-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, LaJo1L29XSZ1qqMmusHrOt2ef66WD5lvY2YfLO+WPaCRqn5i7UGU5vDUZMnCoRee 5UlOdyu7Fqh7fxA3Qo2zgQ== 0000950135-02-003993.txt : 20020829 0000950135-02-003993.hdr.sgml : 20020829 20020828182603 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950135-02-003993 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 497 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20020829 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001176984 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 497 SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-91946 FILM NUMBER: 02751706 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: THE EATON VANCE BLDG STREET 2: 255 STATE ST CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02109 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: THE EATON VANCE BLDG STREET 2: 255 STATE ST CITY: BOSTON STATE: MA ZIP: 02109 497 1 b43776dfe497.txt EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND PROSPECTUS [EATON VANCE LOGO] 57,100,000 SHARES EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND COMMON SHARES $15.00 PER SHARE ------------------ Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund") is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to provide current income exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax. This income will be earned by investing primarily in high grade municipal obligations that are insured as to the timely payment of principal and interest and are not subject to alternative minimum tax. The Fund's net asset value and distribution rate will vary and may be affected by several factors, including changes in interest rates and the credit quality of municipal issuers. Fluctuations in net asset value may be magnified as a result of the Fund's use of leverage, which may be a speculative investment technique. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors, particularly those that are not subject to federal income tax. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund's investment adviser is Eaton Vance Management ("Eaton Vance" or the "Adviser"). Eaton Vance and certain of its subsidiaries manage 51 different municipal bond funds with combined assets of about $7 billion. Because the Fund is newly organized, its common shares have no history of public trading. The shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. This risk may be greater for investors expecting to sell their shares in a relatively short period after completion of the public offering. The Fund's common shares have been listed on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "EIM". (continued on following page) ------------------ INVESTING IN SHARES INVOLVES CERTAIN RISKS. SEE "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS" BEGINNING AT PAGE 13. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. ------------------
PER SHARE TOTAL(1) ------- ------------ Public Offering Price $15.000 $856,500,000 Sales Load(2) $ 0.675 $ 38,542,500 Estimated Offering Expenses(3) $ 0.030 $ 1,713,000 Proceeds to the Fund $14.295 $816,244,500
(footnotes on following page) The underwriters are offering the shares subject to various conditions and expect to deliver the shares to purchasers on or about August 30, 2002. ------------------ SALOMON SMITH BARNEY UBS WARBURG A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC. PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES H&R BLOCK FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC. JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC LEGG MASON WOOD WALKER INCORPORATED MCDONALD INVESTMENTS INC. QUICK & REILLY, INC. RAYMOND JAMES RBC CAPITAL MARKETS RYAN, BECK & CO. SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY INCLUDING THE GRUNTAL DIVISION TD WATERHOUSE WACHOVIA SECURITIES WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC August 27, 2002 (Continued from previous page) (1) The underwriters named in this Prospectus may purchase up to 8,565,000 additional shares at the public offering price, less sales load, solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If this option is exercised in full, the total public offering price, sales load, estimated offering expenses and proceeds to the Fund will be $984,975,000, $44,323,875, $1,969,950 and $938,681,175, respectively. (2) Certain underwriters that may also participate in any future offering of preferred shares of the Fund may receive additional compensation in that offering based on their participation in this offering. See "Underwriting." (3) Eaton Vance or an affiliate has agreed to pay offering and organizational costs in excess of $0.03 per share. - ------------------ The Fund expects to use financial leverage through the issuance of preferred shares, initially equal to approximately 38% of its gross assets (including the amount obtained through leverage). The Fund intends to use leverage if it is expected to result in higher income to shareholders over time. Use of financial leverage creates an opportunity for increased income but, at the same time, creates special risks. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. SEE "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS -- USE OF LEVERAGE AND RELATED RISKS" AT PAGE 18 AND "DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE" AT PAGE 26. This Prospectus sets forth concisely information you should know before investing in the shares of the Fund. Please read and retain this Prospectus for future reference. A Statement of Additional Information dated August 27, 2002, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and can be obtained without charge by calling 1-800-225-6265 or by writing to the Fund. A table of contents to the Statement of Additional Information is located at page 36 of this Prospectus. This Prospectus incorporates by reference the entire Statement of Additional Information. The Statement of Additional Information is available along with other Fund-related materials: at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, DC (call 1-202-942-8090 for information on the operation of the reference room); the EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site (http://www.sec.gov); upon payment of copying fees by writing to the SEC's public reference section, Washington, DC 20549-0102; or by electronic mail at publicinfo@sec.gov. The Fund's address is The Eaton Vance Building, 255 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 and its telephone number is 1-800-225-6265. The underwriters named in the Prospectus may purchase up to 8,565,000 additional shares from the Fund under certain circumstances. The Fund's shares do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency. YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS PROSPECTUS. THE FUND HAS NOT AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION. THE FUND IS NOT MAKING AN OFFER OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER IS NOT PERMITTED. YOU SHOULD NOT ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE ON THE FRONT OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ------------------ TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE ---- Prospectus Summary.......................................... 4 Fund Expenses............................................... 11 The Fund.................................................... 13 Use of Proceeds............................................. 13 Investment Objective, Policies and Risks.................... 13 Management of the Fund...................................... 23 Distributions and Taxes..................................... 24 Dividend Reinvestment Plan.................................. 25 Description of Capital Structure............................ 26 Underwriting................................................ 31 Custodian and Transfer Agent................................ 34 Legal Opinions.............................................. 34 Reports to Stockholders..................................... 34 Independent Auditors........................................ 34 Additional Information...................................... 34 Table of Contents for the Statement of Additional Information............................................... 36
------------------ UNTIL SEPTEMBER 21, 2002 (25 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS), ALL DEALERS THAT BUY, SELL OR TRADE THE SHARES, WHETHER OR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THIS OFFERING, MAY BE REQUIRED TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE DEALERS' OBLIGATION TO DELIVER A PROSPECTUS WHEN ACTING AS UNDERWRITERS AND WITH RESPECT TO THEIR UNSOLD ALLOTMENTS OR SUBSCRIPTIONS. 3 PROSPECTUS SUMMARY The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more detailed information included elsewhere in this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information. THE FUND...................... Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund") is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund offers investors the opportunity to receive current income exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax, through a professionally managed portfolio of municipal obligations. Investments are based on Eaton Vance Management's ("Eaton Vance" or the "Adviser") research and ongoing credit analysis, the underlying materials for which are generally not available to individual investors. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors, particularly those that are not subject to the federal income tax. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. THE OFFERING.................. The Fund is offering 57,100,000 common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share (the "Shares"), through a group of underwriters (the "Underwriters") led by Salomon Smith Barney Inc., UBS Warburg LLC, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Prudential Securities Incorporated, H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc., Fahnestock & Co. Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated, McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company, Quick & Reilly, Inc. A FleetBoston Financial Company, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc., Ryan, Beck & Co., LLC, SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc., TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc., Wachovia Securities, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC. The Underwriters have been granted an option to purchase up to 8,565,000 additional Shares solely to cover over-allotments, if any. The initial public offering price is $15.00 per share. The minimum purchase in this offering is 100 Shares ($1,500). See "Underwriting." Eaton Vance, or an affiliate, has agreed to pay (i) all organizational expenses and (ii) offering costs (other than sales loads) that exceed $0.03 per Share. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES...................... The Fund's investment objective is to provide current income exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax. Securities will be purchased and sold in an effort to maintain a competitive yield and to enhance return based upon the relative value of the securities available in the marketplace. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. During normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund's net assets will be invested in debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax ("municipal obligations"), and that are insured as to principal and interest payments. Such insurance will be from insurers having a claims- 4 paying ability rated Aaa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or AAA by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings ("Fitch"). This insurance does not protect the market value of such obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. The value of an obligation will be affected by the credit standing of its insurer. The Fund primarily invests in high grade municipal obligations. At least 80% of the Fund's net assets will normally be invested in municipal obligations rated in the highest category at the time of investment (which is Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P or Fitch or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser). Up to 20% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in obligations rated below Aaa or AAA (but not lower than BBB or Baa) and comparable unrated obligations and/or municipal obligations that are uninsured. Accordingly, the Fund does not intend to invest any of its assets in obligations rated below investment grade or in comparable unrated obligations. From time to time, the Fund may hold obligations that are unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to be fully invested (at least 95% of its net assets) in accordance with its investment objective. The Fund will not invest in an obligation if the interest on that obligation is subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. The Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of financial futures contracts and related options, including futures contracts and related options based on various debt securities and securities indices, to seek to hedge against changes in interest rates or for other risk management purposes. LISTING....................... The Fund's common shares have been listed on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "EIM". LEVERAGE...................... The Fund expects to use financial leverage through the issuance of preferred shares. The Fund intends initially to use financial leverage of approximately 38% of its gross assets (including the amount obtained through leverage). The Fund generally will not use leverage if it anticipates that it would result in a lower return to holders of the Shares ("Shareholders") over time. Use of financial leverage creates an opportunity for increased income for Shareholders but, at the same time, creates special risks (including the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of the Shares), and there can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. The Fund intends to issue preferred shares approximately one to three months after completion of this offering, subject to market conditions, and the Fund's receipt of a AAA/Aaa credit rating on preferred shares from any nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("Rating Agency") (typically, Moody's, S&P or Fitch.) See "Investment Objective, Policies and Risks -- Use of Leverage and Related Risks." INVESTMENT ADVISER AND ADMINISTRATOR................. Eaton Vance, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., is the Fund's investment adviser and administrator. The 5 Adviser and certain of its subsidiaries manage 4 national municipal funds, 38 single state municipal funds, 8 limited maturity municipal funds and 1 money market municipal fund with combined assets of about $7 billion as of June 30, 2002. Ten of the funds are closed-end. See "Management of the Fund." DISTRIBUTIONS................. Commencing with the Fund's first dividend, the Fund intends to make regular monthly cash distributions to Shareholders at a level rate based on the projected performance of the Fund. The Fund's ability to maintain a level Share dividend rate will depend on a number of factors, including dividends payable on the preferred shares. As portfolio and market conditions change, the rate of dividends on the Shares and the Fund's dividend policy could change. Over time, the Fund will distribute all of its net investment income (after it pays accrued dividends on any outstanding preferred shares). In addition, at least annually, the Fund intends to distribute net capital gain and taxable ordinary income, if any, to you so long as the net capital gain and taxable ordinary income are not necessary to pay accrued dividends on, or redeem or liquidate, any preferred shares. Your initial distribution is expected to be declared approximately 45 days, and paid approximately 60 days, from the completion of this offering, depending on market conditions. You may elect to automatically reinvest some or all of your distributions in additional Shares under the Fund's Dividend Reinvestment Plan. See "Distributions and Taxes" and "Dividend Reinvestment Plan." DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN.... The Fund has established a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, a Shareholder may elect to have all dividend and capital gain distributions automatically reinvested in additional Shares either purchased in the open market, or newly issued by the Fund if the Shares are trading at or above their net asset value. Shareholders may elect to participate in the Plan by completing the Dividend Reinvestment Plan Application Form. If Shareholders do not participate, such Shareholders will receive all distributions in cash paid by check mailed directly to them by PFPC Inc., as dividend paying agent. Shareholders who intend to hold their Shares through a broker or nominee should contact such broker or nominee to determine whether or how they may participate in the Plan. See "Dividend Reinvestment Plan." CLOSED-END STRUCTURE.......... Closed-end funds differ from open-end management investment companies (commonly referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds generally list their shares for trading on a securities exchange and do not redeem their shares at the option of the shareholder. By comparison, mutual funds issue securities redeemable at net asset value at the option of the shareholder and typically engage in a continuous offering of their shares. Mutual funds are subject to continuous asset in-flows and out-flows that can complicate portfolio management, whereas closed-end funds generally can stay more fully invested in securities consistent with the closed-end fund's investment objective and policies. In addition, in comparison to open-end funds, closed- 6 end funds have greater flexibility in the employment of financial leverage and in the ability to make certain types of investments, including investments in illiquid securities. However, shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount from their net asset value. In recognition of the possibility that the Shares might trade at a discount to net asset value and that any such discount may not be in the interest of Shareholders, the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"), in consultation with Eaton Vance, from time to time may review possible actions to reduce any such discount. The Board might consider open market repurchases or tender offers for Shares at net asset value. There can be no assurance that the Board will decide to undertake any of these actions or that, if undertaken, such actions would result in the Shares trading at a price equal to or close to net asset value per Share. The Board might also consider the conversion of the Fund to an open-end mutual fund. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end structure is desirable, given the Fund's investment objective and policies. Investors should assume, therefore, that it is highly unlikely that the Board would vote to convert the Fund to an open-end investment company. See "Description of Capital Structure." SPECIAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS... No Operating History. The Fund is a closed-end investment company with no history of operations and is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. Interest Rate and Market Risk. The prices of municipal obligations tend to fall as interest rates rise. Securities that have longer maturities or durations tend to fluctuate more in price in response to changes in market interest rates. A decline in the prices of the municipal obligations owned by the Fund would cause a decline in the net asset value of the Fund, which could adversely affect the trading price of the Fund's Shares. This risk is usually greater among municipal obligations with longer maturities or durations. Although the Fund has no policy governing the maturities or durations of its investments, the Fund expects that it will invest in a portfolio of longer-term securities. This means that the Fund will be subject to greater market risk (other things being equal) than a fund investing solely in shorter-term securities. Market risk is often greater among certain types of debt securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, which do not make regular interest payments. As interest rates change, these bonds often fluctuate in price more than coupon bonds that make regular interest payments. Because the Fund may invest in these types of debt securities, it may be subject to greater market risk than a fund that invests only in current interest paying securities. Income Risk. The income investors receive from the Fund is based primarily on the interest it earns from its investments, which can vary widely over the short and long-term. If long-term interest rates drop, investors' income from the Fund over time could drop as well if the Fund purchases securities with lower interest coupons. 7 Call and Other Reinvestment Risks. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable bonds with high interest coupons will "call" (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to replace such called security with a lower yielding security. If that were to happen, it could decrease the Fund's dividends and could affect the market price of Shares. Similar risks exist when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured or traded municipal obligations at market interest rates that are below the Fund's current earnings rate. Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that one or more municipal bonds in the Fund's portfolio will decline in price, or fail to pay interest or principal when due, because the issuer of the bond experiences a decline in its financial status. Liquidity Risk. Although the Fund does not currently intend to, at times, the Fund may invest in securities for which there is no readily available trading market or which are otherwise illiquid. The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of such securities at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such securities if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. In addition, the limited liquidity could affect the market price of the securities, thereby adversely affecting the Fund's net asset value and ability to make dividend distributions. Municipal Bond Market. Certain obligations in which the Fund will invest will not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. Therefore, the amount of public information available about portfolio securities will be limited, and the performance of the Fund is more dependent on the analytical abilities of Eaton Vance than would be the case for an investment company that invests primarily in registered or exchange-listed securities. Municipal Bond Insurance. In the event Moody's, S&P or Fitch (or all of them) should downgrade its assessment of the claims-paying ability of a particular insurer, it (or they) could also be expected to downgrade the ratings assigned to municipal bonds insured by such insurer, and municipal bonds insured under Portfolio Insurance (as defined below) issued by such insurer also would be of reduced quality in the portfolio of the Fund. Any such downgrade could have an adverse impact on the net asset value and market price of the Shares. In addition, to the extent the Fund employs Portfolio Insurance, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of the insurance companies issuing such Portfolio Insurance. The Fund does not expect these guidelines to prevent Eaton Vance from managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. 8 Concentration. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers located in the same state (or U.S. territory) or in the same economic sector, including, without limitation, the following: lease rental obligations of state and local authorities; obligations dependent on annual appropriations by a state's legislature for payment; obligations of state and local housing finance authorities, municipal utilities systems or public housing authorities; obligations of hospitals as well as obligations of the education and transportation sectors. This may make the Fund more susceptible to adverse economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting a particular state or economic sector. Effects of Leverage. The use of leverage through issuance of preferred shares by the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income, but, at the same time, creates special risks. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. The Fund intends to use leverage to provide the holders of Shares with a potentially higher return. Leverage creates risks for holders of Shares, including the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of the Shares and the risk that fluctuations in dividend rates on any preferred shares may affect the return to Shareholders. It is anticipated that preferred share dividends will be based on the yields of short-term municipal obligations, while the proceeds of any preferred share offering will be invested in longer-term municipal obligations, which typically have higher yields. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with funds received from leverage exceeds the cost of leverage, the Fund's return will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income from the securities purchased with such funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the return to the Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to Shareholders as dividends and other distributions will be reduced. In the latter case, Eaton Vance in its best judgment may nevertheless determine to maintain the Fund's leveraged position if it deems such action to be appropriate. In addition, under current federal income tax law, the Fund is required to allocate a portion of any net realized capital gains or other taxable income to holders of preferred shares. The terms of any preferred shares are expected to require the Fund to pay to any preferred shareholders additional dividends intended to compensate the preferred shareholders for taxes payable on any capital gains or other taxable income allocated to the preferred shares. Any such additional dividends will reduce the amount available for distribution to the Shareholders. As discussed under "Management of the Fund," the fee paid to Eaton Vance will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's gross assets, including proceeds from the issuance of preferred shares, so the fees will be higher when leverage is utilized. See "Investment Objective, Policies and Risks -- Use of Leverage and Related Risks." 9 The Fund currently intends to seek a Aaa/AAA grade rating on any preferred shares from any Rating Agency. The Fund may be subject to investment restrictions of the Rating Agency as a result. These restrictions may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act" or "1940 Act"). It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede Eaton Vance in managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with its investment objective and policies. See "Description of Capital Structure -- Preferred Shares." Market Price of Shares. The shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at a discount from their net asset value, and the Fund's Shares may likewise trade at a discount from net asset value. The trading price of the Fund's Shares may be less than the public offering price. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their Shares in a relatively short period after completion of the public offering. Non-Diversification. The Fund has registered as a "non-diversified" investment company under the 1940 Act. For federal income tax purposes, the Fund, with respect to up to 50% of its total assets, will be able to invest more than 5% (but not more than 25%) of the value of its total assets in the obligations of any single issuer. To the extent the Fund invests a relatively high percentage of its assets in obligations of a limited number of issuers, the Fund may be more susceptible than a more widely diversified investment company to any single economic, political or regulatory occurrence. Certain Tax Considerations. Distributions of any taxable net investment income and net short-term capital gain are taxable as ordinary income. See "Distributions and Taxes." Anti-Takeover Provisions. The Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other persons or entities to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of its Board. See "Description of Capital Structure -- Anti-Takeover Provisions in the Declaration of Trust." 10 FUND EXPENSES The purpose of the table below is to help you understand all fees and expenses that you, as a Shareholder, would bear directly or indirectly. The following table assumes the issuance of preferred shares in an amount equal to 38% of the Fund's total assets (after their issuance), and shows Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to common shares. SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES Sales Load Paid by You (as a percentage of offering price).................................................... 4.50% Expenses Borne by the Fund.................................. 0.20%(1)(2) Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees............................. None(3)
ANNUAL EXPENSES
PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHARES(4) ---------------- Investment Advisory Fee..................................... 1.05% Other Expenses.............................................. 0.33% ----- Total Annual Expenses....................................... 1.38% Fee and Expense Reimbursements (Years 1-5).................. (0.52)%(5) ----- Total Net Annual Expenses (Years 1-5)....................... 0.86%(5) =====
- --------------- (1) Eaton Vance or an affiliate has agreed to bear all offering and organizational expenses (other than sales load) that exceed $0.03 per Share. (2) If the Fund offers preferred shares, costs of that offering, estimated to be slightly more than 2% of the total amount of the preferred share offering, will effectively be borne by common shareholders and result in the reduction of the net asset value of the common shares. Assuming the issuance of preferred shares in an amount equal to 38% of the Fund's total assets (after issuance), those offering costs are estimated to be not more than approximately $2,600,000 or $0.195 per common share (1.30% of the offering price). (3) You will be charged a $5.00 service charge and pay brokerage charges if you direct the plan agent to sell your Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. (4) Stated as percentages of net assets attributable to common shares assuming no issuance of preferred shares or borrowings, the Fund's expenses would be estimated to be as follows:
PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON SHARES ---------------- ANNUAL EXPENSES Investment Advisory Fee............................. 0.65% Other Expenses...................................... 0.20% ----- Total Annual Expenses............................... 0.85% Fee and Expense Reimbursements (Years 1-5).......... (0.32)%(5) ----- Total Net Annual Expenses (Years 1-5)............... 0.53%(5) =====
- --------------- (5) Eaton Vance has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund for fees and other expenses in the amount of 0.32% of average weekly total assets of the Fund for the first 5 full years of the Fund's operations, 0.24% of average weekly total assets of the Fund in year 6, 0.16% in year 7 and 0.08% in year 8. For this purpose, total assets (and gross assets in "Management of the Fund -- The Adviser") shall be calculated by deducting accrued liabilities of the Fund not including the amount of any preferred shares outstanding or the principal amount of any indebtedness for money borrowed. 11 Without the reimbursement, "Total Net Annual Expenses" would be estimated to be 1.38% of average weekly net assets (or, assuming no issuance of preferred shares or borrowings, 0.85% of average weekly net assets) attributable to common shares. The expenses shown in the table are based on estimated amounts for the Fund's first year of operations and assume that the Fund issues approximately 13,333,333 common shares. See "Management of the Fund" and "Dividend Reinvestment Plan." The following example illustrates the expenses (including the sales load of $45, estimated offering expenses of this offering of $2 and the estimated preferred share offering costs assuming preferred shares are issued representing 38% of the Fund's total assets (after issuance) of $13) that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in common shares, assuming (1) total net annual expenses of 0.86% of net assets attributable to common shares in years 1 through 5, increasing to 1.38% in years 9 and 10 and (2) a 5% annual return:(1)
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS(2) - ------ ------- ------- ----------- $68 $86 $105 $183
