A – Description of
Ratings |
78 |
1
This Part B describes the shares of Delaware Limited-Term Diversified
Income Fund (the “Fund”), which is a series of Delaware Group Limited Term
Government Funds (the “Trust”). The Fund offers Class A, B, C, and R shares
(collectively, the “Fund Classes”) and Institutional Class shares. All
references to “shares” in this Part B refer to all classes of shares of the
Fund, except where noted. The Fund’s investment manager is Delaware Management
Company (the “Manager”), a series of Delaware Management Business Trust.
ORGANIZATION AND
CLASSIFICATION |
Organization
The Trust was organized as a Pennsylvania
business trust in 1981, reorganized as a Maryland corporation in 1990, and
reorganized again as a Delaware statutory trust on December 15, 1999. Effective
as of the close of business on August 28, 1995, the Trust’s name was changed
from Delaware Group Treasury Reserves, Inc. to Delaware Group Limited-Term
Government Funds, Inc. Effective as of December 15, 1999, the Trust’s name was
changed from Delaware Group Limited-Term Government Funds, Inc. to Delaware
Group Limited-Term Government Funds.
Classification
The Trust is an open-end management investment
company. The Fund’s portfolio of assets is “diversified” as defined by the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, RESTRICTIONS, AND
POLICIES |
Investment
Objective
The Fund’s investment objective is described
in the Prospectuses. The Fund’s investment objective is nonfundamental, and may
be changed without shareholder approval. However, the Trust’s Board of Trustees
(“Board”) must approve any changes to nonfundamental investment objectives and
the Fund will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to a material change in
the Fund’s investment objective.
Fundamental Investment
Restrictions
The Fund has adopted the following
restrictions that cannot be changed without approval by the holders of a
“majority” of the Fund’s outstanding shares, which is a vote by the holders of
the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of the voting securities present in person or by
proxy at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting
securities are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the
outstanding voting securities. The percentage limitations contained in the
restrictions and policies set forth herein apply at the time of purchase of
securities.
The Fund shall not:
1. Make investments that will result in the concentration (as that term
may be defined in the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) staff interpretation thereof) of its investments
in the securities of issuers primarily engaged in the same industry, provided
that this restriction does not limit the Fund from investing in obligations
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities,
or in tax-exempt obligations or certificates of deposit.
2. Borrow money or issue senior
securities, except as the 1940 Act, any rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff
interpretation thereof, may permit.
3. Underwrite the securities of other issuers, except that the Fund may
engage in transactions involving the acquisition, disposition or resale of its
portfolio securities under circumstances where it may be considered to be an
underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”).
2
4. Purchase or sell real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership
of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction does not
prevent the Fund from investing in issuers that invest, deal or otherwise engage
in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities
that are secured by real estate or interests therein.
5. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of
ownership of securities or other instruments and provided that this restriction
does not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving futures
contracts and options thereon or investing in securities that are secured by
physical commodities.
6. Make loans, provided that this restriction does not prevent the Fund
from purchasing debt obligations, entering into repurchase agreements, loaning
its assets to broker/dealers or institutional investors and investing in loans,
including assignments and participation interests.
Nonfundamental Investment
Restriction
In addition to the fundamental investment
policies and restrictions described above, and the various general investment
policies described in the Prospectuses, the Fund will be subject to the
following investment restriction, which is considered nonfundamental and may be
changed by the Board without shareholder approval: The Fund may not invest more
than 15% of its net assets in securities that it cannot sell or dispose of in
the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value at
which the Fund has valued the investment.
In applying the Fund’s fundamental policy concerning concentration that
is described above, it is a matter of nonfundamental policy that: (i) utility
companies will be divided according to their services, for example, gas, gas
transmission, electric, and telephone will each be considered a separate
industry; (ii) financial service companies will be classified according to the
end users of their services, for example, automobile finance, bank finance, and
diversified finance will each be considered a separate industry; and (iii)
asset-backed securities will be classified according to the underlying assets
securing such securities. Additionally, the Fund intends to comply with the SEC
staff position that securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest
by any single foreign government are considered to be securities of issues in
the same industry.
Except for the Fund’s policy with respect to borrowing, any investment
restriction or limitation that involves a maximum percentage of securities or
assets shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the applicable
percentage occurs immediately after an acquisition of securities or utilization
of assets and such excess results therefrom.
Portfolio
Turnover
Portfolio trading will be undertaken
principally to accomplish the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund is free to
dispose of portfolio securities at any time, subject to complying with the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the 1940 Act, when
changes in circumstances or conditions make such a move desirable in light of
the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund will not attempt to achieve or be
limited to a predetermined rate of portfolio turnover. Such turnover always will
be incidental to transactions undertaken with a view to achieving the Fund’s
investment objective.
The portfolio turnover rate tells you the amount of trading activity in
the Fund’s portfolio. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if all
of the Fund’s investments held at the beginning of a year were replaced by the
end of the year, or if a single investment were frequently traded. The turnover
rate also may be affected by cash requirements from redemptions and repurchases
of the Fund’s shares. A high rate of portfolio turnover in any year may increase
brokerage commissions paid and could generate taxes for shareholders on realized
investment gains. In investing to achieve its investment objective, the Fund may
hold securities for any period of time.
The Fund generally may be expected to engage in
active and frequent trading of portfolio securities, which means that portfolio
turnover can be expected to exceed 100%. The Fund has, in the past, experienced
portfolio turnover rates that were significantly in excess of 100%. For the past
two fiscal years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, the Fund’s portfolio turnover
rates were 351% and 287%, respectively.
3
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND
RISKS |
The Fund’s investment objectives, strategies, and risks are described in
the Prospectuses. Certain additional information is provided below. All
investment strategies of the Fund are nonfundamental and may be changed without
shareholder approval.
Asset-Backed
Securities
The Fund may invest in securities that are
backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit loans,
receivables regarding automobile, mobile home and recreational vehicle loans,
wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases or other loans or financial receivables
currently available or which may be developed in the future.
Such receivables are securitized in either a pass-through or a
pay-through structure. Pass-through securities provide investors with an income
stream consisting of both principal and interest payments in respect of the
receivables in the underlying pool. Pay-through asset-backed securities are debt
obligations issued usually by a special purpose entity. The securities are
collateralized by the various receivables and the payments on the underlying
receivables provide the proceeds to pay the debt service on the debt obligations
issued.
The rate of principal payment on asset-backed securities generally
depends on the rate of principal payments received on the underlying assets.
Such rate of payments may be affected by economic and various other factors such
as changes in interest rates or the concentration of collateral in a particular
geographic area. Therefore, the yield may be difficult to predict and actual
yield to maturity may be more or less than the anticipated yield to maturity.
Due to the shorter maturity of the collateral backing such securities, there
tends to be less of a risk of substantial prepayment than with mortgage-backed
securities but the risk of such a prepayment does exist. Such asset-backed
securities do, however, involve certain risks not associated with
mortgage-backed securities, including the risk that security interests cannot be
adequately, or in many cases ever, established and other risks that may be
peculiar to particular classes of collateral. For example, with respect to
credit card receivables, a number of state and federal consumer credit laws give
debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby
reducing the outstanding balance. In the case of automobile receivables, there
is a risk that the holders may not have either a proper or first security
interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables due to the large
number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements
under state laws; therefore, recoveries on repossessed collateral may not always
be available to support payments on the securities.
Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing
the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of
failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, such securities may
contain elements of credit support. Such credit support falls into two
categories: (i) liquidity protection, and (ii) protection against losses
resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets.
Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the
entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments
due on the underlying pool is timely. Protection against losses resulting from
ultimate default enhances the likelihood of payments of the obligations on at
least some of the assets in the pool. Such protection may be provided through
guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or
sponsor from third parties, through various means of structuring the transaction
or through a combination of such approaches. The Fund will not pay any
additional fees for such credit support, although the existence of credit
support may increase the price of a security.
4
Examples of credit support arising out of the structure of the
transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple class securities
with one or more classes subordinate to other classes as to the payment of
principal thereof and interest thereon, with the result that defaults on the
underlying assets are borne first by the holders of the subordinated class),
creation of “reserve funds” (where cash or investments, sometimes funded from a
portion of the payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against
future losses) and “over collateralization” (where the scheduled payments on, or
the principal amount of, the underlying assets exceed that required to make
payments of the securities and pay any servicing or other fees). The degree of
credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical
information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying
assets. Delinquencies or losses in excess of those anticipated could adversely
affect the return on an investment in such issue.
Average Effective
Duration
The average effective duration of the Fund
will typically be between one and three years. This is considered a short- to
intermediate-range duration.
Some of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may have periodic interest
rate adjustments based upon an index such as the 91-day Treasury bill rate. This
periodic interest rate adjustment tends to lessen the volatility of the
security’s price. With respect to securities with an interest rate adjustment
period of one year or less, the Fund will, when determining average weighted
maturity, treat such a security’s maturity as the amount of time remaining until
the next interest rate adjustment.
Instruments such as Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”),
Fannie Mae, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) securities, and
similar securities backed by amortizing loans generally have shorter effective
maturities than their stated maturities. This is due to changes in amortization
caused by demographic and economic forces such as interest rate movements. These
effective maturities are calculated based upon historical payment patterns. For
purposes of determining the Fund’s average effective duration, the maturities of
such securities will be calculated based upon the issuing agency’s payment
factors using industry-accepted valuation models.
Bank
Obligations
Certificates of deposit (“CDs”) are short-term
negotiable obligations of commercial banks; time deposits (“TDs”) are
nonnegotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods
of time at stated interest rates; and bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn
on commercial banks by borrowers usually in connection with international
transactions.
Obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks, such as CDs and TDs,
may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch,
or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and government
regulation. Such obligations are subject to different risks than are those of
domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks. These risks include
foreign economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions
that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations,
foreign exchange controls, and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest
income. Foreign branches of domestic banks are not necessarily subject to the
same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as
mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations, and accounting, auditing and
financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be
publicly available about a foreign branch of a domestic bank than about a
domestic bank. CDs issued by wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries of domestic
banks are guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest (but not as to
sovereign risk) by the domestic parent bank.
5
Obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks may be general
obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be
limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by governmental regulation as
well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its
head office. A domestic branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1
billion may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal
Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is
licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the
Currency and branches licensed by certain states (“State Branches”) may or may
not be required to: (i) pledge to the regulator by depositing assets with a
designated bank within the state, an amount of its assets equal to 5% of their
total liabilities; and (ii) maintain assets within the state in an amount equal
to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign
bank payable at or through all of their State Branches. The deposits of State
Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC. In addition, there may be
less publicly available information about a domestic branch of a foreign bank
than about a domestic bank.
In view of the foregoing factors associated with the purchase of CDs and
TDs issued by foreign branches of domestic banks or by domestic branches of
foreign banks, the Manager will carefully evaluate such investments on a
case-by-case basis.
Savings and loan associations whose CDs may be purchased by the Fund are
supervised by the Office of Thrift Supervision and are insured by the Savings
Association Insurance Fund, which is administered by the FDIC and is backed by
the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. As a result, such savings and
loan associations are subject to regulation and examination.
Commercial
Paper
The Fund may invest in short-term promissory
notes issued by corporations, which at the time of purchase are rated P-1 and/or
A-1. Commercial paper ratings P-1 by Moody’s and A-1 by S&P are the highest
investment grade category.
Corporate Debt
The Fund may invest in corporate
notes and bonds.
Credit Default
Swaps
The Fund may enter into credit default swap
(“CDS”) contracts to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and
strategies. A CDS contract is a risk-transfer instrument (in the form of a
derivative security) through which one party (the “purchaser of protection”)
transfers to another party (the “seller of protection”) the financial risk of a
Credit Event (as defined below), as it relates to a particular reference
security or basket of securities (such as an index). In exchange for the
protection offered by the seller of protection, the purchaser of protection
agrees to pay the seller of protection a periodic premium. In the most general
sense, the benefit for the purchaser of protection is that, if a Credit Event
should occur, it has an agreement that the seller of protection will make it
whole in return for the transfer to the seller of protection of the reference
security or securities. The benefit for the seller of protection is the premium
income it receives. The Fund might use CDS contracts to limit or to reduce the
risk exposure of the Fund to defaults of the issuer or issuers of its holdings
(i.e., to reduce risk when the Fund owns or has exposure to such securities).
The Fund also might use CDS contracts to create or vary exposure to securities
or markets.
CDS transactions may involve general market, illiquidity, counterparty,
and credit risks. CDS prices may also be subject to rapid movements in response
to news and events affecting the underlying securities. The aggregate notional
amount (typically, the principal amount of the reference security or securities)
of the Fund’s investments in the CDS contracts will be limited to 15% of its
total net assets. As the purchaser or seller of protection, the Fund may be
required to segregate cash or other liquid assets to cover its obligations under
certain CDS contracts.
6
Where the Fund is a purchaser of protection, it will
designate on its books and records cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover
its premium payments under the CDS. To the extent that the Fund, as a purchaser
of protection, may be required in the event of a credit default to deliver to
the counterparty (i) the reference security (or basket of securities); (ii) a
security (or basket of securities) deemed to be the equivalent of the reference
security (or basket of securities); or (iii) the negotiated monetary value of
the obligation, the Fund will designate the reference security (or basket of
securities) on its books and records as being held to satisfy its obligation
under the CDS or, where the Fund does not own the reference security (or basket
of securities), the Fund will designate on its books and records cash or liquid
securities sufficient to satisfy the potential obligation. To the extent that
the Fund, as a seller of protection, may be required in the event of a credit
default to deliver to the counterparty some or all of the notional amount of the
CDS, it will designate on its books and records cash or liquid securities
sufficient to cover the obligation. Whether a credit default swap requires the
Fund to cash settle its obligations or to net its obligations (i.e., to offset
its obligations against the obligations of the counterparty), the Fund will
designate on its books and records cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover
its obligations under the credit default swap. All cash and liquid securities
designated by the Fund to cover its obligations under each CDS will be marked to
market daily to cover these obligations.
As the seller of protection in a CDS contract, the Fund would be required
to pay the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a reference security (or basket
of securities) to the counterparty in the event of a default, bankruptcy,
failure to pay, obligation acceleration, modified restructuring, or agreed upon
event (each of these events is a “Credit Event”). If a Credit Event occurs, the
Fund generally would receive the security or securities to which the Credit
Event relates in return for the payment to the purchaser of the par value.
Provided that no Credit Event occurs, the Fund would receive from the
counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract in
return for this credit protection. In addition, if no Credit Event occurs during
the term of the CDS contract, the Fund would have no delivery requirement or
payment obligation to the purchaser of protection. As the seller of protection,
the Fund would have credit exposure to the reference security (or basket of
securities). The Fund will not sell protection in a CDS contract if it cannot
otherwise hold the security (or basket of securities).
As the purchaser of protection in a CDS contract, the Fund would pay a
premium to the seller of protection. In return, the Fund would be protected by
the seller of protection from a Credit Event on the reference security (or
basket of securities). A risk in this type of transaction is that the seller of
protection may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund if a Credit
Event should occur. This risk is known as counterparty risk and is described in
further detail below.
If the purchaser of protection does not own the reference security (or
basket of securities), the purchaser of protection may be required to purchase
the reference security (or basket of securities) in the case of a Credit Event
on the reference security (or basket of securities). If the purchaser of
protection cannot obtain the security (or basket of securities), it may be
obligated to deliver a security (or basket of securities) that is deemed to be
equivalent to the reference security (or basket of securities) or the negotiated
monetary value of the obligation.
Each CDS contract is individually negotiated. The term of a CDS contract,
assuming no Credit Event occurs, is typically between two and five years. CDS
contracts may be unwound through negotiation with the counterparty.
Additionally, a CDS contract may be assigned to a third party. In either case,
the unwinding or assignment involves the payment or receipt of a separate
payment by the Fund to terminate the CDS contract.
7
Counterparty risk. A significant risk in CDS transactions is the creditworthiness of the
counterparty because the integrity of the transaction depends on the willingness
and ability of the counterparty to meet its contractual obligations. If there is
a default by a counterparty who is a purchaser of protection, the Fund’s
potential loss is the agreed upon periodic stream of payments from the purchaser
of protection. If there is a default by a counterparty that is a seller of
protection, the Fund’s potential loss is the failure to receive the par value or
other agreed upon value from the seller of protection if a Credit Event should
occur. CDS contracts do not involve the delivery of collateral to support each
party’s obligations; therefore, the Fund will only have contractual remedies
against the counterparty pursuant to the CDS agreement. As with any contractual
remedy, there is no guarantee that the Fund would be successful in pursuing such
remedies. For example, the counterparty may be judgment proof due to insolvency.
The Fund thus assumes the risk that it will be delayed or prevented from
obtaining payments owed to it.
Eurodollar
Instruments
The Fund may make investments in Eurodollar
instruments. Eurodollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated futures
contracts or options thereon which are linked to the London interbank offered
rate (“LIBOR”), although foreign currency-denominated instruments are available
from time to time. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a
fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for
borrowings. The Fund might use Eurodollar futures contracts and options thereon
to hedge against changes in LIBOR, to which many interest rate swaps and fixed
income instruments are linked.
Foreign Currency
Transactions
The Fund may hold foreign currency
deposits from time to time and may convert dollars and foreign currencies in the
foreign exchange markets. The Fund is permitted to have net non-U.S. currency
exposure of up to 10% of the Fund’s net assets. Currency conversion involves
dealer spreads and other costs, although commissions usually are not charged.
Currencies may be exchanged on a spot (i.e., cash) basis,
or by entering into forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies at
a future date and price. Forward contracts generally are traded in an interbank
market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial
banks) and their customers. The parties to a forward contract may agree to
offset or terminate the contract before its maturity, or may hold the contract
to maturity and complete the contemplated currency exchange.
Foreign Currency Options: The Fund may purchase U.S. exchange-listed
call and put options on foreign currencies. Such options on foreign currencies
operate similarly to options on securities. Options on foreign currencies are
affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and
investments generally.
The value of a foreign currency option is dependent upon the value of the
foreign currency and the U.S. dollar, and may have no relationship to the
investment merits of a foreign security. Because foreign currency transactions
occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than
those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, investors may
be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of
transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at
prices that are less favorable than for round lots.
There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign
currencies and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available
through dealer or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis.
Available quotation information is generally representative of very large
transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller
transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The
interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To
the extent that the U.S. options markets are closed while the markets for the
underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take
place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options market.
8
Foreign Currency Conversion:
Although foreign
exchange dealers do not charge a fee for currency conversion, they do realize a
profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between prices at which they are
buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a
foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of
exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.
Foreign Investments
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its
net assets in foreign securities, including permitting the Fund to invest up to
10% of its net assets in emerging markets. Foreign investments can involve
significant risks in addition to the risks inherent in U.S. investments. The
value of securities denominated in or indexed to foreign currencies, and of
dividends and interest from such securities, can change significantly when
foreign currencies strengthen or weaken relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign
securities markets generally have less trading volume and less liquidity than
U.S. markets, and prices on some foreign markets can be highly volatile. Many
foreign countries lack uniform accounting and disclosure standards comparable to
those applicable to U.S. companies, and it may be more difficult to obtain
reliable information regarding an issuer’s financial condition and operations.
In addition, the costs of foreign investing, including withholding taxes,
brokerage commissions, and custodial costs, are generally higher than for U.S.
investments.
Foreign markets may offer less
protection to investors than U.S. markets. Foreign issuers, brokers, and
securities markets may be subject to less government supervision. Foreign
security trading practices, including those involving the release of assets in
advance of payment, may involve increased risks in the event of a failed trade
or the insolvency of a broker-dealer, and may involve substantial delays. It may
also be difficult to enforce legal rights in foreign countries.
Investing abroad also involves
different political and economic risks. Foreign investments may be affected by
actions of foreign governments adverse to the interests of U.S. investors,
including the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets,
confiscatory taxation, restrictions on U.S. investment or on the ability to
repatriate assets or convert currency into U.S. dollars, or other government
intervention. There may be a greater possibility of default by foreign
governments or foreign government-sponsored enterprises. Investments in foreign
countries also involve a risk of local political, economic, or social
instability, military action or unrest, or adverse diplomatic developments.
There is no assurance that the Manager will be able to anticipate or counter
these potential events.
The considerations noted above
generally are intensified for investments in developing countries. Developing
countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a
few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of securities.
The Fund may invest in foreign
securities that impose restrictions on transfer within the United States or to
U.S. persons. Although securities subject to transfer restrictions may be
marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than foreign securities of the same
class that are not subject to such restrictions.
American Depositary Receipts and
European Depositary Receipts (“ADRs” and “EDRs”) are certificates evidencing
ownership of shares of a foreign-based issuer held in trust by a bank or similar
financial institution. Designed for use in U.S. and European securities markets,
respectively, ADRs and EDRs are alternatives to the purchase of the underlying
securities in their national markets and currencies.
9
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange
Contracts
When dealing in forward contracts, the Fund
will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio
positions. Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale of forward contracts with
respect to specific receivables or payables of the Fund generally arising in
connection with the purchase or sale of its portfolio securities and accruals of
interest or dividends receivable and Fund expenses. Position hedging is the sale
of a foreign currency with respect to portfolio security positions denominated
or quoted in that currency. The Fund may not position hedge with respect to a
particular currency for an amount greater than the aggregate market value
(determined at the time of making any sale of a forward contract) of securities
held in its portfolio denominated or quoted in, or currently convertible into,
such currency.
When the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a
security denominated in a foreign currency, or when the Fund anticipates the
receipt in a foreign currency of dividends or interest payments on a security
which it holds, the Fund may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the
security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment as
the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for a fixed amount of
dollars for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in
the underlying transactions, the Fund will be able to protect itself against a
possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the
U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date
on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest
payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.
Additionally, when the Manager believes that the currency of a particular
foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, the
Fund may enter into a forward contract for a fixed amount of dollars, to sell
the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the
securities of the Fund denominated in such foreign currency.
The Fund may use currency forward contracts to manage currency risks and
to facilitate transactions in foreign securities. The following discussion
summarizes the principal currency management strategies involving forward
contracts that could be used by the Fund.
In connection with purchases and sales of securities denominated in
foreign currencies, the Fund may enter into currency forward contracts to fix a
definite price for the purchase or sale in advance of the trade’s settlement
date. This technique is sometimes referred to as a “settlement hedge” or
“transaction hedge.” The Manager expects to enter into settlement hedges in the
normal course of managing the Fund’s foreign investments. The Fund could also
enter into forward contracts to purchase or sell a foreign currency in
anticipation of future purchases or sales of securities denominated in a foreign
currency, even if the specific investments have not yet been selected by the
Manager.
The Fund may also use forward contracts to hedge against a decline in the
value of existing investments denominated in foreign currency. For example, if
the Fund owned securities denominated in pounds sterling, it could enter into a
forward contract to sell pounds sterling in return for U.S. dollars to hedge
against possible declines in the pound’s value. Such a hedge (sometimes referred
to as a “position hedge”) would tend to offset both positive and negative
currency fluctuations, but would not offset changes in security values caused by
other factors. The Fund could also hedge the position by selling another
currency expected to perform similarly to the pound sterling -- for example, by
entering into a forward contract to sell euros in return for U.S. dollars. This
type of hedge, sometimes referred to as a “proxy hedge,” could offer advantages
in terms of cost, yield, or efficiency, but generally will not hedge currency
exposure as effectively as a simple hedge into U.S. dollars. Proxy hedges may
result in losses if the currency used to hedge does not perform similarly to the
currency in which the hedged securities are denominated.
10
Under certain conditions, SEC guidelines require mutual funds to set
aside cash and appropriate liquid assets in a segregated custodian account to
cover currency forward contracts. As required by SEC guidelines, the Fund will
segregate assets to cover currency forward contracts, if any, whose purpose is
essentially speculative. The Fund will not segregate assets to cover forward
contracts, including settlement hedges, position hedges, and proxy hedges.
Successful use of forward currency contracts will depend on the Manager’s skill
in analyzing and predicting currency values. Forward contracts may substantially
change the Fund’s investment exposure to changes in currency exchange rates, and
could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Manager
anticipates. For example, if a currency’s value rose at a time when the Manager
had hedged the Fund by selling that currency in exchange for dollars, the Fund
would be unable to participate in the currency’s appreciation. If the Manager
hedges currency exposure through proxy hedges, the Fund could realize currency
losses from the hedge and the security position at the same time if the two
currencies do not move in tandem. Similarly, if the Manager increases the Fund’s
exposure to a foreign currency, and that currency’s value declines, the Fund
will realize a loss. There is no assurance that the Manager’s use of forward
currency contracts will be advantageous to the Fund or that it will hedge at an
appropriate time.
Futures
Futures contracts are agreements for the
purchase or sale for future delivery of securities. While futures contracts
provide for the delivery of securities, deliveries usually do not occur. A
purchase of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual right to
obtain delivery to the Fund of the securities called for by the contract at a
specified price during a specified future month. Although not a fundamental
policy, the Fund currently intends to limit its investments in futures contracts
and options thereon to the extent that not more than 5% of the Fund’s assets are
required as futures contract margin deposits and premiums on options, and only
to the extent that obligations relating to such transactions represent not more
than 20% of the Fund’s assets.
Contracts are generally terminated by entering into an offsetting
transaction. When the Fund enters into a futures transaction, it must deliver to
the futures commission merchant selected by the Fund an amount referred to as
“initial margin.” This amount is maintained by the futures commission merchant
in an account at the Fund’s custodian bank. Thereafter, a “variation margin” may
be paid by the Fund to, or drawn by the Fund from, such account in accordance
with controls set for such account, depending upon changes in the price of the
underlying securities subject to the futures contract.
In addition, when the Fund engages in futures transactions, to the extent
required by the SEC, it will maintain with its custodian, assets in a segregated
account to cover its obligations with respect to such contracts, which assets
will consist of cash, cash equivalents, or high-quality debt securities from its
portfolio in an amount equal to the difference between the fluctuating market
value of such futures contracts and the aggregate value of the margin payments
made by the Fund with respect to such futures contracts.
The Fund may enter into such futures contracts to protect against the
adverse effects of fluctuations in interest rates without actually buying or
selling such securities. Similarly, when it is expected that interest rates may
decline, futures contracts may be purchased to hedge in anticipation of
subsequent purchases of government securities at higher prices.
With respect to options on futures contracts, when the Fund is not fully
invested, it may purchase a call option on a futures contract to hedge against a
market advance due to declining interest rates. The writing of a call option on
a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the
securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the
futures price at the expiration of the option is below the exercise price, the
Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial
hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the portfolio holdings. The
writing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge
against increasing prices of the securities which are deliverable upon exercise
of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration of the option is
higher than the exercise price, the Fund will retain the full amount of the
option premium which provides a partial hedge against any increase in the price
of government securities which the Fund intends to purchase.
11
If a put or call option the Fund has written is exercised, the Fund will
incur a loss which will be reduced by the amount of the premium it receives.
Depending on the degree of correlation between the value of its portfolio
securities and changes in the value of its futures positions, the Fund’s losses
from existing options on futures may, to some extent, be reduced or increased by
changes in the value of portfolio securities. The Fund will purchase a put
option on a futures contract to hedge the Fund’s portfolio against the risk of
rising interest rates.
To the extent that interest rates move in an unexpected direction, the
Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of futures contracts or options on
futures contracts or may realize a loss. For example, if the Fund is hedged
against the possibility of an increase in interest rates which would adversely
affect the price of government securities held in its portfolio and interest
rates decrease instead, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the
increased value of its government securities which it has because it will have
offsetting losses in its futures position. In addition, in such situations, if
the Fund had insufficient cash, it may be required to sell government securities
from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements. Such sales of
government securities may, but will not necessarily, be at increased prices
which reflect the rising market. The Fund may be required to sell securities at
a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.
Further, with respect to options on futures contracts, the Fund may seek
to close out an option position by writing or buying an offsetting position
covering the same securities or contracts and have the same exercise price and
expiration date. The ability to establish and close out positions on options
will be subject to the maintenance of a liquid secondary market, which cannot be
assured.
Lastly, it should be noted that the Trust on behalf of the Fund has filed
with the National Futures Association a notice claiming an exclusion from the
definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity
Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Fund’s operation.
Accordingly, the Fund is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO.
High Yield, High Risk Debt
Securities
The Fund may purchase securities that are
rated lower than Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or lower
than BBB by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”). These securities are often
considered to be speculative and involve significantly higher risk of default on
the payment of principal and interest or are more likely to experience
significant price fluctuation due to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness.
Market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than higher-rated debt
securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic
difficulty, which may follow periods of rising interest rates. While the market
for high yield corporate debt securities has been in existence for many years
and has weathered previous economic downturns, the market in recent years has
experienced a dramatic increase in the large-scale use of such securities to
fund highly leveraged corporate acquisitions and restructurings. Accordingly,
past experience may not provide an accurate indication of future performance of
the high yield bond market, especially during periods of economic recession. See
Appendix A – Description of Ratings” in this Part B.
The market for lower-rated securities may be less active than that for
higher-rated securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which these
securities can be sold. If market quotations are not available, these securities
will be valued in accordance with procedures established by the Board of
Trustees, including the use of third-party pricing services. Judgment plays a
greater role in valuing high yield corporate debt securities than is the case
for securities for which more external sources for quotations and last-sale
information are available. Adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions
may affect the ability of outside pricing services used by the Fund to value its
portfolio securities and the Fund’s ability to dispose of these lower-rated debt
securities.
12
Since the risk of default is higher for lower-quality securities, the
Manager’s research and credit analysis is an integral part of managing any
securities of this type held by the Fund. In considering investments for the
Fund, the Manager will attempt to identify those issuers of high yielding
securities whose financial condition is adequate to meet future obligations, has
improved, or is expected to improve in the future. The Manager’s analysis
focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend
coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial
strength of the issuer. There can be no assurance that such analysis will prove
accurate.
The Fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to
pursue litigation or otherwise exercise its rights as security holder to seek to
protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to be in the
best interest of shareholders.
Interest Rate and Index
Swaps
The Fund may invest in interest rate and index
swaps to the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategies. The
Fund will only invest in swaps in which all the reference rates are related to
or derived from instruments or markets in which the Fund is otherwise eligible
to invest, and subject to the investment limitations on the instruments to which
the purchased reference rate relates.
Swaps are agreements to exchange payment streams over a period of time
with another party, called a counterparty. Each payment stream is based on a
specified rate, which could be a fixed or variable interest rate, the rate of
return on an index or some other reference rate. The payment streams are
calculated with reference to a hypothetical principal amount, called the
notional principal or the notional amount. For example, in an interest rate swap
one party may agree to pay a fixed interest rate to a counterparty and to
receive in return variable interest rate payments from the counterparty. The
amount that each party pays is calculated by multiplying the fixed and variable
rates, respectively, by the notional amount. The payment streams may thus be
thought of as interest payments on the notional amount. The notional amount does
not actually change hands at any point in the swap transaction; it is used only
to calculate the value of the payment streams.
When two counterparties each wish to swap interest rate payments, they
typically each enter into a separate interest rate swap contract with a
broker/dealer intermediary, who is the counterparty in both transactions, rather
than entering into a swap contract with each other directly. The broker/dealer
intermediary enters into numerous transactions of this sort, and attempts to
manage its portfolio of swaps so as to match and offset its payment receipts and
obligations.
The typical minimum notional amount is $5 million. Variable interest
rates are usually set by reference to the LIBOR. The typical maximum term of an
interest rate swap agreement ranges from one to 12 years. Index swaps tend to be
shorter term, often for one year. The Fund will not invest in swaps with
maturities of more than 10 years.
The Fund may also engage in index swaps, also called total return swaps.
In an index swap, the Fund may enter into a contract with a counterparty in
which the counterparty will make payments to the Fund based on the positive
returns of an index, such as a corporate bond index, in return for the Fund
paying to the counterparty a fixed or variable interest rate, as well as paying
to the counterparty any negative returns on the index. In a sense, the Fund is
purchasing exposure to an index in the amount of the notional principal in
return for making interest rate payments on the notional principal. As with
interest rate swaps, the notional principal does not actually change hands at
any point in the transaction. The counterparty, typically an investment bank,
manages its obligations to make total return payments by maintaining an
inventory of the fixed income securities that are included in the index.
Swap transactions provide several benefits to the Fund. Interest rate
swaps may be used as a duration management tool. Duration is a measure of a
bond’s interest-rate sensitivity, expressed in terms of years because it is
related to the length of time remaining on the life of a bond. In general, the
longer a bond’s duration, the more sensitive the bond’s price will be to changes
in interest rates. The average duration of the Fund is the weighted average of
the durations of the Fund’s fixed income securities.
13
If the Fund wished to shorten the duration of certain of its assets,
longer term assets could be sold and shorter term assets acquired, but these
transactions have potential tax and return differential consequences. By using
an interest rate swap, the Fund could agree to make semiannual fixed rate
payments and receive semiannual floating rate LIBOR payments adjusted every six
months. The duration of the floating rate payments received by the Fund will now
be six months. In effect, the Fund has reduced the duration of the notional
amount invested from a longer term to six months over the life of the swap
agreement.
The Fund may also use swaps to gain exposure to specific markets. For
example, suppose bond dealers have particularly low inventories of corporate
bonds, making it difficult for a fixed income fund to increase its exposure to
the corporate bond segment of the market. It is generally not possible to
purchase exchange-traded options on a corporate bond index. The Fund could
replicate exposure to the corporate bond market, however, by engaging in an
index swap in which the Fund gains exposure to a corporate bond index in return
for paying a LIBOR-based floating interest rate.
Other uses of swaps could help permit the Fund to preserve a return or
spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or to protect
against an increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing
at a later date. Interest rate swaps may also be considered substitutes for
interest rate futures in many cases where the hedging horizon is longer than the
maturity of the typical futures contract, and may be considered to provide more
liquidity than similar forward contracts, particularly long-term forward
contracts.
