485APOS 1 d485apos.htm COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC. Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MAY 16, 2008

FILE NOS. 333-120338

811-21668

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    x
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.    ¨
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 3    x
AND   
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940    x
AMENDMENT NO. 5    x

 

 

COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.

(EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)

 

 

280 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10017

(ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE) (ZIP CODE)

REGISTRANT’S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (212) 832-3232

 

 

COPY TO:

 

TINA M. PAYNE   STUART H. COLEMAN, ESQ.
COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.   STROOCK & STROOCK & LAVAN LLP
280 PARK AVENUE   180 MAIDEN LANE
NEW YORK, NY 10017   NEW YORK, NY 10038
(NAME AND ADDRESS OF AGENT OF SERVICE OF PROCESS)  

 

 

APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS FILING WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE (CHECK APPROPRIATE BOX):

 

  ¨ IMMEDIATELY UPON FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B)

 

  ¨ ON (DATE) PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B)

 

  ¨ 60 DAYS AFTER FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(1)

 

  x ON JULY 1, 2008 PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(1)

 

  ¨ 75 DAYS AFTER FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(2)

 

  ¨ ON (DATE) PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(2) OF RULE 485

 

 

 


LOGO

280 PARK AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017

 

 

CLASS A AND CLASS C SHARES

 

 

PROSPECTUS

Advisor

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.

280 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone: (212) 832-3232

Transfer Agent

Boston Financial Data Services

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Telephone: (800) 437-9912

THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE FUND’S SHARES OR DETERMINED WHETHER THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANYONE WHO INDICATES OTHERWISE IS COMMITTING A CRIME.

JULY 1, 2008

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

RISK/RETURN SUMMARY

   1

Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies

   1

Who Should Invest

   2

Principal Risks

   2

Historical Fund Performance

   4

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

   6

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

   7

Objectives

   7

Principal Investment Strategies

   7

Additional Investment Information

   9

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

   9

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

   12

The Advisor

   12

Portfolio Managers

   12

HOW TO PURCHASE AND SELL FUND SHARES

   13

Pricing of Fund Shares

   13

Purchasing the Class of Fund Shares that is Best for You

   14

Class A Shares

   14

Class C Shares

   16

Dealer Compensation

   17

A Note on Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

   17

Class I Shares

   17

Purchase Minimums

   17

Form of Payment

   17

Purchases of Fund Shares

   18

Purchases Through Dealers and Intermediaries

   19

Purchases Through the Distributor

   20

Automatic Investment Plan

   20

Exchange Privilege

   20

How to Sell Fund Shares

   21

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

   23

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

   24

Distribution Plan

   24

Shareholder Services Plan

   24

Other Compensation

   25

Dividends and Distributions

   25

Tax Considerations

   25

Privacy Policy

   26

COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE

   27

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

   29


COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.

 

 

RISK/RETURN SUMMARY

 

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The investment objectives of Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. (the Fund) are to provide a relatively high level of current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund may change its investment objectives without shareholder approval, although it has no current intention to do so.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend-paying common stocks and preferred stocks that have the potential to deliver regular income and to offer the opportunity for long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests primarily in companies with large market capitalizations, similar to those of companies included in the Russell 1000 Value Index, using a “value approach.” A value approach seeks to identify companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures and may be out of favor but have good prospects for capital appreciation and dividend growth.

In selecting securities that the Fund will invest in, Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., the Fund’s investment advisor (the Advisor), first seeks to identify attractive businesses by industry through identification of key industry drivers and evaluation of each company’s business model, market position and management team. Then a number of additional screens are applied to assess a company’s dividend growth potential as well as the sustainability of that growth, including analysis of dividend history, free cash flow and dividend payout ratios. Once this fundamental research has been completed and the universe of companies has been narrowed, a dividend discount model is employed to determine the present value of a future stream of a company’s dividend payments to identify stocks the Advisor believes are undervalued relative to their long-term growth prospects. This model assists in both quantifying discounts to target prices and determining individual stock and sector weightings.

In an effort to mitigate risk, the Advisor adheres to a sell discipline that helps to identify when to begin scaling out of a position that no longer meets its investment criteria. Considerations include change in company management or strategy, change in dividend policy, invalid investment thesis, stock price approaching target price, deterioration of company fundamentals or changing industry considerations.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). A REIT is a company that owns and generally operates income producing properties or finances real estate transactions.

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in bonds and other fixed-income securities of any maturity.

In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of foreign issuers which meet the same criteria for investment as domestic companies, or sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts for such securities.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the Advisor.

