Oppenheimer
International Bond Fund
Prospectus dated January 28, 2013
NYSE Ticker Symbols | |
Class A | OIBAX |
Class B | OIBBX |
Class C | OIBCX |
Class N | OIBNX |
Class Y | OIBYX |
Class I | OIBIX |
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund is a mutual fund that seeks total return. It mainly invests in foreign
government and corporate bonds, in both developed and emerging markets.
This prospectus contains important information about the Fund's objective, investment policies, strategies
and risks. It also contains important information about how to buy and sell shares of the Fund and other account features. Please
read this prospectus carefully before you invest and keep it for future reference about your account.
As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved
the Fund's securities nor has it determined that this prospectus is accurate or complete. It is a criminal offense to represent
otherwise.
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund
To Summary Prospectus
THE FUND SUMMARY
Investment Objective. The Fund seeks total return.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund. This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold or redeem shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you (or you and your spouse) invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain funds in the Oppenheimer family of funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section "About Your Account" beginning on page 14 of the prospectus and in the sections "How to Buy Shares" beginning on page 59 and "Appendix A" in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) | ||||||
Class A | Class B | Class C | Class N | Class Y | Class I | |
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on purchases (as % of offering price) | 4.75% | None | None | None | None | None |
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as % of the lower of original offering price or redemption proceeds) | None | 5% | 1% | 1% | None | None |
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||||||
Class A | Class B | Class C | Class N | Class Y | Class I1 | |
Management Fees | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.50% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 0.50% | None | None |
Other Expenses | 0.27% | 0.39% | 0.21% | 0.54% | 0.25% | 0.07% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 1.02% | 1.89% | 1.71% | 1.54% | 0.75% | 0.57% |
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | (0.13%) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | 1.02% | 1.89% | 1.71% | 1.41% | 0.75% | 0.57% |
1. Estimated expenses for the first full year that Class I shares are offered.
2. The Fund's transfer agent has voluntarily agreed to limit its fees for Classes B, C, N and Y to 0.35% of
average annual net assets per class per fiscal year, and to 0.30% of average annual net assets per fiscal year for Class A
shares. These limitations may not be amended or withdrawn until one year after the date of this prospectus.
Example. The following 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 a class of shares of the Fund
for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the
Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions
your expenses would be as follows:
If shares are redeemed | If shares are not redeemed | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||||||||||||
Class A | $ | 575 | $ | 786 | $ | 1,014 | $ | 1,670 | $ | 575 | $ | 786 | $ | 1014 | $ | 1,670 | ||||||||
Class B | $ | 694 | $ | 899 | $ | 1,231 | $ | 1,790 | $ | 194 | $ | 599 | $ | 1031 | $ | 1,790 | ||||||||
Class C | $ | 275 | $ | 543 | $ | 936 | $ | 2,036 | $ | 175 | $ | 543 | $ | 936 | $ | 2,036 | ||||||||
Class N | $ | 245 | $ | 477 | $ | 833 | $ | 1,837 | $ | 145 | $ | 477 | $ | 833 | $ | 1,837 | ||||||||
Class Y | $ | 77 | $ | 241 | $ | 418 | $ | 934 | $ | 77 | $ | 241 | $ | 418 | $ | 934 | ||||||||
Class I* | $ | 58 | $ | 183 | $ | 319 | $ | 716 | $ | 58 | $ | 183 | $ | 319 | $ | 716 |
* Based on estimated expenses for Class I shares for the first fiscal year.
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 the 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 111% of
the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies. The Fund invests mainly in debt securities of foreign government and corporate issuers. A debt security is a security representing money borrowed by the issuer that must be repaid. The terms of a debt security specify the amount of principal, the interest rate or discount, and the time or times at which payments are due. The Fund can invest in various types of debt securities, generally referred to as "bonds," including government bonds, corporate debt obligations, "structured" notes, participation interests in loans, "zero coupon" or "stripped" securities, certain mortgage-related securities or asset-backed securities and other debt obligations.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in debt securities. The Fund typically invests in at least three countries other than the United States. The Fund invests in debt securities of issuers in both developed and emerging markets throughout the world.
The Fund may buy securities issued by companies of any size or market capitalization range and at times might emphasize securities of issuers in a particular capitalization range. It can invest in debt securities having short, intermediate or long maturities.
The Fund does not limit its investments to a particular credit quality or rating category and can invest without limit in securities rated below investment grade (commonly called "junk bonds"). "Investment grade" debt securities are rated in one of the top four categories by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations such as Moody's Investors Service or Standard & Poor's. The Fund may also invest in unrated securities, in which case the Fund's investment Sub-Adviser, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., may internally assign ratings to certain of those securities, after assessing their credit quality, in investment-grade or below-investment-grade categories similar to those of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. There can be no assurance, nor is it intended, that the Sub-Adviser's credit analysis is consistent or comparable with the credit analysis process used by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.
The Fund may also use derivatives to seek increased returns or to try to manage investment risks, including, for example, options, forward contracts, futures contracts, swaps, and "structured" notes. The Fund actively manages foreign currency exposure, both to reduce risk and to seek to enhance return. To do so, the Fund may invest in foreign exchange derivatives, including forwards and options that reference foreign currencies, including currencies of developing and emerging market countries.
In selecting securities, the portfolio managers evaluate the overall investment opportunities and risks in individual national economies. The portfolio managers analyze the business cycle, political and macro-economic factors that affect exchange rates and interest rates in both emerging market and developing countries. The portfolio managers currently focus on investment opportunities for higher yields than are available in U.S. markets and opportunities in investments denominated in foreign currencies that compare favorably to the U.S. dollar. These factors may vary in particular cases and may change over time.
The Fund's holdings may at times differ significantly from the weightings of the indices comprising its reference index (the "Reference Index"). The Fund's Reference Index is a customized weighted index currently comprised of 50% of the Citigroup Non-U.S. Dollar World Government Bond Index, 30% of the JPMorgan Government Bond Index - Emerging Markets Global Diversified, and 20% of the JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Diversified. From January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2011, the underlying index weights were 70% Citigroup Non-U.S. Dollar World Government Bond Index, 20% JPMorgan Government Bond Index - Emerging Markets Global Diversified and 10% JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Diversified. The Reference Index returns reflect the weightings in effect for the time periods for which fund returns are disclosed, and weightings prior to January 1, 2012 are not restated. The Fund is not managed to be invested in the same percentages as those indices comprising the Reference Index.
Principal Risks. The price of the Fund's shares can go up and down substantially. The value of the Fund's investments may change because of broad changes in the markets in which the Fund invests or because of poor investment selection, which could cause the Fund to underperform other funds with similar investment objectives. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them. These risks mean that you can lose money by investing in the Fund.
Main Risks of Debt Securities. Debt securities may be subject to credit risk, interest rate risk, prepayment risk, extension risk and event risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a security might not make interest and principal payments on the security as they become due. If an issuer fails to pay interest or repay principal, the Fund's income or share value might be reduced. Adverse news about an issuer or a downgrade in an issuer's credit rating, for any reason, can also reduce the market value of the issuer's securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that when prevailing interest rates fall, the values of already-issued debt securities generally rise; and when prevailing interest rates rise, the values of already-issued debt securities generally fall, and they may be worth less than the amount the Fund paid for them. When interest rates change, the values of longer-term debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-term debt securities. When interest rates fall, debt securities may be repaid more quickly than expected and the Fund may be required to reinvest the proceeds at a lower interest rate. This is referred to as "prepayment risk." When interest rates rise, debt securities may be repaid more slowly than expected and the value of the Fund's holdings may fall sharply. This is referred to as "extension risk." Interest rate changes normally have different effects on variable or floating rate securities than they do on securities with fixed interest rates. Event risk is the risk that an issuer could be subject to an event, such as a buyout or debt restructuring, that interferes with its ability to make timely interest and principal payments and cause the value of its debt securities to fall.
Special Risks of Lower-Grade Securities. Lower-grade securities, whether rated or
unrated, may be subject to wider market fluctuation, greater credit risk and greater risk of loss of income and principal
than investment-grade securities. The market for lower-grade securities may be less liquid and therefore they may be harder to
sell at an acceptable price, especially during times of market volatility or decline.
Because the Fund can invest without limit in lower-grade securities, the Fund's credit risks are greater than those of funds that buy only investment-grade securities.
Fixed-Income Market Risks. Economic and other market developments can adversely affect
fixed-income securities markets in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. At times, participants in debt securities markets may
develop concerns about the ability of certain issuers of debt securities to make timely principal and interest payments, or they
may develop concerns about the ability of financial institutions that make markets in certain debt securities to facilitate
an orderly market. Those concerns can cause increased volatility in those debt securities or debt securities markets.
Under some circumstances, as was the case during the latter half of 2008 and early 2009, those concerns could cause reduced
liquidity in certain debt securities markets. A lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may hamper
the Fund's ability to sell the debt securities in which it invests or to find and purchase suitable debt instruments.
Special Risks of Sovereign Debt. Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that
a governmental entity may delay or refuse, or otherwise be unable, to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt. If
a governmental entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting
sovereign debt that a government does not pay nor are there bankruptcy proceedings through which all or part of such sovereign
debt may be collected. A restructuring or default of sovereign debt may also cause additional impacts to the financial markets,
such as downgrades to credit ratings, a flight to quality debt instruments, disruptions in common trading markets or unions, reduced
liquidity, increased volatility, and heightened financial sector, foreign securities and currency risk, among others.
Main Risks of Foreign Investing. Foreign securities are subject to special risks. Foreign issuers are usually not subject to the same accounting and disclosure requirements that U.S. companies are subject to, which may make it difficult for the Fund to evaluate a foreign company's operations or financial condition. A change in the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a change in the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in that foreign currency and in the value of any income or distributions the Fund may receive on those securities. The value of foreign investments may be affected by exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, delays in the settlement of transactions, changes in economic or monetary policy in the United States or abroad, expropriation or nationalization of a company's assets, or other political and economic factors. These risks may be greater for investments in developing or emerging market countries.
Foreign Currency Risk. Fluctuations in foreign currency values will result in fluctuations
in the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in that foreign currency. If the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign
currency, a security denominated in that currency will be worth less in U.S. dollars and if the U.S. dollar decreases in value
against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency will be worth more in U.S. dollars. The dollar value of foreign
investments may also be affected by exchange controls.
The portfolio manager's selection of foreign currency denominated investments may not perform as expected.
Currency derivative investments may be particularly volatile and subject to greater risks than other types of foreign-currency
denominated investments.
Special Risks of Developing and Emerging Markets. The economies of developing or emerging
market countries may be more dependent on relatively few industries that may be highly vulnerable to local and global changes.
The governments of developing and emerging market countries may also be more unstable than the governments of more developed
countries. These countries generally have less developed securities markets or exchanges, and less developed legal and accounting
systems. Securities may be more difficult to sell at an acceptable price and may be more volatile than securities in countries
with more mature markets. The value of developing or emerging market currencies may fluctuate more than the currencies of countries
with more mature markets. Investments in developing or emerging market countries may be subject to greater risks of government
restrictions, including confiscatory taxation, expropriation or nationalization of a company's assets, restrictions on foreign
ownership of local companies and restrictions on withdrawing assets from the country. Investments in securities of issuers in
developing or emerging market countries may be considered speculative.
Main Risks of Small- and Mid-Sized Companies. The stock prices of small- and mid-sized companies may be more volatile and their securities may be more difficult to sell than those of larger companies. They may not have established markets, may have fewer customers and product lines, may have unseasoned management or less management depth and may have more limited access to financial resources. Smaller companies may not pay dividends or provide capital gains for some time, if at all.
Main Risks of Derivative Investments. Derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant risks. The underlying security or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may not perform as expected. Some derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the Fund's initial investment. The Fund may also lose money on a derivative investment if the issuer or counterparty fails to pay the amount due. Certain derivative investments may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable position. Derivative transactions may require the payment of premiums and can increase portfolio turnover. As a result of these risks, the Fund could realize little or no income or lose money from its investment, or a hedge might be unsuccessful.
Risks of Non-Diversification. The Fund is classified as a "non-diversified" fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Accordingly, the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than if it were a "diversified" fund. To the extent that the Fund invests a higher percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, the Fund is more subject to the risks associated with and developments affecting that issuer than a fund that invests more widely.
Who Is the Fund Designed For? The Fund is designed primarily for investors seeking total return over the long term, from a fund that invests mainly in foreign debt securities. Those investors should be willing to assume the risks of short-term share price fluctuations of a fund that focuses on debt investments in foreign securities, including those in emerging markets. The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment, not a short-term trading vehicle. Because the Fund's income will fluctuate, it is not designed for investors needing an assured level of current income. The Fund is not a complete investment program. You should carefully consider your own investment goals and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. |
The Fund's Past Performance. The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks
of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance (for Class A shares) from year to year and by showing how
the Fund's average annual returns for 1, 5 and 10 years compare with those of a broad measure of market performance and those of
the Reference Index, which has characteristics of those markets in which the Fund can invest. The Fund's past investment performance
(before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information
is available by calling the toll-free number on the back of this prospectus and on the Fund's website:
https://www.oppenheimerfunds.com/fund/investors/overview/InternationalBondFund
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Sales charges are not included and the returns would be lower if they were. During the period shown, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.56% (4th Qtr 04) and the lowest return was -6.91% (3rd Qtr 08). For the period from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012 the cumulative return before sales charges and taxes was 10.77%.
The following table shows the average annual total returns for each class of the Fund's shares. After-tax returns are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns, depending on your individual tax situation, may differ from those shown and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown for only one class and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance information for Class I shares will be provided after those shares have one full calendar year of performance.
Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended December 31, 2012 | ||||||
1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years (or life of class, if less) | ||||
Class A Shares (inception 6/15/95) | ||||||
Return Before Taxes | 5.51% | 4.97% | 8.98% | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions | 4.01% | 3.18% | 6.90% | |||
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 3.66% | 3.20% | 6.58% | |||
Class B Shares (inception 6/15/95) | 5.01% | 4.77% | 8.99% | |||
Class C Shares (inception 6/15/95) | 9.21% | 5.26% | 8.74% | |||
Class N Shares (inception 3/01/01) | 9.54% | 5.58% | 9.09% | |||
Class Y Shares (inception 9/27/04) | 11.25% | 6.33% | 8.59% | |||
Citigroup Non-U.S. Dollar World Government Bond Index | 1.51% | 5.24% | 6.38% | |||
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 5.42%* | |||||
JP Morgan Government Bond Index - Emerging Markets Global Diversified | 16.76% | 8.93% | 12.29% | |||
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 12.03%* | |||||
JP Morgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Diversified | 17.44% | 10.06% | 10.97% | |||
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 9.86%* | |||||
Reference Index | 9.14% | 7.21% | 8.50% | |||
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | 7.65%* |
*From 9-30-04
Investment Adviser. OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. (the "Manager") is the Fund's investment adviser. OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (the "Sub-Adviser") is its sub-adviser.
Portfolio Managers. The Fund's portfolio is managed by Arthur P. Steinmetz, Sara J. Zervos, Ph.D. and Hemant Baijal. Mr. Steinmetz has been a portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since April 2004. Ms. Zervos has been a portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since April 2009. Mr. Baijal has been a portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since January 2013.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares. You can buy most classes of Fund shares with a minimum initial investment of $1,000 and make additional investments with as little as $50. For certain investment plans and retirement accounts, the minimum initial investment is $500 and, for some, the minimum additional investment is $25. For certain fee based programs the minimum initial investment is $250. For Class I shares, the minimum initial investment is $5 million per account. The Class I share minimum initial investment will be waived for retirement plan service provider platforms.
Shares may be purchased through a financial intermediary or the Distributor and redeemed through a financial intermediary or the Transfer Agent on days the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Shareholders may purchase or redeem shares by mail, through the website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com or by calling 1.800.225.5677.
Share transactions may be paid by check, by Federal Funds wire or directly from or into your bank account.
Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Any investments for existing
Class B share accounts will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund.
Taxes. If your shares are not held in a tax-deferred account, Fund distributions are subject to Federal income tax as ordinary income or as capital gains and they may also be subject to state or local taxes.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund, the Sub-Adviser, or their 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 website for more information.
MORE ABOUT THE FUND
The allocation of the Fund's portfolio among different types of investments will vary over time and the Fund's portfolio might not always include all of the different types of investments described below. The Statement of Additional Information contains additional information about the Fund's investment policies and risks.
The Fund's Principal Investment Strategies and Risks. The following strategies and types of investments are the ones that the Fund considers to be the most important in seeking to achieve its investment objective and the following risks are those the Fund expects its portfolio to be subject to as a whole.
Debt Securities. The Fund's investments in debt securities can include bonds, debentures, notes, including "structured" notes, mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities and commercial paper.
Debt securities may be subject to the following risks:
Interest rate changes may have different effects on the values of mortgage-related securities because of prepayment and extension risks.
Credit Quality. The Fund may invest in securities that are rated or unrated. "Investment-grade" securities are those rated in one of the top four rating categories by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations such as Moody's or Standard & Poor's or unrated securities judged by the Sub-Adviser to be of comparable quality. "Lower-grade" securities are those that are rated below those categories, which are also referred to as "junk bonds." While securities rated "Baa" by Moody's or "BBB" by Standard & Poor's are considered "investment-grade," they may also have some speculative characteristics.
Credit ratings evaluate the expectation that scheduled interest and principal payments will be made
in a timely manner. They do not reflect any judgment of market risk. Rating agencies might not always change their credit rating
of an issuer in a timely manner to reflect events that could affect the issuer's ability to make scheduled payments on its
obligations. In selecting securities for its portfolio and evaluating their income potential and credit risk, the Fund does not
rely solely on ratings by rating organizations but evaluates business and economic factors affecting issuers as well. The ratings
definitions of the principal ratings organizations are included in Appendix B to the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Because the Fund may purchase securities that are not rated by any nationally recognized statistical
rating organization, the Sub-Adviser may internally assign ratings to certain of those securities, after assessing their credit
quality, in categories similar to those of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. However, the Sub-Adviser's
rating does not constitute a guarantee of the credit quality. In evaluating the credit quality of a particular security, whether
rated or unrated, the Sub-Adviser will normally take into consideration a number of factors. Unrated securities also are considered
investment-grade or below-investment grade if judged by the Sub-Adviser to be comparable to rated investment-grade or below-investment
grade securities. Some unrated securities may not have an active trading market, which means that the Fund might have difficulty
selling them promptly at an acceptable price.
A reduction in the rating of a security after the Fund buys it will not require the Fund to dispose of the security. However, the
Sub-Adviser will evaluate such downgraded securities to determine whether to keep them in the Fund's portfolio.
Special Risks of Sovereign Debt. Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that
a governmental entity may delay or refuse, or otherwise be unable, to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due,
for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the
governmental entity's debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the
International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a governmental entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which
to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debt that a government does not pay nor are there
bankruptcy proceedings through which all or part of such sovereign debt may be collected. A restructuring or default of sovereign
debt may also cause additional impacts to the financial markets, such as downgrades to credit ratings, a flight to quality debt
instruments, disruptions in common trading markets or unions, reduced liquidity, increased volatility, and heightened financial
sector, foreign securities and currency risk, among others.
Investments in U.S. Securities. The Fund can invest up to 35% of its total assets in securities of U.S. companies, the U.S government or U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. Those investments can include U.S. Treasury securities, mortgage-related securities, corporate debt obligations, commercial paper (which includes short-term corporate debt) and asset-backed securities (which are interests in pools of consumer loans and other trade receivables). Mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities are subject to additional risks including pre-payment risk and extension risk.
Mortgage-Related Government Securities. Mortgage-related government securities include interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgages, in the form of "pass-through" mortgage securities. They may be issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities. Mortgage-related U.S. government securities may be issued in different series, each having different interest rates and maturities.
Mortgage-related securities that are U.S. government securities have collateral to secure payment of interest and principal. The collateral is either in the form of mortgage pass-through certificates issued or guaranteed by a U.S. agency or instrumentality or mortgage loans insured by a U.S. government agency. The prices and yields of mortgage-related securities are determined, in part, by assumptions about the rate of payments of the underlying mortgages and are subject to prepayment and extension risks.
Private-Issuer Securities. The Fund can also invest in securities issued by private issuers, such as corporations, banks, savings and loans, and other entities, including mortgage-related securities. Securities issued by private issuers are subject to greater credit risks than U.S. government securities.
Mortgage-Related Private Issuer Securities. Primarily these investments include multi-class debt or pass-through certificates secured by mortgage loans, which may be issued by banks, savings and loans, mortgage bankers and other non-governmental issuers. Private-issuer mortgage-backed securities may include loans on residential or commercial properties.
Mortgage-related securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"), issued by private issuers are not U.S. government securities, which makes them subject to greater credit risks. Private issuer securities are subject to the credit risks of the issuers as well as to interest rate risks, although in some cases they may be supported by insurance or guarantees. The prices and yields of private issuer mortgage-related securities are also subject to prepayment and extension risk. The market for private-issuer mortgage-backed securities may be volatile at times and may be less liquid than the markets for other types of securities.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are fractional interests in pools of loans, receivables or other assets. They are issued by trusts or other special purpose vehicles and are collateralized by the loans, receivables or other assets that make up the pool. The trust or other issuer passes the income from the underlying asset pool to the investor. Neither the Fund nor the Sub-Adviser selects the loans, receivables or other assets that are included in the pools or the collateral backing those pools. Asset-backed securities are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. These securities are subject to the risk of default by the issuer as well as by the borrowers of the underlying loans in the pool. Certain asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment and extension risks.
Investing in Foreign Securities. The Fund can buy debt securities issued by foreign governments and issuers, as well as "supra-national" entities, such as the World Bank. The Fund's foreign debt investments can be denominated in U.S. dollars or in foreign currencies.
While foreign securities may offer special investment opportunities, they are also subject to special risks.
Special Risks of Developing and Emerging Markets. Developing or emerging market
countries generally have less developed securities markets or exchanges. Securities of issuers in developing or emerging
market countries may be more difficult to sell at an acceptable price and their prices may be more volatile than securities of
issuers in countries with more mature markets. Settlements of trades may be subject to greater delays so that the proceeds of a
sale of a security may not be received on a timely basis. The economies of developing or emerging market countries may be
more dependent on relatively few industries that may be highly vulnerable to local and global changes. Developing or emerging
market countries may have less developed legal and accounting systems, and investments in those countries may be subject to greater
risks of government restrictions, including confiscatory taxation, expropriation or nationalization of company assets, restrictions
on foreign ownership of local companies and restrictions on withdrawing assets from the country. Their governments may also be
more unstable than the governments of more developed countries. The value of the currency of a developing or emerging market country
may fluctuate more than the currencies of countries with more mature markets. Investments in securities of issuers in developing
or emerging market countries may be considered speculative.
Governments of some emerging market countries have defaulted on their bonds and there is the risk of this happening in the future.
Eurozone Investment Risks. The European Union (EU) is an economic
and political union of most western European countries and a growing number of eastern European countries. One of the key mandates
of the EU is the establishment and administration of a common single market, consisting of, among other things, a single currency
and a common trade policy. In order to pursue this goal, member states established the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), which
sets out different stages and commitments that member states need to follow to achieve greater economic and monetary policy coordination,
including the adoption of a single currency, the euro. Many member states have adopted the euro as their currency and, as a result,
are subject to the monetary policies of the European Central Bank (ECB).
The recent global economic crisis has caused severe financial difficulties for many EU countries, pushing
some to the brink of insolvency and causing others to experience recession, large public debt, restructuring of government debt,
credit rating downgrades and an overall weakening of banking and financial sectors. Some of those countries have depended on, and
may continue to be dependent on the assistance from others such as the ECB, the International Monetary Fund, or other governments
and institutions to address those issues. Failure by one or more EU countries to implement reforms or attain a certain performance
level imposed as a condition of assistance, or an insufficient level of assistance, could deepen or prolong the economic downturn
which could have a significant adverse effect on the value of investments in those and other European countries. By adopting the
euro as its currency, members of the EMU are subject to fiscal and monetary controls that could limit to some degree the ability
to implement their own economic policies. Additionally, EMU member countries could voluntarily abandon the euro or involuntarily
be forced out of the euro, including by way of a partial or complete dissolution of the monetary union. The effects of such outcomes
on the rest of the Eurozone and global markets as a whole are unpredictable, but are likely to be negative, including adversely
impacted market values of Eurozone and various other securities and currencies, redenomination of certain securities into less
valuable local currencies, and more volatile and illiquid markets. Under such circumstances, investments denominated in euros or
replacement currencies may be difficult to value, the ability to operate an investment strategy in connection with euro-denominated
securities may be significantly impaired and the value of euro-denominated investments may decline significantly and unpredictably.
Concentration. The Fund will not concentrate its investments in the securities of any one foreign government or in the debt and equity securities of companies in any one foreign country or in any one industry. At times, however, the Fund may emphasize investments in some industries more than others. The Securities and Exchange Commission has taken the position that investment of more than 25% of a fund's total assets in issuers in the same industry constitutes concentration in that industry. That limit does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities or securities issued by investment companies; however, securities issued by any one foreign government are considered to be part of a single "industry."
Derivative Investments. The Fund can invest in "derivative" instruments. A derivative is an instrument whose value depends on (or is derived from) the value of an underlying security, asset, interest rate, index or currency. Derivatives may allow the Fund to increase or decrease its exposure to certain markets or risks.
The Fund may use derivatives to seek to increase its investment return or for hedging purposes.
The Fund is not required to use derivatives in seeking its investment objective or for hedging and might not do so.
Options, futures, forward contracts, swaps, and "structured" notes are some of the derivatives
that the Fund may use. The Fund may also use other types of derivatives that are consistent with its investment strategies or hedging
purposes.
"Structured" Notes. "Structured" notes are specially-designed derivative debt instruments. The terms of the instrument may be determined or "structured" by the purchaser and the issuer of the note. Payments of principal or interest on these notes may be linked to the value of an index (such as a currency or securities index), one or more securities, a commodity or the financial performance of one or more obligors. The value of these notes will normally rise or fall in response to the changes in the performance of the underlying security, index, commodity or obligor.
Risks of Structured Notes. Structured notes are subject to interest rate risk. They
are also subject to credit risk with respect both to the issuer and, if applicable, to the underlying security or obligor.
If the underlying investment or index does not perform as anticipated, the structured note might pay less interest than
the stated coupon payment or repay less principal upon maturity. The price of structured notes may be very volatile and they may
have a limited trading market, making it difficult to value them or sell them at an acceptable price. In some cases, the Fund
may enter into agreements with an issuer of structured notes to purchase a minimum amount of those notes over time.
Credit Default Swaps. A credit default swap enables an investor to buy or sell protection against a credit event with respect to an issuer, such as an issuer's failure to make timely payments of interest or principal on its debt obligations, bankruptcy or restructuring. The terms of the instrument are generally negotiated by the Fund and the swap counterparty. A credit default swap may be embedded within a structured note or other derivative instrument.
Generally, if the Fund buys credit protection using a credit default swap, the Fund will make fixed payments to the counterparty and if a credit event occurs with respect to the applicable issuer, the Fund will deliver the issuer's defaulted bonds underlying the swap to the swap counterparty and the counterparty will pay the Fund par for the bonds. If the Fund sells credit protection using a credit default swap, generally the Fund will receive fixed payments from the counterparty and if a credit event occurs with respect to the applicable issuer, the Fund will pay the swap counterparty par for the issuer's defaulted bonds and the swap counterparty will deliver the bonds to the Fund. Alternatively, a credit default swap may be cash settled and the buyer of protection would receive the difference between the par value and the market value of the issuer's defaulted bonds from the seller of protection. If the credit default swap is on a basket of issuers, the notional value of the swap is reduced by the amount represented by that issuer, and the fixed payments are then made on the reduced notional value.
Risks of Credit Default Swaps. Credit default swaps are subject to credit risk of the underlying issuer and to counterparty credit risk. If the counterparty fails to meet its obligations, the Fund may lose money. Credit default swaps are also subject to the risk that the Fund will not properly assess the risk of the underlying issuer. If the Fund is selling credit protection, there is a risk that a credit event will occur and that the Fund will have to pay the counterparty. If the Fund is buying credit protection, there is a risk that no credit event will occur and the Fund will receive no benefit for the premium paid.
Interest Rate Swaps. In an interest rate swap, the Fund and another party exchange the right to receive interest payments on a security or payments based on a reference rate. For example, they might swap the right to receive floating rate payments based on a reference rate such as "LIBOR" for the right to receive fixed rate payments. The terms of the instrument are generally negotiated by the Fund and the swap counterparty. An interest rate swap may be embedded within a structured note or other derivative instrument.
Risks of Interest Rate Swaps. Interest rate swaps are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. An interest rate swap transaction could result in losses if the underlying asset or reference rate does not perform as anticipated. Interest rate swaps are also subject to counterparty risk. If the counterparty fails to meet its obligations, the Fund may lose money.
Total Return Swaps. In a total return swap transaction, one party agrees to pay the other party an amount equal to the total return on a defined underlying asset or a non-asset reference during a specified period of time. The underlying asset might be a security or basket of securities or a non-asset reference such as a securities index. In return, the other party would make periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or on the total return from a different underlying asset or non-asset reference.
Risks of Total Return Swaps. Total return swaps could result in losses if the underlying asset or reference does not perform as anticipated. Total return swaps can have the potential for unlimited losses. They are also subject to counterparty risk. If the counterparty fails to meet its obligations, the Fund may lose money.
Foreign Currency Forwards and Options. Foreign currency forward contracts are used to buy or sell foreign currency for future delivery at a fixed price. They are used to lock in the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or to protect against possible losses from changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency. Forward contracts involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted, which could result in losses on those contracts and additional transaction costs. The use of forward contracts could reduce performance if there are unanticipated changes in currency prices. Options on foreign currencies may be used to try to protect against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign securities the Fund owns and against increases in the dollar cost of foreign securities the Fund anticipates buying. Options on foreign currencies are affected by the factors that influence foreign exchange rates and investments generally. The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions on foreign currency options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid secondary market, and there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular option at any specific time.
Risks of Derivative Investments. Derivatives may be volatile and may involve significant
risks. The underlying security, obligor or other instrument on which a derivative is based, or the derivative itself, may
not perform as expected. The Fund may lose money on a derivative investment if the issuer or counterparty fails
to pay the amount due. Certain derivative investments held by the Fund may be illiquid, making it difficult to close out an unfavorable
position. Derivative transactions may require the payment of premiums and can increase portfolio turnover. As a result, the Fund
could realize little or no income or lose principal from the investment, or a hedge might be unsuccessful. For some derivatives,
it is possible for the Fund to lose more than the amount invested in the derivative instrument. Some derivatives have the
potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the Fund's initial investment.
Hedging. Hedging transactions are intended to reduce the risks of securities in the Fund's portfolio. If the Fund uses a hedging instrument at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, however, the hedge might be unsuccessful or could reduce the Fund's return or create a loss.
Zero-Coupon Securities. The Fund may invest in "zero-coupon" securities, which pay no interest prior to their maturity date or another specified date in the future but are issued at a discount from their face value. Interest rate changes generally cause greater fluctuations in the prices of zero-coupon securities than in interest-paying securities of the same or similar maturities. The Fund may be required to pay a dividend of the imputed income on a zero-coupon security, at a time when it has not actually received the income.
Stripped Securities. "Stripped" securities are the separate income or principal components of a debt security, such as Treasury securities whose coupons have been stripped by a Federal Reserve Bank. Some mortgage-related securities may be stripped, with each component having a different proportion of principal or interest payments. One class might receive all the interest payments, all the principal payments or some proportional amount of interest and principal. Interest rate changes may cause greater fluctuations in the prices of stripped securities than in other debt securities of the same or similar maturities. The market for these securities may be limited, making it difficult for the Fund to sell its holdings at an acceptable price. The Fund may be required to pay out the imputed income on a stripped security as a dividend, at a time when it has not actually received the income.
Participation Interests in Loans. These securities represent an undivided fractional interest in a loan obligation of a borrower. They are typically purchased from banks or dealers that have made the loan, or are members of the loan syndicate, and that act as the servicing agent for the principal and interest payments. The loans may be to U.S. or foreign companies. Participation interests may be collateralized or uncollateralized and are subject to the credit risk of the servicing agent as well as the credit risk of the borrower. If the Fund purchases a participation interest, it may only be able to enforce its rights through the lender. The Fund can also buy interests in trusts and other entities that hold loan obligations. In that case the Fund will be subject to the trust's credit risks as well as the credit risks of the servicing agent and the underlying loans. In some cases, participation interests, whether held directly by the Fund or indirectly through an interest in a trust or other entity, may be partially "unfunded," meaning that the Fund may be required to advance additional money on future dates.
Other Investment Strategies and Risks. The Fund can also use the investment techniques and strategies described below. The Fund might not use all of these techniques or strategies or might only use them from time to time.
U.S. Treasury Securities. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government for payment of interest and repayment of principal and have relatively little credit risk. Some of the securities that are issued directly by the U.S. Treasury are: Treasury bills (having maturities of one year or less when issued), Treasury notes (having maturities of from one to ten years when issued), Treasury bonds (having maturities of more than ten years when issued) and Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities ("TIPS"). While U.S. Treasury securities have relatively little credit risk, they are subject to price fluctuations from changes in interest rates prior to their maturity.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions. The Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis and may purchase or sell such securities on a "delayed-delivery" basis. When-issued and delayed-delivery securities are purchased at a price that is fixed at the time of the transaction, with payment and delivery of the security made at a later date. When purchasing securities in this manner, during the period between purchase and settlement, the Fund makes no payment to the issuer (or seller) of the security and no interest accrues to the Fund from the investment.
The securities are subject to changes in value from market fluctuations during the period until settlement and the value of the security on the delivery date may be more or less than the Fund paid. The Fund may lose money if the value of the security declines below the purchase price.
Common Stock and Other Equity Investments. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, rights, warrants and certain securities that are convertible into common stock. Equity investments may be exchange-traded or over-the-counter securities. Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. It ranks below preferred stock and debt securities in claims for dividends and in claims for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy.
Preferred stock has a set dividend rate and ranks ahead of common stocks and behind debt securities in claims for dividends and for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy. The dividends on preferred stock may be cumulative (they remain a liability of the company until paid) or non-cumulative. The fixed dividend rate of preferred stocks may cause their prices to behave more like those of debt securities. When interest rates rise, the value of preferred stock having a fixed dividend rate tends to fall.
A convertible security can be converted into or exchanged for a set amount of common stock of an issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or according to a price formula. Convertible debt securities pay interest and convertible preferred stocks pay dividends until they mature or are converted, exchanged or redeemed. Convertible securities may provide more income than common stock but they generally provide less income than comparable non-convertible debt securities. Convertible securities are subject to credit and interest rate risk. The credit ratings of convertible securities generally have less impact on the value of those securities than they do on non-convertible debt securities, however.
Risks of Investing in Equity Securities. Stocks and other equity securities fluctuate in price in response to changes in equity markets in general. Equity markets may experience great short-term volatility and may fall sharply at times. Different markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. equity markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign markets.
The prices of equity securities generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time and a variety of factors can affect the price of a particular company's securities. These factors may include: poor earnings reports, a loss of customers, litigation, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Investments that do not have an active trading market, or that have legal or contractual limitations on their resale, are generally referred to as "illiquid" securities. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value or to sell promptly at an acceptable price or may require registration under applicable securities laws before they can be sold publicly. Securities that have limitations on their resale are referred to as "restricted securities." Certain restricted securities that are eligible for resale to qualified institutional purchasers may not be regarded as illiquid.
The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. The Sub-Adviser monitors the Fund's holdings of illiquid securities on an ongoing basis to determine whether to sell any of those securities to maintain adequate liquidity.
Conflicts of Interest. The investment activities of the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and their affiliates in regard to other accounts they manage may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. The Manager, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates may provide investment advisory services to other funds and accounts that have investment objectives or strategies that differ from, or are contrary to, those of the Fund. That may result in another fund or account holding investment positions that are adverse to the Fund's investment strategies or activities. Other funds or accounts advised by the Manager, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates may have conflicting interests arising from investment objectives that are similar to those of the Fund. Those funds and accounts may engage in, and compete for, the same types of securities or other investments as the Fund or invest in securities of the same issuers that have different, and possibly conflicting, characteristics. The trading and other investment activities of those other funds or accounts may be carried out without regard to the investment activities of the Fund and, as a result, the value of securities held by the Fund or the Fund's investment strategies may be adversely affected. The Fund's investment performance will usually differ from the performance of other accounts advised by the Manager, the Sub-Adviser or their affiliates and the Fund may experience losses during periods in which other accounts they advise achieve gains. The Manager and the Sub-Adviser have adopted policies and procedures designed to address potential identified conflicts of interest, however, such policies and procedures may also limit the Fund's investment activities and affect its performance.
Investments by "Funds of Funds." Class I and Class Y shares of the Fund are offered as an investment to certain other Oppenheimer funds that act as "funds of funds," which may invest significant portions of their assets in shares of the Fund. From time to time, those investments may also represent a significant portion of the Fund's outstanding shares, or of its outstanding Class I and/or Y shares. The Oppenheimer funds of funds typically use asset allocation strategies that may increase or reduce the amount of their investment in the Fund frequently, possibly on a daily basis during volatile market conditions. If the size of those purchases or redemptions were significant relative to the size of the Fund's assets, the Fund might be required to purchase or sell portfolio securities, which could increase its transaction costs and reduce the performance of all of its share classes. A decline in the Fund's assets due to large redemptions could also cause the Fund's operating expenses to increase. Further discussion of the possible effects of frequent trading in the Fund's shares is included in the section "Limitations on Frequent Exchanges" in this prospectus.
Investments in Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund. The Fund can invest its free cash balances in Class E shares of Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund to provide liquidity or for defensive purposes. The Fund invests in Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund, rather than purchasing individual short-term investments, to seek a higher yield than it could obtain on its own. Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund is a registered open-end management investment company, regulated as a money market fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and is part of the Oppenheimer family of funds. It invests in a variety of short-term, high-quality, dollar-denominated money market instruments issued by the U.S. government, domestic and foreign corporations, other financial institutions, and other entities. Those investments may have a higher rate of return than the investments that would be available to the Fund directly. At the time of an investment, the Fund cannot always predict what the yield of the Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund will be because of the wide variety of instruments that fund holds in its portfolio. The return on those investments may, in some cases, be lower than the return that would have been derived from other types of investments that would provide liquidity. As a shareholder, the Fund will be subject to its proportional share of the expenses of Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund's Class E shares, including its advisory fee. However, the Manager will waive a portion of the Fund's advisory fee to the extent of the Fund's share of the advisory fee paid to the Manager by Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund.
Temporary Defensive and Interim Investments. For temporary defensive purposes in times of adverse or unstable market, economic or political conditions, the Fund can invest up to 100% of its total assets in investments that may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies. Generally, the Fund would invest in shares of Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund or in the types of money market instruments in which Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund invests or in other short-term U.S. government securities. The Fund might also hold these types of securities as interim investments pending the investment of proceeds from the sale of Fund shares or the sale of Fund portfolio securities or to meet anticipated redemptions of Fund shares. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, it might not achieve its investment objective.
Portfolio Turnover. A change in the securities held by the Fund is known as "portfolio turnover." The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading to try to achieve its investment objective and may have a portfolio turnover rate of over 100% annually. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher brokerage fees or other transaction costs, which can reduce performance. If the Fund realizes capital gains when it sells investments, it generally must pay those gains to shareholders, increasing its taxable distributions. The Financial Highlights table at the end of this prospectus shows the Fund's portfolio turnover rates during past fiscal years.
Changes To The Fund's Investment Policies. The Fund's fundamental investment policies cannot be changed without the approval of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting shares, however, the Fund's Board can change non-fundamental policies without a shareholder vote. Significant policy changes will be described in supplements to this prospectus. Shareholders will receive 60 days advance notice of any change in the 80% investment policy described in "Principal Investment Strategies." The Fund's investment objective is not a fundamental policy. Investment restrictions that are fundamental policies are listed in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information. An investment policy is not fundamental unless this prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information states that it is.
Portfolio Holdings. The Fund's portfolio holdings are included in its semi-annual and annual reports that are distributed to its shareholders within 60 days after the close of the applicable reporting period. The Fund also discloses its portfolio holdings in its Schedule of Investments on Form N-Q, which are public filings that are required to be made with the Securities and Exchange Commission within 60 days after the end of the Fund's first and third fiscal quarters. Therefore, the Fund's portfolio holdings are made publicly available no later than 60 days after the end of each of its fiscal quarters. In addition, the Fund's portfolio holdings information, as of the end of each calendar month, may be posted and available on the Fund's website no sooner than 30 days after the end of each calendar month.
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio holdings is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
THE MANAGER AND THE SUB-ADVISER. OFI Global Asset Management, Inc., the Manager, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. The Manager oversees the Fund's investments and its business operations. OppenheimerFunds, Inc., the Sub-Adviser, chooses the Fund's investments and provides related advisory services. The Manager carries out its duties, subject to the policies established by the Fund's Board, under an investment advisory agreement with the Fund that states the Manager's responsibilities. The agreement sets the fees the Fund pays to the Manager and describes the expenses that the Fund is responsible to pay to conduct its business. The Sub-Adviser has a sub-advisory agreement with the Manager and is paid by the Manager.
The Manager has been an investment adviser since 2012. The Sub-Adviser has been an investment adviser since 1960. The Manager and the Sub-Adviser are located at Two World Financial Center, 225 Liberty Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10281-1008.
Advisory Fees. Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Fund pays the Manager an advisory fee, calculated on the daily net assets of the Fund, at an annual rate that declines on additional assets as the Fund grows: 0.75% of the first $200 million of average annual net assets of the Fund, 0.72% of the next $200 million, 0.69% of the next $200 million, 0.66% of the next $200 million, 0.60% of the next $200 million, 0.50% of the next $4 billion, 0.48% of the next $10 billion and 0.45% of average annual net assets over $15 billion. The Fund's advisory fee for the period ended September 30, 2012 was 0.50% of average annual net assets, before any applicable waivers. Under the sub-advisory agreement, the Manager pays the Sub-Adviser a percentage of the net investment advisory fee (after all applicable waivers) that it receives from the Fund as compensation for the provision of the investment advisory services.
The Fund's transfer agent has voluntarily agreed to limit its fees for Classes B, C, N and Y to 0.35% of average annual net assets per class per fiscal year, and to 0.30% of average annual net assets per fiscal year for Class A shares. These limitations may not be amended or withdrawn until one year after the date of this prospectus. The Manager has voluntarily agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse Fund expenses in an amount equal to the indirect management fees incurred through the Fund's investment in Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, those indirect fees were less than 0.01% of average daily net assets and are therefore not shown in the fee table earlier in this prospectus. The Fund's management fee and other annual operating expenses may vary in future years.
A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the Fund's investment advisory arrangements is available in the Fund's Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012.