Counterparty risk. The primary risk of swap transactions is the creditworthiness of the
counterparty, since the integrity of the transaction depends on the willingness
and ability of the counterparty to maintain the agreed upon payment stream. This
risk is often referred to as counterparty risk. If there is a default by a
counterparty in a swap transaction, the Fund’s potential loss is the net amount
of payments the Fund is contractually entitled to receive for one payment period
(if any - the Fund could be in a net payment position), not the entire notional
amount, which does not change hands in a swap transaction. Swaps do not involve
the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal as collateral
for the transaction. The Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the
swap agreement but, as with any contractual remedy, there is no guarantee that
the Fund would be successful in pursuing them— the counterparty may be judgment
proof due to insolvency, for example. The Fund thus assumes the risk that it
will be delayed or prevented from obtaining payments owed to it. The standard
industry swap agreements do, however, permit the Fund to terminate a swap
agreement (and thus avoid making additional payments) in the event that a
counterparty fails to make a timely payment to the Fund.
In response to this counterparty risk, several securities firms have
established separately capitalized subsidiaries that have a higher credit
rating, permitting them to enter into swap transactions as dealers. The Fund
will not be permitted to enter into any swap transaction unless, at the time of
entering into such transaction, the unsecured long-term debt of the actual
counterparty, combined with any credit enhancements, is rated at least “A” by
S&P or Moody’s or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the
Manager. In addition, the Manager will closely monitor the ongoing
creditworthiness of swap counterparties in order to minimize the risk of swaps.
In addition to counterparty risk, the use of swaps also involves risks
similar to those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. If
the portfolio manager is incorrect in his or her forecast of market values or
interest rates, the investment performance of the Fund that has entered into a
swap transaction could be less favorable than it would have been if this
investment technique were not used. It is important to note, however, that there
is no upper limit on the amount the Fund might theoretically be required to pay
in a swap transaction.
In order to ensure that the Fund will only engage in swap transactions to
the extent consistent with its investment objectives and strategies, the Fund
will only engage in a swap transaction if all of the reference rates used in the
swap are related to or derived from securities, instruments, or markets that are
otherwise eligible investments for the Fund. Similarly, the extent to which the
Fund may invest in a swap, as measured by the notional amount, will be subject
to the same limitations as the eligible investments to which the purchased
reference rate relates.
14
The Fund will, consistent with industry practice, segregate and
mark-to-market daily cash or other liquid assets having an aggregate market
value at least equal to the net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s
payment obligations over its entitled payments with respect to each swap
contract. To the extent that the Fund is obligated by a swap to pay a fixed or
variable interest rate, the Fund may segregate securities that are expected to
generate income sufficient to meet the Fund’s net payment obligations. For
example, if the Fund holds interest rate swaps and is required to make payments
based on variable interest rates, it will have to make increased payments if
interest rates rise, which will not necessarily be offset by the fixed-rate
payments it is entitled to receive under the swap agreement.
There is not a well developed secondary market for interest rate or index
swaps. Most interest rate swaps are nonetheless relatively liquid because they
can be sold back to the counterparty/dealer relatively quickly at a determinable
price. Most index swaps, on the other hand, are considered illiquid because the
counterparty/dealer will typically not unwind an index swap prior to its
termination (and, consequently, index swaps tend to have much shorter terms).
The Fund may therefore treat all swaps as subject to their limitation on
illiquid investments. For purposes of calculating these percentage limitations,
the Fund will refer to the notional amount of the swap.
Swaps will be priced using fair value pricing. The income provided by a
swap should be qualifying income for purposes of Subchapter M of the Code. Swaps
should not otherwise result in any significant diversification or valuation
issues under the Code.
Illiquid Securities
The Fund may invest no more than 15%
of the value of its net assets in illiquid securities.
The Fund may invest in restricted securities, including securities
eligible for resale without registration pursuant to Rule 144A (“Rule 144A
Securities”) under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A permits many privately placed and
legally restricted securities to be freely traded among certain institutional
buyers such as the Fund.
While maintaining oversight, the Board of Trustees has delegated to the
Manager the day-to-day function of determining whether or not individual Rule
144A Securities are liquid for purposes of the Fund’s limitation on investments
in illiquid assets. The Board has instructed the Manager to consider the
following factors in determining the liquidity of a Rule 144A Security: (i) the
frequency of trades and trading volume for the security; (ii) whether at least
three dealers are willing to purchase or sell the security and the number of
potential purchasers; (iii) whether at least two dealers are making a market in
the security; and (iv) the nature of the security and the nature of the
marketplace trades (e.g., the time
needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the
mechanics of transfer), and whether a security is listed on an electronic
network for trading the security.
If the Manager determines that a Rule 144A Security that was previously
determined to be liquid is no longer liquid and, as a result, the Fund’s
holdings of illiquid securities exceed the Fund’s limits on investment in such
securities, the Manager will determine what action to take to ensure that the
Fund continues to adhere to such limitation.
Investment Company
Securities
The Fund is permitted to invest in other
investment companies, including open-end, closed-end, or unregistered investment
companies, either within the percentage limits set forth in the 1940 Act, any
rule or order thereunder, or SEC staff interpretation thereof, or without regard
to percentage limits in connection with a merger, reorganization, consolidation
or other similar transaction. However, the Fund may not operate as a “fund of
funds” which invests primarily in the shares of other investment companies as
permitted by Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) of the 1940 Act, if its own shares are
utilized as investments by such a “fund of funds.” Under the 1940 Act’s
limitations, the Fund may not (i) own more than 3% of the voting stock of
another investment company; (ii) invest more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets
in the shares of any one investment company; or (iii) invest more than 10% of
the Fund’s total assets in shares of other investment companies. These
percentage limitations also apply to the Fund’s investments in unregistered
investment companies.
15
Money Market
Instruments
The Fund may invest in corporate and
government money market instruments. Money market instruments in which the Fund
may invest include U.S. government securities; certificates of deposit, time
deposits, and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their
branches located outside the U.S. and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic
branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar
institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with
respect to the foregoing types of instruments. See also “Bank Deposits” above.
Mortgage-Backed
Securities
The Fund may invest in mortgage-related
securities, including those representing an undivided ownership interest in a
pool of mortgages, issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or
instrumentalities, such as:
Government National Mortgage Association Certificates:
Certificates issued
by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) are mortgage-backed
securities representing part ownership of a pool of mortgage loans, which are
issued by lenders such as mortgage bankers, commercial banks and savings and
loan associations, and are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration
or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A pool of these mortgages is
assembled and, after being approved by GNMA, is offered to investors through
securities dealers. The timely payment of interest and principal on each
mortgage is guaranteed by GNMA and backed by the full faith and credit of the
U.S. government.
Principal is paid back monthly by the borrower over the term of the loan.
Investment of prepayments may occur at higher or lower rates than the
anticipated yield on the certificates. Due to the prepayment feature and the
need to reinvest prepayments of principal at current market rates, GNMA
certificates can be less effective than typical bonds of similar maturities at
“locking in” yields during periods of declining interest rates. GNMA
certificates typically appreciate or decline in market value during periods of
declining or rising interest rates, respectively. Due to the regular repayment
of principal and the prepayment feature, the effective maturities of mortgage
pass-through securities are shorter than stated maturities, will vary based on
market conditions and cannot be predicted in advance. The effective maturities
of newly-issued GNMA certificates backed by relatively new loans at or near the
prevailing interest rates are generally assumed to range between approximately
nine and 12 years.
FNMA and FHLMC Mortgage-Backed Obligations: The Federal National Mortgage Association
(“FNMA”), a federally chartered and privately owned corporation, issues
pass-through securities representing interests in a pool of conventional
mortgage loans. FNMA guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest but
this guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S.
government. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), a corporate
instrumentality of the U.S. government, issues participation certificates which
represent an interest in a pool of conventional mortgage loans. FHLMC guarantees
the timely payment of interest and the ultimate collection of principal, and
maintains reserves to protect holders against losses due to default, but the
certificates are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
As is the case with GNMA certificates, the actual maturity of, and
realized yield on, particular FNMA and FHLMC pass-through securities will vary
based on the prepayments of the underlying pool of mortgages and cannot be
predicted.
In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing
Finance Administration (“FHFA”) announced that FNMA and FHLMC would be placed
into a conservatorship under FHFA. The effect that this conservatorship will
have on these companies’ debt and equity securities is unclear.
16
In addition to mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, the Fund may also invest in
securities issued by certain private, nongovernment corporations, such as
financial institutions, if the securities are fully collateralized at the time
of issuance by securities or certificates issued or guaranteed by the U.S.
government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Two principal types of
mortgage-backed securities are collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and
real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”). The Fund currently invests
in privately issued CMOs and REMICs only if they are rated, at the time of
purchase, in the two highest grades by a nationally recognized statistical
ratings organization.
CMOs are debt securities issued by U.S. government agencies or by
financial institutions and other mortgage lenders and collateralized by a pool
of mortgages held under an indenture. CMOs are issued in a number of classes or
series with different maturities. The classes or series are retired in sequence
as the underlying mortgages are repaid. Prepayment may shorten the stated
maturity of the obligation and can result in a loss of premium, if any has been
paid. Certain of these securities may have variable or floating interest rates
and others may be stripped securities which provide only the principal or
interest feature of the underlying security).
Stripped mortgage securities are usually structured with two classes that
receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a
pool of mortgage assets. A common type of stripped mortgage security will have
one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the
mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the
remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all
of the interest (the “interest-only” class), while the other class will receive
all of the principal (the “principal-only” class). The yield to maturity on an
interest-only class is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing
interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including
prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of
principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the security’s yield to
maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated
prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial
investment in these securities even if the securities are rated in the highest
rating categories.
Although stripped mortgage securities are purchased and sold by
institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as
brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result,
established trading markets have not yet been fully developed and, accordingly,
these securities are generally illiquid and to such extent, together with any
other illiquid investments, will not exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets.
REMICs, which were authorized under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, are
private entities formed for the purpose of holding a fixed pool of mortgages
secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they
issue multiple classes of securities and certain REMICs also may be stripped.
The Fund may also invest in CMOs, REMICs, and commercial mortgage-backed
securities (“CMBS”) that are not issued or guaranteed by, or fully
collateralized by securities issued or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its
agencies or instrumentalities (“nonagency mortgage-backed securities”). These
securities are secured by the underlying collateral of the private issuer.
17
CMBS are issued by special purpose entities that represent an undivided
interest in a portfolio of mortgage loans backed by commercial properties. The
loans are collateralized by various types of commercial property, which include,
but are not limited to, multi-family housing, retail shopping centers, office
space, hotels, and health care facilities. Private lenders, such as banks or
insurance companies, originate these loans and then sell the loans directly into
a CMBS trust or other entity. CMBS are subject to credit risk, prepayment risk,
and extension risk. The Manager addresses credit risk by investing in CMBS that
are rated in the top rating category by a nationally recognized statistical
rating organization. Although prepayment risk is present, it is of a lesser
degree in the CMBS than in the residential mortgage market. Unlike other asset
classes, commercial loans have structural impediments to refinancing that
include lockout periods, prepayment penalties, yield maintenance, and
defeasance. These devices reduce the uncertainty introduced by prepayment
options. The Manager carefully analyzes the composition and proportions of
various prepayment provisions to protect against unscheduled payments. Extension
risk is the risk that balloon payments (i.e., the final payment on a commercial
mortgage, which is substantially larger than other periodic payments under the
mortgage) are deferred beyond their originally scheduled date for payment.
Extension risk measures the impact of a borrower’s ability to pay the balloon
payment in a timely fashion, while maintaining loan payments in accordance with
the terms specified in the loan. For the investor, extension will increase the
average life of the security, generally resulting in lower yield for discount
bonds and a higher yield for premium bonds. The Manager models and stress tests
extension risk and invests only in structures where extension risk is acceptable
under various scenarios.
Although the market for the foregoing securities has become increasingly
liquid over the past few years, currently, the market for such securities is
experiencing a period of extreme volatility, which has negatively impacted
market liquidity positions. Initially, the market participants’ concerns were
focused on the subprime segment of the mortgage-backed securities market.
However, these concerns have since expanded to include a broad range of
mortgaged-backed and asset-backed securities, as well as other fixed income
securities. These securities are more difficult to value and may be hard to
sell. In addition, in general, securities issued by certain private
organizations may not be readily marketable.
Loans and Other Direct
Indebtedness
The Fund may purchase loans and other direct
indebtedness. In purchasing a loan, the Fund acquires some or all of the
interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a corporate,
governmental, or other borrower. Many such loans are secured, although some may
be unsecured. Such loans may be in default at the time of purchase. Loans that
are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than unsecured loans in the
event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no
assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy
the corporate borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.
These loans are made generally to finance internal growth, mergers,
acquisitions, stock repurchases, leveraged buy-outs, and other corporate
activities. Such loans are typically made by a syndicate of lending
institutions, represented by an agent lending institution that has negotiated
and structured the loan and is responsible for collecting interest, principal,
and other amounts due on its own behalf and on behalf of the others in the
syndicate, and for enforcing its and their other rights against the borrower.
Alternatively, such loans may be structured as novations, pursuant to which the
Fund would assume all of the rights of the lending institution in a loan or as
assignments, pursuant to which the Fund would purchase an assignment of a
portion of a lender’s interest in a loan either directly from the lender or
through an intermediary.
The Fund may also purchase trade or other claims against companies, which
generally represent money owned by the company to a supplier of goods or
services. These claims may also be purchased at a time when the company is in
default.
18
Certain of the loans and the other direct indebtedness acquired by the
Fund may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing
commitments, which obligate the Fund to pay additional cash on a certain date or
on demand. These commitments may require the Fund to increase its investment in
a company at a time when that Fund might not otherwise decide to do so
(including at a time when the company’s financial condition makes it unlikely
that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that the Fund is committed to
advance additional funds, it will at all times hold and maintain in a segregated
account cash or other high grade debt obligations in an amount sufficient to
meet such commitments. The Fund’s ability to receive payment of principal,
interest, and other amounts due in connection with these investments will depend
primarily on the financial condition of the borrower. In selecting the loans and
other direct indebtedness that the Fund will purchase, the investment manager
will rely upon its own (and not the original lending institution’s) credit
analysis of the borrower. As the Fund may be required to rely upon another
lending institution to collect and pass on to the Fund amounts payable with
respect to the loan and to enforce the Fund’s rights under the loan and other
direct indebtedness, an insolvency, bankruptcy, or reorganization of the lending
institution may delay or prevent the Fund from receiving such amounts. In such
cases, the Fund will evaluate as well the creditworthiness of the lending
institution and will treat both the borrower and the lending institution as an
“issuer” of the loan for purposes of compliance with applicable law pertaining
to the diversification of the Fund’s portfolio investments. The highly leveraged
nature of many such loans and other direct indebtedness may make such loans and
other direct indebtedness especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic
or market conditions. Investments in such loans and other direct indebtedness
may involve additional risk to the Fund.
Options
The Fund may purchase call options, write call
options on a covered basis, write secured put options, and purchase put options
on a covered basis only, and will not engage in option writing strategies for
speculative purposes.
The Fund may invest in options that are either exchange listed or traded
over-the-counter. Certain over-the-counter options may be illiquid. Thus, it may
not be possible to close option positions and this may have an adverse impact on
the Fund’s ability to effectively hedge its securities. The Fund will not,
however, invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.
Covered Call Writing. The Fund may write
covered call options from time to time on such portion of its portfolio, without
limit, as the Manager determines is appropriate in seeking to achieve the Fund’s
investment objective. A call option gives the purchaser of such option the right
to buy, and the writer, in this case the Fund, has the obligation to sell the
underlying security at the exercise price during the option period. The
advantage to the Fund of writing covered calls is that the Fund receives a
premium which is additional income. However, if the security rises in value, the
Fund may not fully participate in the market appreciation.
During the option period, a covered call option writer may be assigned an
exercise notice by the broker/dealer through whom such call option was sold,
requiring the writer to deliver the underlying security against payment of the
exercise price. This obligation is terminated upon the expiration of the option
period or at such earlier time in which the writer effects a closing purchase
transaction. A closing purchase transaction cannot be effected with respect to
an option once the option writer has received an exercise notice for such
option.
With respect to options on actual portfolio securities owned by the Fund,
the Fund may enter into closing purchase transactions. A closing purchase
transaction is one in which the Fund, when obligated as a writer of an option,
terminates its obligation by purchasing an option of the same series as the
option previously written.
19
Closing purchase transactions will ordinarily be effected to realize a
profit on an outstanding call option, to prevent an underlying security from
being called, to permit the sale of the underlying security or to enable the
Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with either a
different exercise price or expiration date or both. The Fund may realize a net
gain or loss from a closing purchase transaction depending upon whether the net
amount of the original premium received on the call option is more or less than
the cost of effecting the closing purchase transaction. Any loss incurred in a
closing purchase transaction may be partially or entirely offset by the premium
received from a sale of a different call option on the same underlying security.
Such a loss may also be wholly or partially offset by unrealized appreciation in
the market value of the underlying security. Conversely, a gain resulting from a
closing purchase transaction could be offset in whole or in part by a decline in
the market value of the underlying security.
If a call option expires unexercised, the Fund will realize a short-term
capital gain in the amount of the premium on the option less the commission
paid. Such a gain, however, may be offset by depreciation in the market value of
the underlying security during the option period. If a call option is exercised,
the Fund will realize a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security
equal to the difference between the cost of the underlying security and the
proceeds of the sale of the security plus the amount of the premium on the
option less the commission paid.
The market value of a call option generally reflects the market price of
an underlying security. Other principal factors affecting market value include
supply and demand, interest rates, the price volatility of the underlying
security, and the time remaining until the expiration date.
The Fund will write call options only on a covered basis, which means
that the Fund will own the underlying security subject to a call option at all
times during the option period. Unless a closing purchase transaction is
effected, the Fund would be required to continue to hold a security which it
might otherwise wish to sell or deliver a security it would want to hold.
Options written by the Fund will normally have expiration dates between one and
nine months from the date written. The exercise price of a call option may be
below, equal to, or above the current market value of the underlying security at
the time the option is written.
Purchasing Call Options. The Fund may
purchase call options to the extent that premiums paid by the Fund do not
aggregate more than 2% of the Fund’s total assets. The advantage of purchasing
call options is that the Fund may alter portfolio characteristics, and modify
portfolio maturities without incurring the cost associated with portfolio
transactions.
The Fund may, following the purchase of a call option, liquidate its
position by effecting a closing sale transaction. This is accomplished by
selling an option of the same Fund as the option previously purchased. The Fund
will realize a profit from a closing sale transaction if the price received on
the transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the original call
option; the Fund will realize a loss from a closing sale transaction if the
price received on the transaction is less than the premium paid to purchase the
original call option.
Although the Fund will generally purchase only those call options for
which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that
a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option,
or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an
exchange may exist. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing
transactions in particular options, with the results that the Fund would have to
exercise its options in order to realize any profit and would incur brokerage
commissions upon the exercise of such options and upon the subsequent
disposition of the underlying securities acquired through the exercise of such
options. Further, unless the price of the underlying security changes
sufficiently, a call option purchased by the Fund may expire without any value
to the Fund.
20
Purchasing Put Options. The Fund will
only purchase put options to the extent that the premiums on all outstanding put
options do not exceed 2% of the Fund’s total assets. A put option purchased by
the Fund gives it the right to sell one of its securities for an agreed price up
to an agreed date. However, the Fund must pay a premium for this right, whether
it exercises it or not. The Fund will, at all times during which it holds a put
option, own the security covered by such option.
The Fund intends to purchase put options in order to protect against a
decline in the market value of the underlying security below the exercise price
less the premium paid for the option (“protective puts”). The ability to
purchase put options will allow the Fund to protect an unrealized gain in an
appreciated security in its portfolio without actually selling the security. If
the security does not drop in value, the Fund will lose the value of the premium
paid. The Fund may sell a put option, which it has previously purchased prior to
the sale of the securities underlying such option. Such sales will result in a
net gain or loss depending on whether the amount received on the sale is more or
less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put option that is
sold.
The Fund may sell a put option purchased on individual portfolio
securities. Additionally, the Fund may enter into closing sale transactions. A
closing sale transaction is one in which the Fund, when it is the holder of an
outstanding option, liquidates its position by selling an option of the same
series as the option previously purchased.
Writing Put Options. The Fund may also
write put options on a secured basis which means that the Fund will maintain, in
a segregated account with its custodian, cash or U.S. government securities in
an amount not less than the exercise price of the option at all times during the
option period. The amount of cash or U.S. government securities held in the
segregated account will be adjusted on a daily basis to reflect changes in the
market value of the securities covered by the put option written by the Fund.
Secured put options will generally be written in circumstances where the Manager
wishes to purchase the underlying security for the Fund’s portfolio at a price
lower than the current market price of the security. In such event, the Fund
would write a secured put option at an exercise price which, reduced by the
premium received on the option, reflects the lower price it is willing to pay.
Following the writing of a put option, the Fund may wish to terminate the
obligation to buy the security underlying the option by effecting a closing
purchase transaction. This is accomplished by buying an option of the same
series as the option previously written. The Fund may not, however, effect such
a closing transaction after it has been notified of the exercise of the option.
Portfolio Loan
Transactions
The Fund may loan up to 25% of its assets to
qualified broker/dealers or institutional investors for their use relating to
short sales or other security transactions.
It is the understanding of the Manager that the SEC staff permits
portfolio lending by registered investment companies if certain conditions are
met. These conditions are as follows: (i) each transaction must have 100%
collateral in the form of cash, short-term U.S. government securities, or
irrevocable letters of credit payable by banks acceptable to the Fund from the
borrower; (ii) this collateral must be valued daily and should the market value
of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional
collateral to the Fund; (iii) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan after
notice, at any time; (iv) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on any loan,
and any dividends, interest or other distributions on the lent securities, and
any increase in the market value of such securities; (v) the Fund may pay
reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (vi) the voting
rights on the lent securities may pass to the borrower; however, if the Board
knows that a material event will occur affecting an investment loan, they must
either terminate the loan in order to vote the proxy or enter into an
alternative arrangement with the borrower to enable the trustees to vote the
proxy.
One major risk to which the Fund would be exposed on a portfolio loan
transaction is the risk that the borrower would go bankrupt at a time when the
value of the security goes up. Therefore, the Fund will only enter into loan
arrangements after a review of all pertinent facts by the Manager, under the
supervision of the Board, including the creditworthiness of the borrowing
broker, dealer, or institution and then only if the consideration to be received
from such loans would justify the risk. Creditworthiness will be monitored on an
ongoing basis by the Manager.
21
Cash collateral received is invested
in a collective investment vehicle (Collective Trust) established by the Fund’s
custodian for the purpose of investment on behalf of clients participating in
its securities lending programs. The Collective Trust invests in fixed income
securities, with a weighted average maturity not to exceed 90 days, rated in one
of the top three tiers by S&P or Moody’s or repurchase agreements
collateralized by such securities. However, in the event of default or
bankruptcy by the lending agent, realization and/or retention of the collateral
may be subject to legal proceedings. In the event the borrower fails to return
loaned securities and the collateral received is insufficient to cover the value
of the loaned securities and provided such collateral shortfall is not the
result of investment losses, the lending agent has agreed to pay the amount of
the shortfall to the fund or, at the discretion of the lending agent, replace
the loaned securities. The Fund continues to record dividends or interest, as
applicable, on the securities loaned and is subject to change in value of the
securities loaned that may occur during the term of the loan. The Fund has the
right under the lending agreement to recover the securities from the borrower on
demand. With respect to security loans collateralized by U.S. Treasury
obligations, the Fund receives a fee from the security lending agent. With
respect to security loans collateralized by cash collateral, the earnings from
the collateral investments are shared among the Fund, the security lending
agent, and the borrower. The Fund records securities lending income net of
allocations to the security lending agent and the borrower.
Repurchase
Agreements
In order to invest its cash reserves or when
in a temporary defensive posture, the Fund may enter into repurchase agreements
with banks or broker/dealers deemed to be creditworthy by the Manager. A
repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser (e.g.,
the Fund) acquires ownership of a debt security and the seller agrees to
repurchase the obligation at a future time and set price, thereby determining
the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. Generally, repurchase
agreements are of short duration, often less than one week, but on occasion for
longer periods. The Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in
repurchase agreements with maturities of seven days or more. Should an issuer of
a repurchase agreement fail to repurchase the underlying security, the loss to
the Fund, if any, would be the difference between the repurchase price and the
market value of the security. The Fund will limit its investments in repurchase
agreements, to those which the Manager determines to present minimal credit
risks and which are of high quality. In addition, the Fund must have collateral
of 102% of the repurchase price, including the portion representing the Fund’s
yield under such agreements, which is monitored on a daily basis. Such
collateral is held by a custodian in book entry form. Such agreements may be
considered loans under the 1940 Act, but the Fund considers repurchase
agreements contracts for the purchase and sale of securities, and it seeks to
perfect a security interest in the collateral securities so that it has the
right to keep and dispose of the underlying collateral in the event of a
default.
The funds in the Delaware Investments® family (each a “Delaware Investments® Fund” and collectively, the “Delaware
Investments®
Funds”) have obtained an
exemption (the “Order”) from the joint-transaction prohibitions of Section 17(d)
of the 1940 Act to allow Delaware Investments Funds jointly to invest cash
balances. The Fund may invest cash balances in a joint repurchase agreement in
accordance with the terms of the Order and subject generally to the conditions
described above.
Restricted
Securities
While maintaining oversight, the Board has
delegated to the Manager the day-to-day functions of determining whether or not
individual Rule 144A securities are liquid for purposes of the Fund’s 15%
limitation on investments in illiquid assets. The Board has instructed the
Manager to consider the following factors in determining the liquidity of a Rule
144A security: (i) the frequency of trades and trading volume for the security;
(ii) whether at least three dealers are willing to purchase or sell the security
and the number of potential purchasers; (iii) whether at least two dealers are
making a market in the security; and (iv) the nature of the security and the
nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the
security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer and
whether a security is listed on an electronic network for trading the security).
22
If the Manager determines that a Rule 144A security which was previously
determined to be liquid is no longer liquid and, as a result, the Fund’s
holdings of illiquid securities exceed the Fund’s 15% limit on investment in
such securities, the Manager will determine what action to take to ensure that
the Fund continues to adhere to such limitation.
U.S. Government
Securities
Obligations of U.S. government agencies,
authorities, instrumentalities, and sponsored enterprises have historically
involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, not all
U.S. government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United
States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and
sponsored enterprises of the U.S. government are backed by the full faith and
credit of the United States (e.g., GNMA); other obligations are backed by the
right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury (e.g., the Federal Home
Loan Banks) and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S.
government to purchase an agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by
the credit of the agency, authority, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise
issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would
provide financial support to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do
so by law.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery
Securities
The Fund may purchase securities on a
when-issued or delayed-delivery basis. In such transactions, instruments are
purchased with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to
secure what is considered to be an advantageous yield or price at the time of
the transaction. Delivery of and payment for these securities may take as long
as a month or more after the date of the purchase commitment. The Fund will
designate cash or securities in amounts sufficient to cover its obligations, and
will value the designated assets daily. The payment obligation and the interest
rates that will be received are each fixed at the time the Fund enters into the
commitment and no interest accrues to the Fund until settlement. Thus, it is
possible that the market value at the time of settlement could be higher or
lower than the purchase price if the general level of interest rates has
changed.
Zero Coupon and Pay-In-Kind
Bonds
Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations which
do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity
or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest, and
therefore are issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or pay
value. Pay-In-Kind (“PIK”) bonds pay interest through the issuance to holders of
additional securities. Zero coupon bonds and PIK bonds are generally considered
to be more interest-sensitive than income bearing bonds, to be more speculative
than interest-bearing bonds and to have certain tax consequences which could,
under certain circumstances, be adverse to the Fund. Investments in zero coupon
or PIK bonds would require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet
received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make these distributions, the
Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise might
have continued to hold or to borrow. These rules could affect the amount,
timing, and tax character of income distributed to you by the Fund.
Special Risk
Considerations
Foreign Securities
Risks. The Fund has the right to purchase securities
in any developed, underdeveloped, or emerging country. Investors should consider
carefully the substantial risks involved in investing in securities issued by
companies and governments of foreign nations. These risks are in addition to the
usual risks inherent in domestic investments. There is the possibility of
expropriation, nationalization or confiscatory taxation, taxation of income
earned in foreign nations or other taxes imposed with respect to investments in
foreign nations, foreign exchange control (which may include suspension of the
ability to transfer currency from a given country), default in foreign
government securities, political or social instability, or diplomatic
developments which could affect investments in securities of issuers in those
nations.
23
In addition, in many countries,
there is substantially less publicly available information about issuers than is
available in reports about companies in the United States. Foreign companies are
not subject to uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards,
and auditing practices and requirements may not be comparable to those
applicable to United States companies. In particular, the assets and profits
appearing on the financial statements of a developing or emerging country issuer
may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they
would be reflected had the financial statements been prepared in accordance with
the United States’ generally accepted accounting principles. Also, for an issuer
that keeps accounting records in local currency, inflation accounting rules may
require for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and
liabilities be restated on the issuer’s balance sheet in order to express items
in terms of currency or constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may
indirectly generate losses or profits. Consequently, financial data may be
materially affected by restatements for inflation and may not accurately reflect
the real condition of those issuers and securities markets.
Further, the Fund may encounter
difficulty or be unable to pursue legal remedies and obtain judgments in foreign
courts. Commission rates on securities transactions in foreign countries, which
are sometimes fixed rather than subject to negotiation, as in the United States,
are likely to be higher. Further, the settlement period of securities
transactions in foreign markets may be longer than in domestic markets, and may
be subject to administrative uncertainties. In many foreign countries, there is
less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices,
stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States, and
capital requirements for brokerage firms are generally lower. The foreign
securities markets of many of the countries in which the Fund may invest may
also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those
in the United States.
Emerging Markets Securities
Risks. Compared to the United States and other
developed countries, emerging countries may have volatile social conditions,
relatively unstable governments and political systems, economies based on only a
few industries and economic structures that are less diverse and mature, and
securities markets that trade a small number of securities, which can result in
a low or nonexistent volume of trading. Prices in these securities markets tend
to be volatile and, in the past, securities in these countries have offered
greater potential for gain (as well as loss) than securities of companies
located in developed countries. Until recently, there has been an absence of a
capital market structure or market-oriented economy in certain emerging
countries. Further, investments and opportunities for investments by foreign
investors are subject to a variety of national policies and restrictions in many
emerging countries. These restrictions may take the form of prior governmental
approval, limits on the amount or type of securities held by foreigners, limits
on the types of companies in which foreigners may invest and prohibitions on
foreign investments in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national
interests. Additional restrictions may be imposed at any time by these or other
countries in which the Fund invests. Also, the repatriation of both investment
income and capital from several foreign countries is restricted and controlled
under certain regulations, including, in some cases, the need for certain
governmental consents. Although these restrictions may in the future make it
undesirable to invest in emerging countries, the Manager does not believe that
any current repatriation restrictions would affect its decision to invest in
such countries. Countries such as those in which the Fund may invest have
historically experienced, and may continue to experience, substantial, and in
some periods extremely high rates of inflation for many years, high interest
rates, exchange rate fluctuations or currency depreciation, large amounts of
external debt, balance of payments and trade difficulties, and extreme poverty
and unemployment. Other factors that may influence the ability or willingness to
service debt include, but are not limited to, a country’s cash flow situation,
the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due,
the relative size of its debt service burden to the economy as a whole, its
government’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and
other international agencies, and the political constraints to which a
government debtor may be subject.
24
Foreign Government Securities
Risks. With respect to investment in debt issues of
foreign governments, the ability of a foreign government or government-related
issuer to make timely and ultimate payments on its external debt obligations
will also be strongly influenced by the issuer’s balance of payments, including
export performance, its access to international credits and investments,
fluctuations in interest rates, and the extent of its foreign reserves. A
country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities or whose economy
depends on certain strategic imports could be vulnerable to fluctuations in
international prices of these commodities or imports. To the extent that a
country receives payment for its exports in currencies other than dollars, its
ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars could be adversely
affected. If a foreign government or government-related issuer cannot generate
sufficient earnings from foreign trade to service its external debt, it may need
to depend on continuing loans and aid from foreign governments, commercial banks
and multilateral organizations, and inflows of foreign investment. The
commitment on the part of these foreign governments, multilateral organizations
and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the government’s
implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance, and the timely
service of its obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such
levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may
curtail the willingness of such third parties to lend funds, which may further
impair the issuer’s ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely
manner. The cost of servicing external debt will also generally be adversely
affected by rising international interest rates because many external debt
obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international
interest rates. The ability to service external debt will also depend on the
level of the relevant government’s international currency reserves and its
access to foreign exchange. Currency devaluations may affect the ability of a
government issuer to obtain sufficient foreign exchange to service its external
debt.
As a result of the foregoing, a
foreign governmental issuer may default on its obligations. If such a default
occurs, the Fund may have limited effective legal recourse against the issuer
and/or guarantor. Remedies must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the
defaulting party itself, and the ability of the holder of foreign government and
government-related debt securities to obtain recourse may be subject to the
political climate in the relevant country. In addition, no assurance can be
given that the holders of commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the
holders of other foreign government and government-related debt obligations in
the event of default under their commercial bank loan agreements.
Risks Related to Additional
Investment Techniques. With respect to forward foreign currency
contracts, the precise matching of forward contract amounts and the value of the
securities involved is generally not possible since the future value of such
securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market
movements in the value of those securities between the date the forward contract
is entered into and the date it matures. The projection of short-term currency
strategy is highly uncertain.
It is impossible to forecast the
market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of the contract.
Accordingly, it may be necessary
for the Fund to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and
bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the security is less
than the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver (and if a
decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign
currency). Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of
the foreign currency received upon the sale of the portfolio security if its
market value exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to
deliver.
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DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
INFORMATION |
The Fund has adopted a policy generally prohibiting
the disclosure of portfolio holdings information to any person until after 30
calendar days have passed. The Trust posts a list of the Fund’s portfolio
holdings monthly, with a 30-day lag, on the Fund’s website,
www.delawareinvestments.com. In addition, on a 10-day lag, we also make
available on the Web site a month-end summary listing of the number of the
Fund’s securities, country and asset allocations, and top 10 securities and
sectors by percentage of holdings for the Fund. This information is available
publicly to any and all shareholders free of charge once posted on the web site
by calling 800 523-1918.