 

1


The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. A security is illiquid if, for legal or market reasons, it cannot be promptly sold (i.e., within seven days) at a price which approximates its fair value.

 

 

WHO SHOULD INVEST

The Fund may be suitable for you if you are seeking:

 

·  

to add exposure to the stock market to your portfolio

 

·  

a fund that may perform differently than other types of stock funds because of the fund’s focus on value-oriented dividend-paying common and preferred stocks

 

·  

a fund offering the potential for both current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation

The Fund is designed for long-term investors. You should not invest in the Fund unless your investment horizon is at least six-months. The Fund will take reasonable steps to identify and reject orders from market timers. In addition, the Fund will charge a redemption fee on certain redemptions and exchanges. See How to Purchase and Sell Fund Shares—Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares and—How to Sell Fund Shares.

 

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest.

Market Risk. Your investment in Fund shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Your Fund shares at any point in time may be worth less than what you invested, even after taking into account the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions.

Common Stock Risk. While common stock has historically generated higher average returns than fixed-income securities, common stock has also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock held by the Fund. Also, the price of common stock is sensitive to general movements in the stock market. A drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stock held by the Fund.

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks pay a fixed stream of income to investors and this income stream is a primary source of the long-term investment return on preferred stocks. As a result, the market value of preferred stocks is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than the market value of common stocks. In this respect, preferred stocks share many investment characteristics with debt securities. In addition, preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for a company’s directors or on other corporate matters.

REIT Market Risk. The Fund will not invest directly in real estate, but only in securities issued by REITs. Because REITs are engaged in the real estate business, the Fund also is subject to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate. Property values may fall due to increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal, cultural or technological developments. REIT prices also may drop because of the failure of borrowers to pay their loans and poor management.

 

2


Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed-income securities, and to a lesser extent dividend-paying common stocks, will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall. The Fund’s investment in such securities means that the net asset value (NAV) and market price of the Fund’s common shares may tend to decline if market interest rates rise.

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a bond or other fixed-income security will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. There are varying degrees of credit risk, which are often reflected in credit ratings.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities Risk. Risks of investing in foreign securities include currency risks, future political and economic developments and possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on interest income payable on the securities. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than about a domestic issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers.

Risk of Investment in Lower-Rated Securities. Lower-rated securities, or equivalent unrated securities, generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, and may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher grade securities. It is reasonable to expect that any adverse economic conditions could disrupt the market for lower- rated securities, have an adverse impact on the value of those securities and adversely affect the ability of the issuers of those securities to repay principal and/or interest on those securities.

Non-Diversification. As a nondiversified investment company, the Fund may invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified investment company. Because a nondiversified portfolio is more likely to experience large market price fluctuations, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.

Your investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

3


 

HISTORICAL FUND PERFORMANCE

You should review the following information regarding the past performance of the Fund. It shows how the Fund’s investment return can change from year to year and how the Fund’s returns can vary from the performance of selected broad market indexes over various time periods. This information is intended to give you some indication of the risk associated with an investment in the Fund. Past performance (both before and after taxes) is not, however, an indication as to how the Fund may perform in the future.

This chart shows the annual total return for the Fund’s Class A shares for the one full calendar year since Class A shares commenced operations, but does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. This chart does not reflect the sales charges imposed on Class A shares; if these amounts were reflected, returns would be less than those shown.

LOGO

Highest quarterly return during this period:    8.81% (quarter ended December 31, 2006)

Lowest quarterly return during this period:    –2.43% (quarter ended December 31, 2007)

 

* The annual returns for the Class C shares of the Fund are substantially similar to the annual returns of the Class A shares because the assets of all share classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities. The annual returns differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

 

4


This table shows the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Class A and C shares for the past year, and the period since the Fund commenced operations, and compares these returns with the performance of two indexes. Index performance does not reflect deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for the Class C shares will vary.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for periods ended December 31, 2007)

 

    

1 Year

   

Since
Inception**

 

Class A Shares

    

Return Before Taxes

   3.17 %(a)   29.09 %(a)

Return After Taxes on Distributions

   2.40 %   10.87 %

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   2.49 %   9.66 %

Class C Shares

    

Return Before Taxes

   6.42 %(b)   13.10 %

Russell 1000 Value Index*

   –0.17 %   10.16 %

S&P 500® Index*

   5.49 %   10.32 %

 

    * The Fund’s returns are shown net of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements agreed to by the Advisor. Absent these arrangements, returns would have been lower.