Portfolio Managers. The Fund's portfolio is managed by Arthur P. Steinmetz, Sara J. Zervos, Ph.D. and Hemant Baijal, who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's investments. Mr. Steinmetz has been a portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since April 2004. Ms. Zervos has been a portfolio manager and Vice President of the Fund since April 2009. Mr. Baijal has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since January 2013.
Mr. Steinmetz has been the Chief Investment Officer of OppenheimerFunds (which includes OppenheimerFunds,
Inc. and its subsidiaries) since January 2013; Executive Vice President and Director of the Manager since January 2013;
Chief Investment Officer of the Sub-Adviser from October 2010 to December 2012; Chief Investment Officer, Fixed-Income, of the
Sub-Adviser from April 2009 to October 2010; Executive Vice President of the Sub-Adviser from October 2009 to December 2012; Director
of Fixed Income of the Sub-Adviser from January 2009 to April 2009; and a Senior Vice President of the Sub-Adviser from March 1993
to September 2009. He is a portfolio manager and an officer of other portfolios in the OppenheimerFunds complex.
Ms. Zervos has been a Senior Vice President of the Sub-Adviser since January 2011, the Head of the Sub-Adviser's Global Debt Team since October 2010, and is the team's Director of International Research. She was a Vice President of the Sub-Adviser from April 2008 to December 2010. She was a portfolio manager with Sailfish Capital Management from May 2007 to February 2008 and a portfolio manager for emerging market debt at Dillon Read Capital Management and OTA Asset Management from June 2004 to April 2007. Ms. Zervos is a portfolio manager and officer of other portfolios in the OppenheimerFunds complex.
Mr. Baijal has been a Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager of the Sub-Adviser since July 2011. Prior to joining the Sub-Adviser, Mr. Baijal co-founded Six Seasons Global Asset Management, where he served as Partner and Portfolio Manager from 2009 to 2010. Mr. Baijal was also a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Aravali Partners, LLC from 2006 to 2008, and a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Havell Capital Management, LLC from 1996 to 2006.
The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about portfolio manager compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.
MORE ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
Where Can You Buy Fund Shares? Oppenheimer funds may be purchased either directly or through a variety of "financial intermediaries" that offer Fund shares to their clients. Financial intermediaries include securities dealers, financial advisors, brokers, banks, trust companies, insurance companies and the sponsors of fund "supermarkets," fee-based advisory or wrap fee programs or college and retirement savings programs.
WHAT CLASSES OF SHARES DOES THE FUND OFFER? The Fund offers investors five different classes of shares. The different classes of shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and will usually have different share prices. When you buy shares, be sure to specify the class of shares you wish to purchase. If you do not choose a class, your investment will be made in Class A shares. Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Class A Shares. If you buy Class A shares, you will pay an initial sales charge on investments up to $1 million for regular accounts or lesser amounts for certain retirement plans or if you qualify for certain fee waivers. The amount of the sales charge will vary depending on the amount you invest. The sales charge rates for different investment amounts are listed in "About Class A Shares" below. Class B Shares. If you purchased Class B shares, you did not pay a sales charge at the time of purchase, but you pay an annual asset-based sales charge (distribution fee) over a period of approximately six years. If you sell your shares within six years after buying them, you will normally pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The amount of the contingent deferred sales charge varies depending on how long you own your shares. Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Any investments for existing Class B share accounts will be made in Class A Shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund. See "About Class B Shares" below. Class C Shares. If you buy Class C shares, you will pay no sales charge at the time of purchase, but you will pay an ongoing asset-based sales charge. If you sell your shares within 12 months after buying them, you will normally pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%, as described in "About Class C Shares" below. Class N Shares. Class N shares are available only through certain retirement plans. If you buy Class N shares, you will pay no sales charge at the time of purchase, but you will pay an ongoing asset-based sales charge. If you sell your shares within 18 months after the retirement plan's first purchase of Class N shares, you may pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%. See "About Class N Shares" below. Class Y Shares. Class Y shares are offered only to certain institutional investors that have a special agreement with the Distributor and to present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their eligible family members) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates, its parent company and the subsidiaries of its parent company, and retirement plans established for the benefit of such individuals. See "About Class Y Shares" below. Class I Shares. Class I shares are only offered to eligible institutional investors that make a minimum initial investment of $5 million or more per account and to retirement plan service provider platforms. See "About Class I Shares" below. |
Certain sales charge waivers may apply to purchases or redemptions of Class A, Class B, Class C or Class N shares. More information about those waivers is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information, or by clicking on the hyperlink "Sales Charges & Breakpoints" under the heading "Fund Information" on the OppenheimerFunds website at "www.oppenheimerfunds.com."
What is the Minimum Investment. You can buy most Fund share classes with a minimum initial investment of $1,000. For Class I shares the minimum initial investment is $5 million per account. The Class I share minimum initial investment is waived for retirement plan service provider platforms. Reduced initial minimums are available for other share classes in certain circumstances, including under the following investment plans:
You can make additional investments with as little as $50. The minimum additional investment requirement does not apply to reinvested dividends from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds, to omnibus account purchases or to Class I shares. A reduced additional investment minimum of $25 applies to purchases through an Asset Builder Plan, an Automatic Exchange Plan or a government allotment plan established before November 1, 2002.
Minimum Account Balance. A $12 annual "minimum balance fee" is assessed on Fund accounts with a value of less than $500. The fee is automatically deducted from each applicable Fund account annually in September. See the Statement of Additional Information for information about the circumstances under which this fee will not be assessed. Small accounts may be involuntarily redeemed by the Fund if the value has fallen below $500 for reasons other than a decline in the market value of the shares.
The minimum account balance for Class I shares is $2.5 million. If a Class I account balance falls below $2.5 million, the account may be involuntarily redeemed or converted into a Class Y share account. This minimum balance policy does not apply to accounts for which the minimum initial investment is waived.
Choosing a Share Class. Once you decide that the Fund is an appropriate investment for you, deciding which class of shares is best suited to your needs depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your financial advisor. The Fund's operating costs that apply to a share class and the effect of the different types of sales charges on your investment will affect your investment results over time. For example, expenses such as the distribution or service fees will reduce the net asset value and the dividends on share classes that are subject to those expenses.
Two of the factors to consider are how much you plan to invest and, while future financial needs cannot be predicted with certainty, how long you plan to hold your investment. For example, with larger purchases that qualify for a reduced initial sales charge on Class A shares, the effect of paying an initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares may be less over time than the effect of the distribution fees on other share classes. If your goals and objectives change over time and you plan to purchase additional shares, you should re-evaluate each of the factors to see if you should consider a different class of shares.
The discussion below is not intended to be investment advice or a recommendation, because each investor's financial considerations are different. The discussion below assumes that you will purchase only one class of shares and not a combination of shares of different classes. These examples are based on approximations of the effects of current sales charges and expenses projected over time, and do not detail all of the considerations in selecting a class of shares. You should analyze your options carefully with your financial advisor before making that choice.
The Distributor normally will not accept purchase orders from a single investor for more than $1 million or more of Class C shares. Dealers or other financial intermediaries are responsible for determining the suitability of a particular share class for an investor.
Are There Differences in Account Features That Matter to You? Some account features may not be available for all share classes. Other features may not be advisable because of the effect of the contingent deferred sales charge. Therefore, you should carefully review how you plan to use your investment account before deciding which class of shares to buy.
How Do Share Classes Affect Payments to Your Financial Intermediary? The Class B, Class C, and Class N contingent deferred sales charges and asset-based sales charges have the same purpose as the front-end sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares: to compensate the Distributor for concessions and expenses it pays to brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries for selling Fund shares. Those financial intermediaries may receive different compensation for selling different classes of shares. The Sub-Adviser or Distributor may also pay dealers or other financial intermediaries additional amounts from their own resources based on the value of Fund shares held by the intermediary for its own account or held for its customers' accounts. For more information about those payments, see "Payments to Financial Intermediaries and Service Providers" below.
About Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold at their offering price, which is the net asset value of the shares (described below) plus, in most cases, an initial sales charge. The Fund receives the amount of your investment, minus the sales charge, to invest for your account. In some cases, Class A purchases may qualify for a reduced sales charge or a sales charge waiver, as described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.
The Class A sales charge rate varies depending on the amount of your purchase. A portion or all of the sales charge may be retained by the Distributor or paid to your broker, dealer or other financial intermediary as a concession. The current sales charge rates and concessions paid are shown in the table below. There is no initial sales charge on Class A purchases of $1 million or more, but a contingent deferred sales charge (described below) may apply.
Amount of Purchase | Front-End Sales Charge As a Percentage of Offering Price | Front-End Sales Charge As a Percentage of Net Amount Invested | Concession As a Percentage of Offering Price | |||
Less than $50,000 | 4.75% | 4.98% | 4.00% | |||
$50,000 or more but less than $100,000 | 4.50% | 4.71% | 3.75% | |||
$100,000 or more but less than $250,000 | 3.50% | 3.63% | 2.75% | |||
$250,000 or more but less than $500,000 | 2.50% | 2.56% | 2.00% | |||
$500,000 or more but less than $1 million | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.60% |
Due to rounding, the actual sales charge for a particular transaction may be higher or lower than the rates listed above.
Reduced Class A Sales Charges. Under a "Right of Accumulation" or a "Letter of Intent" you may be eligible to buy Class A shares of the Fund at the reduced sales charge rate that would apply to a larger purchase. Purchases of "qualified shares" of the Fund and certain other Oppenheimer funds may be added to your Class A share purchases for calculating the applicable sales charge.
Class A, Class B and Class C shares of most Oppenheimer funds (including shares of the Fund), and Class A, Class B, Class C, Class G and Class H units owned in adviser sold Section 529 plans, for which an affiliate of the Manager or the Distributor serves as the "Program Manager" or "Program Distributor" are "qualified shares" for satisfying the terms of a Right of Accumulation or a Letter of Intent. Purchases made by reinvestment of dividend or capital gain distributions are "qualified shares" for satisfying the terms of a Right of Accumulation, but are not "qualified shares" for satisfying the terms of a Letter of Intent. Purchases of Class N, Class Y or Class I shares of Oppenheimer funds, purchases under the "reinvestment privilege" described below, and purchases of Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. or Oppenheimer Cash Reserves on which a sales charge has not been paid do not count as "qualified shares" for Right of Accumulation or Letter of Intent purposes. The Fund reserves the right to modify or to cease offering these programs at any time.
A fiduciary can apply a right of accumulation to all shares purchased for a trust, estate or other fiduciary account that has multiple accounts (including employee benefit plans for the same employer and Single K plans for the benefit of a sole proprietor).
If you are buying shares directly from the Fund, you must inform the Distributor of your eligibility and holdings at the time of your purchase in order to qualify for the Right of Accumulation. If you are buying shares through a financial intermediary you must notify the intermediary of your eligibility for the Right of Accumulation at the time of your purchase.
To count shares held in accounts at other firms, you may be requested to provide the Distributor or your current financial intermediary with a copy of account statements showing your current qualified share holdings. Shares purchased under a Letter of Intent may also qualify as eligible holdings under a Right of Accumulation.
Submitting a Letter of Intent does not obligate you to purchase the specified amount of shares. If you
do not complete the anticipated purchases, you will be charged the difference between the sales charge that you paid and the sales
charge that would apply to the actual value of shares you purchased. A certain portion of your shares will be held in escrow by
the Fund's Transfer Agent for this purpose. Please refer to "How to Buy Shares – Letters of Intent" in the Fund's Statement
of Additional Information for more complete information. You may also be able to apply the Right of Accumulation to purchases
you make under a Letter of Intent.
Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Although there is no initial sales charge on Class A purchases of shares of one or more of the Oppenheimer funds totaling $1 million or more, those Class A shares may be subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if they are redeemed within an 18-month "holding period" measured from the beginning of the calendar month in which they were purchased (except for shares purchased in certain retirement plans, as described below). The "holding period" for shares purchased after February 5, 2012 will begin on the date of purchase. That sales charge will be calculated on the lesser of the original net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of purchase or the aggregate net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption. The Class A contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares purchased by the reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions.
The Distributor pays concessions from its own resources equal to 1.00% of Class A purchases of $1 million or more (other than purchases by certain retirement plans). The concession will not be paid on shares purchased by exchange or shares that were previously subject to a front-end sales charge and concession.
Class A Purchases by Certain Retirement Plans. There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of the Fund by retirement plans that have $1 million or more in plan assets or by certain retirement plans or platforms offered through financial intermediaries or other service providers.
In addition, there is no contingent deferred sales charge on redemptions of certain Class A retirement plan shares offered through financial intermediaries or other service providers. There is no contingent deferred sales charge on redemptions of Class A group retirement plan shares except for shares of certain group retirement plans that were established prior to March 1, 2001 ("grandfathered retirement plans"). Shares purchased in grandfathered retirement plans are subject to the contingent deferred sales charge if they are redeemed within 18 months after purchase.
The Distributor does not pay a concession on Class A retirement plan purchases except on purchases by grandfathered retirement plans and plans that have $5 million or more in plan assets. The concession for grandfathered retirement plan purchases is 0.25%. For purchases of Class A shares by retirement plans that have $5 million or more in plan assets (within the first six months from the time the account was established), the Distributor may pay financial intermediaries concessions equal to 0.25% of the purchase price from its own resources at the time of sale. Those payments are subject to certain exceptions described in "Retirement Plans" in the Statement of Additional Information.
About Class B Shares. Class B shares are sold at net asset value per share without an initial sales charge. However, if Class B shares are redeemed within a six year "holding period" from the beginning of the calendar month in which they were purchased, a contingent deferred sales charge will be deducted from the redemption proceeds. The "holding period" for shares purchased after February 5, 2012 will begin on the date of purchase. Class B shares are also subject to an asset-based sales charge that is calculated daily based on an annual rate of 0.75%. The Class B contingent deferred sales charge and asset-based sales charge are paid to compensate the Distributor for providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of Class B shares.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Dividend and/or capital gains distributions will continue to be made in Class B shares, and exchanges of Class B shares into and from other Oppenheimer funds and certain account transfers will be permitted.
Any investments for existing Class B share accounts will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund.
The amount of the Class B contingent deferred sales charge will depend on the number of years since you invested, according to the following schedule:
Years Since Purchase Order was Accepted | Contingent Deferred Sales Charge on Redemptions in That Year (As % of Amount Subject to Charge) |
0-1 | 5.0% |
1-2 | 4.0% |
2-3 | 3.0% |
3-4 | 3.0% |
4-5 | 2.0% |
5-6 | 1.0% |
More than 6 | None |
In the table, a "year" is a 12-month period.
Automatic Conversion of Class B Shares. Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares six years (72 months) after you purchase them. This conversion eliminates the Class B asset-based sales charge, however, the shares will be subject to the ongoing Class A fees and expenses. The conversion is based on the relative net asset value of the two classes, and no sales load or other charge is imposed. When any Class B shares that you hold convert to Class A shares, all other Class B shares that were acquired by reinvesting dividends and distributions on the converted shares will also convert.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases, however, current Class B shares will continue to mature and convert to Class A shares according to their established conversion schedule. For further information on the conversion feature and its tax implications, see "Class B Conversion" in the Statement of Additional Information.
About Class C Shares. Class C shares are sold at net asset value per share without an initial sales charge. However, if Class C shares are redeemed within a 12 month "holding period" from the beginning of the calendar month in which they were purchased, a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% may be deducted from the redemption proceeds. The "holding period" for shares purchased after February 5, 2012 will begin on the date of purchase. Class C shares are also subject to an asset-based sales charge that is calculated daily based on an annual rate of 0.75%. The Class C contingent deferred sales charge and asset-based sales charge are paid to compensate the Distributor for providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of Class C shares.
About Class N Shares. Class N shares are only offered to certain retirement plans. In addition, certain plans that currently hold Class B shares of the Fund may designate Class N shares for future plan purchases. See "Class N Share Availability" in the Statement of Additional Information for eligibility requirements.
Class N shares are sold at net asset value without an initial sales charge. Class N shares are subject to an asset-based sales charge that is calculated daily based on an annual rate of 0.25%. A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% will be imposed on the redemption of Class N shares, if:
Retirement plans that offer Class N shares may impose charges on plan participant accounts. For more information about buying and selling shares through a retirement plan, see the section "Investment Plans and Services - Retirement Plans" below.
About Class Y Shares. Class Y shares are sold at net asset value per share without a sales charge directly to institutional investors that have special agreements with the Distributor for that purpose. They may include insurance companies, registered investment companies, employee benefit plans and Section 529 plans, among others.
An institutional investor that buys Class Y shares for its customers' accounts may impose charges on those accounts. The procedures for buying, selling, exchanging and transferring the Fund's other classes of shares (other than the time those orders must be received by the Distributor or Transfer Agent at their Colorado office) and some of the special account features available to investors buying other classes of shares do not apply to Class Y shares. Instructions for buying, selling, exchanging or transferring Class Y shares must be submitted by the institutional investor, not by its customers for whose benefit the shares are held.
Present and former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their eligible family members) of the Fund, the Manager, its affiliates, its parent company and the subsidiaries of its parent company, and retirement plans established for the benefit of such individuals, are also permitted to purchase Class Y shares of the Fund.
About Class I Shares. Class I shares are only available to eligible institutional investors. To be eligible to purchase Class I shares, an investor must:
Eligible Class I investors will not receive any commission payments, account servicing fees, recordkeeping fees, 12b-1 fees, transfer agent fees, so called "finder's fees," administrative fees or other similar fees on Class I shares. Class I shares are not available directly to individual investors. Individual shareholders who purchase Class I shares through retirement plans or other intermediaries will not be eligible to hold Class I shares outside of their respective retirement plan or intermediary platform.
Class I shares are sold at net asset value per share without a sales charge. An institutional investor that buys Class I shares for its customers' accounts may impose charges on those accounts. The procedures for buying, selling, exchanging and transferring the Fund's other classes of shares (other than the time those orders must be received by the Distributor or Transfer Agent at their Colorado office), and most of the special account features available to investors buying other classes of shares, do not apply to Class I shares.
The Fund, at its discretion, reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment and minimum balance requirements for investment companies advised or subadvised by the Manager or an affiliate of the Manager.
The Price of Fund Shares. Shares may be purchased at their offering price which is the net asset value per share plus any initial sales charge that applies. Shares are redeemed at their net asset value per share less any contingent deferred sales charge that applies. The net asset value that applies to a purchase or redemption order is the next one calculated after the Distributor receives the order, in proper form as described in this prospectus, or after any agent appointed by the Distributor receives the order in proper form as described in this prospectus. Your financial intermediary can provide you with more information regarding the time you must submit your purchase order and whether the intermediary is an authorized agent for the receipt of purchase and redemption orders.
Net Asset Value. The Fund calculates the net asset value of each class of shares as of the close of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), on each day the NYSE is open for trading (referred to in this prospectus as a "regular business day"). The NYSE normally closes at 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, but may close earlier on some days.
The Fund determines the net assets of each class of shares by subtracting the class-specific expenses and the amount of the Fund's liabilities attributable to the share class from the value of the securities and other assets attributable to the share class. The Fund's "other assets" might include, for example, cash and interest or dividends from its portfolio securities that have been accrued but not yet collected. The Fund's securities are valued primarily on the basis of current market quotations.
The net asset value per share for each share class is determined by dividing the net assets of the class by the number of outstanding shares of that class.
Fair Value Pricing. If market quotations are not readily available or (in the Sub-Adviser's judgment) do not accurately reflect the fair value of a security, or if after the close of the principal market on which a security held by the Fund is traded and before the time as of which the Fund's net asset value is calculated that day, an event occurs that the Sub-Adviser learns of and believes in the exercise of its judgment will cause a material change in the value of that security from the closing price of the security on the principal market on which it is traded, that security may be valued by another method that the Board believes would more accurately reflect the security's fair value.
In determining whether current market prices are readily available and reliable, the Sub-Adviser monitors the information it receives in the ordinary course of its investment management responsibilities. It seeks to identify significant events that it believes, in good faith, will affect the market prices of the securities held by the Fund. Those may include events affecting specific issuers (for example, a halt in trading of the securities of an issuer on an exchange during the trading day) or events affecting securities markets (for example, a foreign securities market closes early because of a natural disaster).
The Board has adopted valuation procedures for the Fund and has delegated the day-to-day responsibility for fair value determinations to the Sub-Adviser's "Valuation Committee." Those determinations may include consideration of recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to the specific security, developments in the markets and their performance, and current valuations of foreign or U.S. indices. Fair value determinations by the Sub-Adviser are subject to review, approval and ratification by the Board at its next scheduled meeting after the fair valuations are determined.
The Fund's use of fair value pricing procedures involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its net asset value per share.
Pricing Foreign Securities. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities primarily traded on foreign exchanges. Because many foreign markets close hours before the Fund values its foreign portfolio holdings, significant events, including broad market movements, may occur during that time that could potentially affect the values of foreign securities held by the Fund.
The Sub-Adviser believes that foreign securities values may be affected by volatility that occurs in U.S. markets after the close of foreign securities markets. The Sub-Adviser's fair valuation procedures therefore include a procedure whereby foreign securities prices may be "fair valued" to take those factors into account.
Because some foreign securities trade in markets and on exchanges that operate on weekends and U.S. holidays, the values of some of the Fund's foreign investments may change on days when investors cannot buy or redeem Fund shares.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. If you redeem shares during their applicable contingent deferred sales charge holding period, the contingent deferred sales charge generally will be deducted from the redemption proceeds. In some circumstances you may be eligible for one of the waivers described in "Sales Charge Waivers" below and in the "Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers" Appendix to the Statement of Additional Information. You must advise the Transfer Agent or your financial intermediary of your eligibility for a waiver when you place your redemption request.
A contingent deferred sales charge will be based on the net asset value of the redeemed shares at the time of redemption or the original net asset value, whichever is lower. A contingent deferred sales charge is not imposed on:
The Fund redeems shares in the following order:
You are not charged a contingent deferred sales charge when you exchange shares of the Fund for shares
of other Oppenheimer funds. However, if you exchange your shares within the applicable holding period, your original holding period
will carry over to the shares you acquire, even if the new fund has a different holding period. The contingent deferred sales charge
applicable to the share class of the Fund you exchange into will apply to the acquired shares.
Sales Charge Waivers. The Fund and the Distributor offer the following opportunities to purchase shares without front-end or contingent deferred sales charges. The Fund reserves the right to amend or discontinue these programs at any time without prior notice.
In addition, the "Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers" Appendix to the Statement of Additional
Information provides detailed information about certain other initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge waivers
and arrangements. A description of those sales charge waivers and arrangements is available for viewing on the OppenheimerFunds
website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com (follow the hyperlink "Sales Charges & Breakpoints," under the heading "Fund Information")
and may also be ordered by calling 1.800.225.5677. You must advise the Distributor, the Transfer Agent or your financial intermediary
that you qualify for one of those waivers at the time you submit your purchase order or redemption request.
How to Buy, Sell and Exchange Shares
Buying Shares. You can buy shares in several ways. The Distributor has appointed certain financial intermediaries, including brokers, dealers and others, as servicing agents to accept purchase and redemption orders. The Distributor or servicing agent must receive your order, in proper form, by the close of the NYSE for you to receive that day's offering price. If your order is received on a day when the NYSE is closed or after it has closed, the order will receive the next offering price that is determined. To be in proper form, your purchase order must comply with the procedures described below. If you submit a purchase request without designating which Oppenheimer fund you wish to invest in, your investments will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. This policy does not apply to purchases by or for certain retirement plans or accounts. The Distributor, in its sole discretion, may reject any purchase order for the Fund's shares.
Buying Shares Through a Financial Intermediary. You can buy shares through any servicing agent (a broker, dealer, or other financial intermediary) that has a sales agreement with the Distributor. Your servicing agent will place your order with the Distributor on your behalf. A servicing agent may charge a processing fee for that service. Your account information will be shared with the financial intermediary designated as the dealer of record for the account.
Buying Shares Through the Distributor. We recommend that you discuss your investment with a financial advisor before you make a purchase to be sure that the Fund is appropriate for you. If you want to purchase shares directly from the Distributor, complete an OppenheimerFunds new account application and mail it with a check payable in U.S. dollars to "OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc." at the address shown on the back cover. If you do not list a dealer on your application, the Distributor is designated as the broker-dealer of record, but solely for the purpose of acting as your agent to purchase the shares. For new investors who do not designate a broker dealer, Class A shares (and, for eligible institutional investors, Class Y or Class I shares) are the only purchase option. Other share classes may not be purchased by a new investor directly from the Distributor without the investor designating another registered broker-dealer. If a current investor no longer has a broker-dealer of record for an existing account, the Distributor is automatically designated as the broker-dealer of record, but solely for the purpose of acting as the investor's agent to purchase the shares. For more information regarding undesignated investments, please call the Transfer Agent at the number on the back cover of this prospectus.
Identification Requirements. Federal regulations may require the Fund to obtain your name, your date of birth (for a natural person), your residential street address or principal place of business, and your Social Security Number, Employer Identification Number or other government-issued identification when you open an account. Additional information may be required to open a corporate account or in certain other circumstances. The Fund or the Transfer Agent may use this information to verify your identity. The Fund may not be able to establish an account if the necessary information is not received. The Fund may also place limits on account transactions while it is in the process of verifying your identity. Additionally, if the Fund is unable to verify your identity after your account is established, the Fund may be required to redeem your shares and close your account.
Suspension of Share Offering. The offering of Fund shares may be suspended during any period in which the determination of net asset value is suspended, and may be suspended by the Board at any time the Board believes it is in the Fund's best interest to do so.
Selling Shares. You can generally redeem (sell) some or all of your shares on any regular business day. You may redeem your shares by writing a letter, by wire, by telephone or on the Internet. You can also set up an Automatic Withdrawal Plan to redeem shares on a regular basis. The redemption of Fund shares may be suspended under certain circumstances described in the Statement of Additional Information. If you have questions about any of these procedures, and especially if you are redeeming shares in a special situation, such as due to the death of the owner or from a retirement plan account, please call your financial intermediary or the Transfer Agent for assistance.
Redemption Price. Your shares will be redeemed at net asset value less any applicable sales charge or other fees. The net asset value used will be the next one calculated after your order is received, in proper form, by the Transfer Agent or your authorized financial intermediary. To be in proper form, your redemption order must comply with the procedures described below. The redemption price for shares will change from day-to-day because the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio and the Fund's expenses fluctuate. The redemption price will normally differ for each class of shares. The redemption price of your shares may be more or less than their original cost.
Redemptions "In-Kind." Shares may be "redeemed in-kind" under certain circumstances (such as a lack of liquidity in the Fund's portfolio to meet redemptions). That means that the redemption proceeds will be paid in securities from the Fund's portfolio on a pro-rata basis, possibly including illiquid securities. If the Fund redeems your shares in-kind, you may bear transaction costs and will bear market risks until such securities are converted into cash.
Redemption or transfer requests will not be honored until the Transfer Agent receives all required
documents in proper form. From time to time, the Transfer Agent, in its discretion, may waive certain of the requirements for redemptions
stated in this prospectus.
Options for Receiving Redemption Proceeds:
Payment Delays. Payment for redeemed shares is usually made within seven days after the Transfer Agent receives redemption instructions in proper form. For accounts registered in the name of a broker-dealer, payment will normally be forwarded to the broker-dealer within three business days. The Transfer Agent may delay processing redemption payments for recently purchased shares until the purchase payment has cleared. That delay may be as much as five business days from the date the shares were purchased. That delay may be avoided if you purchase shares by Federal Funds wire or certified check. Under unusual circumstances, the right to redeem shares or the payment of redemption proceeds may be delayed or suspended as permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
The Oppenheimer Exchange Privilege. You can exchange all or part of your Fund shares for shares of the same class of other Oppenheimer funds that offer the exchange privilege. For example, you can exchange Class A shares of the Fund only for Class A shares of another fund. You can obtain a list of the Oppenheimer funds that are currently available for exchanges by calling a service representative at the telephone number on the back of this prospectus. The funds available for exchange can change from time to time. The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege at any time. You will receive 60 days' notice of any material change in the exchange privilege unless applicable law allows otherwise.
The OppenheimerFunds exchange privilege affords investors the ability to switch their investments among Oppenheimer funds if their investment needs change. However, there are limits on that privilege. Frequent purchases, redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares may interfere with the Sub-Adviser's ability to manage the Fund's investments efficiently, increase its transaction and administrative costs and/or affect its performance, depending on various factors, such as the size of the Fund, the nature of its investments, the amount of Fund assets a portfolio manager maintains in cash or cash equivalents, the aggregate dollar amount and the number and frequency of trades.
If large dollar amounts are involved in exchange or redemption transactions, the Fund might be required to sell portfolio securities at unfavorable times to meet those transaction requests, and the Fund's brokerage or administrative expenses might be increased. Therefore, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund's Board have adopted the following policies and procedures to detect and prevent frequent and/or excessive exchanges or purchase and redemption activity, while addressing the needs of investors who seek liquidity in their investment and the ability to exchange shares as their investment needs change. There is no guarantee that those policies and procedures, described below, will be sufficient to identify and deter all excessive short-term trading.
Limitations on Frequent Exchanges
30-Day Hold. If a direct shareholder exchanges shares of another Oppenheimer fund account for shares of the Fund, his or her Fund account will be "blocked" from exchanges into any other fund for a period of 30 calendar days from the date of the exchange, subject to certain exceptions described below. Likewise, if a Fund shareholder exchanges Fund shares for shares of another eligible Oppenheimer fund, that fund account will be "blocked" from further exchanges for 30 calendar days, subject to the exception described below. The block will apply to the full account balance and not just to the amount exchanged into the account. For example, if a shareholder exchanged $2,000 from one fund into another fund in which the shareholder already owned shares worth $10,000, then, following the exchange and assuming no exception applied, the full account balance ($12,000 in this example) would be blocked from exchanges into another fund for a period of 30 calendar days. A shareholder whose account is registered on the Fund's books showing the name, address and tax ID number of the beneficial owner is a "direct shareholder."
Exceptions to 30-Day Hold
Limitations on Exchanges in Omnibus Accounts. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial advisor or other firm such as a broker-dealer, a bank, an insurance company separate account, an investment adviser, an administrator or a trustee of a retirement plan that holds your shares in an account under its name (these are sometimes referred to as "omnibus" or "street name" accounts), that financial intermediary may impose its own restrictions or limitations to discourage short-term or excessive trading. You should consult your financial intermediary to find out what trading restrictions, including limitations on exchanges, may apply. The Fund, the Distributor, the Manager and the Transfer Agent encourage those financial intermediaries to apply the Fund's policies to their customers who invest indirectly in the Fund. However, the Transfer Agent may not be able to detect excessive short-term trading activity in accounts maintained in "omnibus" or "street name" form where the underlying beneficial owners are not identified. The Transfer Agent will attempt to monitor overall purchase and redemption activity in those accounts to seek to identify patterns that may suggest excessive trading by the underlying owners. If evidence of possible excessive trading activity is observed by the Transfer Agent, the financial intermediary that is the registered owner will be asked to review the account activity, and to confirm to the Transfer Agent and the Fund that appropriate action has been taken to curtail any excessive trading activity.
Other Limitations on Exchanges. There are a number of other special conditions and limitations that apply to certain types of exchanges. Those conditions and circumstances are described in the section "How to Exchange Shares" in the Statement of Additional Information. For information about sales charges that may apply to exchanges of shares see the sections "Contingent Deferred Sales Charge" and "Sales Charge Waivers" in this prospectus.
Requirements for Exchanges of Shares. To exchange shares of the Fund, you must meet several conditions. The Fund may amend the following requirements at any time:
Timing of Exchange Transactions. Exchanged shares are normally redeemed from one fund and the proceeds are reinvested in the fund selected for exchange on the same regular business day on which the Transfer Agent or its agent (such as a financial intermediary holding the investor's shares in an "omnibus" or "street name" account) receives an exchange request that conforms to these policies. The request must be received by the close of the NYSE that day in order to receive that day's net asset value on the exchanged shares. For requests received after the close of the NYSE the shares being exchanged will be valued at the next net asset value calculated after the request is received. The Transfer Agent may delay transmitting the proceeds from an exchange for up to five business days, however, if it determines, in its discretion, that an earlier transmittal of the redemption proceeds would be detrimental to either the fund from which shares are being exchanged or the fund into which the exchange is being made. The exchange proceeds will be invested in the new fund at the next net asset value calculated after the proceeds are received. In the event that a delay in the reinvestment of proceeds occurs, the Transfer Agent will notify you or your financial intermediary.
Taxes on Exchanges. For tax purposes, an exchange of shares of the Fund is considered a sale of those shares and a purchase of the shares of the fund into which you are exchanging. Therefore, an exchange may result in a capital gain or loss for tax purposes.
Other Limits on Share Transactions. The Fund may impose other limits on transactions that it believes would be disruptive and may refuse any purchase or exchange order.
Submitting Share Transaction Requests. Share transactions may be requested by telephone or internet, in writing, through your financial intermediary, or by establishing one of the Investor Services plans described below. Certain transactions may also be submitted by fax. If an account has more than one owner, the Fund and the Transfer Agent may rely on instructions from any one owner or from the financial intermediary's representative of record for the account, unless that authority has been revoked. Class Y and Class I share transactions may only be submitted in writing, by fax, by phone through a service representative, or through an investor's designated financial intermediary.
Internet and Telephone Transaction Requests. Purchase, redemption and exchange requests may be submitted on the OppenheimerFunds website, www.oppenheimerfunds.com. Those requests may also be made by calling the telephone number on the back cover and either speaking to a service representative or accessing PhoneLink, the OppenheimerFunds automated telephone system that enables shareholders to perform certain account transactions automatically using a touch-tone phone.
You will need to obtain a user I.D. and password to execute transactions through PhoneLink or on the internet. Some internet and telephone transactions require the Oppenheimer AccountLink feature, described below, that links your Fund account with an account at a U.S. bank or other financial institution. The Transfer Agent will record any telephone calls to verify data concerning transactions.
The following policies apply to internet and telephone transactions:
The Transfer Agent has adopted procedures to confirm that telephone and internet instructions are genuine. Callers are required to provide service representatives with tax identification numbers and other account data and PhoneLink and internet users are required to use PIN numbers. The Transfer Agent will also send you written confirmations of share transactions. The Transfer Agent and the Fund will not be liable for losses or expenses that occur from telephone or internet instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Telephone or internet transaction privileges may be modified, suspended or terminated by the Fund at any time. The Fund will provide you notice of such changes whenever it is required to do so by applicable law.
Purchases and Redemptions by Federal Funds Wire. Shares purchased through the Distributor may be paid for by Federal Funds wire. Redemption proceeds may also be transmitted by wire. The minimum wire purchase or redemption is $2,500. There is a $10 fee for each wire redemption request. Before sending a wire purchase, call the Distributor's Wire Department at 1.800.225.5677 to notify the Distributor of the wire and to receive further instructions. To set up wire redemptions on your account or to arrange for a wire redemption, call the Transfer Agent at the telephone number on the back of this prospectus for information.
Written Transaction Requests. You can send purchase, exchange or redemption requests to the Transfer Agent at the address on the back cover. Your request must include:
Certain Requests Require a Signature Guarantee. To protect you and the Fund from fraud, certain redemption requests must be in writing and must include a signature guarantee. A notary public seal will not be accepted for these requests (other situations might also require a signature guarantee):
Where Can You Have Your Signature Guaranteed? The Transfer Agent will accept a signature guarantee from a number of financial institutions, including:
Fax Requests. You may send requests for certain types of account transactions to the Transfer Agent by fax. Please call the number on the back of this prospectus for information about which transactions may be handled this way. Transaction requests submitted by fax are subject to the same rules and restrictions as the written, telephone and internet requests described in this prospectus. However, requests that require a signature guarantee may not be submitted by fax.
Submitting Transaction Requests Through Your Financial Intermediary. You can submit purchase, redemption or exchange requests through any broker, dealer or other financial intermediary that has a special agreement with the Distributor. The broker, dealer or other intermediary will place the order with the Distributor on your behalf. A broker or dealer may charge a processing fee for that service. If your shares are held in the name of your financial intermediary, you must redeem them through that intermediary.
Intermediaries that perform account transactions for their clients by participating in "Networking" through the National Securities Clearing Corporation are responsible for obtaining their clients' permission to perform those transactions, and are responsible to their clients who are shareholders of the Fund if the intermediary performs any transaction erroneously or improperly.
Client Account Exchanges by Financial Intermediaries. The Fund and the Transfer Agent permit brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries to submit exchange requests on behalf of their customers, unless that authority has been revoked. The Fund or the Transfer Agent may limit or refuse exchange requests submitted by such financial intermediaries if, in the Transfer Agent's judgment, exercised in its discretion, the exchanges would be disruptive to any of the funds involved in the transaction.
Investment Plans and Services
AccountLink. You can use our AccountLink feature to link your Fund account with an account at a U.S. bank or other financial institution that is an Automated Clearing House (ACH) member. AccountLink lets you:
AccountLink privileges should be requested on your account application or on your broker-dealer's settlement instructions if you buy your shares through a broker-dealer. For an established account, you can request AccountLink privileges by sending signature-guaranteed instructions and proper documentation to the Transfer Agent. AccountLink privileges will apply to each shareholder listed in the registration on the account as well as to the financial intermediary's representative of record unless and until the Transfer Agent terminates or receives written instructions terminating or changing those privileges. After you establish AccountLink for your account, any change you make to your bank account information must be made by signature-guaranteed instructions to the Transfer Agent signed by all shareholders on the account. Please call the Transfer Agent for more information.
Asset Builder Plans. Under an Asset Builder Plan, you may purchase shares of the Fund automatically. An Asset Builder Plan is available only if you have established AccountLink with a bank or other financial institution. Payments to purchase Fund shares will be debited from your linked account.
To establish an Asset Builder Plan at the time you initially purchase Fund shares, complete the "Asset Builder Plan" information on the account application. To add an Asset Builder Plan to an existing account, use the Asset Builder Enrollment Form. You may change the amount of your Asset Builder payment or you can terminate your automatic investments at any time by writing to the Transfer Agent.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Any Class B share purchases for existing accounts will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund.
The Transfer Agent may require a reasonable period after receipt of your instructions to implement any requested changes. For more details, see the account application, the Asset Builder Enrollment Form and the Statement of Additional Information. Those documents are available by contacting the Distributor or may be downloaded from our website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com. The Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering Asset Builder Plans at any time without prior notice.
Automatic Redemption and Exchange Plans. The Fund has several plans that enable you to redeem shares automatically or exchange them for shares of another Oppenheimer fund on a regular basis. Please call the Transfer Agent or consult the Statement of Additional Information for details.
Retirement Plans. The Distributor offers a number of different retirement plans that individuals and employers can use. The procedures for buying, selling, exchanging and transferring shares, and the account features applicable to share classes offered to individual retirement plans and other account types, generally do not apply to shares offered through a group retirement plan. Purchase, redemption, exchange and transfer requests for a group retirement plan must generally be submitted by the plan administrator, not by plan participants. However, the time that transaction requests must be received in order to purchase, redeem or exchange shares at the net asset value calculated on any business day is the same for all share classes and plan types. The types of retirement plans that the Distributor offers include:
Retirement plans that hold shares of Oppenheimer funds in an omnibus account for the benefit of plan participants (other than OppenheimerFunds-sponsored Single DB Plus plans) are not permitted to make initial purchases of Class A shares that would be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.
Effective July 1, 2008, Class B shares were no longer offered to new qualified retirement plans or to non-qualified deferred compensation plans. Effective July 1, 2011, Class B shares held in those plans were converted to Class A shares, or to another share class selected by the plan sponsor. Existing OppenheimerFunds Single K plans are not currently affected by that change. Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for any new purchases. Any investments for existing Class B share retirement accounts received after June 29, 2012 will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund.
Class I shares are only available to plans that make an initial investment of $5 million or more (per account) or to retirement plan service provider platforms.
Retirement Plan Accounts. To open an OppenheimerFunds retirement plan account, please call the Distributor for retirement plan documents, which include applications and important plan information.
Less Paper, Less Waste. To avoid sending duplicate copies of Fund materials to households, the Fund will mail only one copy of each prospectus, annual and semi-annual report and annual notice of the Fund's privacy policy to shareholders having the same last name and address on the Fund's records. The consolidation of these mailings, called "householding," benefits the Fund through lower printing costs and reduced mailing expense.
If you prefer to receive multiple copies of these materials, you may call the Transfer Agent at the number on the back of this prospectus or you may notify the Transfer Agent in writing. Multiple copies of prospectuses, reports and privacy notices will be sent to you commencing within 30 days after the Transfer Agent receives your request to stop householding.
You may also choose to receive your account documents electronically via eDocs Direct. Visit our website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com and click the hyperlink "Sign Up for Electronic Document Delivery" under the heading "I want to..." in the left hand column, or call 1.888.470.0862 for information and instructions.
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE (12b-1) PLANS
Service Plan for Class A Shares. The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares that reimburses the Distributor for a portion of the costs of maintaining accounts and providing services to Class A shareholders. Reimbursement is made periodically at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Class A shares daily net assets. The Distributor currently uses all of those fees to pay brokers, dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries for providing personal service and maintaining the accounts of their customers that hold Class A shares. Any unreimbursed expenses the Distributor incurs with respect to Class A shares in any fiscal year cannot be recovered in subsequent periods. Because the service fee is paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time it will increase the cost of your investment.
Distribution and Service Plans for Class B, Class C and Class N Shares. The Fund has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class B, Class C and Class N shares to pay the Distributor for distributing those share classes, maintaining accounts and providing shareholder services. Under the plans, the Fund pays the Distributor an asset-based sales charge for Class B and Class C shares calculated at an annual rate of 0.75% of the daily net assets of those classes and for Class N shares calculated at 0.25% of the daily net assets of that class. The Fund also pays a service fee under the plans at an annual rate of 0.25% of the daily net assets of Class B, Class C and Class N shares. Altogether, these fees increase the Class B and Class C shares annual expenses by 1.00% and increase the Class N shares annual expenses by 0.50%, calculated on the daily net assets of the applicable class. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time they will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.
Use of Plan Fees: The Distributor uses the service fees to compensate brokers, dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries for maintaining accounts and providing personal services to Class B, Class C or Class N shareholders in the applicable share class. The Distributor normally pays intermediaries the 0.25% service fee in advance for the first year after shares are purchased and then pays that fee periodically.
Class B Shares: The Distributor currently pays a sales concession of 3.75% of the purchase price of Class B shares to dealers from its own resources at the time of sale. Including the advance of the service fee, the total amount paid by the Distributor to the dealer at the time of sale of Class B shares is therefore 4.00% of the purchase price. The Distributor normally retains the Class B shares asset-based sales charge. However, for ongoing purchases of Class B shares by OppenheimerFunds Single K plans, the Distributor may pay the intermediary the asset-based sales charge and service fee during the first year after purchase instead of paying a sales concession and the first year's service fees at the time of purchase. See the Statement of Additional Information for exceptions.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. Any investments for existing Class B share accounts will be made in Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund. No sales concessions will be paid on those purchases, however a concession may be paid if the acquired Oppenheimer Money Market Fund shares are exchanged for shares of another Oppenheimer fund.