Other entities, including institutional investors and intermediaries that
distribute the Fund’s shares, are generally treated similarly and are not
provided with the Fund’s portfolio holdings in advance of when they are
generally available to the public.
The Fund may, from time to time, provide statistical data derived from
publicly available information to third parties, such as shareholders,
prospective shareholders, financial intermediaries, consultants, and ratings and
ranking organizations.
Third-party service providers and affiliated
persons of the Fund are provided with the Fund’s portfolio holdings only to the
extent necessary to perform services under agreements relating to the Fund. In
accordance with the policy, third-party service providers who receive non-public
portfolio holdings information on an ongoing basis are: the Manager’s affiliates
(Delaware Management Business Trust, Delaware Service Company, Inc., and the
Distributor) and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm,
custodian, legal counsel, financial printer (DG3), and proxy voting service.
These entities are obligated to keep such information
confidential.
Third-party rating and ranking organizations and
consultants who have signed agreements (“Non-Disclosure Agreements”) with the
Fund or the Manager may receive portfolio holdings information more quickly than
the 30-day lag. The Non-Disclosure Agreements require that the receiving entity
hold the information in the strictest confidence and prohibit the receiving
entity from disclosing the information or trading on the information (either in
Fund shares or in shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities). In addition, the
receiving party must agree to provide copies of any research or reports
generated using the portfolio holdings information in order to allow for
monitoring of use of the information. Neither the Fund, the Manager, nor any
affiliate receive any compensation or consideration with respect to these
agreements.
To protect shareholders’ interests and to avoid
conflicts of interest, Non-Disclosure Agreements must be approved by a member of
the Manager’s Legal Department and Compliance Department and any deviation in
the use of the portfolio holdings information by the receiving party must be
approved in writing by the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer prior to such
use.
The Board will be notified of any substantial change to the foregoing
procedures. The Board also receives an annual report from the Trust’s Chief
Compliance Officer which, among other things, addresses the operation of the
Trust’s procedures concerning the disclosure of portfolio holdings
information.
26
Officers and Trustees
The business and affairs
of the Trust are managed under the direction of its Board. Certain officers and
Trustees of the Trust hold identical positions in each of the other Delaware
Investments®
Funds. As of March 31, 2010, the Trust’s officers and Trustees
directly owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.
The Trust’s Trustees and principal officers are noted below along with
their birthdates and their business experience for the past five years. The
Trustees serve for indefinite terms until their resignation, death, or removal.
|
|
|
|
Number of
Funds in |
|
Name, Address,
and |
Position(s)
Held |
Length of |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund Complex |
Other Directorships |
Birthdate |
with the
Trust |
Time
Served |
During Past 5
Years |
Overseen by Trustee |
Held by Trustee |
Interested
Trustees |
Patrick P. Coyne1 |
Chairman, |
Chairman and |
Patrick P. Coyne has |
79 |
Director —
Kaydon |
2005 Market Street |
President, Chief |
Trustee since |
served
in various |
|
Corp. |
Philadelphia,
PA 19103 |
Executive Officer, |
August 16, |
executive capacities |
|
|
|
and Trustee |
2006 |
at different times
at |
|
Board of
Governors |
April
1963 |
|
|
Delaware Investments.2 |
|
Member
— |
|
|
President and |
|
|
Investment
Company |
|
|
Chief Executive |
|
|
Institute
(ICI) |
|
|
Officer since |
|
|
|
|
|
August 1, 2006 |
|
|
Finance
Committee |
|
|
|
|
|
Member — St.
John |
|
|
|
|
|
Vianney
Roman |
|
|
|
|
|
Catholic
Church |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Board of
Trustees – |
|
|
|
|
|
Agnes Irwin
School |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Member
of |
|
|
|
|
|
Investment |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee —
Cradle |
|
|
|
|
|
of Liberty
Council, |
|
|
|
|
|
BSA |
|
|
|
|
|
(2007 –
2010)
|
27
|
|
|
|
Number of Fund in |
|
Name, Address,
and |
Position(s)
Held |
Length of |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund Complex |
Other Directorships |
Birthdate |
with the
Trust |
Time
Served |
During Past 5
Years |
Overseen by Trustee |
Held by Trustee |
Independent
Trustees |
Thomas L. Bennett |
Trustee |
Since
March |
Private Investor — |
79 |
Director — Bryn |
2005 Market Street |
|
2005 |
(March 2004 –
Present) |
|
Mawr Bank Corp. |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
|
|
(BMTC) |
|
|
|
Investment |
|
|
October 1947 |
|
|
Manager — Morgan |
|
Chairman of |
|
|
|
Stanley & Co. |
|
Investment |
|
|
|
(January
1984 – |
|
Committee
— |
|
|
|
March
2004) |
|
Pennsylvania |
|
|
|
|
|
Academy
of |
|
|
|
|
|
Fine
Arts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investment |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Governance |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
Member |
|
|
|
|
|
—
Pennsylvania |
|
|
|
|
|
Horticultural |
|
|
|
|
|
Society
|
John A. Fry |
Trustee |
Since
January |
President — Franklin |
79 |
Director — |
2005 Market
Street |
|
2001 |
& Marshall College |
|
Community Health |
Philadelphia,
PA 19103 |
|
|
(June 2002 – Present) |
|
Systems |
|
|
|
|
|
|
May
1960 |
|
|
Executive |
|
Director – Allied |
|
|
|
Vice President — |
|
Barton Securities |
|
|
|
University
of |
|
Holdings |
|
|
|
Pennsylvania |
|
(2005-2008) |
|
|
|
(April 1995 – June
2002) |
|
|
Anthony D. Knerr |
Trustee |
Since April |
Founder and |
79 |
None |
2005 Market
Street |
|
1990 |
Managing
Director — |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA
19103 |
|
|
Anthony
Knerr & |
|
|
|
|
|
Associates |
|
|
December 1938 |
|
|
(Strategic
Consulting) |
|
|
|
|
|
(1990 –
Present) |
|
|
Lucinda S. Landreth 2005 Market Street |
Trustee |
Since
March 2005 |
Chief Investment Officer — |
79 |
None |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
Assurant, Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
(Insurance) |
|
|
June
1947 |
|
|
(2002 –
2004) |
|
|
Ann R.
Leven |
Trustee |
Since October |
Consultant
— |
79 |
Director and
Audit |
2005 Market
Street |
|
1989 |
ARL
Associates |
|
Committee
Chair — |
Philadelphia, PA
19103 |
|
|
(Financial
Planning) |
|
Systemax
Inc. |
|
|
|
(1983 –
Present) |
|
|
November 1940 |
|
|
|
|
Director and
Audit |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee |
|
|
|
|
|
Chairperson
– Andy |
|
|
|
|
|
Warhol
Foundation |
|
|
|
|
|
(1999
– 2007) |
28
|
|
|
|
Number of Fund in |
|
Name, Address,
and |
Position(s)
Held |
Length of |
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund Complex |
Other Directorships |
Birthdate |
with the
Trust |
Time
Served |
During Past 5
Years |
Overseen by Trustee |
Held by Trustee |
Thomas F. Madison 2005 Market Street
|
Trustee |
Since May 19973 |
President and Chief Executive Officer — |
79 |
Director
and Chair of Compensation |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
MLM Partners, Inc. |
|
Committee, |
|
|
|
(Small Business Investing
|
|
Governance |
February
1936 |
|
|
& Consulting) |
|
Committee
Member |
|
|
|
(January 1993 – Present) |
|
—
CenterPoint |
|
|
|
|
|
Energy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lead Director
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Chair of Audit
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Governance |
|
|
|
|
|
Committees,
Member |
|
|
|
|
|
of
Compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee —
Digital |
|
|
|
|
|
River
Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director and Chair
of |
|
|
|
|
|
Governance |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee,
Audit |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
Member |
|
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
|
|
Rimage
Corporation |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director and Chair
of |
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee
— |
|
|
|
|
|
Spanlink |
|
|
|
|
|
Communications |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lead Director
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Member
of |
|
|
|
|
|
Compensation
and |
|
|
|
|
|
Governance |
|
|
|
|
|
Committees
— |
|
|
|
|
|
Valmont
Industries, |
|
|
|
|
|
Inc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director –
Banner |
|
|
|
|
|
Health |
|
|
|
|
|
(1996 –
2007)
|
Janet L. Yeomans 2005 Market Street
|
Trustee |
Since April 1999 |
Treasurer (January 2006 – Present) |
79 |
None |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vice
President — |
|
|
July
1948 |
|
|
Mergers
& Acquisitions |
|
|
|
|
|
(January
2003 – |
|
|
|
|
|
January 2006), |
|
|
|
|
|
and Vice President |
|
|
|
|
|
(July 1995 – January
2003) |
|
|
|
|
|
3M
Corporation |
|
|
J. Richard
Zecher |
Trustee |
Since March |
Founder — |
79 |
Director and Audit |
2005 Market Street |
|
2005 |
Investor Analytics |
|
Committee Member |
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
(Risk Management) |
|
— |
|
|
|
(May 1999 – Present) |
|
Investor
Analytics |
July 1940 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Founder — |
|
Director
– |
|
|
|
Sutton Asset Management |
|
Oxigene,
Inc. (2003 –
2008) |
|
|
|
(Hedge Fund) |
|
|
|
|
|
(September 1996
– |
|
|
|
|
|
Present) |
|
|
29
|
|
|
|
Number of Fund in |
Other |
Name, Address,
and |
Position(s)
Held |
Length of
|
Principal
Occupation(s) |
Fund Complex |
Other Directorships |
Birthdate |
with the
Trust |
Time
Served |
During Past 5
Years |
Overseen by Officer |
Held by Officer |
Officers |
David F. Connor |
Vice
President, |
Vice
President |
David F. Connor has
|
79 |
None4 |
2005 Market
Street |
Deputy
General |
since |
served as Vice
President |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA
19103 |
Counsel, and |
September |
and Deputy General
|
|
|
|
Secretary |
2000 and |
Counsel at
Delaware |
|
|
December
1963 |
|
Secretary
since |
Investments |
|
|
|
|
October 2005 |
since 2000. |
|
|
Daniel V. Geatens |
Vice
President and |
Treasurer since |
Daniel
V. Geatens has |
79 |
None4 |
2005 Market Street |
Treasurer |
October 2007 |
served
in various |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
|
|
capacities at |
|
|
|
|
|
different times at |
|
|
October
1972 |
|
|
Delaware
Investments. |
|
|
David P. O’Connor |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
David P. O’Connor
has |
79 |
None4 |
2005 Market
Street |
President,
General |
President, |
served in
various |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA
19103 |
Counsel, and
Chief |
General |
executive and
legal |
|
|
|
Legal
Officer |
Counsel, and |
capacities at
different |
|
|
February
1966 |
|
Chief Legal |
times at |
|
|
|
|
Officer
since |
Delaware Investments. |
|
|
|
|
October 2005 |
|
|
|
Richard Salus |
Senior
Vice |
Chief
Financial |
Richard Salus has |
79 |
None4 |
2005 Market Street |
President and |
Officer since |
served
in various |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA 19103 |
Chief
Financial |
November |
executive capacities at |
|
|
|
Officer |
2006 |
different times at |
|
|
October
1963 |
|
|
Delaware
Investments. |
|
|
1 Patrick P. Coyne
is considered to be an “Interested Trustee” because he is an executive
officer of the Series’ Manager.
2
Delaware Investments is the marketing name for Delaware Management
Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including the Series’ Manager,
principal underwriter, and transfer agent.
3 In 1997, several
funds managed by Voyageur Fund Managers, Inc. (the “Voyageur Funds”) were
incorporated into the Delaware Investments® Family of Funds. Mr. Madison served as a
director of the Voyageur Funds from 1993 until
1997.
4
David F. Connor, Daniel V. Geatens, David P. O’Connor, and Richard
Salus serve in similar capacities for the six portfolios of the Optimum
Fund Trust, which have the same investment manager, principal underwriter,
and transfer agent as the
Series.
|
The following table shows each Trustee’s ownership of shares of the Fund
and of all Delaware Investments® Funds as of December 31, 2009.
|
|
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in All |
|
|
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen by |
Name |
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Trust |
Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies |
Interested Trustee |
Patrick P.
Coyne |
Over $100,000 |
Over $100,000 |
Independent Trustees |
Thomas L.
Bennett |
None |
$10,001 –
$50,000 |
John A.
Fry |
None |
Over $100,000 |
Anthony D.
Knerr |
None |
$50,001- $100,000 |
Lucinda S.
Landreth |
None |
Over $100,000 |
Ann R.
Leven |
None |
Over $100,000 |
Thomas F.
Madison |
None |
$10,001 –
$50,000 |
Janet L.
Yeomans |
None |
Over $100,000 |
J. Richard
Zecher |
None |
$1-$10,000 |
The following table describes the aggregate compensation received by the
Trustees from the Trust and the total compensation received from the Delaware
Investments®
Funds for which he or she
served as a Trustee for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009. Only the
Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” as defined by the 1940
Act (the “Independent Trustees”) receive compensation from the Trust.
30
|
|
|
Total
Compensation |
|
|
|
from the
Investment |
|
Aggregate |
Retirement
Benefits |
Companies in
the |
|
Compensation
from |
Accrued as Part of
Fund |
Delaware Investments® |
Trustee |
the Trust1 |
Expenses |
Complex1 |
Thomas L. Bennett |
$5,720 |
None |
$190,000 |
John
A. Fry |
$5,585 |
None |
$185,000 |
Anthony D. Knerr |
$5,035 |
None |
$165,000 |
Lucinda S. Landreth |
$5,035 |
None |
$165,000 |
Ann
R. Leven |
$6,487 |
None |
$215,000 |
Thomas F. Madison |
$5,577 |
None |
$185,000 |
Janet L. Yeomans |
$4,729 |
None |
$155,000 |
J.
Richard Zecher |
$5,138 |
None |
$170,000 |
1
|
|
Effective January
1, 2010, each Independent Trustee/Director will receive an annual retainer
fee of $125,000 for serving as a Trustee/Director for all 31 investment
companies in the Delaware Investments® family, plus $10,000 per day for
attending each Board Meeting in person held on behalf of all investment
companies in the complex. Each Trustee shall also receive a $5,000 fee for
attending telephonic meetings on behalf of the investments companies in
the complex. Members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee,
Audit Committee, and Investments Committee receive additional compensation
of $2,500 for each Committee meeting attended. In addition, the
chairperson of the Audit Committee receives an annual retainer of $25,000,
the chairperson of the Investments Committee receives an annual retainer
of $20,000, and the chairperson of the Nominating and Corporate Governance
Committee receives an annual retainer of $15,000. The Lead/Coordinating
Trustee/Director of the Delaware Investments®
Funds receives an additional annual
retainer of $40,000. The incoming 2011 Lead/Coordinating Trustee/Director
of the Delaware Investments®
Funds receives an additional annual
retainer of
$20,000. |
Board Leadership Structure
Common Board of Trustees/Directors: The business of
the Trust is managed under the direction of its Board. The Trustees also serve
on the Boards of all the other investment companies that comprise the Delaware
Investments Family of Funds. The Trustees believe that having a common Board for
all funds in the complex is efficient and enhances the ability of the Board to
address its responsibilities to each fund in the complex. The Trustees believe
that the common board structure allows the Trustees to leverage their individual
expertise and that their judgment is enhanced by being Trustees of all of the
funds in the complex.
Board Chairman: Mr. Coyne, who is an
Interested Trustee, serves as the Chairman of the Board. The Board believes that
it is beneficial to have a representative of Fund management as its Chairman.
Mr. Coyne is President of the Manager and its other service provider affiliates
and oversees the day-to-day investment and business affairs affecting the
Manager and the Fund. Accordingly, his participation in the Board’s
deliberations helps assure that the Board’s decisions are informed and
appropriate. Mr. Coyne’s presence on the Board ensures that the Board’s
decisions are accurately communicated to and implemented by Fund
management.
Coordinating Trustee: The Board designates one of the Independent
Trustees to serve as Coordinating Trustee. The Coordinating Trustee, in
consultation with Fund management, counsel and the other Trustees, proposes
Board agenda topics, actively participates in developing Board meeting agendas,
and ensures that appropriate and timely information is provided to the Board in
connection with Board meetings. The Coordinating Trustee also conducts meetings
of the Independent Trustees. The Coordinating Trustee also generally serves as a
liaison between outside Trustees, the Chairman, Fund officers, and counsel, and
is an ex officio member of the Nominating and Corporate
Governance and Investment Committees.
31
Size and composition of Board: The Board is
currently comprised of nine Trustees. The Trustees believe that the current size
of the Board is conducive to Board interaction, dialogue and debate, resulting
in an effective decision-making body. The Board is comprised of Trustees with a
variety of professional backgrounds. The Board believes that the skill sets of
its members are complementary and add to the overall effectiveness of the Board.
The Trustees regard diversity as an important consideration in the present
composition of the Board and the selection of qualified candidates to fill
vacancies on the Board.
Committees: The Board has
established several committees, each of which focuses on a particular
substantive area and provides reports and recommendations to the full
Board. The committee structure enables the Board to
manage efficiently and effectively the large volume of information relevant to
the Board’s oversight of the Fund. The committees benefit from the professional expertise of their
members. At the same time, membership on a committee enhances the expertise of
its members and benefits the overall effectiveness of the Board.
The Board has the following
committees:
Audit Committee: This committee monitors
accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls for
the Trust. It also oversees the quality and objectivity of the Trust’s financial
statements and the independent audit thereof, and acts as a liaison between the
Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm and the full Board. The
Trust’s Audit Committee consists of the following Independent Trustees: Thomas
F. Madison, Chairman; Thomas L. Bennett; John A. Fry; Janet L. Yeomans; and J.
Richard Zecher. The Audit Committee held six meetings during the Trust’s last
fiscal year.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee: This committee recommends Board members, fills
vacancies and considers the qualifications of Board members. The committee also
monitors the performance of counsel for the Independent Trustees. The committee
will consider shareholder recommendations for nomination to the Board only in
the event that there is a vacancy on the Board. Shareholders who wish to submit
recommendations for nominations to the Board to fill a vacancy must submit their
recommendations in writing to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee,
c/o Delaware Investments®
Funds at 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19103-7094. Shareholders should include appropriate information on the
background and qualifications of any persons recommended (e.g., a resume), as
well as the candidate’s contact information and a written consent from the
candidate to serve if nominated and elected. Shareholder recommendations for
nominations to the Board will be accepted on an ongoing basis and such
recommendations will be kept on file for consideration when there is a vacancy
on the Board. The committee consists of the following four Independent Trustees:
John A. Fry, Chairman; Anthony D. Knerr; J. Richard Zecher; and Ann R. Leven
(ex-officio). The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held four
meetings during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Independent Trustee Committee: This committee develops and recommends to the
Board a set of corporate governance principles and oversees the evaluation of
the Board, its committees, and its activities. The committee is comprised of all
of the Trust’s Independent Trustees. The Independent Trustee Committee held four
meetings during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
Investments Committee: The primary purposes of
the Investments Committee are to: (i) assist the Board at its request in its
oversight of the investment advisory services provided to the Fund by the
Manager as well as any sub-advisors; (ii) review all proposed advisory and
sub-advisory agreements for new funds or proposed amendments to existing
agreements and to recommend what action the full Board and the Independent
Trustees should take regarding the approval of all such proposed agreements; and
(iii) review reports supplied by the Manager regarding investment performance,
portfolio risk and expenses and to suggest changes to such reports. The
Investments Committee consists of the following five Independent Trustees:
Thomas L. Bennett, Chairman; Anthony D. Knerr; Lucinda S. Landreth; Janet L.
Yeomans; and Ann R. Leven (ex-officio). The Investments Committee held four
meetings during the Trust’s last fiscal year.
32
Board role in risk oversight: The Board performs a risk oversight function
for the Trust consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1)
receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the
Fund of the Trust; (2) reviewing, approving, or modifying as applicable, the
compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with portfolio
management teams to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes
used to manage related risks; (4) addressing security valuation risk in
connection with its review of fair valuation decisions made by Fund management
pursuant to Board-approved procedures; (5) meeting with representatives of key
service providers, including the Manager, the Distributor, the Transfer Agent,
the custodian and the independent public accounting firm of the Trust, to review
and discuss the activities of the Trust’s series and to provide direction with
respect thereto; (6) engaging the services of the Trust’s Chief Compliance
Officer to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service
providers; and (7) requiring management’s periodic presentations on specified
risk topics.
The Trustees perform this risk oversight function
throughout the year in connection with each quarterly Board meeting. The
Trustees/Directors routinely discuss certain risk management topics with Fund
management at the Board level and also through the standing committees of the
Board. In addition to these recurring risk management discussions, Fund
management raises other specific risk management issues relating to the Fund
with the Trustees/Directors at Board and committee meetings. When discussing new
product initiatives with the Board, Fund management also discusses risk – either
the risks associated with the new proposals or the risks that the proposals are
designed to mitigate. Fund management also provides periodic presentations to
the Board to give the Trustees a general overview of how the Manager and its
affiliates identify and manage risks pertinent to the Fund.
The Audit Committee looks at specific risk
management issues on an ongoing basis. The Audit Committee is responsible for
certain aspects of risk oversight relating to financial statements, the
valuation of the Trust’s assets, and certain compliance matters. In addition,
the Audit Committee meets with the Manager’s internal audit and risk management
personnel on a quarterly basis to review the reports on their examinations of
functions and processes affecting the Fund.
The Board’s other committees also play a role in
assessing and managing risk. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
and the Independent Trustee Committee play a role in managing governance risk by
developing and recommending to the Board corporate governance principles and, in
the case of the Independent Trustee Committee, by overseeing the evaluation of
the Board, its committees and its activities. The Investments Committee plays a
significant role in assessing and managing risk through its oversight of
investment performance, investment process, investment risk controls and Fund
expenses.
Because risk is inherent in the operation of
any business endeavor, and particularly in connection with the making of
financial investments, there can be no assurance that the Board of Trustees’
approach to risk oversight will be able to minimize or even mitigate any
particular risk. Each Fund is designed for investors that are prepared to accept
investment risk, including the possibility that as yet unforeseen risks may
emerge in the future.
Code of Ethics
The Trust, the Manager,
and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics in compliance with the
requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, which govern personal securities
transactions. Under the Codes of Ethics, persons subject to the Codes are
permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, including securities
that may be purchased or held by the Fund, subject to the requirements set forth
in Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and certain other procedures set forth in the
applicable Code of Ethics. The Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are
available from, the SEC.
Proxy Voting
Policy
The Trust has formally delegated to the
Manager the responsibility for making all proxy voting decisions in relation to
portfolio securities held by the Fund. If and when proxies need to be voted on
behalf of the Fund, the Manager will vote such proxies pursuant to its Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Procedures”). The Manager has established a
Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), which is responsible for overseeing
the Manager’s proxy voting process for the Fund. One of the main
responsibilities of the Committee is to review and approve the Procedures to
ensure that the Procedures are designed to allow the Manager to vote proxies in
a manner consistent with the goal of voting in the best interests of the
Fund.
33
In order to facilitate the actual process of voting
proxies, the Manager has contracted with Institutional Shareholder Services
(“ISS”), a wholly owned subsidiary of RiskMetrics Group ("RiskMetrics"), to
analyze proxy statements on behalf of the Fund and the Manager’s other clients
and vote proxies generally in accordance with the Procedures. The Committee is
responsible for overseeing ISS/RiskMetrics’s proxy voting activities. If a proxy
has been voted for the Fund, ISS/RiskMetrics will create a record of the vote.
By no later than August 31 of each year, information (if any) regarding how the
Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recently
disclosed 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (i) through
the Trust’s website at http://www.delawareinvestments.com; and (ii) on the SEC’s
website at http://www.sec.gov.
The Procedures contain a general guideline stating that recommendations
of company management on an issue (particularly routine issues) should be given
a fair amount of weight in determining how proxy issues should be voted.
However, the Manager will normally vote against management’s position when it
runs counter to its specific Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), and the
Manager will also vote against management’s recommendation when it believes that
such position is not in the best interests of the Fund.
As stated above, the Procedures also list specific
Guidelines on how to vote proxies on behalf of the Fund. Some examples of the
Guidelines are as follows: (i) generally vote for shareholder proposals asking
that a majority or more of directors be independent; (ii) generally vote against
proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote; (iii) votes on mergers
and acquisitions should be considered on a case-by-case basis, determining
whether the transaction enhances shareholder value; (iv) generally vote against
proposals at companies with more than one class of common stock to increase the
number of authorized shares of the class that has superior voting rights; (v)
generally vote re-incorporation proposals on a case-by-case basis; (vi) votes
with respect to equity-based compensation plans are generally determined on a
case-by-case basis; and (vii) generally vote for proposals requesting reports on
the level of greenhouse gas emissions from a company’s operations and
products.
Because the Trust has delegated proxy voting
to the Manager, the Fund are not expected to encounter any conflict of interest
issues regarding proxy voting and therefore does not have procedures regarding
this matter. However, the Manager does have a section in its Procedures that
addresses the possibility of conflicts of interest. Most proxies that the
Manager receives on behalf of the Fund are voted by ISS/RiskMetrics in
accordance with the Procedures. Because almost all Fund proxies are voted by
ISS/RiskMetrics pursuant to the predetermined Procedures, it normally will not
be necessary for the Manager to make an actual determination of how to vote a
particular proxy, thereby largely eliminating conflicts of interest for the
Manager during the proxy voting process. In the very limited instances where the
Manager is considering voting a proxy contrary to ISS/RiskMetrics’s
recommendation, the Committee will first assess the issue to see if there is any
possible conflict of interest involving the Manager or affiliated persons of the
Manager. If a member of the Committee has actual knowledge of a conflict of
interest, the Committee will normally use another independent third party to do
additional research on the particular proxy issue in order to make a
recommendation to the Committee on how to vote the proxy in the best interests
of the Fund. The Committee will then review the proxy voting materials and
recommendation provided by ISS/RiskMetrics and the independent third party to
determine how to vote the issue in a manner that the Committee believes is
consistent with the Procedures and in the best interests of the
Fund.
INVESTMENT MANAGER AND OTHER SERVICE
PROVIDERS |
Investment Manager
The Manager, located at
2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094, furnishes investment management
services to the Fund, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board. The
Manager also provides investment management services to all of the other
Delaware Investments® Funds. Affiliates of the Manager also manage other
investment accounts. While investment decisions for the Fund are made
independently from those of the other funds and accounts, investment decisions
for such other funds and accounts may be made at the same time as investment
decisions for the Fund. The Manager pays the salaries of all Trustees, officers,
and employees who are affiliated with both the Manager and the
Trust.
34
As of December 31, 2009, the Manager and its
affiliates within Delaware Investments were managing in the aggregate more than
$130 billion in assets in various institutional or separately managed,
investment company, and insurance accounts. The Manager is a series of Delaware
Management Business Trust, which is a subsidiary of Delaware Management
Holdings, Inc. (“DMHI”). DMHI is a subsidiary, and subject to the ultimate
control, of Macquarie Group, Ltd. “Macquarie”). Macquarie is a Sydney,
Australia-headquartered global provider of banking, financial, advisory,
investment and funds management services. Delaware Investments is the marketing
name for DMHI and its subsidiaries. The Manager and its affiliates own the name
“Delaware Group.” Under certain circumstances, including the termination of the
Trust’s advisory relationship with the Manager or its distribution relationship
with the Distributor, the Manager and its affiliates could cause the Trust to
remove the words “Delaware Group” from its name.
The Investment Management Agreement for the Fund is
dated January 4, 2010. The Agreement has an initial term of two years and may be
renewed each year only so long as such renewal and continuance are specifically
approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of each Fund, and only if the terms of and the
renewal thereof have been approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent
Trustees of the Trust who are not parties thereto or interested persons of any
such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval. The Agreement is terminable without penalty on 60 days’ notice by the
Trustees of the Trust or by the Manager. The Agreement will terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment.
As compensation for the services rendered under the Investment Management
Agreement, the Fund shall pay the Manager an annual management fee as a
percentage of average daily net assets equal to: 0.50% on the first $500
million; 0.475% on the next $500 million; 0.45% on the next $1.5 billion; and
0.425% on assets in excess of $2.5 billion.
The Manager has agreed to contractually waive
all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or pay/reimburse expenses
(excluding any 12b-1 plan expenses, taxes, interest, inverse floater program
expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs, and nonroutine expenses or
costs, including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations,
litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations) in order to
prevent annual fund operating expenses from exceeding, in an aggregate amount,
0.70% of the Fund’s average daily net assets from April 30, 2010 through April
30, 2011. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements apply only to expenses
paid directly by the Fund.
During the past three fiscal years, the Fund paid the following
investment management fees, after fee waivers, as applicable:
Fiscal Year Ended |
Incurred |
Paid |
Waived |
12/31/09 |
$3,506,025 |
$3,165,272 |
$340,753 |
12/31/08 |
$1,208,742 |
$897,829 |
$310,913 |
12/31/07 |
$1,074,011 |
$768,880 |
$305,131 |
Except for those expenses borne by the Manager under the Investment
Management Agreement and the Distributor under the Distribution Agreement, the
Fund is responsible for all of its own expenses. Among others, such expenses
include the Fund’s proportionate share of certain administrative expenses;
investment management fees; transfer and dividend disbursing fees and costs;
accounting services; custodian expenses; federal and state securities
registration fees; proxy costs; and the costs of preparing prospectuses and
reports sent to shareholders.
Distributor
The Distributor, Delaware
Distributors, L.P., located at 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094,
serves as the national distributor of the Trust’s shares under a Distribution
Agreement dated January 4, 2010. The Distributor is an affiliate of the Manager
and bears all of the costs of promotion and distribution, except for payments by
the Fund Classes under their respective Rule 12b-1 Plans. The Distributor is an
indirect subsidiary of DMHI. The Distributor has agreed to use its best efforts
to sell shares of the Fund. See the Prospectuses for information on how to
invest. Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Distributor
and may be purchased through authorized investment dealers or directly by
contacting the Distributor or the Trust. The Distributor also serves as national
distributor for the other Delaware Investments® Funds. The Board annually reviews fees paid to
the Distributor.
35
During the Fund’s last three fiscal years, the Distributor received net
commissions from the Fund on behalf of its Class A shares, after re-allowances
to dealers, as follows:
|
Total Amount of |
Amounts Reallowed to |
|
Fiscal Year Ended |
Underwriting Commission |
Dealers |
Net Commission to
DDLP |
12/31/09 |
$1,263,751 |
$1,071,899 |
$191,852 |
12/31/08 |
$159,390 |
$135,261 |
$24,129 |
12/31/07 |
$55,175 |
$46,884 |
$8,291 |
During the Fund’s last three fiscal years, the Distributor received, in
the aggregate, limited contingent deferred sales charge (“Limited CDSC”)
payments with respect to Class A shares of the Fund as follows:
Limited CDSC
Payments |
Fiscal Year Ended |
Class A shares |
12/31/09 |
$--- |
12/31/08 |
$8,068 |
12/31/07 |
$18 |
During the Fund’s last three fiscal years, the Distributor received
contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) payments with respect to the Fund’s
Class B shares and Class C shares as follows:
CDSC Payments |
Fiscal Year Ended |
Class B shares |
Class C shares |
12/31/09 |
$2,928 |
$48,909 |
12/31/08 |
$3,538 |
$5,803 |
12/31/07 |
$10,317 |
$451 |
Transfer
Agent
Delaware Service Company, Inc. (“DSC”), an
affiliate of the Manager, is located at 2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
19103-7094, and serves as the Fund’s shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing
and transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) pursuant to a Shareholder Services
Agreement dated April 19, 2001, as amended. The Transfer Agent is an indirect
subsidiary of DMHI and therefore of Macquarie. The Transfer Agent also acts as
shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing and transfer agent for other Delaware
Investments®
Funds. The Transfer Agent
is paid a fee by the Fund for providing these services consisting of an annual
per account charge of $11.00 for each open and $6.50 for each closed account on
its records and each account held on a subaccounting system maintained by firms
that hold accounts on an omnibus basis.
These charges are assessed monthly on a pro rata basis and determined by
using the number of shareholder and retirement accounts maintained as of the
last calendar day of each month. Compensation is fixed each year and approved by
the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.
The Fund has authorized, in addition to the Transfer Agent, one or more
brokers to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are
authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption
orders on behalf of the Fund. For purposes of pricing, the Fund will be deemed
to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if
applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, accepts the order.
36
DST Systems, Inc. (“DST”) provides subtransfer agency services to the
Fund. In connection with these services, DST administers the overnight
investment of cash pending investment in the Fund or payment of redemptions. The
proceeds of this investment program are used to offset the Fund’s transfer
agency expenses.
Fund Accountants
Effective October 1,
2007, The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNY Mellon”), One Wall Street, New York, NY
10286-0001, provides fund accounting and financial administration services to
the Fund. Those services include performing functions related to calculating the
Fund’s NAVs and providing financial reporting information, regulatory compliance
testing, and other related accounting services. For these services, the Fund
pays BNY Mellon an asset-based fee, subject to certain fee minimums plus certain
out-of-pocket expenses and transactional charges. Effective October 1, 2007, DSC
provides fund accounting and financial administration oversight services to the
Fund. Those services include overseeing the Fund’s pricing process, the
calculation and payment of fund expenses, and financial reporting in shareholder
reports, registration statements and other regulatory filings. DSC also manages
the process for the payment of dividends and distributions and the dissemination
of Fund NAVs and performance data. For these services, the Fund pays DSC an
asset-based fee, plus certain out-of-pocket expenses and transactional charges.
The fees payable to BNY Mellon and DSC under the service agreements described
above will be allocated among all funds in the Delaware Investments® Family of Funds on a
relative NAV basis. Prior to October 1, 2007, DSC provided fund accounting and
financial administration services to the Fund at an annual rate of 0.04% of the
Fund’s average daily net assets.
During the period January 1, 2007 to September 30, 2007, the Fund paid
DSC the following amounts for fund accounting and financial administration
services: $64,895.
During the period from October 1, 2007 to December
31, 2007 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, the Fund paid
the following amounts to BNY Mellon for fund accounting and financial
administration services: $18,390; $79,741; and $250,407, respectively.