- --------------- (1) The example assumes that the estimated Other Expenses set forth in the Annual Expenses table are accurate, that fees and expenses increase as described in note 2 below and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at net asset value. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Fund's actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example. (2) Assumes reimbursement of fees and expenses of 0.24% of average weekly total assets of the Fund in year 6, 0.16% in year 7 and 0.08% in year 8. Eaton Vance has not agreed to reimburse the Fund for any portion of its fees and expenses beyond this time. See footnote 5 above. THE EXAMPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A REPRESENTATION OF FUTURE EXPENSES. ACTUAL EXPENSES MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER. 12 THE FUND The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on July 2, 2002 pursuant to a Declaration governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has no operating history. The Fund's principal office is located at The Eaton Vance Building, 255 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 and its telephone number is 1-800-225-6265. This Prospectus relates to the initial public offering of the Fund's common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value (the "Shares"). See "Underwriting." USE OF PROCEEDS The net proceeds of this offering of Shares will be approximately $816,244,500 (or $938,681,175 assuming exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment option in full), after payment of the estimated offering expenses, will be invested in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies as soon as practicable, but, in no event, under normal market conditions, later than three months after the receipt thereof. Pending such investment, the proceeds may be invested in high-quality, short-term municipal debt securities. Eaton Vance or an affiliate has agreed to bear all offering and organizational expenses of the Fund (other than sales loads) that exceed $0.03 per Share. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND RISKS INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE The Fund's investment objective is to provide current income exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax. This income will be earned by investing primarily in high grade municipal obligations (as defined below) that are insured as to the timely payment of principal and interest. Securities will be purchased and sold in an effort to maintain a competitive yield and to enhance return based upon the relative value of the securities available in the marketplace. Investments are based on Eaton Vance's research and ongoing credit analysis, the underlying materials for which are generally not available to individual investors. Eaton Vance seeks to find municipal obligations of high quality that have been undervalued in the marketplace. Eaton Vance's team of research analysts, traders and portfolio managers are devoted exclusively to analyzing municipal securities. The team's goal is to find municipal bonds of high quality that have been undervalued in the marketplace due to differing dynamics in individual sectors of the municipal bond market, municipal bond supply, and the structure of individual bonds, especially in regard to maturities, coupons, and call dates. Eaton Vance's team of professionals monitors historical and current yield spreads to find relative value in the marketplace. This research capability is key to identifying trends that impact the yield-spread relationship of all bonds, including those in the insured sector. PRIMARY INVESTMENT POLICIES General Composition of the Fund. During normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund's net assets will be invested in debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax ("municipal obligations" or "municipal bonds"), and that are insured as to principal and interest payments. Such insurance will be from insurers having a claims-paying ability rated Aaa by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or AAA by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings ("Fitch"). This insurance does not protect the market value of such obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. The value of an insured municipal obligation will be affected by the credit standing of its insurer. The Fund primarily invests in high grade municipal obligations. At least 80% of the Fund's net assets will normally be invested in municipal obligations rated in the highest category at the time of investment (which is Aaa 13 by Moody's or AAA by S&P or Fitch or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser). Up to 20% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in obligations rated below Aaa or AAA (but not lower than BBB or Baa) and comparable unrated obligations and/or municipal obligations that are uninsured. Accordingly, the Fund does not intend to invest any of its assets in obligations rated below investment grade or in comparable unrated obligations. From time to time, the Fund may hold obligations that are unrated, but judged to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to be fully invested (at least 95% of its net assets) in accordance with its investment objective. The foregoing credit quality policies apply only at the time a security is purchased, and the Fund is not required to dispose of a security in the event that a Rating Agency downgrades its assessment of the credit characteristics of a particular issue or withdraws its assessment. In determining whether to retain or sell such a security, Eaton Vance may consider such factors as Eaton Vance's assessment of the credit quality of the issuer of such security, the price at which such security could be sold and the rating, if any, assigned to such security by other Rating Agencies. The Fund has adopted certain fundamental investment restrictions set forth in the Statement of Additional Information which may not be changed without a Shareholder vote. Except for such restrictions and the 80% requirement pertaining to investment in municipal obligations and insured municipal obligations set forth above, the investment objective and policies of the Fund may be changed by the Board without Shareholder action. The Fund will not invest in an obligation if the interest on that obligation is subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. Municipal Obligations. Municipal obligations include bonds, notes and commercial paper issued by a municipality for a wide variety of both public and private purposes, the interest on which is, in the opinion of issuer's counsel (or on the basis of other reliable authority), exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax. Public purpose municipal bonds include general obligation and revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality. Revenue bonds are backed by the revenues of a project or facility, or from the proceeds of a specific revenue source. Some revenue bonds are payable solely or partly from funds that are subject to annual appropriations by a state's legislature. Municipal notes include bond anticipation, tax anticipation and revenue anticipation notes. Bond, tax and revenue anticipation notes are short-term obligations that will be retired with the proceeds of an anticipated bond issue, tax revenue or facility revenue, respectively. Some of the obligations in which the Fund invests may include so-called "zero-coupon" bonds, whose values are subject to greater fluctuation in response to changes in market interest rates than bonds that pay interest currently. Zero-coupon bonds are issued at a significant discount from face value and pay interest only at maturity rather than at intervals during the life of the security. The Fund is required to take into account income from zero-coupon bonds on a current basis, even though it does not receive that income currently in cash, and the Fund is required to distribute substantially all of its income for each taxable year. Thus, the Fund may have to sell other investments to obtain cash needed to make income distributions. Municipal Obligation Insurance Generally. Insured municipal obligations held by the Fund will be insured as to their scheduled payment of principal and interest under (i) an insurance policy obtained by the issuer or underwriter of the Fund municipal obligation at the time of its original issuance ("Original Issue Insurance"), (ii) an insurance policy obtained by the Fund or a third party subsequent to the Fund municipal obligation's original issuance ("Secondary Market Insurance") or (iii) another municipal insurance policy purchased by the Fund ("Portfolio Insurance"). This insurance does not protect the market value of such obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. The Fund expects initially to emphasize investments in municipal bonds insured under bond-specific insurance policies (i.e., Original Issue or Secondary Market Insurance). The Fund may obtain Portfolio Insurance from the insurers described in Appendix D to the Statement of Additional Information. The Fund, as a non-fundamental policy that can be changed by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"), will only obtain policies of 14 Portfolio Insurance issued by insurers whose claims-paying ability is rated "Aaa" by Moody's or "AAA" by S&P or Fitch. There is no limit on the percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in municipal bonds insured by any one insurer. Municipal bonds covered by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance are themselves typically assigned a rating of "Aaa" or "AAA", as the case may be, by virtue of the rating of the "Aaa" or "AAA" claims-paying ability of the insurer and would generally be assigned a lower rating if the ratings were based primarily upon the credit characteristics of the issuer without regard to the insurance feature. By way of contrast, the ratings, if any, assigned to municipal bonds insured under Portfolio Insurance will be based primarily upon the credit characteristics of the issuer, without regard to the insurance feature, and generally will carry a rating that is below "Aaa" or "AAA." While in the portfolio of the Fund, however, a municipal bond backed by Portfolio Insurance will effectively be of the same credit quality as a municipal bond issued by an issuer of comparable credit characteristics that is backed by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance. The Fund's policy of investing in municipal bonds insured by insurers whose claims-paying ability is rated "Aaa" or "AAA" applies only at the time of purchase of a security, and the Fund will not be required to dispose of the securities in the event Moody's, S&P or Fitch, as the case may be, downgrades its assessment of the claims-paying ability of a particular insurer or the credit characteristics of a particular issuer or withdraws its assessment. In this connection, it should be noted that in the event Moody's, S&P or Fitch (or all of them) should downgrade its assessment of the claims-paying ability of a particular insurer, it (or they) could also be expected to downgrade the ratings assigned to municipal bonds insured by such insurer, and municipal bonds insured under Portfolio Insurance issued by such insurer also would be of reduced quality in the portfolio of the Fund. Moody's, S&P and Fitch continually assess the claims-paying ability of insurers and the credit characteristics of issuers, and there can be no assurance that they will not downgrade or withdraw their assessments subsequent to the time the Fund purchases securities. The value of municipal bonds covered by Portfolio Insurance that are in default or in significant risk of default will be determined by separately establishing a value for the municipal bond and a value for the Portfolio Insurance. Original Issue Insurance. Original Issue Insurance is purchased with respect to a particular issue of municipal bonds by the issuer thereof or a third party in conjunction with the original issuance of such municipal bonds. Under this insurance, the insurer unconditionally guarantees to the holder of the municipal bond the timely payment of principal and interest on such obligations when and as these payments become due but not paid by the issuer, except that in the event of the acceleration of the due date of the principal by reason of mandatory or optional redemption (other than acceleration by reason of a mandatory sinking fund payment), default or otherwise, the payments guaranteed may be made in the amounts and at the times as payment of principal would have been due had there not been any acceleration. The insurer is responsible for these payments less any amounts received by the holder from any trustee for the municipal bond issuer or from any other source. Original Issue Insurance does not guarantee payment on an accelerated basis, the payment of any redemption premium (except with respect to certain premium payments in the case of certain small issue industrial development and pollution control municipal bonds), the value of the Fund's shares, the market value of municipal bonds, or payments of any tender purchase price upon the tender of the municipal bonds. Original Issue Insurance also does not insure against nonpayment of principal or interest on municipal bonds resulting from the insolvency, negligence or any other act or omission of the trustee or other paying agent for these bonds. Original Issue Insurance remains in effect as long as the municipal bonds it covers remain outstanding and the insurer remains in business, regardless of whether the Fund ultimately disposes of these municipal bonds. Consequently, Original Issue Insurance may be considered to represent an element of market value with respect to the municipal bonds so insured, but the exact effect, if any, of this insurance on the market value cannot be estimated. Secondary Market Insurance. Subsequent to the time of original issuance of a municipal bond, the Fund or a third party may, upon the payment of a single premium, purchase insurance on that security. 15 Secondary Market Insurance generally provides the same type of coverage as Original Issue Insurance and, as with Original Issue Insurance, Secondary Market Insurance remains in effect as long as the municipal bonds it covers remain outstanding and the insurer remains in business, regardless of whether the Fund ultimately disposes of these municipal bonds. One of the purposes of acquiring Secondary Market Insurance with respect to a particular municipal bond would be to enable the Fund to enhance the value of the security. The Fund, for example, might seek to purchase a particular municipal bond and obtain Secondary Market Insurance for it if, in the Adviser's opinion, the market value of the security, as insured, less the cost of the Secondary Market Insurance, would exceed the current value of the security without insurance. Similarly, if the Fund owns but wishes to sell a municipal bond that is then covered by Portfolio Insurance, the Fund might seek to obtain Secondary Market Insurance for it if, in the Adviser's opinion, the net proceeds of the Fund's sale of the security, as insured, less the cost of the Secondary Market Insurance, would exceed the current value of the security. In determining whether to insure municipal bonds the Fund owns, an insurer will apply its own standards, which correspond generally to the standards the insurer has established for determining the insurability of new issues of municipal bonds. See "Original Issue Insurance" above. Portfolio Insurance. Portfolio Insurance guarantees the payment of principal and interest on specified eligible municipal bonds purchased by the Fund and presently held by the Fund. Except as described below, Portfolio Insurance generally provides the same type of coverage as is provided by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance. Municipal bonds insured under a Portfolio Insurance policy would generally not be insured under any other policy. A municipal bond is eligible for coverage under a policy if it meets certain requirements of the insurer. Portfolio Insurance is intended to reduce financial risk, but the cost thereof and compliance with investment restrictions imposed under the policy will reduce the yield to shareholders of the Fund. If a municipal obligation is already covered by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance, then the security is not required to be additionally insured under any Portfolio Insurance that the Fund may purchase. All premiums respecting municipal bonds covered by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance are paid in advance by the issuer or other party obtaining the insurance. Portfolio Insurance policies are effective only as to municipal bonds owned by and held by the Fund, and do not cover municipal bonds for which the contract for purchase fails. A "when-issued" municipal obligation will be covered under a Portfolio Insurance policy upon the settlement date of the issue of such "when-issued" municipal bond. In determining whether to insure municipal bonds held by the Fund, an insurer will apply its own standards, which correspond generally to the standards it has established for determining the insurability of new issues of municipal bonds. See "Original Issue Insurance" above. Each Portfolio Insurance policy will be noncancellable and will remain in effect so long as the Fund is in existence, the municipal bonds covered by the policy continue to be held by the Fund, and the Fund pays the premiums for the policy. Each insurer will generally reserve the right at any time upon 90 days' written notice to the Fund to refuse to insure any additional bonds purchased by the Fund after the effective date of such notice. The Fund's Board generally will reserve the right to terminate each policy upon seven days' written notice to an insurer if it determines that the cost of such policy is not reasonable in relation to the value of the insurance to the Fund. Each Portfolio Insurance policy will terminate as to any municipal bond that has been redeemed from or sold by the Fund on the date of redemption or the settlement date of sale, and an insurer will not have any liability thereafter under a policy for any municipal bond, except that if the redemption date or settlement date occurs after a record date and before the related payment date for any municipal bond, the policy will terminate for that municipal bond on the business day immediately following the payment date. Each policy will terminate as to all municipal bonds covered thereby on the date on which the last of the covered municipal bonds mature, are redeemed or are sold by the Fund. 16 One or more Portfolio Insurance policies may provide the Fund, pursuant to an irrevocable commitment of the insurer, with the option to exercise the right to obtain permanent insurance ("Permanent Insurance") for a municipal bond that is sold by the Fund. The Fund would exercise the right to obtain Permanent Insurance upon payment of a single, predetermined insurance premium payable from the sale proceeds of the municipal bond. The Fund expects to exercise the right to obtain Permanent Insurance for a municipal bond only if, in the Adviser's opinion, upon the exercise the net proceeds from the sale of the municipal bond, as insured, would exceed the proceeds from the sale of the security without insurance. The Portfolio Insurance premium for each municipal bond is determined based upon the insurability of each security as of the date of purchase and will not be increased or decreased for any change in the security's creditworthiness unless the security is in default as to payment of principal or interest, or both. If such event occurs, the Permanent Insurance premium will be subject to an increase predetermined at the date of the Fund's purchase. Because each Portfolio Insurance policy will terminate for municipal bonds sold by the Fund on the date of sale, in which event the insurer will be liable only for those payments of principal and interest that are then due and owing (unless Permanent Insurance is obtained by the Fund), the provision for this insurance will not enhance the marketability of the Fund's obligations, whether or not the obligations are in default or in significant risk of default. On the other hand, because Original Issue Insurance and Secondary Market Insurance generally will remain in effect as long as the municipal bonds they cover are outstanding, these insurance policies may enhance the marketability of these bonds even when they are in default or in significant risk of default, but the exact effect, if any, on marketability, cannot be estimated. Accordingly, the Fund may determine to retain or, alternatively, to sell municipal bonds covered by Original Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance that are in default or in significant risk of default. Premiums for a Portfolio Insurance policy are paid monthly, and are adjusted for purchases and sales of municipal bonds covered by the policy during the month. The yield on the Fund is reduced to the extent of the insurance premiums it pays. Depending upon the characteristics of the municipal bonds held by the Fund, the annual premium rate for policies of Portfolio Insurance is estimated to range from 12 to 18 basis points of the value of the municipal bonds covered under the policy. Although the insurance feature reduces certain financial risks, the premiums for insurance and the higher market price paid for insured obligations may reduce the Fund's current yield. Insurance generally will be obtained from insurers with a claims-paying ability rated Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P or Fitch. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the insured obligation or the net asset value of the Fund's Shares. Other Types of Credit Support. The Fund may also invest in uninsured municipal obligations that are secured by an escrow or trust account that contains securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and sufficient, in combination with available trustee-held funds, in amount to ensure the payment of interest on and principal of the secured obligation ("collateralized obligations"). These collateralized obligations generally will not be insured and will include, but are not limited to, municipal bonds that have been advance refunded where the proceeds of the refunding have been used to buy U.S. Government or U.S. Government agency securities that are placed in escrow and whose interest or maturing principal payments, or both, are sufficient to cover the remaining scheduled debt service on that municipal bond. Collateralized obligations generally are regarded as having the credit characteristics of the underlying U.S. Government, U.S. Government agency or instrumentality securities. These obligations will not be subject to Issue Insurance, Secondary Market Insurance or Portfolio Insurance. Accordingly, despite the existence of these credit support characteristics, these obligations will not be considered to be insured obligations for purposes of the Fund's policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in insured obligations. The credit quality of companies that provide such credit enhancements will affect the value of those securities. 17 ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT PRACTICES When-Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis, which means that payment and delivery occur on a future settlement date. The price and yield of such securities are generally fixed on the date of commitment to purchase. However, the market value of the securities may fluctuate prior to delivery and upon delivery the securities may be worth more or less than what the Fund agreed to pay for them. The Fund may be required to maintain a segregated account of liquid assets equal to outstanding purchase commitments. The Fund may also purchase instruments that give the Fund the option to purchase a municipal obligation when and if issued. Futures Transactions. The Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of financial futures contracts and options thereon to seek to hedge against changes in interest rates or for other risk management purposes. Futures contracts may be based on various debt securities and securities indices (such as the Municipal Bond Index traded on the Chicago Board of Trade). Such transactions involve a risk of loss or depreciation due to unanticipated adverse changes in securities prices, which may exceed the Fund's initial investment in these contracts. The Fund will only purchase or sell futures contracts or related options in compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. These transactions involve transaction costs. There can be no assurance that Eaton Vance's use of futures will be advantageous to the Fund. Distributions by the Fund of any gains realized on the Fund's transactions in futures and options on futures will be taxable. Rating Agency guidelines on any preferred shares issued by the Fund may limit use of these transactions. Interest Rate Swaps and Forward Rate Contracts. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. The Fund will only enter into interest rate swaps 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. The Fund may also enter forward rate contracts. Under these contracts, the buyer locks in an interest rate at a future settlement date. If the interest rate on the settlement date exceeds the lock rate, the buyer pays the seller the difference between the two rates. If the lock rate exceeds the interest rate on the settlement date, the seller pays the buyer the difference between the two rates. Any such gain received by the Fund would be taxable. If the other party to an interest rate swap or forward rate contract defaults, the Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund's custodian. The Fund will not enter into any interest rate swap or forward rate contract unless the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by the Adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. These instruments are traded in the over-the-counter market. Investment Company Securities. The Fund may purchase common shares of closed-end investment companies that have a similar investment objective and policies to the Fund. In addition to providing tax-exempt income, such securities may provide capital appreciation. Such investments, which may also be leveraged and subject to the same risks as the Fund, will not exceed 10% of total assets, and no such company will be affiliated with Eaton Vance. These companies bear fees and expenses that the Fund will incur indirectly. Municipal Leases. The Fund may invest in municipal leases and participations therein. Municipal leases are obligations in the form of a lease or installment purchase arrangement which is issued by the state or local government to acquire equipment and facilities. USE OF LEVERAGE AND RELATED RISKS The Fund expects to use leverage through the issuance of preferred shares. The Fund initially intends to use leverage of approximately 38% of its gross assets (including the amount obtained from leverage). 18 The Fund generally will not use leverage if the Adviser anticipates that it would result in a lower return to Shareholders for any significant amount of time. The Fund also may borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities. Leverage creates risks for holders of the Shares, including the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of the Shares. There is a risk that fluctuations in the dividend rates on any preferred shares may adversely affect the return to the holders of the Shares. If the income from the securities purchased with such funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to Shareholders as dividends and other distributions will be reduced. The Adviser in its best judgment nevertheless may determine to maintain the Fund's leveraged position if it deems such action to be appropriate in the circumstances. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage the fees paid to Eaton Vance for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's gross assets, including proceeds from the issuance of preferred shares. As discussed under "Description of Capital Structure," the Fund's issuance of preferred shares may alter the voting power of common shareholders. Capital raised through leverage will be subject to dividend payments, which may exceed the income and appreciation on the assets purchased. The issuance of preferred shares involves offering expenses and other costs and may limit the Fund's freedom to pay dividends on Shares or to engage in other activities. The issuance of a class of preferred shares having priority over the Fund's Shares creates an opportunity for greater return per Share, but at the same time such leveraging is a speculative technique in that it will increase the Fund's exposure to capital risk. Unless the income and appreciation, if any, on assets acquired with offering proceeds exceed the cost of issuing additional classes of securities (and other Fund expenses), the use of leverage will diminish the investment performance of the Fund's Shares compared with what it would have been without leverage. The Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more Rating Agencies that may issue ratings for any preferred shares issued by the Fund. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or Fund composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Adviser from managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue preferred shares unless immediately after such issuance the net asset value of the Fund's portfolio is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (i.e., such liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund's total assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the net asset value of the Fund's portfolio (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or other distribution) is at least 200% of such liquidation value. If preferred shares are issued, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to purchase or redeem preferred shares, from time to time, to maintain coverage of any preferred shares of at least 200%. In addition, under current federal income tax law, the Fund is required to allocate a portion of any net realized capital gains or other taxable income to holders of preferred shares. The terms of any preferred shares are expected to require the Fund to pay to any preferred shareholders additional dividends intended to compensate the preferred shareholders for taxes payable on any capital gains or other taxable income allocated to the preferred shares. Any such additional dividends will reduce the amount available for distribution to the Shareholders. Normally, holders of the Shares will elect five of the Trustees of the Fund and holders of any preferred shares will elect two. In the event the Fund failed to pay dividends on its preferred shares for two years, preferred shareholders would be entitled to elect a majority of the Trustees until the dividends are paid. To qualify for federal income taxation as a "regulated investment company," the Fund must distribute in each taxable year at least 90% of its net investment income (including tax-exempt interest and net short-term gain). The Fund also will be required to distribute annually substantially all of its taxable 19 income and capital gain net income, if any, to avoid imposition of a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax. If the Fund is precluded from making distributions on the Shares because of any applicable asset coverage requirements, the terms of the preferred shares may provide that any amounts so precluded from being distributed, but required to be distributed for the Fund to meet the distribution requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company, will be paid to the holders of the preferred shares as a special dividend. This dividend can be expected to decrease the amount that holders of preferred shares would be entitled to receive upon redemption or liquidation of the shares. The Fund's willingness to issue new securities for investment purposes, and the amount the Fund will issue, will depend on many factors, the most important of which are market conditions and interest rates. Successful use of a leveraging strategy may depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly interest rates and market movements, and there is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Assuming the utilization of leverage in the amount of 38% of the Fund's gross assets and an annual dividend rate on preferred shares of 2.00% payable on such leverage based on market rates as of the date of this Prospectus, the additional income that the Fund must earn (net of expenses) in order to cover such dividend payments would be 0.76%. The Fund's actual cost of leverage will be based on market rates at the time the Fund undertakes a leveraging strategy, and such actual cost of leverage may be higher or lower than that assumed in the previous example. The following table is designed to illustrate the effect on the return to a holder of the Fund's Shares of leverage in the amount of approximately 38% of the Fund's gross assets, assuming hypothetical annual returns of the Fund's portfolio of minus 10% to plus 10%. As the table shows, leverage generally increases the return to Shareholders when portfolio return is positive and greater than the cost of leverage and decreases the return when the portfolio return is negative or less than the cost of leverage. The figures appearing in the table are hypothetical and actual returns may be greater or less than those appearing in the table. Assuming Portfolio Return (net of expenses)....... (10)% (5)% 0% 5% 10% Corresponding Share Return Assuming 38% Leverage........................................ (17.35)% (9.29)% (1.23)% 6.84% 14.90%
Until the Fund issues preferred shares, the Shares will not be leveraged, and the risks and special considerations related to leverage described in this Prospectus will not apply. Such leveraging of the Shares cannot be achieved until the proceeds resulting from the use of leverage have been invested in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ADDITIONAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS No Operating History. The Fund is a closed-end investment company with no history of operations and is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. Interest Rate and Market Risk. The prices of municipal obligations tend to fall as interest rates rise. Securities that have longer maturities tend to fluctuate more in price in response to changes in market interest rates. A decline in the prices of the municipal obligations owned by the Fund would cause a decline in the net asset value of the Fund, which could adversely affect the trading price of the Fund's Shares. This risk is usually greater among municipal obligations with longer maturities or durations. Although the Fund has no policy governing the maturities or durations of its investments, the Fund expects that it will invest in a portfolio of longer-term securities. This means that the Fund will be subject to greater market risk (other things being equal) than a fund investing solely in shorter-term securities. Market risk is often greater among certain types of income securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, which do not make regular interest payments. As interest rates change, these bonds often fluctuate in price more than coupon bonds that make regular interest payments. Because the Fund may invest in these types of income securities, it may be subject to greater market risk than a fund that invests only in current interest paying securities. 20 Income Risk. The income investors receive from the Fund is based primarily on the interest it earns from its investments, which can vary widely over the short- and long-term. If long-term interest rates drop, investors' income from the Fund over time could drop as well if the Fund purchases securities with lower interest coupons. Call and Other Reinvestment Risks. If interest rates fall, it is possible that issuers of callable bonds with high interest coupons will "call" (or prepay) their bonds before their maturity date. If a call were exercised by the issuer during a period of declining interest rates, the Fund is likely to replace such called security with a lower yielding security. If that were to happen, it could decrease the Fund's dividends and possibly could affect the market price of Shares. Similar risks exist when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured or traded municipal obligations at market interest rates that are below the Fund's current earnings rate. Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that one or more municipal bonds in the Fund's portfolio will decline in price, or fail to pay interest or principal when due, because the issuer of the bond experiences a decline in its financial status. In general, lower rated municipal bonds carry a greater degree of risk that the issuer will lose its ability to make interest and principal payments, which could have a negative impact on the Fund's net asset value or dividends. Securities rated in the fourth highest category are considered investment grade, but they also may have some speculative characteristics. Changes in the credit quality of the issuers of municipal obligations held by the Fund will affect the principal value of (and possibly the income earned on) such obligations. In addition, the value of such securities are affected by changes in general economic conditions and business conditions affecting the relevant economic sectors. Changes by Rating Agencies in their ratings of a security and in the ability of the issuer to make payments of principal and interest may also affect the value of the Fund's investments. The amount of information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal obligations may not be as extensive as that made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded. The Fund may invest in municipal leases and participations in municipal leases. The obligation of the issuer to meet its obligations under such leases is often subject to the appropriation by the appropriate legislative body, on an annual or other basis, of funds for the payment of the obligations. Investments in municipal leases are thus subject to the risk that the legislative body will not make the necessary appropriation and the issuer will not otherwise be willing or able to meet its obligation. Concentration. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers located in the same state (or U.S. territory) or in municipal obligations in the same economic sector, including, without limitation, the following: lease rental obligations of state and local authorities; obligations dependent on annual appropriations by a state's legislature for payment; obligations of state and local housing finance authorities, municipal utilities systems or public housing authorities; obligations of hospitals as well as obligations of the education and transportation sectors. This may make the Fund more susceptible to adverse economic, political, or regulatory occurrences affecting a particular state or economic sector. For example, health care related issuers are susceptible to Medicaid reimbursement policies, and national and state health care legislation. As concentration increases, so does the potential for fluctuation in the net asset value of Fund Shares. Liquidity Risk. At times, a portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in securities as to which the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by Eaton Vance and its affiliates, holds a major portion of all of such securities. The secondary market for some municipal obligations is less liquid than that for taxable debt obligations or other more widely traded municipal obligations. No established resale market exists for certain of the municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest. The Fund has no limitation on the amount of its assets that may be invested in securities which are not readily marketable or are subject to restrictions on resale. In certain situations, the Fund could find it more difficult to sell such securities at desirable times and/or prices. Municipal Bond Market Risk. Investing in the municipal bond market involves certain risks. The amount of public information available about the municipal obligations in the Fund's portfolio is generally 21 less than for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of Eaton Vance than if the Fund were a stock fund or taxable bond fund. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal, state and local governments. In addition, laws enacted in the future by Congress or state legislatures or referenda could extend the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other constraints on enforcement of such obligations, or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, the Fund could experience delays in collecting principal and interest to which it is entitled. To enforce its rights in the event of default in the payment of interest or repayment of principal, or both, the Fund may take possession of and manage the assets securing the issuer's obligations on such securities, which may increase the Fund's operating expenses. Any income derived from the Fund's ownership or operation of such assets may not be tax-exempt. Municipal Bond Insurance. In the event Moody's, S&P or Fitch (or all of them) should downgrade its assessment of the claims-paying ability of a particular insurer, it (or they) could also be expected to downgrade the ratings assigned to municipal obligations insured by such insurer, and municipal obligations insured under Portfolio Insurance issued by such insurer also would be of reduced quality in the portfolio of the Fund. Any such downgrade could have an adverse impact on the net asset value and market price of the Shares. See "Primary Investment Policies -- Municipal Obligation Insurance Generally" above. In addition, to the extent the Fund employs Portfolio Insurance, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of the insurance companies issuing such Portfolio Insurance. The Fund does not expect these guidelines to prevent Eaton Vance from managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. Market Price of Shares. The Fund is a closed-end investment company with no history of operations and is designed primarily for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. The shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at a discount from their net asset value, and the Shares may likewise trade at a discount from net asset value. The trading price of the Fund's Shares may be less than the initial public offering price, creating a risk of loss for investors purchasing in the initial public offering of the Shares. This market price risk may be greater for investors who sell their Shares within a relatively short period after completion of this offering. Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investment will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Shares and distributions thereon can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, preferred shares dividend rates would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Shareholders. Non-Diversification. The Fund has registered as a "non-diversified" investment company under the 1940 Act so that, subject to its investment restrictions and applicable federal income tax diversification requirements, with respect to 50% of its total assets, it will be able to invest more than 5% (but not more than 25%) of the value of its total assets in the obligations of any single issuer. To the extent the Fund invests a relatively high percentage of its assets in obligations of a limited number of issuers, the Fund will be more susceptible than a more widely diversified investment company to any single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence. 22 MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND BOARD OF TRUSTEES The management of the Fund, including general supervision of the duties performed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement (as defined below), is the responsibility of the Fund's Board under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Investment Company Act. THE ADVISER Eaton Vance acts as the Fund's investment adviser under an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). The Adviser's principal office is located at The Eaton Vance Building, 255 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109. Eaton Vance, its affiliates and predecessor companies have been managing assets of individuals and institutions since 1924 and of investment companies since 1931. Eaton Vance (or its affiliates) currently serves as the investment adviser to investment companies and various individual and institutional clients with combined assets under management of approximately $55 billion. Eaton Vance is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., a publicly-held holding company, which through its subsidiaries and affiliates engages primarily in investment management, administration and marketing activities. Eaton Vance employs 25 personnel in its municipal bond department, including five portfolio managers, three traders and nine credit analysts. Eaton Vance was one of the first advisory firms to manage a registered municipal bond investment company, and has done so continuously since 1978. Eaton Vance and certain of its subsidiaries currently manage 4 national municipal investment companies, 38 single state municipal investment companies, 8 limited maturity municipal investment companies and 1 money market municipal investment company, with assets of about $7 billion. Ten of those funds are closed-end. Under the general supervision of the Fund's Board, the Adviser will carry out the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund, will furnish continuously an investment program with respect to the Fund, will determine which securities should be purchased, sold or exchanged, and will implement such determinations. The Adviser will furnish to the Fund investment advice and office facilities, equipment and personnel for servicing the investments of the Fund. The Adviser will compensate all Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of the Adviser's organization and who render investment services to the Fund, and will also compensate all other Adviser personnel who provide research and investment services to the Fund. In return for these services, facilities and payments, the Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser as compensation under the Advisory Agreement a fee in the amount of 0.65% of the average weekly gross assets of the Fund. Gross assets of the Fund shall be calculated by deducting accrued liabilities of the Fund not including the amount of any preferred shares outstanding or the principal amount of any indebtedness for money borrowed. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage the fees paid to Eaton Vance for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's gross assets, including proceeds from the issuance of preferred shares. Thomas J. Fetter is the portfolio manager of the Fund and is responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund's investments. Mr. Fetter also manages other Eaton Vance portfolios, has been an Eaton Vance portfolio manager for more than 5 years, and is a Vice President of Eaton Vance. The Fund and the Adviser have adopted a Code of Ethics relating to personal securities transactions. The Code permits Adviser personnel to invest in securities (including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund) for their own accounts, subject to certain pre-clearance, reporting and other restrictions and procedures contained in such Code. Eaton Vance serves as administrator of the Fund, but currently receives no compensation for providing administrative services to the Fund. Under the Administration Agreement with the Fund ("Administration Agreement"), Eaton Vance is responsible for managing the business affairs of the Fund, 23 subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board. Eaton Vance will furnish to the Fund all office facilities, equipment and personnel for administering the affairs of the Fund. Eaton Vance's administrative services include recordkeeping, preparation and filing of documents required to comply with federal and state securities laws, supervising the activities of the Fund's custodian and transfer agent, providing assistance in connection with the Trustees' and shareholders' meetings, providing service in connection with any repurchase offers and other administrative services necessary to conduct the Fund's business. DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES The Fund intends to make monthly distributions of net investment income, after payment of any dividends on any outstanding preferred shares. The Fund will distribute annually any net short-term capital gain and any net capital gain (which is the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Distributions to Shareholders cannot be assured, and the amount of each monthly distribution is likely to vary. Initial distributions to Shareholders are expected to be declared approximately 45 days and are expected to be paid approximately 60 days after the completion of this offering. While there are any preferred shares outstanding, the Fund might not be permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Shares in certain circumstances. See "Description of Capital Structure." Federal Income Tax Matters. The following discussion of federal income tax matters is based on the advice of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, counsel to the Fund. The Fund intends to invest a sufficient portion of its assets in tax-exempt municipal securities so that it will be permitted to pay "exempt-interest dividends" (as defined under applicable federal income tax law). Each distribution of exempt-interest dividends, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares, ordinarily will constitute income exempt from regular federal income tax. Furthermore, exempt-interest dividends are included in determining what portion, if any, of a person's social security and railroad retirement benefits will be includible in gross income subject to regular federal income tax. Distributions of any taxable net investment income and net short-term capital gain are taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of the Fund's net capital gain ("capital gain dividends"), if any, are taxable to Shareholders as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time Shares have been held by Shareholders. Distributions, if any, in excess of the Fund's earnings and profits will first reduce the adjusted tax basis of a holder's Shares and, after that basis has been reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to the Shareholder (assuming the Shares are held as a capital asset). See below for a summary of the maximum tax rates applicable to capital gains (including capital gain dividends). Interest on indebtedness incurred or continued by a Shareholder to purchase or carry Shares is not deductible for federal income tax purposes if the Fund distributes exempt-interest dividends during the Shareholder's taxable year. The Fund will inform Shareholders of the source and tax status of all distributions promptly after the close of each calendar year. Selling Shareholders will generally recognize gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the Shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the Shares and the amount received. If the Shares are held as a capital asset, the gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss. The maximum tax rate applicable to net capital gains recognized by individuals and other non-corporate taxpayers is (i) the same as the maximum ordinary income tax rate for gains recognized on the sale of capital assets held for one year or less, (ii) 20% for gains recognized on the sale of capital assets held for more than one year (as well as capital gain dividends) (10% for individuals in the 10% or 15% tax bracket) or (iii) 18% for gains on the sale of certain capital assets held more than five (5) years. Any loss on a disposition of Shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received with respect to those Shares, and will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received with respect to those Shares. For purposes of determining whether Shares have been held for six months or less, the holding period is suspended for any periods during which the Shareholder's risk of loss is diminished as a result of holding one or more other positions in substantially similar or related property, or through certain options or short sales. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange of Shares will be 24 disallowed to the extent those Shares are replaced by other Shares within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition of the Shares (which could occur, for example, if the Shareholder is a participant in the Plan (as defined below)). In that event, the basis of the replacement Shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Distributions by the Fund of net tax-exempt interest income that are properly designated as "exempt-interest dividends" may be treated by shareholders as interest excludable from gross income under Section 103(a) of the Code. In order for the Fund to be entitled to pay the tax-exempt interest income as exempt-interest dividends to its shareholders, the Fund must and intends to satisfy certain requirements, including the requirement that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of obligations the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax under Code Section 103(a). Interest on certain municipal obligations is treated as a tax preference item for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. Shareholders of the Fund are required to report tax-exempt interest on their federal income tax returns. An investor should be aware that if Shares are purchased shortly before the record date for any taxable dividend (including a capital gain dividend), the purchase price likely will reflect the value of the dividend and the investor then would receive a taxable distribution likely to reduce the trading value of such Shares, in effect resulting in a taxable return of some of the purchase price. Taxable distributions to individuals and certain other non-corporate Shareholders, including those who have not provided their correct taxpayer identification number and other required certifications, may be subject to "backup" federal income tax withholding at the rate of 30%. The foregoing briefly summarizes some of the important federal income tax consequences to Shareholders of investing in Shares, reflects the federal tax law as of the date of this Prospectus, and does not address special tax rules applicable to certain types of investors, such as corporate and foreign investors. Investors should consult their tax advisors regarding other federal, state or local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances, including state alternative minimum tax as well as any proposed tax law changes. DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN Pursuant to the Fund's Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "Plan"), a Shareholder may elect to have all distributions of dividends (including all capital gain dividends) automatically reinvested in Shares. Shareholders may elect to participate in the Plan by completing the Dividend Reinvestment Plan Application Form. If Shareholders do not participate, such Shareholders will receive all distributions in cash paid by check mailed directly to them by PFPC Inc., as dividend paying agent. PFPC Inc. (the "Plan Agent") serves as agent for the Shareholders in administering the Plan. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the Plan will receive all distributions of dividends in cash paid by check mailed directly to the Shareholder of record (or if the Shares are held in Street or other nominee name, then to the nominee) by PFPC Inc., as disbursing agent. Participation in the Plan is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by written notice if received by the Plan Agent not less than ten days prior to any dividend record date. Shares will be acquired by the Plan Agent or an independent broker-dealer for the participants' accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either (i) through receipt of additional previously authorized but unissued Shares from the Fund ("newly issued Shares") or (ii) by purchase of outstanding Shares on the open market ("open-market purchases") on the American Stock Exchange or elsewhere. If on the payment date for the dividend, the net asset value per Share is equal to or less than the market price per Share plus estimated brokerage commissions (such condition being referred to herein as "market premium"), the Plan Agent will invest the dividend amount in newly issued Shares on behalf of the participants. The number of newly issued Shares to be credited to each participant's account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the dividend by the net asset value per Share on the date the Shares are issued, provided that the maximum discount from the then current market price per Share on 25 the date of issuance may not exceed 5%. If on the dividend payment date the net asset value per Share is greater than the market value plus estimated brokerage commissions (such condition being referred to herein as "market discount"), the Plan Agent will invest the dividend amount in Shares acquired on behalf of the participants in open-market purchases. In the event of a market discount on the dividend payment date, the Plan Agent will have up to 30 days after the dividend payment date to invest the dividend amount in Shares acquired in open-market purchases. If, before the Plan Agent has completed its open-market purchases, the market price of a Share exceeds the net asset value per Share, the average per Share purchase price paid by the Plan Agent may exceed the net asset value of the Fund's Shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer Shares than if the dividend had been paid in newly issued Shares on the dividend payment date. Therefore, the Plan provides that if the Plan Agent is unable to invest the full dividend amount in open-market purchases during the purchase period or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the Plan Agent will cease making open-market purchases and will invest the uninvested portion of the dividend amount in newly issued Shares. The Plan Agent maintains all Shareholders' accounts in the Plan and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by Shareholders for tax records. Shares in the account of each Plan participant will be held by the Plan Agent on behalf of the Plan participant, and each Shareholder proxy will include those Shares purchased or received pursuant to the Plan. The Plan Agent will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for Shares held pursuant to the Plan in accordance with the instructions of the participants. In the case of Shareholders such as banks, brokers or nominees that hold Shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Plan Agent will administer the Plan on the basis of the number of Shares certified from time to time by the record Shareholder's name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the Plan. There will be no brokerage charges with respect to Shares issued directly by the Fund as a result of dividends payable either in Shares or in cash. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the Plan Agent's open-market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of dividends. Shareholders participating in the Plan may receive benefits not available to Shareholders not participating in the Plan. If the market price (plus commissions) of the Fund's Shares is above their net asset value, participants in the Plan will receive Shares of the Fund at less than they could otherwise purchase them and will have Shares with a cash value greater than the value of any cash distribution they would have received on their Shares. If the market price plus commissions is below the net asset value, participants will receive distributions in Shares with a net asset value greater than the per Share value of any cash distribution they would have received on their Shares. However, there may be insufficient Shares available in the market to make distributions in Shares at prices below the net asset value. Also, since the Fund does not redeem its Shares, the price on resale may be more or less than the net asset value. Experience under the Plan may indicate that changes are desirable. Accordingly, upon thirty (30) days notice to Plan participants, the Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan. Shareholders will be charged a $5.00 service charge and pay brokerage charges if such Shareholder directs the Plan Agent to sell Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. All correspondence concerning the Plan should be directed to the Plan Agent at PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 43027, Providence, RI 02940-3027. Please call 1-800-331-1710 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time if you have questions regarding the Plan. DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE The Fund is an unincorporated business trust established under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated July 2, 2002 (the "Declaration of Trust"). 26 The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees of the Fund may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trustees have authorized an unlimited number of Shares. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of Shareholders in compliance with the requirements of the American Stock Exchange. Shares. The Declaration of Trust permits the Fund to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per Share. Each Share represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund with each other Share in the Fund. Holders of Shares will be entitled to the payment of dividends when, as and if declared by the Board. The 1940 Act or the terms of any borrowings or preferred shares may limit the payment of dividends to the holders of Shares. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to matters on which it is entitled to vote pursuant to the terms of the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund and the liquidation preference with respect to any outstanding preferred shares, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining assets of the Fund among the holders of the Shares. The Declaration of Trust provides that Shareholders are not liable for any liabilities of the Fund, requires inclusion of a clause to that effect in every agreement entered into by the Fund and indemnifies shareholders against any such liability. Although shareholders of an unincorporated business trust established under Massachusetts law, in certain limited circumstances, may be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund as though they were general partners, the provisions of the Declaration of Trust described in the foregoing sentence make the likelihood of such personal liability remote. While there are any borrowings or preferred shares outstanding, the Fund may not be permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Shares, unless at the time of such declaration, (i) all accrued dividends on preferred shares or accrued interest on borrowings have been paid and (ii) the value of the Fund's total assets (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or other distribution), less all liabilities and indebtedness of the Fund not represented by senior securities, is at least 300% of the aggregate amount of such securities representing indebtedness and at least 200% of the aggregate amount of securities representing indebtedness plus the aggregate liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the aggregate original purchase price of the outstanding preferred shares plus redemption premium, if any, together with any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared and on a cumulative basis). In addition to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Fund may be required to comply with other asset coverage requirements as a condition of the Fund obtaining a rating of the preferred shares from a Rating Agency. These requirements may include an asset coverage test more stringent than under the 1940 Act. This limitation on the Fund's ability to make distributions on its Shares could in certain circumstances impair the ability of the Fund to maintain its qualification for taxation as a regulated investment company. The Fund intends, however, to the extent possible to purchase or redeem preferred shares from time to time to maintain compliance with such asset coverage requirements and may pay special dividends to the holders of the preferred shares in certain circumstances in connection with any such impairment of the Fund's status as a regulated investment company. See "Investment Objective, Policies and Risks" and "Distributions and Taxes." Depending on the timing of any such redemption or repayment, the Fund may be required to pay a premium in addition to the liquidation preference of the preferred shares to the holders thereof. The Fund has no present intention of offering additional Shares, except as described herein. Other offerings of its Shares, if made, will require approval of the Board. Any additional offering will not be sold at a price per Share below the then current net asset value (exclusive of underwriting discounts and commissions) except in connection with an offering to existing Shareholders or with the consent of a majority of the Fund's outstanding Shares. The Shares have no preemptive rights. The Fund generally will not issue Share certificates. However, upon written request to the Fund's transfer agent, a share certificate will be issued for any or all of the full Shares credited to an investor's account. Share certificates that have been issued to an investor may be returned at any time. 27 Repurchase of Shares and Other Discount Measures. Because shares of closed-end management investment companies frequently trade at a discount to their net asset values, the Board has determined that from time to time it may be in the interest of Shareholders for the Fund to take corrective actions. The Board, in consultation with Eaton Vance, will review at least annually the possibility of open market repurchases and/or tender offers for the Shares and will consider such factors as the market price of the Shares, the net asset value of the Shares, the liquidity of the assets of the Fund, effect on the Fund's expenses, whether such transactions would impair the Fund's status as a regulated investment company or result in a failure to comply with applicable asset coverage requirements, general economic conditions and such other events or conditions which may have a material effect on the Fund's ability to consummate such transactions. There are no assurances that the Board will, in fact, decide to undertake either of these actions or if undertaken, that such actions will result in the Fund's Shares trading at a price which is equal to or approximates their net asset value. In recognition of the possibility that the Shares might trade at a discount to net asset value and that any such discount may not be in the interest of Shareholders, the Board, in consultation with Eaton Vance, from time to time may review possible actions to reduce any such discount. Preferred Shares. The Declaration of Trust authorizes the issuance of an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with preference rights, including preferred shares (the "Preferred Shares"), having a par value of $0.01 per share, in one or more series, with rights as determined by the Board, by action of the Board without the approval of the Shareholders. Under the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Fund must, immediately after the issuance of any Preferred Shares, have an "asset coverage" of at least 200%. Asset coverage means the ratio which the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liability and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (as defined in the 1940 Act), bears to the aggregate amount of senior securities representing indebtedness of the Fund, if any, plus the aggregate liquidation preference of the Preferred Shares. If the Fund seeks a rating of the Preferred Shares, asset coverage requirements, in addition to those set forth in the 1940 Act, may be imposed. The liquidation value of the Preferred Shares is expected to equal their aggregate original purchase price plus redemption premium, if any, together with any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon (on a cumulative basis), whether or not earned or declared. The terms of the Preferred Shares, including their dividend rate, voting rights, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board (subject to applicable law and the Fund's Declaration of Trust) if and when it authorizes the Preferred Shares. The Fund may issue Preferred Shares that provide for the periodic redetermination of the dividend rate at relatively short intervals through an auction or remarketing procedure, although the terms of the Preferred Shares may also enable the Fund to lengthen such intervals. At times, the dividend rate as redetermined on the Fund's Preferred Shares may approach or exceed the Fund's return after expenses on the investment of proceeds from the Preferred Shares and the Fund's leverage structure would result in a lower rate of return to Shareholders than if the Fund were not so structured. In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund, the terms of any Preferred Shares may entitle the holders of Preferred Shares to receive a preferential liquidating distribution (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus redemption premium, if any, together with accrued and unpaid dividends, whether or not earned or declared and on a cumulative basis) before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Shares. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the preferred shareholders would not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Fund. Holders of Preferred Shares, voting as a class, shall be entitled to elect two of the Fund's Trustees. Under the 1940 Act, if at any time dividends on the Preferred Shares are unpaid in an amount equal to two full years' dividends thereon, the holders of all outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a class, will be allowed to elect a majority of the Fund's Trustees until all dividends in default have been paid or declared and set apart for payment. In addition, if required by the Rating Agency rating the Preferred Shares or if the Board determines it to be in the best interests of the Shareholders, issuance of the Preferred Shares may result in more restrictive provisions than required by the 1940 Act being imposed. In this regard, 28 holders of the Preferred Shares may be entitled to elect a majority of the Fund's Board in other circumstances, for example, if one payment on the Preferred Shares is in arrears. The Fund currently intends to seek a AAA/Aaa grade rating for the Preferred Shares from any Rating Agency. The Fund intends that, as long as Preferred Shares are outstanding, the composition of its portfolio will reflect guidelines established by such Rating Agency. Although, as of the date hereof, no such Rating Agency has established guidelines relating to the Preferred Shares, based on previous guidelines established by such Rating Agencies for the securities of other issuers, the Fund anticipates that the guidelines with respect to the Preferred Shares will establish a set of tests for portfolio composition and asset coverage that supplement (and in some cases are more restrictive than) the applicable requirements under the 1940 Act. Although, at this time, no assurance can be given as to the nature or extent of the guidelines which may be imposed in connection with obtaining a rating of the Preferred Shares, the Fund currently anticipates that such guidelines will include asset coverage requirements which are more restrictive than those under the 1940 Act, restrictions on certain portfolio investments and investment practices, requirements that the Fund maintain a portion of its assets in short-term, high- quality, fixed-income securities and certain mandatory redemption requirements relating to the Preferred Shares. No assurance can be given that the guidelines actually imposed with respect to the Preferred Shares by such Rating Agency will be more or less restrictive than as described in this Prospectus. Anti-Takeover Provisions in the Declaration of Trust. The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of its Board, and could have the effect of depriving Shareholders of an opportunity to sell their Shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund, which attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and interfering with the normal operation of the Fund. The Board is divided into three classes, with the term of one class expiring at each annual meeting of Shareholders. At each annual meeting, one class of Trustees is elected to a three-year term. This provision could delay for up to two years the replacement of a majority of the Board. A Trustee may be removed from office only for cause by a written instrument signed by the remaining Trustees or by a vote of the holders of at least 2/3 of the class of shares of the Fund that elected such Trustee and is entitled to vote on the matter. In addition, the Declaration of Trust requires the favorable vote of the holders of at least 75% of the outstanding shares of each class of the Fund, voting as a class, then entitled to vote to approve, adopt or authorize certain transactions with 5%-or-greater holders of a class of shares and their associates, unless the Board shall by resolution have approved a memorandum of understanding with such holders, in which case normal voting requirements would be in effect. For purposes of these provisions, a 5%-or-greater holder of a class of shares (a "Principal Shareholder") refers to any person who, whether directly or indirectly and whether alone or together with its affiliates and associates, beneficially owns 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of beneficial interest of the Fund. The transactions subject to these special approval requirements are: (i) the merger or consolidation of the Fund or any subsidiary of the Fund with or into any Principal Shareholder; (ii) the issuance of any securities of the Fund to any Principal Shareholder for cash; (iii) the sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial part of the assets of the Fund to any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purpose of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period); or (iv) the sale, lease or exchange to the Fund or any subsidiary thereof, in exchange for securities of the Fund, of any assets of any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purposes of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period). The Board has determined that provisions with respect to the Board and the 75% voting requirements described above, which voting requirements are greater than the minimum requirements under Massachusetts law or the 1940 Act, are in the best interest of Shareholders generally. Reference should be made to the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions. 29 Conversion to Open-End Fund. The Fund may be converted to an open-end investment company at any time if approved by the lesser of (i) 2/3 or more of the Fund's then outstanding Shares and Preferred Shares (if any), each voting separately as a class, or (ii) more than 50% of the then outstanding Shares and Preferred Shares (if any), voting separately as a class if such conversion is recommended by at least 75% of the Trustees then in office. If approved in the foregoing manner, conversion of the Fund could not occur until 90 days after the shareholders' meeting at which such conversion was approved and would also require at least 30 days' prior notice to all shareholders. The composition of the Fund's portfolio likely would prohibit the Fund from complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end investment companies. Accordingly, conversion likely would require significant changes in the Fund's investment policies and liquidation of a substantial portion of its relatively illiquid portfolio. Conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company also would require the redemption of any outstanding Preferred Shares and could require the repayment of borrowings, which would eliminate the leveraged capital structure of the Fund with respect to the Shares. In the event of conversion, the Shares would cease to be listed on the American Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange or market system. The Board believes, however, that the closed-end structure is desirable, given the Fund's investment objective and policies. Investors should assume, therefore, that it is unlikely that the Board would vote to convert the Fund to an open-end investment company. Shareholders of an open-end investment company may require the company to redeem their shares at any time (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under the 1940 Act) at their net asset value, less such redemption charge, if any, as might be in effect at the time of a redemption. The Fund expects to pay all such redemption requests in cash, but intends to reserve the right to pay redemption requests in a combination of cash or securities. If such partial payment in securities were made, investors may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities to cash. If the Fund were converted to an open-end fund, it is likely that new Shares would be sold at net asset value plus a sales load. 30 UNDERWRITING Subject to the terms and conditions stated in the underwriting agreement dated the date hereof (the "Underwriting Agreement"), each Underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, and the Fund has agreed to sell to such Underwriter, the number of Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter.