Class C Shares: At the time of a Class C share purchase, the Distributor generally pays financial intermediaries a sales concession of 0.75% of the purchase price from its own resources. Therefore, the total amount, including the advance of the service fee, that the Distributor pays the intermediary at the time of a Class C share purchase is 1.00% of the purchase price. The Distributor normally retains the asset-based sales charge on Class C share purchases during the first year and then pays that fee to the intermediary as an ongoing concession. For Class C share purchases in certain omnibus group retirement plans, the Distributor pays the intermediary the asset-based sales charge during the first year instead of paying a sales concession at the time of purchase. The Distributor pays the service fees it receives on those shares to the intermediary for providing shareholder services to those accounts. See the Statement of Additional Information for exceptions to these arrangements.
Class N Shares: At the time of a Class N share purchase, the Distributor generally pays financial intermediaries a sales concession of 0.75% of the purchase price from its own resources. Therefore, the total amount, including the advance of the service fee, that the Distributor pays the intermediary at the time of a Class N share purchase is 1.00% of the purchase price. The Distributor normally retains the asset-based sales charge on Class N shares. For Class N shares purchased in certain omnibus group retirement plans the Distributor may pay the intermediary the asset-based sales charge and service fee during the first year instead of paying a sales concession and the first year's service fees at the time of purchase. See the Statement of Additional Information for exceptions to these arrangements.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries and Service Providers. The Sub-Adviser and the Distributor, in their discretion, may also make payments to brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries or to service providers for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities. Those payments are made out of the Sub-Adviser's and/or the Distributor's own resources and/or assets, including from the revenues or profits derived from the advisory fees the Sub-Adviser receives from the Fund. Those cash payments, which may be substantial, are paid to many firms having business relationships with the Sub-Adviser and Distributor and are in addition to any distribution fees, servicing fees, or transfer agency fees paid directly or indirectly by the Fund to these financial intermediaries and any commissions the Distributor pays to these firms out of the sales charges paid by investors. The Fund does not pay any commission payments, account servicing fees, recordkeeping fees, 12b-1 fees, transfer agent fees, so called "finders fees," administrative fees or other similar fees with respect to Class I shares and the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor do not normally make payments out of their own resources and/or assets, with respect to that share class. Payments by the Sub-Adviser or Distributor from their own resources are not reflected in the tables in the "Fees and Expenses of the Fund" section of this prospectus because they are not paid by the Fund.
The financial intermediaries that may receive those payments include firms that offer and sell Fund
shares to their clients, or provide shareholder services to the Fund, or both, and receive compensation for those activities. The
financial intermediaries that may receive payments include your securities broker, dealer or financial advisor, sponsors of fund
"supermarkets," sponsors of fee-based advisory or wrap fee programs, sponsors of college and retirement savings programs, banks,
trust companies and other intermediaries offering products that hold Fund shares, and insurance companies that offer variable annuity
or variable life insurance products.
In general, these payments to financial intermediaries can be categorized as "distribution-related" or "servicing" payments. Payments
for distribution-related expenses, such as marketing or promotional expenses, are often referred to as "revenue sharing." Revenue
sharing payments may be made on the basis of the sales of shares attributable to that intermediary, the average net assets of the
Fund and other Oppenheimer funds attributable to the accounts of that intermediary and its clients, negotiated lump sum payments
for distribution services provided, or similar fees. In some circumstances, revenue sharing payments may create an incentive for
a financial intermediary or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds to its customers.
These payments also may give an intermediary an incentive to cooperate with the Distributor's marketing efforts. A revenue sharing
payment may, for example, qualify the Fund for preferred status with the intermediary receiving the payment or provide representatives
of the Distributor with access to representatives of the intermediary's sales force, in some cases on a preferential basis over
funds of competitors. Additionally, as firm support, the Sub-Adviser or Distributor may reimburse expenses related to educational
seminars and "due diligence" or training meetings (to the extent permitted by applicable laws or the rules of the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority ("FINRA")) designed to increase sales representatives' awareness about Oppenheimer funds, including travel
and lodging expenditures. However, the Sub-Adviser does not consider a financial intermediary's sale of shares of the Fund or other
Oppenheimer funds when selecting brokers or dealers to effect portfolio transactions for the funds.
Various factors are used to determine whether to make revenue sharing payments. Possible considerations include, without limitation,
the types of services provided by the intermediary, sales of Fund shares, the redemption rates on accounts of clients of the intermediary
or overall asset levels of Oppenheimer funds held for or by clients of the intermediary, the willingness of the intermediary to
allow the Distributor to provide educational and training support for the intermediary's sales personnel relating to the Oppenheimer
funds, the availability of the Oppenheimer funds on the intermediary's sales system, as well as the overall quality of the services
provided by the intermediary and the Sub-Adviser or Distributor's relationship with the intermediary. The Sub-Adviser and Distributor
have adopted guidelines for assessing and implementing each prospective revenue sharing arrangement. To the extent that financial
intermediaries receiving distribution-related payments from the Sub-Adviser or Distributor sell more shares of the Oppenheimer
funds or retain more shares of the funds in their client accounts, the Sub-Adviser and Distributor benefit from the incremental
management and other fees they receive with respect to those assets.
Payments may also be made by the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor or the Transfer Agent to financial intermediaries to compensate or
reimburse them for administrative or other client services provided such as sub-transfer agency services for shareholders or retirement
plan participants, omnibus accounting or sub-accounting, participation in networking arrangements, account set-up, recordkeeping
and other shareholder services. Payments may also be made for administrative services related to the distribution of Fund shares
through the intermediary. Firms that may receive servicing fees include retirement plan administrators, qualified tuition program
sponsors, banks and trust companies, and insurance companies that offer variable annuity or variable life insurance products, and
others. These fees may be used by the service provider to offset or reduce fees that would otherwise be paid directly to them by
certain account holders, such as retirement plans.
The Statement of Additional Information contains more information about revenue sharing and service payments made by the Sub-Adviser
or the Distributor. Your broker, dealer or other financial intermediary may charge you fees or commissions in addition to those
disclosed in this prospectus. You should ask your financial intermediary for details about any such payments it receives from the
Sub-Adviser or the Distributor and their affiliates, or any other fees or expenses it charges.
Dividends, Capital Gains and Taxes
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS. The Fund intends to declare dividends from its net investment income on each regular business day and to pay them monthly. The Fund may also realize capital gains on the sale of portfolio securities, in which case it may make distributions out of any net short-term or long-term capital gains annually. The Fund may also make supplemental distributions of dividends and capital gains following the end of its fiscal year. The Fund has no fixed dividend rate and cannot guarantee that it will pay any dividends or capital gains distributions in a particular year.
Dividends and distributions are paid separately for each share class. The dividend distributions paid on Class A, Class Y and Class I shares will generally be higher than those on Class B, Class C and Class N shares, since those classes normally have higher expenses than Class A, Class Y and Class I.
Options for Receiving Dividends and Distributions. When you open your Fund account, you can specify on your application how you want to receive distributions of dividends and capital gains. To change that option, you must notify the Transfer Agent. There are four payment options available:
Taxes. If your shares are not held in a tax-deferred retirement account, you should be aware of the following tax consequences of investing in the Fund. Fund distributions, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund or another Oppenheimer fund, are subject to Federal income tax and may be subject to state or local taxes. Distributions paid from short-term capital gains and net investment income are taxable as ordinary income (except as discussed below) and distributions from net long-term capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains no matter how long you have held your shares. After 2012, the maximum rate for individuals and certain other non-corporate taxpayers, applicable to long-term capital gains, is either 15% or 20%, depending on whether income exceeds certain threshold amounts.
Certain dividends (including certain dividends from foreign corporations) may be taxable at the lower rate applicable to long-term capital gains. In the case of certain corporations, some dividends may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. To the extent the Fund's distributions are paid from these types of dividends, and provided certain other fund and shareholder level requirements are satisfied, the Fund's individual and non-corporate shareholders may be eligible to claim the reduced tax rate for the distributions and the Fund's corporate shareholders may be eligible to claim the dividends-received deduction.
The Fund may be subject to foreign income taxes on income or gains from foreign securities. If, at the end of the Fund's fiscal year more than 50% of the Fund's assets are invested in foreign securities, the Fund may make an election which would generally allow shareholders to take a credit or deduction for such foreign taxes on their Federal income tax returns, subject to applicable limitations. If the Fund makes this election, shareholders must include in their income their share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.
After the end of each calendar year the Fund will send you and the Internal Revenue Service statements showing the amount of any taxable distributions you received in the previous year and will separately identify any portion of these distributions that qualify for taxation as long-term capital gains or for any other special tax treatment.
The Fund has qualified and intends to qualify each year to be taxed as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code by satisfying certain income, asset diversification and income distribution requirements, but reserves the right not to so qualify. In each year that it qualifies as a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be subject to federal income taxes on its income that it distributes to shareholders.
If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States, or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund's ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gains) generally will be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower rate applies under an income tax treaty. For taxable years of the Fund beginning before 2014, certain distributions that may be reported by the Fund as arising from Qualified Interest Income and Qualified Short-term Capital Gains (if applicable) and paid to a foreign shareholder may be eligible for an exemption from U.S. withholding tax. To the extent the Fund's distributions are derived from ordinary dividends, they will not be eligible for this exemption. In addition, subject to further guidance, under legislation known as "FATCA" (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund will be required to withhold 30% of the ordinary dividends it pays after December 31, 2013, and the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gains it pays after December 31, 2016, to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.
Backup Withholding. Unless an exception applies, the Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on distributions and redemption proceeds payable to you if you fail to provide the Fund with your correct social security number or taxpayer identification number or fail to make required certifications, or if you have been notified by the IRS that you are subject to backup withholding. Any amounts withheld may be credited against U.S. federal income tax liability.
Avoid "Buying a Distribution." If you buy shares of the Fund before it makes a distribution, the distribution will generally be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment. You should consider whether you should purchase shares on or just before the ex-dividend date.
Remember, There May be Taxes on Transactions. Because the prices of the Fund's shares fluctuate, you may have a capital gain or capital loss when you sell the shares or exchange them for shares of a different fund. The amount of such gain or loss is generally an amount equal to the difference between the price you paid for the shares and the amount received. Your ability to utilize capital losses may be subject to applicable limitations.
Returns of Capital Can Occur. In certain cases, distributions made by the Fund may be considered a return of capital to shareholders, which is generally non-taxable. The Fund will notify you if this occurs. In such a case, you would need to reduce the cost of your shares for tax purposes, which could result in a higher taxable capital gain (or lower capital loss) on a subsequent sale or exchange of the shares. Any such distribution in excess of your cost basis in your shares will be treated as capital gain.
Cost Basis Reporting. The Fund is required to report to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), and furnish to Fund shareholders, detailed "cost basis" and "holding period" information for Fund shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 ("covered shares") that are redeemed on or after that date. These requirements do not apply to investments through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement plan. If you redeem covered shares during any year, the Fund will report the following information to the IRS and to you on Form 1099-B: (i) the "cost basis" of such shares, (ii) the gross proceeds you received on the redemption and (iii) the "holding period" for the redeemed shares.
The default method for calculating the cost basis of covered shares is based on the average cost of all Fund shares you purchased on or after January 1, 2012 and prior to a particular redemption. If you and your financial or tax advisor determine another calculation method may be more beneficial for your individual tax situation, you may be able to elect another IRS-accepted method via the OppenheimerFunds website, www.oppenheimerfunds.com, or by notifying the Fund's Transfer Agent in writing.
You should contact your financial or tax advisor about the application of the cost basis reporting rules to you, particularly whether you should elect a cost basis calculation method or use the default average basis.
This information is only a summary of certain Federal income tax information about your investment. You are encouraged to consult your tax advisor about the effect of an investment in the Fund on your particular tax situation and about any changes to the applicable law that may occur from time to time. Additional information about the tax effects of investing in the Fund is contained in the Statement of Additional Information.
The Financial Highlights Table is presented to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five fiscal years. 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 KPMG LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm. KPMG's report, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the annual report, which is available upon request. The financial highlights for the fiscal year ended 2008 were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS |
Year Ended September 28, | Year Ended September 30, | |||||||||
Class A | 20121 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Per Share Operating Data | ||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.29 | $6.80 | $6.54 | $5.96 | $6.41 | |||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||||||||||
Net investment income2 | .25 | .25 | .26 | .22 | .26 | |||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | .33 | (.44) | .31 | .74 | (.23) | |||||
Total from investment operations | .58 | (.19) | .57 | .96 | .03 | |||||
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||||||||||
Dividends from net investment income | (.33) | (.26) | (.26) | (.33) | (.45) | |||||
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | (.06) | (.05) | (.05) | (.03) | |||||
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.33) | (.32) | (.31) | (.38) | (.48) | |||||
Net asset value, end of period | $6.54 | $6.29 | $6.80 | $6.54 | $5.96 | |||||
Total Return, at Net Asset Value3 | 9.58% | (2.88)% | 9.04% | 16.83% | (0.01)% | |||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $5,886,327 | $6,382,276 | $7,406,875 | $7,268,308 | $8,241,801 | |||||
Average net assets (in thousands) | $6,013,740 | $7,004,799 | $7,345,330 | $6,632,191 | $8,331,255 | |||||
Ratios to average net assets:4 | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 3.89% | 3.80% | 4.04% | 3.77% | 4.02% | |||||
Total expenses5 | 1.02% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.99% | 0.92% | |||||
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 1.02% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.91% | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% | 80% | 146% | 112% | 105% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
3. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
4. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
5. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Year Ended September 28, 2012 | 1.02% |
Year Ended September 30, 2011 | 0.98% |
Year Ended September 30, 2010 | 0.98% |
Year Ended September 30, 2009 | 1.00% |
Year Ended September 30, 2008 | 0.93% |
Year Ended September 28, | Year Ended September 30, | |||||||||
Class B | 20121 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Per Share Operating Data | ||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.27 | $6.78 | $6.52 | $5.94 | $6.39 | |||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||||||||||
Net investment income2 | .19 | .19 | .20 | .17 | .21 | |||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | .33 | (.44) | .31 | .74 | (.24) | |||||
Total from investment operations | .52 | (.25) | .51 | .91 | (.03) | |||||
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||||||||||
Dividends from net investment income | (.28) | (.20) | (.20) | (.28) | (.39) | |||||
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | (.06) | (.05) | (.05) | (.03) | |||||
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.28) | (.26) | (.25) | (.33) | (.42) | |||||
Net asset value, end of period | $6.51 | $6.27 | $6.78 | $6.52 | $5.94 | |||||
Total Return, at Net Asset Value3 | 8.50% | (3.74)% | 8.13% | 15.87% | (0.84)% | |||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $193,955 | $226,660 | $286,029 | $284,424 | $314,676 | |||||
Average net assets (in thousands) | $208,830 | $257,491 | $279,115 | $269,970 | $311,097 | |||||
Ratios to average net assets:4 | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 3.02% | 2.93% | 3.18% | 2.89% | 3.19% | |||||
Total expenses5 | 1.89% | 1.84% | 1.85% | 1.86% | 1.74% | |||||
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 1.89% | 1.84% | 1.85% | 1.85% | 1.73% | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% | 80% | 146% | 112% | 105% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
3. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
4. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
5. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Year Ended September 28, 2012 | 1.89% |
Year Ended September 30, 2011 | 1.84% |
Year Ended September 30, 2010 | 1.85% |
Year Ended September 30, 2009 | 1.87% |
Year Ended September 30, 2008 | 1.75% |
Year Ended September 28, | Year Ended September 30, | |||||||||
Class C | 20121 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Per Share Operating Data | ||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.27 | $6.78 | $6.52 | $5.94 | $6.39 | |||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||||||||||
Net investment income2 | .20 | .21 | .21 | .18 | .21 | |||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | .33 | (.45) | .31 | .74 | (.23) | |||||
Total from investment operations | .53 | (.24) | .52 | .92 | (.02) | |||||
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||||||||||
Dividends from net investment income | (.29) | (.21) | (.21) | (.29) | (.40) | |||||
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | (.06) | (.05) | (.05) | (.03) | |||||
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.29) | (.27) | (.26) | (.34) | (.43) | |||||
Net asset value, end of period | $6.51 | $6.27 | $6.78 | $6.52 | $5.94 | |||||
Total Return, at Net Asset Value3 | 8.69% | (3.58)% | 8.29% | 16.04% | (0.74)% | |||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $1,614,123 | $1,724,712 | $2,029,424 | $1,812,805 | $1,835,312 | |||||
Average net assets (in thousands) | $1,651,022 | $1,891,414 | $1,965,153 | $1,594,278 | $1,833,929 | |||||
Ratios to average net assets:4 | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 3.21% | 3.10% | 3.34% | 3.05% | 3.29% | |||||
Total expenses5 | 1.71% | 1.68% | 1.69% | 1.71% | 1.64% | |||||
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 1.71% | 1.68% | 1.69% | 1.70% | 1.63% | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% | 80% | 146% | 112% | 105% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
3. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
4. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
5. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Year Ended September 28, 2012 | 1.71% |
Year Ended September 30, 2011 | 1.68% |
Year Ended September 30, 2010 | 1.69% |
Year Ended September 30, 2009 | 1.72% |
Year Ended September 30, 2008 | 1.65% |
Year Ended september 28, | Year Ended September 30, | |||||||||
Class N | 20121 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Per Share Operating Data | ||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.28 | $6.79 | $6.52 | $5.95 | $6.40 | |||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||||||||||
Net investment income2 | .22 | .22 | .23 | .20 | .23 | |||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | .33 | (.44) | .32 | .72 | (.23) | |||||
Total from investment operations | .55 | (.22) | .55 | .92 | -- | |||||
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||||||||||
Dividends from net investment income | (.31) | (.23) | (.23) | (.30) | (.42) | |||||
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | (.06) | (.05) | (.05) | (.03) | |||||
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.31) | (.29) | (.28) | (.35) | (.45) | |||||
Net asset value, end of period | $6.52 | $6.28 | $6.79 | $6.52 | $5.95 | |||||
Total Return, at Net Asset Value3 | 9.01% | (3.28)% | 8.80% | 16.23% | (0.44)% | |||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $314,773 | $322,070 | $310,338 | $258,219 | $258,223 | |||||
Average net assets (in thousands) | $314,673 | $325,834 | $279,336 | $233,767 | $223,531 | |||||
Ratios to average net assets:4 | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 3.50% | 3.39% | 3.65% | 3.37% | 3.59% | |||||
Total expenses5 | 1.54% | 1.44% | 1.65% | 1.68% | 1.49% | |||||
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 1.41% | 1.38% | 1.38% | 1.38% | 1.34% | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% | 80% | 146% | 112% | 105% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
3. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
4. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
5. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Year Ended September 28, 2012 | 1.54% |
Year Ended September 30, 2011 | 1.44% |
Year Ended September 30, 2010 | 1.65% |
Year Ended September 30, 2009 | 1.69% |
Year Ended September 30, 2008 | 1.50% |
Year Ended September 28, | Year Ended September 30, | |||||||||
Class Y | 20121 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | |||||
Per Share Operating Data | ||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.29 | $6.80 | $6.54 | $5.96 | $6.41 | |||||
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||||||||||
Net investment income2 | .26 | .27 | .28 | .25 | .28 | |||||
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) | .33 | (.44) | .31 | .73 | (.23) | |||||
Total from investment operations | .59 | (.17) | .59 | .98 | .05 | |||||
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||||||||||
Dividends from net investment income | (.35) | (.28) | (.28) | (.35) | (.47) | |||||
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | (.06) | (.05) | (.05) | (.03) | |||||
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.35) | (.34) | (.33) | (.40) | (.50) | |||||
Net asset value, end of period | $6.53 | $6.29 | $6.80 | $6.54 | $5.96 | |||||
Total Return, at Net Asset Value3 | 9.71% | (2.64)% | 9.38% | 17.26% | 0.38% | |||||
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||||||||||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $4,736,285 | $4,084,001 | $3,388,175 | $1,890,729 | $1,372,959 | |||||
Average net assets (in thousands) | $4,446,720 | $3,861,749 | $2,732,256 | $1,317,017 | $ 932,774 | |||||
Ratios to average net assets:4 | ||||||||||
Net investment income | 4.16% | 4.04% | 4.38% | 4.16% | 4.39% | |||||
Total expenses5 | 0.75% | 0.74% | 0.67% | 0.62% | 0.55% | |||||
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 0.75% | 0.73% | 0.67% | 0.61% | 0.54% | |||||
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% | 80% | 146% | 112% | 105% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
3. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
4. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
5. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Year Ended September 28, 2012 | 0.75% |
Year Ended September 30, 2011 | 0.74% |
Year Ended September 30, 2010 | 0.67% |
Year Ended September 30, 2009 | 0.63% |
Year Ended September 30, 2008 | 0.56% |
Period Ended | ||
September 28, | ||
Class I | 20121,2 | |
Per Share Operating Data | ||
Net asset value, beginning of period | $6.36 | |
Income (loss) from investment operations: | ||
Net investment income3 | .18 | |
Net realized and unrealized gain | .18 | |
Total from investment operations | .36 | |
Dividends and/or distributions to shareholders: | ||
Dividends from net investment income | (.19) | |
Distributions from net realized gain | -- | |
Total dividends and/or distributions to shareholders | (.19) | |
Net asset value, end of period | $6.53 | |
Total Return, at Net Asset Value4 | 5.70% | |
Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||
Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $855 | |
Average net assets (in thousands) | $380 | |
Ratios to average net assets:5 | ||
Net investment income | 4.20% | |
Total expenses6 | 0.57% | |
Expenses after payments, waivers and/or reimbursements and reduction to custodian expenses | 0.57% | |
Portfolio turnover rate | 111% |
1. September 28, 2012 represents the last business day of the Fund's 2012 fiscal year. |
2. For the period from January 27, 2012 (inception of offering) to September 28, 2012. |
3. Per share amounts calculated based on the average shares outstanding during the period. |
4. Assumes an initial investment on the business day before the first day of the fiscal period, with all dividends and distributions reinvested in additional shares on the reinvestment date, and redemption at the net asset value calculated on the last business day of the fiscal period. Sales charges are not reflected in the total returns. Total returns are not annualized for periods less than one full year. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. |
5. Annualized for periods less than one full year. |
6. Total expenses including indirect expenses from affiliated fund were as follows: |
Period Ended September 28, 2012 | 0.57% |
INFORMATION AND SERVICES
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND ANNUAL AND SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS. The Fund's Statement of Additional Information and Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders provide additional information about the Fund's investments. The Annual Report includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year. The Fund's Statement of Additional Information and audited financial statements included in its most recent Annual Report dated September 30, 2012, including the notes thereto and report of the independent registered public accounting firm thereon, are incorporated by reference into (are legally considered part of) this prospectus.
How to Request More Information
You can request the above documents, the notice explaining the Fund's privacy policy, and other information about the Fund, without charge, by:
Telephone: | Call OppenheimerFunds Services toll-free: 1.800.CALL OPP (1.800.225.5677) | |
Mail: | Use the following address for regular mail: OppenheimerFunds Services P.O. Box 5270 Denver, Colorado 80217-5270 | |
Use the following address for courier or express mail: OppenheimerFunds Services 12100 East Iliff Avenue Suite 300 Aurora, Colorado 80014 | ||
Internet: | You may request documents, and read or download certain documents at www.oppenheimerfunds.com |
Information about the Fund including the Statement of Additional Information can be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1.202.551.8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Copies may be obtained after payment of a duplicating fee by electronic request at the SEC's e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
No one has been authorized to provide any information about the Fund or to make any representations about the Fund other than what is contained in this prospectus. This prospectus is not an offer to sell shares of the Fund, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy shares of the Fund, to any person in any state or other jurisdiction where it is unlawful to make such an offer.
The Fund's SEC File No.: 811-07255 SP0880.001.0113 |
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund
NYSE Ticker Symbols | |
Class A | OIBAX |
Class B | OIBBX |
Class C | OIBCX |
Class N | OIBNX |
Class Y | OIBYX |
Class I | OIBIX |
January 28, 2013
Statement of Additional Information
This document contains additional information about the Fund and supplements information in the Fund's
prospectus dated January 28, 2013 (the "Prospectus").
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. It should be read together with
the Prospectus. The Fund's financial statements are incorporated by reference into this SAI from its most recent Annual Report.
The Fund's Prospectus and most recent Annual Report may be obtained by writing to OppenheimerFunds Services, at P.O. Box 5270,
Denver, Colorado 80217, or by calling OppenheimerFunds Services at the toll-free number shown below, or by downloading
it from the OppenheimerFunds website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com.
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund
6803 South Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924
1.800.CALL OPP (225.5677)
To Summary Prospectus
Additional Information About the Fund's Investment Policies and Risks
OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. ("OFI Global"), the Fund's investment adviser, has retained OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (the "Sub-Adviser") to choose the Fund's investments and provide related advisory services to the Fund. The portfolio manager(s), who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio, is employed by the Sub-Adviser. In this Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), references to the "Manager" mean OFI Global and the Sub-Adviser unless the context indicates otherwise or unless otherwise specified. Additionally, references to "OppenheimerFunds" mean OppenheimerFunds, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
The investment objective, the principal investment policies and the principal risks of the Fund are described in the Prospectus. This SAI contains supplemental information about those policies and risks and the types of securities that the Fund's Sub-Adviser can select for the Fund. Additional information is also provided about the strategies that the Fund may use to try to achieve its investment objective.
The composition of the Fund's portfolio and the techniques and strategies that the Fund uses in selecting portfolio securities may vary over time. The Fund is not required to use all of the investment techniques and strategies described below in seeking its investment objective. It may use some of the investment techniques and strategies only at some times or it may not use them at all.
The Fund's Main Investment Policies
In selecting securities for the Fund's portfolio, the Sub-Adviser evaluates the merits of particular securities primarily through the exercise of its own investment analysis. For example, with respect to inflation-indexed government bonds, that process may include, among other things, evaluation of the government's economic and monetary policy, the country's economic condition, and current inflation and interest rates.
Debt Securities. The Fund can invest in a variety of debt securities to seek its objective. In general, debt securities may be subject to the risks described below. Foreign debt securities are also subject to the risks of foreign securities described in this SAI.
Credit Risk. Credit risk relates to the ability of the issuer to meet interest or principal payments or both as they become due. In general, lower-grade, higher-yield bonds are subject to credit risk to a greater extent than lower-yield, higher-quality bonds.
In making investments in debt securities, the Manager may rely to some extent on the ratings of ratings organizations or it may use its own research to evaluate a security's credit-worthiness. If securities the Fund buys are unrated, they may be assigned a rating by the Manager in categories similar to those of a rating organization.
The Fund does not have investment policies establishing specific maturity ranges for the Fund's investments, and they may be within any maturity range (short, medium or long) depending on the Manager's evaluation of investment opportunities available within the debt securities markets.
Lower-Grade Debt Securities. Lower-grade debt securities tend to offer higher yields than investment-grade securities, and may provide greater income or, in some cases, capital appreciation possibilities. Lower-grade debt securities are normally subject to greater risks than investment-grade securities.
Special Risks of Lower-Grade Securities. Lower-grade securities are subject to special credit risks including that:
To the extent they can be converted into stock, lower-grade convertible securities may be less subject to some risks of lower-grade non-convertible debt securities.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk refers to the fluctuations in value of fixed-income securities resulting from the inverse relationship between price and yield. For example, an increase in general interest rates will tend to reduce the market value of already-issued fixed-income investments, and a decline in general interest rates will tend to increase their value. In addition, debt securities with longer maturities, which tend to have higher yields, are subject to potentially greater fluctuations in value from changes in interest rates than obligations with shorter maturities.
Prepayment Risk. Certain fixed-income securities (in particular mortgage-related securities) are subject to the risk of unanticipated prepayment. That is the risk that when interest rates fall, the issuer will repay the security prior to the security's expected maturity, or with respect to certain fixed-income securities, that borrowers will prepay the loans that underlie these securities more quickly than expected, thereby causing the issuer of the security to repay the principal prior to the security's expected maturity. The Fund may need to reinvest the proceeds at a lower interest rate, reducing its income. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when prevailing interest rates fall. If the Fund buys those securities at a premium, accelerated prepayments on those securities could cause it to lose a portion of its principal investment represented by the premium. The impact of prepayments on the price of a security may be difficult to predict and may increase the security's price volatility. Interest-only and principal-only securities are especially sensitive to interest rate changes, which can affect not only their prices but can also change the income flows and prepayment assumptions about those investments.
Extension Risk. If interest rates rise rapidly, repayments of principal on certain debt securities may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. Those securities generally have a greater potential for loss when prevailing interest rates rise, which could cause their value to fall sharply.
Event Risk. If an issuer of debt securities is the subject of a buyout, debt restructuring, merger or recapitalization that increases its debt load, it could interfere with its ability to make timely payments of interest and principal and cause the value of its debt securities to fall.
Sovereign Debt. Sovereign debt securities include fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by governments, their agencies and instrumentalities, and issued by supranational entities such as the World Bank or the European Union. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards international lenders or agencies and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Although some sovereign debt, such as Brady Bonds, is collateralized by U.S. government securities, repayment of principal and interest is not guaranteed by the U.S. government. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and other entities to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve specified levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt.
Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling or restructuring of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. Restructuring arrangements have included, among other things, reducing and rescheduling interest and principal payments by negotiation, new or amended credit agreements or converting outstanding principal and unpaid interest to Brady Bonds, and obtaining new credit for finance interest payments. There can be no assurance that the foreign sovereign debt securities in which a Fund may invest will not be subject to similar restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit which may adversely affect the Fund's holdings. Furthermore, certain participants in the secondary market for such debt may be directly involved in negotiating the terms of these arrangements and may therefore have access to information not available to other market participants. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be limited or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt. A restructuring or default of sovereign debt may also cause additional impacts to the financial markets, such as downgrades to credit ratings, a flight to quality debt instruments, disruptions in common trading markets or unions, reduced liquidity, increased volatility, and heightened financial sector, foreign securities and currency risk, among others.
Mortgage-Related U.S. Government Securities. A variety of mortgage-related securities are issued by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. Like other mortgage-related securities, they may be issued in different series with different interest rates and maturities. The collateral for these securities may be either in the form of mortgage pass-through certificates issued or guaranteed by a U.S. government agency or instrumentality or mortgage loans insured by a U.S. government agency.
Some mortgage-related securities issued by U.S. government agencies, such as Government National Mortgage Association pass-through mortgage obligations ("Ginnie Maes"), are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Others are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances (for example, "Fannie Mae" bonds issued by Federal National Mortgage Association and "Freddie Mac" obligations issued by Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation). Others are supported only by the credit of the entity that issued them (for example obligations issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks).
In September 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency placed the Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation into conservatorship. The U.S. Department of the Treasury also entered into a secured lending credit facility with those companies and a preferred stock purchase agreement. Under the preferred stock purchase agreement, the U.S. Treasury will ensure that each company maintains a positive net worth.
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Collateralized mortgage obligations or "CMOs" are multi-class bonds that are backed by pools of mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through certificates. They may be collateralized by:
Each class of CMO, referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on the underlying mortgages may cause the CMO to be retired much earlier than the stated maturity or final distribution date. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in different ways. One or more tranches may have coupon rates that reset periodically at a specified increase over an index. These are floating rate CMOs, and typically have a cap on the coupon rate. Inverse floating rate CMOs have a coupon rate that moves in the reverse direction to an applicable index. The coupon rate on these CMOs will increase as general interest rates decrease. These are usually much more volatile than fixed-rate CMOs or floating rate CMOs.
Privately-Issued Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities. Commercial mortgage-related securities issued by private entities are generally multi-class debt or pass-through certificates secured by mortgage loans on commercial properties. They are subject to the credit risks of the issuer and of the underlying loans. These securities typically are structured to provide protection to investors in senior classes by having holders of subordinated classes take the first loss if there are defaults on the underlying loans. They may also be protected to some extent by guarantees, reserve funds or additional collateralization mechanisms.
"Stripped" Mortgage-Related Securities. The Fund may invest in stripped mortgage-related securities that are created by segregating the cash flows from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more new securities. Each has a specified percentage of the underlying security's principal or interest payments. These are a form of derivative investment.
Mortgage securities may be partially stripped so that each class receives some interest and some principal. However, they may be completely stripped. In that case all of the interest is distributed to holders of one type of security, known as an "interest-only" security, or "I/O," and all of the principal is distributed to holders of another type of security, known as a "principal-only" security or "P/O." Strips can be created for pass-through certificates or CMOs.
The yields to maturity of I/Os and P/Os are very sensitive to principal repayments (including prepayments) on the underlying mortgages. If the underlying mortgages experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund might not fully recoup its investment in an I/O based on those assets. If underlying mortgages experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on the P/Os based on them could decline substantially. The market for some of these securities may be limited, making it difficult for the Fund to dispose of its holdings at an acceptable price.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities are fractional interests in pools of loans, receivables or other assets, typically accounts receivable or consumer loans. They are issued by trusts or special-purpose vehicles and are backed by the loans, receivables or other assets that make up the pool. The income from the pool is passed through to the investor in the asset-backed security. These securities are subject to the risk of default by the issuer as well as by the borrowers of the underlying loans in the pool and may also be subject to prepayment and extension risks. The pools may offer a credit enhancement, such as a bank letter of credit, to try to reduce the risks that the underlying debtors will not pay their obligations when due. However, the enhancement, if any, might not be for the full par value of the security. If the enhancement is exhausted and any required payments of interest or repayments of principal are not made, a holder could suffer losses on its investment or delays in receiving payment.
The value of an asset-backed security is affected by changes in the market's perception of the assets backing the security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the loan pool, the originator of the loans, or the financial institution providing any credit enhancement, and is also affected if any credit enhancement has been exhausted. The risks of investing in asset-backed securities are ultimately related to payment of the underlying loans by the individual borrowers. A purchaser of an asset-backed security would generally have no recourse to the entity that originated the loans in the event of default by a borrower. The underlying loans may be subject to prepayments, which may shorten the weighted average life of asset-backed securities and may lower their return, in the same manner as in the case of mortgage-related securities.
Participation Interests in Loans. A participation interest is an undivided interest in a loan made by the issuing financial institution in the proportion that the buyer's participation interest bears to the total principal amount of the loan. The issuing financial institution may have no obligation to the purchasers other than to pay them the proportionate amount of the principal and interest payments they receive.
Participation interests are primarily dependent upon the creditworthiness of the borrowing corporation, which is obligated to make payments of principal and interest on the loan. There is a risk that a borrower may have difficulty making payments. If a borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal payments, the income may be reduced and the value of that participation interest might also decline. If the issuing financial institution fails to perform its obligations under the participation agreement, purchasers might incur costs and delays in realizing payment and suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. Participation interests are generally illiquid and are subject to restrictions on illiquid securities.
Foreign Investing. The Fund expects to have substantial investments in foreign securities. Foreign securities include equity and debt securities of issuers organized under the laws of countries other than the United States and debt securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or by supra-national entities such as the World Bank, or by their agencies or instrumentalities. "Foreign securities" also include securities of companies that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from foreign businesses, investments or sales, or that have a significant portion of their assets abroad, even if those companies are located in the United States or organized under U.S. laws. Foreign securities may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in the foreign over-the-counter markets.
Investing in foreign securities offers potential benefits that are not available from investing only in the securities of U.S. issuers. Those benefits include the opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that may offer growth potential, or to invest in countries with economic, business or market cycles that differ from those of the U.S.
The percentage of the Fund's assets that are allocated to issuers in a particular foreign country may vary over time depending on a number of factors including, for example: a country's balance of payments, growth of gross national product, natural resources, reliance on a particular industry or industries, rate of inflation, interest rates, economic self-sufficiency, rate of capital reinvestment, market conditions, currency value, international trading patterns, trade barriers, diplomatic developments, and social and political factors.
Securities of foreign issuers that are represented by American Depository Receipts, or similar depository arrangements, or that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange or traded in the U.S. over-the-counter markets are not considered "foreign securities" for purposes of the Fund's investment allocations, because they are not subject to many of the special considerations and risks that apply to foreign securities held and traded abroad.
Foreign Debt Obligations. The Fund may buy debt obligations of foreign governments and corporations. These securities may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the foreign government. The Fund may buy securities issued by certain supra-national entities, which include entities designated or supported by governments to promote economic reconstruction or development, international banking organizations and related government agencies. Examples are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (commonly called the "World Bank"), the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
The governmental members of these supra-national entities are "stockholders" that typically make capital contributions and may be committed to make additional capital contributions if the entity is unable to repay its borrowings. A supra-national entity's lending activities may be limited to a percentage of its total capital, reserves and net income. There can be no assurance that the constituent foreign governments will continue to be able or willing to honor their capitalization commitments for those entities.
The Fund can invest in U.S. dollar-denominated "Brady Bonds." These foreign debt obligations may be fixed-rate par bonds or floating-rate discount bonds. They are generally collateralized in full as to repayment of principal at maturity by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon obligations that have the same maturity as the Brady Bonds. Brady Bonds can be viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity. Those uncollateralized amounts constitute what is called the "residual risk."
If there is a default on collateralized Brady Bonds resulting in acceleration of the payment obligations of the issuer, the zero-coupon U.S. Treasury securities held as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors, nor will those obligations be sold to distribute the proceeds. The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds. The defaulted bonds will continue to remain outstanding, and the face amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments which would have then been due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. Because of the residual risk of Brady Bonds and the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds, Brady Bonds are considered speculative investments.
Risks of Foreign Investing. Investments in foreign securities present special risks and considerations not usually associated with investments in U.S. securities. Those may include:
In the past, government policies have discouraged investments in certain foreign countries through economic sanctions, trade restrictions, taxation or other government actions. It is possible that such policies could be implemented in the future.
Special Risks of Developing and Emerging Markets. Emerging and developing markets may offer special opportunities for investing but also have greater risks than more mature foreign markets. Emerging and developing market countries may be subject to greater political, social and economic instability; have high inflation rates; experience unfavorable diplomatic developments; have less liquid securities markets with greater price volatility; have additional delays in the settlement of securities transactions; impose exchange controls; impose differential taxes on foreign investors; have a higher possibility of confiscatory taxes or the expropriation of assets; impose restrictions on direct investments or investments in issuers in particular industries; and lack developed legal or regulatory systems.
Currency Risk. The Fund may purchase securities denominated in foreign currencies and in derivative instruments linked to foreign currencies. A change in the value of such foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a change in the U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in or derivatives linked to that foreign currency and a change in the amount of income the Fund has available for distribution. Because a portion of the Fund's investment income may be received in foreign currencies, the Fund will be required to compute its income in U.S. dollars for distribution to shareholders, and therefore the Fund will absorb the cost of currency fluctuations. After the Fund has distributed income, subsequent foreign currency losses may result in the Fund's having distributed more income in a particular fiscal period than was available from investment income, which could result in a return of capital to shareholders.
Eurozone Investment Risks. The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of most western European countries and a growing number of eastern European countries, each known as a member state. One of the key mandates of the EU is the establishment and administration of a common single market, consisting of, among other things, a single currency and a common trade policy. In order to pursue this goal, member states established the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), which sets out different stages and commitments that member states need to follow to achieve greater economic and monetary policy coordination, including the adoption of a single currency, the euro. Many member states have adopted the euro as their currency and, as a result, are subject to the monetary policies of the European Central Bank (ECB).
The global economic crisis that began in 2008 has caused severe financial difficulties for many EU countries, pushing some EU countries to the brink of insolvency and causing others to experience recession, large public debt, restructuring of government debt, credit rating downgrades and an overall weakening of banking and financial sectors. Recovery from the crisis has been challenged by high unemployment and budget deficits as well as by weaknesses in sovereign debt issued by Greece, Spain, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Italy and other EU countries. The sovereign debt of several of these countries has been downgraded in 2012 and many remain subject to further downgrades, which may have a negative effect on European and non-European banks that have significant exposure to sovereign debt. Since 2010, several countries, including Greece, Italy, Spain, the Republic of Ireland and Portugal, agreed to multi-year bailout loans from the ECB, the International Monetary Fund, and other institutions. To address budget deficits and public debt concerns, a number of European countries have imposed strict austerity measures and comprehensive financial and labor market reforms. In the wake of the crisis, EU countries will need to make economic and political decisions in order to restore economies to sustainable growth. While a number of initiatives have been instituted to strengthen regulation and supervision of financial markets in the EU, greater regulation is expected but the exact nature and effect of this regulation is still unknown.
Some EU countries may continue to be dependent on assistance from the ECB, the International Monetary Fund, or other governments and institutions. Such assistance could depend on a country's implementation of reforms or attainment of a certain level of performance. Failure by one or more EU countries to reach those objectives or an insufficient level of assistance could result in a deeper or prolonged economic downturn, which could have a significant adverse effect on the value of investments in European countries. By adopting the euro, a member country relinquishes control of its own monetary policies. As a result, European countries are significantly affected by fiscal and monetary controls implemented by the EMU and may be limited to some degree from implementing their own economic policies. The euro may not fully reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the various economies that comprise the EMU and Europe generally.
Additionally, it is possible that EMU member countries could voluntarily abandon the euro or involuntarily be forced out of the euro, including by way of a partial or complete dissolution of the monetary union. The effects of such outcomes on the rest of the Eurozone and global markets as a whole are unpredictable, but are likely to be negative, including adversely impacted market values of Eurozone and various other securities and currencies, redenomination of certain securities into less valuable local currencies, and more volatile and illiquid markets. Under such circumstances, investments denominated in euros or replacement currencies may be difficult to value, the ability to operate an investment strategy in connection with euro-denominated securities may be significantly impaired and the value of euro-denominated investments may decline significantly and unpredictably.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. Under U.S. tax laws, passive foreign investment companies ("PFICs") are those foreign corporations which generate primarily "passive" income. Passive income is defined as any income that is considered foreign personal holding company income under the Internal Revenue Code. For federal tax purposes, a foreign corporation is deemed to be a PFIC if 75% or more of its gross income during a fiscal year is passive income or if 50% or more of its assets are assets that produce, or are held to produce, passive income.
Foreign mutual funds are generally deemed to be PFICs, since nearly all of the income of a mutual fund is passive income. Foreign mutual funds investments may be used to gain exposure to the securities of companies in countries that limit or prohibit direct foreign investment; however investments in foreign mutual funds by the Fund are subject to limits under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Other types of foreign corporations may also be considered PFICs if their percentage of passive income or passive assets exceeds the limits described above. Federal tax laws impose severe tax penalties for failure to properly report investment income from PFICs. Although every effort is made to ensure compliance with federal tax reporting requirements for these investments, foreign corporations that are PFICs for federal tax purposes may not always be recognized as such.