During the period from October 1, 2007 to December
31, 2007 and the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008 and 2009, the Fund paid
the following amounts to DSC for fund accounting and financial administration
oversight services: $2,626; $16,958; and $35,978, respectively.
Custodian
BNY Mellon also serves as the custodian of the
Fund’s securities and cash. As the Fund’s custodian, BNY Mellon maintains a
separate account or accounts for the Fund; receives, holds, and releases
portfolio securities on account of the Fund; receives and disburses money on
behalf of the Fund; and collects and receives income and other payments and
distributions on account of the Fund’s portfolio securities. BNY Mellon also
serves as the Fund’s custodian for its investments in foreign securities.
Legal Counsel
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young,
LLP serves as the Trust’s legal counsel.
Other Accounts Managed
The following chart lists
certain information about types of other accounts for which each portfolio
manager is primarily responsible as of December 31, 2009, unless otherwise
noted. Any accounts managed in a personal capacity appear under “Other Accounts”
along with the other accounts managed on a professional basis. The personal
account information is current as of the most recent calendar quarter end for
which account statements are available.
37
|
|
|
|
Total
Assets |
|
|
|
No. of Accounts
with |
in Accounts
with |
|
No. of |
Total
Assets |
Performance-Based |
Performance-Based |
|
Accounts |
Managed |
Fees |
Fees |
Roger A.
Early |
|
|
|
|
Registered investment |
20 |
$13.6
billion |
0 |
$0 |
companies |
|
|
|
|
Other pooled investment |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
vehicles |
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts |
37 |
$4.5
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Paul
Grillo |
|
|
|
|
Registered investment |
15 |
$10.7
billion |
0 |
$0 |
companies |
|
|
|
|
Other pooled investment |
0 |
$0 |
0 |
$0 |
vehicles |
|
|
|
|
Other Accounts |
24 |
$2.2
billion |
0 |
$0 |
Description of Potential Conflicts of
Interest
Individual portfolio managers may perform
investment management services for other funds or accounts similar to those
provided to the Fund and the investment action for such other fund or account
and the Fund may differ. For example, an account or fund may be selling a
security, while another account or the Fund may be purchasing or holding the
same security. As a result, transactions executed for one fund or account may
adversely affect the value of securities held by another fund, account, or the
Fund. Additionally, the management of multiple other funds or accounts and the
Fund may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, as a portfolio manager
must allocate time and effort to multiple funds or accounts and the Fund. A
portfolio manager may discover an investment opportunity that may be suitable
for more than one account or fund. The investment opportunity may be limited,
however, so that all funds or accounts for which the investment would be
suitable may not be able to participate. The Manager has adopted procedures
designed to allocate investments fairly across multiple funds or accounts.
A portfolio manager’s management of personal accounts also may present
certain conflicts of interest. While the Manager’s code of ethics is designed to
address these potential conflicts, there is no guarantee that it will do so.
Compensation Structure
Each portfolio manager’s
compensation consists of the following:
Base Salary:
Each named portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary. Salaries are
determined by a comparison to industry data prepared by third parties to ensure
that portfolio manager salaries are in line with salaries paid at peer
investment advisory firms.
Bonus : An objective component is added to the bonus for
each portfolio manager that is reflective of account performance relative to an
appropriate peer group or database. The following paragraph describes the
structure of the non-guaranteed bonus.
Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus, which
is based on quantitative and qualitative factors. There is one pool for bonus
payments for the fixed income department. The amount of the pool for bonus
payments is determined by assets managed (including investment companies,
insurance product-related accounts and other separate accounts), management fees
and related expenses (including fund waiver expenses) for registered investment
companies, pooled vehicles, and managed separate accounts. Generally, 60%-75% of
the bonus is quantitatively determined. For more senior portfolio managers, a
higher percentage of the bonus is quantitatively determined. For investment
companies, each manager is compensated according the Fund’s Lipper or
Morningstar peer group percentile ranking on a one-year, three-year, and
five-year basis, with longer-term performance more heavily weighted. For managed
separate accounts the portfolio managers are compensated according to the
composite percentile ranking against the Frank Russell and Callan Associates
databases (or similar sources of relative performance data) on a one-year,
three-year, and five-year basis, with longer term performance more heavily
weighted. There is no objective award for a fund that falls below the 50th percentile, but
incentives reach maximum potential at the 25th-30th percentile. There is
a sliding scale for investment companies that are ranked above the 50th percentile. The
remaining 25%-40% portion of the bonus is discretionary as determined by the
Manager and takes into account subjective factors.
38
For new and recently transitioned portfolio managers, the compensation
may be weighted more heavily towards a portfolio manager’s actual contribution
and ability to influence performance, rather than longer-term performance. The
Manager intends to move the compensation structure towards longer-term
performance for these portfolio managers over time.
Incentive Plan/Equity Compensation Plan — Portfolio managers may be awarded options,
stock appreciation rights, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units,
deferred stock units, and performance awards (collectively, “Awards”) relating
to the underlying shares of common stock of Delaware Investments U.S., Inc.
pursuant to the terms of the Delaware Investments U.S., Inc. 2009 Incentive
Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) established on March 24, 2009. Since the
establishment of the Plan, Awards are no longer granted under the Amended and
Restated Delaware Investments U.S., Inc. Incentive Compensation Plan effective
December 26, 2008, which was established in 2001.
The Plan was established in order to: assist the
Manager in attracting, retaining, and rewarding key employees of the company;
enable such employees to acquire or increase an equity interest in the company
in order to align the interest of such employees and the Manager; and provide
such employees with incentives to expend their maximum efforts. Subject to the
terms of the Plan and applicable award agreements, Awards typically vest in 25%
increments on a four-year schedule, and shares of common stock underlying the
Awards are issued after vesting. Shares issued typically must be held for six
months and one day, after which time the stockholder may put them back to the
company, subject to any applicable holding requirements. The fair market value
of the shares of Delaware Investments U.S., Inc., is normally determined as of
each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. The fair market value of
shares of common stock underlying Awards granted on or after December 26, 2008
is determined by an independent appraiser utilizing an appraisal valuation
methodology in compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code and the
regulations promulgated thereunder.
Other Compensation: Portfolio managers may also participate in benefit plans and programs
available generally to all employees.
Ownership of Securities
As of December 31, 2009, the Fund’s
portfolio managers owned the following amounts of Fund shares:
Portfolio Manager |
|
|
Dollar Range Of Fund Shares Owned1 |
Roger A. Early |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
|
|
(Delaware
Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) |
Paul Grillo |
|
$1-$10,000 |
|
|
(Delaware
Limited-Term Diversified Income
Fund) |
Note: The ranges
for fund share ownership by portfolio managers are: none; $1–10,000;
$10,001–$50,000; $50,001–100,000; $100,001–500,000; $500,001–$1million;
more than $1 million.
1 Includes Fund
shares beneficially owned by portfolio manager and immediate family
members sharing the same
household.
|
39
TRADING PRACTICES AND
BROKERAGE |
The Manager selects broker/dealers to execute transactions on behalf of
the Fund for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities on the basis of its
judgment of their professional capability to provide the service. The primary
consideration in selecting broker/dealers is to seek those broker/dealers who
will provide best execution for the Fund. Best execution refers to many factors,
including the price paid or received for a security, the commission charged, the
promptness and reliability of execution, the confidentiality and placement
accorded the order, and other factors affecting the overall benefit obtained by
the account on the transaction. Some trades are made on a net basis where the
Fund either buys securities directly from the dealer or sells them to the
dealer. In these instances, there is no direct commission charged but there is a
spread (the difference between the buy and sell price) which is the equivalent
of a commission. When a commission is paid, the Fund pays reasonable brokerage
commission rates based upon the professional knowledge of the Manager’s trading
department as to rates paid and charged for similar transactions throughout the
securities industry. In some instances, the Fund pays a minimal share
transaction cost when the transaction presents no difficulty.
During the past three fiscal years, the aggregate dollar amounts of
brokerage commissions paid by the Fund were as follows:
|
|
Brokerage |
Fiscal Year Ended |
|
|
Commissions |
12/31/09 |
|
$--- |
12/31/08 |
|
$38,984 |
12/31/07 |
|
$12,782 |
Subject to best execution and Rule 12b-1(h) under
the 1940 Act, the Manager may allocate out of all commission business generated
by all of the funds and accounts under its management, brokerage business to
broker/dealers who provide brokerage, and research services. These services
include providing advice, either directly or through publications or writings,
as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or
selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers
of securities; furnishing of analyses and reports concerning issuers,
securities, or industries; providing information on economic factors and trends;
assisting in determining portfolio strategy; and providing portfolio performance
evaluation and technical market analyses. Such services are used by the Manager
in connection with its investment decision-making process with respect to one or
more mutual funds and separate accounts managed by it, and may not be used, or
used exclusively, with respect to the mutual fund or separate account generating
the brokerage.
As provided in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
Fund’s Investment Management Agreement, higher commissions are permitted to be
paid to broker/dealers who provide brokerage and research services than to
broker/dealers who do not provide such services, if such higher commissions are
deemed reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services provided. Although transactions directed to broker/dealers who provide
such brokerage and research services may result in the Fund paying higher
commissions, the Manager believes that such commissions are reasonable in
relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. In some
instances, services may be provided to the Manager which constitute, in some
part, brokerage and research services used by the Manager in connection with its
investment decision-making process and constitute, in some part, services used
by the Manager in connection with administrative or other functions not related
to its investment decision-making process. In such cases, the Manager will make
a good faith allocation of brokerage and research services and will pay out of
its own resources for services used by the Manager in connection with
administrative or other functions not related to its investment decision-making
process. In addition, so long as no fund is disadvantaged, portfolio
transactions that generate commissions or their equivalent are allocated to
broker/dealers who provide daily portfolio pricing services to the Fund and to
other Delaware Investments® Funds. Subject to best
execution, commissions allocated to brokers providing such pricing services may
or may not be generated by the funds receiving the pricing service.
40
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, none of the Fund’s
portfolio transactions were directed to broker/dealers for brokerage and
research services provided.
As of December 31, 2009, the Fund held the following amounts of
securities of its regular broker/dealers, as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the
1940 Act, or such broker/dealers’ parents:
Name of Regular
Broker/Dealer |
Value of Any Securities
Owned |
Morgan
Stanley |
$11,368,000 |
Wells
Fargo |
$11,087,000 |
Bank of
America |
$10,161,000 |
Citigroup |
$9,540,000 |
US
Bancorp |
$9,195,000 |
JP Morgan |
$7,455,000 |
Barclays |
$6,530,000 |
BB&T |
$5,600,000 |
Goldman Sachs |
$5,500,000 |
Keybank |
$3,920,000 |
Lazard |
$1,707,000 |
Jeffries |
$1,155,000 |
The Manager may place a combined order for two or more accounts or funds
engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint
execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best
execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner
deemed equitable to each account or fund. When a combined order is executed in a
series of transactions at different prices, each account participating in the
order may be allocated an average price obtained from the executing broker. It
is believed that the ability of the accounts to participate in volume
transactions will generally be beneficial to the accounts and funds. Although it
is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely
affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or fund may
obtain, it is the opinion of the Manager and the Board that the advantages of
combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions.
Consistent with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules, and subject to seeking best execution, the Manager may place orders with
broker/dealers that have agreed to defray certain Fund expenses such as
custodian fees.
The Fund has the authority to participate in a commission recapture
program. Under the program, and subject to seeking best execution as described
in this section, the Fund may direct certain security trades to brokers who have
agreed to rebate a portion of the related brokerage commission to the Fund in
cash. Any such commission rebates will be included in realized gain on
securities in the appropriate financial statements of the Fund. The Manager and
its affiliates have previously acted and may in the future act as an investment
manager to mutual funds or separate accounts affiliated with the administrator
of the commission recapture program. In addition, affiliates of the
administrator act as consultants in helping institutional clients choose
investment managers and may also participate in other types of businesses and
provide other services in the investment management industry.
41
Capitalization
The Trust currently has authorized, and
allocated to each Class of the Fund, an unlimited number of shares of beneficial
interest with no par value. All shares are, when issued in accordance with the
Trust’s registration statement (as amended from time to time), governing
instruments and applicable law, fully paid and nonassessable. Shares do not have
preemptive rights. All shares represent an undivided proportionate interest in
the assets of the Fund, and each share class has the same voting and other
rights and preferences as the other classes of the Fund, except that shares of
the Institutional Class may not vote on any matter affecting the Fund Classes’
Plans under Rule 12b-1. Similarly, as a general matter, shareholders of the Fund
Classes may vote only on matters affecting the Rule 12b-1 Plan that relates to
the class of shares they hold. However, Class B shares of the Fund may vote on
any proposal to increase materially the fees to be paid by the Fund under the
Rule 12b-1 Plan relating to Class A shares. Except for the foregoing, each share
Class has the same voting and other rights and preferences as the other Classes
of the Fund. General expenses of the Fund will be allocated on a pro rata basis
to the classes according to asset size, except that expenses of the Fund
Classes’ Rule 12b-1 Plans will be allocated solely to those classes.
Until May 31, 1992, the Fund offered shares of two retail classes,
Investors Series II class (now Class A shares) and the Investors Series I class.
Shares of Investors Series I class were offered with a sales charge, but without
the imposition of a Rule 12b-1 fee. Effective June 1, 1992, following
shareholder approval of a plan of recapitalization on May 15, 1992, shareholders
of the Investors Series I class had their shares converted into shares of the
Investors Series II class and became subject to the latter class’ Rule 12b-1
charges. Effective at the same time, following approval by shareholders, the
name Investors Series was changed to Treasury Reserves Intermediate Series and
the name Investors Series II class was changed to Treasury Reserves Intermediate
Fund class. Treasury Reserves Intermediate Fund (Institutional) class was first
offered on June 1, 1992 and beginning May 2, 1994 it became known as Treasury
Reserves Intermediate Fund Institutional Class. On May 2, 1994, the Treasury
Reserves Intermediate Fund class became known as the Treasury Reserves
Intermediate Fund A Class. Effective as of close of business on August 28, 1995,
the Trust’s name was changed from Delaware Group Treasury Reserves, Inc. to
Delaware Group Limited-Term Government Funds, Inc. and the name Treasury
Reserves Intermediate Series was changed to Limited-Term Government Fund. At the
same time, the names of Treasury Reserves Intermediate Fund A Class, Treasury
Reserves Intermediate Fund B Class and Treasury Reserves Intermediate Fund
Institutional Class were changed to Limited-Term Government Fund A Class,
Limited-Term Government Fund B Class, and Limited-Term Government Fund
Institutional Class, respectively. Effective as of August 16, 1999, the name of
Limited-Term Government Fund changed to Delaware Limited-Term Government Fund.
Corresponding changes were also made to the names of each of the Fund’s Classes.
Effective as of December 15, 1999, the Trust’s name was changed from Delaware
Group Limited-Term Government Funds, Inc. to Delaware Group Limited-Term
Government Funds. The Fund’s Class R shares were initially offered on June 2,
2003. Effective November 30, 2007, Delaware Limited-Term Government Fund changed
its name to Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund.
Noncumulative
Voting
The Trust’s shares have noncumulative voting
rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares of the Trust
voting for the election of Trustees can elect all of the Trustees if they choose
to do so, and, in such event, the holders of the remaining shares will not be
able to elect any Trustees.
42
As of May 31, 2007, the Fund ceased to permit new or subsequent
investments, including investments through automatic investment plans and by
qualified retirement plans (such as 401(k) or 457 plans), in Class B shares,
except through reinvestment of dividends or capital gains or permitted
exchanges. Existing shareholders of Class B shares may continue to hold their
Class B shares, reinvest dividends into Class B shares, or exchange their Class
B shares of one Delaware Investments® Fund for Class B
shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund, as permitted by
existing exchange privileges. Existing Class B shareholders wishing to make
subsequent purchases in the Fund’s shares will be permitted to invest in other
classes of the Fund, subject to that class’s pricing structure and eligibility
requirements, if any.
For Class B shares outstanding as of May 31, 2007 and Class B shares
acquired upon reinvestment of dividends or capital gains, all Class B share
attributes, including the CDSC schedules, conversion to Class A schedule, and
distribution and service (12b-1) fees, will continue in their current form. You
will be notified via supplement if there are any changes to these attributes,
sales charges, or fees.
General
Information
Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous
basis by the Distributor and, for the Fund Classes, may be purchased through
authorized investment dealers or directly by contacting the Distributor or the
Trust. The Trust reserves the right to suspend sales of Fund shares and reject
any order for the purchase of Fund shares if, in the opinion of management, such
rejection is in the Fund’s best interest. The minimum initial investment
generally is $1,000 for Class A shares, Class B shares, and Class C shares.
Subsequent purchases of such Classes generally must be at least $100. The
initial and subsequent investment minimums for Class A shares will be waived for
purchases by officers, Trustees, and employees of any Delaware Investments® Fund, the Manager or
any of the Manager’s affiliates if the purchases are made pursuant to a payroll
deduction program. Shares purchased pursuant to the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act
or Uniform Transfers to Minors Act and shares purchased in connection with an
automatic investing plan are subject to a minimum initial purchase of $250 and a
minimum subsequent purchase of $25. There are no minimum purchase requirements
for Class R shares and the Institutional Class, but certain eligibility
requirements must be met.
You may purchase up to $1 million of Class C shares of the Fund. See
“Investment Plans” for purchase limitations applicable to retirement plans. The
Trust will reject any purchase order for $1 million or more of Class C shares.
An investor should keep in mind that reduced front-end sales charges apply to
investments of $50,000 or more in Class A shares, and that Class A shares are
subject to lower annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses than Class C shares and
generally are not subject to a CDSC.
Selling dealers are responsible for transmitting orders promptly. The
Fund reserves the right to reject any order for the purchase of its shares if,
in the opinion of management, such rejection is in the Fund’s best interest. If
a purchase is canceled because your check is returned unpaid, you are
responsible for any loss incurred. The Fund can redeem shares from your
account(s) to reimburse itself for any loss, and you may be restricted from
making future purchases in any Delaware Investments® Fund. The Fund
reserves the right to reject purchase orders paid by third-party checks or
checks that are not drawn on a domestic branch of a United States financial
institution. If a check drawn on a foreign financial institution is accepted,
you may be subject to additional bank charges for clearance and currency
conversion.
The Fund also reserves the right, following shareholder notification, to
charge a service fee on non-retirement accounts that, as a result of redemption,
have remained below the minimum stated account balance for a period of three or
more consecutive months. Holders of such accounts may be notified of their
insufficient account balance and advised that they have until the end of the
current calendar quarter to raise their balance to the stated minimum. If the
account has not reached the minimum balance requirement by that time, the Fund
may charge a $9 fee for that quarter and each subsequent calendar quarter until
the account is brought up to the minimum balance. The service fee will be
deducted from the account during the first week of each calendar quarter for the
previous quarter, and will be used to help defray the cost of maintaining
low-balance accounts. No fees will be charged without proper notice, and no CDSC
will apply to such assessments.
43
The Fund also reserves the right, upon 60 days’ written notice, to
involuntarily redeem accounts that remain under the minimum initial purchase
amount as a result of redemptions. An investor making the minimum initial
investment may be subject to involuntary redemption without the imposition of a
CDSC or Limited CDSC if he or she redeems any portion of his or her account.
FINRA has adopted amendments to its Conduct Rules relating to investment
company sales charges. The Trust and the Distributor intend to operate in
compliance with these rules.
Certificates representing shares purchased are not ordinarily issued.
Certificates were previously issued for Class A shares and Institutional Class
shares of the Fund. However, purchases not involving the issuance of
certificates are confirmed to the investor and credited to the shareholder’s
account on the books maintained by the Transfer Agent. The investor will have
the same rights of ownership with respect to such shares as if certificates had
been issued. An investor will be permitted to obtain a certificate in certain
limited circumstances that are approved by an appropriate officer of the Fund.
No charge is assessed by the Trust for any certificate issued. The Fund does not
intend to issue replacement certificates for lost or stolen certificates, except
in certain limited circumstances that are approved by an appropriate officer of
the Fund. In those circumstances, a shareholder may be subject to fees for
replacement of a lost or stolen certificate, under certain conditions, including
the cost of obtaining a bond covering the lost or stolen certificate. Please
contact the Trust for further information. Investors who hold certificates
representing any of their shares may only redeem those shares by written
request. The investor’s certificate(s) must accompany such request.
Certain omnibus accounts and managed or asset-allocation programs may be
opened below the minimum stated account balance and may maintain balances that
are below the minimum stated account balance without incurring a service fee or
being subject to involuntary redemption.
Alternative Purchase Arrangements
— Class A and Class C
Shares
The alternative purchase arrangements of Class
A shares and Class C shares permit investors to choose the method of purchasing
shares that is most suitable for their needs given the amount of their purchase,
the length of time they expect to hold their shares, and other relevant
circumstances. Please note that as of May 31, 2007, the Fund ceased to permit
new or subsequent investments, including through automatic investment plans and
by qualified retirement plans (such as 401(k) or 457 plans), in Class B shares,
except through a reinvestment of dividends or capital gains or permitted
exchanges. Investors should determine whether, given their particular
circumstances, it is more advantageous to purchase Class A shares and incur a
front-end sales charge and annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses of up to 0.30% of the
average daily net assets of Class A shares, or to purchase Class C shares and
have the entire initial purchase amount invested in the Fund with the investment
thereafter subject to a CDSC and annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses. Class C shares
are subject to a CDSC if the shares are redeemed within 12 months of purchase.
Class C shares are subject to annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses of up to 1.00%
(0.25% of which is a service fee to be paid to the Distributor, dealers or
others for providing personal service and/or maintaining shareholder accounts)
of average daily net assets of the respective Class. Class C shares do not
convert to another Class.
The higher Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses on Class C shares will be offset to
the extent a return is realized on the additional money initially invested upon
the purchase of such shares. However, there can be no assurance as to the
return, if any, that will be realized on such additional money. In addition, the
effect of any return earned on such additional money will diminish over time.
In comparing Class C shares to Class R shares, investors should consider
the higher Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses on Class C shares. Investors also should
consider the fact that, like Class C shares, Class R shares do not have a
front-end sales charge and, unlike Class C shares, Class R shares are not
subject to a CDSC.
44
For the distribution and related services provided to, and the expenses
borne on behalf of, the Fund, the Distributor and others will be paid, in the
case of Class A shares, from the proceeds of the front-end sales charge and Rule
12b-1 Plan fees and, in the case of Class C shares, from the proceeds of the
Rule 12b-1 Plan fees and, if applicable, the CDSC incurred upon redemption, and
in the case of Class R shares, from the proceeds of the Rule 12b-1 Plan fees.
Financial advisors may receive different compensation for selling Class A
shares, Class C shares and Class R shares. Investors should understand that the
purpose and function of the respective Rule 12b-1 Plans (including for Class R
shares) and the CDSCs applicable to Class C shares are the same as those of the
Rule 12b-1 Plan and the front-end sales charge applicable to Class A shares in
that such fees and charges are used to finance the distribution of the
respective Classes. See “Plans Under Rule 12b-1 for the Fund Classes” below.
Dividends, if any, paid on the Fund Classes and Institutional Class
shares will be calculated in the same manner, at the same time and on the same
day and will be in the same amount, except that the amount of Rule 12b-1 Plan
expenses relating to the Fund Classes that pay such expenses will be borne
exclusively by such Classes. See “Determining Offering Price and Net Asset
Value” below.
Class A Shares: Purchases of $50,000 or more of Class A shares at the offering price
carry reduced front-end sales charges as shown in the table in the Fund Classes’
Prospectus, and may include a series of purchases over a 13-month period under a
letter of intent signed by the purchaser. See “Special Purchase Features - Class
A shares,” below for more information on ways in which investors can avail
themselves of reduced front-end sales charges and other purchase features.
From time to time, upon written notice to all of its dealers, the
Distributor may hold special promotions for specified periods during which the
Distributor may re-allow to dealers up to the full amount of the front-end sales
charge. The Distributor should be contacted for further information on these
requirements as well as the basis and circumstances upon which the additional
commission will be paid. Participating dealers may be deemed to have additional
responsibilities under the securities laws. Dealers who receive 90% or more of
the sales charge may be deemed to be underwriters under the 1933 Act.
Class A Broker Exchanges
Class A shares purchased
by accounts participating in certain programs sponsored by and/or controlled by
financial intermediaries (“Programs”) may be exchanged by the financial
intermediary on behalf of the shareholder for Institutional Class shares of the
Fund under certain circumstances, including such Program’s eligibility to
purchase Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Such exchange will be on the
basis of the net asset values per share, without the imposition of any sales
load, fee or other charge.
If a shareholder of Institutional Class shares has
ceased his or her participation in the Program, the financial intermediary may
exchange all such Institutional Class shares for Class A shares of the Fund.
Such exchange will be on the basis of the relative net asset values of the
shares, without imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. Holders of
Class A shares that were sold without a front-end sales load but for which the
Distributor has paid a commission to a financial intermediary are generally not
eligible for this exchange privilege until two years after the purchase of such
Class A shares, with the exception of Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income
Fund, Delaware Tax-Free USA Intermediate Fund, and Delaware Tax-Free Minnesota
Intermediate Fund, which are generally eligible for this exchange privilege
after one year.
Exchange of Class A shares for Institutional Class
shares of the same Fund, or the exchange of Institutional Class shares for Class
A shares of the same Fund, under these particular circumstances, will be
tax-free for federal income tax purposes. You should also consult with your tax
advisor regarding the state and local tax consequences of such an exchange of
Fund shares.
This exchange
privilege is subject to termination and may be amended from time to time.
Dealer’s Commission
As described in the Fund Classes’
Prospectus, for initial purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more, a
dealer’s commission may be paid by the Distributor to financial advisors through
whom such purchases are effected.
45
In determining a financial advisor’s eligibility for the dealer’s
commission, purchases of Class A shares of other Delaware Investments® Funds to which a
Limited CDSC applies (see “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain
Redemptions of Class A shares Purchased at Net Asset Value” under “Redemption
and Exchange”) may be aggregated with those of the Class A shares of the Fund.
Financial advisors also may be eligible for a dealer’s commission in connection
with certain purchases made under a letter of intent or pursuant to an
investor’s right of accumulation. Financial advisors should contact the
Distributor concerning the applicability and calculation of the dealer’s
commission in the case of combined purchases.
An exchange from other Delaware Investments® Funds will not qualify
for payment of the dealer’s commission, unless a dealer’s commission or similar
payment has not been previously paid on the assets being exchanged. The schedule
and program for payment of the dealer’s commission are subject to change or
termination at any time by the Distributor at its discretion.
Deferred Sales Charge Alternative — Class B
Shares
Class B shares were previously available at
NAV without a front-end sales charge and, as a result, the full amount of the
investor’s purchase payment would be invested in Fund shares. As discussed
below, however, Class B shares are subject to annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses
and, if redeemed within six years of purchase, a CDSC.
Proceeds from the CDSC and the annual Rule 12b-1 Plan fees are paid to
the Distributor and others for providing distribution and related services, and
bearing related expenses, in connection with the sale of Class B shares. These
payments support the compensation paid to dealers or brokers for selling Class B
shares. Payments to the Distributor and others under the Class B Rule 12b-1 Plan
may be in an amount equal to no more than 1.00% annually. The combination of the
CDSC and the proceeds of the Rule 12b-1 Plan fees makes it possible for the Fund
to sell Class B shares without deducting a front-end sales charge at the time of
purchase.
Holders of Class B shares who exercise the exchange privilege described
below will continue to be subject to the CDSC schedule for Class B shares
described in this Part B, even after the exchange. Such CDSC schedule may be
higher than the CDSC schedule for Class B shares acquired as a result of the
exchange. See “Redemption and Exchange” below.
Automatic Conversion of Class B
shares
Class B shares, other than shares acquired
through reinvestment of dividends, held for eight years after purchase are
eligible for automatic conversion into Class A shares. Conversions of Class B
shares into Class A shares will occur only four times in any calendar year, on
the 18th day (or next business day) of March, June, September, and December
(each, a “Conversion Date”). A business day is any day that the New York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (“Business Day”). If the eighth
anniversary after a purchase of Class B shares falls on a Conversion Date, an
investor’s Class B shares will be converted on that date. If the eighth
anniversary occurs between Conversion Dates, an investor’s Class B shares will
be converted on the next Conversion Date after such anniversary. Consequently,
if a shareholder’s eighth anniversary falls on the day after a Conversion Date,
that shareholder will have to hold Class B shares for as long as three
additional months after the eighth anniversary of purchase before the shares
will automatically convert to Class A shares.
Class B shares of the Fund acquired through a reinvestment of dividends
will convert to the corresponding Class A shares of that Fund (or, in the case
of Delaware Cash Reserve Fund, the Consultant Class) pro rata with Class B
shares of the fund not acquired through dividend reinvestment.
All such automatic conversions of Class B shares will constitute tax-free
exchanges for federal income tax purposes.
46
Level Sales Charge Alternative — Class C
shares
Class C shares may be purchased at NAV without
a front-end sales charge and, as a result, the full amount of the investor’s
purchase payment will be invested in Fund shares. The Distributor currently
compensates dealers or brokers for selling Class C shares at the time of
purchase from its own assets in an amount equal to no more than 1.00% of the
dollar amount purchased. As discussed below, Class C shares are subject to
annual Rule 12b-1 Plan expenses and, if redeemed within 12 months of purchase, a
CDSC.
Proceeds from the CDSC and the annual Rule 12b-1 Plan fees are paid to
the Distributor and others for providing distribution and related services, and
bearing related expenses, in connection with the sale of Class C shares. These
payments support the compensation paid to dealers or brokers for selling Class C
shares. Payments to the Distributor and others under the Class C Rule 12b-1 Plan
may be in an amount equal to no more than 1.00% annually.
Holders of Class C shares who exercise the exchange privilege described
below will continue to be subject to the CDSC schedule for Class C shares. See
“Redemption and Exchange” below.
Plans under Rule 12b-1 for the Fund
Classes
Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the
Trust has adopted a plan for each of the Fund Classes (the “Plans”). Each Plan
permits the Fund to pay for certain distribution, promotional, and related
expenses involved in the marketing of only the class of shares to which the Plan
applies. The Plans do not apply to Institutional Class shares. Such shares are
not included in calculating the Plans’ fees, and the Plans are not used to
assist in the distribution and marketing of shares of the Institutional Class.
Shareholders of the Institutional Class may not vote on matters affecting the
Plans.
The Plans permit the Fund, pursuant to its Distribution Agreement, to pay
out of the assets of the Fund Classes monthly fees to the Distributor for its
services and expenses in distributing and promoting sales of shares of such
classes. These expenses include, among other things, preparing and distributing
advertisements, sales literature, and prospectuses and reports used for sales
purposes, compensating sales and marketing personnel; holding special promotions
for specified periods of time; and paying distribution and maintenance fees to
brokers, dealers, and others. In connection with the promotion of shares of the
Fund Classes, the Distributor may, from time to time, pay to participate in
dealer-sponsored seminars and conferences, and reimburse dealers for expenses
incurred in connection with pre-approved seminars, conferences, and advertising.
The Distributor may pay or allow additional promotional incentives to dealers as
part of pre-approved sales contests and/or to dealers who provide extra training
and information concerning the Fund Classes and increase sales of the Fund
Classes. In addition, the Fund may make payments from the Rule 12b-1 Plan fees
of its respective Fund Classes directly to others, such as banks, who aid in the
distribution of Fund Class shares or provide services with respect to a class,
pursuant to service agreements with the Trust. The Plan expenses relating to
Class B shares and Class C shares are also used to pay the Distributor for
advancing the commission costs to dealers with respect to the initial sale of
such shares.
On May 21, 1987, the Board of Trustees set the fee for Class A shares,
pursuant to its Plan, at 0.15% of average daily net assets. This fee was
effective until May 31, 1992. Effective June 1, 1992, the Board of Trustees
determined that the annual fee, payable on a monthly basis, under the Plan, will
be equal to the sum of: (i) the amount obtained by multiplying 0.10% by the
average daily net assets represented by Class A shares that were originally
purchased prior to June 1, 1992 in the Investors Series I class (which was
converted into what is now referred to as Class A shares on June 1, 1992
pursuant to a Plan of Recapitalization approved by shareholders of the Investors
Series I class), and (ii) the amount obtained by multiplying 0.15% by the
average daily net assets represented by all other Class A shares. While this is
the method to be used to calculate the Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by Class A
shares, the fee is a Class expense so that all shareholders, regardless of
whether they originally purchased or received shares in the Investors Series I
class or in one of the other classes that is now known as Class A shares will
bear Rule 12b-1 expenses at the same rate. While this describes the current
formula for calculating the fees which will be payable under the Class A shares’
Plan beginning June 1, 1992, the Plan permits a full 0.30% on all assets of
Class A shares to be paid at any time following appropriate Board approval.
47
The Plans do not limit fees to amounts actually expended by the
Distributor. It is possible that the Distributor may realize a profit in any
particular year in which payments pursuant to the Plans exceed the amounts
actually expended by the Distributor. However, the Distributor currently expects
that its distribution expenses will equal or exceed payments to it under the
Plans. The Distributor may incur additional expenses and make additional
payments to dealers from its own resources to promote the distribution of shares
of the Fund. The monthly fees paid to the Distributor under the Plans are
subject to the review and approval of the Trust’s Independent Trustees, who may
reduce the fees or terminate the Plans at any time.
All of the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor and others,
such as broker/dealers, in excess of the amount paid on behalf of the Fund
Classes would be borne by such persons without any reimbursement from such Fund
Classes. Consistent with the requirements of Rule 12b-1(h) under the 1940 Act
and subject to seeking best execution, the Fund may, from time to time, buy or
sell portfolio securities from, or to, firms that receive payments under the
Plans.
From time to time, the Distributor may pay additional amounts from its
own resources to dealers for aid in distribution or for aid in providing
administrative services to shareholders.
The Plans and the Distribution Agreement, as amended, have all been
approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees who have
no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans and the Distribution
Agreement, by a vote cast in person at a meeting duly called for the purpose of
voting on the Plans and such Agreements. Continuation of the Plans and the
Distribution Agreement, as amended, must be approved annually by the Board in
the same manner as specified above.