UNDERWRITERS NUMBER OF SHARES - ------------ ---------------- Salomon Smith Barney Inc.................................. 2,548,600 UBS Warburg LLC........................................... 2,548,000 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.................................. 2,548,000 Prudential Securities Incorporated........................ 2,548,000 H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc......................... 2,548,000 Fahnestock & Co. Inc...................................... 2,548,000 Janney Montgomery Scott LLC............................... 2,548,000 Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated...................... 2,548,000 McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company.............. 2,548,000 Quick & Reilly, Inc. A FleetBoston Financial Company...... 2,548,000 Raymond James & Associates, Inc........................... 2,548,000 RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc.................................... 2,548,000 Ryan, Beck & Co., LLC..................................... 2,548,000 SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc............................. 2,548,000 TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc...................... 2,548,000 Wachovia Securities, Inc.................................. 2,548,000 Wells Fargo Securities, LLC............................... 2,548,000 CIBC World Markets Corp................................... 882,800 Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.............................. 882,800 U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc. .......................... 882,800 Advest, Inc. ............................................. 593,000 Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated........................ 593,000 BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow........................................... 593,000 Crowell, Weedon & Co. .................................... 593,000 D.A. Davidson & Co. ...................................... 593,000 Ferris, Baker Watts, Incorporated......................... 593,000 J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. ........................ 593,000 Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. ............................ 593,000 Parker/Hunter Incorporated................................ 593,000 Sanders Morris Harris..................................... 593,000 Stephens Inc. ............................................ 593,000 Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated.................. 593,000 Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc. ........................... 593,000 Gilford Securities Incorporated........................... 285,500 Howe Barnes Investments, Inc. ............................ 285,500 Wayne Hummer & Co. ....................................... 285,500 Johnston, Lemon & Co. Incorporated........................ 285,500 Mesirow Financial, Inc. .................................. 285,500 David A. Noyes & Company.................................. 285,500 Peacock, Hislop, Staley & Given........................... 285,500 Sands Brothers & Co., Ltd. ............................... 285,500 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ............................... 285,500
31
UNDERWRITERS NUMBER OF SHARES - ------------ ---------------- M.L. Stern & Co., Inc. ................................... 285,500 Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. ............................... 285,500 SWS Securities, Inc. ..................................... 285,500 ------------ Total............................................. 57,100,000 ============
The Underwriting Agreement provides that the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase the Shares included in this offering are subject to approval of certain legal matters by counsel and to certain other conditions. The Underwriters are obligated to purchase all the Shares (other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below) if they purchase any of the Shares. The representatives have advised the Fund that the Underwriters do not intend to confirm any sales to any accounts over which they exercise discretionary authority. The Underwriters, for whom Salomon Smith Barney Inc., UBS Warburg LLC, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Prudential Securities Incorporated, H&R Block Financial Advisors, Inc., Fahnestock & Co. Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated, McDonald Investments Inc., a KeyCorp Company, Quick & Reilly, Inc. A FleetBoston Financial Company, Raymond James & Associates, Inc., RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc., Ryan, Beck & Co., LLC, SunTrust Capital Markets, Inc., TD Waterhouse Investor Services, Inc., Wachovia Securities, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as representatives, propose to offer some of the Shares directly to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover page of this Prospectus and some of the Shares to certain dealers at the public offering price less a concession not in excess of $0.45 per Share. The sales load the Fund will pay of $0.675 per share is equal to 4.5% of the initial offering price. The Underwriters may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of $0.10 per Share on sales to certain other dealers. Certain dealers acting in the capacity of sub-underwriters may receive additional compensation for acting in such a capacity. If all of the Shares are not sold at the initial offering price, the representatives may change the public offering price and other selling terms. Investors must pay for any Shares purchased on or before August 30, 2002. In connection with this offering, Eaton Vance may perform clearing services without charge for brokers and dealers for whom it regularly provides clearing services that are participating in the offering as members of the selling group. The Fund has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this Prospectus, to purchase up to 8,565,000 additional Shares at the public offering price less the sales load. The Underwriters may exercise such option solely for the purpose of covering over allotments, if any, in connection with this offering. To the extent such option is exercised, each Underwriter will be obligated, subject to certain conditions, to purchase a number of additional Shares approximately proportionate to such Underwriter's initial purchase commitment. The Fund and Eaton Vance have agreed that, for a period of 180 days from the date of this Prospectus, they will not, without the prior written consent of Salomon Smith Barney Inc., on behalf of the Underwriters, dispose of or hedge any Shares or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for Shares. Salomon Smith Barney Inc., in its sole discretion, may release any of the securities subject to these agreements at any time without notice. Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the Shares. Consequently, the initial public offering price for the Shares was determined by negotiation among the Fund, Eaton Vance and the representatives. There can be no assurance, however, that the price at which the Shares will sell in the public market after this offering will not be lower than the price at which they are sold by the Underwriters or that an active trading market in the Shares will develop and continue after this offering. The Fund's common shares have been listed on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol "EIM". The Fund and Eaton Vance have agreed to indemnify the several Underwriters or contribute to losses arising out of certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. 32 Eaton Vance or an affiliate has agreed to pay offering and organizational costs (other than sales load) that exceed $0.03 per share. In addition, the Fund has agreed to reimburse the Underwriters for certain expenses incurred by the Underwriters in the offering. Certain Underwriters participating in the Share offering may be invited, some period of time after completion of this offering, to participate in the offering of preferred shares and will receive compensation for their participation in that preferred share offering. The number of Shares purchased by each Underwriter in this offering may be a factor in determining (i) whether that Underwriter is selected to participate in the offering of the preferred shares, (ii) the number of preferred shares allocated to that Underwriter in that offering, and (iii) the amount of certain additional preferred share underwriting compensation available to that Underwriter. The offering costs associated with the issuance of preferred shares are currently estimated to be slightly more than 2% of the total amount of the preferred share offering. These costs will effectively be borne by the holders of the Shares. See "Fund Expenses" above. In connection with the requirements for listing the Fund's Shares on the American Stock Exchange, the Underwriters have undertaken to sell lots of 100 or more Shares to a minimum of 400 beneficial owners in the United States. The minimum investment requirement is 100 Shares. Certain Underwriters may make a market in the Shares after trading in the Shares has commenced on the American Stock Exchange. No Underwriter is, however, obligated to conduct market-making activities and any such activities may be discontinued at any time without notice, at the sole discretion of the Underwriter. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, the Shares as a result of any market-making activities undertaken by any Underwriter. This Prospectus is to be used by any Underwriter in connection with the offering and, during the period in which a Prospectus must be delivered, with offers and sales of the Shares in market-making transactions in the over-the-counter market at negotiated prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of the sale. The Underwriters have advised the Fund that, pursuant to Regulation M under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, certain persons participating in the offering may engage in transactions, including stabilizing bids, covering transactions or the imposition of penalty bids, which may have the effect of stabilizing or maintaining the market price of the Shares on the American Stock Exchange at a level above that which might otherwise prevail in the open market. A "stabilizing bid" is a bid for or purchase of the Shares on behalf of an Underwriter for the purpose of fixing or maintaining the price of the Shares. A "covering transaction" is a bid for or purchase of the Shares on behalf of an Underwriter to reduce a short position incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the offering. A "penalty bid" is a contractual arrangement whereby if, during a specified period after the issuance of the Shares, the Underwriters purchase Shares in the open market for the account of the underwriting syndicate and the Shares purchased can be traced to a particular Underwriter or member of the selling group, the underwriting syndicate may require the Underwriter or selling group member in question to purchase the Shares in question at the cost price to the syndicate or may recover from (or decline to pay to) the Underwriter or selling group member in question any or all compensation (including, with respect to a representative, the applicable syndicate management fee) applicable to the Shares in question. As a result, an Underwriter or selling group member and, in turn, brokers may lose the fees that they otherwise would have earned from a sale of the Shares if their customer resells the Shares while the penalty bid is in effect. The Underwriters are not required to engage in any of these activities, and any such activities, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time. The underwriting agreement provides that it may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the representatives without liability on the part of any Underwriter to the Fund or Eaton Vance if, prior to delivery of and payment for the Shares, (i) trading in the Shares or securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, Nasdaq National Market or the Nasdaq Stock Market shall have been suspended or materially limited, (ii) additional material governmental restrictions not in force on the date of the underwriting agreement have been imposed upon trading in securities generally or a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York shall have been declared by either 33 federal or state authorities or (iii) any outbreak or material escalation of hostilities or other international or domestic calamity, crisis or change in political, financial or economic conditions, occurs, the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to commence or continue the offering of the Shares at the offering price to the public set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus or to enforce contracts for the resale of the Shares by the Underwriters. The Fund anticipates that from time to time the representatives of the Underwriters and certain other Underwriters may act as brokers or dealers in connection with the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions after they have ceased to be Underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, may act as brokers while they are Underwriters. Prior to the public offering of Shares, Eaton Vance purchased Shares from the Fund in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the 1940 Act. As of the date of this Prospectus, Eaton Vance owned 100% of the outstanding Shares. Eaton Vance may be deemed to control the Fund until such time as it owns less than 25% of the outstanding Shares which is expected to occur as of the completion of the offering of Shares. The principal business address of Salomon Smith Barney Inc. is 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013. The principal business address of UBS Warburg LLC is 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171. CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT Investors Bank & Trust Company ("IBT"), 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116 is the custodian of the Fund and will maintain custody of the securities and cash of the Fund. IBT maintains the Fund's general ledger and computes net asset value per share at least weekly. IBT also attends to details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, transfer and other dealings with the Fund's investments, and receives and disburses all funds. IBT also assists in preparation of shareholder reports and the electronic filing of such reports with the SEC. PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 43027, Providence, RI 02940-3027 is the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent of the Fund. LEGAL OPINIONS Certain legal matters in connection with the Shares will be passed upon for the Fund by Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, and for the Underwriters by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, New York, New York. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett may rely as to certain matters of Massachusetts law on the opinion of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP. REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS The Fund will send to Shareholders unaudited semi-annual and audited annual reports, including a list of investments held. INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Deloitte & Touche LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, are the independent accountants for the Fund and will audit the Fund's financial statements. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration 34 Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by its rules and regulations. The Statement of Additional Information can be obtained without charge by calling 1-800-225-6265. Statements contained in this Prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other documents referred to are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus forms a part, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference. 35 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PAGE ---- Additional Investment Information and Restrictions.......... B-1 Trustees and Officers....................................... B-9 Investment Advisory and Other Services...................... B-14 Determination of Net Asset Value............................ B-15 Portfolio Trading........................................... B-16 Taxes....................................................... B-18 Other Information........................................... B-20 Independent Auditors........................................ B-21 Independent Auditors' Report................................ B-22 Financial Statements........................................ B-23 Appendix A: Ratings of Municipal Bonds...................... B-25 Appendix B: Tax Equivalent Yield Table...................... B-31 Appendix C: U.S. Territory Information...................... B-32 Appendix D: Description of Insurers......................... B-34 Appendix E: Performance Related and Comparative Information............................................... B-37
36 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 57,100,000 SHARES EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND COMMON SHARES [EATON VANCE LOGO] ------------ PROSPECTUS AUGUST 27, 2002 ------------ SALOMON SMITH BARNEY UBS WARBURG A.G. EDWARDS & SONS, INC. PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES H&R BLOCK FINANCIAL ADVISORS, INC. FAHNESTOCK & CO. INC. JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC LEGG MASON WOOD WALKER INCORPORATED MCDONALD INVESTMENTS INC. QUICK & REILLY, INC. RAYMOND JAMES RBC CAPITAL MARKETS RYAN, BECK & CO. INCLUDING THE GRUNTAL DIVISION SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY TD WATERHOUSE WACHOVIA SECURITIES WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AUGUST 27, 2002 EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND THE EATON VANCE BUILDING 255 STATE STREET BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02109 (800) 225-6265 --------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE ---- Additional Investment Information and Restrictions.......... B-1 Trustees and Officers....................................... B-9 Investment Advisory and Other Services...................... B-14 Determination of Net Asset Value............................ B-15 Portfolio Trading........................................... B-16 Taxes....................................................... B-18 Other Information........................................... B-20 Independent Auditors........................................ B-21 Independent Auditors' Report................................ B-22 Financial Statements........................................ B-23 Appendix A: Ratings of Municipal Bonds...................... B-25 Appendix B: Tax Equivalent Yield Table...................... B-31 Appendix C: U.S. Territory Information...................... B-32 Appendix D: Description of Insurers......................... B-34 Appendix E: Performance Related and Comparative Information............................................... B-37
--------------------- THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ("SAI") IS NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ONLY IF PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY THE PROSPECTUS OF EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND (THE "FUND") DATED AUGUST 27, 2002, AS SUPPLEMENTED FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. THIS SAI SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUCH PROSPECTUS, A COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED WITHOUT CHARGE BY CONTACTING YOUR FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY OR CALLING THE FUND AT 1-800-225-6265. Capitalized terms used in this SAI and not otherwise defined have the meanings given them in the Fund's Prospectus. ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION AND RESTRICTIONS Municipal Obligations. Municipal obligations are issued to obtain funds for various public and private purposes. Municipal obligations include long-term obligations, which are often called municipal bonds, as well as tax-exempt commercial paper, project notes and municipal notes such as tax, revenue and bond anticipation notes of short maturity, generally less than three years. Market rates of interest available with respect to municipal obligations may be lower than those available with respect to taxable securities, although such differences may be partially or wholly offset by the effects of federal income tax on income derived from such taxable securities. While most municipal bonds pay a fixed rate of interest semi-annually in cash, some bonds pay no periodic cash interest but instead make a single payment at maturity representing both principal and interest. Municipal obligations may be issued or subsequently offered with interest coupons materially greater or less than those then prevailing, with price adjustments reflecting such deviation. In general, there are three categories of municipal obligations the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax and is not a tax preference item for purposes of the alternative minimum tax ("AMT"): (i) certain "public purpose" obligations (whenever issued), which include obligations issued directly by state and local governments or their agencies to fulfill essential governmental functions; (ii) certain obligations issued before August 8, 1986 for the benefit of non-governmental persons or entities; and (iii) certain "private activity bonds" issued after August 7, 1986 which include "qualified Section 501(c)(3) bonds" or refundings of certain obligations included in the second category. Interest on certain "private activity bonds" issued after August 7, 1986 is exempt from regular federal income tax, but is treated as a tax preference item that could subject the recipient to or increase the recipient's liability for the AMT. For corporate shareholders, the Fund's distributions derived from interest on all municipal obligations (whenever issued) is included in "adjusted current earnings" for purposes of the AMT as applied to corporations (to the extent not already included in alternative minimum taxable income as income attributable to private activity bonds). In assessing the federal income tax treatment of interest on any such obligation, the Fund will rely on an opinion of the issuer's counsel (when available) obtained by the issuer or other reliable authority and will not undertake any independent verification thereof. The two principal classifications of municipal bonds are "general obligation" and "revenue" bonds. Issuers of general obligation bonds include states, counties, cities, towns and regional districts. The proceeds of these obligations are used to fund a wide range of public projects including the construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads, water and sewer systems and a variety of other public purposes. The basic security of general obligation bonds is the issuer's pledge of its faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. The taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt service may be limited or unlimited as to rate and amount. Revenue bonds are generally secured by the net revenues derived from a particular facility or group of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Revenue bonds have been issued to fund a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water, sewer and solid waste disposal systems; highways, bridges and tunnels; port, airport and parking facilities; transportation systems; housing facilities, colleges and universities and hospitals. Although the principal security behind these bonds varies widely, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund whose monies may be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuer's obligations. Housing finance authorities have a wide range of security including partially or fully insured, rent subsidized and/or collateralized mortgages, and/or the net revenues from housing or other public projects. In addition to a debt service reserve fund, some authorities provide further security in the form of a state's ability (without legal obligation) to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund. Lease rental revenue bonds issued by a state or local authority for capital projects are normally secured by annual B-1 lease rental payments from the state or locality to the authority sufficient to cover debt service on the authority's obligations. Such payments are usually subject to annual appropriations by the state or locality. Industrial development and pollution control bonds, although nominally issued by municipal authorities, are in most cases revenue bonds and are generally not secured by the taxing power of the municipality, but are usually secured by the revenues derived by the authority from payments of the industrial user or users. The Fund may on occasion acquire revenue bonds which carry warrants or similar rights covering equity securities. Such warrants or rights may be held indefinitely, but if exercised, the Fund anticipates that it would, under normal circumstances, dispose of any equity securities so acquired within a reasonable period of time. The obligations of any person or entity to pay the principal of and interest on a municipal obligation are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Act, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that as a result of litigation or other conditions the power or ability of any person or entity to pay when due principal of and interest on a municipal obligation may be materially affected. There have been recent instances of defaults and bankruptcies involving municipal obligations which were not foreseen by the financial and investment communities. The Fund will take whatever action it considers appropriate in the event of anticipated financial difficulties, default or bankruptcy of either the issuer of any municipal obligation or of the underlying source of funds for debt service. Such action may include retaining the services of various persons or firms (including affiliates of the Adviser) to evaluate or protect any real estate, facilities or other assets securing any such obligation or acquired by the Fund as a result of any such event, and the Fund may also manage (or engage other persons to manage) or otherwise deal with any real estate, facilities or other assets so acquired. The Fund anticipates that real estate consulting and management services may be required with respect to properties securing various municipal obligations in its portfolio or subsequently acquired by the Fund. The Fund will incur additional expenditures in taking protective action with respect to portfolio obligations in default and assets securing such obligations. To enforce its rights in the event of a default in the payment of interest or repayment of principal, or both, the Fund may take possession of and manage the assets or have a receiver appointed to collect and disburse pledged revenues securing the issuer's obligations on such securities, which may increase the operating expenses and adversely affect the net asset value of the Fund. Any income derived from the ownership or operation of such assets may not be tax-exempt. In addition, the Fund's intention to qualify as a "regulated investment company" ("RIC") under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") may limit the extent to which the Fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets, because as a regulated investment company, the Fund is subject to certain limitations on its investments and on the nature of its income. The yields on municipal obligations are dependent on a variety of factors, including purposes of issue and source of funds for repayment, general money market conditions, general conditions of the municipal bond market, size of a particular offering, maturity of the obligation and rating of the issue. The ratings of Moody's, S&P and Fitch represent their opinions as to the quality of the municipal obligations which they undertake to rate. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are based on judgment and are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, municipal obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. In addition, the market price of municipal obligations will normally fluctuate with changes in interest rates, and therefore the net asset value of the Fund will be affected by such changes. The Fund also may invest up to 20% of the net assets in uninsured municipal bonds that are entitled to the benefit of an escrow or trust account that contains securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or U.S. Government agencies, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and sufficient in the amount to ensure the payment of interest and principal on the original interest payment and maturity dates ("collateralized obligations"). These collateralized obligations generally will not be B-2 insured and will include, but are not limited to, municipal bonds that have been advance refunded where the proceeds of the refunding have been used to buy U.S. Government or U.S. Government agency securities that are placed in escrow and whose interest or maturing principal payments, or both, are sufficient to cover the remaining scheduled debt service on that municipal bond. State Concentration. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers located in the same state or U.S. territory. When the Fund does so, it will be sensitive to factors affecting that state, such as changes in the economy, decreases in tax collection or the tax base, legislation which limits taxes and changes in issuer credit ratings. Factors pertaining to U.S. territories are set forth in Appendix C. Economic Sector Concentration. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector. There could be economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in a particular economic sector. In particular, investments in the industrial revenue bonds listed above might involve (without limitation) the following risks. Hospital bond ratings are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Among the influences affecting a hospital's gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, confidence in the hospital, service area economic developments, competition, availability and expense of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation limiting the rates of increase of hospital charges. Electric utilities face problems in financing large construction programs in an inflationary period, cost increases and delay occasioned by safety and environmental considerations (particularly with respect to nuclear facilities), difficulty in obtaining fuel at reasonable prices and in achieving timely and adequate rate relief from regulatory commissions, effects of energy conservation and limitations on the capacity of the capital market to absorb utility debt. Bonds to finance life care facilities are normally secured only by the revenues of each facility and not by state or local government tax payments, they are subject to a wide variety of risks. Primarily, the projects must maintain adequate occupancy levels to be able to provide revenues sufficient to meet debt service payments. Moreover, since a portion of housing, medical care and other services may be financed by an initial deposit, it is important that the facility maintain adequate financial reserves to secure estimated actuarial liabilities. The ability of management to accurately forecast inflationary cost pressures is an important factor in this process. The facilities may also be affected adversely by regulatory cost restrictions applied to health care delivery in general, particularly state regulations or changes in Medicare and Medicaid payments or qualifications, or restrictions imposed by medical insurance companies. They may also face competition from alternative health care or conventional housing facilities in the private or public sector. Credit Quality. While municipal obligations rated investment grade or below and comparable unrated municipal obligations may have some quality and protective characteristics, these characteristics can be expected to be offset or outweighed by uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions. Lower rated and comparable unrated municipal obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations (credit risk) and may also be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (market risk). Lower rated or unrated municipal obligations are also more likely to react to real or perceived developments affecting market and credit risk than are more highly rated obligations, which react primarily to movements in the general level of interest rates. Municipal Leases. The Fund may invest in municipal leases and participations therein, which arrangements frequently involve special risks. Municipal leases are obligations in the form of a lease or installment purchase arrangement which is issued by state or local governments to acquire equipment and B-3 facilities. Interest income from such obligations is generally exempt from local and state taxes in the state of issuance. "Participations" in such leases are undivided interests in a portion of the total obligation. Participations entitle their holders to receive a pro rata share of all payments under the lease. The obligation of the issuer to meet its obligations under such leases is often subject to the appropriation by the appropriate legislative body, on an annual or other basis, of funds for the payment of the obligations. Investments in municipal leases are thus subject to the risk that the legislative body will not make the necessary appropriation and the issuer will not otherwise be willing or able to meet its obligation. Certain municipal lease obligations are illiquid. Zero Coupon Bonds. Zero coupon bonds are debt obligations which do not require the periodic payment of interest and are issued at a significant discount from face value. The discount approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accrue and compound over the period until maturity at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. The Fund is required to accrue income from zero coupon bonds on a current basis, even though it does not receive that income currently in cash and the Fund is required to distribute its income for each taxable year. Thus, the Fund may have to sell other investments to obtain cash needed to make income distributions. When-Issued Securities. New issues of municipal obligations are sometimes offered on a "when-issued" basis, that is, delivery and payment for the securities normally take place within a specified number of days after the date of the Fund's commitment and are subject to certain conditions such as the issuance of satisfactory legal opinions. The Fund may also purchase securities on a when-issued basis pursuant to refunding contracts in connection with the refinancing of an issuer's outstanding indebtedness. Refunding contracts generally require the issuer to sell and the Fund to buy such securities on a settlement date that could be several months or several years in the future. The Fund may also purchase instruments that give the Fund the option to purchase a municipal obligation when and if issued. The Fund will make commitments to purchase when-issued securities only with the intention of actually acquiring the securities, but may sell such securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the securities are fixed at the time the Fund enters into the purchase commitment. When the Fund commits to purchase a security on a when-issued basis it records the transaction and reflects the value of the security in determining its net asset value. Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and the securities held by the Fund are subject to changes in value based upon the perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes in the level of interest rates (i.e. appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise). Therefore, to the extent that the Fund remains substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities on a when-issued basis, there will be greater fluctuations in the Fund's net asset value than if it set aside cash to pay for when-issued securities. Redemption, Demand and Put Features and Put Options. Issuers of municipal obligations reserve the right to call (redeem) the bond. If an issuer redeems securities held by the Fund during a time of declining interest rates, the Fund may not be able to reinvest the proceeds in securities providing the same investment return as the securities redeemed. Also, some bonds may have "put" or "demand" features that allow early redemption by the bondholder. Longer term fixed-rate bonds may give the holder a right to request redemption at certain times (often annually after the lapse of an intermediate term). These bonds are more defensive than conventional long term bonds because they may protect to some degree against a rise in interest rates. Variable Rate Obligations. The Fund may purchase variable rate obligations. Variable rate instruments provide for adjustments in the interest rate at specified intervals (weekly, monthly, semi-annually, etc.). The revised rates are usually set at the issuer's discretion in which case the investor normally enjoys the right to "put" the security back to the issuer or his agent. Rate revisions may alternatively be determined by formula or in some other contractual fashion. Variable rate obligations normally provide that the holder can demand payment of the obligation on short notice at par with accrued interest and which are frequently secured by letters of credit or other support arrangements B-4 provide by banks. To the extent that such letters of credit or other arrangements constitute an unconditional guarantee of the issuer's obligations, a bank may be treated as the issuer of a security for the purposes of complying with the diversification requirements set forth in Section 5(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 5b-2 thereunder. The Fund would anticipate using these bonds as cash equivalents pending longer term investment of its funds. Inverse Floaters. The Fund currently does not invest in municipal securities whose interest rates bear an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security or the value of an index ("inverse floaters"). An investment in inverse floaters may involve greater risk than an investment in a fixed rate bond. Because changes in the interest rate on the other security or index inversely affect the residual interest paid on the inverse floater, the value of an inverse floater is generally more volatile than that of a fixed rate bond. Inverse floaters have interest rate adjustment formulas which generally reduce or, in the extreme, eliminate the interest paid to a portfolio when short-term interest rates rise, and increase the interest paid to the Fund when short-term interest rates fall. Inverse floaters have varying degrees of liquidity, and the market for these securities is relatively volatile. These securities tend to underperform the market for fixed rate bonds in a rising interest rate environment, but tend to outperform the market for fixed rate bonds when interest rates decline. Shifts in long-term interest rates may, however, alter this tendency. Although volatile, inverse floaters typically offer the potential for yields exceeding the yields available on fixed rate bonds with comparable credit quality and maturity. These securities usually permit the investor to convert the floating rate to a fixed rate (normally adjusted downward), and this optional conversion feature may provide a partial hedge against rising rates if exercised at an opportune time. Inverse floaters are leveraged because they provide two or more dollars of bond market exposure for every dollar invested. Although the Fund does not intend initially to invest in inverse floaters, the Fund may do so at some point in the future. The Fund will provide 30 days' written notice prior to any change in its policy in investing in inverse floaters. Interest Rate Swaps and Forward Rate Contracts. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments. The Fund will only enter into interest rate swaps 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. The Fund may also enter forward rate contracts. Under these contracts, the buyer locks in an interest rate at a future settlement date. If the interest rate on the settlement date exceeds the lock rate, the buyer pays the seller the difference between the two rates. If the lock rate exceeds the interest rate on the settlement date, the seller pays the buyer the difference between the two rates. Any such gain received by the Fund would be taxable. If the other party to an interest rate swap or forward rate contract defaults, the Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund's custodian. The Fund will not enter into any interest rate swap or forward rate contract unless the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by the investment adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. These instruments are traded in the over-the-counter market. Liquidity and Protective Put Options. The Fund may also enter into a separate agreement with the seller of a security or some other person granting the Fund the right to put the security to the seller thereof or the other person at an agreed upon price. Such agreements are subject to the risk of default by the other party, although the Fund intends to limit this type of transaction to institutions (such as banks or securities dealers) which the Adviser believes present minimal credit risks. The Fund would engage in this type of transaction to facilitate portfolio liquidity or (if the seller so agrees) to hedge against rising interest rates. There is no assurance that this kind of put option will be available to the Fund or that selling institutions will be willing to permit the Fund to exercise a put to hedge against rising interest rates. The Fund does not expect to assign any value to any separate put option which may be acquired to facilitate portfolio liquidity, inasmuch as the value (if any) of the put will be reflected in the value assigned to the B-5 associated security; any put acquired for hedging purposes would be valued in good faith under methods or procedures established by the Trustees of the Fund after consideration of all relevant factors, including its expiration date, the price volatility of the associated security, the difference between the market price of the associated security and the exercise price of the put, the creditworthiness of the issuer of the put and the market prices of comparable put options. Interest income generated by certain bonds having put or demand features may be taxable. Illiquid Obligations. At times, a substantial portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in securities as to which the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser and its affiliates, holds a major portion or all of such securities. Under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund could find it more difficult to sell such securities when the Adviser believes it advisable to do so or may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held. Under such circumstances, it may also be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund's net asset value. The secondary market for some municipal obligations issued within a state (including issues which are privately placed with the Fund) is less liquid than that for taxable debt obligations or other more widely traded municipal obligations. No established resale market exists for certain of the municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest. The market for obligations rated below investment grade is also likely to be less liquid than the market for higher rated obligations. As a result, the Fund may be unable to dispose of these municipal obligations at times when it would otherwise wish to do so at the prices at which they are valued. Securities Lending. The Fund may seek to increase its income by lending portfolio securities to broker-dealers or other institutional borrowers. Distributions by the Fund of any income realized by the Fund from securities loans will be taxable. If the management of the Fund decides to make securities loans, it is intended that the value of the securities loaned would not exceed 30% of the Fund's total assets. Securities lending involves risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights on the securities loaned if the borrower fails financially. The Fund has no present intention of engaging in securities lending. Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. A change in the level of interest rates may affect the value of the securities held by the Fund (or of securities that the Fund expects to purchase). To hedge against changes in rates or as a substitute for the purchase of securities, the Fund may enter into (i) futures contracts for the purchase or sale of debt securities and (ii) futures contracts on securities indices. All futures contracts entered into by the Fund are traded on exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and must be executed through a futures commission merchant or brokerage firm which is a member of the relevant exchange. The Fund may purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts which are traded on a United States or foreign exchange or board of trade. The Fund will be required, in connection with transactions in futures contracts and the writing of options on futures, to make margin deposits, which will be held by the Fund's custodian for the benefit of the futures commission merchant through whom the Fund engages in such futures and options transactions. Some futures contracts and options thereon may become illiquid under adverse market conditions. In addition, during periods of market volatility, a commodity exchange may suspend or limit transactions in an exchange-traded instrument, which may make the instrument temporarily illiquid and difficult to price. Commodity exchanges may also establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or futures option can vary from the previous day's settlement price. Once the daily limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. This may prevent the Fund from closing out positions and limiting its losses. The Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging purposes or non-hedging purposes as defined in or permitted by CFTC regulations. The Fund will determine that the price fluctuations in the futures contracts and options on futures used for hedging purposes are substantially related to price fluctuations in securities held by the Fund or which it expects to purchase. B-6 The Fund will engage in transactions in futures and related options contracts only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the Code for maintaining its qualification as a RIC for federal income tax purposes. Asset Coverage Requirements. Transactions involving when-issued securities, futures contracts and options (other than options that the Fund has purchased), interest rate swaps or forward rate contracts may expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting ("covered") position in securities or other options or futures contracts, or (2) cash or liquid securities (such as readily marketable obligations and money market instruments) with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (1) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with its custodian in the prescribed amount. The securities in the segregated account will be marked to market daily. Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account maintained by the custodian cannot be sold while the position requiring coverage or segregation is outstanding unless they are replaced with other appropriate assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund's assets to segregated accounts or to cover could impede portfolio management or the Portfolio's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. Temporary Investments. Under unusual market conditions, the Fund may invest temporarily in cash or cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are highly liquid, short-term securities such as commercial paper, certificates of deposit, short-term notes and short-term U.S. Government obligations. These securities may be subject to federal income, state income and/or other taxes. Portfolio Turnover. The Fund may sell (and later purchase) securities in anticipation of a market decline (a rise in interest rates) or purchase (and later sell) securities in anticipation of a market rise (a decline in interest rates). In addition, a security may be sold and another purchased at approximately the same time to take advantage of what the Fund believes to be a temporary disparity in the normal yield relationship between the two securities. Yield disparities may occur for reasons not directly related to the investment quality of particular issues or the general movement of interest rates, such as changes in the overall demand for or supply of various types of municipal obligations or changes in the investment objectives of investors. Such trading may be expected to increase the portfolio turnover rate, which may increase capital gains and the expenses incurred in connection with such trading. The Fund cannot accurately predict its portfolio turnover rate, but it is anticipated that the annual portfolio turnover rate will generally not exceed 100% (excluding turnover of securities having a maturity of one year or less). A 100% annual turnover rate could occur, for example, if all the securities held by the Fund were replaced once in a period of one year. A high turnover rate (100% or more) necessarily involves greater expenses to the Fund. Investment Restrictions. The following investment restrictions of the Fund are designated as fundamental policies and as such cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, which as used in this SAI means the lesser of (a) 67% of the shares of the Fund present or represented by proxy at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented at the meeting or (b) more than 50% of outstanding shares of the Fund. As a matter of fundamental policy the Fund may not: (1) Borrow money, except as permitted by the 1940 Act; (2) Issue senior securities, as defined in the 1940 Act, other than (i) preferred shares which immediately after issuance will have asset coverage of at least 200%, (ii) indebtedness which immediately after issuance will have asset coverage of at least 300%, or (iii) the borrowings permitted by investment restriction (1) above; (3) Purchase securities on margin (but the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities). The purchase of investment assets B-7 with the proceeds of a permitted borrowing or securities offering will not be deemed to be the purchase of securities on margin; (4) Underwrite securities issued by other persons, except insofar as it may technically be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933 in selling or disposing of a portfolio investment; (5) Make loans to other persons, except by (a) the acquisition of loan interests, debt securities and other obligations in which the Fund is authorized to invest in accordance with its investment objective and policies, (b) entering into repurchase agreements, and (c) lending its portfolio securities; (6) Purchase or sell real estate, although it may purchase and sell securities which are secured by interests in real estate and securities of issuers which invest or deal in real estate. The Fund reserves the freedom of action to hold and to sell real estate acquired as a result of the ownership of securities; (7) Purchase or sell physical commodities or contracts for the purchase or sale of physical commodities. Physical commodities do not include futures contracts with respect to securities, securities indices or other financial instruments; (8) Invest more than 25% of its total assets in issuers in any one industry. For purposes of the Fund's investment restrictions, the determination of the "issuer" of a municipal obligation which is not a general obligation bond will be made by the Adviser on the basis of the characteristics of the obligation and other relevant factors, the most significant of which is the source of funds committed to meeting interest and principal payments of such obligation. The Fund may borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities. The 1940 Act currently requires that the Fund have 300% asset coverage with respect to all borrowings other than temporary borrowings. For purposes of construing restriction (8), securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies, or instrumentalities are not considered to represent industries. Municipal obligations backed by the credit of a governmental entity are also not considered to represent industries. However, municipal obligations backed only by the assets and revenues of non-governmental users may for this purpose be deemed to be issued by such non-governmental users. The foregoing 25% limitation would apply to these issuers. As discussed in the Prospectus and this SAI, the Fund may invest more than 25% of its total assets in certain economic sectors, such as revenue bonds, housing, hospitals and other health care facilities, and industrial development bonds. The Fund reserves the right to invest more than 25% of total assets in each of these sectors. The Fund has adopted the following nonfundamental investment policy which may be changed by the Trustees without approval of the Fund's shareholders. As a matter of nonfundamental policy, the Fund may not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position, unless at all times when a short position is open it either owns an equal amount of such securities or owns securities convertible into or exchangeable, without payment of any further consideration, for securities of the same issue as, and equal in amount to, the securities sold short. Upon Board of Trustee approval, the Fund may invest more than 10% of its total assets in one or more other management investment companies (or may invest in affiliated investment companies) to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules thereunder. Whenever an investment policy or investment restriction set forth in the Prospectus or this SAI states a maximum percentage of assets that may be invested in any security or other asset or describes a policy regarding quality standards, such percentage limitation or standard shall be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund's acquisition of such security or asset. Accordingly, any later increase or B-8 decrease resulting from a change in values, assets or other circumstances will not compel the Fund to dispose of such security or other asset. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund must always be in compliance with the borrowing policies set forth above. TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS The Trustees of the Fund are responsible for the overall management and supervision of the affairs of the Fund. The Trustees and officers of the Fund are listed below. Except as indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in the same company for the last five years. The business address of each Trustee and officer is The Eaton Vance Building, 255 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109. As used in this SAI, "EVC" refers to Eaton Vance Corp., "EV" refers to Eaton Vance, Inc., "BMR" refers to Boston Management and Research, and "EVD" refers to Eaton Vance Distributors Inc. EVC is the corporate parent of Eaton Vance. EV is the corporate trustee of Eaton Vance.
NUMBER OF PORTFOLIOS TERM OF IN FUND OFFICE AND COMPLEX POSITION(S) LENGTH OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN BY NAME AND AGE WITH THE FUND SERVICE DURING PAST FIVE YEARS TRUSTEE(1) OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS HELD - -------------------- -------------- ---------- ----------------------- ----------- ------------------------ INTERESTED TRUSTEES Jessica M. Trustee(2) Since President and Chief 174 None Bibliowicz 7/25/02 3 Executive Officer of DOB: 11/28/59 Years National Financial Partners (financial services company) (since April 1999). President and Chief Operating Officer of John A. Levin & Co. (registered investment adviser) (July 1997 to April 1999) and a Director of Baker, Fentress & Company which owns John A. Levin & Co. (July 1997 to April 1999). Formerly, Executive Vice President of Smith Barney Mutual Funds. Ms. Bibliowicz is an interested person because of her affiliation with a brokerage firm.
B-9
NUMBER OF PORTFOLIOS TERM OF IN FUND OFFICE AND COMPLEX POSITION(S) LENGTH OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN BY NAME AND AGE WITH THE FUND SERVICE DURING PAST FIVE YEARS TRUSTEE(1) OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS HELD - -------------------- -------------- ---------- ----------------------- ----------- ------------------------ James B. Hawkes Vice President Since Chairman, President and 179 Director of EVC, EV and DOB: 11/9/41 and Trustee(3) 7/2/02 3 Chief Executive Officer EVD. Years of BMR, Eaton Vance and their corporate parent and trustee (EVC and EV); Vice President of EVD. President or officer of 179 investment companies in the Eaton Vance Fund Complex. Mr. Hawkes is an interested person because of his positions with BMR, Eaton Vance and EVC, which are affiliates of the Fund. NONINTERESTED TRUSTEES Donald R. Dwight Trustee(2) Since President of Dwight 179 Trustee/Director of the DOB: 3/26/31 7/25/02 Partners, Inc. (a Royce Funds (consisting 3 Years corporate relations and of 17 portfolios) communications company). Samuel L. Hayes, III Trustee(3) Since Jacob H. Schiff 179 Director of Tiffany & DOB: 2/23/35 7/25/02 Professor of Investment Co. (specialty retailer) 3 Years Banking Emeritus, and Telect, Inc. Harvard University (telecommunication Graduate School of services company) Business Administration. Norton H. Reamer Trustee(4) Since President, Unicorn 179 None DOB: 9/21/35 7/25/02 Corporation (an 3 Years investment and financial advisory services company) (since September 2000). Chairman, Hellman, Jordan Management Co., Inc. (an investment management company) (since November 2000). Advisory Director of Berkshire Capital Corporation (investment banking firm) (since June 2002). Formerly Chairman of the Board, United Asset Management Corporation (a holding company owning institutional investment management firms) and Chairman, President and Director, UAM Funds (mutual funds).
B-10
NUMBER OF PORTFOLIOS TERM OF IN FUND OFFICE AND COMPLEX POSITION(S) LENGTH OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN BY NAME AND AGE WITH THE FUND SERVICE DURING PAST FIVE YEARS TRUSTEE(1) OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS HELD - -------------------- -------------- ---------- ----------------------- ----------- ------------------------ Lynn A. Stout Trustee(4) Since Professor of Law, 173 None DOB: 9/14/56 7/25/02 University of 3 Years California at Los Angeles School of Law (since July 2001). Formerly, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center.
- --------------- (1) Includes both master and feeder funds in master-feeder structure. (2) Class I Trustee whose term expires in 2003. (3) Class II Trustee whose term expires in 2004. (4) Class III Trustee whose term expires in 2005. PRINCIPAL OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT TRUSTEES
TERM OF OFFICE POSITION(S) AND LENGTH NAME AND AGE WITH FUND OF SERVICE PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONS DURING PAST FIVE YEARS - ------------ -------------- -------------- -------------------------------------------- Thomas J. Fetter President Since 7/2/02 Vice President of Eaton Vance and BMR. DOB: 8/20/43 Officer of 116 investment companies managed by Eaton Vance or BMR. Robert B. MacIntosh Vice President Since 7/2/02 Vice President of Eaton Vance and BMR. DOB: 1/22/57 Officer of 115 investment companies managed by Eaton Vance or BMR. Alan R. Dynner Secretary Since 7/2/02 Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal DOB: 10/10/40 Officer of BMR, Eaton Vance, EVD and EVC. Officer of 179 investment companies managed by Eaton Vance or BMR. James L. O'Connor Treasurer Since 7/2/02 Vice President of BMR, Eaton Vance and EVD. DOB: 4/1/45 Officer of 179 investment companies managed by Eaton Vance or BMR.
The Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fund is comprised of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Fund as that term is defined under the 1940 Act ("noninterested Trustees"). The purpose of the Committee is to recommend to the Board nominees for the position of noninterested Trustee and to assure that at least a majority of the Board of Trustees is comprised of noninterested Trustees of the Fund. The Trustees will, when a vacancy exists or is anticipated, consider any nominee for Trustee recommended by a shareholder if such recommendation is submitted to the Trustees in writing and contains sufficient background information concerning the individual to enable a proper judgment to be made as to such individual's qualifications. Messrs. Dwight (Chairman), Hayes and Reamer are members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The Audit Committee's functions include making recommendations to the Trustees regarding the selection and performance of the independent accountants, and reviewing matters relative to accounting and auditing practices and procedures, accounting records, and the internal accounting controls, of the Fund, and certain service providers. Messrs. Dwight, Hayes and Reamer and Ms. Stout are members of the Special Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Fund. The purpose of the Special Committee is to consider, evaluate and make B-11 recommendations to the full Board of Trustees concerning (i) all contractual arrangements with service providers to the Fund, including investment advisory, administrative, transfer agency, custodial and fund accounting and distribution services, and (ii) all other matters in which Eaton Vance or its affiliates has any actual or potential conflict of interest with the Fund. As of the date of this SAI, the Committees had not held any meetings. In reviewing the approval of the investment advisory agreement between the Fund and the investment adviser, the noninterested Trustees considered, among other things, the following: - A report comparing the fees and expenses of the Fund to a peer group of funds; - Information on the relevant peer group(s) of funds and appropriate indices; - The economic outlook and the general investment outlook in the relevant investment markets; - Eaton Vance's results and financial condition and the overall organization of the investment adviser; - Arrangements regarding the distribution of Fund shares; - The procedures used to determine the fair value of the Fund's assets; - The allocation of brokerage, including allocations to soft dollar brokerage and allocations to firms that sell Eaton Vance fund shares; - Eaton Vance's management of the relationship with the custodian, subcustodians and fund accountants; - The resources devoted to Eaton Vance's compliance efforts undertaken on behalf of the funds it manages and the record of compliance with the investment policies and restrictions and with policies on personal securities transactions; - The quality nature, cost and character of the administrative and other non-investment management services provided by Eaton Vance and its affiliates; - Investment management staffing; - Operating expenses (including transfer agency expenses) to be paid to third parties; and - Information to be provided to investors, including Fund's shareholders. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the noninterested Trustees also reviewed the level of the investment adviser's profits in respect of the management of the Eaton Vance funds, including the Fund. The noninterested Trustees considered the profits realized by Eaton Vance and its affiliates in connection with the operation of the Fund. The noninterested Trustees also considered Eaton Vance's profit margins in comparison with available industry data. The noninterested Trustees did not consider any single factor as controlling in determining whether or not to approve the investment advisory agreement(s). Nor are the items described herein all encompassing of the matters considered by the noninterested Trustees. In assessing the information provided by Eaton Vance and its affiliates, the noninterested Trustees also took into consideration the benefits to shareholders of investing in a fund that is part of large family of funds which provides a large variety of shareholder services. Based on their consideration of all factors that it deemed material and assisted by the advice of its independent counsel, the noninterested Trustees concluded that the approval of the investment advisory agreement(s), including the fee structure (described herein) is in the interests of shareholders. B-12 Share Ownership. The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Fund and all Eaton Vance Funds overseen by the Trustee as of December 31, 2001.
AGGREGATE DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY SECURITIES OWNED DOLLAR RANGE OF IN ALL REGISTERED FUNDS EQUITY SECURITIES OVERSEEN BY TRUSTEE IN THE NAME OF TRUSTEE OWNED IN THE FUND EATON VANCE FUND COMPLEX - --------------- ----------------- -------------------------- Interested Trustees Jessica M. Bibliowicz....................... None $10,001 - $50,000 James B. Hawkes............................. None over $100,000 Noninterested Trustees Donald R. Dwight............................ None over $100,000 Samuel L. Hayes, III........................ None over $100,000 Norton H. Reamer............................ None over $100,000 Lynn A. Stout............................... None $10,001 - $50,000
As of December 31, 2001, no noninterested Trustee or any of their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any class of securities of EVC, EVD or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD. During the calendar years ended December 31, 2000 and December 31, 2001, no noninterested Trustee (or their immediate family members) had: 1. Any direct or indirect interest in Eaton Vance, EVC, EVD or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD; 2. Any direct or indirect material interest in any transaction or series of similar transactions with (i) the Trust or any Fund; (ii) another fund managed by EVC, distributed by EVD or a person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD; (iii) EVC or EVD; (iv) a person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD; or (v) an officer of any of the above; or 3. Any direct or indirect relationship with (i) the Trust or any Fund; (ii) another fund managed by EVC, distributed by EVD or a person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD; (iii) EVC or EVD; (iv) a person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD; or (v) an officer of any of the above. During the calendar years ended December 31, 2000 and December 31, 2001, no officer of EVC, EVD or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with EVC or EVD served on the Board of Directors of a company where a noninterested Trustee of the Fund or any of their immediate family members served as an officer. Trustees of the Fund who are not affiliated with the Adviser may elect to defer receipt of all or a percentage of their annual fees in accordance with the terms of a Trustees Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Trustees' Plan"). Under the Trustees' Plan, an eligible Trustee may elect to have his deferred fees invested by the Fund in the shares of one or more funds in the Eaton Vance Family of Funds, and the amount paid to the Trustees under the Trustees' Plan will be determined based upon the performance of such investments. Deferral of Trustees' fees in accordance with the Trustees' Plan will have a negligible effect on the Fund's assets, liabilities, and net income per share, and will not obligate the Fund to retain the services of any Trustee or obligate the Fund to pay any particular level of compensation to the Trustee. The Fund does not have a retirement plan for its Trustees. The fees and expenses of the noninterested Trustees of the Fund are paid by the Fund. (The Trustees of the Fund who are members of the Eaton Vance organization receive no compensation from the Fund.) During the Fund's fiscal year ending October 31, 2002, it is anticipated that the noninterested Trustees of the Fund will earn the following compensation in their capacities as Trustees. For the year ended B-13 December 31, 2001, the noninterested Trustees earned the compensation set forth below in their capacities as Trustees from the funds in the Eaton Vance fund complex (1).