Risks of Small- and Mid-Sized Companies. Small- and mid-sized companies may be either established or newer companies, including "unseasoned" companies that have been in operation for less than three years. While smaller companies might offer greater opportunities for gain than larger companies, they also may involve greater risk of loss. They may be more sensitive to changes in a company's earnings expectations and may experience more abrupt and erratic price movements. Smaller companies' securities often trade in lower volumes and in many instances, are traded over-the-counter or on a regional securities exchange, where the frequency and volume of trading is substantially less than is typical for securities of larger companies traded on national securities exchanges. Therefore, the securities of smaller companies may be subject to wider price fluctuations and it might be harder for the Fund to dispose of its holdings at an acceptable price when it wants to sell them. Small- and mid-sized companies may not have established markets for their products or services and may have fewer customers and product lines. They may have more limited access to financial resources and may not have the financial strength to sustain them through business downturns or adverse market conditions. Since small- and mid-sized companies typically reinvest a high proportion of their earnings in their business, they may not pay dividends for some time, particularly if they are newer companies. Smaller companies may have unseasoned management or less depth in management skill than larger, more established companies. They may be more reliant on the efforts of particular members of their management team and management changes may pose a greater risk to the success of the business. Securities of small, unseasoned companies may be particularly volatile, especially in the short term, and may have very limited liquidity. It may take a substantial period of time to realize a gain on an investment in a small- or mid-sized company, if any gain is realized at all.
Derivatives and Hedging. Derivative instruments may be used for liquidity, for hedging purposes, to seek income or for other investment purposes. Some of the types of derivative instruments and hedging strategies the Fund may use are:
"Structured" Notes. "Structured" notes are specially-designed derivative debt instruments. The terms of the instrument may be "structured" by the purchaser and the issuer of the note. Payments of principal or interest on these notes may be linked to the value of an index (such as a currency or securities index), one or more securities, or a commodity or to the financial performance of one or more obligors. The value of these notes will normally rise or fall in response to the changes in the performance of the underlying security, index, commodity or obligor.
Structured notes are subject to interest rate risk and are also subject to credit risk with respect both to the issuer and, if applicable, to the underlying security or obligor. If the underlying investment or index does not perform as anticipated, the Fund might receive less interest than the stated coupon payment or receive less principal upon maturity of the structured note. The price of structured notes may be very volatile and they may have a limited trading market, making it difficult for the Fund to value them or sell them at an acceptable price. In some cases, the Fund may enter into agreements with an issuer of structured notes to purchase a minimum amount of these notes over time.
Swaps. A "swap" is a contract under which one party agrees to exchange an asset (for example, bushels of wheat) for another asset (cash) at a specified date or dates in the future. A one-period swap contract operates in a manner similar to a forward or futures contract because there is an agreement to swap an asset for cash at only one forward date. Swap transactions may also have more than one period and therefore more than one exchange of assets. If the term of a swap is for more than one period, the purchaser may make payments at an adjustable or "floating" rate. With a floating rate fee, the payments are based on a rate such as the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"), and are adjusted each period. If the LIBOR or other reference rate increased over the term of the swap, the fee would increase at each swap reset date.
Swap transactions with certain counterparties may be entered into pursuant to master netting agreements.
A master netting agreement provides that all swaps done between the parties shall be regarded as parts of an integral agreement.
On any date, the amounts payable to or from each party in respect to one or more swap transactions in the same currency will be
combined and the parties will receive or be obligated to pay the net amount. A master netting agreement may also provide that if
a party defaults on one swap, the other party can terminate all of the swaps with that counterparty. If there is a default resulting
in a loss to one party, the measure of that party's damages is calculated by reference to the average cost of a replacement swap
for each terminated swap (i.e., the mark-to-market value at the time of termination of each swap). The gains and losses on all
swaps are netted, and the result is the counterparty's gain or loss on termination. The termination of all swaps and the netting
of gains and losses on termination are generally referred to as "aggregation."
Interest Rate Swaps. In an interest rate swap, the Fund and another party exchange their rights to receive interest payments on a security or payments based on a reference rate. For example, they might swap the right to receive floating rate payments based on a reference rate such as "LIBOR" for the right to receive fixed rate payments.
Interest rate swaps entail both interest rate risk and credit risk. There is a risk that based on movements of interest rates, the payments made by the Fund under a swap agreement will be greater than the payments it receives. Credit risk is the risk that the counterparty might default. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund may lose the net amount of contractual interest payments that it has not yet received.
Total Return Swaps. In a total return swap transaction, one party agrees to pay
the other party an amount equal to the total return on a defined underlying asset, a customized basket of assets, or a non-asset
reference during a specified period of time. The Fund can enter into total return swaps to gain exposure to an overall market or
an asset. In a total return swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation (or depreciation) of an index, a portion of an index, an
asset or a customized bakset of assets in exchange for paying (or receiving) an agreed-upon fee.
Total return swaps can have the potential for unlimited losses. Total return swaps entail the risk that the counterparty might
default on the contract. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund may lose any contractual payments that the Fund is entitled to.
Total return swaps could result in losses if the underlying asset or reference does not perform as anticipated.
Credit Default Swaps. A credit default swap enables an investor to buy or sell protection against a credit event with respect to an issuer. Credit default swaps may be on a single issuer or on a basket of issuers. The purchaser of protection pays a fee during the life of the swap. Generally, if the Fund buys credit protection using a credit default swap, it will make fixed payments to the counterparty. If there is a credit event with respect to an issuer (bankruptcy, failure to timely pay interest or principal on its obligations, a restructuring or other specified occurrence) with respect to a credit default swap on which the Fund has purchased credit protection, the Fund will deliver the issuer's defaulted bonds and the swap counterparty will pay the par amount of the bonds. Alternatively, the credit default swap may be cash settled where the swap counterparty will pay the Fund the difference between the par value and the market value of the defaulted bonds. If the swap is on a basket of issuers, the notional amount of the swap is reduced by the amount represented by that issuer, and the fixed payments are then made on the reduced notional amount.
Selling credit protection in a credit default swap increases the exposure to the specific issuer. If the Fund sells credit protection using a credit default swap, generally the Fund will receive fixed payments from the counterparty, and if a credit event occurs with respect to the issuer, the swap counterparty will deliver the issuer's defaulted bonds and the Fund will pay the counterparty the par amount. Alternatively, the credit default swap may be cash settled where the Fund will pay the swap counterparty the difference between the par value and market value of the defaulted bonds. If the swap is on a basket of issuers, the notional amount of the swap is reduced by the amount represented by the issuer, and the fixed payments are then made on the reduced notional amount.
Credit default swaps are subject to credit risk of the underlying issuer and to counterparty credit risk. If the counterparty fails to meet its obligations, the Fund may lose money. Credit default swaps are also subject to the risk that the Fund will not properly assess the risk of the underlying issuer. If the Fund is selling credit protection, there is a risk that a credit event will occur and that the Fund will have to pay the counterparty. If the Fund is buying credit protection, there is a risk that no credit event will occur and the Fund will receive no benefit for the premium paid.
Volatility Swaps. The Fund may enter into types of volatility swaps to hedge the volatility of a particular security, currency, index or other financial instrument, or to seek to increase its investment return. In volatility swaps, counterparties agree to buy or sell volatility at a specific level over a fixed period. For example, to hedge the risk that the value of an asset held by the Fund may fluctuate significantly over the Fund's period of investment, the Fund might enter into a volatility swap pursuant to which it will receive a payment from the counterparty if the actual volatility of the asset over a specified time period is greater than a volatility rate agreed at the outset of the swap. Alternatively, if the Sub-Adviser believes that a particular security, currency, index or other financial instrument will demonstrate more (or less) volatility over a period than the market's general expectation, to seek to increase investment return the Fund might enter into a volatility swap pursuant to which it will receive a payment from the counterparty if the actual volatility of that underlying instrument over the period is more (or less) than the volatility rate agreed at the outset of the swap.
Volatility swaps are subject to credit risks (if the counterparty fails to meet its obligations), and the risk that the Sub-Adviser is incorrect in its forecast of volatility for the underlying security, currency, index or other financial instrument that is the subject of the swap. If the Sub-Adviser is incorrect in its forecast, the Fund would likely be required to make a payment to the counterparty under the swap.
Swaptions. A swaption is a contract that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an interest rate swap at a preset rate within a specified period of time. In return, the purchaser pays a "premium" to the seller of the contract. The seller of the contract receives the premium and bears the risk of unfavorable changes in the preset rate on the underlying interest rate swap.
Futures. The Fund can buy and sell futures contracts that relate to (1) broadly-based bond or stock indices (these are referred to as "financial futures"), (2) commodities (these are referred to as "commodity futures"), (3) debt securities (these are referred to as "interest rate futures"), and (4) foreign currencies (these are referred to as "forward contracts").
Stock Index Futures. A broadly-based stock index is used as the basis for trading stock index futures. In some cases an index may be based on stocks of issuers in a particular industry or group of industries. The buyer or seller of a stock index future is obligated to pay cash to settle the transaction, based on the fluctuation of the index's value in response to the changes in the relative values of the underlying stocks that are included in the index over the term of the contract. A stock index cannot be purchased or sold directly.
Bond Index Futures. Bond index futures are contracts based on the future value of a basket of fixed-income securities that comprise the index. The seller or buyer of a bond index future is obligated to pay cash to settle the transaction, based on the fluctuation of the index's value in response to the changes in the values of the fixed-income securities that are included in the index over the term of the contract. A bond index cannot be purchased or sold directly.
Interest Rate Futures. An interest rate future obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take) cash or a specified type of debt security to settle the futures transaction. Either party could also enter into an offsetting contract to close out the position.
Commodity Futures. Commodity futures may be based upon commodities within five main commodity groups: (1) energy, which includes crude oil, natural gas, gasoline and heating oil; (2) livestock, which includes cattle and hogs; (3) agriculture, which includes wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, coffee, sugar and cocoa; (4) industrial metals, which includes aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin and zinc; and (5) precious metals, which include gold, platinum and silver. The Fund can purchase and sell commodity futures contracts, options on futures contracts and options and futures on commodity indices with respect to these five main commodity groups and the individual commodities within each group, as well as other types of commodities.
Financial Futures. Financial futures are based on the value of the basket of securities that comprise an index. These contracts obligate the buyer or seller to pay cash to settle the futures transaction, based on the fluctuation of the index's value in response to the change in the relative values of the underlying securities that are included in the index over the term of the contract. No delivery of the underlying securities is made to settle the futures contract. Either party may also settle the transaction by entering into an offsetting contract.
These futures transactions are effected through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded. No money is paid or received on the purchase or sale of a future. Upon entering into a futures transaction, the purchaser is required to deposit an initial margin payment for the futures commission merchant (the "futures broker"). The initial margin payment will be deposited with the custodian bank in an account, registered in the futures broker's name, that the futures broker can gain access to only under specified conditions. As the future is marked-to-market (that is, its value on the books is changed to reflect changes in its market value), subsequent margin payments, called variation margin, will be paid to or from the futures broker daily.
At any time prior to expiration of the future, the purchaser may elect to close out its position, at which time a final determination of variation margin is made and any cash in the margin account must be paid or released. The purchase then realizes any loss or gain on the futures transaction for tax purposes.
Put and Call Options. Put options (sometimes referred to as "puts") give the holder the right to sell an asset for an agreed-upon price. Call options (sometimes referred to as "calls") give the holder the right to buy an asset at an agreed-upon price.
Selling Covered Call Options. If the Fund sells ("writes") a call option, it must be "covered." That means that while the call option is outstanding, the Fund must either own the security subject to the call, or, for certain types of call options, identify liquid assets on its books that would enable it to fulfill its obligations if the option were exercised.
A call option on a security is an agreement by the seller to sell an underlying security to the call purchaser at a fixed price (the "exercise price") regardless of changes in the market price of that security during a call period. Call options are sold for a cash payment (a premium). The exercise price is usually higher than the price of the security at the time the call is sold. The seller bears the risk that the price of the underlying security may increase during the call period, requiring it to sell the security for less than the market value at the time. That risk may be offset to some extent by the premium the seller receives. If the market value of the security does not rise above the exercise price during the call period, the call generally will not be exercised. In that case the seller realizes a profit from the cash premium it received. Any such profits earned by the Fund are considered short-term capital gains for federal income tax purposes and are taxable as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders.
A call on a securities index is also sold for a cash premium. If the buyer exercises an index call option, the seller is required to pay an amount equal to the difference between the market value of the index and the exercise price, multiplied by a specified factor. If the value of the underlying index does not rise above the call price, it is unlikely that the call will be exercised. In that case the seller would keep the cash premium without being obligated to make any payments to the purchaser of the call.
The Fund's custodian bank, or a securities depository acting for the custodian bank, may act through the Options Clearing Corporation as the escrow agent for securities that are subject to a call option the Fund has sold. The Options Clearing Corporation will only release those securities when the call option expires or when the Fund enters into a closing transaction. No margin is required for those transactions.
When the Fund sells an over-the-counter ("OTC") call option, it will typically enter into an arrangement with a securities dealer which will establish a formula price at which the Fund will have the absolute right to repurchase that OTC option. The formula price will generally be based on a multiple of the premium received for the option, plus the amount by which the option is exercisable below the market price of the underlying security (that is, the amount that the option is "in the money"). When the Fund writes an OTC option, it will treat as illiquid (for purposes of its restriction on holding illiquid securities) the mark-to-market value of any OTC option it holds, unless the option is subject to a buy-back agreement by the executing broker.
To terminate its obligation on an OTC call it has written, the Fund can purchase a corresponding call in a "closing purchase transaction." If the Fund cannot effect a closing purchase transaction due to the lack of a market, it will have to hold the callable securities until the call expires or is exercised. The Fund will realize a profit or loss, depending upon whether the premium received on the call is more or less than the amount of the option transaction costs and the price of the call the Fund purchases to close out the transaction. The Fund may realize a profit if the call expires unexercised, because the Fund will retain both the underlying security and the premium it received when it wrote the call. Any such profits are considered short-term capital gains for federal income tax purposes and are taxable as ordinary income when distributed by the Fund.
A call on a futures contract may be sold without owning the futures contract or securities deliverable under the contract. To do so, at the time the call must be covered by identifying an equivalent dollar amount of liquid assets. If the value of the segregated assets drops below 100% of the current value of the future, additional liquid assets must be identified. Because of this requirement, in no circumstances would an exercise notice as to that future require delivery on a futures contract. It would simply create a short futures position, which is permitted by applicable hedging policies.
Selling Put Options. A put option on a security or a securities index gives the purchaser the right, during the option period, to sell the underlying investment to the seller at the exercise price. When selling (writing) a put option on a security, the option must be covered by the Fund by identifying liquid assets with a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put option, to secure the obligation. In this case the Fund forgoes the opportunity to invest, sell or write calls against the identified assets.
The seller of a put is obligated to buy the underlying investment at the exercise price even if the market value of the investment falls below that price. If the price of the underlying investment remains higher than the exercise price, it is unlikely that a put option would be exercised. If a put option is not exercised, the seller would realize a gain of the amount of the premium received less the transaction costs incurred. If the put is exercised, the exercise price will usually exceed the market value of the underlying investment at that time. In that case, the seller could incur a loss. If the underlying investment is resold at that time, the loss would be equal to the exercise price and any transaction costs minus the amount of the premium received and the amount the seller received from the resale of the underlying investment. Settlement of a put on an index is in cash rather than by delivery of the underlying investment. Any profits earned by the Fund from writing put options are considered short-term capital gains for federal income tax purposes, and are taxable as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders.
Purchasing Call Options. A call option may be purchased by the Fund to seek to benefit from an anticipated rise in a particular security or in a securities index. The purchaser pays a premium for a call option. The purchaser then has the right to buy the underlying investment during the call period at a fixed exercise price. The purchaser benefits only if, during the call period, the market price of the underlying investment rises above the exercise price plus the transaction costs and the premium paid for the call or if the call option is resold at a profit. If the purchaser does not exercise the call option or resell it (whether or not at a profit), the option becomes worthless on its expiration date. In that case the purchaser will have lost the amount it paid as a premium and not realized any gain on the transaction.
Settlement of a call on an index is in cash rather than by delivery of the underlying investment. Gain or loss on the transaction would depend on changes to the prices of the securities that make up the index.
Purchasing Put Options. A put on a security or securities index may be purchased by the Fund to attempt to protect against a decline (below the exercise price) in the value of the underlying investment. The purchaser pays a premium for the right to sell the underlying investment at a fixed exercise price during the put period. If the market price of the underlying investment remains above or equal to the exercise price, the put will generally not be exercised or resold and will become worthless on the expiration date. In that case the purchaser will have lost the amount it paid as a premium and not realize any benefit from the right to sell the underlying investment. If the purchaser resells a put prior to its expiration date, it may or may not realize a profit on that sale.
A put may also be purchased on an investment the buyer does not own. That would permit the purchaser to resell the put or to buy the underlying investment and sell it at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying investment remains above or equal to the exercise price, the put would generally not be exercised and would become worthless on its expiration date.
Settlement of a put on a securities index is in cash rather than by delivery of the underlying investment. Gain or loss on the transaction would depend on the changes to the prices of the securities that make up the index.
Buying and Selling Options on Foreign Currencies. Put and call options on foreign currencies include puts and calls that trade on a securities or commodities exchange or in the over-the-counter markets or that are quoted by major recognized dealers in such options.
If the value of a foreign currency rises against the U.S. dollar, the cost of securities denominated in that currency increases. The increased cost of those securities may be partially offset by purchasing calls or selling puts on the foreign currency. If the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar falls, the dollar value of portfolio securities denominated in that currency would decline. That decline might be partially offset by selling calls or purchasing puts on the foreign currency. If the currency rate fluctuates in an adverse direction from the option position, however, the option premium payments and transaction costs would have been incurred without a corresponding benefit.
A call on a foreign currency could be sold to provide a hedge against a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a security denominated in that currency or in a different currency (known as a "crosshedging" strategy). A call on a foreign currency is "covered" if the Fund owns the underlying foreign currency covered by the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that foreign currency without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other foreign currency held in its portfolio. The Fund may also cover the option by maintaining identified cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid, high-grade debt securities in an amount equal to the exercise price of the option.
Put and Call Options on Futures. A call on a futures contract may be sold by the Fund without owning the futures contract or securities deliverable under the contract. The call is covered by the Fund by identifying an equivalent dollar amount of liquid assets at the time the call is sold. If the value of the segregated assets drops below 100% of the current market value of the future, the Fund will identify additional liquid assets on its books. Therefore, the receipt of an exercise notice by the Fund as to a future would not require the delivery of the futures contract under any circumstances. It would, however, put the Fund in a short futures position, which is permitted under applicable hedging policies.
A put option on a future may be purchased by the Fund to attempt to protect against a decline (below the exercise price) in the value of the underlying investment during the put period. If, because the market price of the underlying investment remains above or equal to the exercise price, the put is not exercised or resold, it becomes worthless on the expiration date. In that case the purchaser will have lost the amount it paid as a premium and not realized any benefit from the right to sell the underlying investment. If the purchaser resells the put prior to its expiration, it may or may not realize a profit on that resale.
A put option may also be purchased by the Fund on a future it does not own. That would permit the Fund to resell the put or to buy the underlying investment and sell it at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying investment is above the exercise price and, as a result, the put is not exercised, the put will become worthless on its expiration date.
Risks of Derivatives and Hedging Instruments. The use of derivatives and hedging instruments requires special skills and knowledge of investment techniques that are different than those required for normal portfolio management. These risks include the following:
Correlation Risk. If the Fund sells futures or purchases puts on broadly-based indices or futures to attempt to protect against declines in the value of its portfolio securities, it may be subject to the risk that the prices of the futures or the applicable index will not correlate with the prices of those portfolio securities. For example, the market or the index might rise but the value of the hedged portfolio securities might decline. In that case, the Fund would lose money on the hedging instruments and also experience a decline in the value of the portfolio securities. Over time, however, the value of a diversified portfolio of securities will tend to move in the same direction as the indices upon which related hedging instruments are based.
The risk of imperfect correlation increases as the composition of the portfolio diverges from the securities included in the applicable index. To compensate for the imperfect correlation of movements in the price of the portfolio securities being hedged and movements in the price of the hedging instruments, the Fund might use a greater dollar amount of hedging instruments than the dollar amount of portfolio securities being hedged, particularly if the historical price volatility of the portfolio securities being hedged is more than the historical volatility of the applicable index.
Leverage Risk. Premiums paid for options are small compared to the market value of the underlying investments. Consequently, options may involve large amounts of leverage, which could result in the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive to changes in the value of the underlying investments.
Liquidity Risk. Losses might also be realized if a position could not be closed out because of illiquidity in the market for an option. An option position may be closed out only on a market that provides secondary trading for options of the same series, and there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option.
Selection Risk. If the Sub-Adviser uses an option at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, or if the prices of its options positions are not correlated with its other investments, a hedging strategy may reduce returns or cause losses. If a covered call option is sold on an investment that increases in value, if the call is exercised, no gain will be realized on the increase in the investment's value above the call price. A put option on a security that does not decline in value will cost the amount of the purchase price and without providing any benefit if it cannot be resold.
Futures Market Risk. The ordinary differences between prices in the cash markets and the futures markets are subject to distortions, due to differences in the nature of those markets.
Foreign Currency Forward Contracts. Foreign currency futures contracts are known as "forward contracts." They are used to buy or sell foreign currency for future delivery at a fixed price. They are used to "lock in" the U.S. dollar price of a security denominated in a foreign currency that the Fund has bought or sold, or to protect against possible losses from changes in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency. Although forward contracts may reduce the risk of loss from a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they limit any potential gain if the value of the hedged currency increases. Forward contracts are traded in the inter-bank market conducted directly among currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers.
The Fund can also use "cross-hedging" where the Fund hedges against changes in currencies other than the currency in which a security it holds is denominated.
Forward Contract Strategies. Under a forward contract, the Fund agrees to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties. The transaction price is set at the time the contract is entered into. The costs of engaging in forward contracts varies depending on factors such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing.
A forward contract might be used to provide for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency, or for dividend or interest payments that may be received in a foreign currency. This is called a "transaction hedge." The transaction hedge will protect against a loss from an adverse change in the currency exchange rates during the period between the date on which a security is purchased or sold or on which a payment is declared, and the date on which the payments are made or received. The use of forward contracts does not eliminate the risk of fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance.
If it is anticipated that a foreign currency might suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, forward contracts to sell the foreign currency could be used to lock in the U.S. dollar value of portfolio positions. This is called a "position hedge." To try to protect against a substantial decline of the U.S. dollar against a foreign currency, a forward contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount could be used. Alternatively, the Fund could enter into a forward contract to sell a different foreign currency the Fund believes will fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which portfolio securities are denominated.
In some cases, at or before the maturity of a forward contract, the Fund might sell a portfolio security and use the sale proceeds to make delivery of the currency. If the market value of the security is less than the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver, the Fund might have to purchase additional foreign currency on the "spot" (that is, cash) market to settle the security trade. If the market value of the security exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver, the Fund might have to sell some of the foreign currency on the spot market. There would be additional transaction costs for the spot market transactions in those cases.
Alternatively, the contractual obligation to deliver the currency may be offset by purchasing a second contract to obtain, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency as the currency obligation. Similarly, a forward contract purchase obligation may be closed out by entering into a second contract to sell the same amount of the same currency on the maturity date of the first contract. The gain or loss would be realized as a result of entering into such an offsetting forward contract under either circumstance. The gain or loss will depend on the extent to which the exchange rate or rates between the currencies involved moved between the execution dates of the first contract and the offsetting contract.
Forward Contract Costs. Because forward contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no brokerage fees or commissions are involved. Foreign exchange dealers do realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer might offer to sell a foreign currency at one rate, while offering a lower rate for purchasing that currency. Because these contracts are not traded on an exchange, the credit and performance risk of the counterparty must also be evaluated.
Forward Contract Limitations. The Fund will not enter into forward contracts or maintain a net exposure to such contracts if the consummation of the contracts would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Fund's portfolio securities or other assets denominated in that currency (or another currency that is the subject of the hedge). However, the Fund can maintain a net exposure to forward contracts in excess of the value of the Fund's portfolio securities or other assets denominated in foreign currencies if the excess amount is "covered" by liquid securities denominated in any currency. As one alternative, the Fund could purchase a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the amount of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale contract at a price no higher than the forward contract price. As another alternative, the Fund could purchase a put option permitting the Fund to sell the amount of foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a price as high or higher than the forward contract price. The Fund could also cover its short positions by identifying assets on its books equal to the aggregate amount of the Fund's commitment under forward contracts or the excess amount of those obligations.
Forward Contract Risks. The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. The precise matching of the amounts under forward contracts and the value of the securities involved generally will not be possible because the future value of securities denominated in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements between the date a forward contract is entered into and the date it is sold. Forward contracts involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted, causing losses on those contracts and additional transaction costs. The use of forward contracts might reduce performance if there are unanticipated changes in currency prices.
Asset Coverage for Certain Investments and Trading Practices. Typically, the Fund's investments in equity and fixed-income securities do not involve any future financial obligations. However, the Fund may make investments or employ trading practices that obligate the Fund, on a fixed or contingent basis, to deliver an asset or make a cash payment to another party in the future. The Fund will comply with guidance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and other applicable regulatory bodies with respect to coverage of certain investments and trading practices. This guidance may require earmarking or segregation by the Fund of cash or liquid securities with its custodian or a designated sub-custodian to the extent the Fund's obligations with respect to these strategies are not otherwise "covered" through ownership of the underlying security or financial instrument or by other portfolio positions, or by other means consistent with applicable regulatory policies. In some cases, SEC guidance permits the Fund to cover its obligation by entering into an offsetting transaction.
For example, if the Fund enters into a currency forward contract to sell foreign currency on a future date, the Fund may cover its obligation to deliver the foreign currency by earmarking or otherwise segregating cash or liquid securities having a value at least equal to the value of the deliverable currency. Alternatively, the Fund could cover its obligation by earmarking or otherwise segregating an amount of the foreign currency at least equal to the deliverable amount or by entering into an offsetting transaction to acquire an amount of foreign currency at least equal to the deliverable amount at a price at or below the sale price received by the Fund under the currency forward contract.
With respect to certain derivative instruments (e.g., futures contracts) that are not required to "cash settle", the Fund must cover open positions by earmarking or otherwise segregating liquid assets in an amount equal to the market value or full notional amount of the derivative instrument(s). However, for derivative instrument(s) that are required to cash-settle, the Fund is permitted to earmark or otherwise segregate liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund's daily marked to market (or net) obligation, if any, rather than the market value or full notional amount. By setting aside or "earmarking" assets equal to only its net obligation under cash-settled derivative instruments, the Fund will have the ability to utilize these instruments to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to segregate or "earmark" assets equal to the full market value or notional amount of the instrument.
The Fund's approach to asset coverage may vary among different types of swaps. With respect to most swap agreements (but excluding, for example, credit default swaps), the Fund calculates the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis" (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). Consequently the Fund 's current obligations (or rights) under these swap agreements will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligation, if any, under a swap agreement will generally be covered by earmarking or otherwise segregating cash or liquid securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued unpaid net amounts owed. To the extent that the obligations of the parties under these swaps are not calculated on a net basis, the amount earmarked or otherwise segregated will be the full amount of the Fund's obligations, if any. Alternatively, the Fund could cover its obligation by other means consistent with applicable regulatory policies.
With respect to credit default swaps, typically, if the Fund enters into a credit default swap as the buyer of credit protection, then it will earmark or otherwise segregate an amount of cash or liquid securities at least equal to any accrued payment or delivery obligations under the swap. Alternatively, if the Fund enters into a credit default swap as the seller of credit protection, then the Fund will earmark or otherwise segregate an amount of cash or liquid securities at least equal to the full notional amount of the swap. Alternatively, the Fund could cover its obligation by other means consistent with applicable regulatory policies.
Earmarking or otherwise segregating a large percentage of the Fund's assets could impede the Sub-Adviser's ability to manage the Fund's portfolio.
Regulatory Aspects of Derivatives and Hedging Instruments. As a result of recent amendments to rules under the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA") by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), the Manager must either operate within certain guidelines and restrictions with respect to the Fund's use of futures, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps, or be subject to registration with the CFTC as a "commodity pool operator" ("CPO") with respect to the Fund, and, upon the finalization of additional CFTC rules, be required to operate the Fund in compliance with certain disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements.
Previously, the CFTC permitted unlimited futures transactions and options thereon, so long as a fund had claimed an exclusion from registration as a CPO, and swap contracts were not formerly regulated by the CFTC. Under the amended rules, the investment adviser of a registered investment company may claim an exemption from registration as a CPO only if the registered investment company that it advises uses futures contracts, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps solely for "bona fide hedging purposes," or limits its use of such instruments for non-bona fide hedging purposes to certain de minimis amounts.
While the Manager will be registered as a CPO under the CEA, the Manager currently intends to limit the Fund's use of futures, options on such futures, commodity options and certain swaps in order to permit the Fund to continue to claim an exemption under the CFTC rules. As such, with respect to the management of the Fund, the Manager will not be subject to the disclosure, reporting and recordkeeping requirements under the CFTC rules.
Tax Aspects of Certain Derivatives and Hedging Instruments. Futures contracts, non-equity options and certain foreign currency exchange contracts are treated as "Section 1256 contracts" under the Internal Revenue Code. In general, gains or losses relating to Section 1256 contracts are characterized as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses under the Internal Revenue Code. However, foreign currency gains or losses arising from Section 1256 contracts that are forward contracts generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. In addition, Section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year are "marked-to-market," and unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized. These contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of determining the excise tax potentially applicable to the Fund and for other purposes under rules prescribed pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. An election can be made by the Fund to exempt those transactions from this mark-to-market treatment.
Certain forward contracts may result in "straddles" for federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains (or losses) recognized on those positions. Generally, a loss sustained on the disposition of a position making up a straddle is allowed only to the extent that the loss exceeds any unrecognized gain in the offsetting positions. Disallowed loss is generally allowed at the point where there is no unrecognized gain in the offsetting positions making up the straddle, or the offsetting position is disposed of.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, the following gains or losses are treated as ordinary income or loss:
Currency gains and losses are offset against market gains and losses on each trade before determining a net "Section 988" gain or loss under the Internal Revenue Code for that trade, which may increase or decrease the amount of investment income available for distribution to its shareholders.
Other Investments and Investment Strategies
In seeking its investment objective, the Fund from time to time can employ the types of investment strategies and investments described below. The Fund is not required to use all of these strategies at all times, and at times may not use them.
Zero-Coupon and Stripped Securities. The Fund may buy zero-coupon, delayed-interest and "stripped" securities. Stripped securities are debt securities whose interest coupons are separated from the security and sold separately. The Fund can buy the following types of zero-coupon or stripped securities, among others: U.S. Treasury notes or bonds that have been stripped of their interest coupons, U.S. Treasury bills issued without interest coupons, and certificates representing an interest in stripped securities.
Zero-coupon securities do not make periodic interest payments and are sold at a discount from their face value. The buyer recognizes return from the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date. The amount of the discount depends on the time remaining until maturity, as well as prevailing interest rates, the liquidity of the security and the credit quality of the issuer. Unless there is an adverse change in the issuer's credit quality, the discount typically decreases as the maturity date approaches. Some zero-coupon securities convert to a security with a specified coupon rate at a predetermined date.
Because zero-coupon securities make no periodic interest payments, their effective interest rate is fixed at the time they are issued and their prices are generally more volatile than the prices of other debt securities. The value of zero-coupon and stripped securities may fall more sharply than the value of interest-paying securities when prevailing interest rates rise. When interest rates fall, zero-coupon and stripped securities tend to increase in value more rapidly because they have a fixed rate of return.
The Fund's investments in zero-coupon and stripped securities may require the Fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on the zero-coupon investment. To satisfy those distribution requirements, the Fund may need to sell portfolio securities that it would otherwise continue to hold.
U.S. Government Securities. Securities issued by the U.S. Treasury are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and are subject to relatively little credit risk. Obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities (including mortgage-backed securities) may be guaranteed or supported by the "full faith and credit" of the United States or may be backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agencies' or instrumentalities' obligations. Others are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality. "Full faith and credit" means that the taxing power of the U.S. government is pledged to the payment of interest and repayment of principal on a security. If a security is not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the owner of the security must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation for repayment.
U.S. Treasury Obligations. These securities are directly issued by the U.S. Treasury. They include Treasury bills (which have maturities of one year or less when issued), Treasury notes (which have maturities of more than one year and up to ten years when issued), Treasury bonds (which have maturities of more than ten years when issued), and Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities. Other U.S. Treasury obligations include U.S. Treasury securities that have been "stripped" by a Federal Reserve Bank and zero-coupon U.S. Treasury securities. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States as to timely payments of interest and repayments of principal. While U.S. Treasury securities have relatively little credit risk, they are subject to price fluctuations from changes in interest rates.
Obligations Issued or Guaranteed by U.S. Government Agencies or Instrumentalities. These include direct obligations and mortgage-related securities that have different levels of credit support from the government. Some are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as Government National Mortgage Association pass-through mortgage certificates. Some are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury under certain circumstances, such as Federal National Mortgage Association bonds and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation obligations.
Forward Rolls. In a "forward roll" transaction (also referred to as a "mortgage dollar roll"), an investor sells a mortgage-related security to a buyer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (the same type of security, having the same coupon and maturity) at a later date at a set price. The securities that are repurchased will have the same interest rate as the securities that are sold, but typically will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages (with different prepayment histories) than the securities that have been sold. Proceeds from the sale are invested in short-term instruments, such as repurchase agreements. The income from those investments, plus the fees from the forward roll transaction, are expected to generate income in excess of the yield on the securities that have been sold.
During the period between the sale and the repurchase, the seller is not entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities that have been sold. It is also possible that the market value of the securities may decline below the repurchase price of the securities or that the counterparty might default in its obligations.
Floating Rate and Variable Rate Obligations. Some debt securities have variable or floating interest rates. The interest rates on floating rate obligations change based on changes to a stated prevailing base market interest rate, such as a bank's prime rate, the 91-day U.S. Treasury Bill rate, the rate of return on commercial paper or bank certificates of deposit, LIBOR or some other standard. The interest rate on a floating rate obligation is adjusted automatically at specified times to give effect to changes in the base rate. The interest rate on a variable rate obligation is adjusted at stated periodic intervals to reflect current market interest rates. Generally, the changes in the interest rate on floating and variable rate obligations reduce the fluctuation in their market value, so the potential for capital appreciation or depreciation is less than that for comparable fixed-rate obligations.
Floating rate and variable rate obligations may have features that permit the holder to recover the principal amount of the security at specified intervals, generally not exceeding one year, upon notice to the issuer. Variable rate obligations may have a demand feature that allows the holder to tender the obligation to the issuer or a third party at certain times, generally for par value plus accrued interest, according to the terms of the obligations. The issuer of a demand obligation normally has a corresponding right in its discretion, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the security plus accrued interest. The issuer usually must provide a specified number of days' notice to the holder. Variable rate demand obligations may include master demand notes, which are obligations that permit the fund to invest fluctuating amounts in them.
The credit quality of a floating rate or variable rate obligation may be enhanced by being backed by a letter of credit or guarantee issued by a financial institution, corporation, the U.S. government or other entity.
When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Transactions. "When-issued" and "delayed-delivery" are terms that refer to securities whose documentation are available, and for which a market exists, but which are not available for immediate delivery to a purchaser. When-issued and delayed-delivery securities are purchased at a price that is fixed at the time of the transaction with payment and delivery of the security made at a later date. During the period between purchase and settlement, the buyer makes no payment to the issuer (or seller) of the security and no interest accrues to the buyer from the investment. Purchases on that basis are made when it is anticipated that the price at the time of the transaction is lower than the price will be at the time of delivery.
The securities are subject to change in value from market fluctuations during the period until settlement and the value of the security on the delivery date may be more or less than the purchase price. If the value of the security declines below the purchase price, the transaction may lose money.
The buyer relies on the other party to complete the when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions. The buyer will bear the risk that a security purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis may not be issued or may not be delivered as agreed. A failure to do so may cause the loss of an opportunity to obtain the security at an advantageous price or yield.
When-issued and delayed-delivery transactions can be used as a defensive technique to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. For instance, if rising interest rates or falling prices are anticipated, a portfolio security may be sold on a delayed-delivery basis to attempt to limit exposure to those occurrences. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, a purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis may be used to obtain the benefit of currently higher cash yields.
The Fund engages in when-issued and delayed-delivery transactions for the purpose of acquiring or selling securities consistent with its investment objective and policies or for delivery pursuant to options contracts it has entered into, and not for the purpose of investment leverage. Although the Fund will enter into delayed-delivery or when-issued purchase transactions to acquire securities, it can dispose of a commitment prior to settlement. If it chooses to dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or to dispose of its right to receive delivery, it may incur a gain or loss.
At the time of the commitment to purchase or sell a security on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, the Fund records the transaction on its books and reflects the value of the security purchased in determining its net asset value. It also identifies liquid assets on its books at least equal to the amount of the purchase commitment until it pays for the investment. In a sale transaction, it records the proceeds to be received.
Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may acquire securities subject to repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements may be acquired for temporary defensive purposes, to maintain liquidity to meet anticipated share redemptions, pending the investment of the proceeds from sales of shares, or pending the settlement of portfolio securities transactions. In a repurchase transaction, the purchaser buys a security from, and simultaneously resells it to, an approved institution for delivery on an agreed-upon future date. The resale price exceeds the purchase price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period during which the repurchase agreement is in effect. Approved institutions include U.S. commercial banks, U.S. branches of foreign banks, or broker-dealers that have been designated as primary dealers in government securities. Institutions must meet credit requirements set by the Sub-Adviser from time to time.
The majority of repurchase transactions run from day to day and delivery pursuant to the resale typically occurs within one to five days of the purchase. Repurchase agreements that have a maturity beyond seven days are subject to limits on illiquid investments. There is no limit on the amount of assets that may be subject to repurchase agreements having maturities of seven days or less.
Repurchase agreements are considered "loans" under the Investment Company Act and are collateralized by the underlying security. Repurchase agreements require that at all times while the repurchase agreement is in effect, the value of the collateral must equal or exceed the repurchase price to fully collateralize the repayment obligation. However, if the institution fails to pay the repurchase price on the delivery date, there may be costs incurred in disposing of the collateral and losses if there is a delay in the ability to do so. The Sub-Adviser will monitor the institution's creditworthiness to confirm that it is financially sound and will continuously monitor the collateral's value.
Pursuant to an Exemptive Order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the Fund, along with the affiliated entities managed by the Manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase agreement accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements secured by U.S. government securities. Securities that are pledged as collateral for repurchase agreements are held by a custodian bank until the agreements mature. Each joint repurchase arrangement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.
Illiquid and Restricted Securities. Generally, an illiquid asset is an asset that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the price at which it has been valued. Under the policies and procedures established by the Board, the Sub-Adviser determines the liquidity of portfolio investments. The Sub-Adviser monitors holdings of illiquid and restricted securities on an ongoing basis to determine whether to sell any holdings to maintain adequate liquidity. Among the types of illiquid securities are repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. Liquidity may dissipate at anytime and there can be no assurance that the Sub-Adviser's liquidity determinations will be correct or that a reduction in liquidity will not occur between the time such determination is made and an event prompting the Fund to sell a security.
Restricted securities acquired through private placements have contractual restrictions on their public resale that might limit the ability to value or to dispose of the securities and might lower the price that could be realized on a sale. To sell a restricted security that is not registered under applicable securities laws, the securities might need to be registered. The expense of registering restricted securities may be negotiated with the issuer at the time of purchase. If the securities must be registered in order to be sold, a significant period may elapse between the time the decision is made to sell the security and the time the security is registered. There is a risk of downward price fluctuation during that period.
Limitations that apply to purchases of restricted securities do not limit purchases of restricted securities that are eligible for sale to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, if those securities have been determined to be liquid by the Sub-Adviser under Board-approved guidelines. Those guidelines take into account the trading activity for the securities and the availability of reliable pricing information, among other factors. If there is a lack of trading interest in a particular Rule 144A security, holdings of that security may be considered to be illiquid.
Investments in Equity Securities. Under normal market conditions the fund can invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities other than debt securities, including equity securities of both foreign and U.S. companies. However, it does not anticipate investing significant amounts of its assets in these securities as part of its normal investment strategy. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, rights and warrants, and securities convertible into common stock. The Fund's investment can include stocks of companies in any market capitalization range, if the Manager believes the investment is consistent with the Fund's objectives of total return and income. Certain equity securities may be selected not only for their appreciation possibilities but because they may provide dividend income.
Common Stock. Common stock represents an ownership interest in a company. It ranks below preferred stock and debt securities in claims for dividends and in claims for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy. Common stocks may be exchange-traded or over-the-counter securities. Over-the-counter securities may be less liquid than exchange-traded securities.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are debt securities or preferred stocks that are
convertible into the issuer's common stock or other equity securities. While many convertible securities are considered to be mainly
debt securities, certain convertible securities are regarded more as "equity equivalents" because of their conversion feature.
The market value of a convertible security reflects both its "investment value," which is its expected income potential, and its
"conversion value," which is its anticipated market value if it were converted. If its investment value exceeds its conversion
value, the security will generally behave more like a debt security, and the security's price will likely increase when interest
rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. If its conversion value exceeds its investment value, the security will generally
behave more like an equity security. In that case, its price will tend to fluctuate with the price of the underlying common stock
or other security.
Convertible debt securities, like other debt securities, are subject to credit risk and interest rate risk. Convertible securities
rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and therefore are subject to less risk than common stock in case
of an issuer's bankruptcy or liquidation.
For convertible securities that are considered to be "equity equivalents," their credit quality generally has less impact on the
security's value than in the case of non-convertible debt securities. To determine whether convertible securities should be regarded
as "equity equivalents," the Sub-Adviser may consider a number of factors, including:
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock are equity securities that have a dividend rate payable from the company's earnings. Their stated dividend rate causes preferred stock to have some characteristics of debt securities. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stock may be less attractive and the price of those securities will likely decline. If interest rates fall their price will likely increase.
Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or non-cumulative, participating, or auction rate. "Cumulative" dividend provisions require that all, or a portion of, any unpaid dividends must be paid before the issuer can pay dividends on its common stock. "Participating" preferred stock may be entitled to a larger dividend than the stated dividend in certain cases. "Auction rate" preferred stock has a dividend rate that is set by a Dutch auction process.
Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions for their call or redemption prior to maturity which can have a negative effect on their prices when interest rates fall.
Preferred stock do not constitute a liability of the issuer and therefore do not offer the same degree of capital protection or assured income as debt securities. Preferred stock generally rank ahead of common stock and behind debt securities in claims for dividends and for assets of the issuer in a liquidation or bankruptcy.
Rights and Warrants. Rights and warrants may be purchased directly or may be acquired as part of other securities. Warrants are options to purchase equity securities at a specific price during a specific period of time. The price of a warrant does not necessarily move parallel to the price of the underlying security and is generally more volatile than the price of the underlying security. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a shorter duration. The market for rights or warrants may be very limited and it may be difficult to sell them promptly at an acceptable price. Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Risks of Investing in Equity Securities. Stocks and other equity securities fluctuate in price in response to changes in equity markets in general. Equity markets may experience great short-term volatility and may fall sharply at times. Different markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. equity markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign markets.