Each year, the Board must determine whether continuation of the Plans is
in the best interest of shareholders of the Fund Classes and whether there is a
reasonable likelihood of each Plan providing a benefit to its respective Fund
Class. The Plans and the Distribution Agreement, as amended, may be terminated
with respect to the Fund Class at any time without penalty by a majority of
Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
Plans and the Distribution Agreement, or by a majority vote of the relevant Fund
Class’ outstanding voting securities. Any amendment materially increasing the
percentage payable under the Plans must likewise be approved by a majority vote
of the relevant Fund Class’ outstanding voting securities, as well as by a
majority vote of Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial
interest in the Plans or Distribution Agreement. With respect to the Fund’s
Class A shares Plans, any material increase in the maximum percentage payable
thereunder must also be approved by a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund’s Class B shares. Also, any other material amendment to
the Plans must be approved by a majority vote of the Board, including a majority
of Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the
Plans or Distribution Agreements. In addition, in order for the Plans to remain
effective, the selection and nomination of Independent Trustees must be effected
by the Trustees who are Independent Trustees and who have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the Plans or Distribution Agreement. Persons authorized to
make payments under the Plans must provide written reports at least quarterly to
the Board for their review.
48
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, the
Rule 12b-1 payments for the Fund’s Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C
shares, and Class R shares were: $803,325, $34,795, $1,531,825, and $15,817,
respectively. Such amounts were used for the following purposes:
|
Class A |
Class B |
Class C |
Class R |
|
shares |
shares |
shares |
shares |
Advertising |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
Annual/Semiannual Reports |
$102,753 |
$214 |
$339 |
$214 |
Broker Sales Charges |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
Broker Trails* |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
$15,526 |
Salaries & Commissions to Wholesalers |
$557,515 |
$--- |
$--- |
$--- |
Interest on Broker Sales Charges |
$--- |
$428 |
$34,773 |
$--- |
Promotional-Other |
$--- |
$14 |
$2,820 |
$3 |
Prospectus Printing |
$143,057 |
$113 |
$1,475 |
$74 |
Wholesaler Expenses |
$--- |
$115 |
$1,492,418 |
$--- |
Total Expenditures |
$803,325 |
$884 |
$1,531,825 |
$15,817 |
* |
|
The
broker trail amounts listed in this row are principally based on payments
made to broker-dealers monthly. However, certain brokers receive trail
payments quarterly. The quarterly payments are based on estimates, and the
estimates may be reflected in the amounts in this
row. |
Other Payments to Dealers
The Distributor and its affiliates may pay compensation at their own
expense, and not as an expense of the Fund, to Financial Intermediaries in
connection with the sale or retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder
servicing. For example, the Distributor may pay additional compensation to
Financial Intermediaries for various purposes, including, but not limited to,
promoting the sale of Fund shares, maintaining share balances and/or for
sub-accounting, administrative, or shareholder processing services, marketing,
educational support, and ticket charges. Such payments are in addition to any
distribution fees, service fees, and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable
by the Fund. The additional payments may be based on factors, including level of
sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other
similar criteria related to sales of the Fund and/or some or all other Delaware
Investments®
Funds), amount of assets invested by the Financial Intermediary’s customers
(which could include current or aged assets of the Fund and/or some or all other
Delaware Investments® Funds), the Fund’s
advisory fees, some other agreed upon amount, or other measures as determined
from time to time by the Distributor.
A significant purpose of these payments is to
increase sales of the Fund’s shares. The Manager or its affiliates may benefit
from the Distributor’s payment of compensation to Financial Intermediaries
through increased fees resulting from additional assets acquired through the
sale of Fund shares through such Financial Intermediaries.
Special Purchase Features — Class A
Shares
Buying Class A shares at Net Asset Value: As disclosed in the Fund Classes’ Prospectus,
participants of certain group retirement plans and members of their households
may make purchases of Class A shares at NAV. The requirements are as follows:
(i) the purchases must be made in a Delaware Investments Individual Retirement
Account (“Foundation IRA®”) established by a
participant from a group retirement plan or a member of their household
distributed by an affiliate of the Manager; and (ii) purchases in a Foundation
IRA® require a
minimum initial investment of $5,000 per Fund. The Fund reserves the right to
modify or terminate these arrangements at any time.
Allied Plans: Class A shares are available for purchase by participants in certain
401(k) Defined Contribution Plans (“Allied Plans”) which are made available
under a joint venture agreement between the Distributor and another institution
through which mutual funds are marketed and which allow investments in Class A
shares of designated Delaware Investments® Funds (“eligible
Delaware Investments® Fund shares”), as well
as shares of designated classes of non- Delaware Investments® Funds (“eligible
non-Delaware Investments® Fund shares”). Class C
shares are not eligible for purchase by Allied Plans.
49
With respect to purchases made in connection with an Allied Plan, the
value of eligible Delaware Investments® and eligible
non-Delaware Investments® Fund shares held by
the Allied Plan may be combined with the dollar amount of new purchases by that
Allied Plan to obtain a reduced front-end sales charge on additional purchases
of eligible Delaware Investments® Fund shares. See
“Combined Purchases Privilege” below.
Participants in Allied Plans may exchange all or part of their eligible
Delaware Investments® Fund shares for other
eligible Delaware Investments® Fund shares or for
eligible non-Delaware Investments® Fund shares at NAV
without payment of a front-end sales charge. However, exchanges of eligible fund
shares, both Delaware Investments® and non-Delaware
Investments®
Funds, which were not subject to a front end sales charge, will be subject to
the applicable sales charge if exchanged for eligible Delaware Investments® Fund shares to which a
sales charge applies. No sales charge will apply if the eligible fund shares
were previously acquired through the exchange of eligible shares on which a
sales charge was already paid or through the reinvestment of dividends. See
“Investing by Exchange” under “Investment Plans” below.
A dealer’s commission may be payable on purchases of eligible Delaware
Investments® Fund
shares under an Allied Plan. In determining a financial advisor’s eligibility
for a dealer’s commission on NAV purchases of eligible Delaware Investments® Fund shares in
connection with Allied Plans, all participant holdings in the Allied Plan will
be aggregated. See “Class A shares” under “Alternative Investment Arrangements”
above.
The Limited CDSC is applicable to redemptions of NAV purchases from an
Allied Plan on which a dealer’s commission has been paid. Waivers of the Limited
CDSC, as described in the Fund Classes’ Prospectuses, apply to redemptions by
participants in Allied Plans except in the case of exchanges between eligible
Delaware Investments® and non-Delaware
Investments® Fund
shares. When eligible Delaware Investments® Fund shares are
exchanged into eligible non-Delaware Investments® Fund shares, the
Limited CDSC will be imposed at the time of the exchange, unless the joint
venture agreement specifies that the amount of the Limited CDSC will be paid by
the financial advisor or selling dealer. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge
for Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares Purchased at Net Asset Value” under
“Redemption and Exchange” below.
Letter of Intent: The reduced front-end sales charges described above with respect to
Class A shares are also applicable to the aggregate amount of purchases made by
any such purchaser within a 13-month period pursuant to a written letter of
intent provided by the Distributor and signed by the purchaser, and not legally
binding on the signer or the Trust which provides for the holding in escrow by
the Transfer Agent, of 5% of the total amount of Class A shares intended to be
purchased, until such purchase is completed within the 13-month period. The Fund
will not accept retroactive letters of intent. The 13-month period begins on the
date of the earliest purchase. If the intended investment is not completed,
except as noted below, the purchaser will be asked to pay an amount equal to the
difference between the front-end sales charge on Class A shares purchased at the
reduced rate and the front-end sales charge otherwise applicable to the total
shares purchased. If such payment is not made within 20 days following the
expiration of the 13-month period, the Transfer Agent will surrender an
appropriate number of the escrowed shares for redemption in order to realize the
difference. Such purchasers may include the values (at offering price at the
level designated in their letter of intent) of all their shares of the Fund and
of any class of any of the other Delaware Investments® Funds previously
purchased and still held as of the date of their letter of intent toward the
completion of such Letter, except as described below.
Those purchasers cannot include shares that did not carry a front-end sales
charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC, unless the purchaser acquired those shares
through an exchange from a Delaware Investments® Fund that did carry a
front-end sales charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC. For purposes of satisfying an
investor’s obligation under a letter of intent, Class B and Class C shares of
the Fund and the corresponding classes of shares of other Delaware
Investments® Funds
that offer such shares may be aggregated with Class A shares of the Fund and the
corresponding class of shares of the other Delaware Investments® Funds.
50
Employers offering a Delaware Investments retirement plan may also
complete a letter of intent to obtain a reduced front-end sales charge on
investments of Class A shares made by the plan. The aggregate investment level
of the letter of intent will be determined and accepted by the Transfer Agent at
the point of plan establishment. The level and any reduction in front-end sales
charge will be based on actual plan participation and the projected investments
in Delaware Investments® Funds that are offered
with a front-end sales charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC for a 13-month period. The
Transfer Agent reserves the right to adjust the signed letter of intent based on
these acceptance criteria. The 13-month period will begin on the date this
letter of intent is accepted by the Transfer Agent. If actual investments exceed
the anticipated level and equal an amount that would qualify the plan for
further discounts, any front-end sales charges will be automatically adjusted.
In the event this letter of intent is not fulfilled within the 13-month period,
the plan level will be adjusted (without completing another letter of intent)
and the employer will be billed for the difference in front-end sales charges
due, based on the plan’s assets under management at that time. Employers may
also include the value (at offering price at the level designated in their
letter of intent) of all their shares intended for purchase that are offered
with a front-end sales charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC of any class. Class B and
Class C shares of the Fund and other Delaware Investments® Funds which offer
corresponding classes of shares may also be aggregated for this purpose.
Combined Purchases Privilege: When you determine the availability of the
reduced front-end sales charges on Class A shares, you can include, subject to
the exceptions described below, the total amount of any Class of shares you own
of the Fund and all other Delaware Investments® Funds. However, you
cannot include mutual fund shares that do not carry a front-end sales charge,
CDSC, or Limited CDSC, unless you acquired those shares through an exchange from
a Delaware Investments® Fund that did carry a
front-end sales charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC.
The privilege also extends to all purchases made at one time by an
individual; or an individual, his or her spouse and their children under 21; or
a trustee or other fiduciary of trust estates or fiduciary accounts for the
benefit of such family members (including certain employee benefit programs).
Rights of Accumulation: When you determine the availability of the
reduced front-end sales charges on Class A shares, you can include, subject to
the exceptions described below, the total amount of any Class of shares you own
of the Fund and all other Delaware Investments® Funds. However, you
cannot include mutual fund shares that do not carry a front-end sales charge,
CDSC, or Limited CDSC, unless you acquired those shares through an exchange from
a Delaware Investments® Fund that did carry a
front-end sales charge, CDSC, or Limited CDSC. If, for example, any such
purchaser has previously purchased and still holds Class A shares and/or shares
of any other of the classes described in the previous sentence with a value of
$40,000 and subsequently purchases $10,000 at offering price of additional Class
A shares, the charge applicable to the $10,000 purchase would be that applicable
to a single purchase of $50,000. For the purpose of this calculation, the shares
presently held shall be valued at the public offering price that would have been
in effect were the shares purchased simultaneously with the current purchase.
Investors should refer to the table of sales charges for Class A shares in the
Fund Classes’ Prospectus to determine the applicability of the rights of
accumulation to their particular circumstances.
12-Month Reinvestment Privilege: Holders of Class
A shares of the Fund (and of the Institutional Class shares of the Fund holding
shares which were acquired through an exchange from one of the other Delaware
Investments® Funds
offered with a front-end sales charge) who redeem such shares have one year from
the date of redemption to reinvest all or part of their redemption proceeds in
the same Class of the Fund or in the same Class of any of the other Delaware
Investments®
Funds. In the case of Class A shares, the reinvestment will not be assessed a
front-end sales charge. The reinvestment will be subject to applicable
eligibility and minimum purchase requirements and must be in states where shares
of such other funds may be sold. This reinvestment privilege does not extend to
Class A shares where the redemption of the shares triggered the payment of a
Limited CDSC. Persons investing redemption proceeds from direct investments in
the Delaware Investments® Funds, offered without
a front-end sales charge will be required to pay the applicable sales charge
when purchasing Class A shares. The reinvestment privilege does not extend to a
redemption of Class B or Class C shares.
Any such reinvestment cannot exceed the redemption proceeds (plus any
amount necessary to purchase a full share). The reinvestment will be made at the
NAV next determined after receipt of remittance.
51
Any reinvestment directed to a Delaware Investments® Fund in which the
investor does not then have an account will be treated like all other initial
purchases of such Fund’s shares. Consequently, an investor should obtain and
read carefully the prospectus for the Delaware Investments® Fund in which the
investment is intended to be made before investing or sending money. The
applicable prospectus contains more complete information about the Delaware
Investments® Fund,
including charges and expenses.
Investors should consult their financial advisors or the Transfer Agent,
which also serves as the Fund’s shareholder servicing agent, about the
applicability of the Class A Limited CDSC in connection with the features
described above.
Group Investment
Plans: Group Investment Plans that are not eligible
to purchase shares of the Institutional Classes may also benefit from the reduced front-end sales
charges for investments in Class A shares set forth in the table in the Fund
Classes’ Prospectus, based on total plan assets. If a company has more than one
plan investing in Delaware Investments® Funds, then the total
amount invested in all plans would be used in determining the applicable
front-end sales charge reduction upon each purchase, both initial and
subsequent, upon notification to the Fund at the time of each such purchase.
Employees participating in such Group Investment Plans may also combine the
investments made in their plan account when determining the applicable front-end
sales charge on purchases to nonretirement Delaware Investments investment
accounts if they so notify the Fund in which they are investing in connection
with each purchase. See “Retirement Plans for the Fund Classes” under
“Investment Plans” below for information about retirement plans.
The Limited CDSC is generally applicable to any redemptions of NAV
purchases made on behalf of a group retirement plan on which a dealer’s
commission has been paid only if such redemption is made pursuant to a
withdrawal of the entire plan from a Delaware Investments® Fund. See “Contingent
Deferred Sales Charge for Certain Redemptions of Class A Shares Purchased at Net
Asset Value” below under “Redemption and Exchange.” Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Limited CDSC for Class A shares on which a dealer’s commission
has been paid will be waived in connection with redemptions by certain group
defined contribution retirement plans that purchase shares through a retirement
plan alliance program which requires that shares will be available at NAV,
provided that RFS either was the sponsor of the alliance program or had a
product participation agreement with the sponsor of the alliance program that
specifies that the Limited CDSC will be waived.
Reinvestment
Plan
Unless otherwise designated by shareholders in
writing, dividends from net investment income and distributions from realized
securities profits, if any, will be automatically reinvested in additional
shares of the respective Fund Class in which an investor has an account (based
on the NAV in effect on the reinvestment date) and will be credited to the
shareholder’s account on that date. All dividends and distributions of the
Institutional Class are reinvested in the accounts of the holders of such shares
(based on the NAV in effect on the reinvestment date). A confirmation of each
dividend payment from net investment income and of distributions from realized
securities profits, if any, will be mailed to shareholders in the first quarter
of the next fiscal year.
Reinvestment of Dividends in other Delaware
Investments®
Funds
Subject to applicable eligibility and minimum
initial purchase requirements and the limitations set forth below, holders of
the Fund Classes may automatically reinvest dividends and/or distributions in
any of the other Delaware Investments® Funds, including the
Fund, in states where their shares may be sold. Such investments will be at NAV
at the close of business on the reinvestment date without any front-end sales
charge or service fee. The shareholder must notify the Transfer Agent in writing
and must have established an account in the fund into which the dividends and/or
distributions are to be invested. Any reinvestment directed to a fund in which
the investor does not then have an account will be treated like all other
initial purchases of the fund’s shares. Consequently, an investor should obtain
and read carefully the prospectus for the fund in which the investment is
intended to be made before investing or sending money. The prospectus contains
more complete information about the fund, including charges and
expenses.
52
Subject to the following limitations, dividends and/or distributions from
other Delaware Investments® Funds may be invested
in shares of the Fund, provided an account has been established. Dividends and
distributions may be reinvested only in shares of the same Class from which they
arose. For example, dividends from Class R shares may be reinvested only in
other Class R shares.
Capital gains and/or dividend distributions for participants in the
following retirement plans are automatically reinvested into the same Delaware
Investments® Fund
in which their investments are held: traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP,
SARSEP, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (“Coverdell ESAs”), 401(k), SIMPLE
401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, or 457 Retirement Plans.
Investing by
Exchange
If you have an investment in another Delaware
Investments® Fund,
you may write and authorize an exchange of part or all of your investment into
shares of the Fund. If you wish to open an account by exchange, call the
Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918 for more information. All exchanges
are subject to the eligibility and minimum purchase requirements and any
additional limitations set forth in the Fund’s Prospectuses. See “Redemption and
Exchange” below for more complete information concerning your exchange
privileges.
Investing Proceeds from Eligible 529
Plans
The proceeds of a withdrawal from an Eligible
529 Plan that are directly reinvested in a substantially similar class of the
Delaware Investments® Funds will qualify for
treatment as if such proceeds had been exchanged from another Delaware
Investments® Fund
rather than transferred from the Eligible 529 Plan, as described under
“Redemption and Exchange” below. The treatment of your redemption proceeds from
an Eligible 529 Plan does not apply if you take possession of the proceeds of
the withdrawal and subsequently reinvest them (i.e., the transfer is not made
directly). Similar benefits may also be extended to direct transfers from a
substantially similar class of a Delaware Investments® Fund into an Eligible
529 Plan.
Investing by Electronic Fund
Transfer
Direct Deposit Purchase Plan: Investors may
arrange for the Fund to accept for investment in Class A shares, Class C shares,
or Class R shares, through an agent bank, pre-authorized government, or private
recurring payments. This method of investment assures the timely credit to the
shareholder’s account of payments such as social security, veterans’ pension or
compensation benefits, federal salaries, railroad retirement benefits, private
payroll checks, dividends, and disability or pension fund benefits. It also
eliminates the possibility and inconvenience of lost, stolen, and delayed
checks.
Automatic Investing Plan: Shareholders of Class A shares and Class C
shares may make automatic investments by authorizing, in advance, monthly or
quarterly payments directly from their checking account for deposit into their
Fund account. This type of investment will be handled in either of the following
ways: (i) if the shareholder’s bank is a member of the National Automated
Clearing House Association (“NACHA”), the amount of the periodic investment will
be electronically deducted from his or her checking account by Electronic Fund
Transfer (“EFT”) and such checking account will reflect a debit although no
check is required to initiate the transaction; or (ii) if the shareholder’s bank
is not a member of NACHA, deductions will be made by pre-authorized checks,
known as Depository Transfer Checks. Should the shareholder’s bank become a
member of NACHA in the future, his or her investments would be handled
electronically through EFT.
This option is not available to participants in the following plans:
SIMPLE IRA, SEP, SARSEP, 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase,
or 457 Retirement Plans.
53
*
* *
Minimum Initial/Subsequent Investments by Electronic Fund Transfer:
Initial investments
under the direct deposit purchase plan and the automatic investing plan must be
for $250 or more and subsequent investments under such plans must be for $25 or
more. An investor wishing to take advantage of either service must complete an
authorization form. Either service can be discontinued by the shareholder at any
time without penalty by giving written notice.
Payments to the Fund from the federal government or its agencies on
behalf of a shareholder may be credited to the shareholder’s account after such
payments should have been terminated by reason of death or otherwise. Any such
payments are subject to reclamation by the federal government or its agencies.
Similarly, under certain circumstances, investments from private sources may be
subject to reclamation by the transmitting bank. In the event of a reclamation,
the Fund may liquidate sufficient shares from a shareholder’s account to
reimburse the government or the private source. In the event there are
insufficient shares in the shareholder’s account, the shareholder is expected to
reimburse the Fund.
Direct Deposit Purchases by
Mail
Shareholders may authorize a third party, such
as a bank or employer, to make investments directly to their Fund accounts. The
Fund will accept these investments, such as bank-by-phone, annuity payments, and
payroll allotments, by mail directly from the third party. Investors should
contact their employers or financial institutions who in turn should contact the
Trust for proper instructions.
On Demand
Service
You or your investment dealer may request
purchases of Fund shares by phone using the on demand service. When you
authorize the Fund to accept such requests from you or your investment dealer,
funds will be withdrawn from (for share purchases) your predesignated bank
account. Your request will be processed the same day if you call prior to 4:00
p.m., Eastern time. There is a $25 minimum and $100,000 maximum limit for on
demand service transactions.
It may take up to four Business Days for the transactions to be
completed. You can initiate this service by completing an Account Services form.
If your name and address are not identical to the name and address on your Fund
account, you must have your signature guaranteed. The Fund does not charge a fee
for this service; however, your bank may charge a fee.
Systematic Exchange
Option
Shareholders can use the systematic exchange
option to invest in the Fund Classes through regular liquidations of shares in
their accounts in other Delaware Investments® Funds. Shareholders of
the Fund Classes may elect to invest in one or more of the other Delaware
Investments® Funds
through the systematic exchange option. If, in connection with the election of
the systematic exchange option, you wish to open a new account to receive the
automatic investment, such new account must meet the minimum initial purchase
requirements described in the prospectus of the fund that you select. All
investments under this option are exchanges and are therefore subject to the
same conditions and limitations as other exchanges noted above.
Under this automatic exchange program, shareholders can authorize regular
monthly investments (minimum of $100 per fund) to be liquidated from their
account and invested automatically into other Delaware Investments® Funds, subject to the
conditions and limitations set forth in the Fund Classes’
Prospectuses. The investment will be made on the 20th day
of each month (or, if the fund selected is not open that day, the next Business
Day) at the public offering price or NAV, as applicable, of the fund selected on
the date of investment. No investment will be made for any month if the value of
the shareholder’s account is less than the amount specified for investment.
54
Periodic investment through the systematic exchange option does not
insure profits or protect against losses in a declining market. The price
of the fund into which investments are made could fluctuate. Since this program
involves continuous investment regardless of such fluctuating value, investors
selecting this option should consider their financial ability to continue to
participate in the program through periods of low fund share prices. This
program involves automatic exchanges between two or more fund accounts and is
treated as a purchase of shares of the fund into which investments are made
through the program. Shareholders can terminate their participation in the
systematic exchange option at any time by giving written notice to the fund from
which exchanges are made.
This option is not available to participants in the following plans:
SIMPLE IRA, SEP, SARSEP, 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase,
or 457 Retirement Plans. This option also is not available to shareholders of
the Institutional Class.
Retirement Plans for the Fund
Classes
An investment in the Fund may be suitable for
tax-deferred retirement plans, such as: traditional IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP,
SARSEP, 401(k), SIMPLE 401(k), Profit Sharing, Money Purchase, or 457 Retirement
Plans. In addition, the Fund may be suitable for use in Roth IRAs and Coverdell
ESAs. For further details concerning these plans and accounts, including
applications, contact your financial advisor or the Distributor. To determine
whether the benefits of a tax-sheltered retirement plan, Roth IRA, or Coverdell
ESA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax
advisor.
The CDSC may be waived on certain redemptions of Class B shares and Class
C shares. See the Fund Classes’ Prospectus for a list of the instances in which
the CDSC is waived.
Purchases of Class C shares must be in an amount that is less than $1
million for such plans. The maximum purchase limitations apply only to the
initial purchase of shares by the retirement plan.
Minimum investment limitations generally applicable to other investors do
not apply to retirement plans other than IRAs, for which there is a minimum
initial purchase of $250 and a minimum subsequent purchase of $25, regardless of
which Class is selected. Retirement plans may be subject to plan establishment
fees, annual maintenance fees and/or other administrative or trustee fees. Fees
are based upon the number of participants in the plan as well as the services
selected. Additional information about fees is included in retirement plan
materials. Fees are quoted upon request. Annual maintenance fees may be shared
by Delaware Management Trust Company, the Transfer Agent, other affiliates of
the Manager, and others that provide services to such Plans.
Certain shareholder investment services available to nonretirement plan
shareholders may not be available to retirement plan shareholders. Certain
retirement plans may qualify to purchase Institutional Class shares. See
“Availability of Institutional Class shares” above. For additional information
on any of the plans and Delaware Investments® retirement services,
call the Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918.
Taxable distributions from the
retirement plans described may be subject to withholding.
DETERMINING OFFERING PRICE AND NET ASSET
VALUE |
Orders for purchases and redemptions of Class A shares are effected at
the offering price next calculated after receipt of the order by the Fund, its
agent, or certain other authorized persons. Orders for purchases and redemptions
of Class B shares, Class C shares, Class R shares, and Institutional Class
shares, as applicable, are effected at the NAV per share next calculated after
receipt of the order by the Fund, its agent, or certain other authorized
persons. See “Distributor” under “Investment Manager and Other Service
Providers” above. Selling dealers are responsible for transmitting orders
promptly.
The offering price for Class A shares is equal to the NAV per share plus
any applicable sales charges. Offering price and NAV are computed as of the
close of regular trading on the NYSE, which is normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time,
on days when the NYSE is open for business. The NYSE is scheduled to be open
Monday through Friday throughout the year except for days when the following
holidays are observed: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday,
President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The time at which transactions and shares are
priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of
emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00
p.m. Eastern time. When the NYSE is closed, the Fund will generally be closed,
pricing calculations will not be made, and purchase and redemption orders will
not be processed.
55
The NAV per share for each class of the Fund is calculated by subtracting
the liabilities of each class from its total assets and dividing the resulting
number by the number of shares outstanding for that class. In determining the
Fund’s total net assets, portfolio securities primarily listed or traded on a
national or foreign securities exchange, except for bonds, are generally valued
at the closing price on that exchange, unless such closing prices are determined
to be not readily available pursuant to the Fund’s pricing procedures.
Exchange-traded options are valued at the last
reported sale price or, if no sales are reported, at the mean between bid and
asked prices. Non-exchange-traded options are valued at fair value using a
mathematical model. Futures contracts are valued at their daily quoted
settlement price. Securities not traded on a particular day, over-the-counter
securities, and government and agency securities are valued at the mean value
between bid and asked prices. Debt securities (other than short-term
obligations) are valued on the basis of valuations provided by a pricing service
when such prices are believed to reflect the fair value of such securities.
Foreign securities and the prices of foreign securities denominated in foreign
currencies are translated to U.S. dollars at the mean between the bid and offer
quotations of such currencies based on rates in effect as of the close of the
New York Stock Exchange.
Use of a pricing service has been approved by the Board. Prices provided
by a pricing service take into account appropriate factors such as institutional
trading in similar groups of securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity,
type of issue, trading characteristics, and other market data. Subject to the
foregoing, securities for which market quotations are not readily available and
other assets are valued at fair value as determined in good faith and in a
method approved by the Board.
Each Class of the Fund will bear, pro rata, all of the common expenses of
the Fund. The NAVs of all outstanding shares of each Class of the Fund will be
computed on a pro rata basis for each outstanding share based on the
proportionate participation in the Fund represented by the value of shares of
that Class. All income earned and expenses incurred by the Fund will be borne on
a pro rata basis by each outstanding share of a Class, based on each Class’
percentage in that Fund represented by the value of shares of such Classes,
except that the Institutional Class will not incur any of the expenses under the
Trust’s Rule 12b-1 Plans, while the Fund Classes each will bear the Rule 12b-1
Plan expenses payable under their respective Plans. Due to the specific
distribution expenses and other costs that will be allocable to each Class the
NAV of each Class of the Fund will vary.
General
Information
You can redeem or exchange your shares in a
number of different ways that are described below. Your shares will
be redeemed or exchanged at a price based on the NAV next determined after the
Fund receives your request in good order, subject, in the case of a redemption,
to any applicable CDSC or Limited CDSC. For example, redemption or exchange
requests received in good order after the time the offering price and NAV of
shares are determined will be processed on the next Business Day. See the Fund’s
Prospectuses. A shareholder submitting a redemption request may indicate that he
or she wishes to receive redemption proceeds of a specific dollar amount. In the
case of such a request, and in the case of certain redemptions from retirement
plan accounts, the Fund will redeem the number of shares necessary to deduct the
applicable CDSC in the case of Class B shares and Class C shares, and, if
applicable, the Limited CDSC in the case of Class A shares and tender to the
shareholder the requested amount, assuming the shareholder holds enough shares
in his or her account for the redemption to be processed in this manner.
Otherwise, the amount tendered to the shareholder upon redemption will be
reduced by the amount of the applicable CDSC or Limited CDSC. Redemption
proceeds will be distributed promptly, as described below, but not later than
seven days after receipt of a redemption request.
56
Except as noted below, for a redemption request to be in “good order,”
you must provide your account number, account registration, and the total number
of shares or dollar amount of the transaction. For exchange requests, you must
also provide the name of the Delaware Investments® Fund in which you want
to invest the proceeds. Exchange instructions and redemption requests must be
signed by the record owner(s) exactly as the shares are registered. You may
request a redemption or an exchange by calling the Shareholder Service Center at
800 523-1918. The Fund may suspend, terminate, or amend the terms of the
exchange privilege upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.
Orders for the repurchase of Fund shares which are submitted to the
Distributor prior to the close of its Business Day will be executed at the NAV
per share computed that day (subject to the applicable CDSC or Limited CDSC), if
the repurchase order was received by the broker/dealer from the shareholder
prior to the time the offering price and NAV are determined on such day. The
selling dealer has the responsibility of transmitting orders to the Distributor
promptly. Such repurchase is then settled as an ordinary transaction with the
broker/dealer (who may make a charge to the shareholder for this service)
delivering the shares repurchased.
Payment for shares redeemed will ordinarily be mailed the next Business
Day, but in no case later than seven days, after receipt of a redemption request
in good order by the Fund or certain other authorized persons (see “Distributor”
under “Investment Manager and Other Service Providers” above); provided,
however, that each commitment to mail or wire redemption proceeds by a certain
time, as described below, is modified by the qualifications described in the
next paragraph.
The Fund will process written and telephone redemption requests to the
extent that the purchase orders for the shares being redeemed have already
settled. The Fund will honor redemption requests as to shares for which a check
was tendered as payment, but the Fund will not mail or wire the proceeds until
it is reasonably satisfied that the purchase check has cleared, which may take
up to 15 days from the purchase date. You can avoid this potential delay if you
purchase shares by wiring Federal Funds. The Fund reserves the right to reject a
written or telephone redemption request or delay payment of redemption proceeds
if there has been a recent change to the shareholder’s address of record.
If a shareholder has been credited with a purchase by a check which is
subsequently returned unpaid for insufficient funds or for any other reason, the
Fund will automatically redeem from the shareholder’s account the shares
purchased by the check plus any dividends earned thereon. Shareholders may be
responsible for any losses to the Fund or to the Distributor.
In case of a suspension of the determination of the NAV because the NYSE
is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or trading thereon is restricted
or an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities
owned by them is not reasonably practical, or it is not reasonably practical for
the Fund fairly to value its assets, or in the event that the SEC has provided
for such suspension for the protection of shareholders, the Fund may postpone
payment or suspend the right of redemption or repurchase. In such cases, the
shareholder may withdraw the request for redemption or leave it standing as a
request for redemption at the NAV next determined after the suspension has been
terminated.
Payment for shares redeemed or repurchased may be made either in cash or
kind, or partly in cash and partly in kind. Any portfolio securities paid or
distributed in kind would be valued as described in “Determining Offering Price
and Net Asset Value” above. Subsequent sale by an investor receiving a
distribution in kind could result in the payment of brokerage commissions.
However, the Trust has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act
pursuant to which the Fund is obligated to redeem shares solely in cash up to
the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund’s NAV during any 90-day period for
any one shareholder.
The value of the Fund’s investments
is subject to changing market prices. Thus, a shareholder redeeming shares of
the Fund may sustain either a gain or loss, depending upon the price paid and
the price received for such shares.
57
Certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased at NAV may result in the
imposition of a Limited CDSC. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain
Redemptions of Class A Shares Purchased at Net Asset Value” below. Class B and
Class C shares are subject to CDSCs as described under “Contingent Deferred
Sales Charge - Class B Shares and Class C Shares” under “Purchasing Shares”
above and the Fund Classes’ Prospectus. Except for the applicable CDSC or
Limited CDSC and, with respect to the expedited payment by wire described below
for which, in the case of the Fund Classes, a bank wire fee may be deducted,
neither the Fund nor the Distributor charges a fee for redemptions or
repurchases, but such fees could be charged at any time in the future.
Holders of Class B shares or Class C shares that exchange their shares
(“Original Shares”) for shares of other Delaware Investments® Funds (in each case,
“New Shares”) in a permitted exchange, will not be subject to a CDSC that might
otherwise be due upon redemption of the Original Shares. However, such
shareholders will continue to be subject to the CDSC and any CDSC assessed upon
redemption of the New Shares will be charged by the Fund from which the Original
Shares were exchanged. In the case of Class B shares, shareholders will also
continue to be subject to the automatic conversion schedule of the Original
Shares as described in this Part B. In an exchange of Class B shares, the Fund’s
CDSC schedule may be higher than the CDSC schedule relating to the New Shares
acquired as a result of the exchange. For purposes of computing the CDSC that
may be payable upon a disposition of the New Shares, the period of time that an
investor held the Original Shares is added to the period of time that an
investor held the New Shares. With respect to Class B shares, the automatic
conversion schedule of the Original Shares may be longer than that of the New
Shares. Consequently, an investment in New Shares by exchange may subject an
investor to the higher Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to Class B shares for a longer
period of time than if the investment in New Shares were made directly.
Holders of Class A shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund may
exchange their shares for certain of the shares of other Delaware
Investments®
Funds, including other Class A shares and Institutional Class shares, but may
not exchange their shares for Class B shares, Class C shares, or Class R shares
of the Fund or of any other Delaware Investments® Fund. Holders of Class
B shares of the Fund may exchange their shares only into Class B shares of other
Delaware Investments® Funds. Similarly,
holders of Class C shares of the Fund may exchange their shares only into Class
C shares of other Delaware Investments® Funds. Class B shares
of the Fund and Class C shares of the Fund acquired by exchange will continue to
carry the CDSC and, in the case of Class B shares, the automatic conversion
schedule of the fund from which the exchange is made. The holding period of
Class B shares of the Fund acquired by exchange will be added to that of the
shares that were exchanged for purposes of determining the time of the automatic
conversion into Class A shares of that Fund. Holders of Class R shares of the
Fund may exchange their shares only into Class R shares of other Delaware
Investments® Funds
or, if Class R shares are not available for a particular fund, into the Class A
shares of such Fund.