JESSICA M. DONALD R. SAMUEL L. NORTON H. LYNN A. SOURCE OF COMPENSATION BIBLIOWICZ DWIGHT HAYES, III REAMER STOUT - ---------------------- ---------- --------- ---------- --------- -------- Fund*................................. $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 $ 200 Fund Complex.......................... $160,000 $162,500(2) $170,000 $160,000 $160,000(3)
- --------------- * Estimated (1) As of August 1, 2002, the Eaton Vance fund complex consisted of 179 registered investment companies or series thereof. (2) Includes $60,000 of deferred compensation. (3) Includes $16,000 of deferred compensation. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES Eaton Vance, its affiliates and its predecessor companies have been managing assets of individuals and institutions since 1924 and of investment companies since 1931. They maintain a large staff of experienced fixed-income and equity investment professionals to service the needs of their clients. The fixed-income division focuses on all kinds of taxable investment-grade and high-yield securities, tax-exempt investment-grade and high-yield securities, and U.S. Government securities. The equity division covers stocks ranging from blue chip to emerging growth companies. Eaton Vance and its affiliates act as adviser to a family of mutual funds, and individual and various institutional accounts, including corporations, hospitals, retirement plans, universities, foundations and trusts. The Fund will be responsible for all of its costs and expenses not expressly stated to be payable by Eaton Vance under the Advisory Agreement or Administration Agreement. Such costs and expenses to be borne by the Fund include, without limitation: custody and transfer agency fees and expenses, including those incurred for determining net asset value and keeping accounting books and records; expenses of pricing and valuation services; the cost of share certificates; membership dues in investment company organizations; expenses of acquiring, holding and disposing of securities and other investments; fees and expenses of registering under the securities laws, stock exchange listing fees and governmental fees; rating agency fees and preferred share remarketing expenses; expenses of reports to shareholders, proxy statements and other expenses of shareholders' meetings; insurance premiums; printing and mailing expenses; interest, taxes and corporate fees; legal and accounting expenses; compensation and expenses of Trustees not affiliated with Eaton Vance; expenses of conducting repurchase offers for the purpose of repurchasing Fund shares; and investment advisory and administration fees. The Fund will also bear expenses incurred in connection with any litigation in which the Fund is a party and any legal obligation to indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect thereto, to the extent not covered by insurance. The Advisory Agreement with the Adviser continues in effect to March 31, 2004 and from year to year so long as such continuance is approved at least annually (i) by the vote of a majority of the noninterested Trustees of the Fund or of the Adviser cast in person at a meeting specifically called for the purpose of voting on such approval and (ii) by the Board of Trustees of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding interests of the Fund. The Fund's Administration Agreement continues in effect from year to year so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Fund's Trustees. Each agreement may be terminated at any time without penalty on sixty (60) days' written notice by the Trustees of the Fund or Eaton Vance, as applicable, or by vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Each agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. Each agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations or duties to the Fund under such agreements on the part of Eaton Vance, Eaton Vance shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss incurred, to the extent not covered by insurance. B-14 Eaton Vance is a business trust organized under Massachusetts law. EV serves as trustee of Eaton Vance. Eaton Vance and EV are subsidiaries of EVC, a Maryland corporation and publicly-held holding company. EVC through its subsidiaries and affiliates engages primarily in investment management, administration and marketing activities. The Directors of EVC are James B. Hawkes, John G. L. Cabot, Thomas E. Faust Jr., Leo I. Higdon, Jr., John M. Nelson, Vincent M. O'Reilly and Ralph Z. Sorenson. All shares of the outstanding Voting Common Stock of EVC are deposited in a voting trust, the voting trustees of which are Messrs. James B. Hawkes, Jeffrey P. Beale, Alan R. Dynner, Thomas E. Faust, Jr., Thomas J. Fetter, Scott H. Page, Duncan W. Richardson, William M. Steul, Payson F. Swaffield, Michael W. Weilheimer and Wharton P. Whitaker (all of whom are officers of Eaton Vance). The voting trustees have unrestricted voting rights for the election of Directors of EVC. All of the outstanding voting trust receipts issued under said voting trust are owned by certain of the officers of BMR and Eaton Vance who are also officers, or officers and Directors of EVC and EV. As indicated under "Trustees and Officers", all of the officers of the Fund (as well as Mr. Hawkes who is also a Trustee) hold positions in the Eaton Vance organization. EVC and its affiliates and their officers and employees from time to time have transactions with various banks, including the custodian of the Fund, IBT. It is Eaton Vance's opinion that the terms and conditions of such transactions were not and will not be influenced by existing or potential custodial or other relationships between the Fund and such banks. Code of Ethics. The investment adviser and the Fund have adopted a Code of Ethics governing personal securities transactions. Under the Code, Eaton Vance employees may purchase and sell securities (including securities held by the Fund) subject to certain pre-clearance and reporting requirements and other procedures. Investment Advisory Services. Under the general supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees, Eaton Vance will carry out the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund, will furnish continuously an investment program with respect to the Fund, will determine which securities should be purchased, sold or exchanged, and will implement such determinations. Eaton Vance will furnish to the Fund investment advice and provide related office facilities and personnel for servicing the investments of the Fund. Eaton Vance will compensate all Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of the Eaton Vance organization and who render investment services to the Fund, and will also compensate all other Eaton Vance personnel who provide research and investment services to the Fund. Administrative Services. Under the Administration Agreement, Eaton Vance is responsible for managing the business affairs of the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees. Eaton Vance will furnish to the Fund all office facilities, equipment and personnel for administering the affairs of the Fund. Eaton Vance will compensate all Trustees and officers of the Fund who are members of the Eaton Vance organization and who render executive and administrative services to the Fund, and will also compensate all other Eaton Vance personnel who perform management and administrative services for the Fund. Eaton Vance's administrative services include recordkeeping, preparation and filing of documents required to comply with federal and state securities laws, supervising the activities of the Fund's custodian and transfer agent, providing assistance in connection with the Trustees and shareholders' meetings, providing services in connection with quarterly repurchase offers and other administrative services necessary to conduct the Fund's business. DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE The net asset value per Share of the Fund is determined no less frequently than weekly, generally on the last day of the week that the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open for trading, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time). The Fund's net asset value per Share is determined by IBT, in the manner authorized by the Trustees of the Fund. Net asset value is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets, less its liabilities by the number of shares outstanding. B-15 Inasmuch as the market for municipal obligations is a dealer market with no central trading location or continuous quotation system, it is not feasible to obtain last transaction prices for most municipal obligations held by the Fund, and such obligations, including those purchased on a when-issued basis, will normally be valued on the basis of valuations furnished by a pricing service. The pricing service uses information with respect to transactions in bonds, quotations from bond dealers, market transactions in comparable securities, various relationships between securities, and yield to maturity in determining value. Taxable obligations for which price quotations are readily available normally will be valued at the mean between the latest available bid and asked prices. Open futures positions on debt securities are valued at the most recent settlement prices, unless such price does not reflect the fair value of the contract, in which case the positions will be valued by or at the direction of the Trustees. Other assets are valued at fair value using methods determined in good faith by the Trustees. PORTFOLIO TRADING Decisions concerning the execution of portfolio security transactions, including the selection of the market and the executing firm, are made by the Adviser. The Adviser is also responsible for the execution of transactions for all other accounts managed by it. The Adviser places the portfolio security transactions of the Fund and of all other accounts managed by it for execution with many firms. The Adviser uses its best efforts to obtain execution of portfolio security transactions at prices which are advantageous to the Fund and at reasonably competitive spreads or (when a disclosed commission is being charged) at reasonably competitive commission rates. In seeking such execution, the Adviser will use its best judgment in evaluating the terms of a transaction, and will give consideration to various relevant factors, including without limitation the full range and quality of the executing firm's services, the value of the brokerage and research services provided, the responsiveness of the firm to the Adviser, the size and type of the transaction, the nature and character of the market for the security, the confidentiality, speed and certainty of effective execution required for the transaction, the general execution and operational capabilities of the executing firm, the reputation, reliability, experience and financial condition of the firm, the value and quality of the services rendered by the firm in this and other transactions, and the reasonableness of the spread or commission, if any. Municipal obligations, including state obligations, purchased and sold by the Fund are generally traded in the over-the-counter market on a net basis (i.e., without commission) through broker-dealers and banks acting for their own account rather than as brokers, or otherwise involve transactions directly with the issuer of such obligations. Such firms attempt to profit from such transactions by buying at the bid price and selling at the higher asked price of the market for such obligations, and the difference between the bid and asked price is customarily referred to as the spread. The Fund may also purchase municipal obligations from underwriters, and dealers in fixed price offerings, the cost of which may include undisclosed fees and concessions to the underwriters. On occasion it may be necessary or appropriate to purchase or sell a security through a broker on an agency basis, in which case the Fund will incur a brokerage commission. Although spreads or commissions on portfolio security transactions will, in the judgment of the Adviser, be reasonable in relation to the value of the services provided, spreads or commissions exceeding those which another firm might charge may be paid to firms who were selected to execute transactions on behalf of the Fund and the Adviser's other clients for providing brokerage and research services to the Adviser. As authorized in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a broker or dealer who executes a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Fund may receive a commission which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that such compensation was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided. This determination may be made on the basis of that particular transaction or on the basis of overall responsibilities which the Adviser and its affiliates have for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. In making any such determination, the Adviser will not attempt to place a specific dollar value on the brokerage and research services provided or to determine what portion of the commission should be related to such services. Brokerage and research services may B-16 include advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement); and the "Research Services" referred to in the next paragraph. It is a common practice of the investment advisory industry and of the advisers of investment companies, institutions and other investors to receive research, analytical, statistical and quotation services, data, information and other services, products and materials which assist such advisers in the performance of their investment responsibilities ("Research Services") from broker-dealer firms which execute portfolio transactions for the clients of such advisers and from third parties with which such broker-dealers have arrangements. Consistent with this practice, the Adviser receives Research Services from many broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser places the Fund's transactions and from third parties with which these broker-dealers have arrangements. These Research Services include such matters as general economic, political, business and market information, industry and company reviews, evaluations of securities and portfolio strategies and transactions, proxy voting data and analysis services, technical analysis of various aspects of the securities market, recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities and other portfolio transactions, financial, industry and trade publications, news and information services, pricing and quotation equipment and services, and research oriented computer hardware, software, data bases and services. Any particular Research Service obtained through a broker-dealer may be used by the Adviser in connection with client accounts other than those accounts which pay commissions to such broker-dealer. Any such Research Service may be broadly useful and of value to the Adviser in rendering investment advisory services to all or a significant portion of its clients, or may be relevant and useful for the management of only one client's account or of a few clients' accounts, or may be useful for the management of merely a segment of certain clients' accounts, regardless of whether any such account or accounts paid commissions to the broker-dealer through which such Research Service was obtained. The advisory fee paid by the Fund is not reduced because the Adviser receives such Research Services. The Adviser evaluates the nature and quality of the various Research Services obtained through broker-dealer firms and attempts to allocate sufficient portfolio security transactions to such firms to ensure the continued receipt of Research Services which the Adviser believes are useful or of value to it in rendering investment advisory services to its clients. The Fund and the Adviser may also receive Research Services from underwriters and dealers in fixed-price offerings, which Research Services are reviewed and evaluated by the Adviser in connection with its investment responsibilities. The investment companies sponsored by the Adviser or its affiliates may allocate trades in such offerings to acquire information relating to the performance, fees and expenses of such companies and other mutual funds, which information is used by the Trustees of such companies to fulfill their responsibility to oversee the quality of the services provided by various entities, including the Adviser, to such companies. Such companies may also pay cash for such information. Subject to the requirement that the Adviser shall use its best efforts to seek and execute portfolio security transactions at advantageous prices and at reasonably competitive spreads or commission rates, the Adviser is authorized to consider as a factor in the selection of any broker-dealer firm with whom portfolio orders may be placed the fact that such firm has sold or is selling shares of the Fund or of other investment companies sponsored by the Adviser. This policy is not inconsistent with a rule of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), which rule provides that no firm which is a member of the NASD shall favor or disfavor the distribution of shares of any particular investment company or group of investment companies on the basis of brokerage commissions received or expected by such firm from any source. Municipal obligations considered as investments for the Fund may also be appropriate for other investment accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Whenever decisions are made to buy or sell securities by the Fund and one or more of such other accounts simultaneously, the Adviser will allocate the security transactions (including "hot" issues) in a manner which it believes to be equitable under the circumstances. As a result of such allocations, there may be instances where the Fund will not participate B-17 in a transaction that is allocated among other accounts. If an aggregated order cannot be filled completely, allocations will generally be made on a pro rata basis. An order may not be allocated on a pro rata basis where, for example: (i) consideration is given to portfolio managers who have been instrumental in developing or negotiating a particular investment; (ii) consideration is given to an account with specialized investment policies that coincide with the particulars of a specific investment; (iii) pro rata allocation would result in odd-lot or de minimis amounts being allocated to a portfolio or other client; or (iv) where the Adviser reasonably determines that departure from a pro rata allocation is advisable. While these aggregation and allocation policies could have a detrimental effect on the price or amount of the securities available to the Fund from time to time, it is the opinion of the Trustees of the Fund that the benefits from the Adviser's organization outweigh any disadvantage that may arise from exposure to simultaneous transactions. TAXES The following discussion of federal income tax matters is based on the advice of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP, counsel to the Fund. The Fund has elected to be treated and intends to qualify each year as a RIC under the Code. Accordingly, the Fund intends to satisfy certain requirements relating to sources of its income and diversification of its assets and to distribute substantially all of its net income (including tax-exempt income) and net short-term and long-term capital gains (after reduction by any available capital loss carryforwards) in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code, so as to maintain its RIC status and to avoid paying any federal income or excise tax. To the extent it qualifies for treatment as a RIC and satisfies the above-mentioned distribution requirements, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income paid to its shareholders in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions. In order to avoid incurring a federal excise tax obligation, the Code requires that the Fund distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not including tax-exempt income) for such year, (ii) at least 98% of its capital gain net income (which is the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses), generally computed on the basis of the one-year period ending on October 31 of such year, after reduction by any available capital loss carryforwards and (iii) 100% of any income and capital gains from the prior year (as previously computed) that were not paid out during such year and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax. Under current law, provided that the Fund qualifies as a RIC for federal income tax purposes, the Fund should not be liable for any income, corporate excise or franchise tax in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. If the Fund does not qualify as a RIC for any taxable year, the Fund's taxable income will be subject to corporate income taxes, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including distributions of net capital gain (if any), will be taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income. In addition, in order to requalify for taxation as a RIC, the Fund may be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make certain distributions. The Fund's investment in zero coupon and certain other securities will cause it to realize income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to these securities. Such income will be accrued daily by the Fund and, in order to avoid a tax payable by the Fund, the Fund may be required to liquidate securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold in order to generate cash so that the Fund may make required distributions to its shareholders. Investments in lower-rated or unrated securities may present special tax issues for the Fund to the extent that the issuers of these securities default on their obligations pertaining thereto. The Code is not entirely clear regarding the federal income tax consequences of the Fund's taking certain positions in connection with ownership of such distressed securities. Distributions by the Fund of net tax-exempt interest income that are properly designated as "exempt-interest dividends" may be treated by shareholders as interest excludable from gross income under B-18 Section 103(a) of the Code. In order for the Fund to be entitled to pay exempt-interest dividends to its shareholders, the Fund must and intends to satisfy certain requirements, including the requirement that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of obligations the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax under Code Section 103(a). Interest on certain municipal obligations is treated as a tax preference item for purposes of the AMT. In addition, corporate shareholders must include the full amount of exempt-interest dividends in computing the preference items for the purposes of the AMT. Shareholders of the Fund are required to report tax-exempt interest on their federal income tax returns. Tax-exempt distributions received from the Fund are taken into account in determining, and may increase, the portion of social security and certain railroad retirement benefits that may be subject to federal income tax. Interest on indebtedness incurred or continued by a shareholder to purchase or carry shares of the Fund is not deductible to the extent it is deemed related to the Fund's distributions of tax-exempt interest. Further, entities or persons who are "substantial users" (or persons related to "substantial users") of facilities financed by industrial development or private activity bonds should consult their tax advisers before purchasing shares of the Fund. "Substantial user" is defined in applicable Treasury regulations to include a "non-exempt person" who regularly uses in its trade or business a part of a facility financed from the proceeds of industrial development bonds, and the same definition should apply in the case of private activity bonds. Any recognized gain or income attributable to market discount on long-term tax-exempt municipal obligations (i.e., obligations with a term of more than one year) purchased after April 30, 1993 (except to the extent of a portion of the discount attributable to original issue discount), is taxable as ordinary income. A long-term debt obligation is generally treated as acquired at a market discount if purchased after its original issue at a price less than (i) the stated principal amount payable at maturity, in the case of an obligation that does not have original issue discount or (ii) in the case of an obligation that does have original issue discount, the sum of the issue price and any original issue discount that accrued before the obligation was purchased, subject to a de minimis exclusion. From time to time proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the federal income tax exemption for interest on certain types of municipal obligations, and it can be expected that similar proposals may be introduced in the future. In the course of managing its investments, the Fund may realize some short-term and long-term capital gains (and/or losses) as well as other taxable income. Any distributions by the Fund of such capital gains (after reduction by any capital loss carryforwards) or other taxable income would be taxable to shareholders of the Fund. However, it is expected that such amounts, if any, would normally be insubstantial in relation to the tax-exempt interest earned by the Fund and allocated to the Fund. The Fund's investments in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts (to the extent permitted) and certain other transactions will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale, short sale and other rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer Fund losses, cause adjustments in the holding periods of Fund securities, convert capital gain into ordinary income and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to investors. The Fund may have to limit its activities in options and futures contracts in order to enable it to maintain its RIC status. Any loss realized upon the sale or exchange of Fund shares with a tax holding period of 6 months or less will be disallowed to the extent of any distributions treated as tax-exempt interest with respect to such shares, and if the loss exceeds the disallowed amount, will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions treated as long-term capital gain with respect to such shares. In addition, all or a portion of a loss realized on a redemption or other disposition of Fund shares may be disallowed under "wash sale" rules to the extent the shareholder acquires other shares of the same Fund (whether through B-19 the reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within the period beginning 30 days before the redemption of the loss shares and ending 30 days after such date. Any disallowed loss will result in an adjustment to the shareholder's tax basis in some or all of the other shares acquired. Sales charges paid upon a purchase of shares cannot be taken into account for purposes of determining gain or loss on a sale of the shares before the 91st day after their purchase to the extent a sales charge is reduced or eliminated in a subsequent acquisition of shares of the Fund (or of another fund) pursuant to the reinvestment or exchange privilege. Any disregarded amounts will result in an adjustment to the shareholder's tax basis in some or all of any other shares acquired. Dividends and distributions on the Fund's shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund's realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder's investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's net asset value reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Such realized gains may be required to be distributed even when the Fund's net asset value also reflects unrealized losses. Certain distributions declared in October, November or December and paid in the following January will be taxed to shareholders as if received on December 31 of the year in which they were declared. Amounts paid by the Fund to individuals and certain other shareholders who have not provided the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") and certain certifications required by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as well as shareholders with respect to whom the Fund has received certain information from the IRS or a broker, may be subject to "backup" withholding of federal income tax arising from the Fund's taxable dividends and other distributions as well as the proceeds of redemption transactions (including repurchases and exchanges), at a rate of up to 30% for amounts paid during 2002 and 2003. An individual's TIN is generally his or her social security number. The foregoing discussion does not address the special tax rules applicable to certain classes of investors, such as tax-exempt entities, foreign investors, insurance companies and financial institutions. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with respect to special tax rules that may apply in their particular situations, as well as the state, local, and, where applicable, foreign tax consequences of investing in the Fund. If the Fund issues preferred shares, the Fund will designate dividends made to holders of Shares and to holders of those preferred shares in accordance with each class's proportionate share of each item of Fund income (such as tax-exempt interest, net capital gains and other taxable income). The Fund is not appropriate for non-U.S. investors or as a retirement plan investment. State and Local Taxes. The exemption of interest income for federal income tax purposes does not necessarily result in exemption under the income or other tax laws of any state or local taxing authority. Shareholders of the Fund may be exempt from state and local taxes on distributions of tax-exempt interest income derived from obligations of the state and/or municipalities of the state in which they are resident, but taxable generally on income derived from obligations of other jurisdictions. The Fund will report annually to shareholders the percentages representing the proportionate ratio of its net tax-exempt income earned in each state. The foregoing discussion does not address the special tax rules applicable to certain classes of investors, such as insurance companies and financial institutions. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with respect to special tax rules that may apply in their particular situations, as well as the state or local tax consequences of investing in the Fund. OTHER INFORMATION The Fund is an organization of the type commonly known as a "Massachusetts business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a trust may, in certain circumstances, be held personally liable as B-20 partners for the obligations of the trust. The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability in connection with the Fund property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification out of the Fund property of any shareholder held personally liable for the claims and liabilities to which a shareholder may become subject by reason of being or having been a shareholder. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself is unable to meet its obligations. The Fund has been advised by its counsel that the risk of any shareholder incurring any liability for the obligations of the Fund is remote. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Trustees will not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law; but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a Trustee against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office. Voting rights are not cumulative, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees and, in such event, the holders of the remaining less than 50% of the shares voting on the matter will not be able to elect any Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides that no person shall serve as a Trustee if shareholders holding two-thirds of the outstanding shares have removed him from that office either by a written declaration filed with the Fund's custodian or by votes cast at a meeting called for that purpose. The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trustees of the Fund shall promptly call a meeting of the shareholders for the purpose of voting upon a question of removal of any such Trustee or Trustees when requested in writing so to do by the record holders of not less than 10 per centum of the outstanding shares. The Fund's Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by its Rules and Regulations. INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Deloitte & Touche LLP, Boston, Massachusetts, are the independent auditors for the Fund, providing audit services, tax return preparation, and assistance and consultation with respect to the preparation of filings with the SEC. B-21 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT To the Trustees and Shareholder of Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund: We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund (the "Fund") as of August 19, 2002. This financial statement is the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this financial statement based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. In our opinion, such statement of assets and liabilities presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund as of August 19, 2002 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Boston, Massachusetts August 20, 2002 B-22 EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AUGUST 19, 2002 ASSETS Cash...................................................... $100.000 Offering Costs............................................ $400,000 -------- Total assets.............................................. $500,000 ======== LIABILITIES Accrued Offering Costs.................................... $400,000 -------- Total Liabilities......................................... $400,000 ======== Net assets applicable to 6,666.67 common shares of beneficial interests issued and outstanding............... $100,000 ======== NET ASSET VALUE AND OFFERING PRICE PER SHARE................ $ 15.00 ========
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT NOTE 1: ORGANIZATION The Fund was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on July 2, 2002, and has been inactive since that date except for matters relating to its organization and registration as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the sale of 6,666.67 common shares to Eaton Vance Management, the Fund's Investment Adviser. Eaton Vance Management, or an affiliate, has agreed to pay all organizational expenses and offering costs (other than sales loads) that exceed $0.03 per common share. The Fund's investment objective is to provide current income exempt from federal income tax, including alternative minimum tax. NOTE 2: ACCOUNTING POLICIES The Fund's financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America which require the use of management estimates. Actual results may differ from those estimates. The Fund's share of offering costs will be recorded as a reduction of the proceeds from the sale of common shares upon the commencement of Fund operations. The offering costs reflected above assume the sale of $13,333,333 common shares. NOTE 3: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Fund, the Fund has agreed to pay an investment advisory fee, payable on a monthly basis, at an annual rate of 0.65% of the average weekly gross assets of the Fund. Gross assets of the Fund shall be calculated by deducting accrued liabilities of the Fund not including the amount of any preferred shares outstanding or the principal amount of any indebtedness for money borrowed. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to reimburse the Fund for fees and expenses during the first 8 years of operations. These reductions range from 0.32% of the average weekly gross assets during the first year of operations, declining to 0.08% of the average weekly gross assets during the eighth B-23 year. The Adviser has not agreed to reimburse the Fund for any portion of its fees and expenses beyond this time. Eaton Vance serves as the administrator of the Fund, but currently receives no compensation for providing administrative services to the Fund. NOTE 4: FEDERAL INCOME TAXES The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute all of its taxable income, if any, and tax-exempt income, including any net realized gain on investments. B-24 APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS+ MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. MUNICIPAL BONDS Aaa: Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edged." Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues. Aa: Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long term risk appear somewhat larger than the Aaa securities. A: Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future. Baa: Bonds which are rated Baa are considered as medium-grade obligations (i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured). Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well. Ba: Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during other good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class. B: Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small. Caa: Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest. Ca: Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings. C: Bonds which are rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing. - --------------- + The ratings indicated herein are believed to be the most recent ratings available at the date of this SAI for the securities listed. Ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuance. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so, and the ratings indicated do not necessarily represent ratings which would be given to these securities on the date of the Fund's fiscal year end. Absence of Rating: Where no rating has been assigned or where a rating has been suspended or withdrawn, it may be for reasons unrelated to the quality of the issue. B-25 Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following: 1. An application for rating was not received or accepted. 2. The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities or companies that are not rated as a matter of policy. 3. There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer. 4. The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published in Moody's publications. Suspension or withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons. Note: Moody's applies numerical modifiers, 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through B in its municipal bond rating system. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of its generic rating category. MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM OBLIGATIONS MIG/VMIG RATINGS U.S. SHORT-TERM RATINGS: In municipal debt issuance, there are three rating categories for short-term obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Moody's Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels -- MIG 1 through MIG 3. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the demand feature, using the MIG rating scale. The short-term rating assigned to the demand feature of VRDOs is designated as VMIG. When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1. MIG ratings expire at note maturity. By contrast, VMIG rating expirations will be a function of each issue's specific structural or credit features. MIG 1/VMIG 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/VMIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group. MIG 3/VMIG 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 in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection. STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS GROUP INVESTMENT GRADE AAA: Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong. B-26 AA: Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree. A: Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories. BBB: Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibit adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than in higher rated categories. SPECULATIVE GRADE Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C is regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions. BB: Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payments. The BB rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BBB- rating. B: Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but currently has the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair capacity or willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BB or BB- rating. CCC: Debt rated CCC has a currently identifiable vulnerability to default, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet timely payment of interest and repayment of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied B or B- rating. CC: The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt which is assigned an actual or implied CCC debt rating. C: The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt which is assigned an actual or implied CCC- debt rating. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed, but debt service payments are continued. C1: The Rating C1 is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid. D: Debt rated D is in payment default. The D rating category is used when interest payments or principal payments are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized. PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): 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. P: The letter "p" indicates that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project being financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful and timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of, or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk. B-27 L: The letter "L" indicates that the rating pertains to the principal amount of those bonds to the extent that the underlying deposit collateral is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and interest is adequately collateralized. In the case of certificates of deposit, the letter "L" indicates that the deposit, combined with other deposits being held in the same right and capacity, will be honored for principal and accrued pre-default interest up to the federal insurance limits within 30 days after closing of the insured institution or, in the event that the deposit is assumed by a successor insured institution, upon maturity. NR: NR indicates no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular type of obligation as a matter of policy. MUNICIPAL NOTES S&P note ratings reflect the liquidity concerns and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in 3 years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond 3 years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment: - Amortization schedule (the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities the more likely it will be treated as a note). - Sources of payment (the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note). Note rating symbols are as follows: SP-1: Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess very strong characteristics will be 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. FITCH RATINGS INVESTMENT GRADE BOND RATINGS AAA: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events. AA: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated 'AAA'. Because bonds rated in the 'AAA' and 'AA' categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated 'F-1+'. A: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of high credit quality. The obligors ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings. BBB: Bonds considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds, and therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings. HIGH YIELD BOND RATINGS BB: Bonds are considered speculative. The obligor's ability to pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified that could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements. B-28 B: Bonds are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor's limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout the life of the issue. CCC: Bonds have certain identifiable characteristics which, if not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic environment. CC: Bonds are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest and/or principal seems probable over time. C: Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal. DDD, DD AND D: Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely speculative and should be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation or reorganization of the obligor. 'DDD' represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds, and 'D' represents the lowest potential for recovery. PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): The ratings from AA to C may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. NR: Indicates that Fitch does not rate the specific issue. CONDITIONAL: A conditional rating is premised on the successful completion of a project or the occurrence of a specific event. INVESTMENT GRADE SHORT-TERM RATINGS Fitch's short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on demand or have original maturities of generally up to three years, including commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment notes. F-1+: Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment. F-1: Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated 'F-1+'. F-2: Good Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have a satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payment, but the margin of safety is not as great as the 'F-1+' and 'F-1' categories. F-3: Fair Credit Quality. Issues carrying this rating have characteristics suggesting that the degree of assurance for timely payment is adequate, however, near-term adverse change could cause these securities to be rated below investment grade. * * * * * * * * Notes: Bonds which are unrated expose the investor to risks with respect to capacity to pay interest or repay principal which are similar to the risks of lower-rated speculative bonds. The Fund is dependent on the Investment Adviser's judgment, analysis and experience in the evaluation of such bonds. Investors should note that the assignment of a rating to a bond by a rating service may not reflect the effect of recent developments on the issuer's ability to make interest and principal payments. DESCRIPTION OF THE INSURANCE CLAIMS-PAYING ABILITY RATINGS OF STANDARD & POOR'S RATINGS GROUP AND MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. An S&P insurance claims-paying ability rating is an assessment of an operating insurance company's financial capacity to meet obligations under an insurance policy in accordance with the terms. An insurer with an insurance claims-paying ability of AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to honor B-29 insurance contracts is adjudged by S&P to be extremely strong and highly likely to remain so over a long period of time. A Moody's insurance claims-paying ability rating is an opinion of the ability of an insurance company to repay punctually senior policy holder obligations and claims. An insurer with an insurance claims-paying ability rating of Aaa is adjudged by Moody's to be of the best quality. In the opinion of Moody's, the policy obligations of an insurance company with an insurance claims-paying ability rating of Aaa carry the smallest degree of credit risk and, while the financial strength of the these companies is likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the company's fundamentally strong position. An insurance claims-paying ability rating by S&P or Moody's does not constitute an opinion on an specific contract in that such an opinion can only be rendered upon the review of the specific insurance contract. Furthermore, an insurance claims-paying ability rating does not take in account deductibles, surrender or cancellation penalties or the timeliness of payment; nor does it address the ability of a company to meet nonpolicy obligations (i.e., debt contracts). The assignment of ratings by S&P and Moody's to debt issues that are fully or partially supported by insurance policies, contracts, or guarantees is a separate process from the determination of claims-paying ability ratings. The likelihood of a timely flow of funds from the insurer to the trustee for the bondholders is a key element in the rating determination of such debt issues. B-30 APPENDIX B TAX EQUIVALENT YIELD TABLE The table below gives the approximate yield a taxable security must earn at various income brackets to produce after-tax yields equivalent to those of tax-exempt bonds yielding from 4% to 6% under the regular federal income tax law and tax rates applicable to individuals for 2002.