The prices of equity securities generally do not all move in the same direction at the same time and a variety of factors can affect the price of a particular company's securities. These factors may include: poor earnings reports by the issuer, a loss of customers, litigation against the issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry.
Borrowing and Leverage. The Fund has the ability to borrow money, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or any exemption from the Act that applies to the Fund, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. Currently, under the Investment Company Act, a mutual fund may borrow only from banks (for other than emergency purposes) and only to the extent that the value of the Fund's assets, less its liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings including the proposed borrowing, except that it may also borrow up to 5% of its total assets for temporary or emergency purposes from any lender. Under the Investment Company Act, there is a rebuttable presumption that a loan is temporary if it is repaid within 60 days and not extended or renewed.
When the Fund borrows, it segregates or identifies securities on its books equal to 300% of the amount borrowed to cover its obligation to repay the loan. If the value of the Fund's assets fail to meet this 300% asset coverage requirement, it will reduce its borrowings within three days to meet the requirement. To do so, the Fund might have to sell a portion of its investments at a disadvantageous time.
When the Fund invests borrowed money in portfolio securities, it is using a speculative investment technique known as "leverage." If the Fund does borrow, its expenses may be greater than comparable funds that do not borrow. The Fund will pay interest on loans, and that interest expense may raise the overall expenses of the Fund and reduce its returns. In the case of borrowing for leverage, the interest paid on a loan might be more (or less) than the yield on the securities purchased with the loan proceeds. Additionally, the use of leverage may make the Fund's share prices more sensitive to interest rate changes and thus might cause the Fund's net asset value per share to fluctuate more than that of funds that do not borrow.
Bank Obligations. Bank obligations include time deposits, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and other bank obligations that are fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"). The FDIC currently insures the deposits of member banks up to $250,000 per account. Bank obligations also include obligations issued or guaranteed by a domestic bank (including a foreign branch of a domestic bank) having total assets of at least U.S. $1 billion, or obligations of a foreign bank with total assets of at least U.S. $1 billion. Those banks may include commercial banks, savings banks, and savings and loan associations that may or may not be members of the FDIC.
Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits in a bank for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. Time deposits may be subject to withdrawal notices and penalties.
Bankers' acceptances are marketable short-term credit instruments used to finance the import, export, transfer or storage of goods. They are deemed "accepted" when a bank guarantees their payment at maturity.
Bank obligations may have a limited market and may be deemed "illiquid" unless the obligation, including principal amount plus accrued interest, is payable within seven days after demand. Time deposits that are subject to withdrawal notices and penalties, other than those maturing in seven days or less, are also considered illiquid investments.
Temporary Defensive and Interim Investments. In times of unstable or adverse market, economic or political conditions, or if the Sub-Adviser believes it is otherwise appropriate to reduce holdings in the Fund's principal investments, the Fund can invest in other types of securities for defensive purposes. It can also purchase these types of securities for liquidity purposes to meet cash needs due to the redemption of shares, or to hold while waiting to invest cash received from the sale of its shares or portfolio securities.
These temporary defensive investments can include: (i) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) commercial paper rated in the highest category by an established nationally recognized statistical rating organization; (iii) certificates of deposit or bankers' acceptances of domestic banks with assets of $1 billion or more; (iv) any of the foregoing securities that mature in one year or less (generally known as "cash equivalents"); (v) other short-term corporate debt obligations; (vi) repurchase agreements; and (vii) shares of Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund.
Investments in Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies. Investments in the securities of other investment companies can include open-end funds, closed-end funds, business development companies and unit investment trusts. Exchange-traded funds, which are typically open-end funds or unit investment trusts, are listed on a stock exchange. These investments may provide a way to gain exposure to segments of the equity or fixed-income markets represented by the exchange-traded fund's portfolio at times when it is not possible to buy those portfolio securities directly.
Investing in another investment company may involve paying a substantial premium above the value of that investment company's portfolio securities. The Fund does not intend to invest in other investment companies unless the Sub-Adviser believes that the potential benefits of an investment justify the expenses. As a shareholder of an investment company, the Fund would be subject to its ratable share of that company's expenses, including its advisory and administration expenses. Investments in other investment companies are subject to limits set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Event-Linked Bonds. The Fund may invest in "event-linked" bonds or interests in trusts and other pooled entities that invest primarily or exclusively in event-linked bonds, including entities sponsored and/or advised by the Manager or an affiliate. Event-linked bonds, which are sometimes referred to as "catastrophe" bonds, are fixed income securities for which the return of principal and payment of interest is contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific trigger event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other occurrence that leads to physical or economic loss. In some cases, the trigger event will not be deemed to have occurred unless the event is of a certain magnitude (based on scientific readings) or causes a certain measurable amount of loss to the issuer, a particular industry group or a reference index. If the trigger event occurs prior to maturity, the Fund may lose all or a portion of its principal and additional interest. The Fund may also invest in similar bonds where the Fund may lose all or a portion of its principal and additional interest if the mortality rate in a geographic area exceeds a stated threshold prior to maturity whether or not a particular catastrophic event has occurred. Event-linked bonds may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, and financial institutions, among other issuers, or special purpose vehicles associated with the foregoing. Often event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases when a trigger event has occurred or is likely to have occurred. An extension of maturity may increase a bond's volatility.
Event-linked bonds may expose the Fund to certain other risks, including issuer default, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, liquidity risk and adverse tax consequences. Lack of a liquid market may result in higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organization and the Fund will only invest in event-linked bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover. "Portfolio turnover" describes the rate at which the Fund traded its portfolio securities during its last fiscal year. For example, if a fund sold all of its securities during the year, its portfolio turnover rate would have been 100%. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate will fluctuate from year to year.
The Fund may engage in active trading of portfolio securities to achieve its principal investment strategies. Increased portfolio turnover creates higher brokerage and transaction costs for the Fund, which could reduce its overall performance. Additionally, the realization of capital gains from selling portfolio securities may result in distributions of taxable long-term capital gains to shareholders, since the Fund will normally distribute all of its capital gains realized each year, to avoid excise taxes under the Internal Revenue Code.
Fundamental Policies. The Fund has adopted policies and restrictions to govern its investments. Under the Investment Company Act, fundamental policies are those policies that can be changed only by the vote of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, which is defined as the vote of the holders of the lesser of:
The Fund's investment objective is not a fundamental policy. Other policies described in the Prospectus or this SAI are "fundamental" only if they are identified as such. The Fund's Board of Trustees can change non-fundamental policies without shareholder approval. However, significant changes to investment policies will be described in supplements or updates to the Prospectus or this SAI, as appropriate. The Fund's most significant investment policies are described in the Prospectus.
Other Fundamental Investment Restrictions. The following investment restrictions are fundamental policies of the Fund.
The following is only a brief summary of certain current limitations imposed on investment companies by the Investment Company Act and certain rules and interpretations thereunder, and is not a complete description of such limits. The discussion below is based on current law, regulations and administrative interpretations. Those laws, regulations and administrative interpretations may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, sometimes with retroactive effect.
The Investment Company Act prohibits a fund from issuing "senior securities," which are generally defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund's shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets, except that the fund may borrow money as described above.
Currently, under the Investment Company Act, and an Oppenheimer funds' exemptive order, a fund may borrow only from banks and/or affiliated investment companies in an amount up to one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed less all liabilities and indebtedness other than borrowing), except that a fund may borrow up to 5% of its total assets from any person for temporary purposes. Under the Investment Company Act, there is a rebuttable presumption that a loan is temporary if it is repaid within 60 days and not extended or renewed.
Under the Investment Company Act a fund currently cannot make any commitment as an underwriter, if immediately thereafter the amount of its outstanding underwriting commitments, plus the value of its investments in securities of issuers (other than investment companies) of which it owns more than ten percent of the outstanding voting securities, exceeds twenty-five percent of the value of the fund's total assets, except to the extent that a fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act when reselling securities held in its own portfolio.
The Investment Company Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate, commodities or contracts related to commodities. The extent to which the Fund can invest in real estate and/or commodities or contracts related to commodities is set out in the investment strategies described in the Prospectus and this SAI.
Current SEC staff interpretations under the Investment Company Act prohibit a fund from lending more than one-third of its total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements.
The Investment Company Act does not define what constitutes "concentration" in an industry. However, the SEC has taken the position that investment of more than 25% of a fund's total assets in issuers in the same industry constitutes concentration in that industry. That limit does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities or securities issued by investment companies; however, securities issued by any one foreign government are considered to be part of a single "industry."
Unless the Prospectus or this SAI states that a percentage restriction applies on an ongoing basis, it applies only at the time the Fund makes an investment. That means the Fund is not required to sell securities to meet the percentage limits if the value of the investment increases in proportion to the size of the Fund. Percentage limits on borrowing and investments in illiquid securities apply on an ongoing basis.
Non-Fundamental Restrictions. The Fund has the following additional operating policies that are not "fundamental" and can be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.
For purposes of the Fund's policy not to concentrate its investments, described above, the Fund has adopted an industry classification that is not a fundamental policy.
Non-Diversification. The Fund is classified as a "non-diversified" fund under the Investment Company Act. Funds that are diversified have restrictions against investing a higher percentage of their assets in the securities of any one issuer. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund can invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than it could if it was classified as a diversified fund. However, the Fund limits its investments in the securities of any one issuer to qualify for tax purposes as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify, the Fund's investments must meet a number of conditions. First, no more than 25% of the market value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. Second, with respect to 50% of the market value of its total assets, (1) no more than 5% of the market value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) the Fund may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer.
Being a non-diversified fund may pose additional investment risks. If the Fund invests more of its assets in a particular issuer, the value of its investments may be affected to a greater extent by adverse conditions affecting that issuer.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
While recognizing the importance of providing Fund shareholders with information about their Fund's investments and providing portfolio information to a variety of third parties to assist with the management, distribution and administrative processes, the need for transparency must be balanced against the risk that third parties who gain access to the Fund's portfolio holdings information could attempt to use that information to trade ahead of or against the Fund, which could negatively affect the prices the Fund is able to obtain in portfolio transactions or the availability of the securities that a portfolio manager is trading on the Fund's behalf.
The Fund, the Manager/Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent have therefore adopted policies and procedures regarding the dissemination of information about the Fund's portfolio holdings by employees, officers and directors or trustees of the Fund, the Manager, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent. These policies are designed to assure that non-public information about the Fund's portfolio securities holdings is distributed only for a legitimate business purpose, and is done in a manner that (a) conforms to applicable laws and regulations and (b) is designed to prevent that information from being used in a way that could negatively affect the Fund's investment program or enable third parties to use that information in a manner that is harmful to the Fund. It is a violation of the Code of Ethics for any covered person to release holdings in contravention of the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures adopted by the Fund.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies. The Fund, the Manager/Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent and their affiliates and subsidiaries, employees, officers, and directors or trustees, shall neither solicit nor accept any compensation or other consideration (including any agreement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Manager or any affiliated person of the Manager) in connection with the disclosure of the Fund's non-public portfolio holdings. The receipt of investment advisory fees or other fees and compensation paid to the Manager/Sub-Adviser and its subsidiaries pursuant to agreements approved by the Fund's Board shall not be deemed to be "compensation" or "consideration" for these purposes. Until publicly disclosed, the Fund's portfolio holdings are proprietary, confidential business information. After they are publicly disclosed, the Fund's portfolio holdings may be released in accordance with the Fund's, the Manager's/Sub-Adviser's, the Distributor's and the Transfer Agent's policies and procedures regarding dissemination of information about the Fund's portfolio holdings.
The Fund's portfolio holdings information (which may include information on the Fund's entire portfolio of individual securities therein) positions may be released to the following categories of individuals or entities on an ongoing basis, provided that such individual or entity either (1) has signed an agreement to keep such information confidential and will not use such information in any way that is detrimental to the Manager, its affiliates and the Fund or (2) as a member of the Fund's Board, or as an employee, officer or director of the Manager, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor, or the Transfer Agent, or of their legal counsel, is subject to fiduciary obligations (a) not to disclose such information except in compliance with the Fund's policies and procedures and (b) not to trade for his or her personal account on the basis of such information.
Month-end lists of the Fund's complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed for legitimate business reasons, no sooner than 5 days after the relevant month end, pursuant to special requests and under limited circumstances discussed below, provided that:
Portfolio holdings information (which may include information on the Fund's entire portfolio or individual securities therein) may be provided by senior officers of the Manager/Sub-Adviser or attorneys on the legal staff of the Manager, Distributor, or Transfer Agent, in the following circumstances:
Portfolio managers and analysts may, subject to the Manager's/Sub-Adviser's policies on communications with the press and other media, discuss portfolio information in interviews with members of the media, or in due diligence or similar meetings with clients or prospective purchasers of Fund shares or their financial representatives.
The Fund's shareholders may, under unusual circumstances (such as a lack of liquidity in the Fund's portfolio to meet redemptions), receive redemption proceeds of their Fund shares paid as pro rata shares of securities held in the Fund's portfolio. In such circumstances, disclosure of the Fund's portfolio holdings may be made to such shareholders.
Any permitted release of otherwise non-public portfolio holdings information must be in accordance with the then-current policy on approved methods for communicating confidential information.
The Chief Compliance Officer (the "CCO") of the Fund and the Manager/Sub-Adviser, Distributor, and Transfer Agent shall oversee the compliance by the Manager/Sub-Adviser, Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their personnel with applicable policies and procedures. At least annually the CCO reports to the Fund's Board any material violation of these policies and procedures during the previous period and makes recommendations to the Board as to any amendments that the CCO believes are necessary and desirable to carry out or improve these policies and procedures.
The Sub-Adviser and the Fund have entered into ongoing arrangements to make available information about the Fund's portfolio holdings. One or more of the Oppenheimer funds may currently disclose portfolio holdings information based on ongoing arrangements to the following parties:
13D Research | FTN Financial | Petercam Group |
1st Discount Brokerage | Furey Research Partners | Pipeline Trading Systems LLC |
ABG Sundal Collier | Gabelli & Co. | Piper Jaffray Corp. |
Access342 | GARP Research & Securities Co. | Pivotal Research |
ACP Securities | Gary Shillings | Portales Partners |
Altus Investment Management | Gleacher & Company | R. Seelaus & Co. Inc. |
Amba Research | Investment Company Institute | R.V. Kuhns & Associates, Inc. |
Arbor Research & Trading | Global Hunter Securities | Ramirez & Co. Inc. |
Avondale Partners | Goldman, Sachs & Co. | RBC Capital Markets |
B. Riley & Co. | Greenstreet Advisers | Red Capital Markets |
Baird & Co., Inc. | Griffin Securities | Redburn Partners |
Banco Itau | Guggenheim Capital Markets | Renaissance Macro Research |
Bank of America Securities LLC | Hapoalim Securities Bank USA | Rice Financial Products Co. |
Barclays Capital | Hedgeye Risk Management | Risk Metrics Group |
BarraOne | Height Analytics | Robert W. Baird & Co. |
Barrington Research Associates | Herbert J. Sims & Co, Inc. | Rocaton Investment Advisors, LLC |
BB&T Capital Markets | Hewitt Financial Services LLC | Rochdale Securities Corp. |
Belle Haven Investments, Inc. | Howard Weil Inc. | Rodman & Renshaw, Inc. |
Belton Enclave | HSBC Securities | Rogerscasey, LLC |
Bergen Capital | India Infoline | Roosevelt & Cross |
Blackrock, Inc. | Investec | Royal Bank of Scotland |
Bloomberg L.P. | Inves1 | Russell/Mellon Analytical Solutions |
Blue Fin Research Group | ISI Group, Inc. | Samsung Securities Inc. |
BMO Capital Markets | ITG - Majestic Research | Samuel A. Ramirez & Co. Inc. |
Branch Bank & Trust Capital Markets | Janco Partners | Sander Morris Harris |
Brean, Murray, Carret & Co. | Janney Montgomery Scott LLC | Sandler O'Neill |
Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. | Jefferies & Company | Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. |
BTG, plc. | Jennifer Black & Associates | Scotia Capital Markets |
Buckingham Research | JMP Securities | Seattle Northwest Securities |
CA Cheuvreux | Johnson Rice & Co. | Sector & Sovereign LLC |
Cabrera Capital Markets | JNK Securities Corp. | Securevest Financial |
Callan Associates, Inc. | JP Morgan Chase Securities | SG Cowen |
Calyon Securities Inc. | Kaufman Brothers | Sidoti & Co. LLC |
Cambridge | Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. | Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. |
Canaccord Adams, Inc. | KeyBanc Capital Markets | Signal Hill Capital |
Canaccord Genuity | Lazard Capital Markets | Simmons & Company |
Capital One Southcoast | LCG Associates, Inc. | Societe Generale Group |
Capstone LLC | Lebenthal & Co. LLC | Soleil Securities Corp. |
Caris & Co. | Leerink Swann | Southwest Securties (SWS) Group, Inc. |
Charter Equity Research | Liberium Capital | Standard Chartered Bank |
China International Capital Corporation Limited | Lipper Inc. | State Street Bank & Trust Company |
Cirrus Research | Longbow Research | Stephens, Inc. |
Citigroup Global Markets | Loop Capital Markets | Sterne Agee & Leach Group |
CL King & Associates | Louise Yamada Technical Research | Stifel Nicolaus & Co. |
Cleveland Research Company | M&T Securities | Stone & Youngberg |
CLSA Credit Agricole Securities | Macquarie Securities Inc. | Strategas Research |
Collins Stewart Securities Inc. | Madison Williams and Company LLC | SunGuard Capital Corp. |
Consumer Edge | Main First Bank AG | SunTrust Robinson Humphrey |
Cornerstone Analytics | Maxim Group LLC | Susquehanna Financial Group |
Cowen and Company, LLC | Mediobanca Securities USA LLC | SWS Group, Inc. |
Craig-Hallum Capital Group | Medley Global Advisors | TD Asset Management Inc. |
Credit Suisse Corp. | Merlin Securities | Telsey Advisory Group |
Credit Suisse Securities LLC | Merrill Lynch & Company, Inc. | The Juda Group |
Crews & Associates | Merriman, Curhan & Ford | The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc. |
Cross Current Research | Merrion Stockbrokers Ltd. | The Yieldbook Inc. |
CRT Capital Group | Mesirow Financial | Think Equity Partners |
D.A. Davidson & Company | MF Global Securities, Ltd. | Thomas Weisel |
Dahlman Rose & Co. | Mirae Asset Financial Group | Thomson Reuters |
Daiwa Securities | Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Inc. | Ticonderoga Securities |
Davenport & Co. | Mizuho Securities USA, Inc. | Towers Watson |
DeMarche Associates, Inc. | MKM Partners | Troika Dialog |
Desert Mountain Properties LP | Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. | Tudor, Pickering & Co. Securities, Inc. |
Detwiler Fenton & Co. | Morgan Joseph TriArtisan LLC | UBS AG |
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | Morgan Keegan & Company | US Bancorp |
Discern Investment Analytics Inc. | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC | Vermilion Capital |
Dougherty & Co. | Morningstar, Inc. | Vertical Research Partners |
Dowling & Partners Securities, LLC | Motilal Oswal Securities Ltd. | Vestmark, Inc. |
Drexel Hamilton | MR Beal & Co. | Vining & Sparks |
du Pasquier & Co. | M & T Securities | Vontobel Securities Ltd. |
EFG Hermes | Multi-Bank Securities | Wachovia Securities Inc. |
Emmet & Co., Inc. | Murphy & Durieu | Washington Analysis |
Empirical Research Partners | Natexis Bleichroeder | Wedbush Morgan Securities |
Encima Global | National Bank Financial | Wedge Securities LLC |
Equity Research Associates | Ned Davis Research Group | Weeden Leuthold |
Evaluation Associates LLC | Needham & Co., Inc. | Wells Fargo Securities |
Evercore Partners Inc. | Noble Financial | WH Mell & Associates |
FactSet Research Systems Inc. | Northcoast Research | William Blair & Co. |
Feltl and Company | NY State Nurses Pension Fund | Wilshire Associates Inc. |
Fidelity Brokerage Services | Nomura Securities International | WJB Capital |
Fidelity Strategic Advisers | Oddo Securities Corporation | Wolfe Trahan Research |
Fig Partners | Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. | Wunderlich Securities |
First Analysis Securities Corp | Oscar Gruss & Sons | Zelman & Associates |
FMS Bonds, Inc. | OTA-Off the Record Research | Ziegler Capital Markets Group |
Fox-Pitt Kelton Inc. | OTR Global | |
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc. | Pacific Crest Securities | |
Organization and History. The Fund is an open-end, non-diversified management investment company with an unlimited number of authorized shares of beneficial interest. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust in February 1995. The Fund was reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in August 2012.
Classes of Shares. The Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board") is authorized, without shareholder approval, to:
The Fund currently has six classes of shares: Class A, Class B, Class C, Class N, Class Y and Class I. All classes invest in the same investment portfolio. Only certain retirement plans may purchase Class N shares. Each class of shares:
Each share of each class:
Class B Share Availability.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. See the Prospectus section "More About Your Account" for details.
Class N Share Availability. The types of retirement plans which may purchase Class N shares are:
"Grouped Plans" include any qualified or non-qualified retirement plan or account or deferred compensation plan for employees or other organized groups of persons, where all eligible members of the group purchase shares of an Oppenheimer fund or funds through a single investment dealer, broker or other financial institution if the group or the dealer, broker or other financial has made special arrangements with the Distributor. They may include 457 plans, IRAs and 403(b) plans (other than plans for public school employees).
Class Y Share Availability.
Class Y shares are offered to fee-based clients of dealers that have a special agreement with the Distributor to offer these shares, and to certain institutional investors who have a special agreement with the Distributor. Class Y shares are also offered to present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their eligible family members) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates, its parent company and the subsidiaries of its parent company, and retirement plans established for the benefit of such individuals.
Voluntary Conversion to Class Y Shares. For shareholders who currently hold other classes of Fund shares, but are authorized to purchase Class Y shares, those shareholders can convert their eligible existing shares to Class Y shares of the Fund either through their dealer who has a special agreement with the Distributor or by submitting written instructions to the Transfer Agent. Shares that are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") are not eligible to convert to Class Y shares until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Under current interpretations of applicable federal income tax law by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), this voluntary conversion to Class Y shares is not treated as a taxable event. If those laws or the IRS interpretation of those laws should change, this voluntary conversion feature may be suspended.
Class I Share Availability.
Class I shares are not available directly to individual investors. They are only available to eligible institutional investors. To be eligible to purchase Class I shares, an investor must:
No commission payments, account servicing fees, recordkeeping fees, 12b-1 fees, transfer agent fees, so called "finder's fees," administrative fees or other similar fees will be paid with respect to Class I shares. The Fund, at its discretion, reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment and minimum balance requirements for investment companies advised or subadvised by the Manager or an affiliate of the Manager.
Voluntary Conversion to Class I Shares. Shareholders who currently hold other classes of Fund shares but are eligible to purchase Class I shares can convert their eligible existing shares to Class I shares of the Fund either through their financial intermediary or by submitting an application to the Transfer Agent. Shares of another share class that are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, commission payments, account servicing fees, recordkeeping fees, 12b-1 fees, transfer agent fees, so called "finders fees," administrative fees or other similar fees are not eligible to convert to Class I shares. Under current interpretations of applicable federal income tax law by the Internal Revenue Service, this voluntary conversion to Class I shares is not treated as a taxable event. If those laws or the IRS interpretation of those laws should change, this voluntary conversion feature may be suspended.
Involuntary Conversion of Class I Shares. If a Class I share account balance falls below $2.5 million, the investor will be notified that the account is below the required minimum balance. If the account remains below $2.5 million for more than six consecutive months after such notification, the account may be involuntarily redeemed or converted into a Class Y share account. This policy does not apply to accounts for which the minimum initial investment is waived.
Individual shareholders who purchase Class I shares through retirement plans or other intermediaries will not be eligible to hold Class I shares outside of their respective retirement plan or intermediary platform.
Shareholder and Trustee Liability; Shareholder Meetings. Under Delaware law and the Fund's Declaration of Trust, Fund shareholders are entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to shareholders of corporations organized under Delaware law. Under Delaware law and the Fund's Declaration of Trust, Trustees are not personally liable to any person for any obligations of the Fund. Therefore a shareholder or Trustee of the Fund generally will not be subject to personal liability for Fund obligations. The risk that a Fund shareholder or Trustee will incur personal liability for Fund obligations is limited to the circumstances in which a state court may not apply Delaware law or the terms of the Fund's Declaration of Trust.
As a Delaware statutory trust, the Fund is not required to hold regular annual meetings of shareholders and does not plan to do so. The Fund may hold shareholder meetings from time to time.
Board of Trustees and Oversight Committees
The Fund is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for overseeing the Fund. The Board is led by Sam Freedman, an independent trustee, who is not an "interested person" of the Fund, as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940. The Board meets periodically throughout the year to oversee the Fund's activities, including to review its performance, oversee potential conflicts that could affect the Fund, and review the actions of the Manager and Sub-Adviser. With respect to its oversight of risk, the Board, through its committees, relies on reports and information received from various parties, including the Manager and Sub-Adviser, internal auditors, the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer, the Fund's outside auditors and Fund counsel. It is important to note that, despite the efforts of the Board and of the various parties that play a role in the oversight of risk, it is likely that not all risks will be identified or mitigated.
The Board has an Audit Committee, a Review Committee and a Governance Committee. Each of the Committees is comprised solely of Trustees who are not "interested persons" under the Investment Company Act (the "Independent Trustees"). The Board has determined that its leadership structure is appropriate in light of the characteristics and circumstances of the Trust because it allocates areas of responsibility among the committees in a manner that enhances the Board's oversight.
During the Fund's fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, the Audit Committee held 4 meetings, the Review Committee held 4 meetings and the Governance Committee held 4 meetings.
The members of the Audit Committee are F. William Marshall, Jr. (Chairman), Edward L. Cameron, Robert J. Malone, Karen L. Stuckey and James D. Vaughn. The Audit Committee selects the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm (also referred to as the "independent Auditors"). Other main functions of the Audit Committee, outlined in the Audit Committee Charter, include, but are not limited to: (i) reviewing the scope and results of financial statement audits and the audit fees charged; (ii) reviewing reports from the Fund independent Auditors regarding the Fund internal accounting procedures and controls; (iii) reviewing reports from the Manager's Internal Audit Department; (iv) reviewing certain reports from and meet periodically with the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer; (v) maintaining a separate line of communication between the Fund independent Auditors and the Independent Trustees; (vi) reviewing the independence of the Fund independent Auditors; and (vii) approving in advance the provision of any audit or non-audit services by the Fund independent Auditors, including tax services, that are not prohibited by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, to the Fund, the Manager and certain affiliates of the Manager. The Audit Committee also reviews reports concerning the valuation on certain investments.
The members of the Review Committee are Richard F. Grabish (Chairman), Jon S. Fossel, Beverly L. Hamilton and Victoria J. Herget. Among other duties, as set forth in the Review Committee's Charter, the Review Committee reviews Fund performance and expenses as well as oversees several of the Fund's principal service providers and certain policies and procedures of the Fund.
The members of the Governance Committee are Robert J. Malone (Chairman), Edward L. Cameron, Richard F. Grabish, Beverly L. Hamilton, Victoria J. Herget, F. William Marshall, Jr., Karen L. Stuckey and James D. Vaughn. The Governance Committee has adopted a charter setting forth its duties and responsibilities. Among other duties, the Governance Committee reviews and oversees Fund governance and the nomination of Trustees, including Independent Trustees. The Governance Committee has adopted a process for shareholder submission of nominees for board positions. Shareholders may submit names of individuals, accompanied by complete and properly supported resumes, for the Governance Committee's consideration by mailing such information to the Governance Committee in care of the Fund. The Governance Committee has not established specific qualifications that it believes must be met by a nominee. In evaluating nominees, the Governance Committee considers, among other things, an individual's background, skills, and experience; whether the individual is an "interested person" as defined in the Investment Company Act; and whether the individual would be deemed an "audit committee financial expert" within the meaning of applicable SEC rules. The Governance Committee also considers whether the individual's background, skills, and experience will complement the background, skills, and experience of other Trustees and will contribute to the Board's diversity. The Governance Committee may consider such persons at such time as it meets to consider possible nominees. The Governance Committee, however, reserves sole discretion to determine which candidates for Trustee it will recommend to the Board and the shareholders and it may identify candidates other than those submitted by shareholders. The Governance Committee may, but need not, consider the advice and recommendation of the Manager or its affiliates in selecting nominees. The full Board elects new Trustees except for those instances when a shareholder vote is required.
Shareholders who desire to communicate with the Board should address correspondence to the Board or an individual Board member and may submit correspondence electronically at www.oppenheimerfunds.com under the caption "contact us" or by mail to the Fund at the address on the front cover of this SAI.
Below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Board member that led the Board to conclude that he or she should serve as a Trustee of the Fund.
Each Independent Trustee has served on the Board for the number of years listed below, during the course of which he or she has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Board's deliberations. Each Trustee's outside professional experience is outlined in the table of Biographical Information, below.
Trustees and Officers of the Fund
Except for Mr. Glavin, each of the Trustees is an Independent Trustee and is also a trustee of the following Oppenheimer funds (referred to as "Denver Board Funds"):
Oppenheimer Capital Income Fund | Oppenheimer Main Street Funds |
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves | Oppenheimer Main Street Select Fund |
Oppenheimer Commodity Strategy Total Return Fund | Oppenheimer Main Street Small- & Mid-Cap Fund |
Oppenheimer Corporate Bond Fund | Oppenheimer Master Event-Linked Bond Fund, LLC |
Oppenheimer Currency Opportunities Fund | Oppenheimer Master Inflation Protected Securities Fund, LLC |
Oppenheimer Emerging Markets Debt Fund | Oppenheimer Master Loan Fund, LLC |
Oppenheimer Equity Fund | Oppenheimer SteelPath Master MLP Fund, LLC |
Oppenheimer Global Strategic Income Fund | Oppenheimer Senior Floating Rate Fund |
Oppenheimer Integrity Funds | Oppenheimer Short Duration Fund |
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund | Oppenheimer SteelPath MLP Funds Trust |
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund | Oppenheimer Variable Account Funds |
Panorama Series Fund | |
Messrs. Steinmetz, Baijal, Edwards, Gabinet, Glavin, Kennedy, Legg, Petersen, Vandehey and Wixted and Mss. Zervos, Bullington, Bloomberg, Kantesaria, LaFond and Nasta, who are officers of the Fund, hold the same offices with one or more of the other Denver Board Funds.
Present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their immediate family members) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates, and retirement plans established by them for their employees are permitted to purchase Class A shares of the Fund and the other Oppenheimer funds at net asset value without sales charge. The sales charge on Class A shares is waived for that group because of the reduced sales efforts realized by the Distributor. Present or former officers, directors, trustees and employees (and their eligible family members) of the Fund, the Manager and its affiliates, its parent company and the subsidiaries of its parent company, and retirement plans established for the benefit of such individuals, are also permitted to purchase Class Y shares of the Fund and other Oppenheimer funds that offer Class Y shares.
As of January 4, 2013, the Trustees/Directors and officers of the Fund, as a group, owned less than 1% of any class of shares of the Fund beneficially or of record.
The foregoing statement does not reflect ownership of shares held of record by an employee benefit plan for employees of the Manager, Sub-Adviser and its subsidiaries, other than the shares beneficially owned under that plan by the officers of the Fund. In addition, none of the Independent Trustees/Directors (nor any of their immediate family members) owns securities of either the Manager, Sub-Adviser or the Distributor or of any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager or the Distributor.
Biographical Information. The Trustees and officers, their positions with the Fund, length of service in such position(s) and principal occupations and business affiliations during at least the past five years are listed in the charts below. The address of each Independent Trustee in the chart below is 6803 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112-3924. Each Trustee serves for an indefinite term, or until his or her resignation, retirement, death or removal.
Each Independent Trustee has served the Fund in the following capacities from the following dates: | ||
Position(s) | Length of Service | |
Sam Freedman | Board Chairman | Since 2013 |
Trustee | Since 1996 | |
Edward L. Cameron | Trustee | Since 1999 |
Jon S. Fossel | Trustee | Since 1995 |
Richard F. Grabish | Trustee | Since 2012 |
Beverly L. Hamilton | Trustee | Since 2002 |
Victoria J. Herget | Trustee | Since 2012 |
Robert J. Malone | Trustee | Since 2002 |
F. William Marshall, Jr. | Trustee | Since 2000 |
Karen L. Stuckey | Trustee | Since 2012 |
James D. Vaughn | Trustee | Since 2012 |
Independent Trustees | ||
Name, Age, Position(s) | Principal Occupations(s) During the Past 5 Years; Other Trusteeship/Directorships Held |
Portfolios Overseen in Fund Complex |
Sam Freedman (72), Chairman of the Board of Trustees | Director of Colorado UpLIFT (charitable organization) (since September 1984). Mr. Freedman held several positions with the Sub-Adviser and with subsidiary or affiliated companies of the Sub-Adviser (until October 1994). Mr. Freedman has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 1996, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Edward L. Cameron (74), Trustee | Member of The Life Guard of Mount Vernon (George Washington historical site) (June 2000 - June 2006); Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (accounting firm) (July 1974-June 1999); Chairman of Price Waterhouse LLP Global Investment Management Industry Services Group (accounting firm) (July 1994-June 1998). Mr. Cameron has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 1999, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Jon S. Fossel (72), Trustee | Chairman of the Board (2006-December 2011) and Director (June 2002-December 2011) of UNUMProvident (insurance company); Director of Northwestern Energy Corp. (public utility corporation) (November 2004-December 2009); Director of P.R. Pharmaceuticals (October 1999-October 2003); Director of Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (non-profit organization) (February 1998-February 2003 and February 2005-February 2007); Chairman and Director (until October 1996) and President and Chief Executive Officer (until October 1995) of the Sub-Adviser; President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the following: Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC") (parent holding company of the Sub-Adviser), Shareholders Services, Inc. and Shareholder Financial Services, Inc. (until October 1995). Mr. Fossel has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 1990, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Richard F. Grabish (64), Trustee | Formerly Senior Vice President and Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing (March 1997-December 2007), Director (March 1987-December 2007) and Manager of Private Client Services (June 1985-June 2005) of A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. (broker/dealer and investment firm); Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of A.G. Edwards Trust Company, FSB (March 2001-December 2007); President and Vice Chairman of A.G. Edwards Trust Company, FSB (investment adviser) (April 1987-March 2001); President of A.G. Edwards Trust Company, FSB (investment adviser) (June 2005-December 2007). Mr. Grabish has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2001, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Beverly L. Hamilton (66), Trustee | Trustee of Monterey Institute for International Studies (educational organization) (since February 2000); Board Member of Middlebury College (educational organization) (December 2005-June 2011); Chairman (since 2010) of American Funds' Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Inc. (mutual fund); Director of The California Endowment (philanthropic organization) (April 2002-April 2008); Director (February 2002-2005) and Chairman of Trustees (2006-2007) of the Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula; Director (October 1991-2005); Vice Chairman (2006-2009) of American Funds' Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Inc. (mutual fund); President of ARCO Investment Management Company (February 1991-April 2000); Member of the investment committees of The Rockefeller Foundation (2001-2006) and The University of Michigan (since 2000); Advisor at Credit Suisse First Boston's Sprout venture capital unit (venture capital fund) (1994-January 2005); Trustee of MassMutual Institutional Funds (investment company) (1996-June 2004); Trustee of MML Series Investment Fund (investment company) (April 1989-June 2004); Member of the investment committee of Hartford Hospital (2000-2003); and Advisor to Unilever (Holland) pension fund (2000-2003). Ms. Hamilton has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2002, during which time she has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Victoria J. Herget (61), Trustee | Independent Director of the First American Funds (mutual fund family) (2003-2011); former Managing Director (1993-2001), Principal (1985-1993), Vice President (1978-1985) and Assistant Vice President (1973-1978) of Zurich Scudder Investments (and its predecessor firms); Board Chair (2008-Present) and Director (2004-Present), United Educators (insurance company); Trustee (1992-2007), Chair of the Board of Trustees (1999-2007), Investment Committee Chair (1994-1999) and Investment Committee member (2007-2010) of Wellesley College; Trustee (since 2000) and Chair (since 2010), Newberry Library; Trustee, Mather LifeWays (since 2001); Trustee, BoardSource (2006-2009) and Chicago City Day School (1994-2005). Ms. Herget has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2012, during which time she has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
Robert J. Malone (68), Trustee | Board of Directors of Opera Colorado Foundation (non-profit organization) (since March 2008); Director of Jones Knowledge, Inc. (2006-2010); Director of Jones International University (educational organization) (since August 2005); Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Steele Street Bank Trust (commercial banking) (since August 2003); Trustee of the Gallagher Family Foundation (non-profit organization) (since 2000); Director of Colorado UpLIFT (charitable organization) (1986-2010); Former Chairman of U.S. Bank-Colorado (subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp and formerly Colorado National Bank) (July 1996-April 1999); Director of Commercial Assets, Inc. (real estate investment trust) (1993-2000); Director of Jones Knowledge, Inc. (2001-July 2004); Director of U.S. Exploration, Inc. (oil and gas exploration) (1997-February 2004); Chairman of the Board (1991-1994) and Trustee (1985-1994) of Regis University; and Chairman of the Board (1990-1991) and Trustee (1984-1999) of Young Presidents Organization. Mr. Malone has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2002, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
F. William Marshall, Jr. (70), Trustee | Trustee Emeritus of Worcester Polytech Institute (WPI) (private university) (since 2009); Trustee of MassMutual Select Funds (formerly MassMutual Institutional Funds) (investment company) (since 1996), MML Series Investment Fund (investment company) (since 1996) and Mass Mutual Premier Funds (investment company) (since January 2012); President and Treasurer of the SIS Funds (private charitable fund) (January 1999-March 2011); Former Trustee of WPI (1985-2008); Former Chairman of the Board (2004-2006) and Former Chairman of the Investment Committee of WPI (1994-2008); Chairman of SIS Family Bank, F.S.B. (formerly SIS Bank) (commercial bank) (January 1999-July 1999); Executive Vice President of Peoples Heritage Financial Group, Inc. (commercial bank) (January 1999-July 1999); and Former President and Chief Executive Officer of SIS Bancorp. (1993-1999). Mr. Marshall has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2000, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 40* |
Karen L. Stuckey (59), Trustee | Partner (1990-2012) of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (held various positions 1975-1990); Trustee (1992-2006) and member of Executive, Nominating and Audit Committees and Chair of Finance Committee of Lehigh University; and member, Women's Investment Management Forum since inception. Ms. Stuckey has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2012, during which time she has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
James D. Vaughn (67), Trustee | Retired; former managing partner (1994-2001) of Denver office of Deloitte & Touche LLP, (held various positions 1969-1993); Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Schroder Funds (2003-2012); Board member and Chairman of Audit Committee of AMG National Trust Bank (since 2005); Trustee and Investment Committee member, University of South Dakota Foundation (since 1996); Board member, Audit Committee Member and past Board Chair, Junior Achievement (since 1993); former Board member, Mile High United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, Economic Club of Colorado and Metro Denver Network. Mr. Vaughn has served on the Boards of certain Oppenheimer funds since 2012, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 36 |
*Includes four open-end investment companies: MassMutual Select Funds, MML Series Investment Fund, MassMutual Premier Funds and MML Series Investment Fund II. In accordance with the instructions for SEC Form N-1A, for purposes of this section only, MassMutual Select Funds and MML Series Investment Fund are included in the "Fund Complex." The Manager does not consider MassMutual Select Funds, MML Series Investment Fund, MassMutual Premier Funds and MML Series Investment Fund II to be part of the OppenheimerFunds' "Fund Complex" as that term may be otherwise interpreted.
Mr. Glavin has served as an Interested Trustee of the Fund since December 2009. Mr. Glavin is an "Interested Trustee" because he is affiliated with the Manager and the Sub-Adviser by virtue of his positions as an officer and director of the Manager and a director of the Sub-Adviser, and as a shareholder of the Subadviser's parent company. Both as a Trustee and as an officer, he serves for an indefinite term, or until his resignation, retirement, death or removal. Mr. Glavin's address is Two World Financial Center, 225 Liberty Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10281-1008.
Interested Trustee and Officer | ||
Name, Age, Position(s) | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years; Other Trusteeships/Directorships Held |
Portfolios Overseen in Fund Complex |
William F. Glavin, Jr. (54) Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer | Chief Executive Officer of OppenheimerFunds (since January 2013); Director, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Manager (since January 2013); Chairman of the Sub-Adviser (December 2009-December 2012); Chief Executive Officer (January 2009-December 2012) and Director of the Sub-Adviser (since January 2009); President of the Sub-Adviser (May 2009-December 2012); Management Director (since June 2009), President (since December 2009) and Chief Executive Officer (since January 2011) of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. ("OAC") (the Sub-Adviser's parent holding company); Director of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (since March 2010); Executive Vice President (March 2006 - February 2009) and Chief Operating Officer (July 2007 - February 2009) of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (OAC's parent company); Director (May 2004 - March 2006) and Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer (May 2004 - January 2005), President (January 2005 - March 2006) and Chief Executive Officer (June 2005 - March 2006) of Babson Capital Management LLC; Director (March 2005 - March 2006), President (May 2003 - March 2006) and Chief Compliance Officer (July 2005 - March 2006) of Babson Capital Securities, Inc. (a broker-dealer); President (May 2003 - March 2006) of Babson Investment Company, Inc.; Director (May 2004 - August 2006) of Babson Capital Europe Limited; Director (May 2004 - October 2006) of Babson Capital Guernsey Limited; Director (May 2004 - March 2006) of Babson Capital Management LLC; Non-Executive Director (March 2005 - March 2007) of Baring Asset Management Limited; Director (February 2005 - June 2006) Baring Pension Trustees Limited; Director and Treasurer (December 2003 - November 2006) of Charter Oak Capital Management, Inc.; Director (May 2006 - September 2006) of C.M. Benefit Insurance Company; Director (May 2008 - June 2009) and Executive Vice President (June 2007 - July 2009) of C.M. Life Insurance Company; President (March 2006 - May 2007) of MassMutual Assignment Company; Director (January 2005 - December 2006), Deputy Chairman (March 2005 - December 2006) and President (February 2005 - March 2005) of MassMutual Holdings (Bermuda) Limited; Director (May 2008 - June 2009) and Executive Vice President (June 2007 - July 2009) of MML Bay State Life Insurance Company; Chief Executive Officer and President (April 2007 - January 2009) of MML Distributors, LLC.; and Chairman (March 2006 -December 2008) and Chief Executive Officer (May 2007 - December 2008) of MML Investors Services, Inc. Mr. Glavin has served on the Board since December 2009, during which time he has become familiar with the Fund's (and other Oppenheimer funds') financial, accounting, regulatory and investment matters and has contributed to the Boards' deliberations. | 86 |
The addresses of the officers in the charts below are as follows: for Messrs. Steinmetz, Baijal, Edwards, Gabinet, Glavin and Keffer and Mss. Zervos, Bloomberg and Kantesaria, Two World Financial Center, 225 Liberty Street, New York, New York 10281, for Messrs. Kennedy, Legg, Petersen, Vandehey and Wixted and Mss. Bullington and LaFond, 6803 S. Tucson Way, Centennial, Colorado 80112. Each officer serves for an indefinite term or until his or her resignation, retirement, death or removal.