Permissible exchanges into Class A shares of the Fund will be made
without a front-end sales charge, except for exchanges of shares that were not
previously subject to a front-end sales charge (unless such shares were acquired
through the reinvestment of dividends). Permissible exchanges into Class B
shares or Class C shares will be made without the imposition of a CDSC by the
Delaware Investments® Fund from which the
exchange is being made at the time of the exchange.
The Fund also reserves the right to refuse the purchase side of an
exchange request by any person or group if, in the Manager’s judgment, the Fund
would be unable to invest effectively in accordance with its investment
objectives and policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected. A
shareholder’s purchase exchanges may be restricted or refused if the Fund
receives or anticipates simultaneous orders affecting significant portions of
the Fund’s assets.
The Fund discourages purchases by market timers and purchase orders
(including the purchase side of exchange orders) by shareholders identified as
market timers may be rejected. The Fund will consider anyone who follows a
pattern of market timing in any Delaware Investments® Fund to be a market
timer.
58
Market timing of a Delaware Investments® Fund occurs when investors make consecutive
rapid short-term “roundtrips” or, in other words, purchases into a Delaware
Investments® Fund followed quickly by redemptions out of
that Fund. A short-term roundtrip is any redemption of Fund shares within 20
Business Days of a purchase of that Fund’s shares. If you make a second such
short-term roundtrip in a Delaware Investments® Fund within the same calendar quarter of a
previous short-term roundtrip in that Fund, you may be considered a market
timer. The purchase and sale of Fund shares through the use of the exchange
privilege are also included in determining whether market timing has occurred.
The Fund also reserve the right to consider other trading patterns as market
timing.
Your ability to use the Fund’s exchange privilege may be limited if you
are identified as a market timer. If you are identified as a market timer, we
will execute the redemption side of your exchange order but may refuse the
purchase side of your exchange order.
Written
Redemption
You can write to the Fund
at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 by regular mail or 430 W. 7th
Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 by overnight courier service to redeem some
or all of your shares. The request must be signed by all owners of the account
or your investment dealer of record. For redemptions of more than $100,000, or
when the proceeds are not sent to the shareholder(s) at the address of record,
the Fund requires a signature by all owners of the account and a signature
guarantee for each owner. A signature guarantee can be obtained from a
commercial bank, a trust company, or a member of a Securities Transfer
Association Medallion Program (“STAMP”). The Fund reserves the right to reject a
signature guarantee supplied by an eligible institution based on its
creditworthiness. The Fund may require further documentation from corporations,
executors, retirement plans, administrators, trustees, or
guardians.
Payment is normally mailed the next Business Day after receipt of your
redemption request. If your Class A shares or Institutional Class shares are in
certificate form, the certificate(s) must accompany your request and also be in
good order. Certificates generally are no longer issued for Class A shares and
Institutional Class shares. Certificates are not issued for Class B shares or
Class C shares.
Written
Exchange
You may also write to the
Fund (at P.O. Box 219691, Kansas City, MO 64121-9691 by regular mail or 430 W.
7th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407 by overnight courier service) to request
an exchange of any or all of your shares into another Delaware Investments® Fund, subject to the same conditions and
limitations as other exchanges noted above.
Telephone Redemption and
Exchange
To get the added convenience of the telephone
redemption and exchange methods, you must have the Transfer Agent hold your
shares (without charge) for you. If you hold your Class A shares or
Institutional Class shares in certificate form, you may redeem or exchange only
by written request and you must return your certificates.
Telephone Redemption: The Check to Your Address of Record service and the Telephone Exchange
service, both of which are described below, are automatically provided unless
you notify the Fund in writing that you do not wish to have such services
available with respect to your account. The Fund reserves the right to modify,
terminate or suspend these procedures upon 60 days’ written notice to
shareholders. It may be difficult to reach the Fund by telephone during periods
when market or economic conditions lead to an unusually large volume of
telephone requests.
59
Neither the Fund nor its Transfer Agent is responsible for any
shareholder loss incurred in acting upon written or telephone instructions for
redemption or exchange of Fund shares which are reasonably believed to be
genuine. With respect to such telephone transactions, the Fund will follow
reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are
genuine (including verification of a form of personal identification) as, if it
does not, the Fund or the Transfer Agent may be liable for any losses due to
unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. Telephone instructions received by the
Fund Classes are generally tape recorded, and a written confirmation will be
provided for all purchase, exchange, and redemption transactions initiated by
telephone. By exchanging shares by telephone, you are acknowledging prior
receipt of a prospectus for the fund into which your shares are being
exchanged.
Telephone Redemption — Check to Your Address of
Record: The Telephone
Redemption feature is a quick and easy method to redeem shares. You or your
investment dealer of record can have redemption proceeds of $100,000 or less
mailed to you at your address of record. Checks will be payable to the
shareholder(s) of record. Payment is normally mailed the next Business Day after
receipt of the redemption request. This service is only available to individual,
joint and individual fiduciary-type accounts.
Telephone Redemption — Proceeds to Your Bank: Redemption proceeds of $1,000 or more can be
transferred to your predesignated bank account by wire or by check. You should
authorize this service when you open your account. If you change your
predesignated bank account, you must complete an authorization form and have
your signature guaranteed. For your protection, your authorization must be on
file. If you request a wire, your funds will normally be sent the next Business
Day. If the proceeds are wired to the shareholder’s account at a bank which is
not a member of the Federal Reserve System, there could be a delay in the
crediting of the funds to the shareholder’s bank account. A bank wire fee may be
deducted from Fund Class redemption proceeds. If you ask for a check, it will
normally be mailed the next Business Day after receipt of your redemption
request to your pre-designated bank account. There are no separate fees for this
redemption method, but mailing a check may delay the time it takes to have your
redemption proceeds credited to your predesignated bank account. To redeem
shares by telephone, simply call the Shareholder Service Center at 800 523-1918
prior to the time the offering price and NAV are determined, as noted
above.
Telephone
Exchange
The Telephone Exchange feature is a convenient
and efficient way to adjust your investment holdings as your liquidity
requirements and investment objectives change. You or your investment dealer of
record can exchange your shares into other Delaware Investments® Funds under the same registration, subject to
the same conditions and limitations as other exchanges noted above. As with the
written exchange service, telephone exchanges are subject to the requirements of
the Fund, described herein. Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations as
to amount or frequency.
The telephone exchange privilege is intended as a convenience to
shareholders and is not intended to be a vehicle to speculate on short-term
swings in the securities market through frequent transactions into and out of
Delaware Investments® Funds. Telephone exchanges may be subject to
limitations as to amount or frequency. The Transfer Agent and the Fund reserve
the right to record exchange instructions received by telephone and to reject
exchange requests at any time in the future.
On Demand
Service
You or your investment dealer may request
redemptions of Fund Class shares by phone using on demand service. When you
authorize the Fund to accept such requests from you or your investment dealer,
funds will be deposited to your predesignated bank account. Your request will be
processed the same day if you call prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. There is a
$25 minimum and $100,000 maximum limit for on demand service transactions. For
more information, see “On Demand Service” under “Investment Plans”
above.
60
Systematic Withdrawal
Plans
Shareholders of the Fund Classes who own or
purchase $5,000 or more of shares at the offering price, or NAV, as applicable,
for which certificates have not been issued may establish a systematic
withdrawal plan for monthly withdrawals of $25 or more, or quarterly withdrawals
of $75 or more, although the Fund does not recommend any specific amount of
withdrawal. This is particularly useful to shareholders living on fixed incomes,
since it can provide them with a stable supplemental amount. This $5,000 minimum
does not apply for the investments made through qualified retirement plans.
Shares purchased with the initial investment and through reinvestment of cash
dividends and realized securities profits distributions will be credited to the
shareholder’s account and sufficient full and fractional shares will be redeemed
at the NAV calculated on the third Business Day preceding the mailing
date.
Checks are dated either the 1st or the 15th of the month, as selected by
the shareholder (unless such date falls on a holiday or a weekend), and are
normally mailed within two Business Days. Both ordinary income dividends and
realized securities profits distributions will be automatically reinvested in
additional shares of the Class at NAV. This plan is not recommended for all
investors and should be started only after careful consideration of its
operation and effect upon the investor’s savings and investment program. To the
extent that withdrawal payments from the plan exceed any dividends and/or
realized securities profits distributions paid on shares held under the plan,
the withdrawal payments will represent a return of capital, and the share
balance may in time be depleted, particularly in a declining market.
Shareholders should not purchase additional shares while participating in a
systematic withdrawal plan.
The sale of shares for withdrawal payments constitutes a taxable event
and a shareholder may incur a capital gain or loss for federal income tax
purposes. This gain or loss may be long-term or short-term depending on the
holding period for the specific shares liquidated. Premature withdrawals from
retirement plans may have adverse tax consequences.
Withdrawals under this plan made concurrently with the purchases of
additional shares may be disadvantageous to the shareholder. Purchases of Class
A shares through a periodic investment program in the Fund must be terminated
before a systematic withdrawal plan with respect to such shares can take effect,
except if the shareholder is a participant in a retirement plan offering
Delaware Investments® Funds or is investing in Delaware
Investments® Funds which do not carry a sales charge.
Redemptions of Class A shares pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan may be
subject to a Limited CDSC if the purchase was made at NAV and a dealer’s
commission has been paid on that purchase. The applicable Limited CDSC for Class
A shares and CDSC for Class C shares redeemed via a systematic withdrawal plan
will be waived if the annual amount withdrawn in each year is less than 12% of
the account balance on the date that the Plan is established. If the annual
amount withdrawn in any year exceeds 12% of the account balance on the date that
the systematic withdrawal plan is established, all redemptions under the Plan
will be subject to the applicable CDSC, including an assessment for previously
redeemed amounts under the Plan. Whether a waiver of the CDSC is available or
not, the first shares to be redeemed for each systematic withdrawal plan payment
will be those not subject to a CDSC because they have either satisfied the
required holding period or were acquired through the reinvestment of
distributions. See the Fund Classes’ Prospectus for more information about the
waiver of CDSCs.
An investor wishing to start a systematic withdrawal plan must complete
an authorization form. If the recipient of systematic withdrawal plan payments
is other than the registered shareholder, the shareholder’s signature on this
authorization must be guaranteed. Each signature guarantee must be supplied by
an eligible guarantor institution. The Fund reserves the right to reject a
signature guarantee supplied by an eligible institution based on its
creditworthiness. This plan may be terminated by the shareholder or the Transfer
Agent at any time by giving written notice.
61
Systematic withdrawal plan payments are normally made by check. In the
alternative, you may elect to have your payments transferred from your Fund
account to your predesignated bank account through the on demand service. Your
funds will normally be credited to your bank account up to four Business Days
after the payment date. There are no separate fees for this redemption method.
It may take up to four Business Days for the transactions to be completed. You
can initiate this service by completing an Account Services form. If your name
and address are not identical to the name and address on your Fund account, you
must have your signature guaranteed. The Fund does not charge a fee for this
service; however, your bank may charge a fee. This service is not available for
retirement plans.
The systematic withdrawal plan is not available for the Institutional
Class. Shareholders should consult with their financial advisors to determine
whether a Systematic Withdrawal Plan would be suitable for them.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain
Redemptions of Class A shares Purchased at Net Asset
Value
For purchases of $1 million or more, a Limited
CDSC will be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares (or shares into
which such Class A shares are exchanged) according to the following schedule:
(i) 1.00% if shares are redeemed during the first year after the purchase; and
(ii) 0.50% if such shares are redeemed during the second year after the
purchase, if such purchases were made at NAV and triggered the payment by the
Distributor of the dealer’s commission as described above under “Dealer’s
Commission” under “Purchasing Shares.”
The Limited CDSC will be paid to the Distributor and will be assessed on
an amount equal to the lesser of: (i) the NAV at the time of purchase of the
Class A shares being redeemed; or (ii) the NAV of such Class A shares at the
time of redemption. For purposes of this formula, the “NAV at the time of
purchase” will be the NAV at purchase of the Class A shares even if those shares
are later exchanged for shares of another Delaware Investments® Fund and, in the event of an exchange of Class
A shares, the “NAV of such shares at the time of redemption” will be the NAV of
the shares acquired in the exchange.
Redemptions of such Class A shares held for more than two years will not
be subject to the Limited CDSC and an exchange of such Class A shares into
another Delaware Investments® Fund will not trigger
the imposition of the Limited CDSC at the time of such exchange. The period a
shareholder owns shares into which Class A shares are exchanged will count
towards satisfying the two-year holding period. The Limited CDSC is assessed if
such two-year period is not satisfied irrespective of whether the redemption
triggering its payment is of Class A shares of the Fund or Class A shares
acquired in the exchange.
In determining whether a Limited CDSC is payable, it will be assumed that
shares not subject to the Limited CDSC are the first redeemed followed by other
shares held for the longest period of time. The Limited CDSC will not be imposed
on shares representing reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions, or
on amounts representing share appreciation.
Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales
Charges
Please see the Fund Classes’ Prospectus for
instances in which the Limited CDSC applicable to Class A shares and the CDSCs
applicable to Class B and C shares may be waived.
As disclosed in the Fund Classes’ Prospectuses, certain retirement plans
that contain certain legacy assets may redeem shares without paying a CDSC. The
following plans may redeem shares without paying a CDSC:
- The redemption must be made by a
group defined contribution retirement plan that purchased Class A shares
through a retirement plan alliance program that required shares to be
available at NAV and RFS served as the sponsor of the alliance program or had
a product participation agreement with the sponsor of the alliance program
that specified that the limited CDSC would be waived.
- The redemption must be made by any
group retirement plan (excluding defined benefit pension plans) that purchased
Class C shares prior to a recordkeeping transition period from August 2004 to
October 2004 and purchased shares through a retirement plan alliance program,
provided that (i) RFS was the sponsor of the alliance program or had a product
participation agreement with the sponsor of the alliance program and (ii) RFS
provided fully bundled retirement plan services and maintained participant
records on its proprietary recordkeeping system.
62
Distributions
The following
supplements the information in the Prospectuses .
It is the present policy of the Trust to declare dividends from net
investment income of the Fund on a daily basis. Dividends are declared at the
time the offering price and net asset value are determined (see “Determining
Offering Price and Net Asset Value” above) each day the Fund is open and are
paid monthly. Net investment income earned on days when the Fund is not open
will be declared as a dividend on the next Business Day.
The Trust anticipates distributing
to its shareholders substantially all of the Fund’s net investment income. Any
distributions from net realized securities profits will be made twice a year.
The first payment will be made during the first quarter of the next fiscal year.
The second payment will be made near the end of the calendar year, typically in
November, to comply with certain requirements of the Code.
Purchases of Fund shares by wire
begin earning dividends when converted into Federal Funds and are normally
available for investment the next Business Day after receipt. Purchases by check
earn dividends upon conversion to Federal Funds, normally one Business Day after
receipt.
Each class of
shares of the Fund will share proportionately in the investment income and
expenses of the Fund, except that each Fund Class alone will incur distribution
fees under its respective Rule 12b-1 Plan.
All dividends
and any capital gains distributions will be automatically reinvested in
additional shares of the same class of the Fund at NAV unless otherwise
designated in writing that such dividends and/or distributions be paid in cash.
Dividend payments of $1.00 or less will be automatically reinvested,
notwithstanding a shareholder’s election to receive dividends in cash. If such a
shareholder’s dividends increase to greater than $1.00, the shareholder would
have to file a new election in order to begin receiving dividends in cash
again.
Any check in
payment of dividends or other distributions which cannot be delivered by the
United States Postal Service or which remains uncashed for a period of more than
one year may be reinvested in the shareholder’s account at the then-current NAV
and the dividend option may be changed from cash to reinvest. The Fund may
deduct from a shareholder’s account the costs of the Fund’s efforts to locate a
shareholder if a shareholder’s mail is returned by the United States Postal
Service or the Fund is otherwise unable to locate the shareholder or verify the
shareholder’s mailing address. These costs may include a percentage of the
account when a search company charges a percentage fee in exchange for their
location services.
Taxes
The following
is a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the
Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus. No attempt
is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund or
its shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectus is not intended
as a substitute for careful tax planning.
This
“Distributions and Taxes” section is based on the Code and applicable
regulations in effect on the date of this Statement of Additional Information.
Future legislative, regulatory or administrative changes or court decisions may
significantly change the tax rules applicable to the Fund and its shareholders.
Any of these changes or court decisions
may have a retroactive effect.
63
This is for general information only and not tax advice. All investors
should consult their own tax advisors as to the federal, state, local and
foreign tax provisions applicable to them.
Taxation of the
Fund . The Fund has elected and intends to qualify,
or, if newly organized, intends to elect and qualify, each year as a regulated
investment company (sometimes referred to as a “regulated investment company,”
“RIC” or “fund”) under Subchapter M of the Code. If the Fund so qualifies, the
Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its investment
company taxable income (that is, generally, taxable interest, dividends, net
short-term capital gains, and other taxable ordinary income, net of expenses,
without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (that
is, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital
losses) that it distributes to shareholders.
In order to qualify for treatment as a
regulated investment company, the Fund must satisfy the following
requirements:
- Distribution
Requirement — the Fund must
distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income and 90% of
its net tax-exempt income, if any, for the tax year (including, for purposes
of satisfying this distribution requirement, certain distributions made by the
Fund after the close of its taxable year that are treated as made during such
taxable year).
- Income
Requirement — the Fund must
derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain
payments with respect to securities loans, and gains from the sale or other
disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income
(including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward
contracts) derived from its business of investing in such stock, securities or
currencies and net income derived from qualified publicly traded partnerships
(QPTPs).
- Asset
Diversification — Test the Fund must satisfy the following asset
diversification test at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s tax year: (1)
at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash
items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other regulated investment
companies, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not
invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets in securities of
an issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities of the issuer); and (2) no more than 25% of the
value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one
issuer (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other
regulated investment companies) or of two or more issuers which the Fund
controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses,
or, in the securities of one or more QPTPs.
In some
circumstances, the character and timing of income realized by the Fund for
purposes of the Income Requirement or the identification of the issuer for
purposes of the Asset Diversification Test is uncertain under current law with
respect to a particular investment, and an adverse determination or future
guidance by IRS with respect to such type of investment may adversely affect the
Fund’s ability to satisfy these requirements. See, “Tax Treatment of Portfolio
Transactions” below with respect to the application of these requirements to
certain types of investments. In other circumstances, the Fund may be required
to sell portfolio holdings in order to meet the Income Requirement, Distribution
Requirement, or Asset Diversification Test which may have a negative impact on
the Fund’s income and performance.
The Fund may use
"equalization accounting" (in lieu of making some cash distributions) in
determining the portion of its income and gains that has been distributed. If
the Fund uses equalization accounting, it will allocate a portion of its
undistributed investment company taxable income and net capital gain to
redemptions of Fund shares and will correspondingly reduce the amount of such
income and gains that it distributes in cash. If the IRS determines that the
Fund’s allocation is improper and that the Fund has under-distributed its income
and gain for any taxable year, the Fund may be liable for federal income and/or
excise tax. If, as a result of such adjustment, the Fund fails to satisfy the
Distribution Requirement, the Fund will not qualify that year as a regulated
investment company the effect of which is described in the following
paragraph.
64
If for any taxable year the Fund does not
qualify as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income (including
its net capital gain) would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without
any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders, and the dividends will be
taxable to the shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified
dividend income) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings
and profits. Failure to qualify as a regulated investment company would thus
have a negative impact on the Fund’s income and performance. It is possible that
the Fund will not qualify as a regulated investment company in any given tax
year. Moreover, the Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification
of the Fund as a regulated investment company if it determines such a course of
action to be beneficial to shareholders.
Portfolio
turnover. For investors that hold their Fund shares in a
taxable account, a high portfolio turnover rate may result in higher taxes. This
is because a fund with a high turnover rate is likely to accelerate the
recognition of capital gains and more of such gains are likely to be taxable as
short-term rather than long-term capital gains in contrast to a comparable fund
with a low turnover rate. Any such higher taxes would reduce the Fund’s
after-tax performance. See, “Taxation of Fund Distributions - Distributions of
capital gains” below.
Capital loss
carryovers . The Fund will offset its capital gains with
any available capital losses without being required to pay taxes on or
distribute such gains that are offset by the losses. Capital losses of the Fund
can generally be carried forward to each of the eight (8) taxable years
succeeding the loss year, subject to an annual limitation if there is a more
than 50% “change in ownership” of the Fund. An ownership change generally
results when shareholders owning 5% or more of the Fund increase their aggregate
holdings by more than 50% over a three-year look-back period. An ownership
change could result in capital loss carryovers that expire unused, thereby
reducing the Fund’s ability to offset capital gains with those losses. An
increase in the amount of taxable gains distributed to the Fund’s shareholders
could result from an ownership change. The Fund undertakes no obligation to
avoid or prevent an ownership change, which can occur in the normal course of
shareholder purchases and redemptions or as a result of engaging in a tax-free
reorganization with another fund. Moreover, because of circumstances beyond the
Fund’s control, there can be no assurance that the Fund will not experience, or
has not already experienced, an ownership change.
Post-October
losses . The Fund presently intends to elect to treat any net capital loss or
any net long-term capital loss incurred after October 31 as if it had been
incurred in the succeeding year in determining its taxable income for the
current year. The effect of this election is to treat any such net loss incurred
after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding year in
determining the Fund’s net capital gain for capital gain dividend purposes (see,
“Taxation of Fund Distributions - Distributions of capital gains” below). The
Fund may also elect to treat all or part of any net foreign currency loss
incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable
year.
Undistributed capital
gains . The Fund may retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain
for each taxable year. The Fund currently intends to distribute net capital
gains. If the Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be taxed
thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carry forward) at
the highest corporate tax rate (currently 35%). If the Fund elects to retain its
net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have
shareholders treated as if each received a distribution of its pro rata share of
such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report its
pro rata share of such gain on its tax return as long-term capital gain, will
receive a refundable tax credit for its pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund
on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for its shares by an amount equal
to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.
Federal excise
tax . To avoid a 4% non-deductible excise tax, the Fund must distribute by
December 31 of each year an amount equal to: (1) 98% of its ordinary income for
the calendar year, (2) 98% of capital gain net income (that is, the excess of
the gains from sales or exchanges of capital assets over the losses from such
sales or exchanges) for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar
year (or, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable
year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year), and (3) any prior
year undistributed ordinary income and capital gain net income. Generally, the
Fund intends to make sufficient
distributions prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid any material
liability for federal excise tax, but can give no assurances that all such
liability will be avoided. In addition, under certain circumstances, temporary
timing or permanent differences in the realization of income and expense for
book and tax purposes can result in the Fund having to pay some excise
tax.
65
Foreign income
tax . Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign
countries may be subject to foreign income tax withheld at the source and the
amount of tax withheld will generally be treated as an expense of the Fund. The
United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which
entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, tax on such income. It
is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since
the amount of the Fund's assets to be invested in various countries is not
known. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to pass-through foreign
tax credits to shareholders.
Taxation of Fund
Distributions . The Fund anticipates distributing
substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain
for each taxable year. Distributions by the Fund will be treated in the manner
described below regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or
reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another fund). The Fund will
send you information annually as to the federal income tax consequences of
distributions made (or deemed made) during the year.
Distributions of net investment income. The Fund receives income generally in the form
of dividends and interest on its investments in portfolio securities. This
income, less expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, constitutes its net
investment income from which dividends may be paid to you. If you are a taxable
investor, any distributions by the Fund from such income (other than qualified
dividend income received by individuals) will be taxable to you at ordinary
income tax rates, whether you take them in cash or in additional shares.
Distributions from qualified dividend income are taxable to individuals at
long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period requirements are
met. See the discussion below under the heading, “Qualified dividend income for
individuals.”
Distributions of capital gains. The Fund may derive capital gain and loss in
connection with sales or other dispositions of its portfolio securities.
Distributions derived from the excess of net short-term capital gain over net
long-term capital loss will be taxable to you as ordinary income. Distributions
paid from the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital
loss will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long
you have held your shares in the Fund. Any net short-term or long-term capital
gain realized by the Fund (net of any capital loss carryovers) generally will be
distributed once each year and may be distributed more frequently, if necessary,
in order to reduce or eliminate federal excise or income taxes on the
Fund.
Returns of capital. Distributions by the Fund that are not paid from earnings and profits
will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of)
the shareholder's tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain
from the sale of his shares. Return of capital distributions can occur for a
number of reasons including, among others, the Fund over-estimates the income to
be received from certain investments such as those classified as partnerships or
equity REITs (see, “Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions — Investments in
U.S. REITs” below).
Qualified dividend income for individuals. For individual shareholders, a portion of the
dividends paid by the Fund may be qualified dividend income, which is eligible
for taxation at long-term capital gain rates. Qualified dividend income means
dividends paid to the Fund (a) by domestic corporations, (b) by foreign
corporations that are either (i) incorporated in a possession of the United
States, or (ii) are eligible for benefits under certain income tax treaties with
the United States that include an exchange of information program or (c) with
respect to stock of a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an
established securities market in the United States. Income derived from
investments in derivatives, fixed-income securities, U.S. REITs, passive foreign
investment companies (PFICs), and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a
securities lending transaction generally is not eligible for treatment as
qualified dividend income.
66
Both the Fund and the investor must
meet certain holding period requirements to qualify Fund dividends for this treatment. Specifically, the Fund
must hold the stock for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60
days before the stock becomes ex-dividend. Similarly, investors must hold their
Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days
before the Fund distribution goes ex-dividend. The ex-dividend date is the first
date following the declaration of a dividend on which the purchaser of stock is
not entitled to receive the dividend payment. When counting the number of days
you held your Fund shares, include the day you sold your shares but not the day
you acquired these shares.
While the income received in the form of a qualified dividend is taxed at
the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered as
a long-term capital gain for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you
will not be allowed to offset your long-term capital losses against qualified
dividend income on your federal income tax return. Any qualified dividend income
that you elect to be taxed at these reduced rates also cannot be used as
investment income in determining your allowable investment interest expense. For
other limitations on the amount of or use of qualified dividend income on your
income tax return, please contact your personal tax advisor.
After the close of its fiscal year, the Fund will designate the portion
of its ordinary dividend income that meets the definition of qualified dividend
income taxable at reduced rates. If 95% or more of the Fund’s income is from
qualified sources, it will be allowed to designate 100% of its ordinary income
distributions as qualified dividend income.
This favorable taxation of qualified dividend income at long-term capital
gain tax rates expires and will no longer apply to dividends paid by the Fund
with respect to its taxable years beginning after December 31, 2010 (sunset
date), unless such provision is extended or made permanent.
Dividends-received deduction for corporations. For corporate shareholders, a portion of the
dividends paid by the Fund may qualify for the dividends-received deduction. The
portion of dividends paid by the Fund that so qualifies will be designated each
year in a notice mailed to the Fund’s shareholders and cannot exceed the gross
amount of dividends received by the Fund from domestic (U.S.) corporations that
would have qualified for the dividends-received deduction in the hands of the
Fund if the Fund was a regular corporation. Income derived by the Fund from
investments in derivatives, fixed-income and foreign securities generally is not
eligible for this treatment.
The availability of the dividends-received deduction is subject to
certain holding period and debt financing restrictions imposed under the Code on
the corporation claiming the deduction. The amount that the Fund may designate
as eligible for the dividends-received deduction will be reduced or eliminated
if the shares on which the dividends earned by the Fund were debt-financed or
held by the Fund for less than a minimum period of time, generally 46 days
during a 91-day period beginning 45 days before the stock becomes ex-dividend.
Similarly, if your Fund shares are debt-financed or held by you for less than a
46-day period then the dividends-received deduction for Fund dividends on your
shares may also be reduced or eliminated. Even if designated as dividends
eligible for the dividends-received deduction, all dividends (including any
deducted portion) must be included in your alternative minimum taxable income
calculation.
Impact of realized but undistributed
income and gains, and net unrealized appreciation of portfolio
securities . At the time of your purchase of shares
(except in a money market fund that maintains a stable net asset value), the
Fund’s net asset value may reflect undistributed income, undistributed capital
gains, or net unrealized appreciation of portfolio securities held by the Fund.
A subsequent distribution to you of such amounts, although constituting a return
of your investment, would be taxable, and would be taxed as ordinary income
(some portion of which may be taxed as qualified dividend income), capital
gains, or some combination of both, unless you are investing through a
tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement
account. The Fund may be able to reduce the amount of such distributions from
capital gains by utilizing its capital loss carryovers, if
any.
67
Pass-through of foreign tax
credits . If more than 50% of the Fund’s total assets
at the end of a fiscal year is
invested in foreign securities, the Fund may elect to pass through to you your
pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, the
Fund may report more taxable income to you than it actually distributes. You
will then be entitled either to deduct your share of these taxes in computing
your taxable income, or to claim a foreign tax credit for these taxes against
your U.S. federal income tax (subject to limitations for certain shareholders).
The Fund will provide you with the information necessary to claim this deduction
or credit on your personal income tax return if it makes this election. No
deduction for foreign tax may be claimed by a noncorporate shareholder who does
not itemize deductions or who is subject to the alternative minimum tax.
Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their
proportionate shares of the foreign income tax paid by the Fund due to certain
limitations that may apply.
Tax credit
bonds . If the Fund holds, directly or indirectly, one or more “tax credit
bonds” (including build America bonds, clean renewable energy bonds and
qualified tax credit bonds) on one or more applicable dates during a taxable
year, the Fund may elect to permit its shareholders to claim a tax credit on
their income tax returns equal to each shareholder’s proportionate share of tax
credits from the applicable bonds that otherwise would be allowed to the Fund.
In such a case, shareholders must include in gross income (as interest) their
proportionate share of the income attributable to their proportionate share of
those offsetting tax credits. A shareholder’s ability to claim a tax credit
associated with one or more tax credit bonds may be subject to certain
limitations imposed by the Code. Even if the Fund is eligible to pass through
tax credits to shareholders, the Fund may choose not to do
so.
U.S. government
securities. Income earned on certain U.S. government
obligations is exempt from state and local personal income taxes if earned
directly by you. States also grant tax-free status to dividends paid to you from
interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. government, subject in some
states to minimum investment or reporting requirements that must be met by the
Fund. Income on investments by the Fund in certain other obligations, such as
repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government obligations, commercial
paper and federal agency-backed obligations (e.g., GNMA or FNMA obligations),
generally does not qualify for tax-free treatment. The rules on exclusion of
this income are different for corporations.
Dividends declared in December and
paid in January . Ordinarily, shareholders are required to
take distributions by the Fund into account in the year in which the
distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November or
December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date
in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and
made by the Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are
actually paid in January of the following year. Shareholders will be advised
annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made
(or deemed made) during the year in accordance with the guidance that has been
provided by the IRS.
Sales, Exchanges and Redemption of
Fund Shares . Sales, exchanges and redemptions (including
redemptions in kind) of Fund shares are taxable transactions for federal and
state income tax purposes. If you redeem your Fund shares, the Internal Revenue
Service requires you to report any gain or loss on your redemption. If you held
your shares as a capital asset, the gain or loss that you realize will be a
capital gain or loss and will be long-term or short-term, generally depending on
how long you have held your shares. Any redemption fees you incur on shares
redeemed will decrease the amount of any capital gain (or increase any capital
loss) you realize on the sale. Capital losses in any year are deductible only to
the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000
of ordinary income.
Tax basis
information . Under the Emergency Economic Stabilization
Act of 2008, the Fund’s Transfer Agent will be required to provide you with cost
basis information on the sale of any of your shares in the Fund, subject to
certain exceptions. This cost basis reporting requirement is effective for
shares purchased in the Fund on or after January 1, 2012.
Wash sales. All or
a portion of any loss that you realize on a redemption of your Fund shares will
be disallowed to the extent that you buy other shares in the Fund (through
reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within 30 days before or after your
share redemption. Any loss disallowed under these rules will be added to your
tax basis in the new shares.
68
Redemptions at a loss within six
months of purchase . Any loss incurred on a redemption or
exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term
capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributed to you by
the Fund on those shares.
Deferral of basis — Class A shares only. If a shareholder (a) incurs a sales load in
acquiring shares of the Fund, (b) disposes of such shares less than 91 days
after they are acquired, and (c) subsequently acquires shares of the Fund or
another fund at a reduced sales load pursuant to a right to reinvest at such
reduced sales load acquired in connection with the acquisition of the shares
disposed of, then the sales load on the shares disposed of (to the extent of the
reduction in the sales load on the shares subsequently acquired) shall not be
taken into account in determining gain or loss on the shares disposed of, but
shall be treated as incurred on the acquisition of the shares subsequently
acquired. The wash sale rules may also limit the amount of loss that may be
taken into account on disposition after such adjustment.
Conversion of Class B shares into Class A shares. The automatic conversion of Class B Shares
into Class A Shares at the end of approximately eight years after purchase will
be tax-free for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders should consult their
tax advisors regarding the state and local tax consequences of the conversion of
Class B Shares into Class A Shares, or any other conversion or exchange of
shares.
Tax shelter
reporting. Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder
recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an
individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the
shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement
on Form 8886.
Tax Treatment of Portfolio
Transactions . Set forth below is a general description of
the tax treatment of certain types of securities, investment techniques and
transactions that may apply to a fund and, in turn, effect the amount, character
and timing of dividends and distributions payable by the fund to its
shareholders. This section should be read in conjunction with the discussion
above under “Investment Strategies and Risks” for a detailed description of the
various types of securities and investment techniques that apply to the
Fund.
In general . In general, gain or
loss recognized by a fund on the sale or other disposition of portfolio
investments will be a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain and loss may be
long-term or short-term depending, in general, upon the length of time a
particular investment position is maintained and, in some cases, upon the nature
of the transaction. Property held for more than one year generally will be
eligible for long-term capital gain or loss treatment. The application of
certain rules described below may serve to alter the manner in which the holding
period for a security is determined or may otherwise affect the characterization
as long-term or short-term, and also the timing of the realization and/or
character, of certain gains or losses.
