N-CSR 1 ccrtncsr.txt UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM N-CSR CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES Investment Company Act file number 811-4229 Churchill Cash Reserves Trust (Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter) 380 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10017 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) Joseph P. DiMaggio 380 Madison Avenue New York, New York 10017 (Name and address of agent for service) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 697-6666 Date of fiscal year end: 9/30 Date of reporting period: 9/30/08 FORM N-CSR ITEM 1. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS. CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST ANNUAL REPORT September 30, 2008 REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM To the Shareholders and Board of Trustees of Churchill Cash Reserves Trust We have audited the accompanying statement of net assets, of Churchill Cash Reserves Trust ("the Trust") as of September 30, 2008 and the related statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and financial highlights for each of the four years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Trust's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits. The financial highlights for the period ended September 30, 2004 has been audited by other auditors, whose report dated November 17, 2004 expressed an unqualified opinion on such financial statements and financial highlights. We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Trust is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Churchill Cash Reserves Trust as of September 30, 2008, and the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the four years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP Philadelphia, Pennsylvania November 25, 2008 CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST STATEMENT OF NET ASSETS September 30, 2008 Cash and Net Assets - 100.0% $1,002 ====== Applicable to 1,002 shares outstanding (unlimited number of $0.01 par value shares authorized) Net Asset Value Per Share $1.00 ===== See accompanying notes to financial statements. CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 The Trust had no operations during the period. See accompanying notes to financial statements. CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
Year Ended Year Ended September September 30, 2007 30, 2008 -------------------------- ----------------------- -------------------------- ----------------------- The Trust had no operations during the periods shown. NET ASSETS: Beginning of period $ 1,002 $ 1,002 ------- ------- End of period $ 1,002 $ 1,002 ======= ======= See accompanying notes to financial statements.
CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Note A - Churchill Cash Reserves Trust (the "Trust"), a diversified, open-end investment company, was organized on January 4, 1985, as a Massachusetts business trust and is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares. The Trust commenced operations on July 9, 1985. The Trust ceased operations on January 25, 2001 inasmuch as all shares outstanding, except for 1,002 shares owned by Aquila Management Corporation (which have been subsequently transferred to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aquila Investment Management LLC) had been redeemed by shareholders. Although the Trust is not conducting a public offering of its shares, it will continue to exist as a Massachusetts business trust and maintain its registration as an investment company. Administrative expenses incurred in connection herewith, have been assumed by Aquila Investment Management LLC. Note B - Since inception, the Trust has qualified as a regulated investment company by complying with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to certain investment companies. The Trust made distributions of income and security profits sufficient to relieve it from all, or substantially all, Federal income and excise taxes. Note C- Aquila Investment Management LLC has agreed to pay all operating expenses of the Trust. Note D - Accounting pronouncements: In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") released FASB Interpretation No. 48 "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes" ("FIN 48"). FIN 48 provides guidance for how uncertain tax positions should be recognized, measured, presented and disclosed in the financial statements. FIN 48 requires the evaluation of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Trust's tax returns to determine whether the tax positions are "more-likely-than-not" of being sustained by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions not deemed to meet the more likely than not threshold would be recorded as a tax benefit or expense in the current year. FIN 48 was effective for the Trust on March 31, 2008 there were no uncertain tax positions to be reflected in the Trust's financial statements at September 30, 2008. Proxy Voting Record. The Fund does not invest in equity securities. Accordingly, there were no matters relating to a portfolio security considered at any shareholder meeting held during the 12 months ended June 30, 2008 with respect to which the Fund was entitled to vote. Applicable regulations require us to inform you that the foregoing proxy voting information is available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR A SHARE OUTSTANDING THROUGHOUT EACH PERIOD