Each of the Officers has served the Fund in the following capacities from the following dates: | ||
Position(s) | Length of Service | |
Arthur P. Steinmetz | Vice President | Since 2004 |
Sara J. Zervos | Vice President | Since 2009 |
Hemant Baijal | Vice President | Since 2013 |
William F. Glavin, Jr. | President and Principal Executive Officer | Since 2009 |
Christina M. Nasta | Vice President and Chief Business Officer | Since 2011 |
Mark S. Vandehey | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
Since 2004 |
Brian W. Wixted | Treasurer and Principal Financial & Accounting Officer |
Since 1999 |
Brian S. Petersen | Assistant Treasurer | Since 2004 |
Stephanie J. Bullington | Assistant Treasurer | Since 2008 |
James A. Kennedy | Assistant Treasurer | Since 2011 |
Mathew O'Donnell | Assistant Treasurer | Since 2012 |
Arthur S. Gabinet | Secretary & Chief Legal Officer | Since 2011 |
Lisa I. Bloomberg | Assistant Secretary | Since 2004 |
Taylor V. Edwards | Assistant Secretary | Since 2008 |
Randy G. Legg | Assistant Secretary | Since 2008 |
Amee Kantesaria | Assistant Secretary | Since 2012 |
Gloria J. LaFond | Blue Sky Officer | Since 2011 |
Other Officers of the Fund | ||
Name, Age, Position(s) | Principal Occupation(s) During the Last 5 Years | Portfolios Overseen in Fund Complex |
Arthur P. Steinmetz (53), Vice President and Portfolio Manager | Chief Investment Officer of the Manager (since October 2010); Chief Investment Officer of Fixed-Income Investments of the Manager (April 2009-October 2010) and Executive Vice President of the Manager (since October 2009). He was a Senior Vice President of the Manager (March 1993-September 2009) and Director of Fixed-Income Investments of the Manager (January 2009-April 2009). An officer of other portfolios in the OppenheimerFunds complex. | 5 |
Sara J. Zervos, Ph.D. (42), Vice President and Portfolio Manager | Vice President of the Manager since April 2008. She was a portfolio manager with Sailfish Capital Management (May 2007-February 2008) and a portfolio manager for emerging market debt at Dillon Read Capital Management and OTA Asset Management (June 2004-April 2007). An officer of other portfolios in the OppenheimerFunds complex. | 4 |
Hemant Baijal (51), Vice President and Portfolio Manager |
Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (since July 2011); Co-founder, Partner and Portfolio Manager of Six Seasons Global Asset Management (January 2009-December 2010); Partner and Portfolio Manager of Aravali Partners, LLC. (investment management) (September 2006-December 2008); Partner and Portfolio Manager at Havell Capital Management, LLC. (November 1996-August 2006). | 1 |
Name, Age, Position(s) | Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years | Portfolios Overseen in Fund Complex |
Mark S. Vandehey (62) Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |
Chief Compliance Officer of OppenheimerFunds (since January 2013); Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Manager (since January 2013); Chief Compliance Officer of OFI SteelPath, Inc. (since January 2013); Senior Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (March 2004-December 2012); Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser, OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., OFI Trust Company, OFI Institutional Asset Management , Inc., Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc., OFI Private Investments, Inc., Harborview Asset Management Corporation, Trinity Investment Management Corporation, and Shareholder Services, Inc. (since March 2004); Vice President of OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., Centennial Asset Management Corporation and Shareholder Services, Inc. (June 1983-December 2012). | 86 |
Christina M. Nasta (39) Vice President and Chief Business Officer |
Senior Vice President of OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (since January 2013); Senior Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (July 2010-December 2012); Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (January 2003-July 2010); Vice President of OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. (January 2003-July 2010). | 86 |
Brian W. Wixted (53) Treasurer and Principal Financial & Accounting Officer |
Senior Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Treasurer of the Sub-Adviser, HarbourView Asset Management Corporation, Shareholder Financial Services, Inc., Shareholder Services, Inc., and Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (March 1999-June 2008), OFI Private Investments, Inc. (March 2000-June 2008), OppenheimerFunds International Ltd. and OppenheimerFunds plc (since May 2000), OFI Institutional Asset Management, Inc. (November 2000-June 2008), and OppenheimerFunds Legacy Program (charitable trust program established by the Sub-Adviser) (June 2003-December 2011); Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of OFI Trust Company (since May 2000); Assistant Treasurer of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corporation (March 1999-June 2008). | 86 |
Brian S. Petersen (42) Assistant Treasurer |
Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (February 2007-December 2012); Assistant Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (August 2002-February 2007). | 86 |
Stephanie J. Bullington (35) Assistant Treasurer |
Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (January 2010-December 2012); Assistant Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (October 2005-January 2010). | 86 |
James A. Kennedy (53) Assistant Treasurer |
Senior Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Senior Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (September 2006-December 2012.) | 86 |
Mathew O'Donnell (45) Assistant Treasurer |
Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President of the Sub-Adviser (January 2008-December 2012); Accounting Policy Director of the Sub-Adviser (May 2007-March 2012). | 86 |
Arthur S. Gabinet (54) Secretary and Chief Legal Officer |
General Counsel of OppenheimerFunds (since January 2013); Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Manager (since January 2013); General Counsel OFI SteelPath, Inc. (since January 2013); Executive Vice President (May 2010-December 2012) and General Counsel (since January 2011) of the Sub-Adviser; General Counsel of the Distributor (since January 2011); General Counsel of Centennial Asset Management Corporation (January 2011-December 2012); Executive Vice President (January 2011-December 2012) and General Counsel of HarbourView Asset Management Corporation (since January 2011); Assistant Secretary (since January 2011) and Director (since January 2011) of OppenheimerFunds International Ltd. and OppenheimerFunds plc; Director of Oppenheimer Real Asset Management, Inc. (January 2011-December 2012) and General Counsel (since January 2011); Executive Vice President (January 2011-December 2011) and General Counsel of Shareholder Financial Services, Inc. and Shareholder Services, Inc. (since January 2011); Executive Vice President (January 2011-December 2012) and General Counsel of OFI Private Investments Inc. (since January 2011); Vice President of OppenheimerFunds Legacy Program (January 2011-December 2011); Executive Vice President (January 2011-December 2012) and General Counsel of OFI Institutional Asset Management, Inc. (since January 2011); General Counsel, Asset Management of the Sub-Adviser (May 2010-December 2010); Principal, The Vanguard Group (November 2005-April 2010); District Administrator, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (January 2003-October 2005). | 86 |
Lisa I. Bloomberg (44) Assistant Secretary |
Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of the Manager (since January 2013); Senior Vice President (February 2010-December 2012) and Deputy General Counsel (May 2008-December 2012) of the Sub-Adviser; Vice President (May 2004-January 2010) and Associate Counsel of the Sub-Adviser (May 2004-May 2008). | 86 |
Randy G. Legg (47) Assistant Secretary |
Vice President and Senior Counsel of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President (June 2005-December 2012) and Senior Counsel (March 2011-December 2012) of the Sub-Adviser; Associate Counsel (January 2007-March 2011) of the Sub-Adviser. | 86 |
Taylor V. Edwards (45) Assistant Secretary |
Vice President and Senior Counsel of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President (February 2007-December 2012) and Senior Counsel (February 2012-December 2012) of the Sub-Adviser; Associate Counsel (May 2009-January 2012); Assistant Vice President (January 2006-January 2007) and Assistant Counsel (January 2006-April 2009) of the Sub-Adviser. | 86 |
Amee Kantesaria (32) Assistant Secretary |
Vice President and Assistant Counsel of the Manager (since January 2013); Vice President (May 2009-December 2012) and Assistant Counsel (December 2006-December 2012) of the Sub-Adviser; Assistant Vice President (December 2006-May 2009) of the Sub-Adviser; Assistant Secretary (since January 2011) of the Sub-Adviser and Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp. | 86 |
Gloria J. LaFond (67) Blue Sky Officer |
Assistant Vice President of the Manager (since January 2013); Assistant Vice President (January 2006-December 2012) of the Sub-Adviser. | 86 |
Trustees Share Ownership. The chart below shows information about each Trustee's beneficial share ownership in the Fund and in all of the registered investment companies that the Trustee oversees in the Oppenheimer family of funds ("Supervised Funds").
As of December 31, 2012 | ||
Dollar Range of Shares Beneficially Owned in the Fund |
Aggregate Dollar Range Of Shares Beneficially Owned in Supervised Funds | |
Independent Trustees | ||
Sam Freedman | $50,001-$100,000 | Over $100,000 |
Edward L. Cameron | None | Over $100,000 |
Jon S. Fossel | None | Over $100,000 |
Richard F. Grabish | $1-$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
Beverly L. Hamilton | None | Over $100,000 |
Victoria J. Herget | $10,001-$50,000 | Over $100,000 |
Robert J. Malone | $50,001-$100,000 | Over $100,000 |
F. William Marshall | None | Over $100,000 |
Karen L. Stuckey | None | Over $100,000 |
James D. Vaughn | None | Over $100,000 |
Interested Trustee | ||
William F. Glavin, Jr. | None | Over $100,000 |
Remuneration of the Officers and Trustees. The officers and the Interested Trustee of the Fund, who are associated with the Manager, receive no salary or fee from the Fund. The Independent Trustees' total compensation from the Fund and fund complex represents compensation for serving as a Trustee and member of a committee (if applicable) of the Boards of the Fund and other funds in the OppenheimerFunds complex during the calendar year ended December 31, 2012.
Name and Other Fund Position(s) (as applicable) | Aggregate Compensation From the Fund1 | Total Compensation From the Fund and Fund Complex2 |
Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2012 | Year Ended December 31, 2012 | |
Sam Freedman | $29,413 | $225,400 |
Chairman of the Board | ||
Edward L. Cameron | $23,990 | $183,750 |
Audit Committee Member and Governance Committee Member | ||
Jon S. Fossel | $25,577 | $196,000 |
Review Committee Member | ||
Richard Grabish | $12,420 | $155,027 |
Review Committee Chairman and Governance Committee Member | ||
Beverly Hamilton | $25,5773 | $196,000 |
Review Committee Member and Governance Committee Member | ||
Victoria J. Herget | $14,363 | $159,519 |
Review Committee Member and Governance Committee Member | ||
Robert J. Malone | $29,413 | $225,400 |
Governance Committee Chairman and Audit Committee Member | ||
F. William Marshall, Jr. | $30,0314 | $377,6325 |
Audit Committee Chairman and Governance Committee Member | ||
Karen L. Stuckey | $12,741 | $147,000 |
Audit Committee Member and Governance Committee Member | ||
James D. Vaughn | $14,363 | $159,519 |
Audit Committee Member and Governance Committee Member |
1. "Aggregate Compensation from the Fund" includes fees and deferred compensation, if any.
2. In accordance with SEC regulations, for purposes of this section only, "Fund Complex" includes the Oppenheimer funds, the MassMutual
Institutional Funds, the MassMutual Select Funds and the MML Series Investment Fund, the investment adviser for which is the indirect
parent company of the Fund's Manager. The Manager also serves as the Sub-Adviser to the following: MassMutual Premier International
Equity Fund, MassMutual Premier Main Street Fund, MassMutual Premier Strategic Income Fund, MassMutual Premier Capital Appreciation
Fund, and MassMutual Premier Global Fund. The Manager does not consider MassMutual Institutional Funds, MassMutual Select Funds
and MML Series Investment Fund to be part of the OppenheimerFunds' "Fund Complex" as that term may be otherwise interpreted.
3. Includes $25,577 deferred by Ms. Hamilton under the "Compensation Deferral Plan" described below.
4. Includes $568 deferred by Mr. Marshall under the "Compensation Deferral Plan" described below.
5. Includes $142,432 compensation paid to Mr. Marshall for serving as a Trustee for MassMutual Select Funds, MML Series Investment
Fund, MassMutual Premier Funds and MML Series Investment Fund II.
Compensation Deferral Plan. The Board of Trustees has adopted a Compensation Deferral Plan for Independent Trustees that enables them to elect to defer receipt of all or a portion of the annual fees they are entitled to receive from certain Funds. Under the plan, the compensation deferred by a Trustee is periodically adjusted as though an equivalent amount had been invested in shares of one or more Oppenheimer funds selected by the Trustee. The amount paid to the Trustee under the plan will be determined based on the amount of compensation deferred and the performance of the selected funds.
Deferral of the Trustees' fees under the plan will not materially affect a Fund's assets, liabilities or net income per share. The plan will not obligate a fund to retain the services of any Trustee or to pay any particular level of compensation to any Trustee. Pursuant to an Order issued by the SEC, a fund may invest in the funds selected by the Trustee under the plan without shareholder approval for the limited purpose of determining the value of the Trustee's deferred compensation account.
Major Shareholders. As of January 4, 2013, the only persons or entities who owned of record, or who were known by the Fund to own beneficially, 5% or more of any class of the Fund's outstanding shares were:
Name | Address | % Owned | Share Class |
Pershing LLC | 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
13.54% | A |
UBS WM USA OMNI Account M/F ATTN: Department Manager |
499 Washington Blvd., Fl. 9 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2055 |
12.86% | A |
National Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Ben of Customers |
200 Liberty Street One World Financial Center Attn: Mutual Funds 5th Floor New York, NY 10281-1003 |
9.96% | A |
Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. Special custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers ATTN: Mutual Funds |
101 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 |
8.93% | A |
First Clearing LLC Special Custody Acct for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer |
2810 Market Street St. Louis, MO 63103 |
16.70% | B |
Pershing LLC | 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
12.01% | B |
MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers ATTN: Fund Admin. |
4800 Deer Lake Dr. E., 7th Fl. Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
11.58% | B |
National Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Ben of Customers |
200 Liberty Street One World Financial Center Attn: Mutual Funds 5th Floor New York, NY 10281-1003 |
6.71% | B |
Edward D Jones & Co. Attn Mutual Fund Shareholder Accounting |
201 Progress Pkwy Maryland Hts, MO 63043-3009 |
6.66% | B |
Morgan Staanley and Co Attn Mutual Fund Operations |
Harborside Financial Center Plaza II 3rd Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
5.33% | B |
MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers ATTN: Fund Admin. |
4800 Deer Lake Dr. E., Fl. 3 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
19.90% | C |
Morgan Stanley & Co Attn Mutual Funds Operations |
Harborside Financial Center Plaza II 3rd Floor Jersey City, NJ 07311 |
15.08% | C |
First Clearing LLC Special Custody Acct for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer |
2801 Market Street St. Louis, MO 63103 |
12.20% | C |
Pershing LLC | 1 Pershing Plaza Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001 |
8.73% | C |
UBS WM USA OMNI Account M/F ATTN: Department Manager |
499 Washington Blvd., Fl. 9 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2055 |
8.62% | C |
National Financial Services, LLC For Exclusive Ben of Customers |
200Liberty Street One World Financial Center Attn: Mutual Funds 5th Floor New York, NY 10281-1003 |
5.97% | C |
Raymond James Omnibus For Mutual Funds Attn: Courtney Waller |
880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, FL 33716 |
5.26% | C |
Hartford Life Insurance Co. Separate Account 457 ATTN: UIT Operations |
PO Box 2999 Hartford, CT 06104-2999 |
24.83% | N |
MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers ATTN: Fund Admin. |
4800 Deer Lake Dr. E., Fl. 3 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
6.32% | N |
ING National Trust Attn: Fund Operations |
1 Orange Way Winsor, CT 06095-4773 |
5.74% | N |
AUL American group RET Annuity Attn Separate Accounts |
P.O. Box 368 Indianapolis, IN 46206-0368 |
5.22% | N |
ING Life Ins & Annuity Comp FBO Aliac Trade Settlement Attn: Fund Operations |
1 Orange Way Windsor, CT 06095-4773 |
5.12% | N |
First Clearing LLC | 2801 Market Street Saint Louis, MO 63103 |
19.29% | Y |
Morgan Stanley & Co Attn Mutual Fund Operations |
Harborside Financial Center Plaza II 3rd Floor |
10.58% | Y |
Edward D. Jones & Co. ATTN: Mutual Fund Shareholder Accounting |
201 Progress Pkwy. Maryland Hts., MO 63043-3009 |
9.76% | Y |
MLPF&S For the Sole Benefit of its Customers ATTN: Fund Admn |
4800 Deer Lake Drive E., Fl. 3 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 |
9.36% | Y |
National Financial Services LLC For Exclusive Ben of Customers |
200 Liberty Street One World Financial Center Attn: Mutual Funds 5th Floor New York, NY 10281-1003 |
8.74% | Y |
The Manager and the Sub-Adviser
The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OppenheimerFunds, Inc., the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser is wholly-owned by Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., a holding company primarily owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, a global, diversified insurance and financial services company.
Code of Ethics. The Fund, the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor have a Code of Ethics. It is designed to detect and prevent improper personal trading by portfolio managers and certain other employees ("covered persons") that could compete with or take advantage of the Fund's portfolio transactions. Covered persons include persons with knowledge of the investments and investment intentions of the Fund and/or other funds advised by the Manager. The Code of Ethics does permit personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, subject to a number of restrictions and controls. Compliance with the Code of Ethics is carefully monitored and enforced by the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor.
The Code of Ethics is an exhibit to the Fund's registration statement filed with the SEC. It can be viewed as part of the Fund's registration statement on the SEC's EDGAR database at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and can be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.
Portfolio Proxy Voting. The Fund has adopted Portfolio Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures,
which include Proxy Voting Guidelines, under which the Fund votes proxies relating to securities held by the Fund ("portfolio proxies").
The Manager generally undertakes to vote portfolio proxies with a view to enhancing the value of the company's stock held by the
Fund. The Fund has retained an independent, third party proxy voting agent to vote portfolio proxies in accordance with the Fund's
Proxy Voting Guidelines and to maintain records of such portfolio proxy voting. The Manager's internal Proxy Voting Committee is
responsible for monitoring the third party proxy voting agent.
The Portfolio Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures include provisions to address conflicts of interest that may arise between the
Fund and the Manager or the Manager's affiliates or business relationships. Such a conflict of interest may arise, for example,
where the Manager or an affiliate of the Manager manages or administers the assets of a pension plan or other investment account
of the portfolio company soliciting the proxy or seeks to serve in that capacity. The Manager and its affiliates generally seek
to avoid such material conflicts of interest by maintaining separate investment decision making processes to prevent the sharing
of business objectives with respect to proposed or actual actions regarding portfolio proxy voting decisions. Additionally, the
Manager employs the following procedures, as long as OFI determines that the course of action is consistent with the best interests
of the Fund and its shareholders:
If the proposal that gives rise to the conflict is specifically addressed in the Proxy Voting Guidelines, the Manager will vote
the portfolio proxy in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines.
If none of the previous procedures provides an appropriate voting recommendation, the Proxy Voting Committee
may: (i) determine how to vote on the proposal; (ii) recommend that the Manager retain an independent fiduciary to advise the Manager
on how to vote the proposal; or (iii) determine that voting on the particular proposal is impracticable and/or is outweighed by
the cost of voting and direct the Manager to abstain from voting.
The Proxy Voting Guidelines' provisions with respect to certain routine and non-routine proxy proposals are summarized below:
The Fund is required to file Form N-PX, with its complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30th, no later than August 31st of each year. The Fund's Form N-PX filing is available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund toll-free at 1.800.525.7048 and (ii) on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
The Investment Advisory Agreement.The Manager provides investment advisory and management services to the Fund under an investment advisory agreement between the Manager and the Fund. The Manager has retained the Sub-Adviser pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement, described below, under which the Sub-Adviser chooses the Fund's investments and provides related advisory services to the Fund. Prior to January 1, 2013, OppenheimerFunds, Inc. was the Manager of the Fund.
The advisory agreement requires the Manager, at its expense, to provide the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and equipment. It also requires the Manager to provide and supervise the activities of all administrative and clerical personnel required to provide effective administration for the Fund. Those responsibilities include the compilation and maintenance of records with respect to its operations, the preparation and filing of specified reports, and composition of proxy materials and registration statements for continuous public sale of shares of the Fund.
The Fund pays expenses not expressly assumed by the Manager under the investment advisory agreement. The investment advisory agreement lists examples of expenses paid by the Fund. The major categories relate to interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, fees to certain Board members, legal and audit expenses, custodian and transfer agent expenses, share issuance costs, certain printing and registration costs and non-recurring expenses, including litigation costs. The management fees paid by the Fund to the Manager are calculated at the rates described in the Prospectus, which are applied to the assets of the Fund as a whole. The fees are allocated to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of the Fund's net assets represented by that class. The management fees paid by the Fund to the Manager during its last three fiscal years were:
Fiscal Year ended 9/30 | Management Fee Paid to the Manager |
2010 | $63,300,621 |
2011 | $66,886,992 |
2012 | $63,533,218 |
The investment advisory agreement states that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the investment advisory agreement, the Manager is not liable for any loss the Fund sustains in connection with matters to which the agreement relates.
The agreement permits the Manager to act as an investment adviser for any other person, firm or corporation and to use the name "Oppenheimer" in connection with other investment companies for which it may act as investment adviser or general distributor. If the Manager shall no longer act as investment adviser to the Fund, the Manager may withdraw the right of the Fund to use the name "Oppenheimer" as part of its name.
The Sub-Advisory Agreement. Under the sub-advisory agreement between the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall regularly provide investment advice with respect to the Fund and invest and reinvest cash, securities, commodity interests and the property comprising the assets of the Fund. The Sub-Adviser selects securities and/or commodity interests for the Fund's portfolio and provides related advisory services. The portfolio manager(s) of the Fund is employed by the Sub-Adviser and is principally responsible for the provision of advisory services to the Fund's portfolio. Other members of the Sub-Adviser's investment teams provide the portfolio manager(s) with counsel and support in managing the Fund's portfolio.
Under the sub-advisory agreement, the Manager pays the Sub-Adviser a percentage of the net investment advisory fee (after all applicable waivers) that it receives from the Fund as compensation for the provision of investment advisory services. The fee paid to the Sub-Adviser under the sub-advisory agreement is paid by the Manager, not by the Fund.
The sub-advisory agreement states that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of its duties or obligations, the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Manager for any act or omission in the course of or connected with rendering services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security.
Pending Litigation. Since 2009, a number of class action lawsuits have been pending in federal courts against the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and certain Oppenheimer mutual funds (but not including the Fund) advised by the Sub-Adviser and distributed by the Distributor (the "Defendant Funds"). Several of these lawsuits also name as defendants certain officers and current and former trustees of the respective Defendant Funds. The lawsuits raise claims under federal securities law and allege, among other things, that the disclosure documents of the respective Defendant Fund contained misrepresentations and omissions and that the respective Defendant Fund's investment policies were not followed. The plaintiffs in these actions seek unspecified damages, equitable relief and awards of attorneys' fees and litigation expenses. The Defendant Funds' Boards of Trustees have also engaged counsel to represent the Funds and the present and former Independent Trustees named in those suits.
Other class action and individual lawsuits have been filed since 2008 in various state and federal courts against the Sub-Adviser and certain of its affiliates by investors seeking to recover investments they allegedly lost as a result of the "Ponzi" scheme run by Bernard L. Madoff and his firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC ("BLMIS"). Plaintiffs in these suits allege that they suffered losses as a result of their investments in several funds managed by an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser and assert a variety of claims, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and violation of federal and state securities laws and regulations, among others. They seek unspecified damages, equitable relief and awards of attorneys' fees and litigation expenses. Neither the Distributor, nor any of the Oppenheimer mutual funds, their independent trustees or directors are named as defendants in these lawsuits. None of the Oppenheimer mutual funds invested in any funds or accounts managed by Madoff or BLMIS. On February 28, 2011, a stipulation of partial settlement of three groups of consolidated putative class action lawsuits relating to these matters was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. On August 19, 2011, the court entered an order and final judgment approving the settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate. In September 2011, certain parties filed notices of appeal from the court's order approving the settlement. The aforementioned settlement does not resolve other outstanding lawsuits against the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates relating to BLMIS.
On April 16, 2010, a lawsuit was filed in New York state court against the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser and AAArdvark IV Funding Limited ("AAArdvark IV"), an entity advised by the Sub-Adviser's affiliate, in connection with investments made by the plaintiffs in AAArdvark IV. Plaintiffs allege breach of contract against the defendants and seek compensatory damages, costs and disbursements, including attorney fees. On July 15, 2011, a lawsuit was filed in New York state court against the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser and AAArdvark Funding Limited ("AAArdvark I"), an entity advised by the Sub-Adviser's affiliate, in connection with investments made by the plaintiffs in AAArdvark I. The complaint alleges breach of contract against the defendants and seeks compensatory damages, costs and disbursements, including attorney fees. On November 9, 2011, a lawsuit was filed in New York state court against the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser and AAArdvark XS Funding Limited ("AAArdvark XS"), an entity advised by the Sub-Adviser's affiliate, in connection with investments made by the plaintiffs in AAArdvark XS. The complaint alleges breach of contract against the defendants and seeks compensatory damages, costs and disbursements, including attorney fees.
The Sub-Adviser believes the lawsuits and appeals described above are without legal merit and, with the exception of actions it has settled, is defending against them vigorously. While it is premature to render any opinion as to the outcome in these lawsuits, or whether any costs that the Defendant Funds may bear in defending the suits might not be reimbursed by insurance, the Sub-Adviser believes that these suits should not impair the ability of the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor to perform their respective duties to the Fund, and that the outcome of all of the suits together should not have any material effect on the operations of any of the Oppenheimer mutual funds.
Portfolio Managers. The Fund is managed by Arthur P. Steinmetz, Sara J. Zervos and Hemant Baijal (the "Portfolio Managers") who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's investments.
Portfolio Manager | Registered Investment Companies Managed | Total Assets in Registered Investment Companies Managed1 | Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Managed | Total Assets in Other Pooled Investment Vehicles Managed2 | Other Accounts Managed | Total Assets in Other Accounts Managed1,3 |
Arthur P. Steinmetz | 4 | $13.40 | 1 | $15 | 0 | $0 |
Sara J. Zervos | 3 | $11.62 | 1 | $1.44 | 0 | $0 |
Hemant Baijal | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
1. In billions.
2. In millions.
3. Does not include personal accounts of portfolio managers and their families, which are subject to the Code of Ethics.
As indicated above, a portfolio manager may also manage other funds and accounts. At different times, a portfolio manager may manage other funds or accounts with investment objectives and strategies similar to, or different from, those of the Fund. At times, those responsibilities could potentially conflict with the interests of the Fund. That may occur whether the investment objectives and strategies of the other funds and accounts are the same as, or different from, the Fund's investment objectives and strategies. For example, a portfolio manager may need to allocate investment opportunities between the Fund and another fund or account having similar objectives or strategies, or may need to execute transactions for another fund or account that could have a negative impact on the value of securities held by the Fund. Not all funds and accounts advised by the Sub-Adviser have the same management fee. If the management fee structure of another fund or account is more advantageous to the Sub-Adviser than the fee structure of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser could have an incentive to favor the other fund or account. However, the Sub-Adviser's compliance procedures and Code of Ethics recognize the Sub-Adviser's obligation to treat all of its clients, including the Fund, fairly and equitably, and are designed to preclude a portfolio manager from favoring one client over another. It is possible, of course, that those compliance procedures and the Code of Ethics may not always be adequate to do so.
Compensation of Portfolio Managers. Portfolio managers are employed and compensated by the Sub-Adviser or an affiliate, not by the Fund. Under the compensation program for portfolio managers and portfolio analysts, compensation is based primarily on the relative investment performance results of the funds or accounts they manage, rather than on the financial success of the Sub-Adviser. This is intended to align the interests of the portfolio managers and analysts with the success of the funds and accounts of their shareholders. The compensation structure is designed to attract and retain highly qualified investment management professionals and to reward individual and team contributions toward creating shareholder value. A portfolio manager's compensation is not directly based on the total value of assets they manage; however, higher total compensation potential is likely to align with greater assets under management. The compensation structure is intended to be internally and externally equitable and serve to reduce potential conflicts of interest arising from a portfolio manager's responsibilities managing different funds or accounts.
Portfolio manager compensation generally consists of three components: a base salary, an annual bonus, and eligibility to participate in long-term awards. In general, the average proportion of total compensation among these three components is as follows: base salary is 15%, annual bonus is 65%, and long-term awards are 20%.
The base pay component for each portfolio manager is reviewed regularly to ensure that it reflects the performance of the individual, is commensurate with the requirements of the particular portfolio, reflects any specific competence or specialty of the individual manager, and is competitive with other comparable positions.
The annual bonus is calculated based on two factors: a formulaic performance portion and a discretionary portion. In general, the formulaic performance portion is a much larger part of the annual bonus than the discretionary portion. The formulaic performance portion of the annual bonus is measured against the one, three and five year performance, or performance since inception, as applicable, of the fund(s) relative to an appropriate Morningstar peer group category selected by senior management. The compensation structure is weighted towards long-term performance of the funds, with one year performance weighted at 20%, three year performance rated at 30%, and five year performance weighted at 50%. This formula has the effect of rewarding consistently above median performance, which best aligns the interests of the portfolio manager and the shareholder. Below median performance in all three periods results in an extremely low, and in some cases no, formulaic performance based bonus.
The discretionary portion of the annual bonus is determined by senior management of the Sub-Adviser and is based on a number of factors, including, management quality (such as style consistency, risk management, sector coverage, team leadership and coaching), contributions to marketing efforts and organizational development.
Finally, the long-term award component consists of grants in the form of appreciation rights in regard to the common stock of the Sub-Adviser's holding company parent, restricted shares of such common stock, as well as deferred cash investments in the fund(s) managed by a portfolio manager. Portfolio managers must elect to receive either 20% or 40% of their long-term award component in the form of deferred cash investments in the fund(s) managed. Through this long-term award component, portfolio managers' interests are further aligned with those of fund shareholders.
The compensation structure of other funds and/or accounts managed by a portfolio manager, if any, is generally the same as the compensation structure described above. A portfolio manager's compensation with regard to other portfolios may be based on the performance of those portfolios compared to a peer group category that may be different from that described below.
The Morningstar peer group for the portfolio managers with respect to the Fund is Morningstar World Bond. The compensation structure of the other funds and accounts managed by the portfolio managers are generally the same as the compensation structure of the Fund, described above.
Ownership of Fund Shares. As of September 30, 2012, each portfolio manager beneficially owned shares of the Fund as follows:
Portfolio Manager | Range of Ownership |
Arthur P. Steinmetz | None |
Sara J. Zervos | $100,001-$500,000 |
Hemant Baijal | $10,001-$50,000 |
Brokerage Policies of the Fund
Brokerage Provisions of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement. One of the duties of the Sub-Adviser under the sub-advisory agreement is to arrange the portfolio transactions for the Fund. The sub-advisory agreement contains provisions relating to the employment of broker-dealers for that purpose. The sub-advisory agreement authorizes the Sub-Adviser to employ broker-dealers, including "affiliated brokers," as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act, that the Sub-Adviser thinks, in its best judgment based on all relevant factors, will implement the policy of the Fund to obtain the "best execution" of the Fund's portfolio transactions. "Best execution" means executing trades in a manner such that the total costs or proceeds are the most favorable under the circumstances. Some of the circumstances that may influence this decision are: cost (brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of order, and the firm's ability to provide prompt and reliable execution.
The Sub-Adviser need not seek competitive commission bidding. However, the Sub-Adviser is expected to be aware of the current rates of eligible brokers and to minimize the commissions paid to the extent consistent with the interests and policies of the Fund as established by its Board. The Fund is not required to pay the lowest available commission. Under the investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements, in choosing brokers to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Manager and the Sub-Adviser may select brokers (other than affiliates) that provide both brokerage and research services to the Fund. The commissions paid to those brokers may be higher than another qualified broker would charge, if the Manager or the Sub-Adviser makes a good faith determination that the commission is fair and reasonable in relation to the services provided.
Brokerage Practices Followed by the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser allocates brokerage for the Fund subject to the provisions of the sub-advisory agreement and other applicable rules and procedures described below.
The Sub-Adviser's portfolio traders allocate brokerage based upon recommendations from the Sub-Adviser's portfolio managers, together with the portfolio traders' judgment as to the execution capability of the broker or dealer. In certain instances, portfolio managers may directly place trades and allocate brokerage. In either case, the Sub-Adviser's executive officers supervise the allocation of brokerage.
Transactions in securities other than those for which an exchange is the primary market are generally done with principals or market makers. In transactions on foreign exchanges, the Fund may be required to pay fixed brokerage commissions and therefore would not have the benefit of negotiated commissions that are available in U.S. markets. Brokerage commissions are paid primarily for transactions in listed securities or for certain fixed-income agency transactions executed in the secondary market. Otherwise, brokerage commissions are paid only if it appears likely that a better price or execution can be obtained by doing so. In an option transaction, the Fund ordinarily uses the same broker for the purchase or sale of the option and any transaction in the securities to which the option relates.
Other accounts advised by the Sub-Adviser have investment policies similar to those of the Fund. Those other accounts may purchase or sell the same securities as the Fund at the same time as the Fund, which could affect the supply and price of the securities. When possible, the Sub-Adviser tries to combine concurrent orders to purchase or sell the same security by more than one of the accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates. If two or more accounts advised by the Sub-Adviser purchase the same security on the same day from the same dealer, the transactions under those combined orders are averaged as to price and allocated in accordance with the purchase or sale orders actually placed for each account.
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act prohibits any fund from compensating a broker or dealer for promoting or selling the fund's shares by (1) directing to that broker or dealer any of the fund's portfolio transactions, or (2) directing any other remuneration to that broker or dealer, such as commissions, mark-ups, mark downs or other fees from the fund's portfolio transactions, that were effected by another broker or dealer (these latter arrangements are considered to be a type of "step-out" transaction). In other words, a fund and its investment adviser cannot use the fund's brokerage for the purpose of rewarding broker-dealers for selling a fund's shares.
However, the Rule permits funds to effect brokerage transactions through firms that also sell fund shares, provided that certain procedures are adopted to prevent a quid pro quo with respect to portfolio brokerage allocations. As permitted by the Rule, the Manager and the Sub-Adviser have adopted procedures (and the Fund's Board has approved those procedures) that permit the Fund to execute portfolio securities transactions through brokers or dealers that also promote or sell shares of the Fund, subject to the "best execution" considerations discussed above. Those procedures are designed to prevent: (1) the Sub-Adviser's personnel who effect the Fund's portfolio transactions from taking into account a broker's or dealer's promotion or sales of the Fund shares when allocating the Fund's portfolio transactions, and (2) the Fund, the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor from entering into agreements or understandings under which the Sub-Adviser directs or is expected to direct the Fund's brokerage directly, or through a "step-out" arrangement, to any broker or dealer in consideration of that broker's or dealer's promotion or sale of the Fund's shares or the shares of any of the other Oppenheimer funds.
The investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements permit the Manager and the Sub-Adviser to allocate brokerage for research services. The research services provided by a particular broker may be useful both to the Fund and to one or more of the other accounts advised by the Manager or its affiliates. Investment research may be supplied to the Manager or Sub-Adviser by a broker through which trades are placed or by a third party at the instance of the broker.
Investment research services include information and analysis on particular companies and industries as well as market or economic trends and portfolio strategy, market quotations for portfolio evaluations, analytical software and similar products and services. If a research service also assists the Manager or Sub-Adviser in a non-research capacity (such as bookkeeping or other administrative functions), then only the percentage or component that provides assistance to the Manager or Sub-Adviser in the investment decision making process may be paid in commission dollars.
Although the Manager and Sub-Adviser currently do not do so, the Board may permit the Manager and Sub-Adviser to use stated commissions on secondary fixed-income agency trades to obtain research if the broker represents to the Manager or Sub-Adviser that: (i) the trade is not from or for the broker's own inventory, (ii) the trade was executed by the broker on an agency basis at the stated commission, and (iii) the trade is not a riskless principal transaction. The Board may also permit the Manager and Sub-Adviser to use commissions on fixed-price offerings to obtain research in the same manner as is permitted for agency transactions.
The research services provided by brokers broaden the scope and supplement the research activities of the Manager and Sub-Adviser. That research provides additional views and comparisons for consideration, and helps the Manager and Sub-Adviser to obtain market information for the valuation of securities that are either held in the Fund's portfolio or are being considered for purchase. The Manager and Sub-Adviser provide information to the Board about the commissions paid to brokers furnishing such services, together with the Manager's and Sub-Adviser's representation that the amount of such commissions was reasonably related to the value or benefit of such services.
During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund paid the total brokerage commissions indicated in the chart below. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, the Fund paid $6,794 in commissions to firms that provide brokerage and research services to the Fund with respect to $2,267,731 of aggregate portfolio transactions. All such transactions were on a "best execution" basis, as described above. The provision of research services was not necessarily a factor in the placement of all such transactions.
Fiscal Year ended 9/30 | Total Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund* |
2010 | $501,625 |
2011 | $437,916 |
2012 | $0 |
* Amounts do not include spreads or commissions on principal transactions on a net trade basis.
Distribution and Service Arrangements
The Distributor. Under its General Distributor's Agreement with the Fund, the Distributor acts as the Fund's principal underwriter in the continuous public offering of the Fund's shares. The Distributor bears the expenses normally attributable to sales, including advertising and the cost of printing and mailing prospectuses, other than those furnished to existing shareholders. The Distributor is not obligated to sell a specific number of shares.
The sales charges and concessions paid to, or retained by, the Distributor from the sale of shares and the contingent deferred sales charges ("CDSCs") retained by the Distributor on the redemption of shares during the Fund's three most recent fiscal years are shown in the tables below.
Class A Sales Charges | ||
Fiscal Year Ended 9/30 | Aggregate Front-End Sales Charges on Class A Shares | Class A Front-End Sales Charges Retained by Distributor* |
2010 | $9,719,198 | $2,006,313 |
2011 | $4,802,718 | $1,054,829 |
2012 | $2,685,670 | $598,020 |
* Includes amounts retained by a broker-dealer that is an affiliate or a parent of the Distributor.
Concessions Advanced by Distributor | ||||
Fiscal Year Ended 9/30 | Concessions on Class A Shares Advanced by Distributor* | Concessions on Class B Shares Advanced by Distributor* | Concessions on Class C Shares Advanced by Distributor* | Concessions on Class N Shares Advanced by Distributor* |
2010 | $1,366,351 | $2,069,363 | $3,721,244 | $58,782 |
2011 | $790,632 | $1,081,385 | $1,535,364 | $37,735 |
2012 | $253,611 | $566,392 | $824,865 | $25,920 |
* The Distributor advances concession payments to financial intermediaries for certain sales of Class A shares and for sales of Class B, Class C and Class N shares from its own resources at the time of sale.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charges | ||||
Fiscal Year Ended 9/30 | Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charges Retained by Distributor | Class B Contingent Deferred Sales Charges Retained by Distributor | Class C Contingent Deferred Sales Charges Retained by Distributor | Class N Contingent Deferred Sales Charges Retained by Distributor |
2010 | $164,047 | $697,760 | $477,468 | $14,529 |
2011 | $162,465 | $581,593 | $190,828 | $8,931 |
2012 | $53,959 | $529,803 | $124,330 | $3,340 |
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Plans. The Fund has adopted a Service Plan for Class A shares and Distribution and Service Plans for Class B, Class C and Class N shares under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act. Under those plans the Fund pays the Distributor for all or a portion of its costs incurred in connection with the distribution and/or servicing of the shares of the particular class. Each plan has been approved by a vote of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees/Directors, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on that plan. The Independent Trustees/Directors are not "interested persons" of the Fund and do not have any direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the distribution plan or any agreement under the plan, in accordance with Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act.
Under the plans, the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor may make payments to affiliates. In their sole discretion, they may also from time to time make substantial payments from their own resources, which include the profits the Sub-Adviser derives from the advisory fees it receives from the Fund, to compensate brokers, dealers, financial institutions and other intermediaries for providing distribution assistance and/or administrative services or that otherwise promote sales of the Fund's shares. These payments, some of which may be referred to as "revenue sharing," may relate to the Fund's inclusion on a financial intermediary's preferred list of funds offered to its clients.
A plan continues in effect from year to year only if the Fund's Board and its Independent Trustees/Directors vote annually to approve its continuance at an in person meeting called for that purpose. A plan may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees/Directors or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the outstanding shares of the Class of shares to which it applies.
The Board and the Independent Trustees/Directors must approve all material amendments to a plan. An amendment to materially increase the amount of payments to be made under a plan must also be approved by shareholders of any affected class. Because Class B shares of the Fund automatically convert into Class A shares 72 months after purchase, the shareholders of both Class A and Class B, voting separately by class, must approve a proposed amendment to the Class A plan that would materially increase payments under that plan.
At least quarterly while the plans are in effect, the Treasurer of the Fund will provide the Board with separate written reports on the plans for its review. The reports will detail the amount of all payments made under a plan and the purpose for which the payments were made. Those reports are subject to the review and approval of the Independent Trustees/Directors.
While each plan is in effect, the Independent Trustees/Directors of the Fund will select and nominate any other Independent Trustees/Directors. This does not prevent the involvement of others in the selection and nomination process as long as the final decision is made by a majority of the Independent Trustees/Directors.
No payment will be made to any recipient for any share class unless, during the applicable period, the aggregate net asset value of Fund shares of the class held by the recipient (for itself and its customers) exceeds a minimum amount that may be set by a majority of the Independent Trustees/Directors from time to time.
Class A Service Plan. Under the Class A service plan, the Distributor currently uses the fees it receives from the Fund to pay brokers, dealers and other financial institutions (referred to as "recipients") for personal and account maintenance services they provide for their customers who hold Class A shares. Those services may include answering customer inquiries about the Fund, assisting in establishing and maintaining Fund accounts, making the Fund's investment plans available and providing other services at the request of the Fund or the Distributor. The Class A service plan permits the Fund to reimburse the Distributor at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the Class A average net assets. The Distributor makes payments to recipients periodically at an annual rate of not more than 0.25% of the Class A average net assets held in the accounts of the recipient or it customers.
The Distributor does not receive or retain the service fee for Class A share accounts for which the Distributor is listed as the broker-dealer of record. While the plan permits the Board to authorize payments to the Distributor to reimburse itself for those services, the Board has not yet done so, except with respect to shares purchased prior to March 1, 2007 by certain group retirement plans that were established prior to March 1, 2001 ("grandfathered retirement plans").