Certain fixed-income
investments . Gain recognized on the disposition of a debt
obligation purchased by a fund at a market discount (generally, at a price less
than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of
the portion of the market discount which accrued during the period of time the
fund held the debt obligation unless the fund made a current inclusion election
to accrue market discount into income as it accrues. If a fund purchases a debt
obligation (such as a zero coupon security or pay-in-kind security) that was
originally issued at a discount, the fund is generally required to include in
gross income each year the portion of the original issue discount which accrues
during such year. Therefore, a fund’s investment in such securities may cause
the fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it
receives any cash payments on the securities. To generate cash to satisfy those
distribution requirements, a fund may have to sell portfolio securities that it
otherwise might have continued to hold or to use cash flows from other sources
such as the sale of fund shares.
Investments in debt obligations that
are at risk of or in default present tax issues for a
fund . Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as whether and to
what extent a fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, when a
fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount,
when and to what extent a fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless
securities and how a fund should allocate payments received on obligations in
default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be
addressed by a fund in order to ensure
that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated
investment company.
69
Options, futures, forward contracts,
swap agreements and hedging transactions . In general, option
premiums received by a fund are not immediately included in the income of the
fund. Instead, the premiums are recognized when the option contract expires, the
option is exercised by the holder, or the fund transfers or otherwise terminates
the option (e.g., through a closing transaction). If an option written by a fund
is exercised and the fund sells or delivers the underlying stock, the fund
generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to (a) sum of the strike
price and the option premium received by the fund minus (b) the fund’s basis in
the stock. Such gain or loss generally will be short-term or long-term depending
upon the holding period of the underlying stock. If securities are purchased by
a fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the fund
generally will subtract the premium received from its cost basis in the
securities purchased. The gain or loss with respect to any termination of a
fund’s obligation under an option other than through the exercise of the option
and related sale or delivery of the underlying stock generally will be
short-term gain or loss depending on whether the premium income received by the
fund is greater or less than the amount paid by the fund (if any) in terminating
the transaction. Thus, for example, if an option written by a fund expires
unexercised, the fund generally will recognize short-term gain equal to the
premium received.
The tax treatment of certain futures contracts
entered into by a fund as well as listed non-equity options written or purchased
by the fund on U.S. exchanges (including options on futures contracts,
broad-based equity indices and debt securities) may be governed by section 1256
of the Code (“section 1256 contracts”). Gains or losses on section 1256
contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital
gains or losses (“60/40”), although certain foreign currency gains and losses
from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, any section
1256 contracts held by a fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes
of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are
“marked to market” with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated
as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as
ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable.
In addition to the
special rules described above in respect of options and futures transactions, a
fund’s transactions in other derivative instruments (including options, forward
contracts and swap agreements) as well as its other hedging, short sale, or
similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (including
the constructive sale, notional principal contract, straddle, wash sale and
short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by
a fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term,
accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the fund, defer losses to the
fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the fund’s securities.
These rules, therefore, could affect the amount, timing and/or character of
distributions to shareholders. Moreover, because the tax rules applicable to
derivative financial instruments are in some cases uncertain under current law,
an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these
rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether
a fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant
requirements, to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company
and avoid a fund-level tax.
Certain of a fund’s
investments in derivatives and foreign currency-denominated instruments, and the
fund’s transactions in foreign currencies and hedging activities, may produce a
difference between its book income and its taxable income. If a fund’s book
income is less than the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if
any), the fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to
qualify as a regulated investment company. If a fund’s book income exceeds the
sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any), the distribution
of any such excess will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the fund’s
remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from
tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the
recipient’s basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or
exchange of a capital asset.
70
Foreign currency
transactions . A fund’s transactions in foreign currencies,
foreign currency-denominated debt obligations and certain foreign currency
options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) may
give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results
from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. This treatment
could increase or decrease a fund's ordinary income distributions to you, and
may cause some or all of the fund's previously distributed income to be
classified as a return of capital. In certain cases, a fund may make an election
to treat such gain or loss as capital.
PFIC
investments . A fund may invest in stocks of foreign companies that may be classified
under the Code as passive foreign investment companies ("PFICs"). In general, a
foreign company is classified as a PFIC if at least one-half of its assets
constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is
investment-type income. When investing in PFIC securities, a fund intends to
mark-to-market these securities under certain provisions of the Code and
recognize any unrealized gains as ordinary income at the end of the fund’s
fiscal and excise tax years. Deductions for losses are allowable only to the
extent of any current or previously recognized gains. These gains (reduced by
allowable losses) are treated as ordinary income that a fund is required to
distribute, even though it has not sold or received dividends from these
securities. You should also be aware that the designation of a foreign security
as a PFIC security will cause its income dividends to fall outside of the
definition of qualified foreign corporation dividends. These dividends generally
will not qualify for the reduced rate of taxation on qualified dividends when
distributed to you by a fund. In addition, if a fund is unable to identify an
investment as a PFIC and thus does not make a mark-to-market election, the fund
may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess
distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is
distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional
charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on a fund in respect of
deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.
Investments in U.S.
REITs. A U.S. REIT is not subject to federal income
tax on the income and gains it distributes to shareholders. Dividends paid by a
U.S. REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary
income up to the amount of the U.S. REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and
profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a U.S. REIT to a fund will be treated as
long term capital gains by the fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the fund
to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Because of certain noncash
expenses, such as property depreciation, an equity U.S. REIT’s cash flow may
exceed its taxable income. The equity U.S. REIT, and in turn a fund, may
distribute this excess cash to shareholders in the form of a return of capital
distribution. However, if a U.S. REIT is operated in a manner that fails to
qualify as a REIT, an investment in the U.S. REIT would become subject to double
taxation, meaning the taxable income of the U.S. REIT would be subject to
federal income tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for
dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to
shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to
the extent of the U.S. REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.
Also, see, “Tax Treatment of Portfolio Transactions — Investment in
taxable mortgage pools (excess inclusion Income)” and “Foreign Shareholders
— U.S.
withholding tax at the source” below with respect to certain other tax aspects
of investing in U.S. REITs.
Investment in non-U.S.
REITs . While non-U.S. REITs often use complex acquisition structures that seek
to minimize taxation in the source country, an investment by a fund in a
non-U.S. REIT may subject the fund, directly or indirectly, to corporate taxes,
withholding taxes, transfer taxes and other indirect taxes in the country in
which the real estate acquired by the non-U.S. REIT is located. A fund’s pro
rata share of any such taxes will reduce the fund’s return on its investment. A
fund’s investment in a non-U.S. REIT may be considered an investment in a PFIC,
as discussed above in “PFIC Investments.” Also, a fund in certain limited
circumstances may be required to file an income tax return in the source country
and pay tax on any gain realized from its investment in the non-U.S. REIT under
rules similar to those in the United States which tax foreign persons on gain
realized from dispositions of interests in U.S. real estate.
71
Investment in taxable mortgage pools
(excess inclusion income). Under a Notice issued by the IRS, the Code and
Treasury regulations to be issued, a portion of a fund’s income from a U.S. REIT
that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a real estate mortgage
investment conduits (REMICs) or equity interests in a “taxable mortgage pool”
(referred to in the Code as an excess inclusion) will be subject to federal
income tax in all events. The excess inclusion income of a regulated investment
company, such as a fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated
investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders,
with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC
residual interest or, if applicable, taxable mortgage pool directly. In general,
excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net
operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift
institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to
entities (including qualified pension plans, individual retirement accounts,
401(k) plans, Keogh plans or other tax-exempt entities) subject to tax on
unrelated business income (UBTI), thereby potentially requiring such an entity
that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required
to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii)
in the case of a foreign stockholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S.
federal withholding tax. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a
“disqualified organization” (which generally includes certain cooperatives,
governmental entities, and tax-exempt organizations not subject to UBTI) is a
record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated
investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess
inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified
organization, multiplied by the highest federal income tax rate imposed on
corporations. The Notice imposes certain reporting requirements upon regulated
investment companies that have excess inclusion income. There can be no
assurance that a fund will not allocate to shareholders excess inclusion
income.
These rules are
potentially applicable to a fund with respect to any income it receives from the
equity interests of certain mortgage pooling vehicles, either directly or, as is
more likely, through an investment in a U.S. REIT. It is unlikely that these
rules will apply to a fund that has a non-REIT strategy.
Investments in partnerships and
qualified publicly traded partnerships (QPTP) . For purposes of the
Income Requirement, income derived by a fund from a partnership that is not a QPTP will be
treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to
items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized
directly by the fund. For purposes of testing whether a fund satisfies the Asset
Diversification Test, the fund is generally treated as owning a pro rata share
of the underlying assets of a partnership. See, “Taxation of the Fund.” In
contrast, different rules apply to a partnership that is a QPTP. A QPTP is a
partnership (a) the interests in which are traded on an established securities
market, (b) that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes,
and (c) that derives less than 90% of its income from sources that satisfy the
Income Requirement (i.e., because it invests in commodities). All of the net
income derived by a fund from an interest in a QPTP will be treated as
qualifying income but the fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets
in one or more QPTPs. However, there can be no assurance that a partnership
classified as a QPTP in one year will qualify as a QPTP in the next year. Any
such failure to annually qualify as a QPTP might, in turn, cause a fund to fail
to qualify as a regulated investment company.
Investments in commodities
—structured notes, corporate subsidiary and certain
ETFs. Gains from the disposition of commodities,
including precious metals, will neither be considered qualifying income for
purposes of satisfying the Income Requirement nor qualifying assets for purposes
of satisfying the Asset Diversification Test. See, “Taxation of the Fund.” Also,
the IRS has issued a revenue ruling which holds that income derived from
commodity-linked swaps is not qualifying income for purposes of the Income
Requirement. However, in a subsequent revenue ruling, the IRS provides that
income from certain alternative investments which create commodity exposure,
such as certain commodity index-linked or structured notes or a corporate
subsidiary that invests in commodities, may be considered qualifying income
under the Code. In addition, a fund may gain exposure to commodities through
investment in QPTPs such as an exchange traded fund or ETF that is classified as
a partnership and which invests in commodities. Accordingly, the extent to which
a fund invests in commodities or commodity-linked derivatives may be limited by
the Income Requirement and the Asset Diversification Test, which the fund must
continue to satisfy to maintain its status as a regulated investment company. A
fund also may be limited in its ability to sell its investments in commodities,
commodity-linked derivatives, and certain ETFs or be forced to sell other
investments to generate income due to the Income
Requirement.
Securities
lending . While securities are loaned out by a fund,
the fund will generally receive from the borrower amounts equal to any dividends
or interest paid on the borrowed securities. For federal income tax purposes,
payments made “in lieu of” dividends are not considered dividend income. These
distributions will neither qualify for the reduced rate of taxation for
individuals on qualified dividends nor the 70% dividends received deduction for
corporations. Also, any foreign tax withheld on payments made “in lieu of”
dividends or interest will not qualify
for the pass-through of foreign tax credits to shareholders. Additionally, in
the case of a fund with a strategy of investing in tax-exempt securities, any
payments made "in lieu of" tax-exempt interest will be considered taxable income
to the fund, and thus, to the investors, even though such interest may be
tax-exempt when paid to the borrower.
72
Investments in convertible
securities . Convertible debt is ordinarily treated as a
“single property” consisting of a pure debt interest until conversion, after
which the investment becomes an equity interest. If the security is issued at a
premium (i.e., for cash in excess of the face amount payable on retirement), the
creditor-holder may amortize the premium over the life of the bond. If the
security is issued for cash at a price below its face amount, the
creditor-holder must accrue original issue discount in income over the life of
the debt. The creditor-holder's exercise of the conversion privilege is treated
as a nontaxable event. Mandatorily convertible debt (e.g., an exchange traded
note or ETN issued in the form of an unsecured obligation that pays a return
based on the performance of a specified market index, exchange currency, or
commodity) is often, but not always, treated as a contract to buy or sell the
reference property rather than debt. Similarly, convertible preferred stock with
a mandatory conversion feature is ordinarily, but not always, treated as equity
rather than debt. Dividends received generally are qualified dividend income and
eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction. In general, conversion
of preferred stock for common stock of the same corporation is tax-free.
Conversion of preferred stock for cash is a taxable redemption. Any redemption
premium for preferred stock that is redeemable by the issuing company might be
required to be amortized under original issue discount (OID)
principles.
Investments in securities of
uncertain tax character. A fund may invest in securities the U.S.
federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to
recharacterization by the IRS. To the extent the tax treatment of such
securities or the income from such securities differs from the tax treatment
expected by a fund, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized
by the fund, requiring the fund to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise
change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to
regulated investment companies under the Code.
Backup
Withholding. By
law, the Fund must withhold a portion of your taxable dividends and sales
proceeds unless you:
- provide your correct social
security or taxpayer identification number,
- certify that this number is
correct,
- certify that you are not subject
to backup withholding, and
- certify that you are a U.S. person
(including a U.S. resident alien).
The Fund also must withhold if the IRS
instructs it to do so. When withholding is required, the amount will be 28% of
any dividends or proceeds paid. The special U.S. tax certification requirements
applicable to non-U.S. investors are described under the “Non-U.S. Investors”
heading below.
Non-U.S.
Investors. Non-U.S.
investors (shareholders who, as to the United States, are nonresident alien
individuals, foreign trusts or estates, foreign corporations, or foreign
partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject
to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should
consult their tax advisors about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and
the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.
In general. The
United States imposes a flat 30% withholding tax (or a withholding tax at a
lower treaty rate) on U.S. source dividends, including on income dividends paid
to you by the Fund. Exemptions from this U.S. withholding tax are provided for
capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from its net long-term capital gains
and, with respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning before January 1, 2010
(unless such sunset date is extended, possibly retroactively to January 1, 2010,
or made permanent), interest-related dividends paid by the Fund from its
qualified net interest income from U.S. sources and short-term capital gain
dividends. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the
source, any dividends and distributions of income and capital gains, including
the proceeds from the sale of your Fund shares, will be subject to backup
withholding at a rate of 28% if you fail
to properly certify that you are not a U.S. person.
73
Capital gain dividends and short-term capital gain
dividends. In general, (i)
a capital gain dividend designated by the Fund and paid from its net long-term
capital gains, or (ii) with respect to taxable years of the Fund beginning
before January 1, 2010 (unless such sunset date is extended, possibly
retroactively to January 1, 2010, or made permanent), a short-term capital gain
dividend designated by the Fund and paid from its net short-term capital gains,
other than long- or short-term capital gains realized on disposition of U.S.
real property interests (see the discussion below) are not subject to U.S.
withholding tax unless you are a nonresident alien individual present in the
United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the
calendar year.
Interest-related
dividends. With respect to taxable years of the Fund
beginning before January 1, 2010 (unless such sunset date is extended, possibly
retroactively to January 1, 2010, or made permanent), dividends designated by
the Fund as interest-related dividends and paid from its qualified net interest
income from U.S. sources are not subject to U.S. withholding tax. “Qualified
interest income” includes, in general, U.S. source (1) bank deposit interest,
(2) short-term original discount, (3) interest (including original issue
discount, market discount, or acquisition discount) on an obligation which is in
registered form, unless it is earned on an obligation issued by a corporation or
partnership in which the Fund is a 10-percent shareholder or is contingent
interest, and (4) any interest-related dividend from another regulated
investment company. On any payment date, the amount of an income dividend that
is designated by the Fund as an interest-related dividend may be more or less
than the amount that is so qualified. This is because the designation is based
on an estimate of the Fund’s qualified net interest income for its entire fiscal
year, which can only be determined with exactness at fiscal year end. As a
consequence, the Fund may over withhold a small amount of U.S. tax from a
dividend payment. In this case, the non-U.S. investor’s only recourse may be to
either forgo recovery of the excess withholding, or to file a United States
nonresident income tax return to recover the excess
withholding.
Further limitations on tax reporting
for interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends for
non-U.S. investors. It may
not be practical in every case for the Fund to designate, and the Fund reserves
the right in these cases to not designate, small amounts of interest-related or
short-term capital gain dividends. Additionally, the Fund’s designation of
interest-related or short-term capital gain dividends may not be passed through
to shareholders by intermediaries who have assumed tax reporting
responsibilities for this income in managed or omnibus accounts due to systems
limitations or operational constraints.
Net investment income from dividends
on stock and foreign source interest income continue to be subject to
withholding tax; foreign tax credits. Ordinary dividends paid by the Fund
to non-U.S. investors on the income earned on portfolio investments in (i) the
stock of domestic and foreign corporations and (ii) the debt of foreign issuers
continue to be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Foreign shareholders may be
subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% on the income resulting from an
election to pass-through foreign tax credits to shareholders, but may not be
able to claim a credit or deduction with respect to the withholding tax for the
foreign tax treated as having been paid by them.
Income effectively connected with a
U.S. trade or business . If the income from the Fund is effectively
connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder,
then ordinary income dividends, capital gain dividends and any gains realized
upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S.
federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic
corporations and require the filing of a nonresident U.S. income tax
return.
Investment in U.S. real property. A Fund may invest in equity securities of
corporations that invest in U.S. real property, including U.S. Real Estate
Investment Trusts (U.S.-REIT). The sale of a U.S. real property interest (USRPI)
by a Fund or by a U.S. REIT or U.S. real property holding corporation in which a
Fund invests may trigger special tax consequences to a Fund’s non-U.S.
shareholders.
74
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax
Act of 1980 (FIRPTA) makes non-U.S. persons subject to U.S. tax on disposition
of a USRPI as if he or she were a U.S. person. Such gain is sometimes referred
to as FIRPTA gain. The Code provides a look-through rule for distributions of
FIRPTA gain by a regulated investment company (RIC) received from a U.S.-REIT or
another RIC classified as a U.S. real property holding corporation or realized
by the RIC on a sale of a USRPI (other than a domestically controlled U.S.-REIT
or RIC that is classified as a qualified investment entity) as
follows:
- The RIC is
classified as a qualified investment entity. A RIC is classified as a
“qualified investment entity” with respect to a distribution to a non-U.S.
person which is attributable directly or indirectly to a distribution from a
U.S.-REIT if, in general, 50% or more of the RIC’s assets consists of
interests in U.S.-REITs and U.S. real property holding corporations,
and
- You are a non-U.S. shareholder
that owns more than 5% of a class of Fund shares at any time during the
one-year period ending on the date of the distribution.
- If these conditions are met, such
Fund distributions to you are treated as gain from the disposition of a USRPI,
causing the distributions to be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of
35%, and requiring that you file a nonresident U.S. income tax
return.
- In addition, even if you do not
own more than 5% of a class of Fund shares, but the Fund is a qualified
investment entity, such Fund distributions to you will be taxable as ordinary
dividends (rather than as a capital gain or short-term capital gain dividend)
subject to withholding at 30% or lower treaty rate.
These rules apply to dividends paid by a Fund
before January 1, 2010 (unless such sunset date is extended, possibly
retroactively to January 1, 2010, or made permanent), except that after such
sunset date, Fund distributions from a U.S.-REIT (whether or not domestically
controlled) attributable to FIRPTA gain will continue to be subject to the
withholding rules described above provided the Fund would otherwise be
classified as a qualified investment entity.
Because each Fund expects to invest less than
50% of its assets at all times, directly or indirectly, in U.S. real property
interests, the Funds expect that neither gain on the sale or redemption of Fund
shares nor Fund dividends and distributions would be subject to FIRPTA reporting
and tax withholding.
U.S. estate tax. As of the date of this
Statement of Additional Information, the U.S. federal estate tax is repealed for
one year for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2010 and before January 1,
2011, unless reinstated earlier, possibly retroactively to January 1, 2010. On
and after the date the U.S. estate tax is reinstated, an individual who, at the
time of death, is a non-U.S. shareholder will nevertheless be subject to U.S.
federal estate tax with respect to Fund shares at the graduated rates applicable
to U.S. citizens and residents, unless a treaty exemption applies. If a treaty
exemption is available, a decedent’s estate may nonetheless need to file a U.S.
estate tax return to claim the exemption in order to obtain a U.S. federal
transfer certificate. The transfer certificate will identify the property (i.e.,
Fund shares) as to which the U.S. federal estate tax lien has been released. In
the absence of a treaty, there is a $13,000 statutory estate tax credit
(equivalent to U.S. situs assets with a value of $60,000). For estates with U.S.
situs assets of not more than $60,000, the Fund may accept, in lieu of a
transfer certificate, an affidavit from an appropriate individual evidencing
that decedent’s U.S. situs assets are below this threshold amount. In addition,
a partial exemption from U.S estate tax may apply to Fund shares held by the
estate of a nonresident decedent. The amount treated as exempt is based upon the
proportion of the assets held by the Fund at the end of the quarter immediately
preceding the decedent's death that are debt obligations, deposits, or other
property that would generally be treated as situated outside the United States
if held directly by the estate. This provision applies to decedents dying after
December 31, 2004 and before January 1, 2010, unless such provision is extended
or made permanent. Transfers by gift of shares of the Fund by a non-U.S.
shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual will not be subject to U.S.
federal gift tax.
U.S. tax certification rules. Special U.S. tax certification requirements
apply to non-U.S. shareholders both to avoid U.S. back up withholding imposed at
a rate of 28% and to obtain the benefits of any treaty between the United States
and the shareholder’s country of residence. In general, a non-U.S. shareholder
must provide a Form W-8 BEN (or other applicable Form W-8) to establish that you
are not a U.S. person, to claim that you are the beneficial owner of the income
and, if applicable, to claim a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding
as a resident of a country with which the United States has an income tax
treaty. A Form W-8 BEN provided without a U.S. taxpayer identification number
will remain in effect for a period beginning on the date signed and ending on
the last day of the third succeeding
calendar year unless an earlier change of circumstances makes the information on
the form incorrect.
75
The tax consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder entitled to claim the
benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described
herein. Non-U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with
respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund,
including the applicability of foreign tax.
Effect of Future Legislation; Local
Tax Considerations . The foregoing general discussion of U.S.
federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the regulations issued
thereunder as in effect on the date of this Statement of Additional Information.
Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may
significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and any such changes or
decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions
contemplated herein. Rules of state and local taxation of ordinary income,
qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends may differ from the rules
for U.S. federal income taxation described above. Distributions may also be
subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each
shareholder's particular situation. Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S.
tax rules that differ significantly from those summarized above. Shareholders
are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and
other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the
Fund.
To obtain the Fund’s most current performance information, please call
800 523-1918 or visit www.delawareinvestments.com.
Performance quotations represent the Fund’s past performance and should
not be considered as representative of future results. The Fund will
calculate their performance in accordance with the requirements of the rules and
regulations under the 1940 Act, or any other applicable U.S. securities law, as
they may be revised from time to time by the SEC.
Ernst & Young LLP, which is located at
2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered
public accounting firm for the Trust and, in its capacity as such, audits the
annual financial statements contained in the Fund’s Annual Report. The Fund’s
Statement of Net Assets, Statement of Assets & Liabilities, Statement of
Operations, Statement of Changes in Net Assets, Financial Highlights, and Notes
to Financial Statements, as well as the report of Ernst & Young LLP, the
independent registered public accounting firm, for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2009, are included in the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders. The
financial statements and financial highlights, the notes relating thereto and
the report of Ernst & Young LLP listed above are incorporated by reference
from the Annual Report into this Part B.
76
As March 31, 2010, management believes the following accounts held of
record 5% or more of the outstanding Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C
shares, Class R shares, and the Institutional Class shares of the Fund.
Management does not have knowledge of beneficial owners.
Class |
Shareholders Name and
Address |
Percentage |
Class
R |
Fifth Third
Bank |
18.43% |
|
Cust FBO NLVT
Chariot |
|
|
PO Box
3385 |
|
|
Cincinnati OH
45263-0001 |
|
Class
R |
Mg Trustco Agent Trustee |
7.10% |
|
Frontier Trustco |
|
|
Quantum Tax Savings Plan |
|
|
Po Box 10699 |
|
|
Fargo, ND
58106-0699 |
|
Institutional Class |
MLPF&S For The Sole Benefit Of
Its |
56.59% |
|
Customers |
|
|
Attention: Fund Administration |
|
|
4800 Deer Lake Dr E # 2 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
Institutional Class |
Prudential
Investment Mgmt Svc |
11.06% |
|
FBO Mutual Fund
Clients |
|
|
3 Gateway Ctr, Fl
11 |
|
|
100 Mulberry
St |
|
|
Newark, NJ 07102 |
|
Class R |
MLPF&S For The Sole Benefit Of
Its |
27.82% |
|
Customers |
|
|
Attention: Fund Administration |
|
|
4800 Deer Lake Dr E # 2 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
Class
B |
MLPF&S For The Sole Benefit Of
Its |
17.05% |
|
Customers |
|
|
Attention: Fund Administration |
|
|
4800 Deer Lake Dr E # 2 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
Class
C |
MLPF&S For The Sole Benefit Of
Its |
25.79% |
|
Customers |
|
|
Attention: Fund Administration |
|
|
4800 Deer Lake Dr E # 2 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
|
Class A |
Citigroup Global
Markets, Inc. |
8.44% |
|
Attn: Peter Booth,
7th Floor. |
|
|
333 W 34th
St. |
|
|
New York ,NY 10001-2402 |
|
Class C |
Citigroup Global
Markets, Inc. |
7.55% |
|
Attn: Peter Booth,
7th Floor. |
|
|
333 W 34th
St. |
|
|
New York ,NY 10001-2402 |
|
77
APPENDIX A—DESCRIPTION OF
RATINGS |
Bonds
Excerpts from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.
(“Moody’s”) description of its bond ratings: Aaa—judged to be the best
quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk; Aa—judged to be of high
quality by all standards; A—possess favorable attributes
and are considered “upper medium” grade obligations; Baa—considered as medium grade
obligations. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the
present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be
characteristically unreliable over any great length of time; Ba—judged to have speculative
elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the
protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby
not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty
of position characterizes bonds in this class; B—generally lack
characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal
payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period
of time may be small; Caa—are of poor standing. Such
issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect
to principal or interest; Ca—represent obligations which
are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other
marked shortcomings; C—the lowest rated class of
bonds and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of
ever attaining any real investment standing.
Excerpts from Standard & Poor’s
(“S&P”) description of its bond ratings: AAA—highest grade obligations.
They possess the ultimate degree of protection as to principal and interest;
AA—also qualify as high
grade obligations, and in the majority of instances differ from AAA issues only
in a small degree; A—strong ability to
pay interest and repay principal although more susceptible to changes in
circumstances; BBB—regarded as having an
adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal; BB, B, CCC, CC—regarded, on
balance, as predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest
and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. BB indicates
the lowest degree of speculation and CC the highest degree of speculation. While
such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these
are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse
conditions; C—reserved
for income bonds on which no interest is being paid; D—in default, and payment of
interest and/or repayment of principal is in arrears.
78
PART C
Delaware Group® Limited-Term
Government Funds
File Nos. 002-75526/811-03363
Post-Effective Amendment
No. 66
OTHER
INFORMATION
Item 28. |
|
Exhibits. The following exhibits are incorporated by
reference to the Registrant’s previously filed documents indicated below,
except as noted: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Articles of
Incorporation. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Agreement and Declaration of Trust (December 17, 1998) incorporated
into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 filed
December 14, 1999. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (November 15, 2006) to the
Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 filed April 27,
2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (February 26, 2009) to the
Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25,
2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(iii) |
|
Executed Certificate of Amendment (August 18, 2009) to the
Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25,
2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Executed Certificate of Trust (December 17, 1998) incorporated into
this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 filed December
14, 1999. |
|
|
|
|
|
(b) |
|
By-Laws. Amended and Restated By-Laws (November
16, 2006) incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 60 filed April 27, 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
(c) |
|
Instruments Defining Rights of Security
Holders. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Agreement and Declaration of
Trust. Articles III,
IV, V and VI of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust (December 17, 1998)
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.
49 filed December 14, 1999. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
By-Laws. Article II of the Amended and Restated
By-Laws (November 16, 2006) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 filed April 27, 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
(d) |
|
Investment Advisory
Contracts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Executed Investment Management Agreement (January 4, 2010) between
Delaware Management Company (a series of Delaware Management Business
Trust) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25, 2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Executed Investment Advisory Expense Limitation Letter (April 2010)
between Delaware Management Company (a series of Delaware Management
Business Trust) and the Registrant attached as Exhibit No.
EX-99.d.2. |
1
|
(e) |
|
Underwriting
Contracts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Distribution Agreements. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Executed Distribution Agreement (May 15, 2003) between Delaware
Distributors, L.P. and Registrant incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 filed February 27,
2004. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
Executed Distribution Expense Limitation Letter (April 2010)
between Delaware Distributors, L.P. and the Registrant attached as Exhibit
No. EX-99.e.1.ii. |
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Dealer’s Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 filed April 30, 2001. |
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Vision Mutual Fund Gateway® Agreement
(November 2000) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 filed February 27, 2003. |
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Registered Investment Advisers Agreement (January 2001)
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.
54 filed February 27, 2003. |
|
|
|
|
|
(5) |
|
Bank/Trust Agreement (August 2004) incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post- Effective Amendment No. 57 filed February 25,
2005. |
|
|
|
(f) |
|
Bonus or Profit Sharing
Contracts. Not
applicable. |
|
|
|
(g) |
|
Custodian Agreements. |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Executed Mutual Fund Custody and Services Agreement (July 20, 2007)
between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the
Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 64 filed April 29, 2009. |
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Executed Securities Lending Authorization (July 20, 2007) between
The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly, Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the
Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 62 filed November 27, 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Executed Amendment (September 22, 2009) to the Securities Lending
Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post- Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25, 2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
Executed Amendment No. 2 (January 1, 2010) to the Securities
Lending Authorization Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference
to Post- Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25, 2010. |
|
|
|
(h) |
|
Other Material
Contracts. |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Executed Shareholder Services Agreement (April 19, 2001) between
Delaware Service Company, Inc. and the Registrant on behalf of each Fund
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.
53 filed February 28, 2002. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Executed Letter Amendment (August 23, 2002) to the Shareholder
Services Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 filed February 27, 2004. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(ii) |
|
Executed Schedule B (June 1, 2009) to the Shareholder Services
Agreement incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 65 filed February 25, 2010. |
2
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Executed Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Services
Agreement (October 1, 2007) between The Bank of New York Mellon (formerly,
Mellon Bank, N.A.) and the Registrant incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 filed November 27,
2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Executed Fund Accounting and Financial Administration Oversight
Agreement (October 1, 2007) between Delaware Service Company, Inc. and the
Registrant incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective
Amendment No. 62 filed November 27, 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Amendment No. 4
(October 23, 2009) to Schedule A to the Fund Accounting and Financial
Administration Oversight Agreement incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25,
2010. |
|
|
|
(i) |
|
Legal Opinion. Opinion and Consent of Counsel
(December 14, 1999) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 filed December 14, 1999. |
|
|
|
(j) |
|
Other Opinions. Consent of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm (April 2010) attached as Exhibit No.
EX-99.j. |
|
|
|
(k) |
|
Omitted Financial
Statements. Not
applicable. |
|
|
|
(l) |
|
Initial Capital
Agreements. Not
applicable. |
|
|
|
(m) |
|
Rule 12b-1 Plan. |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Plan
under Rule 12b-1 for Class A (April 19, 2001) incorporated into this
filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 filed February 28,
2002. |
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Plan
under Rule 12b-1 for Class B (April 19, 2001) incorporated into this
filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 filed February 28,
2002. |
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
|
Plan
under Rule 12b-1 for Class C (April 19, 2001) incorporated into this
filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 filed February 28,
2002. |
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
|
Plan
under Rule 12b-1 for Class R (May 15, 2003) is incorporated into this
filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 filed April 26,
2006. |
|
|
|
(n) |
|
Rule 18f-3 Plan. |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Plan
under Rule 18f-3 (February 18, 2010) incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25,
2010. |
|
|
|
(o) |
|
Reserved. |
|
|
|
(p) |
|
Codes of Ethics. |
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Code of
Ethics for the Delaware Investments Family of Funds (February 2010)
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.
65 filed February 25, 2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Code of
Ethics for Delaware Investments (Delaware Management Company, a series of
Delaware Management Business Trust, and Delaware Distributors, L.P.)