Year Ended September 30, ------------------------ 2008* 2007* 2006* 2005* 2004* ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 Income from Investment Operations: Net investment income - - - - - -------- -------- -------- ------- ------- Less Distributions: Dividends from net - - - - - - - - - - Investment income Net Asset Value, End of Period $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 $1.0000 ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= Total Return - - - - - Ratios/Supplemental Data Net Assets, End of Period ($ thousands) $1 $1 $1 $1 $1 Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets - - - - - Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets - - - - - The expense and net investment income ratios without the effect of the former Manager's voluntary waiver of a portion of fees were: Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets - - - - - Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets - - - - -
* The Trust had no operations. See accompanying notes to financial statements. Analysis of Expenses (unaudited) As a shareholder of the Trust, you may incur ongoing costs, including management fees; and other Trust expenses. The tables below are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Trust and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The tables below are based on an investment of $1,000 invested on April 1, 2008 and held for the six months ended September 30, 2008. Actual Expenses This table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information provided in this table, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To estimate the expenses you paid on your account, divide your ending account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 ending account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled "Expenses Paid During the Period". For The Six Months Ended September 30, 2008
Actual Beginning Ending Expenses Total Return(1) Account Account Paid During Value Value the Period(2) CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST - $1,000.00 $1,000.00 -
(1) The Trust did not have any operations during the period. (2) The Trust did not incur any expenses during the period(note C). Analysis of Expenses (unaudited) (continued) Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes The table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the Trust's actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use the information provided in this table to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Trust and other mutual funds. To do so, compare this 5.00% hypothetical example relating to the Trust with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other mutual funds. For The Six Months Ended September 30, 2008
Hypothetical Beginning Ending Expenses Annualized Account Account Paid During Total Value Value the Period(1) Return CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST 5.00% $1,000.00 $1,025.00 -
(1) The Trust did not incur any expenses during the period (note C). Additional Information (unaudited) Trustees(1) and Officers
Number of Positions Held Portfolios Other Directorships with in Fund Held by Trustee Trust and Complex (The position held is Name, Address(2) Length of Principal Occupation(s) Overseen a directorship unless and Date of Birth Service(3) During Past 5 Years by Trustee(4) indicated otherwise.) ------------------ ---------- ------------------- ------------- --------------------- Interested Trustee(5) Lacy B. Herrmann Founder and Founder and Chairman of the 2 Director or trustee, Premier New York, NY Chairman of Board, Aquila Management VIT, Oppenheimer Quest Value (05/12/29) the Board of Corporation, the sponsoring Funds Group, Oppenheimer Small Trustees since organization and parent of the Cap Value Fund, Oppenheimer 1985 Manager or Administrator and/or Midcap Fund, and Oppenheimer Adviser or Sub-Adviser to each Rochester Group of Funds. fund of the Aquila Group of Funds(6); Chairman of the Manager or Administrator and/or Adviser or Sub-Adviser to each since 2004; Founder and Chairman Emeritus of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds; previously Chairman and a Trustee of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds since its establishment until 2004 or 2005; Director of the Distributor since 1981 and formerly Vice President or Secretary, 1981-1998; Trustee Emeritus, Brown University and the Hopkins School; active in university, school and charitable organizations. Non-interested Trustees Theodore T. Mason Trustee since Executive Director, East Wind 8 Trustee, Premier VIT. New York, NY 1985 Power Partners LTD since 1994 (11/24/35) and Louisiana Power Partners, 1999-2003; Treasurer, Fort Schuyler Maritime Alumni Association, Inc., successor to Alumni Association of SUNY Maritime College, since 2004 (President, 2002-2003, First Vice President, 2000-2001, Second Vice President, 1998-2000) and director of the same organization since 1997; Director, STCM Management Company, Inc., 1973-2004; twice national officer of Naval Reserve Association, Commanding Officer of four naval reserve units and Captain, USNR (Ret); director, The Navy League of the United States New York Council since 2002; trustee, The Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, 2000-2004; and Fort Schuyler Maritime Foundation, Inc., successor to the Maritime College at Fort Schuyler Foundation, Inc., since 2000. John J. Partridge Trustee since Founding Partner, Partridge Snow 4 None Providence, RI 2004 & Hahn LLP, a law firm, (05/05/40) Providence, Rhode Island, since 1988, Senior Counsel, since January 1, 2007; Assistant Secretary - Advisor to the Board, Narragansett Insured Tax-Free Income Fund, 2005-2008, Trustee 2002-2005; director or trustee of various educational, civic and charitable organizations, including Ocean State Charities Trust, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, and The Pawtucket Foundation. Officers Diana P. Herrmann President Vice Chair and Chief Executive N/A N/A New York, NY since 2004, Officer of Aquila Management (02/25/58) Senior Vice Corporation, Founder of the President Aquila Group of Funds and parent since 1999 and of Aquila Investment Management Vice President LLC, Manager since 