Prior to March 1, 2007, the Distributor paid the 0.25% first year service fee for grandfathered retirement plans in advance and retained the service fee paid by the Fund with respect to those shares for the first year. After those shares are held for a year, the Distributor pays the ongoing service fees to recipients on a periodic basis. If those shares were redeemed within the first year after their purchase, the recipient of the service fees on those shares was obligated to repay the Distributor a pro rata portion of the advance payment of the fees. If those shares were redeemed within 18 months, they were subject to a CDSC. For Class A shares purchased in grandfathered retirement plans on or after March 1, 2007, the Distributor does not make any payment in advance and does not retain the service fee for the first year and the shares are not subject to a CDSC.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 payments under the Class A service plan totaled $14,979,862, of which $29,521 was retained by the Distributor under the arrangement described above, regarding grandfathered retirement accounts, including $184,956 paid to an affiliate of the Distributor's parent company. Any unreimbursed expenses the Distributor incurs with respect to Class A shares in any fiscal year cannot be recovered in subsequent years. The Distributor may not use payments received under the Class A plan to pay any of its interest expenses, carrying charges, or other financial costs, or allocation of overhead.
Class B, Class C and Class N Distribution and Service Plans. Under the Class B, Class C and Class N Distribution and Service Plans (each a "Plan" and together the "Plans"), the Fund pays the asset-based sales charge (the "distribution fee") to the Distributor for its services in distributing Class B, Class C and Class N shares. The distribution fee allows investors to buy Class B, Class C and Class N shares without a front-end sales charge, while allowing the Distributor to compensate dealers that sell those shares. The Distributor may use the service fees it receives under the Plans to pay recipients for providing services similar to the services provided under the Class A service plan, described above.
Payments under the Plans are made in recognition that the Distributor:
Distribution fees on Class B and Class N shares are generally retained by the Distributor. If a dealer has a special agreement with the Distributor, the Distributor may pay the Class B or Class N distribution fees to recipients periodically in lieu of paying the sales concession in advance at the time of purchase. The Distributor retains the distribution fee on Class C shares during the first year and then pays it as an ongoing concession to recipients.
Service fees for the first year after Class B, Class C and Class N shares are purchased are generally paid to recipients in advance. After the first year, the Distributor pays the service fees to recipients periodically. Under the Plans, the Distributor is permitted to retain the service fees or to pay recipients the service fee on a periodic basis, without payment in advance. If a recipient has a special agreement with the Distributor, the Distributor may pay the Class B, Class C or Class N service fees to recipients periodically in lieu of paying the first year fee in advance. If Class B, Class C or Class N shares are redeemed during the first year after their purchase, a recipient of service fees on those shares will be obligated to repay a pro rata portion of the advance payment to the Distributor. Shares purchased by exchange do not qualify for the advance service fee payment.
Class C or Class N shares may not be purchased by a new investor directly from the Distributor without the investor designating another registered broker-dealer. If a current investor no longer has another broker-dealer of record for an existing account, the Distributor is automatically designated as the broker-dealer of record, but solely for the purpose of acting as the investor's agent to purchase the shares. In those cases, the Distributor retains the distribution fees paid on Class C and Class N shares, but does not retain any service fees as to the assets represented by that account.
Each Plan provides for the Distributor to be compensated at a flat rate, whether the Distributor's distribution expenses for a period are more or less than the amounts paid by the Fund under the relevant Plan. During a calendar year, the Distributor's actual expenses in selling Class B, Class C and Class N shares may be more than the distribution fees paid to the Distributor under the Plans and the CDSC's collected on redeemed shares. Those excess expenses are carried over on the Distributor's books and may be recouped from distribution fees paid by the Fund in future years. However, the Distributor has voluntarily agreed to cap the amount that may be carried over from year to year and recouped for certain categories of expenses at 0.70% of annual gross sales of shares of the Fund. The capped expenses under the Plans are (i) expenses the Distributor has incurred that represent compensation and expenses of its sales personnel and (ii) other direct distribution costs it has incurred, such as sales literature, state registration fees, advertising and prospectuses used to offer Fund shares. If those categories of expenses exceed the capped amount, the Distributor would bear the excess costs. If a Plan were to be terminated by the Fund, the Fund's Board may allow the Fund to continue payments of the distribution fees to the Distributor for its services in distributing shares before the Plan was terminated.
The distribution and service fees under each Plan are computed on the average of the net asset value of shares in the respective class, determined as of the close of each regular business day. The distribution and service fees increase the annual Class B and Class C expenses by 1.00% and increase the annual Class N expenses by 0.50% of net assets.
Distribution and Service Fees Paid to the Distributor for the Fiscal Year Ended 9/30/12 | |||||
Class: | Total Payments Under Plan | Amount Retained by Distributor | Amount Paid to an Affiliate | Distributor's Aggregate Unreimbursed Expenses Under Plan | Distributor's Unreimbursed Expenses as % of Net Assets of Class |
Class B Plan | $2,095,726 | $1,590,504 | $4,569 | $5,613,825 | 2.89% |
Class C Plan | $16,564,975 | $1,257,689 | $38,405 | $36,218,901 | 2.24% |
Class N Plan | $1,582,108 | $119,469 | $19,576 | $6,845,312 | 2.17% |
All payments under the Plans are subject to the limitations imposed by the Conduct Rules of FINRA on payments of distribution and service fees.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
Financial intermediaries may receive various forms of compensation or reimbursement from the Fund in
the form of distribution and service (12b-1) plan payments as described above. They may also receive payments or concessions from
the Distributor, derived from sales charges paid by the financial intermediary's clients, also as described in this SAI. In addition,
the Sub-Adviser and the Distributor (including their affiliates) may make payments to financial intermediaries in connection
with the intermediaries' offering and sales of Fund shares and shares of other Oppenheimer funds, or their provision of marketing
or promotional support, transaction processing or administrative services. Among the financial intermediaries that may receive
these payments are brokers or dealers who sell or hold shares of the Fund, banks (including bank trust departments), registered
investment advisers, insurance companies, retirement plan or qualified tuition program administrators, third party administrators,
recordkeepers or other institutions that have selling, servicing or similar arrangements with the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor.
The payments to financial intermediaries vary by the types of product sold, the features of the Fund share class and the role played
by the intermediary.
Types of payments to financial intermediaries may include, without limitation, all or portions of the following:
Payments made by the Fund, or by an investor buying or selling shares of the Fund, including:
In addition, the Sub-Adviser or Distributor may, at their discretion, make the following types of payments from their own respective resources, which may include profits the Sub-Adviser derives from investment advisory fees paid by the Fund. Payments are made based on the guidelines established by the Sub-Adviser and Distributor, subject to applicable law. These payments are often referred to as "revenue sharing" payments, and may include:
Although a broker or dealer that sells Fund shares may also act as a broker or dealer in connection
with the purchase or sale of portfolio securities by the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds, neither the Manager nor the Sub-Adviser
considers a financial intermediary's sales of shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds when choosing brokers or dealers to
effect portfolio transactions for the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds.
Revenue sharing payments can pay for distribution-related or asset retention items including, without limitation:
These payments may provide an incentive to financial intermediaries to actively market or promote the sale of shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds, or to support the marketing or promotional efforts of the Distributor in offering shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds. In addition, some types of payments may provide a financial intermediary with an incentive to recommend the Fund or a particular share class. Financial intermediaries may earn profits on these payments, since the amount of the payments may exceed the cost of providing the services. Certain of these payments are subject to limitations under applicable law. Financial intermediaries may categorize and disclose these arrangements to their clients and to members of the public in a manner different from the disclosures in the Fund's Prospectus and this SAI. You should ask your financial intermediary for information about any payments it receives from the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor and any services it provides, as well as the fees and commissions it charges.
For the year ended December 31, 2011, the following financial intermediaries and/or their affiliates (which in some cases are broker-dealers) offered shares of the Oppenheimer funds and received revenue sharing or similar distribution-related payments (of at least $5,000) from the Sub-Adviser or the Distributor for marketing or program support:
Aegon USA | Hartford Life Insurance Company | Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. |
AIG Advisor Group, Inc. | Hartford Securities Distribution Company | Park Avenue Securities LLC |
AIG Life Variable Annuity Company | ING Financial Advisers, LLC | Pershing LLC |
Allianz Life Insurance Company | ING Financial Partners, Inc. | PlanMember Securities Corp. |
Allstate Life Insurance Company | Investment Centers of America, Inc. | Prime Capital Services, Inc. |
American Enterprise Life Insurance Company | Invest Financial Corporation | Primevest Financial Services, Inc. |
American General Annuity Insurance Company | Janney Montgomery Scott LLC | Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company |
American Portfolios Financial Services Inc. | Jefferson Pilot Securities Corporation | Prudential Investment Management Services, Inc. |
Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. | JP Morgan Securities, Inc. | Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
Ameritas Life Insurance Company | Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company | RBC Capital Markets |
AXA Advisors, LLC | Legend Equities Co. | Riversource Life Insurance, Co. |
Bank of America Merrill Lynch | Lincoln Benefit National Life | Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. |
Cadaret Grant & Co. | Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation | Sagepoint Financial Advisors |
CCO Investment Services Corporation | Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. | Securities America, Inc. |
Chase Investment Services Corporation | Lincoln National Life Insurance Company | Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
Commonwealth Financial Network | Linsco Private Ledger | Signator Investments, Inc. |
CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. | LPL Financial Corporation | SII Investment, Inc. |
Cuso Financial Services, LP | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company | Sorrento Pacific Financial LLC |
Directed Services LLC | Mass Mutual Financial Group | State Farm VP Management Corp. |
Edward Jones and Company | MetLife Investors Insurance Company | Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Inc. |
Essex National Securities, Inc. | MetLife Securities, Inc. | Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada |
Federal Kemper Life Assurance Company | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | Sun Life Insurance Company |
Financial Network Investment Corporation | Multi-Financial Securities Corporation | Sun Trust Investments |
First Clearing LLC | Mutual Service Corporation | Thrivent Financial for Lutherans |
First Global Capital Corporation | Nathan & Lewis Securities, Inc. | UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
GE Life and Annuity Company | National Planning Holdings, Inc. | Union Central Life Insurance Company |
Genworth Financial, Inc. | National Planning Corporation | Walnut Street Securities, Inc. |
Great West Life Insurance Company | Nationwide Investment Services, Inc. | Wells Fargo Advisors |
GWFS Equities, Inc. | New England Securities, Inc. | Waterstone Financial Group |
Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. | NFP Securities Inc. | Wescom Financial Services |
H.D. Vest Investment Services, Inc. | Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC |
For the year ended December 31, 2011, the following firms (which in some cases are broker-dealers) received payments from the Sub-Adviser or Distributor (of at least $2,500) for administrative or other services provided (other than revenue sharing arrangements), as described above:
ACS HR Solutions LLC | Hewitt Associates LLC | PNC Investments LLC |
ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. | HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. | Popular Securities Inc. |
Aegon USA | ICMA - RC Services LLC | Prime Capital Services |
Aetna Life Insurance & Annuity Company | Independent Financial Group, LLC | Primevest Financial Services, Inc. |
Alliance Benefit Group | ING | Principal Life Insurance |
Allianz Life Insurance Company | ING Financial Advisers LLC | Proequities Inc. |
Allstate Financial Services, LLC | ING Financial Partners Inc. | Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company |
Allstate Life Insurance Company | ING Life Insurance & Annuity Co | Pruco Securities LLC |
American Diversified Distribution, LLC | Ingham Group | Prudential |
American Enterprise Life Insurance | Interactive Retirement Systems | Prudential Investment Management |
American Funds | Intuition Systems, Inc. | PSMI Group |
American General Annuity Insurance Company | Invest Financial Corporation | Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
American Portfolios Financial | Investmart | Raymond James Financial Services |
American United Life Insurance Co. | Investments Centers of America | RBC Capital Markets |
Ameriprise | Investors Capital Corp. | Reliance Trust Co. |
Ameritas Life Insurance Company | Jackson National Life Insurance Company | Robert W. Baird & Co. |
Ameritrade, Inc. | Janney Montgomery Scott LLC | Royal Alliance Associates Inc. |
Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company | JJB Hillard W.L. Lyons, Inc. | RSM McGladrey |
Ascensus | John Hancock Life Insurance Company | Sagepoint Financial Inc. |
AXA Advisors LLC | JP Morgan Securities, Inc. | Santander Securities |
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company | July Business Services | Scott & Stringfellow, Inc. |
Baden Retirement Services | Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company | Scottrade, Inc. |
Banc of America Investment | Key Investment Services Inc. | Securian Financial Services Inc. |
Bank of America Merrill Lynch | KMS Financial Services Inc. | Securities America Inc. |
Benefit Administration Co. | Legends Equities Corp. | Securities Service Network Inc. |
Benefit Consultants Group | Lincoln Benefit National Life | Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. | Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation | Sigma Financial Corp. |
Benetech, Inc. | Lincoln Financial Securities | Signator Investors Inc. |
Bisys Retirement Plan Services | Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc. | SII Investments Inc. |
Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. | LPL Financial Corporation | Smith Hayes Financial Services |
Cadaret Grant & Co. | Manulife Financial | Southwest Securities, Inc. |
Cambridge Investment Research | Marshall & Ilsley Trust Company, Inc. | Standard Insurance Co. |
Charles Schwab & Co, Inc. | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company | Stanton Group, Inc. |
Chase Investment Services Corp. | Matrix Settlement & Clearance Services | Sterne Agee & Leach, Inc. |
CitiGroup Global Markets, Inc. | Mercer HR Services | Stifel Nicolaus & Co., Inc. |
CitiStreet Advisors LLC | Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner | Sun Life Insurance And Annuity |
City National Investments Trust | Mesirow Financial, Inc. | Sun Trust Investments |
Clark Consulting | MetLife Investors Insurance | Sun Trust Securities, Inc. |
Commonwealth Financial Network | MetLife Securities Inc. | Suntrust Bank |
CPI Qualified Plan Consultants | MG Trust | Suntrust Investment Services Inc. |
CUNA Brokerage Services Inc. | Mid Atlantic Capital Co. | T. Rowe Price |
CUNA Mutual Insurance Society | Milkie/Ferguson Investments Inc. | TD Ameritrade |
DA Davidson & Co. | Milliman, Inc. | The Princeton Retirement Group |
DailyAccess Corp | Minnesota Life Insurance Company | The Retirement Plan Company, LLC |
David Lerner Associates, Inc. | MML Investors Services LLC | Thrivent Investment Management |
Digital Retirement Solutions | Mony Life Insurance Company of America | Tiaa-Cref Individual & Institutional |
Diversified Advisors Investments Inc. | Morgan Keegan & Co, Inc. | Transamerica Financial Advisors |
DR, Inc. | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | Transamerica Life Insurance Co. |
Dyatech, LLC | Multi-Financial Securities | Transamerica Retirement Services |
E*TRADE Clearing LLC | Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company | UBS Financial Services, Inc. |
Edward Jones and Company | National City Bank | Unified Fund Services, Inc. |
ExpertPlan Retirement Plan Services | National Financial Services LLC | Union Bank & Trust Company |
Federal Kemper Life Assurance Company | National Planning Corporation | Union Central Life Insurance Company |
Fidelity | Nationwide | United Planners Financial |
Financial Administrative Services Corporation | New England Securities | US Clearing Co. |
Financial Network Investment | New York Life Insurance and Annuity Company | USAA Investment Management Co. |
First Allied Securities Inc. | Newport Retirement Services | USI Consulting Group |
First Clearing LLC | NFP Securities Inc | USI Securities Inc. |
First Global Capital Corporation | Northridge Securities Corp. | Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. |
FSC Securities Corp. | Northwest Plan Services Inc. | Vanderbilt Securities LLC |
GE Financial Assurance | Northwestern Mutual Investment | Vanguard Group |
GE Life and Annuity Company | NRP Financial Inc. | VSR Financial Services Inc. |
Geller Group Ltd. | Oneamerica Securities Inc. | Wachovia Securities LLC |
Geneos Wealth Management Inc. | Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. | Walnut Street Securities |
Genworth Financial Securities | Pacific Life Insurance Co. | Wedbush Morgan Securities |
Girard Securities Inc. | Pacific West Securities Inc. | Wells Fargo Advisors |
Great American Investors Inc. | Park Avenue Securities LLC | Wells Fargo Bank NA |
Great West Life Insurance Company | Penn Mutual | Wilmington Trust Company |
Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. | Pershing LLC | Woodbury Financial Services Inc. |
H.D. Vest Investment Services, Inc. | PFS Investments Inc. | |
Hartford Life & Annuity | Phoenix Life Insurance Company | |
Hartford Life Insurance Company | Plan Administrators Inc. | |
Hennion & Walsh Inc. | PlanMember Securities |
The Fund's Prospectus describes how to buy, sell and exchange shares of the Fund and certain other Oppenheimer funds. The information below provides further details about the Fund's policies regarding those share transactions. It should be read in conjunction with the information in the Prospectus. Appendix A of this SAI provides more information about the special sales charge arrangements offered by the Fund, and the circumstances in which sales charges may be reduced or waived for certain investors and certain types of purchases or redemptions.
Determination of Net Asset Value Per Share. The net asset value ("NAV") per share for each class of shares of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets attributable to a class by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. The NAV is determined as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") on each day that the NYSE is open. The NYSE normally closes at 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, but may close earlier on some other days (for example, in case of weather emergencies or on days falling before a U.S. holiday). All references to time in this SAI mean "Eastern time." The NYSE's most recent annual announcement (which is subject to change) states that it will close on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday (Presidents Day), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. It may also close on other days.
Dealers other than NYSE members may conduct trading in certain securities on days that the NYSE is closed (including weekends and holidays) or after 4:00 p.m. on a regular business day. Because the Fund's net asset values will not be calculated on those days, the Fund's net asset values per share may be significantly affected on days when shareholders may not purchase or redeem shares. Additionally, trading on many foreign stock exchanges and over-the-counter markets normally is completed before the close of the NYSE.
Changes in the values of securities traded on foreign exchanges or markets as a result of events that occur after the close of the principal market on which a security is traded, but before the close of the NYSE, will not be reflected in the Fund's calculation of its net asset values that day unless the Sub-Adviser learns of the event and determines that the event is likely to cause a material change in the value of the security. The Board has adopted valuation procedures for the Fund and has delegated the day-to-day responsibility for fair value determinations under those procedures to the Sub-Adviser's "Valuation Committee". Fair value determinations by the Sub-Adviser are subject to review, approval, ratification and confirmation by the Board at its next scheduled meeting after the fair valuations are determined.
Securities Valuation. The Fund's Board has established procedures for the valuation of the Fund's securities. In general those procedures are as follows:
In the case of U.S. government securities, mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds and foreign government securities, the Sub-Adviser may use pricing services approved by the Board when last sale information is not generally available. The pricing service may use "matrix" comparisons to the prices for comparable instruments on the basis of quality, yield and maturity. Other special factors may be involved (such as the tax-exempt status of the interest paid by municipal securities). The Sub-Adviser will monitor the accuracy of the pricing services valuations. That monitoring may include comparing prices used for portfolio valuation to the actual sale prices of selected securities.
Foreign currency, including forward contracts, is valued and securities that are denominated in foreign currency are converted to U.S. dollars, using the closing prices in the New York foreign exchange market or that are provided to the Sub-Adviser by a bank, dealer or pricing service that the Sub-Adviser has determined to be reliable.
Puts, calls, and futures are valued at the last sale price on the principal exchange on which they are traded, as determined by a pricing service approved by the Board or by the Sub-Adviser. If there were no sales on the valuation date, those investments are valued at the last sale price on the preceding trading day if it is within the spread of the closing "bid" and "asked" prices on the principal exchange on the valuation date. If the last sale price on the preceding trading day is not within the spread of the closing "bid" and "asked" prices on the principal exchange on the valuation date, the value shall be the closing "bid" price. If the put, call or future is not traded on an exchange, it shall be valued at the mean between "bid" and "asked" prices obtained by the Sub-Adviser from two active market makers. In certain cases the "bid" price may be used if no "asked" price is available.
When the Fund sells an option, an amount equal to the premium the Fund receives is included in the Fund's Statement of Assets and Liabilities as an asset. An equivalent credit is included in the liability section. The credit is adjusted ("marked-to-market") to reflect the current market value of the option. In determining the Fund's gain on investments, if a call or put sold by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds are increased by the premium received. If a call or put sold by the Fund expires, the Fund has a gain in the amount of the premium. If the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will have a gain or loss, depending on whether the premium received was more or less than the cost of the closing transaction. If the Fund exercises a put it holds, the amount the Fund receives on its sale of the underlying investment is reduced by the amount of the premium that was paid by the Fund.
Allocation of Expenses. The Fund pays expenses related to its daily operations, such as custodian fees, Board fees, transfer agency fees, legal fees and auditing costs. Those expenses are paid out of the Fund's assets, not directly by shareholders. However, those expenses reduce the net asset value of Fund shares, and therefore are borne indirectly by shareholders.
For calculating the Fund's net asset value, dividends and distributions, the Fund differentiates between two types of expenses. General expenses that do not pertain specifically to any one class are allocated pro rata to the shares of all classes. Those expenses are first allocated based on the percentage of the Fund's total assets that is represented by the assets of each share class. Such general expenses include management fees, legal, bookkeeping and audit fees, Board compensation, custodian expenses, share issuance costs, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, and non-recurring expenses, such as litigation costs. Then the expenses allocated to a share class are allotted equally to each outstanding share within a given class.
Other expenses that are directly attributable to a particular class are allocated equally to each outstanding share within that class. Examples of such expenses include distribution and service plan (12b-1) fees, transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees and expenses, and shareholder meeting expenses to the extent that such expenses pertain only to a specific class.
The Oppenheimer Funds. The "Oppenheimer funds" are those mutual funds for which the Distributor acts as distributor and currently include the following:
Oppenheimer AMT-Free Municipals | Oppenheimer New Jersey Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer California Municipal Fund | Oppenheimer Pennsylvania Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund | Oppenheimer Portfolio Series Funds: |
Oppenheimer Capital Income Fund | Active Allocation Fund |
Oppenheimer Commodity Strategy Total Return Fund | Conservative Investor Fund |
Oppenheimer Core Bond Fund | Equity Investor Fund |
Oppenheimer Corporate Bond Fund | Moderate Investor Fund |
Oppenheimer Currency Opportunities Fund | Oppenheimer Real Estate Fund |
Oppenheimer Developing Markets Fund | Oppenheimer Rising Dividends Fund |
Oppenheimer Discovery Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester AMT-Free New York Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Diversified Alternatives Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Arizona Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Emerging Markets Debt Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Intermediate Term Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Equity Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Limited Term Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Equity Income Fund, Inc. | Oppenheimer Rochester Maryland Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Flexible Strategies Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Massachusetts Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Global Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Michigan Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Global Allocation Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Minnesota Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Global Multi Strategies Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester National Municipals |
Oppenheimer Global Opportunities Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester North Carolina Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Global Strategic Income Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Ohio Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Global Value Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Short Term Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Gold & Special Minerals Fund | Oppenheimer Rochester Virginia Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund | Oppenheimer Select Value Fund |
Oppenheimer International Diversified Fund | Oppenheimer Senior Floating Rate Fund |
Oppenheimer International Growth Fund | Oppenheimer Short Duration Fund |
Oppenheimer International Small Company Fund | Oppenheimer Small- & Mid-Cap Growth Fund |
Oppenheimer International Value Fund | Oppenheimer Small- & Mid-Cap Value Fund |
Oppenheimer Limited Term California Municipal Fund | Oppenheimer U.S. Government Trust |
Oppenheimer Limited-Term Government Fund | Oppenheimer Value Fund |
Oppenheimer Main Street Fund | Limited Term New York Municipal Fund |
Oppenheimer Main Street Select Fund | Rochester Fund Municipals |
Oppenheimer Main Street Small- & Mid-Cap Fund | |
Money Market Funds: | |
Oppenheimer Cash Reserves | |
Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund | |
Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. |
Classes of Shares. Each class of shares of the Fund represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Fund. However, each class has different shareholder privileges and features. The net income attributable to each class of shares and the dividends payable on each class of shares will be reduced by incremental expenses borne solely by that class. Those expenses include the asset-based sales charges to which some share classes are subject.
The availability of different classes of shares permits an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is more appropriate for the investor. That may depend on the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold shares, and other relevant circumstances. Class A shares of the Oppenheimer funds normally are sold subject to an initial sales charge (except Oppenheimer Cash Reserves, Oppenheimer Institutional Money Market Fund, Oppenheimer Money Market Fund and Oppenheimer Short Duration Fund). The purpose of the deferred sales charge and asset-based sales charge that are applicable to some other share classes is the same as that of the initial sales charge on Class A shares of many of the Oppenheimer funds - to compensate the Distributor and brokers, dealers and financial institutions that sell shares of those funds. A salesperson who is entitled to receive compensation from his or her firm for selling Fund shares of the Oppenheimer funds may receive different levels of compensation for selling one class of shares rather than another.
Effective after June 29, 2012, Class B shares are no longer offered for new purchases. See the Prospectus section "More About Your Account" for details.
Class A Sales Charges Reductions and Waivers. There is an initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A shares of each of the Oppenheimer funds except for the money market funds (under certain circumstances described in this SAI, redemption proceeds of certain money market fund shares may be subject to a CDSC). As discussed in the Prospectus, a reduced initial sales charge rate may be obtained for certain share purchases because of the reduced sales efforts and reduction in expenses realized by the Distributor, dealers or brokers in making such sales. Sales charge waivers may apply in certain other circumstances because the Distributor or dealer or broker incurs little or no selling expenses. Appendix A to this SAI includes additional information regarding certain of these sales charge reductions and waivers.
A reduced sales charge rate may be obtained for Class A shares under a Right of Accumulation or Letter of Intent because of the reduction in sales effort and expenses to the Distributor, dealers or brokers for those sales.
Letter of Intent. Under a Letter of Intent (a "Letter"), you may be able to reduce the initial sales charge rate that applies to your Class A share purchases of the Fund if you purchase Class A, Class B or Class C shares of most Oppenheimer funds (including the Fund) or Class A, Class B, Class C, Class G and Class H units of advisor sold Section 529 plans, for which an affiliate of the Manager or the Distributor serves as the Program Manager or Program Distributor.
A Letter is an investor's statement in writing to the Distributor of his or her intention to purchase a specified value of those shares or units during a 13 month period (the "Letter period"), which begins on the date of the investor's first share purchase following the establishment of the Letter. The sales charge on each purchase of Class A shares during the Letter period will be at the rate that would apply to a single lump-sum purchase of shares in the amount intended to be purchased. In submitting a Letter, the investor makes no commitment to purchase shares. However, if the investor does not fulfill the terms of the Letter within the Letter period, he or she agrees to pay the additional sales charges that would have been applicable to any purchases that are made. The investor agrees that shares equal in value to 2% of the intended purchase amount will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent for that purpose, as described in "Terms of Escrow" below. It is the responsibility of the dealer of record and/or the investor to advise the Distributor about the Letter when placing purchase orders during the Letter period. The investor must also notify the Distributor or his or her financial intermediary of any qualifying 529 plan holdings.
To determine whether an investor has fulfilled the terms of a Letter, the Transfer Agent will count purchases of "qualified" Class A, Class B and Class C shares and Class A, Class B, Class C, Class G and Class H units during the Letter period. Purchases of Class N, Class Y or Class I shares, purchases made by reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions from the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds, purchases of Class A shares with redemption proceeds under the Reinvestment Privilege, and purchases of Class A shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. or Oppenheimer Cash Reserves on which a sales charge has not been paid do not count as "qualified" shares for satisfying the terms of a Letter. An investor will also be considered to have fulfilled the Letter if the value of the investor's total holdings of qualified shares on the last day of the Letter period equals or exceeds the intended purchase amount.
If the terms of the Letter are not fulfilled within the Letter period, the concessions previously paid to the dealer of record for the account and the amount of sales charge retained by the Distributor will be adjusted on the first business day following the expiration of the Letter period to reflect the sales charge rates that are applicable to the actual total purchases.
If subsequent eligible purchases during the Letter period cause the amount of total eligible purchases to exceed the intended purchase amount and also exceed the amount needed to qualify for the next sales charge rate reduction (stated in the Prospectus), the sales charges paid on those subsequent purchases will be charged at the lower rate as permitted under the Fund's Right of Accumulation policy.
By establishing a Letter, the investor agrees to be bound by the terms of the Prospectus, this SAI and the application used for a Letter, and if those terms are amended to be bound by the amended terms and that any amendments by the Fund will apply automatically to existing Letters. Group retirement plans qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code may not establish a Letter, however defined benefit plans and Single K sole proprietor plans may do so.
Terms of Escrow That Apply to Letters of Intent.
1. Out of the initial purchase, or out of subsequent purchases if necessary, the Transfer Agent will hold in escrow Fund shares equal to 2% of the intended purchase amount specified in the Letter. For example, if the intended purchase amount is $50,000, the escrow amount would be shares valued at $1,000 (computed at the offering price for a $50,000 share purchase). Any dividends and capital gains distributions on the escrowed shares will be credited to the investor's account.
2. If the Letter applies to more than one fund account, the investor can designate the fund from which shares will be escrowed. If no fund is selected, the Transfer Agent will escrow shares in the fund account that has the highest dollar balance on the date of the first purchase under the Letter. If there are not sufficient shares to cover the escrow amount, the Transfer Agent will escrow shares in the fund account(s) with the next highest balance(s). If there are not sufficient shares in the accounts to which the Letter applies, the Transfer Agent may escrow shares in other accounts that are linked for Right of Accumulation purposes. Additionally, if there are not sufficient shares available for escrow at the time of the first purchase under the Letter, the Transfer Agent will escrow future purchases until the escrow amount is met.
3. If, during the Letter period, an investor exchanges shares of the Fund for shares of another fund (as described in the Prospectus section titled "The OppenheimerFunds Exchange Privilege"), the Fund shares held in escrow will automatically be exchanged for shares of the other fund and the escrow obligations will also be transferred to that fund.
4. If the total purchases under the Letter are less than the intended purchases specified, on the first business day after the end of the Letter period, the Distributor will redeem escrowed shares equal in value to the difference between the dollar amount of the sales charges actually paid and the amount of the sales charges that would have been paid if the total purchases had been made at a single time. Any shares remaining after such redemption will be released from escrow.
5. If the terms of the Letter are fulfilled, the escrowed shares will be promptly released to the investor at the end of the Letter period.
6. By signing the Letter, the investor irrevocably constitutes and appoints the Transfer Agent as attorney-in-fact to surrender for redemption any or all escrowed shares.
Class A Shares Purchased with Proceeds from Certain Retirement Plans. Class A shares of the Fund may be purchased at net asset value with the redemption proceeds of shares of another mutual fund offered as an investment option in a retirement plan in which Oppenheimer funds are also offered as investment options, if the purchase occurs more than 30 days after the Oppenheimer funds are added as an investment option under that plan. No sales concessions will be paid to the broker-dealer of record on sales of such Class A shares, whether or not they are subject to a CDSC as described in the Prospectus. Additionally, no concession will be paid on Class A share purchases by a retirement plan that are made with the redemption proceeds of Class N shares of an Oppenheimer fund held by a retirement plan for more than 18 months.
Class B Conversion. Under current interpretations of applicable federal income tax law by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), the conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is not treated as a taxable event for the shareholder. If those laws or the IRS' interpretation of those laws should change, the automatic conversion feature may be suspended. In that event, no further conversions of Class B shares would occur while that suspension remained in effect. Although Class B shares could then be exchanged for Class A shares on the basis of relative net asset value of the two classes, without the imposition of a sales charge or fee, such exchange could constitute a taxable event for the shareholder, and absent such exchange, Class B shares might continue to be subject to the asset-based sales charge for longer than six years. A fund account that has a balance below $500 due to the automatic conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares will not be subject to the Minimum Balance Fee (described below). However, once all Class B shares held in the account have been converted to Class A shares the new Class A share account balance may become subject to that fee.
Share Certificates. When you purchase shares of the Fund, your ownership interest in the shares of the Fund will be recorded as a book entry on the records of the Fund. The Fund will not issue or re-register physical share certificates.
Cancellation of Purchase Orders. Cancellation of purchase orders for the Fund's shares (for example, when a purchase check is returned to the Fund unpaid) causes a loss to be incurred when the net asset values of the Fund's shares on the cancellation date is less than on the purchase date. That loss is equal to the amount of the decline in the net asset value per share multiplied by the number of shares in the purchase order. The investor is responsible for that loss. If the investor fails to compensate the Fund for the loss, the Distributor will do so. The Fund may reimburse the Distributor for that amount by redeeming shares from any account registered in that investor's name, or the Fund or the Distributor may seek other redress.
AccountLink. Shares purchased through AccountLink will be purchased at the net asset value calculated on the same regular business day if the Distributor is instructed to initiate the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") transfer to buy the shares before the close of the NYSE. The NYSE normally closes at 4:00 p.m., but may close earlier on certain days. If the Distributor is instructed to initiate the ACH transfer after the close of the NYSE, the shares will be purchased on the next regular business day.
Dividends will begin to accrue on the shares purchased through the ACH system on the next regular business day after the purchase date. If the proceeds of an ACH transfer are not received on a timely basis, the Distributor reserves the right to cancel the purchase order. The Distributor and the Fund are not responsible for any delays in purchasing shares resulting from delays in ACH transmissions.
The minimum purchase through AccountLink is generally $50, however for accounts established prior to November 1, 2002 the minimum purchase is $25.
Asset Builder Plans. As indicated in the Prospectus, you normally must establish your Fund account with $1,000 or more. However, you can open a Fund account for as little as $500 if you establish an Asset Builder Plan at the time of your initial share purchase to automatically purchase additional shares directly from a bank account.
An Asset Builder Plan is available only if your bank is an ACH member and you establish AccountLink. Under an Asset Builder Plan, payments to purchase shares of the Fund will be debited from your bank account automatically. Normally the debit will be made two business days prior to the investment dates you select on your application. Neither the Distributor, the Transfer Agent nor the Fund will be responsible for any delays in purchasing shares that result from delays in ACH transmissions.
To establish an Asset Builder Plan at the time you initially purchase Fund shares, complete the "Asset Builder Plan" information on the Account Application. To establish an Asset Builder Plan for an existing account, use the Asset Builder Enrollment Form. The Account Application and the Asset Builder Enrollment Form are available by contacting the Distributor or may be downloaded from our website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com. Before you establish a new Fund account under the Asset Builder Plan, you should obtain a prospectus of the selected Fund and read it carefully.
You may change the amount of your Asset Builder payment or you can terminate your automatic investments at any time by writing to the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent requires a reasonable period (approximately 10 days) after receipt of your instructions to implement them. The minimum additional purchase under an Asset Builder Plan is $50, except that for Asset Builder Plans established prior to November 1, 2002, the minimum additional purchase is $25. Shares purchased by Asset Builder Plan payments are subject to the redemption restrictions for recent purchases described in the Prospectus. An Asset Builder Plan may not be used to buy shares for OppenheimerFunds employer-sponsored qualified retirement accounts. The Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering Asset Builder Plans at any time without prior notice.
Retirement Plans. Certain types of retirement plans are entitled to purchase shares of the Fund without sales charges or at reduced sales charge rates, as described in Appendix A to this SAI.
Certain special sales charge arrangements described in Appendix A apply to retirement plans whose records are maintained on a daily valuation basis by Bank of America Merrill Lynch ("Merrill Lynch") or an independent record keeper that has a contract or special arrangement with Merrill Lynch. The amount of assets the plan had in applicable investments on the date the plan sponsor signed the Merrill Lynch record keeping service agreement determines which share classes are available for purchase. If the plan had less than $1 million in such assets, then it may purchase only Class C shares. If the plan had $1 million or more but less than $5 million in such assets it may purchase only Class N shares. If the plan had $5 million or more in such assets it may purchase only Class A shares.
OppenheimerFunds has entered into arrangements with certain record keepers whereby the Transfer Agent compensates the record keeper for its record keeping and account servicing functions that it performs on behalf of the participant accounts in a retirement plan. While such compensation may act to reduce the record keeping fees charged by the retirement plan's record keeper, that compensation arrangement may be terminated at any time, potentially affecting the record keeping fees charged by the retirement plan's record keeper.
No commission payments, account servicing fees, recordkeeping fees, 12b-1 fees, transfer agent fees, so called "finder's fees," administrative fees or other similar fees will be paid with respect to Class I shares.
Electronic Document Delivery. To access your account documents electronically via eDocs Direct, please visit our website at www.oppenheimerfunds.com and click the hyperlink "Sign Up for Electronic Document Delivery" under the heading "I want to..." in the left hand column, or call 1.888.470.0862 for instructions.
Receiving Redemption Proceeds by Federal Funds Wire. The Fund would normally authorize a Federal Funds wire of redemption proceeds to be made on its next regular business day following the redemption. A Federal Funds wire may be delayed if the Fund's custodian bank is not open for business on that day. In that case, the wire will not be transmitted until the next business day on which the bank and the Fund are both open for business. No dividends will be paid on the proceeds of redeemed shares awaiting transfer by Federal Funds wire.
Redeeming Shares Through Brokers or Dealers. The Distributor is the Fund's agent to repurchase its shares from authorized brokers or dealers on behalf of their customers. Shareholders should contact their broker or dealer to arrange this type of redemption. The repurchase price per share will be the next net asset value computed after the Distributor or the broker or dealer receives the order. A repurchase will be processed at that day's net asset value if the order was received by the broker or dealer from its customer prior to the time the close of the NYSE. Normally, the NYSE closes at 4:00 p.m., but may do so earlier on some days.
For accounts redeemed through a broker-dealer, payment will ordinarily be made within three business days after the shares are redeemed. However, the Distributor must receive the required redemption documents in proper form, with the signature(s) of the registered shareholder(s) guaranteed as described in the Prospectus.
Payments "In Kind." As stated in the Prospectus, payment for redeemed shares is ordinarily made in cash. Under certain circumstances, however, the Board may determine that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders for the Fund to pay for the redeemed shares in cash. In that case, the Fund may pay the redemption proceeds, in whole or in part, by a distribution "in kind" of liquid securities from the Fund's portfolio. The Fund will value securities used to pay a redemption in kind using the same method described above under "Determination of Net Asset Value Per Share." That valuation will be made as of the time the redemption price is determined. If shares are redeemed in kind, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other costs in selling the securities for cash.
The Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act. Under that rule, redemptions by a shareholder, of up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund during any 90-day period, must be redeemed solely in cash.
Distributions From Retirement Plans. Participants in OppenheimerFunds-sponsored pension or profit-sharing plans (other than self-employed plan sponsors), whose shares of the Fund are held in the name of the plan or its fiduciary, may not request redemption of their accounts directly. The plan administrator or fiduciary must submit the request.
Requests for distributions from OppenheimerFunds-sponsored IRA's, SEP-IRA's, SIMPLE IRA's, 403(b)(7) custodial plans, 401(k) plans or pension or profit-sharing plans should be addressed to "Trustee, OppenheimerFunds Retirement Plans," c/o the Transfer Agent at its address listed on the back cover of this SAI. The request must:
Distributions from pension and profit sharing plans are subject to special requirements under the Internal Revenue Code and certain documents (available from the Transfer Agent) must be completed and submitted to the Transfer Agent before the distribution may be made. Distributions from retirement plans are subject to withholding requirements under the Internal Revenue Code, and IRS Form W-4P (available from the Transfer Agent) must be submitted to the Transfer Agent with the distribution request, or the distribution may be delayed. Unless the shareholder has provided the Transfer Agent with a certified tax identification number, the Internal Revenue Code requires that tax be withheld from any distribution even if the shareholder elects not to have tax withheld. The Fund, the Manager, the Distributor, and the Transfer Agent assume no responsibility for determining whether a distribution satisfies the conditions of applicable tax laws and they will not be responsible for any tax penalties assessed in connection with a distribution.
Automatic Withdrawal Plans. Under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan, investors who own Fund shares can authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem shares automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. The minimum periodic redemption amount under an Automatic Withdrawal Plan is $50. Shareholders having AccountLink privileges may have Automatic Withdrawal Plan payments deposited to their designated bank account. Payments may also be made by check, payable to all shareholders of record and sent to the address of record for the account. Automatic withdrawals may be requested by telephone for amounts up to $1,500 per month if the payments are to be made by checks sent to the address of record for the account. Telephone requests are not available if the address on the account has been changed within the prior 15 days.
Fund shares will be redeemed as necessary to meet the requested withdrawal payments. Shares will be redeemed at the net asset value per share determined on the redemption date, which is normally three business days prior to the payment receipt date requested by the shareholder. The Fund cannot guarantee receipt of a payment on the date requested, however. Shares acquired without a sales charge will be redeemed first. Shares acquired with reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions will be redeemed next, followed by shares acquired with a sales charge, to the extent necessary to make withdrawal payments. Depending on the amount withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. Payments made under these plans should not be considered as a yield or income on your investment.
Because of the sales charge assessed on Class A share purchases, shareholders should usually not make additional Class A share purchases while participating in an Automatic Withdrawal Plan. A shareholder whose account is subject to a CDSC should usually not establish an automatic withdrawal plan because of the imposition of the CDSC on the withdrawals. If a CDSC does apply to a redemption, the amount of the check or payment will be reduced accordingly. Distributions of capital gains from accounts subject to an Automatic Withdrawal Plan must be reinvested in Fund shares. Dividends on shares held in the account may be paid in cash or reinvested. Required minimum distributions from OppenheimerFunds-sponsored retirement plans may not be arranged on this basis.
The shareholder may change the amount, the payment interval, the address to which checks are to be mailed, the designated bank account for AccountLink payments or may terminate a plan at any time by writing to the Transfer Agent. A signature guarantee may be required for certain changes. The requested change will usually be put into effect approximately two weeks after such notification is received. The shareholder may redeem all or any part of the shares in the account by written notice to the Transfer Agent. That notice must be in proper form in accordance with the requirements in the then-current Fund Prospectus.
The Transfer Agent will administer the Automatic Withdrawal Plan as agent for the shareholder(s) who executed the plan authorization and application submitted to the Transfer Agent. Neither the Fund nor the Transfer Agent shall incur any liability for any action taken or not taken by the Transfer Agent in good faith to administer the plan. Any share certificates must be surrendered unendorsed to the Transfer Agent with the plan application to be eligible for automatic withdrawal payments. If the Transfer Agent ceases to act as transfer agent for the Fund, the shareholder will be deemed to have appointed any successor transfer agent to act as agent in administering the plan.
The Transfer Agent will terminate a plan upon its receipt of evidence, satisfactory to it, that the shareholder has died or is legally incapacitated. The Fund may also give directions to the Transfer Agent to terminate a plan. Shares that have not been redeemed at the time a plan is terminated will be held in an account in the name of the shareholder. Share certificates will not be issued for any such shares and all dividends will be reinvested in the account unless and until different instructions are received, in proper form, from the shareholder, his or her executor or guardian, or another authorized person.
The Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering these plans at any time without prior notice. By requesting an Automatic Withdrawal Plan, the shareholder agrees to the terms and conditions that apply to such plans. These provisions may be amended from time to time by the Fund and/or the Distributor. When adopted, any amendments will automatically apply to existing Plans.
Transfers of Shares. A shareholder will not be required to pay a CDSC when Fund shares are transferred to registration in the name of another person or entity. The transfer may occur by absolute assignment, gift or bequest, as long as it does not involve, directly or indirectly, a public sale of the shares. When shares subject to a CDSC are transferred, the CDSC will continue to apply to the transferred shares and will be calculated as if the transferee had acquired the shares in the same manner and at the same time as the transferring shareholder.