(February 2010) incorporated into this filing by reference to
Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 filed February 25, 2010. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(q) |
|
Other. Powers of Attorney (May 17, 2007)
incorporated into this filing by reference to Post- Effective Amendment
No. 61 filed September 28, 2007. |
3
Item 29. |
|
Persons Controlled by
or Under Common Control with Registrant. None. |
|
|
|
Item 30. |
|
Indemnification. Article VII, Section 2 (November 15, 2006) to
the Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated into this filing by
reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 filed April 27, 2007. Article
VI of the Amended and Restated By-Laws (November 16, 2006) incorporated
into this filing by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 filed
April 27, 2007. |
|
|
|
Item 31. |
|
Business and Other
Connections of the Investment Adviser. |
|
|
|
|
|
Delaware Management Company (the
“Manager”), a series of Delaware Management Business Trust, serves as
investment manager to the Registrant and also serves as investment manager
or sub-advisor to certain of the other funds in the Delaware
Investments®
Funds (Delaware Group® Adviser Funds,
Delaware Group Cash Reserve, Delaware Group Equity Funds I, Delaware Group
Equity Funds II, Delaware Group Equity Funds III, Delaware Group Equity
Funds IV, Delaware Group Equity Funds V, Delaware Group Foundation Funds,
Delaware Group Global & International Funds, Delaware Group Government
Fund, Delaware Group Income Funds, Delaware Group State Tax-Free Income
Trust, Delaware Group Tax-Free Fund, Delaware Group Tax- Free Money Fund,
Delaware Pooled® Trust, Delaware
VIP® Trust,
Optimum Fund Trust, Voyageur Insured Funds, Voyageur Intermediate Tax Free
Funds, Voyageur Mutual Funds, Voyageur Mutual Funds II, Voyageur Mutual
Funds III, Voyageur Tax Free Funds, Delaware Investments Dividend and
Income Fund, Inc., Delaware Investments Global Dividend and Income Fund,
Inc., Delaware Investments Arizona Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Delaware
Investments Colorado Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Delaware Investments
National Municipal Income Fund, Delaware Investments Minnesota Municipal
Income Fund II, Inc., and Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income
Fund) as well as to certain non-affiliated registered investment
companies. In addition, certain officers of the Manager also serve as
trustees of other Delaware Investments Funds, and certain officers are
also officers of these other funds. A company indirectly owned by the
Manager’s parent company acts as principal underwriter to the mutual funds
in the Delaware Investments Funds (see Item 32 below) and another such
company acts as the shareholder services, dividend disbursing, accounting
servicing and transfer agent for all of the Delaware Investments
Funds. |
|
|
|
|
|
The following persons serving as
directors or officers of the Manager have held the following positions
during the past two years. Unless otherwise noted, the principal business
address of the directors and officers of the Manager is 2005 Market
Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094. |
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Patrick P. Coyne |
President |
Chairman/President/Chief |
Mr. Coyne has served
in various |
|
|
Executive
Officer |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware
Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director – Kaydon Corp. |
Michael J. Hogan1 |
Executive
Vice |
Executive
Vice |
Mr. Hogan has served
in |
|
President/Head of
Equity |
President/Head of
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Investments |
Investments |
within Delaware Investments |
See
Yeng Quek |
Executive
Vice |
Executive
Vice |
Mr. Quek has served in
various |
|
President/Managing |
President/Managing |
executive capacities
within |
|
Director/Chief |
Director, Fixed
Income |
Delaware
Investments |
|
Investment
Officer, |
|
|
|
Fixed Income |
|
Director/Trustee -
HYPPCO |
|
|
|
Finance Company Ltd. |
Philip N. Russo |
Executive
Vice |
None |
Mr. Russo has served
in various |
|
President/Chief |
|
executive capacities
within |
|
Administrative Officer |
|
Delaware Investments |
4
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Douglas L. Anderson |
Senior Vice President
– |
None |
Mr. Anderson has
served in |
|
Operations |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Joseph R. Baxter |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Head |
Mr. Baxter has served
in |
|
President/Head
of |
of Municipal
Bond |
various executive
capacities |
|
Municipal
Bond |
Investments |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
Investments |
|
|
Christopher S. Beck |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Beck has served in
various |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
executive capacities
within |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
Delaware Investments |
Michael P. Buckley |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Buckley has served
in |
|
President/Director
of |
President/Director
of |
various executive
capacities |
|
Municipal Research |
Municipal Research |
within Delaware Investments |
Stephen J. Busch |
Senior Vice President
– |
Senior Vice
President– |
Mr. Busch has served
in various |
|
Investment
Accounting |
Investment
Accounting |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Michael F. Capuzzi |
Senior Vice President
— |
Senior Vice President
— |
Mr. Capuzzi has served
in |
|
Investment
Systems |
Investment
Systems |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Lui-Er Chen2 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Chen has served in
various |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
executive capacities
within |
|
Portfolio
Manager/Chief |
Manager/Chief
Investment |
Delaware
Investments |
|
Investment
Officer, |
Officer, Emerging
Markets |
|
|
Emerging Markets |
|
|
Thomas H. Chow |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Chow has served in
various |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
executive capacities
within |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
Delaware Investments |
Stephen J. Czepiel3 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Czepiel has served
in |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
various executive
capacities |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
within Delaware Investments |
Chuck M. Devereux |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Devereux has
served in |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Research |
various executive
capacities |
|
Research Analyst |
Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Roger A. Early4 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Early has served
in various |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
executive capacities
within |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
Delaware Investments |
Stuart M. George |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Head |
Mr. George has served
in |
|
President/Head of
Equity |
of Equity
Trading |
various executive
capacities |
|
Trading |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Paul
Grillo |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Grillo has served
in various |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
executive capacities
within |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
Delaware Investments |
William F. Keelan |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Keelan has served
in |
|
President/Director
of |
President/Director
of |
various executive
capacities |
|
Quantitative Research |
Quantitative Research |
within Delaware Investments |
Kevin P. Loome5 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Loome has served
in |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
various executive
capacities |
|
Portfolio
Manager/Head |
Manager/Head of
High |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
of High
Yield |
Yield
Investments |
|
|
Investments |
|
|
Timothy D. |
Senior Vice |
None |
Mr. McGarrity has
served in |
McGarrity |
President/Financial |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
Services Officer |
|
within Delaware Investments |
5
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Francis X. Morris |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
Mr. Morris has served
in |
|
President/Chief |
Investment Officer —
Core |
various executive
capacities |
|
Investment Officer
— |
Equity |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
Core
Equity |
|
|
Brian L. Murray, Jr. |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/ |
Mr. Murray has served
in |
|
President/Chief |
Chief Compliance
Officer |
various executive
capacities |
|
Compliance Officer |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Susan L. Natalini |
Senior Vice |
None |
Ms. Natalini has
served in |
|
President/Marketing
& |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
Shared Services |
|
within Delaware Investments |
D.
Tysen Nutt |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
Mr. Nutt has served in
various |
|
President/Chief |
Investment
Officer, |
executive capacities
within |
|
Investment
Officer, |
Large Cap Value
Equity |
Delaware
Investments |
|
Large Cap Value Equity |
|
|
Philip O. Obazee |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Obazee has served
in |
|
President/Derivatives |
President/Derivatives |
various executive
capacities |
|
Manager |
Manager |
within Delaware Investments |
David P. O’Connor |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. O’Connor has
served in |
|
President/Strategic |
President/Strategic |
various executive
capacities |
|
Investment
Relationships |
Investment
Relationships |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
and
Initiatives/General |
and
Initiatives/General |
|
|
Counsel |
Counsel |
Senior Vice President/
Strategic |
|
|
|
Investment
Relationships and |
|
|
|
Initiatives/
General |
|
|
|
Counsel/Chief Legal
Officer – |
|
|
|
Optimum Fund Trust |
Richard Salus |
Senior Vice
President/ |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
Mr. Salus has served
in various |
|
Controller/Treasurer |
Financial
Officer |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware
Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
|
|
|
Financial Officer –
Optimum |
|
|
|
Fund
Trust |
Jeffrey S. Van Harte6 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
Mr. Van Harte has
served in |
|
President/Chief |
Investment Officer
— |
various executive
capacities |
|
Investment Officer
— |
Focus Growth
Equity |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
Focus Growth Equity |
|
|
Babak Zenouzi7 |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice |
Mr. Zenouzi has served
in |
|
President/Senior |
President/Senior
Portfolio |
various executive
capacities |
|
Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
within Delaware Investments |
Gary
T. Abrams |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Abrams has served
in |
|
Equity
Trader |
Equity
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Christopher S. Adams |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Adams has served
in |
|
Manager/Senior
Equity |
Manager/Senior
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Damon J. Andres |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Andres has served
in |
|
Portfolio
Manager |
Portfolio
Manager |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
6
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Wayne A. Anglace8 |
Vice President/Credit |
Vice
President/Credit |
Mr. Anglace has served
in |
|
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Margaret MacCarthy |
Vice |
|
Vice
President/Investment |
Ms. Bacon has served
in various |
Bacon9 |
President/Investment |
Specialist |
executive capacities
within |
|
Specialist |
|
Delaware Investments |
Patricia L. Bakely |
Vice President/Assistant |
None |
Ms. Bakely has served
in |
|
Controller |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Kristen E. |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Vice
President |
Ms. Bartholdson has
served in |
Bartholdson10 |
Manager |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Todd
Bassion11 |
Vice President/ Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Bassion has served
in |
|
Manager |
Manager |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Jo
Anne Bennick |
Vice President/15(c) |
Vice
President/15(c) |
Ms. Bennick has served
in |
|
Reporting |
Reporting |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Richard E. Biester |
Vice President/Equity |
Vice
President/Equity |
Mr. Biester has served
in |
|
Trader |
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Christopher J. |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Bonavico has
served in |
Bonavico12 |
Portfolio |
Portfolio
Manager/Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Manager/Equity Analyst |
Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Vincent A. |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Brancaccio has
served in |
Brancaccio |
Equity Trader |
Equity
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Kenneth F. Broad13 |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Broad has served
in various |
|
Portfolio |
Portfolio
Manager/Equity |
executive capacities
within |
|
Manager/Equity Analyst |
Analyst |
Delaware Investments |
Kevin J. Brown14 |
Vice President/ |
Vice
President/ |
Mr. Brown has served
in |
|
Senior
Investment |
Senior
Investment |
various executive
capacities |
|
Specialist |
Specialist |
within Delaware Investments |
Mary
Ellen M. |
Vice President/Client |
Vice
President/Client |
Ms. Carrozza has
served in |
Carrozza |
Services |
Services |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Stephen G. Catricks |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Catricks has
served in |
|
Manager |
Manager |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Wen-Dar Chen15 |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Chen has served in
various |
|
Manager |
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Anthony G. |
Vice President/ |
Vice
President/Associate |
Mr. Ciavarelli has
served in |
Ciavarelli |
Associate
General |
General
Counsel/Assistant |
various executive
capacities |
|
Counsel/Assistant |
Secretary |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
Secretary |
|
|
David F. Connor |
Vice President/Deputy |
Vice
President/Deputy |
Mr. Connor has served
in |
|
General |
General
Counsel/Secretary |
various executive
capacities |
|
Counsel/Secretary |
|
within Delaware
Investments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vice President/Deputy
General |
|
|
|
|
Counsel/Secretary –
Optimum |
|
|
|
|
Fund
Trust |
7
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Michael Costanzo |
Vice |
Vice
President/Performance |
Mr. Costanzo has
served in |
|
President/Performance |
Analyst
Manager |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst Manager |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Kishor K. Daga |
Vice |
Vice
President/Derivatives |
Mr. Daga has served in
various |
|
President/Derivatives |
Operations |
executive capacities
within |
|
Operations |
|
Delaware Investments |
Cori
E. Daggett |
Vice
President/Counsel/ |
Vice
President/Associate |
Ms. Daggett has served
in |
|
Assistant
Secretary |
General
Counsel/Assistant |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
Secretary |
within Delaware Investments |
Craig C. Dembek16 |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Dembek has served
in |
|
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Camillo D’Orazio |
Vice |
Vice
President/Investment |
Mr. D’Orazio has
served in |
|
President/Investment |
Accounting |
various executive
capacities |
|
Accounting |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Christopher M. |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Ericksen has
served in |
Ericksen17 |
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Joel
A. Ettinger |
Vice President
– |
Vice President –
Taxation |
Mr. Ettinger has
served in |
|
Taxation |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Devon K. Everhart |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Everhart has
served in |
|
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Joseph Fiorilla |
Vice President –
Trading |
Vice President –
Trading |
Mr. Fiorilla has
served in |
|
Operations |
Operations |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Charles E. Fish |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Fish has served in
various |
|
Equity
Trader |
Equity
Trader |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Clifford M. Fisher |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Fisher has served
in various |
|
Municipal Bond
Trader |
Municipal Bond
Trader |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Patrick G. Fortier18 |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Fortier has served
in |
|
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Paul
D. Foster |
Vice |
None |
Mr. Foster has served
in various |
|
President/Investment |
|
executive capacities
within |
|
Specialist —
Emerging |
|
Delaware
Investments |
|
Growth Equity |
|
|
Denise A. Franchetti |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Ms. Franchetti has
served in |
|
Manager/Municipal |
Manager/Municipal
Bond |
various executive
capacities |
|
Bond
Credit Analyst |
Credit Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Lawrence G. |
Vice President/
Senior |
Vice President/
Senior |
Mr. Franko has served
in |
Franko19 |
Equity
Analyst |
Equity
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Daniel V. Geatens |
Vice
President/Director |
Vice
President/Treasurer |
Mr. Geatens has served
in |
|
of Financial |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
Administration |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Gregory A. Gizzi20 |
Vice President/
Head |
Vice President/
Head |
Mr. Gizzi has served
in various |
|
Municipal Bond
Trader |
Municipal Bond
Trader |
executive capacities
with |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
8
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Gregg J. Gola21 |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior High |
Mr. Gola has served in
various |
|
High Yield
Trader |
Yield Trader |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Christopher |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior |
Mr. Gowlland has
served in |
Gowlland22 |
Quantitative
Analyst |
Quantitative
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Edward Gray23 |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior |
Mr. Gray has served in
various |
|
Portfolio
Manager |
Portfolio
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
David J. Hamilton |
Vice President/Fixed |
Vice President/Credit |
Mr. Hamilton has
served in |
|
Income
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Brian Hamlet24 |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior |
Mr. Hamlet has served
in |
|
Corporate Bond
Trader |
Corporate Bond
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Lisa
L. Hansen25 |
Vice President/Head of |
Vice President/Head of |
Ms. Hansen has served
in |
|
Focus Growth
Equity |
Focus Growth
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Trading |
Trading |
within Delaware Investments |
Gregory M. |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Mr. Heywood has served
in |
Heywood26 |
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
Manager/Equity
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Sharon Hill |
Vice President/Head of |
Vice President/Head of |
Ms. Hill has served in
various |
|
Equity
Quantitative |
Equity
Quantitative |
executive capacities
within |
|
Research and Analytics |
Research and Analytics |
Delaware Investments |
J.
David Hillmeyer27 |
Vice President/Corporate |
Vice
President |
Mr. Hillmeyer has
served in |
|
Bond Trader |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Chungwei Hsia28 |
Vice President/ Senior |
Vice President/ Senior |
Mr. Hsia has served in
various |
|
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Michael E. Hughes |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior |
Mr. Hughes has served
in |
|
Equity
Analyst |
Equity
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Jordan L. Irving |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Senior |
Mr. Irving has served
in various |
|
Portfolio
Manager |
Portfolio
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Cynthia Isom |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Ms. Isom has served in
various |
|
Manager |
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Kenneth R. Jackson |
Vice |
Vice President/Equity |
Mr. Jackson has served
in |
|
President/Quantitative |
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Stephen M. |
Vice |
Vice President/Structured |
Mr. Juszczyszyn has
served in |
Juszczyszyn29 |
President/Structured |
Products
Analyst/Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
Products Analyst/Trader |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Anu
B. Kothari30 |
Vice President/ Equity |
Vice President/ Equity |
Ms. Kothari has served
in |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Roseanne L. Kropp |
Vice President/ Senior |
Vice President/Senior Fund |
Ms. Kropp has served
in various |
|
Fund Analyst II -
High |
Analyst – High
Grade |
executive capacities
within |
|
Grade |
|
Delaware Investments |
Nikhil G. Lalvani |
Vice President/Senior |
Vice President/Portfolio |
Mr. Lalvani has served
in |
|
Equity Analyst/Portfolio Manager |
Manager |
various executive capacities within Delaware
Investments |
9
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Brian R. Lauzon31 |
Vice
President/Chief |
Vice President/
Chief |
Mr. Lauzon has served
in |
|
Operating
Officer, |
Operating Officer,
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Equity Investments |
Investments |
with
Delaware Investments |
Anthony A. |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Lombardi has
served in |
Lombardi |
Portfolio
Manager |
Portfolio
Manager |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Francis P. Magee |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Magee has served
in |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
John
P. McCarthy32 |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. McCarthy has
served in |
|
Research
Analyst/Trader |
Research
Analyst/Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Brian McDonnell33 |
Vice |
Vice
President/Structured |
Mr. McDonnell has
served in |
|
President/Structured |
Products
Analyst/Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
Products Analyst/Trader |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Michael S. Morris |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Morris has served
in |
|
Manager/Senior
Equity |
Manager/Senior
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Terrance M. |
Vice President/
Fixed |
Vice President/
Fixed |
Mr. O’Brien has served
in |
O’Brien34 |
Income
Reporting |
Income Reporting
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst |
|
with
Delaware Investments |
Donald G. Padilla |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Mr. Padilla has served
in |
|
Manager/Senior
Equity |
Manager/Senior
Equity |
various executive
capacities |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
within Delaware Investments |
Daniel J. Prislin35 |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Prislin has served
in various |
|
Portfolio |
Portfolio
Manager/Equity |
executive capacities
within |
|
Manager/Equity Analyst |
Analyst |
Delaware Investments |
Gretchen Regan |
Vice |
Vice
President/Quantitative |
Ms. Regan has served
in various |
|
President/Quantitative |
Analyst |
executive capacities
within |
|
Analyst |
|
Delaware Investments |
Carl
Rice |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Rice has served in
various |
|
Investment
Specialist, |
Investment
Specialist, |
executive capacities
within |
|
Large Cap Value
Focus |
Large Cap Value
Focus |
Delaware
Investments |
|
Equity |
Equity |
|
Joseph T. Rogina |
Vice
President/Equity |
Vice
President/Equity |
Mr. Rogina has served
in |
|
Trader |
Trader |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Debbie A. Sabo36 |
Vice
President/Equity |
Vice
President/Equity |
Ms. Sabo has served in
various |
|
Trader – Focus
Growth |
Trader – Focus
Growth |
executive capacities
within |
|
Equity |
Equity |
Delaware Investments |
Kevin C. Schildt |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Schildt has served
in |
|
Municipal Credit
Analyst |
Municipal Credit
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Bruce Schoenfeld37 |
Vice
President/Equity |
Vice
President/Equity |
Mr. Schoenfeld has
served in |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Richard D. Seidel |
Vice
President/Assistant |
None |
Mr. Seidel has served
in various |
|
Controller/Assistant |
|
executive capacities
within |
|
Treasurer |
|
Delaware Investments |
Nancy E. Smith |
Vice President
— |
Vice President
— |
Ms. Smith has served
in various |
|
Investment
Accounting |
Investment
Accounting |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
10
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices |
Positions and Offices
with |
Other Positions and
Offices |
Business Address |
with Manager |
Registrant |
Held |
Brenda L. Sprigman |
Vice
President/Business |
Vice
President/Business |
Ms. Sprigman has
served in |
|
Manager – Fixed
Income |
Manager – Fixed
Income |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Michael T. Taggart |
Vice President
– |
None |
Mr. Taggart has served
in |
|
Facilities
& |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
Administrative Services |
|
within Delaware Investments |
Junee Tan-Torres38 |
Vice
President/ |
Vice President/
Structured |
Mr. Tan-Torres has
served in |
|
Structured
Solutions |
Solutions |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Risé
Taylor |
Vice
President/Strategic |
None |
Ms. Taylor has served
in |
|
Investment
Relationships |
|
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Robert A. Vogel, Jr. |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Senior |
Mr. Vogel has served
in various |
|
Portfolio
Manager |
Portfolio
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Jeffrey S. Wang39 |
Vice President/
Equity |
Vice President/
Equity |
Mr. Wang has served in
various |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Michael G. |
Vice President/
Senior |
Vice President/
Senior |
Mr. Wildstein has
served in |
Wildstein40 |
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
various executive
capacities |
|
|
|
within Delaware Investments |
Kathryn R. Williams |
Vice
President/Associate |
Vice
President/Associate |
Ms. Williams has
served in |
|
General |
General
Counsel/Assistant |
various executive
capacities |
|
Counsel/Assistant |
Secretary |
within Delaware
Investments |
|
Secretary |
|
|
Nashira Wynn |
Vice
President/Senior |
Vice
President/Portfolio |
Ms. Wynn has served in
various |
|
Equity
Analyst/Portfolio |
Manager |
executive capacities
within |
|
Manager |
|
Delaware Investments |
Guojia Zhang41 |
Vice
President/Equity |
Vice
President/Equity |
Mr. Zhang has served
in various |
|
Analyst |
Analyst |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
Douglas R. Zinser42 |
Vice
President/Credit |
Vice
President/Credit |
Mr. Zinser has served
in various |
|
Research
Analyst |
Research
Analyst |
executive capacities
within |
|
|
|
Delaware Investments |
1. |
|
Managing Director/Global Head of Equity
(2004-2007) and Director/Portfolio Strategist
(1996-2004), SEI
Investments. |
2. |
|
Managing Director/Senior Portfolio
Manager, Evergreen Investment Management
Company, 1995. |
3. |
|
Vice President, Mesirow Financial,
1993-2004. |
4. |
|
Senior Portfolio Manager,
Chartwell Investment Partners,
2003-2007; Chief Investment Officer,
Turner Investments,
2002-2003. |
5. |
|
Portfolio Manager/Analyst,
T. Rowe Price,
1996-2007. |
6. |
|
Principal/Executive Vice President,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
1980-2005 |
7. |
|
Senior Portfolio
Manager, Chartwell Investment Partners,
1999-2006. |
8. |
|
Research Analyst,
Gartmore Global Investments, 2004-2007;
Vice President - Private Client
Researcher, Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown,
2000-2004. |
9. |
|
Client Service
Officer, Thomas Weisel Partners,
2002-2005. |
10. |
|
Equity Research
Salesperson, Susquehanna International Group,
2004-2006. |
11. |
|
Senior Research
Associate, Thomas Weisel Partners,
2002-2005. |
12. |
|
Principal/Portfolio Manager,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
1993-2005. |
13. |
|
Principal/Portfolio Manager,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
2000-2005. |
14. |
|
Director – Institutional Equity Sales,
Merrill Lynch,
2003-2006 |
11
15. |
|
Quantitative Analyst,
J.P. Morgan Securities,
1998-2004. |
16. |
|
Senior Fixed Income Analyst,
Chartwell Investment Partners,
2003-2007; Senior Fixed Income Analyst, Stein,
Roe & Farnham,
2000-2003. |
17. |
|
Portfolio Manager,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
2004-2005; Vice President/Portfolio Manager,
Goldman Sachs
1994-2004. |
18. |
|
Portfolio Manager,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
2000-2005. |
19. |
|
Finance Professor,
University of Massachusetts, 1987-2006;
Co-founder, Arborway Capital, 2005;
Senior Investment Professional,
Thomas Weisel Partners, 2002-2005;
Senior Investment Professional,
ValueQuest,
1987-2002. |
20. |
|
Vice President,
Lehman Brothers,
2002-2008. |
21. |
|
Executive Director,
Morgan Stanley Investment Manager,
Miller, Anderson and Sherrerd, 1998-2007. |
22. |
|
Vice President/Senior Quantitative
Analyst, State Street Global Markets LLC,
2005-2007; Quantitative Strategist,
Morgan Stanley, 2004-2005;
Investment Banker,
Commerzbank Securities,
2000-2004. |
23. |
|
Portfolio
Manager, Thomas Weisel Partners,
2002-2005. |
24. |
|
Vice President,
Lehman Brothers Holdings,
2003-2007. |
25. |
|
Principal/Portfolio Manager/Senior
Trader, Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
1997-2005. |
26. |
|
Senior Research Analyst,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
2004-2005; Senior Analyst,
Wells CapitalManagement, LLC 2003-2004;
Senior Analyst,
Montgomery Asset Management
1996-2003. |
27. |
|
Senior Corporate Bond Trader, High Yield
Portfolio Manager/Trader, Quantitative Analyst, Hartford Investment Management
Company, 1996-2007. |
28. |
|
Senior Analyst,
Oppenheimerfunds, 2006-2007;
Senior Analyst,
Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, 2005-
2006; Analyst, Federated Investors,
2001-2005. |
29. |
|
Director of Fixed Income Trading,
Sovereign Bank Capital Markets,
2001-2007. |
30. |
|
Equity Research
Analyst, State Street Global Advisors,
2002-2008. |
31. |
|
Director of
Marketing, Merganser Capital Management,
2001-2007. |
32. |
|
Senior High Yield Trader,
Chartwell Investment Partners,
2002-2007. |
33. |
|
Managing Director – Fixed Income
Trading, Sovereign Securities,
2001-2007. |
34. |
|
Senior Software Developer/Technical
Lead, Advisorport/PFPC,
2000-2005. |
35. |
|
Principal/Portfolio Manager,
Transamerica Investment Management, LLC,
1998-2005. |
36. |
|
Head Trader, McMorgan &
Company, 2003-2005. |
37. |
|
Vice President/Senior Emerging Markets
Analyst, Artha Capital Management, 2005-2006;
Director/Portfolio Manager,
CDP Capital,
2002-2005. |
38. |
|
Director of Pension
Analytics, Merrill Lynch, 2006-2008;
Managing
Director, Pension, Investment and Insurance
Resource, LLC, 2006; Investment
Director, Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting,
2003-2006. |
39. |
|
Investment Manager,
Pictet Asset Management Limited,
2004-2007; Summer Intern,
Ritchie Capital Management, LLC, 2003;
Senior Investment Associate,
Putnam Investments,
1999-2002. |
40. |
|
Portfolio Manager,
Merrill Lynch Investment Managers,
2001-2007. |
41. |
|
Equity Analyst, Evergreen Investment Management
Company, 2004-2006. |
42. |
|
Vice President,
Assurant, 2006-2007; Assistant Vice President
- Senior Research Analyst,
Delaware Investments,
2002-2006. |
Item 32. |
|
Principal Underwriters. |
|
|
|
|
|
(a) |
|
Delaware Distributors, L.P. serves as principal underwriter for all
the mutual funds in the Delaware Investments Family of Funds. |
|
|
|
|
|
(b) |
|
Information with respect to each officer and partner of the
principal underwriter and the Registrant is provided below. Unless
otherwise noted, the principal business address of each officer and
partner of Delaware Distributors, L.P. is 2005 Market Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19103- 7094. |
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices
with |
Positions and Offices
with |
Business Address |
Underwriter |
Registrant |
Delaware Distributors, Inc. |
General Partner |
None |
Delaware Capital |
Limited
Partner |
None |
Management |
|
|
12
Name and Principal |
Positions and Offices
with |
Positions and Offices
with |
Business Address |
Underwriter |
Registrant |
Delaware Investment Advisers |
Limited Partner |
None |
Theodore K. Smith |
President |
None |
Philip N. Russo |
Executive Vice President |
None |
Douglas L. Anderson |
Senior Vice President |
None |
Jeffrey M. Kellogg |
Senior Vice President |
None |
Brian L. Murray, Jr. |
Senior Vice
President |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
|
|
Compliance Officer |
David P. O’Connor |
Senior Vice President/
General |
Senior Vice
President/Strategic |
|
Counsel |
Investment
Relationships and |
|
|
Initiatives/General Counsel |
Richard Salus |
Senior Vice |
Senior Vice
President/Chief |
|
President/Controller/Treasurer/ |
Financial
Officer |
|
Financial Operations Principal |
|
Trevor M. Blum |
Vice
President |
None |
Mary
Ellen M. Carrozza |
Vice
President |
None |
Anthony G. Ciavarelli |
Vice
President/Assistant Secretary |
Vice
President/Associate General |
|
|
Counsel/Assistant Secretary |
David F. Connor |
Vice
President/Secretary |
Vice President/Deputy
General |
|
|
Counsel/Secretary |
Cori
E. Daggett |
Vice
President/Assistant Secretary |
Vice
President/Assistant Secretary |
Daniel V. Geatens |
Vice
President |
Vice
President |
Edward M. Grant |
Vice
President |
None |
Audrey Kohart |
Vice
President |
Vice President -
Financial Planning |
|
|
and
Reporting |
Marlene D. Petter |
Vice
President |
None |
Richard D. Seidel |
Vice
President/Assistant |
None |
|
Controller/Assistant Treasurer |
|
Michael T. Taggart |
Vice
President |
None |
Molly Thompson |
Vice
President |
None |
Kathryn R. Williams |
Vice
President/Assistant Secretary |
Vice
President/Associate General |
|
|
Counsel/Assistant Secretary |
|
|
(c) |
|
Not applicable. |
|
|
|
|
|
Item 33. |
|
Location of Accounts
and Records. All accounts
and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the rules under that section are maintained at
2005 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094 and 430 W. 7th Street,
Kansas City, MO 64105. |
|
|
|
Item 34. |
|
Management Services. None. |
|
|
|
Item 35. |
|
Undertakings. Not
applicable. |
13
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule
485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on this
30th day of April, 2010.
|
DELAWARE GROUP LIMITED-TERM
GOVERNMENT FUNDS |
|
|
|
|
|
By: |
/s/ Patrick P.
Coyne |
|
|
Patrick P. Coyne |
|
|
Chairman/President/Chief Executive
Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature |
|
|
Title |
|
Date |
/s/ Patrick P.
Coyne
|
|
|
Chairman/President/Chief
Executive Officer
|
|
April
30, 2010
|
Patrick P. Coyne |
|
|
(Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee |
|
|
|
Thomas L.
Bennett |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Thomas L. Bennett |
|
|
|
|
|
|
John A. Fry |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
John A. Fry |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anthony D.
Knerr |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Anthony D. Knerr |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lucinda S.
Landreth |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
29, 2010
|
Lucinda S. Landreth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ann R. Leven |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Ann R. Leven |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas F.
Madison |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Thomas F. Madison |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janet L.
Yeomans |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Janet L. Yeomans |
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Richard
Zecher |
* |
|
Trustee |
|
April
30, 2010
|
J. Richard Zecher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
Salus |
* |
|
Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer |
|
April
30, 2010
|
Richard Salus |
|
|
(Principal Financial Officer) |
|
|
|
* By: |
/s/ Patrick P.
Coyne |
|
|
|
Patrick P. Coyne |
|
|
|
as Attorney-in-Fact for |
|
|
|
each of the persons indicated |
|
|
|
(Pursuant to Powers of Attorney
previously filed) |
14
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
EXHIBITS
TO
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
15
INDEX TO
EXHIBITS
(Delaware Group® Limited-Term
Government Funds N-1A)
Exhibit No. |
|
Exhibit |
|
EX-99.d.2 |
|
Executed Investment Advisory
Expense Limitation Letter (April 2010) between Delaware Management Company
(a series of Delaware Management Business Trust) and the
Registrant |
|
|
|
EX-99.e.1.ii |
|
Executed Distribution Expense Limitation
Letter (April 2010) between Delaware Distributors, L.P. and the
Registrant |
|
|
|
EX-99.j |
|
Consent of Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm (April 2010) |
16
EX-99.D.2
2
exhibit99-d2.htm
EXECUTED INVESTMENT ADVISORY EXPENSE LIMITATION LETTER (APRIL 2010)
exhibit99-d2.htm
Ex-99.d.2
Delaware Management
Company
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
April 29,
2010
Delaware Group Limited
Term Government Funds
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19103
Re: Expense Limitations
Ladies and Gentlemen:
By our execution of this letter agreement
(the "Agreement"), intending to be legally bound hereby, Delaware Management
Company, a series of Delaware Management Business Trust (the "Manager"), agrees
that in order to improve the performance of Delaware Limited-Term Diversified
Income Fund, a series of Delaware Group Limited Term Government Funds, the
Manager shall waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or
reimburse expenses (excluding any 12b-1 plan expenses, taxes, interest, inverse
floater program expenses, brokerage fees, short-sale dividend and interest
expenses, certain insurance costs, and non-routine expenses or costs, including,
but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting
shareholder meetings, and liquidations (collectively, the “Excluded Expenses”))
in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s total operating
expenses (excluding any Excluded Expenses) exceed the percentage set forth below
for the period April 30, 2010 through April 30, 2011. For purposes of this
Agreement, non-routine expenses may also include such additional costs and
expenses as may be agreed upon from time to time by the Fund’s Board and the
Manager. Inverse floater program expenses include, but are not limited to,
interest expense, remarketing fees, liquidity fees, and trustees’ fees from the
Fund’s participation in inverse floater programs where it has transferred its
own bonds to a trust that issues the inverse floaters.
Fund |
|
|
Expense Cap |
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income
Fund |
|
0.70% |
The Manager acknowledges that it (1)
shall not be entitled to collect on, or make a claim for, waived fees at any
time in the future, and (2) shall not be entitled to collect on, or make a claim
for, reimbursed Fund expenses at any time in the future.
Delaware
Management Company, a series of Delaware Management Business
Trust |
By: |
|
/s/ Philip N.
Russo |
|
|
|
Name: |
|
Philip N. Russo |
|
|
Title: |
|
Executive Vice President & Chief
Administrative Officer |
Your signature below
acknowledges acceptance of this Agreement:
Delaware Group
Limited Term Government Funds |
By: |
|
/s/ Patrick P.
Coyne |
|
|
|
Name: |
|
Patrick P. Coyne |
|
|
Title: |
|
President & Chief Executive
Officer |
|
|
Date: |
|
April 29,
2010 |
EX-99.E.1.II
3
exhibit99-e1_ii.htm
EXECUTED DISTRIBUTION EXPENSE LIMITATION LETTER (APRIL 2010)
exhibit99-e1_ii.htm
Ex-99.e.1.ii
Delaware Distributors,
L.P.
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
April 29, 2010
Delaware Group Limited
Term Government Funds
2005 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19103
Re: Expense Limitations
Ladies and Gentlemen:
By our execution of this letter agreement
(the “Agreement”), intending to be legally bound hereby, Delaware Distributors,
L.P. (the “Distributor”) agrees that in order to improve the performance of the
series of Delaware Group Limited Term Government Funds set forth below (the
“Fund”), the Distributor shall waive a portion of the Rule 12b-1 (distribution)
fees applicable to the specified Fund class, so that the Fund’s Rule 12b-1
(distribution) fees with respect to such class will not exceed the percentages
set forth below for the period April 30, 2010 through April 30, 2011.
Fund |
|
Class |
|
12b-1
Cap |
Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income
Fund |
Class A |
|
0.25% |
|
Class R |
|
0.50% |
The Distributor acknowledges that it
shall not be entitled to collect on, or make a claim for, waived fees at any
time in the future.
Delaware Distributors, L.P. |
By: |
/s/ Theodore K.
Smith |
|
|
Name: Theodore K. Smith |
|
Title:
President |
Your signature below
acknowledges
acceptance of this Agreement:
Delaware Group Limited
Term Government Funds
By: |
|
/s/ Patrick P.
Coyne |
|
|
|
Name: |
|
Patrick P. Coyne |
|
|
Title: |
|
President |
|
|
Date: |
|
April 29,
2010 |
EX-99.J
4
exhibit99-j.htm
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (APRIL 2010)
exhibit99-j.htm
Ex-99.j
CONSENT OF ERNST
& YOUNG LLP, INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING
FIRM
We consent to the
references to our firm under the captions "Financial Highlights" in the
Prospectuses and “Financial Statements” in the Statement of Additional
Information and to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement
(Form N-1A)(Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 to File No. 002-75526; Amendment No.
66 to File No. 811-03363) of Delaware Group Limited-Term Government Funds of our
report dated February 19, 2010, included in the 2009 Annual Report to
shareholders.
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
April 26, 2010
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