2004, 1988-1999 President since 1997, Chief Operating Officer, 1997-2008, a Director since 1984, Secretary since 1986 and previously its Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, 1986-1997; Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair since 2004, President and Manager of the Manager since 2003, and Chief Operating Officer of the Manager, 2003-2008; Chair, Vice Chair, President, Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President of funds in the Aquila Group of Funds since 1986; Director of the Distributor since 1997; trustee, Reserve Money-Market Funds, 1999-2000 and Reserve Private Equity Series, 1998-2000; Governor, Investment Company Institute (a trade organization for the U.S. mutual fund industry dedicated to protecting shareholder interests and educating the public about investing) and head of its Small Funds Committee since 2004; active in charitable and volunteer organizations. Robert W. Chief Chief Compliance Officer of the N/A N/A Anderson Compliance Trust and each of the other New York, NY (08/23/40) Officer since funds in the Aquila Group of 2004 and Funds, the Manager and the Assistant Distributor since 2004, Secretary Compliance Officer of the since 2000 Manager or its predecessor and current parent 1998-2004; Assistant Secretary of the Aquila Group of Funds since 2000. Joseph P. DiMaggio Chief Chief Financial Officer of the N/A N/A New York, NY Financial Aquila Group of Funds since 2003 (11/06/56) Officer since and Treasurer since 2000. 2003 and Treasurer since 2000 Edward M. W. Hines Secretary Shareholder of Butzel Long, a N/A N/A New York, NY since 1985 professional corporation, (12/16/39) counsel to the Trust, since 2007; Partner of Hollyer Brady Barrett & Hines LLP, its predecessor as counsel, 1989-2007; Secretary of the Aquila Group of Funds. John M. Herndon Assistant Assistant Secretary of the N/A N/A New York, NY (12/17/39) Secretary Aquila Group of Funds since 1995 since 1995 and Vice President of the three Aquila Money-Market Funds since 1990; Vice President of the Manager or its predecessor and current parent since 1990.
(1) The Trust's Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the Trustees and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800-437-1020 (toll-free) or by visiting the EDGAR Database at the SEC's internet site at www.sec.gov. (2) The mailing address of each Trustee and officer is c/o Churchill Cash Reserves Trust, 380 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017. (3) Because the Trust does not hold annual meetings, each Trustee holds office for an indeterminate term. The term of office of each officer is one year. (4) Includes certain Aquila-sponsored funds that are dormant (including this fund) and have no public shareholders. (5) Mr. Herrmann is an interested person of the Trust as that term is defined in the 1940 Act as an officer of the Trust and a director, officer and shareholder of the Manager's corporate parent. (6) In this material Pacific Capital Cash Assets Trust, Pacific Capital U.S. Government Securities Cash Assets Trust and Pacific Capital Tax-Free Cash Assets Trust, each of which is a money-market fund, are called the "Aquila Money-Market Funds"; Hawaiian Tax-Free Trust, Tax-Free Trust of Arizona, Tax-Free Trust of Oregon, Tax-Free Fund of Colorado, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, Narragansett Insured Tax-Free Income Fund and Tax-Free Fund For Utah, each of which is a tax-free municipal bond fund, are called the "Aquila Municipal Bond Funds"; Aquila Rocky Mountain Equity Fund is an equity fund; Aquila Three Peaks High Income Fund is a high income corporate bond fund; considered together, these 12 funds which do not include the dormant funds (which includes this fund) described in footnote 4, are called the "Aquila Group of Funds." ITEM 2. CODE OF ETHICS. (a) As of September 30, 2008 (the end of the reporting period) the Trust has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the Fund's principal executive officer(s)and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions ("Covered Officers") as defined in the Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; (f)(1) Pursuant to Item 10(a)(1), a copy of the Fund's Code of Ethics that applies to the Trust's principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions is included as an exhibit to its annual report on this Form N-CSR; (f)(2) The text of the Fund's Code of Ethics that applies to the Fund's principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions has been posted on its Internet website which can be found at the Fund's Internet address at aquilafunds.com. ITEM 3. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT. (a)(1)(ii) The Board of Trustees of the Fund has determined that it does not have at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee. The Fund does not have such a person serving on the audit committee because none of the persons currently serving as Trustees happens to have the technical accounting and auditing expertise included in the definition of "audit committee financial expert" recently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this Form N-CSR, and the Board has not heretofore deemed it necessary to seek such a person for election to the Board. The primary mission of the Board, which is that of oversight over the operations and affairs of the Fund, confronts the Trustees with a wide and expanding range of issues and responsibilities. The Trustees believe that, accordingly, it is essential that the Board's membership consist of persons with as extensive experience as possible in fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of mutual fund directors and audit committee members and, ideally, with extensive experience and background relating to the economic and financial sectors and securities in which the Fund