If less than all of the shares held in an account are transferred, and some but not all shares in the account would be subject to a CDSC if redeemed at that time, the priorities for the imposition of the CDSC described in the Prospectus will be followed in determining the order in which the shares are transferred.
Minimum Account Balance. Except for Class I shares, the minimum account balance is $500. The
minimum account balance for Class I shares is $2.5 million, excluding accounts for which the minimum initial investment was waived.
Minimum Balance Fee. A $12 annual "Minimum Balance Fee" is assessed on each Fund account with a share balance of less than
$500, except for Class I share accounts. The Minimum Balance Fee is automatically deducted from each such Fund account in September.
Listed below are certain cases in which the Fund has elected, in its discretion, not to assess the Minimum Balance Fee. These exceptions
are subject to change:
Involuntary Redemptions. The Fund's Board has the right to involuntarily redeem shares held in
any account, except for Class I share accounts, with an aggregate net asset value of less than $500. The Board may change the amount
of the aggregate net asset value to which this involuntary redemption policy may apply. The Board will not cause the involuntary
redemption of shares in an account if the aggregate net asset value of such shares has fallen below the stated minimum solely as
a result of market fluctuations within the last 12-month period. If the Board exercises this right, it may also determine the requirements
for any notice to be given to the shareholders (but not less than 30 days). Alternatively, the Board may set requirements for the
shareholder to increase the investment, or set other terms and conditions so that the shares would not be involuntarily redeemed.
If a Class I account falls below the $2.5 million minimum balance, the account may be involuntarily redeemed or converted into
a Class Y share account. This policy does not apply to accounts for which the minimum initial investment is waived.
Unclaimed accounts may be subject to state escheatment laws, and the Fund and the Transfer Agent will not be liable to shareholders
or their representatives for good faith compliance with those laws.
The Fund reserves the authority to modify the minimum balance policies in its discretion.
Reinvestment Privilege. Within six months after redeeming Class A or Class B shares, a shareholder may reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in Class A shares without a sales charge if:
The reinvestment may only be made in Class A shares of the Fund or other Oppenheimer funds into which shares of the Fund are exchangeable, as described in "How to Exchange Shares" below. This privilege does not apply to any other share class or to purchases made through automatic investment options. The Fund may amend, suspend or cease offering this reinvestment privilege at any time for shares redeemed after the date of the amendment, suspension or cessation. The shareholder must request the reinvestment privilege from the Transfer Agent or his or her financial intermediary at the time of purchase.
Reinvestment will be at the next net asset value computed after the Transfer Agent receives the reinvestment order. Any capital gain that was realized when the shares were redeemed is taxable, and reinvestment will not alter any capital gains tax payable on that gain. If there was a capital loss on the redemption, some or all of the loss may not be tax deductible, depending on the timing and amount of the reinvestment. Under the Internal Revenue Code, if the redemption proceeds of Fund shares on which a sales charge was paid are reinvested in shares of the Fund or another of the Oppenheimer funds within 90 days after the payment of the sales charge, in certain circumstances, the shareholder's basis in the shares of the Fund that were redeemed may not include the amount of the sales charge paid. That would reduce the loss or increase the gain recognized from the redemption, however, the sales charge would be added to the basis of the shares acquired with the redemption proceeds.
Shares of the Fund (including shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions from other Oppenheimer funds) may be exchanged for shares of certain other Oppenheimer funds at net asset value without the imposition of a sales charge, however a CDSC may apply to the acquired shares as described below. Shares of certain money market funds purchased without a sales charge may be exchanged for shares of other Oppenheimer funds offered with a sales charge upon payment of the sales charge. Exchanges into another Oppenheimer fund must meet any applicable minimum investment requirements of that fund.
As stated in the Prospectus, shares of a particular class of Oppenheimer funds having more than one class of shares may be exchanged only for shares of the same class of other Oppenheimer funds. The prospectus of each of the Oppenheimer funds indicates which share class or classes that fund offers and provides information about limitations on the purchase of particular share classes, as applicable for the particular fund. Shareholders that own more than one class of shares of the Fund must specify which class of shares they wish to exchange.
You can obtain a current list of the share classes offered by the funds by calling the toll-free phone number on the first page of this SAI.
The different Oppenheimer funds that are available for exchange have different investment objectives, policies and risks. A shareholder should determine whether the fund selected is appropriate for his or her investment goals and should be aware of the tax consequences of an exchange. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange transaction is treated as a redemption of shares of one fund and a purchase of shares of another. Some of the tax consequences of reinvesting redemption proceeds are discussed in "Reinvestment Privilege," above. The Fund, the Distributor, and the Transfer Agent are unable to provide investment, tax or legal advice to a shareholder in connection with an exchange request or any other investment transaction.
The Fund may amend, suspend or terminate the exchange privilege at any time. Although the Fund may impose these changes at any time, it will provide notice of those changes whenever it is required to do so by applicable law. It may be required to provide 60 days' notice prior to materially amending or terminating the exchange privilege, however that notice is not required in extraordinary circumstances.
How Exchanges Affect Contingent Deferred Sales Charges. If shares acquired by exchange are later redeemed within the CDSC holding period applicable to those acquired shares, the CDSC applicable to the share class of the fund you are exchanging into will apply to the acquired shares. This includes the redemption of shares of Oppenheimer Cash Reserves and Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. that were acquired by exchange.
When shares that are subject to a CDSC are exchanged, the priorities for the imposition of the CDSC described in "About Your Account" in the Prospectus will be followed in determining the order in which the shares are exchanged. Before exchanging shares, shareholders should consider how the exchange may affect any CDSC that might be imposed on the subsequent redemption of any remaining shares.
For circumstances in which a CDSC on shares acquired by exchange may be waived, see Appendix A "Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers."
Telephone Exchange Requests. When exchanging shares by telephone, a shareholder must have an existing account in the fund to which the exchange is to be made. Otherwise, the investors must obtain a prospectus of that fund before the exchange request may be submitted. If all telephone lines are busy (which might occur, for example, during periods of substantial market fluctuations), shareholders might not be able to request exchanges by telephone and would have to submit written exchange requests.
Automatic Exchange Plans. Under an Automatic Exchange Plan, shareholders can authorize the Transfer Agent to exchange shares of the Fund for shares of other Oppenheimer funds automatically on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. The minimum amount that may be exchanged to each other fund account is $50. Instructions regarding the exchange amount, the selected fund(s) and the exchange interval should be provided on the OppenheimerFunds account application or by signature-guaranteed instructions. Any requested changes will usually be put into effect approximately two weeks after notification of a change is received. Exchanges made under these plans are subject to the restrictions that apply to exchanges as set forth in this SAI and in "The Oppenheimer Exchange Privilege" section in the Prospectus.
The Transfer Agent will administer the Automatic Exchange Plan as agent for the shareholder(s). Neither the Fund nor the Transfer Agent shall incur any liability for any action taken or not taken by the Transfer Agent in good faith to administer the plan. Any share certificates must be surrendered unendorsed to the Transfer Agent with the plan application to be eligible for automatic exchanges. If the Transfer Agent ceases to act as transfer agent for the Fund, the shareholder will be deemed to have appointed any successor transfer agent to act as agent in administering the plan.
The Fund reserves the right to amend, suspend or discontinue offering automatic exchanges at any time without prior notice. By requesting an Automatic Exchange Plan, the shareholder agrees to the terms and conditions that apply to such plans. These provisions may be amended from time to time and any amendments will automatically apply to existing Plans.
Processing Exchange Requests. Shares to be exchanged are redeemed at the net asset value calculated on the regular business day the Transfer Agent receives an exchange request in proper form before the close of the NYSE (the "Redemption Date"). Normally, shares of the fund to be acquired are purchased on the Redemption Date, but such purchases may be delayed by up to five business days if it is determined that either fund would be disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of the redemption proceeds. The Fund reserves the right, in its discretion, to refuse any exchange request that may disadvantage it. For example, if the receipt of multiple exchange requests from a dealer might require the disposition of portfolio securities at a time or at a price that might be disadvantageous to the Fund, the Fund may refuse the request.
When you exchange some or all of your shares, any special features of your account that are available in the new fund (such as an Asset Builder Plan or Automatic Withdrawal Plan) will be applied to the new fund account unless you tell the Transfer Agent not to do so.
Shares that are subject to a restriction cited in the Prospectus or this SAI and shares covered by a share certificate that is not tendered will not be exchanged. If an exchange request includes such shares, only the shares available without restrictions will be exchanged.
Dividends and Other Distributions. The Fund does not have a fixed rate for dividends or other distributions ("distributions") and cannot assure the payment of any distributions. The distributions made by the Fund will vary depending on market conditions, the composition of the Fund's portfolio and Fund expenses. The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains at least annually, and may sometimes pay a special distribution near the end of the calendar year in order to comply with federal tax requirements.
Distributions are calculated in the same manner, at the same time, and on the same day for each class of shares but will normally differ in amount. Distributions on Class B, Class C and Class N shares are expected to be lower than distributions on Class A, Class Y and Class I shares because of the effect of the asset-based sales charge on Class B, Class C and Class N shares. Distributions are taxable to shareholders, as discussed below, regardless of whether the distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another fund). Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the reinvestment date.
Returned checks for the proceeds of redemptions are invested in shares of Oppenheimer Money Market Fund, Inc. If a dividend check or a check representing an automatic withdrawal payment is returned to the Transfer Agent by the Postal Service as undeliverable, it will be reinvested in shares of the Fund. Reinvestments will be made as promptly as possible after the return of such checks to the Transfer Agent. Unclaimed accounts may be subject to state escheatment laws, and the Fund and the Transfer Agent will not be liable to shareholders or their representatives for compliance with those laws in good faith.
Taxes. The federal tax treatment of the Fund and distributions to shareholders is briefly highlighted in the Prospectus. The following is only a summary of certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. The tax discussion in the Prospectus and this SAI is based on tax laws in effect on the date of the Prospectus and SAI. Those laws and regulations may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, sometimes with retroactive effect. State and local tax treatment may differ from the treatment under the Internal Revenue Code as described below.
Before purchasing Fund shares, investors are urged to consult their tax advisers with reference to their own particular tax circumstances as well as the consequences of federal, state, local and any other jurisdiction's tax rules affecting an investment in the Fund.
Qualification and Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company. The Fund has elected to be taxed as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. As long as the Fund qualifies as a RIC, the Fund may deduct the amount of investment company taxable income and net capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, thereby eliminating Fund-level corporate income tax that would otherwise be imposed on such income. Qualification as a RIC also allows the Fund, under certain conditions, to characterize the distributions made to its shareholders as composed of specific types of tax-favored income such as corporate dividends, capital gains and tax-exempt interest.
Even though the Fund expects to continue to qualify as a RIC, to the extent that it distributes less than all of its income, the Fund may still be subject to a corporate income tax and an excise tax. In addition, any investment income received from a foreign source may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, although the rate of any such withholding tax may be reduced under an income tax treaty if the Fund qualifies for the benefits of the treaty. If possible, the Fund will operate so as to qualify for such reduced rates. Any foreign withholding taxes will reduce the Fund's income and capital gain. The Fund may also be subject to corporate income tax and a penalty on distributions or gains if the Fund invests in "passive foreign investment companies" (described below) even if those amounts are distributed to the Fund's shareholders.
Qualifying as a RIC. To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must be a domestic corporation that is either registered under the Investment Company Act as a management company or unit investment trust or is otherwise described in the Internal Revenue Code as having a specific status under the Investment Company Act. The Fund must also satisfy certain tests with respect to (i) the composition of its gross income, (ii) the composition of its assets and (iii) the amount of its dividend distributions.
Gross Income Test. To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to loans of securities, gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, and certain other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such securities or currencies (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts), and net income derived from interests in certain "qualified publicly traded partnerships."
Asset Test. In addition, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, the Fund must satisfy two asset tests. First, at least 50% of the value of the Fund's assets must consist of U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, securities of other issuers ("Other Issuers") and cash or cash items (including receivables). The securities of an Other Issuer are not counted towards satisfying the 50% test if the Fund either invests more than 5% of the value of the Fund's assets in the securities of that Other Issuer or holds more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that Other Issuer. Second, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in (1) the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and the securities of other RICs), (2) the securities of two or more issuers (other than the securities of other RICs) that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. For purposes of these tests, obligations issued or guaranteed by certain agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government are treated as U.S. government securities.
Dividend Distributions Test. During the taxable year or, under specified circumstances, within 12 months after the close of the taxable year, the Fund must distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income for the taxable year, which is generally its net investment income and the excess of its net short-term capital gain minus its net long-term capital loss.
Failure to Qualify. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC, it would (unless certain cure provisions apply) then be unable to deduct from its taxable income the dividend distributions made to its shareholders and therefore those amounts would be subject to a Fund-level corporate income tax. In addition, the Fund would not be able to characterize the distributions made to its shareholders as anything other than ordinary corporate distributions. To the extent the Fund had "earnings and profits" (as determined for tax purposes), distributions to its shareholders would be taxable as ordinary dividend income. In the case of individuals, those distributions might qualify for the maximum 15% or 20% tax rate on dividend income and, in the case of corporations, they might qualify for the dividends-received deduction.
Portfolio Investments Subject to Special Tax Rules. The Fund may engage in transactions and investments that are subject to special tax rules under the Internal Revenue Code. These special tax rules may, among other things, affect the Fund's holding period in its investments, change the character of, or accelerate, the Fund's income, defer or disallow the Fund's deductions and losses, and compel the Fund to report as taxable income mere increases in the value of its assets. For example, the Fund may invest in foreign currencies or securities denominated in foreign currencies. Under certain circumstances losses from foreign securities could be capital losses but gains from foreign currencies are ordinary income. Because capital losses cannot be deducted against ordinary income, this mismatch in character may negatively affect the character and amount of the Fund's distributions. In addition, part of an "interest" payment from a high yield debt obligation may be characterized for tax purposes as a dividend and, therefore, eligible for the dividends-received deduction available to corporations.
Certain positions in the Fund's portfolio may have to be "marked-to-market" (that is, treated as if they were sold and repurchased on the last day of the Fund's taxable year). Such "deemed sales" under the mark-to-market rules may alter the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders by requiring the Fund to make distributions in order to satisfy the RIC dividend distributions test even though the deemed sales generate no cash. The Fund will monitor its transactions, and seek to make appropriate tax elections and appropriate entries in its books and records in order to reduce the effect of the mark-to-market rules while remaining qualified for treatment as a RIC.
Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the Fund invests in a "passive foreign investment company" ("PFIC"), then the Fund may be subject to special rules meant to discourage U.S. taxpayers from investing in foreign companies as a way of deferring taxable income. Under those rules, any income from certain PFIC distributions or the sale of PFIC shares is allocated ratably to the current taxable year and to prior taxable years. Income allocated to the current year is treated as part of the year's ordinary income. Income allocated to a prior taxable year is taxed at the highest corporate rate for that year (regardless of the Fund's actual income or tax rate for that prior year). For each prior taxable year, the Fund must pay both the amount of tax so computed and a penalty that is calculated as if the amount of tax was due but unpaid for the prior taxable year. Liability for such taxes and penalties would reduce the investment return of the Fund.
If a PFIC is willing to provide the Fund with certain necessary reporting information annually (which PFICs frequently do not provide), the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF") and, in lieu of the tax consequences described above, the Fund would be required to include in each year's income its share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the PFIC, even if they are not distributed to the Fund. Those amounts would be treated as taxable income for purposes of the 90% dividends distributions test mentioned above and the excise tax discussed below.
Alternatively, if the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased such PFIC stock at the end of each year. In that case, the Fund would report any gains as ordinary income and would deduct any losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"). By making the election, the Fund might be able to mitigate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year it could be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it received from the PFIC and the proceeds from dispositions of the PFIC's stock. The amounts so included would be treated as taxable income for purposes of the 90% dividends distributions test and for excise tax purposes (discussed below).
Excise Tax on Regulated Investment Companies. Under the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund must pay an annual, non-deductible excise tax unless, by December 31st each year, it distributes (1) 98% of its taxable investment income earned from January 1 through December 31, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income realized in the period from November 1 of the prior year through October 31 of the current year and (3) undistributed amounts from prior years. It is presently anticipated that the Fund will meet these distribution requirements, although to do so the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio investments in certain circumstances. In some years, the Board and the Manager and/or the Sub-Adviser may determine that it would be in the shareholders' best interests for the Fund to pay the excise tax on undistributed amounts rather than making the required level of distributions. In that event, the tax may reduce shareholder total returns from the Fund.
Taxation of Fund Distributions. The Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain for each taxable year. The Fund's distributions will be treated as dividends to the extent paid from the Fund's earnings and profits (as determined under the Internal Revenue Code). Distributions in excess of the Fund's earnings and profits will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of each shareholder's basis in his or her shares, and any remaining amounts will be treated as gain from the sale of those shares, as discussed below. Shareholders will be notified if at the end of the fiscal year, any part of an earlier distribution is re-characterized as a non-taxable return of capital. A reduction in the basis of shares could result in a higher taxable capital gain (or lower capital loss) on a subsequent sale or exchange of the shares.
Special Characteristics of Certain Distributions. Different types of Fund earnings may have different federal income tax characteristics, including different types of capital gains and different types of ordinary income. For example, if the Fund invests in stock, a portion of the Fund's ordinary income may be composed of dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction or that qualify for the special maximum tax rate on "qualified dividend income" as described below. The Fund may also generate foreign tax credits. The Fund will allocate the tax characteristics of its earnings among its distributions as prescribed by the IRS. The percentage of each distribution that corresponds to a particular type of income will generally be based on how much of that income the Fund earns for the taxable year in accordance with the IRS rules, rather than how much of that income the Fund has earned at time of the distribution. Those percentages normally will be determined after the close of the Fund's taxable year. The Fund will provide a statement to shareholders shortly after the end of each year indicating the amount and character of distributions made during the preceding calendar year.
Distributions Derived from Dividends. If the Fund earns dividend income from U.S. corporations, for the Fund's corporate shareholders to claim the dividends-received deduction against the Fund's distributions, both the Fund and its corporate shareholders must satisfy special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. If a dividend the Fund receives on a stock held in its portfolio otherwise qualifies for the dividends-received deduction, the Fund still (1) must hold the stock for a minimum number of days during a specified period that includes the stock's ex-dividend date, (2) cannot enter into certain positions that reduce the risk of holding the stock and (3) cannot debt finance the stock. Similarly, distributions of otherwise qualifying dividends will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the hands of a corporate shareholder of the Fund unless the corporate shareholder (1) holds the Fund's shares for at least 46 days during a specified period that includes the portfolio stock's ex-dividend date and (2) does not debt finance its investment in the Fund's shares. To the extent the Fund's distributions are derived from items such as option premiums, interest income, gains from the sale of securities, or dividends from foreign corporations, those distributions will not qualify for the dividends-received deduction.
If the Fund earns qualified dividend income, as discussed below, special rules may also apply to regular dividends paid to a non-corporate shareholder of the Fund. Provided that the shareholder receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements, those dividends may be subject to tax at the reduced rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however. They are not included in the computation of the shareholder's net capital gain and generally cannot be offset by capital losses. For a taxable year of the Fund, (i) if 95% or more of the Fund's gross income is attributable to qualified dividend income (defined below), then the special maximum rate will apply to 100% of the regular dividends paid to the shareholder during such year and (ii) if less than 95% of the Fund's gross income is attributable to qualified dividend income, then the special maximum rate will only apply to the portion of the regular dividends reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income, which generally cannot exceed the ratio that the Fund's qualified dividend income bears to its gross income. Gross income, for these purposes, does not include gains attributable to the sale or other disposition of stocks and securities, except to the extent the net short-term capital gain from such sales and dispositions exceeds the net long-term capital loss from such sales and dispositions.
"Qualified dividend income" generally means dividends received by the Fund with respect to the stock of a U.S. corporation or qualified foreign corporation. It also includes dividends received with respect to the stock of certain foreign corporations. In each case, however, the Fund must hold the stock for a minimum number of days during a specified period that includes the stock's ex-dividend date and cannot enter into certain positions that reduce the risk of holding the stock. Qualified dividend income does not include "payments in lieu of dividends" received in securities lending transactions or dividends received from a real estate investment trust ("REIT") or another RIC, except to the extent such dividends were paid from qualified dividend income received and reported by such REIT or RIC. If a shareholder elects to treat Fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends will not be treated as qualified dividend income.
Ordinary Income Dividends. Distributions from income earned by the Fund from one or more of the following sources will be treated as ordinary income to the shareholder:
Capital Gain Distributions. The Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Currently, the Fund intends to distribute these gains. Distributed net capital gain that is properly reported will be taxable to the Fund's shareholders as long-term capital gain. The amount of distributions reported as net capital gain will be reported to shareholders shortly after the end of each year. Such treatment will apply no matter how long the shareholder has held Fund shares and even if the gain was recognized by the Fund before the shareholder acquired Fund shares.
If the Fund elects to retain all or a portion of its net capital gain for a taxable year, the Fund will be subject to tax on such gain at the highest corporate tax rate. If the Fund so elects, each shareholder of record on the last day of such taxable year will be informed of his or her portion of both the gain and the tax paid, will be required to report the gain as long-term capital gain, will be able to claim the tax paid as a refundable credit, and will increase the basis of his or her shares by the amount of the capital gain reported minus the tax credit.
3.8% Medicare Tax. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.
Foreign Source Income. Investment income that the Fund may receive from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign taxes withheld at the source. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations the Fund may elect to treat any foreign income and withholding taxes it pays as having been paid by its shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long as the Fund continues to qualify as a RIC. If the Fund makes that election, the amount of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund will be included in the income of its shareholders and each shareholder will be entitled (subject to certain limitations) to either credit the amount against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax due, or deduct the amount from his or her U.S. taxable income. If the Fund has investments in foreign securities, the Fund may qualify for and make this election in some, but not necessarily all, of its taxable years.
Shortly after any year for which it makes such an election, the Fund will report to its shareholders the amount per share of such foreign tax that must be included in each shareholder's gross income and the amount that will be available for deduction or credit. In general, a shareholder may elect each year whether to claim deductions or credits for foreign taxes. However, no deductions for foreign taxes may be claimed by a non corporate shareholder who does not itemize deductions. If a shareholder elects to credit foreign taxes, the amount of credit that may be claimed in any year can not exceed the same proportion of the U.S. tax against which such credit is taken as the shareholder's taxable income from foreign sources bears to his or her entire taxable income, unless the shareholder is an individual all of whose gross income from non-U.S. sources is qualified passive income and whose creditable foreign taxes for the taxable year do not exceed $300 ($600 for a joint return).
As a general rule, if the Fund has made the appropriate election, a shareholder may treat as foreign source income the portion of any dividend paid by the Fund which represents income derived from sources within foreign countries, as well as the shareholder's proportionate share of the taxes paid to those countries. Capital gains realized by the Fund on the sale of foreign securities and other foreign currency gains of the Fund are considered to be U.S.-source income and, therefore, any portion of the tax credit passed through to shareholders that is attributable to such gains or distributions might not be usable by a shareholder who does not have other foreign source income.
Tax Consequences of Share Redemptions. If all or a portion of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is redeemed, the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or loss on the redeemed shares equal to the difference between the proceeds of the redeemed shares and the shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the shares. In general, any gain or loss from the redemption of shares of the Fund will be considered capital gain or loss if the shares were held as a capital asset and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for more than one year. Any capital loss arising from the redemption of shares held for six months or less, however, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on those shares. Special holding period rules under the Internal Revenue Code apply in this case to determine the holding period of shares. There are limits on the deductibility of capital losses in any year.
All or a portion of any loss on redeemed shares may be disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the Fund within 30 days before or after the redemption (including purchases through the reinvestment of dividends). In that case, the basis of the acquired shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. If a shareholder exercises the exchange privilege within 90 days after acquiring Fund shares, and no later than January 31 of the following calendar year, in certain circumstances, any loss that the shareholder recognizes on the exchange will be reduced, or any gain will be increased, to the extent that any sales charge paid on the exchanged shares reduces any charges the shareholder would have incurred on the purchase of the new shares in the absence of the exchange privilege. Such sales charge will be treated as an amount paid for the new shares.
Backup Withholding. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold 28% of ordinary income dividends, capital gain distributions and the proceeds of the redemption of shares, paid to any shareholder (1) who has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number or to properly certify that number when required, (2) who is subject to backup withholding for failure to report properly the receipt of interest or dividend income, or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding or is an "exempt recipient" (such as a corporation). Any tax withheld by the Fund is remitted by the Fund to the U.S. Treasury and is identified in reports mailed to shareholders after the end of each calendar year with a copy sent to the IRS. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld generally may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder's federal income tax liability, provided the required information is timely provided to the IRS.
Taxation of Foreign Shareholders. Under the Internal Revenue Code, taxation of a foreign shareholder depends primarily on whether the foreign shareholder's income from the Fund is effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business. A "foreign shareholder" includes, but is not limited to, a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust, a foreign estate, a foreign corporation, or a foreign partnership.
If a foreign shareholder fails to provide a properly completed and signed Certificate of Foreign Status, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax on ordinary income dividends, capital gains distributions and the proceeds of the redemption of shares. Provided the Fund obtains a proper certification of foreign status, ordinary income dividends that are paid by the Fund to foreign shareholders and that are not "effectively connected income," will be subject to a U.S. withholding tax. The tax rate may be reduced if the foreign person's country of residence has an income tax treaty with the United States allowing for a reduced tax rate on ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund. If the ordinary income dividends from the Fund are effectively connected with the conduct of a U.S. trade or business, then the foreign shareholder may claim an exemption from the U.S. withholding tax described above provided the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed Certificate of Foreign Status. Any tax withheld by the Fund is remitted to the U.S. Treasury and all income and any tax withheld is identified in reports mailed to shareholders in the early part of each year with a copy sent to the IRS. Capital gain dividends are not subject to U.S. withholding tax unless the recipient is a nonresident alien who is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year in which the dividends are received. A foreign individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more generally loses his or her status as a nonresident alien.
If future legislation extends expired tax provisions that applied to taxable years of regulated investment companies beginning before January 1, 2014, properly reported dividends will generally be exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax on foreign persons provided such dividends (i) are derived from the Fund's "qualified net interest income" (generally, the Fund's U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is a 10% or greater shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are derived from the Fund's "qualified short-term capital gains" (generally, the excess of the Fund's net short-term capital gain over the Fund's net long-term capital loss for such taxable year). In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a shareholder that is a foreign person must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status. However, depending on its circumstances, the Fund may report some, all, or none of its potentially eligible dividends as interest-related dividends or as short-term capital gain dividends, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding on foreign persons. In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Shareholders that are foreign persons should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.
The tax consequences to foreign persons entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable income tax treaty may be different from those described in this SAI. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences of an investment in the Fund, including the applicability of the U.S. withholding taxes described above and the possible applicability of U.S. estate tax.
Subject to the issuance of further guidance, under legislation known as "FATCA" (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), ordinary dividends the Fund pays after December 31, 2013, and the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gains dividends it pays after December 31, 2016, to "foreign financial institutions" and certain other foreign entities will be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% unless various certification, information reporting, due diligence and other applicable requirements (different from, and in addition to, those described above) are satisfied. In general, no such withholding will occur with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. individual that timely provides the Fund with a valid IRS Form W-9 or W-8, respectively. Payments that are taken into account as effectively connected income are not subject to these withholding rules. Foreign shareholders should consult their own tax advisors as to the applicability and consequences of this new legislation to them.
Additional information reporting requirements apply to individuals that hold any interest in a "specified foreign financial asset" if the aggregate value of all such assets held by such individual exceeds $50,000. Significant penalties can apply upon a failure to make the required disclosure and in respect to understatements of tax attributable to undisclosed foreign financial assets. The scope of this reporting requirement is not entirely clear and all shareholders should consult their own tax advisors as to whether reporting may be required in respect of their indirect interests in the Fund's investments.
Tax Shelter and Other Reporting Requirements. If a shareholder realizes a loss on the disposition of Fund shares of at least $2 million in any single taxable year or $4 million in any combination of taxable years (for an individual shareholder); or at least $10 million in any single taxable year or $20 million in any combination of taxable years (for a corporate shareholder), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of this requirement in light of their individual circumstances. Some states may similarly require such transactions to be reported separately with the appropriate state taxing authorities.
Additional Information About the Fund
The Distributor. The Fund's shares are sold through dealers, brokers and other financial institutions that have a sales agreement with OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., a subsidiary of the Manager that acts as the Fund's Distributor. The Distributor also distributes shares of the other Oppenheimer funds.
The Transfer Agent. OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. is the Fund's Transfer Agent. Shareholder Services, Inc., an affiliate of the Transfer Agent, doing business as OppenheimerFunds Services is the Fund's Sub-Transfer Agent. OppenheimerFunds Services is responsible for maintaining the Fund's shareholder registry and shareholder accounting records, and for paying dividends and distributions to shareholders. It also handles shareholder servicing and administrative functions. It serves as the Transfer Agent for an annual per account fee. It also acts as shareholder servicing agent for the other Oppenheimer funds. Shareholders should direct inquiries about their accounts to OppenheimerFunds Services at the address and toll-free numbers shown on the back cover.
The Custodian. JPMorgan Chase Bank is the custodian of the Fund's assets. The custodian's responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the Fund's portfolio securities and handling the delivery of such securities to and from the Fund. It is the practice of the Fund to deal with the custodian in a manner uninfluenced by any banking relationship the custodian may have with the Manager and its affiliates. The Fund's cash balances with the custodian in excess of $250,000 are not protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC"). Those uninsured balances at times may be substantial.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. KPMG LLP serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. KPMG LLP audits the Fund's financial statements and performs other related audit and tax services. KPMG LLP also acts as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Manager, the Sub-Adviser and certain other funds advised by the Manager and its affiliates. Audit and non-audit services provided by KPMG LLP to the Fund must be pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
OppenheimerFunds Special Sales Charge Arrangements and Waivers
In certain cases, the initial sales charge that applies to purchases of Class A shares of the Oppenheimer funds or the contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") that may apply to Class A, Class B, Class C or Class N shares may be waived. That is because of the economies of sales efforts realized by OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc., (referred to in this document as the "Distributor"), or by dealers or other financial institutions that offer those shares to certain classes of investors. Not all Oppenheimer funds have all of the share classes described and not all waivers apply to all Oppenheimer funds.
For the purposes of some of the waivers described below and in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of the applicable Oppenheimer funds, the term "Retirement Plan" refers to the following types of plans:
The interpretation of these provisions as to the applicability of a special arrangement or waiver in a particular case is in the sole discretion of the Distributor or the transfer agent (referred to in this document as the "Transfer Agent") of the particular Oppenheimer fund. These waivers and special arrangements may be amended or terminated at any time by a particular fund, the Distributor, OFI Global Asset Management, Inc., and/or OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. and OppenheimerFunds, Inc. are together referred to in this appendix as the "Manager").
Waivers that apply at the time shares are redeemed must be requested by the shareholder and/or dealer in the redemption request.
I. Applicability of Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charges in Certain Cases
Purchases of Class A Shares of Oppenheimer Funds That Are Not Subject to Initial Sales Charge but May Be Subject to the Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (unless a waiver applies). Class A shares acquired by conversion from another share class are not considered a "purchase" for any purpose.
There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A shares of any of the Oppenheimer funds in the cases listed below. However, these purchases may be subject to the Class A CDSC if redeemed within 18 months (24 months in the case of shares of Oppenheimer Rochester National Municipals and Rochester Fund Municipals shares purchased prior to 10/22/07), as described in the Prospectus (unless a waiver described elsewhere in this Appendix applies to the redemption). Additionally, on shares purchased under these waivers that are subject to the Class A CDSC, the Distributor will pay the applicable concession described in the Prospectus under "Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge."1 This waiver provision applies to:
II. Waivers of Class A Sales Charges of Oppenheimer Funds
A. Waivers of Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges for Certain Purchasers.
Class A shares purchased by the following investors are not subject to any Class A sales charges (and no concessions are paid by the Distributor on such purchases):
B. Waivers of the Class A Initial and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges in Certain Transactions.
1. Class A shares issued or purchased in the following transactions are not subject to sales charges (and no concessions are paid by the Distributor on such purchases):
2. Class A shares issued and purchased in the following transactions are not subject to sales charges (a dealer concession at the annual rate of 0.25% is paid by the Distributor on purchases made within the first 6 months of plan establishment):
C. Waivers of the Class A Contingent Deferred Sales Charge for Certain Redemptions.
The Class A CDSC is also waived if shares that would otherwise be subject to the CDSC are redeemed in the following cases:
III. Waivers of Class B, Class C and Class N Sales Charges of Oppenheimer Funds
The Class B, Class C and Class N CDSCs will not be applied to shares purchased in certain types of transactions or redeemed in certain circumstances described below. Class C or Class N shares acquired by conversion from another share class are not considered a "purchase" for any purpose.
A. Waivers for Redemptions in Certain Cases.
The Class B, Class C and Class N CDSCs will be waived for redemptions of shares in the following cases:
B. Waivers for Shares Sold or Issued in Certain Transactions.
The CDSC is also waived on Class B, Class C and Class N shares sold or issued in the following cases:
Footnotes to Appendix A:
1. However, that concession will not be paid on purchases of shares in amounts of $1 million
or more (including any right of accumulation) by a Retirement Plan that pays for the purchase with the redemption proceeds of Class
C shares of one or more Oppenheimer funds held by the Plan for more than one year.
2. This provision does not apply to IRAs.
3. This provision only applies to qualified retirement plans and 403(b)(7) custodial plans after your separation from service
in or after the year you reached age 55.
4. The distribution must be requested prior to Plan termination or the elimination of the Oppenheimer funds as an investment
option under the Plan.
5. This provision does not apply to loans from 403(b)(7) custodial plans or from OppenheimerFunds Single K plans.
6. This provision does not apply to 403(b)(7) custodial plans if the participant is less than age 55, nor to IRAs.
Ratings Definitions
Below are summaries of the rating definitions used by the nationally recognized statistical rating organizations ("NRSROs") listed below. Those ratings represent the opinion of the NRSRO as to the credit quality of issues that they rate. The summaries below are based upon publicly available information provided by the NRSROs.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's")
LONG-TERM OBLIGATION RATINGS
Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.
Aaa: Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa: Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
A: Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa: Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba: Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
B: Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
Caa: Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
Ca: Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C: Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.
Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a "(hyb)" indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.*
* By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.
SHORT-TERM OBLIGATION RATINGS FOR TAXABLE DEBT AND U.S. MUNICIPAL TAX-EXEMPT COMMERCIAL PAPER
Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments.
P-1: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
U.S. MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM DEBT AND DEMAND OBLIGATION RATINGS
Short-Term Obligation Ratings
The Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) scale is used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity.
MIG 1: This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3: This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG: This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
Demand Obligation Ratings
In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade (VMIG) scale.
VMIG 1: This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 3: This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SG: This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("Standard & Poor's"), a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
ISSUE CREDIT RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects Standard & Poor's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.
Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on Standard & Poor's analysis of the following considerations:
Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)
LONG-TERM ISSUE CREDIT RATINGS
AAA: An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA: An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A: An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB: An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
BB; B; CCC; CC; and C: Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CCC: An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
CC: An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.
C: A 'C' rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the 'C' rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument's terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
D: An obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within five business days, irrespective of any grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
NR: This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.
Note: The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
SHORT-TERM ISSUE CREDIT RATINGS
Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days-including commercial paper.
A-1: A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2: A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3: A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
B: A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C: A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
D: A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.
MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM NOTE RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poor's opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, Standard & Poor's analysis will review the following considerations:
SP-1: Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2: Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3: Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
ISSUER CREDIT RATINGS
A Standard & Poor's issuer credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about an obligor's overall creditworthiness in order to pay its financial obligations. This opinion focuses on the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due. It does not apply to any specific financial obligation, as it does not take into account the nature of and provisions of the obligation, its standing in bankruptcy or liquidation, statutory preferences, or the legality and enforceability of the obligation.
LONG-TERM ISSUER CREDIT RATINGS
AAA: An obligor rated 'AAA' has extremely strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. 'AAA' is the highest issuer credit rating assigned by Standard & Poor's.
AA: An obligor rated 'AA' has very strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It differs from the highest-rated obligors only to a small degree.
A: An obligor rated 'A' has strong capacity to meet its financial commitments but is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligors in higher-rated categories.
BBB: An obligor rated 'BBB' has adequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitments.
BB; B; CCC; and CC: Obligors rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', and 'CC' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'CC' the highest. While such obligors will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
BB: An obligor rated 'BB' is less vulnerable in the near term than other lower-rated obligors. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
B: An obligor rated 'B' is more vulnerable than the obligors rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments.
CCC: An obligor rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitments.
CC: An obligor rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable.
R: An obligor rated 'R' is under regulatory supervision owing to its financial condition. During the pendency of the regulatory supervision the regulators may have the power to favor one class of obligations over others or pay some obligations and not others.
SD and D: An obligor rated 'SD' (selective default) or 'D' is in payment default on one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within five business days, irrespective of any grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on a financial obligation are jeopardized. A 'D' rating is assigned when Standard & Poor's believes that the default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An 'SD' rating is assigned when Standard & Poor's believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations, but it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner. A selective default includes the completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby one or more financial obligation is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.
NR: An issuer designated 'NR' is not rated.
Note: The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
SHORT-TERM ISSUER CREDIT RATINGS
A-1: An obligor rated 'A-1' has strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. It is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. Within this category, certain obligors are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments is extremely strong.
A-2: An obligor rated 'A-2' has satisfactory capacity to meet its financial commitments. However, it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligors in the highest rating category.
A-3: An obligor rated 'A-3' has adequate capacity to meet its financial obligations. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitments.
B: An obligor rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C: An obligor rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for it to meet its financial commitments.
R: An obligor rated 'R' is under regulatory supervision owing to its financial condition. During the pendency of the regulatory supervision the regulators may have the power to favor one class of obligations over others or pay some obligations and not others. Please see Standard & Poor's issue credit ratings for a more detailed description of the effects of regulatory supervision on specific issues or classes of obligations.
SD and D: An obligor rated 'SD' (selective default) or 'D' has failed to pay one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) when it came due, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. A 'D' rating is assigned when Standard & Poor's believes that the default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An 'SD' rating is assigned when Standard & Poor's believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner. Please see Standard & Poor's issue credit ratings for a more detailed description of the effects of a default on specific issues or classes of obligations.
NR: An issuer designated 'NR' is not rated.
Fitch, Inc.
International credit ratings relate to either foreign currency or local currency commitments and, in both cases, assess the capacity to meet these commitments using a globally applicable scale. As such, both foreign currency and local currency international ratings are internationally comparable assessments. The local currency international rating measures the likelihood of repayment in the currency of the jurisdiction in which the issuer is domiciled and hence does not take account of the possibility that it will not be possible to convert local currency into foreign currency, or make transfers between sovereign jurisdictions (transfer and convertibility risk). Foreign currency ratings additionally consider the profile of the issuer or note after taking into account transfer and convertibility risk. Where the rating is not explicitly described in the relevant rating action commentary as local or foreign currency, the reader should assume that the rating is a "foreign currency" rating (i.e. the rating is applicable for all convertible currencies of obligation).
INTERNATIONAL LONG-TERM ISSUER RATINGS
AAA: Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA: Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A: High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB: Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
BB: Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists which supports the servicing of financial commitments.
B: Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.
CCC: Substantial credit risk. Default is a real possibility.
CC: Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable.
C: Exceptionally high levels of credit risk. Default is imminent or inevitable, or the issuer is in standstill. Conditions that are indicative of a 'C' category rating for an issuer include:
a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial
obligation;
b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material
financial obligation; or
c. Fitch Ratings otherwise believes a condition of 'RD' or 'D' to be imminent or inevitable, including through the formal announcement
of a distressed debt exchange.
RD: Restricted default. 'RD' ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings' opinion has experienced an uncured payment default on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation but which has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, and which has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include:
a. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;
b. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on
a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;
c. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations,
either in series or in parallel; or
d. execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.
D: Default. 'D' ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch Ratings' opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure, or which has otherwise ceased business. Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange. "Imminent" default typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer, and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment, but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future. In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency's opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings, and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer's financial obligations or local commercial practice.
Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' Long-Term category, or to Long-Term categories below 'B'.
INTERNATIONAL SHORT-TERM ISSUER AND ISSUE CREDIT RATINGS
A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.
F1: Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2: Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
F3: Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
B: Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C: High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.
RD: Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.
D: Default Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.
DBRS
LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS
The DBRS® long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default. That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligations has been issued. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of claims. All rating categories other than AAA and D also contain subcategories "(high)" and "(low)". The absence of either a "(high)" or "(low)" designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category.
AAA: Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
AA: Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from AAA only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
A: Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than AA. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
BBB: Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
BB: Speculative, non investment-grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.
B: Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.
CCC/CC/C: Very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although CC and C ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the CCC to B range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the C category.
D: A financial obligation has not been met or it is clear that a financial obligation will not be met in the near future or a debt instrument has been subject to a distressed exchange. A downgrade to D may not immediately follow an insolvency or restructuring filing as grace periods or extenuating circumstances may exist.
COMMERCIAL PAPER AND SHORT-TERM DEBT
The DBRS® short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories "(high)," "(middle)," and "(low)."
R-1 (high): Highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.
R-1 (middle): Superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from R-1 (high) by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.
R-1 (low): Good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favourable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.
R-2 (high): Upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.
R-2 (middle): Adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.
R-2 (low): Lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer's ability to meet such obligations.
R-3: Lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.
R-4: Speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.
R-5: Highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
D: A financial obligation has not been met or it is clear that a financial obligation will not be met in the near future, or a debt instrument has been subject to a distressed exchange. A downgrade to D may not immediately follow an insolvency or restructuring filing as grace periods, other procedural considerations, or extenuating circumstance may exist.
The Fund's audited Financial Statements, included in the Fund's Annual Report dated September 30, 2012, including the notes thereto and the report of KPMG LLP thereon, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information.
Oppenheimer International Bond Fund
Website
www.oppenheimerfunds.com
Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser
OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. and OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
Two World Financial Center
225 Liberty Street, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10281-1008
Distributor
OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.
Two World Financial Center
225 Liberty Street, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10281-1008
Transfer Agent and Sub-Transfer Agent
OFI Global Asset Management, Inc. and
Shareholder Services Inc. doing business as OppenheimerFunds Services
P.O. Box 5270
Denver, Colorado 80217
1.800.CALL OPP (225.5677)
Custodian Bank
JPMorgan Chase Bank
4 Chase Metro Tech Center
Brooklyn, New York 11245
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
KPMG LLP
1225 17th Street, Suite 800
Denver, Colorado 80202
Counsel to the Funds & Independent Trustees
K&L Gates LLP
70 West Madison Street, Suite 3100
Chicago, Illinois 60602
PX0880.001.0113 |
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