TAX FILING TAX RATES TAX-EXEMPT YIELD - ----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------------------------------ SINGLE JOINT FEDERAL STATE BLENDED 4.0% 4.5% 5.0% 5.5% 6.0% 6.5% 7.0% - ------------------------- ------------------------- ------- ----- ------- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ----- <=$6,000 <=$12,000 10.0% 0.00% 10.00% 4.44% 5.00% 5.56% 6.11% 6.67% 7.22% 7.78% >$6,000 <=$27,950 >$12,000 <=$46,700 15.0% 0.00% 15.00% 4.71% 5.29% 5.88% 6.47% 7.06% 7.65% 8.24% >$27,950 and <=$67,700 >$46,700 and <=$112,850 27.0% 0.00% 27.00% 5.48% 6.16% 6.85% 7.53% 8.22% 8.90% 9.59% >$67,750 and <=$141,250 >$112,850 and <=$171,950 30.0% 0.00% 30.00% 5.71% 6.43% 7.14% 7.86% 8.57% 9.29% 10.00% >$141,250 and <=$307,050 >$171,950 and <=$307,050 35.0% 0.00% 35.00% 6.15% 6.92% 7.69% 8.46% 9.23% 10.00% 10.77% >$307,050 >$307,050 38.6% 0.00% 38.60% 6.51% 7.33% 8.14% 8.96% 9.77% 10.59% 11.40%
- --------------- * Net amount subject to federal personal income tax after deductions and exemptions. The above indicated federal income tax brackets do not take into account the effect of a reduction in the deductibility of itemized deductions for individual taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $124,500. The tax brackets also do not show the effects of phaseout of personal exemptions for single filers with adjusted gross income in excess of $124,500 and joint filers with adjusted gross income in excess of $186,800. The effective tax brackets and equivalent taxable yields of those taxpayers will be higher than those indicated above. Yields shown are for illustration purposes only and are not meant to represent the Fund's actual yield. No assurance can be given that the Fund will achieve any specific tax-exempt yield. While it is expected that the Fund will invest principally in obligations the interest from which is exempt from the regular federal income tax, other income received by the Fund may be taxable. The table does not take into account state or local taxes, if any, payable on Fund distributions. It should also be noted that the interest earned on certain "private activity bonds", while exempt from the regular federal income tax, is treated as a tax preference item which could subject the recipient to the AMT. The illustrations assume that the AMT is not applicable and do not take into account any tax credits that may be available. The information set forth above is as of the date of this SAI. Subsequent tax law changes could result in prospective or retroactive changes in the tax brackets, tax rates, and tax-equivalent yields set forth above. Investors should consult their tax adviser for additional information. B-31 APPENDIX C U.S. TERRITORY INFORMATION PUERTO RICO. Puerto Rico has a diversified economy dominated by the manufacturing and service sectors. The North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA"), which became effective January 1, 1994, has led to loss of lower wage jobs such as textiles, but economic growth in other areas, particularly tourism, pharmaceuticals, construction and the high technology areas have compensated for that loss. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico differs from the states in its relationship with the federal government. Most federal taxes, except those such as social security taxes that are imposed by mutual consent, are not levied in Puerto Rico. Section 936 of the Code has provided a tax credit for certain qualified U.S. corporations electing "possessions corporation" status. However, in 1993, Section 936 was amended to provide for two alternative limitations on the Section 936 credit attributable to certain active business income. The first limitation was based on the economic activity of the Section 936 possessions corporation. The second limited the credit to a specified percentage of the credit allowed under prior law. In 1996, Section 936 credit was repealed except that the credit attributable to possessions source business income with respect to certain existing credit claimants was subjected to a phase out over a ten year period (subject to additional caps). Also in 1996, a new Section 30A was added to the Code. Section 30A permits a "qualifying domestic corporation" that meets certain gross income tests to claim a credit against the federal income tax in an amount equal to the portion of the tax which is attributable to the taxable income from sources outside of the United States, from the active conduct of a trade or business in Puerto Rico or from the sale of substantially all the assets used in such a trade or business. Section 30A will be phased out by January 1, 2006. The Governor of Puerto Rico proposed that Congress permanently extend Section 30A until the Puerto Rican economy achieves certain economic improvements. To date, however, no action has been taken. During the mid and late 1990s the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico benefited from a robust U.S. economy, more aggressive tax collections and low oil prices. This created an expanded employment base, job growth, reduction in unemployment, increase in tourism spending, real gross domestic product growth in the 3.1% to 3.5% range over the last 5 fiscal years and significant increases in General Fund cash balances from fiscal year end 1997 to fiscal year end 1999. These factors, combined with minimal negative impact to date from the 1996 federal legislation phasing out Section 936 tax benefits to Puerto Rico subsidiaries of U.S. corporations, created a positive outlook for the credit in the late 1990s. Despite the fact that there have been some high profile U.S. companies that have left the island partially due to the Section 936 phase out, many corporations have elected to convert to controlled foreign corporation ("CFC") status, which allows them to delay federal income taxes until the income is distributed to U.S. shareholders. In fiscal year 2000, the outlook on the credit turned negative due to the slowdown in the U.S. economy (88% of Puerto Rico's exports go to the U.S.), uncertainty regarding increasing oil prices, failure of the government to reign in health care costs, expense overruns in education and a decreasing rate of employment growth. As a result, the General Fund recorded a $268 million deficit in fiscal year 2000 due to increased education and health care spending. A new administration, the Popular Democratic Party that favors Puerto Rico's commonwealth status over a potential statehood status, took office in January 2001. It was not long before they realized the presence of continued fiscal stress and estimated a fiscal year 2001 budget shortfall of $700 million. The shortfall was stated to be caused by weakened revenue growth due to the slowing pace of employment and a softening U.S. economy. The major key to maintaining Puerto Rico's external ratings (Baa1/A- from Moody's and S&P, respectively) is the ability of the government to balance fiscal year 2002 performance after lackluster fiscal year 2001 results which necessitated deficit financing. Complicating matters is the uncertainty surrounding B-32 the negative effects on tourism caused by September 11th terrorist attacks and the scope and duration of the continued slowdown in the U.S. economy. THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. The United States Virgin Islands ("USVI") is heavily reliant on the tourism industry, with roughly 43% of non-agricultural employment in tourist-related trade and services. The tourism industry is economically sensitive and would likely be adversely affected by a recession in either the United States or Europe. The attacks of September 11, 2001 will likely have an adverse affect on tourism, the extent of which is unclear. An important component of the USVI revenue base is the federal excise tax on rum exports. Tax revenues rebated by the federal government to the USVI provide the primary security of many outstanding USVI bonds. Since more than 90% of the rum distilled in the USVI is distilled at one plant, any interruption in its operations (as occurred after Hurricane Hugo in 1989) would adversely affect these revenues. The last major hurricane to impact the USVI was Hurricane Marilyn on September 15, 1995. Consequently, there can be no assurance that rum exports to the United States and the rebate of tax revenues to the USVI will continue at their present levels. The preferential tariff treatment the USVI rum industry currently enjoys could be reduced under NAFTA. Increased competition from Mexican rum producers could reduce USVI rum imported to the U.S., decreasing excise tax revenues generated. The USVI is periodically hit by hurricanes. Several hurricanes have caused extensive damage, which has had a negative impact on revenue collections. There is currently no rated, unenhanced Virgin Islands debt outstanding (although there is unrated debt outstanding). In addition, eventual elimination of the Section 936 tax credit for those companies with operations in USVI may lead to slower growth in the future. GUAM. The U.S. territory of Guam derives a substantial portion of its economic base from Japanese tourism. With a reduced U.S. military presence on the island, Guam has relied more heavily on tourism in past years. During 1998, the Japanese recession combined with the impact of typhoon Paka resulted in a budget deficit of $21 million. With hotels alone accounting for 8.5% of Guam's employment and Japanese tourists comprising 86% of total visitor arrivals, the Japanese recession and depreciation of the yen versus the dollar earlier this year have had a negative impact on the island's economy in 1998. Based on these factors, S&P downgraded Guam's rating to BBB- from BBB with a negative outlook on May 26, 1999. Although total visitors improved in 1999 and 2000, they were weakened by economic slowdowns and the effects of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. These negative trends have had an unfavorable effect on Guam's financial position with consistent general fund deficits from 1997-1999 and a small surplus in 2000. Fiscal year 2001 is expected to be worse than fiscal year 2000. Guam also has a high debt burden. These factors caused S&P to downgrade Guam's rating to BB (below investment grade) from BBB- on March 25, 2002. Guam is not rated by Moody's. B-33 APPENDIX D DESCRIPTION OF INSURERS The following information relates to the Fund and supplements the information contained under "Additional Information about Investment Policies -- Insurance." In General. Insured obligations held by the Fund will be insured as to their scheduled payment of principal and interest under (i) an insurance policy obtained by the issuer or underwriter of the obligation at the time of its original issuance ("Issue Insurance"), (ii) an insurance policy obtained by the Fund or a third party subsequent to the obligation's original issuance ("Secondary Market Insurance") or (iii) a municipal insurance policy purchased by the Fund ("Portfolio Insurance"). The Fund anticipates that all or substantially all of its insured obligations will be subject to Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance. Although the insurance feature reduces certain financial risks, the premiums for Portfolio Insurance (which, if purchased by the Fund, are paid from the Fund's assets) and the higher market price paid for obligations covered by Issue Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance reduce the Fund's current yield. Insurance will cover the timely payment of interest and principal on obligations and will be obtained from insurers with a claims-paying ability rated Aaa by Moody's or AAA by S&P or Fitch. Obligations insured by any insurer with such a claims-paying ability rating will generally carry the same rating or credit risk as the insurer. See Appendix A for a brief description of Moody's, Fitch's and S&P's claims-paying ability ratings. Such insurers must guarantee the timely payment of all principal and interest on obligations as they become due. Such insurance may, however, provide that in the event of non-payment of interest or principal when due with respect to an insured obligation, the insurer is not obligated to make such payment until a specified time period has lapsed (which may be 30 days or more after it has been notified by the Fund that such non-payment has occurred). For these purposes, a payment of principal is due only at final maturity of the obligation and not at the time any earlier sinking fund payment is due. While the insurance will guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest, it does not guarantee the market value of the obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. Obligations are generally eligible to be insured under Portfolio Insurance if, at the time of purchase by the Fund, they are identified separately or by category in qualitative guidelines furnished by the mutual fund insurer and are in compliance with the aggregate limitations on amounts set forth in such guidelines. Premium variations are based, in part, on the rating of the obligations being insured at the time the Fund purchases the obligations. The insurer may prospectively withdraw particular obligations from the classifications of securities eligible for insurance or change the aggregate amount limitation of each issue or category of eligible obligations. The insurer must, however, continue to insure the full amount of the obligations previously acquired which the insurer has indicated are eligible for insurance, so long as they continue to be held by the Fund. The qualitative guidelines and aggregate amount limitations established by the insurer from time to time will not necessarily be the same as those the Fund would use to govern selection of obligations for the Fund. Therefore, from time to time such guidelines and limitations may affect investment decisions in the event the Fund's securities are insured by Portfolio Insurance. For Portfolio Insurance that terminates upon the sale of the insured security, the insurance does not have any effect on the resale value of such security. Therefore, the Fund will generally retain any insured obligations which are in default or, in the judgment of the Investment Adviser, are in significant risk of default and place a value on the insurance. This value will be equal to the difference between the market value of the defaulted insured obligations and the market value of similar obligations which are not in default. As a result, the Investment Adviser may be unable to manage the securities held by the Fund to the extent the Fund holds defaulted insured obligations, which will limit its ability in certain circumstances to purchase other obligations. While a defaulted insured obligation is held by the Fund, the Fund will continue to pay the insurance premium thereon but will also collect interest payments from the insurer and retain the right to collect the full amount of principal from the insurer when the insured obligation becomes due. The Fund expects that the market value of a defaulted insured obligation covered by Issue B-34 Insurance or Secondary Market Insurance will generally be greater than the market value of an otherwise comparable defaulted obligation covered by Portfolio Insurance. The Fund may also invest in obligations that are secured by an escrow or trust account which contains securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and sufficient in amount to ensure the payment of interest on and principal of the secured obligation ("collateralized obligations"). Collateralized obligations generally are regarded as having the credit characteristics of the underlying U.S. Government, agency or instrumentality securities. These obligations will not be subject to Issue Insurance, Secondary Market Insurance or Portfolio Insurance. Accordingly, despite the existence of these credit support characteristics, these obligations will not be considered to be insured obligations for purposes of the Fund's policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in insured obligations. Principal Insurers. Currently, Municipal Bond Investors Assurance Corporation ("MBIA"), Financial Guaranty Insurance Company ("FGIC"), AMBAC Indemnity Corporation ("AMBAC"), ACA, Radian Asset Assurance ("Radian"), XL Capital Assurance ("XL Capital"), CDC IXIS Financial Guaranty North America, Inc. ("CIFG NA") and Financial Security Assurance Corp., together with its affiliated insurance companies -- Financial Security Assurance International Inc. and Financial Security Assurance of Oklahoma, Inc. (collectively, "FSA"), are considered to have a high claims-paying ability and, therefore, are eligible insurers for the Fund's obligations. Additional insurers may be added without further notification. The following information concerning these eligible insurers is based upon information provided by such insurers or information filed with certain state insurance regulators. Neither the Fund has independently verified such information and make no representations as to the accuracy and adequacy of such information or as to the absence of material adverse changes subsequent to the date thereof. MBIA is a monoline financial guaranty insurance company created from an unincorporated association (the Municipal Bond Insurance Association), through which its members wrote municipal bond insurance on a several and joint-basis through 1986. On January 5, 1990, MBIA acquired all of the outstanding stock of Bond Investors Group, Inc., the parent of Bond Investors Guaranty Insurance Company ("BIG"), which has subsequently changed its name to MBIA Insurance Corp. of Illinois. Through a reinsurance agreement, BIG ceded all of its net insured risks, as well as its related unearned premium and contingency reserves, to MBIA. MBIA issues municipal bond insurance policies guarantying the timely payment of principal and interest on new municipal bond issues and leasing obligations of municipal entities, secondary market insurance of such instruments and insurance on such instruments held in unit investment trusts and mutual funds. As of December 31, 2001, MBIA had total assets of approximately $16.12 billion and qualified statutory capital of approximately $4.8 billion. MBIA has a claims-paying ability rating of "AAA" by S&P and "Aaa" by Moody's. Financial Guaranty Insurance Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of FGIC Corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Electric Capital Corporation, is an insurer of municipal securities, including new issues, securities held in unit investment trusts and mutual funds, and those traded on secondary markets. The investors in FGIC Corporation are not obligated to pay the debts of or claims against FGIC. As of December 31, 2000, FGIC had total assets of approximately $2.75 billion and qualified statutory capital of approximately $1.99 billion. FGIC has a claims-paying ability rating of "AAA" by S&P and Fitch, and "Aaa" by Moody's. AMBAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of AMBAC Inc., is a monoline insurance company whose policies guaranty the payment of principal and interest on municipal obligations issues. As of December 31, 2001, AMBAC had assets of approximately $12.26 billion and qualified statutory capital of approximately $3.26 billion. AMBAC has a claims-paying ability rating of "AAA" by S&P and "Aaa" by Moody's. ACA is a Maryland domiciled financial insurance company. ACA is the primary subsidiary of American Access Capital Holding Inc. ACA carries a single A rating. Total claims paying resources were $383 million in 2001, with total statutory capital of $120.8 million. Soft capital totaled $135 million, B-35 though a loss coverage agreement with ACE American Insurance Co., (rated A). ACA insures primarily in the municipal and CDO market and acts as the manager / originator of CDO issues. Radian is a wholly owned subsidiary of Radian Group Inc. Radian is rated AA by S&P's and Fitch and provides financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance for debt and asset backed securities. Radian was formerly known as Asset Guarantee Company and was purchased by Radian Group for $518 million in February 2001. As of December 31, 2001 Radian had assets of $381 million and statutory capital of $169.8 million. XL Capital is a new AAA rated financial guarantor and a wholly owned subsidiary of property casualty insurer XL Capital Ltd. XL Capital began transactions in January of 2001 and is rated AAA/Aaa by Moody's and S&P respectively. It is currently capitalized with $100 million and cedes 90% of its exposure to XL Financial Assurance a Bermuda based subsidiary of XL Capital Ltd. XL Financial Assurance has $274 million in hard capital and $100 million in stop loss protection. Beyond this XL Financial Assurance further guarantees 100% of XL Capital exposure with $2.7 billion in shareholders equity. XL Capital has $88 million in assets and through its parent and subsidiary agreements XL Capital has $1 billion in qualified statutory capital. CIFG NA is a new financial Guarantor rated AAA from Fitch, Moody's, and S&P. CIFG NA is a subsidiary of CDC IXIS Financial Guaranty ("CIFG"), which is a subsidiary of CIFG Holding, which is in turn owned by parent company CDC IXIS. CDC IXIS is a French domiciled corporation with a broad spectrum of insurance related businesses. CIFG recently entered the bond insurance business with two companies, CIFG Europe and CIFG NA. CIFG is capitalized with $280 million in cash, with CIFG NA holding $100 million in cash. CDC IXIS backs the two entities with $230 million in the form of a subordinated loan agreement. Over 75% of CIFG NA's business will be passed on through a reinsurance policy to CIFG. Combining all capital, CIFG NA will have claims paying resources of $500 million. FSA purchased Capital Guaranty Insurance Company including its book of business and reserves effective December 20, 1995. FSA is a monoline insurer whose policies guaranty the timely payment of principal and interest on new issue and secondary market issue municipal securities transactions, among other financial obligations. As of December 31, 2001, FSA had total assets of approximately $4.3 billion and qualified statutory capital of approximately $1.52 billion. FSA has a claims-paying ability rating of "AAA" by S&P and "Aaa" by Moody's. On March 14, 2000, Dexia, Europe's largest municipal lender with assets in excess of $230 billion announced that it had signed a definitive agreement providing for the acquisition of FSA Holdings, holding company for FSA, Inc. Dexia acquired the company in the second quarter of 2000, for $2.6 billion in cash, or $76 per share. B-36 APPENDIX E PERFORMANCE RELATED & COMPARATIVE INFORMATION [EATON VANCE LOGO] EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS [PHOTO OF BRIDGE] INSURED NATIONAL (EIM*) INSURED CALIFORNIA (EVM*) INSURED NEW YORK (ENX*) - --------------------------------------------- (*) AMEX symbol AT LEAST 80% AAA-RATED & INSURED 100% EXEMPT FROM AMT - Attractive Monthly Income Exempt from Federal Income Tax, Federal Alternative Minimum Tax and, Where Applicable, State and Local Taxes - Quality Of Professionally Managed, 100% Investment-Grade Portfolios - At Least 80% of Assets Invested in Obligations AAA-Rated and Insured as to Timely Payment of Interest and Principal - Emphasis on Current Yield and on Seeking Undervalued Securities to Enhance Total Return - Quality Diversifier with Potential for Reducing Overall Portfolio Risk - American Stock Exchange Listing Provides Daily Liquidity Initial Public Offering August 2002 B-37 WHY INVEST IN AN EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND NOW? 1. INSURED MUNICIPALS REPRESENT UNCOMMON VALUE IN THE CURRENT MARKET ENVIRONMENT Over the past 10 years, insured municipal bond yields have averaged approximately 90% of yields on 30-year U.S. Treasury bonds. At June 30, 2002, a representative tax-exempt insured municipal bond was yielding more than 95% of the taxable yield of a 30-Year U.S. Treasury bond. With such exceptional tax- free yields available, why pay taxes on your investment earnings? Source: Municipal Market Advisors. The chart compares the yield of a 30-year, AAA-rated general obligation insured municipal bond with that of a 30-year U.S. Treasury bond. Unlike the Funds, these bonds carry no management fees, account charges or other expenses. U.S. Treasury bonds offer a government guarantee as to timely payment of interest and repayment of principal on maturity; income is tax-exempt at the state and local level. Insured municipal bonds are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government. In addition to general obligation bonds, insured municipal obligations can include revenue bonds. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. YIELD RELATIONSHIP OF 30-YEAR GENERAL OBLIGATION INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND TO 30-YEAR TREASURY BOND CURRENT: 95.6% AVERAGE: 90.1% [LINE GRAPH] 2. ATTRACTIVE TAXABLE EQUIVALENT YIELDS - By investing in an Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund, your after-tax income can be higher because the income paid is largely free of regular federal income tax and 100% exempt from federal alternative minimum tax. For State Funds, income is largely free of state and local taxes, too, for residents of the applicable state. Depending on your tax bracket, a tax-free investment can make a significant difference, and it can be especially important for people in higher brackets. - For example, the current yield from a 30-year insured municipal bond is 5.27%, which is equivalent to an 8.58% taxable yield. The current yield from a taxable 30-year U.S. Treasury Bond is 5.51%. Consult your tax advisor. Source: Municipal Market Advisors. As of 6/30/02. Based on maximum federal income tax rate of 38.6%. The current yield of a 30-year insured municipal bond is not indicative of the yield of any of the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. DETERMINE YOUR TAX-FREE ADVANTAGE NATIONAL (EIM*)
IN A TAX-FREE YIELD OF TAX ------------------------------------- BRACKET 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% - ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- EQUALS A TAXABLE INVESTMENT YIELDING 15.00 % 6.47% 6.76% 7.06% 7.35% 7.65% 27.00 7.53 7.88 8.22 8.56 8.90 30.00 7.86 8.21 8.57 8.93 9.29 35.00 8.46 8.85 9.23 9.62 10.00 38.60 8.96 9.36 9.77 10.18 10.59
B-38 DOUBLE TAX FREE FOR RESIDENTS OF CALIFORNIA(1) (EVM*)
A TAX-FREE YIELD OF IN ------------------------------------- TAX BRACKET 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% - ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- EQUALS A TAXABLE INVESTMENT YIELDING 22.91% 7.13% 7.46% 7.78% 8.11% 8.43% 33.79 8.31 8.68 9.06 9.44 9.82 36.51 8.66 9.06 9.45 9.84 10.24 41.05 9.33 9.75 10.18 10.60 11.03 44.31 9.88 10.33 10.77 11.22 11.67
DOUBLE TAX FREE FOR RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK(2) (ENX*)
A TAX-FREE YIELD OF IN ------------------------------------- TAX BRACKET 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% - ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- EQUALS A TAXABLE INVESTMENT YIELDING 20.82% 6.95% 7.26% 7.58% 7.89% 8.21% 32.00 8.09 8.46 8.82 9.19 9.56 34.80 8.43 8.82 9.20 9.59 9.97 39.45 9.08 9.50 9.91 10.32 10.74 42.81 9.62 10.05 10.49 10.93 11.36
TRIPLE TAX FREE FOR RESIDENTS OF N.Y. CITY(3) (ENX*)
A TAX-FREE YIELD OF IN ------------------------------------- TAX BRACKET 5.50% 5.75% 6.00% 6.25% 6.50% - ------- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- EQUALS A TAXABLE INVESTMENT YIELDING 23.87% 7.22% 7.55% 7.88% 8.21% 8.54% 34.66 8.42 8.80 9.18 9.57 9.95 37.35 8.78 9.18 9.58 9.98 10.37 41.82 9.45 9.88 10.31 10.74 11.17 45.05 10.01 10.46 10.92 11.37 11.83