invests, including exposure to the financial and accounting matters commonly encountered with respect to those sectors and securities. The Board believes that its current membership satisfies those criteria. It recognizes that it would also be helpful to have a member with the relatively focused accounting and auditing expertise reflected in the applicable definition of "audit committee financial expert," just as additional members with similarly focused technical expertise in other areas relevant to the Fund's operations and affairs would also contribute added value. However, the Board believes that the Fund is better served, and its assets better employed, by a policy of hiring experts in various the specialized area of technical accounting and auditing matters, if and as the Board identifies the need, rather than by seeking to expand its numbers by adding technical experts in the areas constituting its domain of responsibility. The Fund's Audit Committee Charter explicitly authorizes the Committee to retain such experts as it deems necessary in fulfilling its duties under the Charter. ITEM 4. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES a) Audit Fees - The aggregate fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the Registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements were $1,000 in 2007 and $1,000 in 2008. b) Audit Related Fees - There were no amounts billed for audit-related fees over the past two years other than stated above. c) Tax Fees - The Registrant was billed by the principal accountant $300 and $300 in 2007 and 2008, respectively, for tax return preparation, tax compliance and tax planning. d) All Other Fees - There were no additional fees paid for audit and non- audit services other than those disclosed in a) thorough c) above. e)(1) Currently, the audit committee of the Registrant pre-approves audit services and fees on an engagement-by-engagement basis. e)(2) None of the services described in b) through d) above were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, all were pre-approved on an engagement-by-engagement basis. f) No applicable. g) There were no non-audit services fees billed by the Registrant's accountant to the Registrant's investment adviser or distributor over the past two years. h) Not applicable. ITEM 5. AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS. Not applicable. ITEM 6. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS. Included in Item 1 above ITEM 7. DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES. Not applicable. ITEM 8. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES. Not applicable. ITEM 9. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS. Not applicable. ITEM 10. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS. The Board of Directors of the Registrant has adopted a Nominating Committee Charter which provides that the Nominating Committee (the 'Committee') may consider and evaluate nominee candidates properly submitted by shareholders if a vacancy among the Independent Trustees of the Registrant occurs and if, based on the Board's then current size, composition and structure, the Committee determines that the vacancy should be filled. The Committee will consider candidates submitted by shareholders on the same basis as it considers and evaluates candidates recommended by other sources. A copy of the qualifications and procedures that must be met or followed by shareholders to properly submit a nominee candidate to the Committee may be obtained by submitting a request in writing to the Secretary of the Registrant. ITEM 11. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. (a) Based on their evaluation of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) as of a date within 90 days of the fling of this report, the registrant's chief financial and executive officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures of the registrant are appropriately designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the registrant's reports that are filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are accumulated and communicated to registrant's management, including its principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s), to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. (b) There have been no significant changes in registrant's internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect registrant's internal controls subsequent to the date of the most recent evaluation, including no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses that required corrective action. ITEM 12. EXHIBITS. (a)(1) Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (a)(2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. (b) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized. CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST By: /s/ Lacy B. Herrmann ---------------------------------- Chairman of the Board December 8, 2008 By: /s/ Diana P. Herrmann ---------------------------------- President December 8, 2008 By: /s/ Joseph P. DiMaggio ------------------------------------ Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer December 8, 2008 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. By: /s/ Lacy B. Herrmann ---------------------------------- Lacy B. Herrmann Chairman of the Board December 8, 2008 By: /s/ Diana P. Herrmann ---------------------------------- Diana P. Herrmann President December 8, 2008 By: /s/ Joseph P. DiMaggio ------------------------------------ Joseph P. DiMaggio Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer December 8, 2008 CHURCHILL CASH RESERVES TRUST EXHIBIT INDEX (a)(1) Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (a) (2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. (b) Certification of chief executive officer and chief financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.