- --------------- (*) AMEX symbol. The tax brackets shown are based on 2002 federal and state income tax rates. Actual tax brackets may be higher due to the phaseout of personal exemptions and limitations on the deductibility of itemized deductions over certain ranges of income. The tables assume deductibility of state taxes on the federal return. Your actual bracket will vary, depending on your income, exemptions and deductions. Consult your tax advisor. Tax-free yields shown are for illustration purposes only and are not meant to represent or predict actual results of an investment in any of the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds. The lower your combined federal and state tax rate, the less you can take advantage of tax-free investing, which can be seen by comparing the taxable equivalent yields at a given tax-free yield level for different tax brackets. The tables do not take into account the effects of capital gains taxes. In addition, the Funds may invest in securities that are not exempt from federal or state income taxes, although they do not intend to do so to a significant degree. Source: Eaton Vance. B-39 (1) Combined tax brackets are based on 2002 federal income tax rates and the highest 2002 California state tax rate applicable to each bracket. (2) Combined tax brackets are based on 2002 federal income tax rates and the highest 2002 New York state tax rate applicable to each bracket. (3) Combined tax brackets are based on 2002 federal income tax rates and the highest 2002 New York state and New York City tax rates applicable to each bracket, plus the New York City surcharge. WHY INVEST IN AN EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND NOW? 3. HIGH-QUALITY INSURED PORTFOLIOS Each Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund invests 100% of its assets in investment-grade municipal securities. At least 80% of assets are invested in municipal obligations of the highest investment grade (Aaa/AAA) and insured as to the timely payment of interest and principal. Insurance does not protect the market value of such obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. As rated by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor's Ratings Group or by Fitch Rating or, if unrated, determined by Eaton Vance to be of comparable quality. 4. AVOID THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX The federal alternative minimum tax (AMT) was originally devised to reduce certain deductions for high-income taxpayers and to make everyone with significant income pay some federal income tax. Because it is not indexed for inflation, over time, the AMT has affected more and more taxpayers. As a result, an insured municipal bond portfolio 100% exempt from AMT may hold significant appeal to a rising number of filers who are, or may be, subject to the AMT. THE IMPACT OF THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX (AMT)
TAX PAID RETURNS FILED (BILLIONS OF NOMINAL YEAR (MILLIONS) $) - ---- ------------- ----------------------- 1990................................................ 0.1 $ 0.8 2001................................................ 1.5 $ 6.4 2010................................................ 17.0 $38.2
Sources: For historical data, Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income Bulletin, various issues, and Economic Report of the President (2001); for projections, Congressional Budget Office (2001); Rebelein and Tempalski (2001) (AMT numbers); Zaffino (2000) (individual income tax total). Figures for 2001 and 2010 are projections. 5. THE CLOSED-END STRUCTURE PROVIDES AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF INVESTING IN MUNICIPAL BONDS Closed-end funds can remain fully invested, are not subject to inflows and outflows of assets and can utilize a leveraged capital structure, which provides greater flexibility in portfolio management than open-end mutual funds, resulting in the potential for enhanced returns. Sources: Thomson Wealth Management; Lipper Inc. Returns are as of 6/30/02. Closed-end fund returns are based on the market returns of approximately 90 national leveraged and non-leveraged closed-end municipal funds. Open-end fund returns are based on the NAV returns of 48 national, non-leveraged, open-end, insured front-load funds. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index or average. Unlike the Funds, indices carry no management fees, account B-40 charges or other expenses. The Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds will not seek to match the composition or performance of any such indices or averages. Performance of the various indices or averages should not be viewed as indicative of any of the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds. Total return is affected by changes in current yield, net asset value and market performance. AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS [BAR GRAPH]
THOMSON LIPPER OPEN-END CLOSE-END MUNICIPAL INSURED MUNICIPAL DEBT NATIONAL INDEX FUNDS AVERAGE ------------------- ---------------------- 1 Year........................................ 7.32 5.87 3 Years....................................... 6.60 5.55 5 Years....................................... 6.14 5.13 10 Years...................................... 7.01 5.91
6. PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFIER WITH POTENTIAL FOR REDUCING RISK Historically, when stocks have declined, insured municipal bonds have often gone up in value. Adding an insured municipal bond fund to an overall portfolio may help lower overall investment risk. Source: Lipper Inc. Returns are as of 6/30/02. Insured municipal bond returns are those of the Lehman Brothers Insured Municipal Bond Index, an unmanaged index that is a broad measure of performance of insured, investment-grade municipal bonds with maturities of at least one year. The S&P 500 Composite Index is an unmanaged index of 500 common stocks commonly used as a measure of U.S. stock market performance. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. Unlike the Funds, indices carry no management fees, account charges or other expenses. The Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds will not seek to match the composition or performance of any such indices. Performance of an index should not be viewed as indicative of that of any of the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS [BAR GRAPH]
LEHMAN BROTHER INSURED S&P 500 MUNICIPAL BOND INDEX COMPOSITE INDEX ---------------------- --------------- 1 Year........................................... 7.19 -17.98 3 Years.......................................... 6.93 -9.17 5 Years.......................................... 6.45 3.67 10 Years......................................... 6.87 11.42
Shares of the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds are not insured by the FDIC and are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, any depository institution. Shares are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of principal invested. INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND YIELDS ARE OVER 95%* OF THOSE FROM LONG-TERM TREASURIES. WHY PAY TAXES? (*) At 6/30/02 KEY FEATURES - - ATTRACTIVE TAX-EXEMPT MONTHLY INCOME-EACH EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INCOME FREE FROM REGULAR B-41 FEDERAL INCOME TAX, FEDERAL ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX AND, FOR STATE FUNDS, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES FOR RESIDENTS OF THAT STATE. - - QUALITY OF PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED, INVESTMENT-GRADE PORTFOLIOS-EACH FUND INVESTS AT LEAST 80% OF ITS ASSETS IN MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE HIGHEST INVESTMENT-GRADE (Aaa/AAA). - - PREDOMINANTLY INSURED-EACH FUND INVESTS AT LEAST 80% OF ITS ASSETS IN MUNICIPAL OBLIGATIONS INSURED AS TO THE TIMELY PAYMENT OF INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL. - - EMPHASIS ON CURRENT YIELD AND VALUE INVESTING MAY MEAN ENHANCED TOTAL RETURN -- TO ENHANCE PERFORMANCE, THE FUNDS SEEK INSURED MUNICIPAL BONDS THAT ARE UNDERVALUED IN THE MARKETPLACE AND WHICH MAY OFFER THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER TOTAL RETURNS. THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THE FUNDS' OBJECTIVES WILL BE ATTAINED. - - PREMIER ADVISER-EATON VANCE HAS BEEN MANAGING MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS SINCE 1978. - - DAILY LIQUIDITY -- THE FUNDS EXPECT TO BE LISTED ON THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE. EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUNDS INVESTMENT-GRADE PORTFOLIOS 100% EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX AIRPORTS -- SCHOOLS -- ROADWAYS -- BRIDGES -- MEDICAL FACILITIES OBJECTIVE: The Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds are newly organized closed-end investment companies that seek to provide current income exempt from regular federal income tax, federal alternative minimum tax and, for state funds, state and local taxes.* They invest primarily in the highest quality municipal bonds which are insured as to the payment of interest and principal. Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of the states, territories and possessions of the U.S. and District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax and, where applicable, state and local taxes. These securities are used to finance public projects, like building schools, highways, hospitals and bridges. By investing in municipal bonds, you invest in our nation's future and in a better quality of life. (*) A portion of each Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund's income may be subject to federal income and/or state and local taxes. Investors in New York and California who purchase the appropriate State Fund for their state of residency will receive income exempt from both federal and respective state and, where applicable, local taxes. Distributions of any taxable net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable as ordinary income. INVESTMENT APPROACH - - Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of each Fund's assets will be invested in municipal debt obligations insured** as to principal and interest payments by insurers having claims-paying ability rated Aaa/AAA. - - At least 80% of assets will be invested in municipal securities of the highest investment grade at the time of investment (i.e., rated Aaa by Moody's Investor Service, Inc., or AAA by either Standard & Poor's Ratings Group or by Fitch Rating) or, if unrated, determined by Eaton Vance to be of comparable quality. The Funds' investments in unrated obligations will be more dependent on the expertise and analytical abilities of Eaton Vance than investments in rated obligations. [PHOTO OF OVERPASS] B-42 - - Up to 20% of each Fund's assets will be invested in investment-grade municipal obligations (i.e., rated below Aaa/AAA, but no lower than Baa/BBB by Moody's, Standard & Poor's or Fitch) and unrated municipal obligations considered to be of comparable quality by Eaton Vance and/or municipal obligations that are uninsured. - --------------- (**) Insurance does not protect the market value of such obligations or the net asset value of the Fund. ADVANTAGES OF A PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED MUNICIPAL FUND Beyond providing ready access to a broad market of securities, professionally managed funds, like the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds, offer investors many attractive advantages over purchasing individual insured municipal bonds, including monthly income, diversification by different issuers and daily liquidity. Perhaps more important are the advantages of active management by dedicated municipal bond specialists who concentrate full time on seeking opportunities in the municipal bond market. [PHOTO OF AIRPLANE] Investors should be aware that individual bonds, when held to maturity, offer both a fixed principal value and rate of return. Conversely, a bond fund does not offer a fixed rate of return and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. VALUE INVESTING Eaton Vance has one of the strongest teams of research analysts, traders and portfolio managers in the industry devoted exclusively to analyzing municipal securities, including insured municipal bonds. The team's goal is to find municipal bonds of high quality that have been undervalued in the marketplace due to differing dynamics in individual sectors of the municipal bond market, municipal bond supply, and the structure of individual bonds, especially in regard to maturities, coupons, and call dates. The Eaton Vance team of professionals constantly monitors historical and current yield spreads to find relative value in the marketplace. This research capability is key to identifying trends which impact the yield-spread relationships of all bonds, including those in the insured sector. A MANAGED FUND OR BONDS? COMPARE THESE FEATURES
MANAGED INDIVIDUAL TAX-FREE MUNICIPAL FUND BONDS -------- ---------- Monthly Income.............................................. / NO -- ---------- Professional Management..................................... / NO -- ---------- In-Depth Market Analysis.................................... / NO -- ---------- Liquidity................................................... / NOT ALWAYS -- ---------- Diversification Among Different Issuers*.................... / NO -- ---------- Free Dividend & Capital Gain Reinvestment................... / NO -- ---------- Potential for Increased Income Through Leverage............. / NO -- ---------- Low-Cost Access............................................. / NO -- ----------
Investors should be aware that individual bonds, when held to maturity, offer both a fixed principal value and rate of return. Conversely, a bond fund does not offer a fixed rate of return and shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. B-43 (*) The Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds are "non-diversified" for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940. See Risks. THE CLOSED-END FUND ADVANTAGE Closed-end funds have greater flexibility than open-end funds, including the ability to remain more fully invested and to use financial leverage. The ability to borrow at short-term tax-exempt rates and invest at generally higher long-term tax-exempt rates enables closed-end funds, like the Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Funds, to offer investors enhanced yield potential over other municipal investments. Investors searching for yield may find the Funds' taxable-equivalent yield potential compelling. In addition, the Funds' closed-end structure is a benefit because it protects the Funds from the continuous inflow and outflow of assets that can complicate portfolio management. [PHOTO OF FREEWAY] HIGHER YIELD POTENTIAL Each Fund expects to utilize financial leverage by issuing preferred stock (on which the Fund will pay a generally lower short-term tax-exempt yield) and investing the proceeds at typically higher long-term tax-exempt yields. Each Fund intends to utilize financial leverage initially of up to approximately 38% of its total assets (including the amount obtained through leverage). Each may also utilize other transactions, such as purchasing when-issued securities and futures contracts, which may have the effect of leverage. Although the Funds' leveraged capital structure offers the opportunity for increased current income, it also involves risks. See Risks. AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING To provide daily liquidity, the Funds have applied for listing of their shares on the AMEX. (See proposed symbols on the taxable equivalent yield tables.) The shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. This risk may be greater for investors selling their shares shortly after completion of the public offering. See Risks. EXPERIENCED PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT Eaton Vance was one of the first municipal bond fund managers, having managed such funds since 1978. Eaton Vance's 22-person municipal bond team includes five portfolio managers, three traders and nine credit specialists, who are responsible for managing approximately $7 billion in municipal securities.* Eaton Vance has one of the strongest teams of research analysts in the industry devoted exclusively to analyzing municipal securities. With 41 open-end and 10 closed-end municipal bond funds under supervision, the team has experience managing a wide range of municipal securities. The emphasis on research and continuing credit analysis on each portfolio holding enables Eaton Vance's portfolio managers to take advantage of yield and capital appreciation opportunities generated through investment research. PREMIER INVESTMENT ADVISER Eaton Vance Management, a subsidiary of Eaton Vance Corp., is the Funds' investment adviser. Eaton Vance, its affiliates and predecessor companies have been managing assets of individuals and institutions since 1924 and managing investment companies since 1931. Eaton Vance and it affiliates currently have over $56 billion* in assets under management. - --------------- (*) At 6/30/02 B-44 RISKS Before investing, consult your investment representative about how the Funds differ from other investment companies regarding credit risk, liquidity, charges and expenses, and other issues of importance. Please read the prospectus carefully, especially Investment Objective, Policies and Risks. No Operating History -- Each Fund is a closed-end investment company with no operating history. Each is designed for long-term investors, not as a trading vehicle. Interest Rate and Market Risk -- Prices of municipal obligations tend to fall as interest rates rise. Securities with longer maturities or durations tend to fluctuate more in price in response to changes in market interest rates. A decline in the prices of the municipal obligations owned by a Fund would cause a decline in the net asset value of the Fund, which could adversely affect the trading price of the Fund's Shares. This risk is usually greater among municipal obligations with longer maturities or durations. Although each Fund has no policy governing the maturities or durations of its investments, each Fund expects (other things being equal) to invest in a portfolio of longer-term securities, which means it will be subject to greater market risk than a fund investing solely in shorter-term securities. Market risk is often greater among certain types of debt securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, which do not make regular interest payments. As interest rates change, these bonds often fluctuate in price more than coupon bonds that make regular interest payments. Because each Fund may invest in these types of securities, it may be subject to greater market risk than a fund investing only in current interest paying securities. Income Risk -- Income investors receive is based primarily on interest each Fund earns from its investments, which can vary widely over the short and long term. If long-term interest rates drop, investors' income from the Fund over time could drop as well if the Fund purchases securities with lower interest coupons. Call Risk -- If interest rates fall, issuers of callable bonds with high coupons may call (prepay) their bonds before maturity. During declining interest rates, each Fund is likely to replace a called security with a lower-yielding one, decreasing the Fund's dividends and possibly affecting the market price of Shares. Similar risks exist when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured or traded municipal obligations at market interest rates that are below the Fund's current earning's rate. Credit Risk -- Credit risk is the risk that one or more municipal bonds in a Fund's portfolio will decline in price, or fail to pay interest or principal when due, because the issuer of the bond experiences a decline in its financial status. Liquidity Risk -- Each Fund may invest in securities for which there is no readily available trading market or which are otherwise illiquid. The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of such securities at prices approximating those at which it could sell such securities if they were more widely traded. As a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing to meet its obligations. Limited liquidity could affect the market price of the securities, thereby adversely affecting the Fund's net asset value and ability to make dividend distributions. Municipal Bond Market -- Certain obligations in which the Funds will invest will not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state securities commission and generally will not be listed on any national securities exchange. Therefore, the amount of public information available about portfolio securities will be limited, and the performance of the Funds is more dependent on the analytical abilities of Eaton Vance than would be so for an investment company investing primarily in registered or exchange-listed securities. Effects of Leverage -- The use of leverage through issuance of preferred shares by each Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income, but, at the same time, creates special risks. There can be no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Each Fund intends to use leverage to provide the holders of Shares with a potentially higher return. Leverage creates risks for holders of Shares, including the likelihood of greater volatility of net asset value and market price of the Shares and the risk that fluctuations in dividend rates on any preferred shares may B-45 affect the return to Shareholders. It is anticipated that preferred share dividends will be based on the yields of short-term municipal obligations, while the proceeds of any preferred share offering will be invested in longer-term municipal obligations, which typically have higher yields. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with funds received from leverage exceeds the cost of leverage, a Fund's return will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income from the securities purchased with such funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the return to a Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to Shareholders as dividends and other distributions will be reduced. In the latter case, Eaton Vance in its best judgment may nevertheless determine to maintain the Fund's leveraged position if it deems such action to be appropriate. In addition, under current federal income tax law, each Fund is required to allocate a portion of any net realized capital gains or other taxable income to holders of preferred shares. The terms of any preferred shares are expected to require the Fund to pay to any preferred shareholders additional dividends intended to compensate the preferred shareholders for taxes payable on any capital gains or other taxable income allocated to the preferred shares. Any such additional dividends will reduce the amount available for distribution to the Shareholders. The fee paid to Eaton Vance will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's gross assets, including proceeds from the issuance of preferred shares, so the fees will be higher when leverage is utilized. Each Fund currently intends to seek an investment grade rating on any preferred shares from a rating agency. The Fund may be subject to investment restrictions of the rating agency as a result. These restrictions may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede Eaton Vance in managing each Fund's portfolio in accordance with its investment objective and policies. Municipal Bond Insurance -- In the event Moody's, S&P or Fitch (or all of them) should downgrade its assessment of the claims-paying ability of a particular insurer, it (or they) could also be expected to downgrade the ratings assigned to municipal bonds insured by such insurer, and municipal bonds insured under Portfolio Insurance issued by such insurer also would be of reduced quality in the Fund's portfolio. Any such downgrade could have an adverse impact on the net asset value and market price of a Fund's Shares. In addition, to the extent a Fund employs Portfolio Insurance, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of the insurance companies issuing such Portfolio Insurance. Each Fund does not expect these guidelines to prevent Eaton Vance from managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies. Insurance relates specifically to the payment of interest and principal on the bonds in the Funds' portfolios and not to the market value of those bonds or the share prices of the Funds, which will fluctuate with the market and, at the time of sale, may be worth more or less than the original investment. No representation is made as to any insurer's ability to meet its commitments. Concentration -- The National Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers located in the same state (or in a U.S. Territory) or in the same economic sector, such as revenue obligations of health care facilities, hospitals or airports. This may make the Fund more susceptible to adverse economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting a particular state, territory or economic sector. Each State Insured Municipal Bond Fund primarily invests in municipal obligations of issuers located in its relevant state and may invest 25% or more of its total assets in municipal obligations of issuers located in the same U.S. territory or in the same economic sector, such as revenue obligations of health care facilities, hospitals or airports. This may make a Fund more susceptible to adverse economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting that respective state, a particular territory or economic sector. Anti-Takeover Provisions -- Each Fund's Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other persons or entities to acquire control of such Fund or to change the composition of its Board of Trustees. B-46 Additional Investment Practices -- The Funds may use investment practices that involve special considerations, including purchasing futures contracts and shares of other closed-end funds. This may result in the Fund earning taxable income or gains. Market Price of Shares -- Shares of closed-end investment companies often trade at a discount from their net asset value, and the Funds' shares may likewise trade at a discount. The trading price of each Fund's shares may be less than the public offering price. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their shares in a relatively short period after completion of the public offering. Non-Diversification -- With respect to up to 50% of its assets, each Fund will be able to invest more than 5% (but not more than 25%) of the value of its total assets in the obligations of any single issuer. To the extent that a relatively high percentage of assets is invested in obligations of a limited number of issuers, each Fund may be more susceptible than a more widely diversified investment company to any single economic, political or regulatory occurrence. The information contained herein and in each preliminary prospectus is incomplete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until each of the registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This document is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy each of these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. This is not an offering, which may only be made by a final prospectus. The final prospectus for each Fund should be read carefully before you invest or send money. The Funds involve a number of risks, including the risk of leverage, trading discount and default. The Funds may differ from other investment companies in terms of credit risk, liquidity, charges and expenses, and other important issues. Consult the preliminary prospectus for each Eaton Vance Insured Municipal Bond Fund for more complete information, including risk considerations, charges and expenses. Preliminary prospectuses are available on request from your financial advisor, or you may obtain a copy from each Fund by calling 1-800-225-6265. (C) Eaton Vance -- The Eaton Vance Building -- 255 State Street -- Boston, MA 02109 -- www.eatonvance.com Salomon Smith Barney Inc. B-47 WHY BUY BONDS? - - Positive Economic Environment -- Interest rate outlook remains neutral -- Economic growth in the US is moderate -- Inflation, which is key to bond market performance, is benign, and the current outlook is excellent because of productivity gains, low wage pressures and continuing competitiveness within industry. - - Attractive Yields -- Bond yields in general are attractive relative to those from short-term, income-producing vehicles. - - Opportunity for Reallocation -- With the fall-off in the stock market many portfolios need to diversify against risk by shifting some assets to income-producing investments. - - Favorable Demographics -- The aging baby boom generation is hitting its peak earning years, and many boomers should be looking to shelter investment income. 1403-7/02 CE-IMBFCB B-48 EATON VANCE INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND FUND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AUGUST 27, 2002 --------------------- INVESTMENT ADVISER AND ADMINISTRATOR Eaton Vance Management 24 Federal Street Boston, MA 02110 CUSTODIAN Investors Bank & Trust Company 200 Clarendon Street Boston, MA 02116 TRANSFER AGENT PFPC INC. P.O. Box 43027 Providence, RI 02940-3027 (800) 331-1710 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS Deloitte and Touche LLP 200 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116 -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----