 

  ** The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of common stocks that is frequently used as a general measure of stock market performance. Performance figures include reinvestment of income dividends and, for the Fund, capital gains distributions. You should note that the Fund is a professionally managed mutual fund while the indexes are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

*** The inception date was August 31, 2005.

 

(a) Returns reflect the imposition of a front end sales load of 4.50%. Without the sales load, the returns would have been 8.03% for the year ended December 31, 2007 and 13.79% since inception.

 

(b) Return includes a deferred sales charge of 1%. Without the deferred sales charge, the total return would have been 7.42% for the year ended December 31, 2007 and 13.10% since inception.

 

5


 

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

 

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you could pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

 

    

Class A

  

Class C

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):

     

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

   4.50%(1)    0%

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends (and other distributions) (as a percentage of offering price)

   0%    0%

Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)

   0%(2)
    
       
1% in
1st year

Redemption Fee (as a percentage of redemption proceeds; also imposed on exchanges)

       
2.00% during the first 60 days(3)
   0%

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets):

    
    

Class A

   

Class C

 

Management Fee

   0.80 %   0.80 %

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

   0.25 %   0.75 %

Service Fee

   0.10 %   0.25 %

Other Expenses

   0.48 %   0.47 %
            

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   (0.63 )%   2.27 %

Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement

   1.00 %   (0.62 )%
            

Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses(4)

   1.15 %   1.65 %
            

 

(1) You may be able to reduce or eliminate the sales charge. See How to Purchase and Sell Fund Shares—Class A Shares.

 

(2) A contingent deferred sales charge of 1% applies on certain redemptions made within 12 months following a purchase without a sales charge. See How to Sell Fund Shares—Payment of Redemption Proceeds for additional information.

 

(3) The redemption fee is charged only to certain investors that are authorized to purchase Class A shares at net asset value. See How to Sell Fund Shares—Payment of Redemption Proceeds for additional information.

 

(4) Through February 28, 2009, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fee and/or reimburse the Fund for expenses incurred to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total annual operating expenses do not exceed 1.15% for the Class A shares and 1.80% for the Class C shares.

EXAMPLE

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the Advisor did not reimburse expenses after the first year (for the first year, expenses are based on the net amount pursuant to the contractual arrangement). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

    

1 Year

  

3 Years

  

5 Years

  

10 Years

Class A shares

   $ 547    $ 882    $ 1,240    $ 2,245

Class C shares

           

Assuming redemption at the end of the period

     268      652      1,163      2,567

Assuming no redemption at the end of the period

     168      652      1,163      2,567

 

6


 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

 

OBJECTIVES

The investment objectives of the Fund are to provide a relatively high level of current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund may change its investment objectives without shareholder approval, although it has no current intention to do so. The Fund will not concentrate its investments in any one industry.

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend-paying common stocks and preferred stocks that have the potential to deliver regular income and to offer the opportunity for long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests primarily in companies with large market capitalizations similar to those of companies included in the Russell 1000 Value Index.

In selecting securities that the Fund will invest in, the Advisor first seeks to identify attractive businesses by industry through identification of key industry drivers and evaluation of each company’s business model, market position and management team. Then a number of additional screens are applied to assess a company’s dividend growth potential as well as the sustainability of that growth, including analysis of dividend history, free cash flow and dividend payout ratios. Once this fundamental research has been completed and the universe of companies has been narrowed, a dividend discount model is employed to determine the present value of a future stream of a company’s dividend payments to identify stocks the Advisor believes are undervalued relative to their long-term growth prospects. This model assists in both quantifying discounts to target prices and determining individual stock and sector weightings.

In an effort to mitigate risk, the Advisor adheres to a sell discipline that helps to identify when to begin scaling out of a position that no longer meets its investment criteria. Considerations include change in company management or strategy, change in dividend policy, invalid investment thesis, stock price approaching target price, deterioration of company fundamentals or changing industry considerations.

The following are the Fund’s principal investment strategies. A more detailed description of the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions and more detailed information about the Fund’s investments are contained in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (SAI).

Common and Preferred Stocks

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend paying common stocks and preferred stocks. The Fund typically employs a “value” approach in selecting investments. The Advisor seeks companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures but have good prospects for capital appreciation and dividend growth.

In pursuing the Fund’s investment objectives, the Advisor has the discretion to purchase some securities that do not meet its normal investment criteria, as described above, when it perceives an unusual opportunity for gain. These special situations might arise when the Advisor believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including a change in management, an extraordinary corporate event or a temporary imbalance in the supply of or demand for the securities.

 

7


Real Estate Investment Trusts

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets, in securities issued by REITs. REITs pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in investment income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if, among other things, it distributes to its shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gain) for each taxable year. As a result, REITs tend to pay relatively higher dividends than other types of companies. Dividends paid by REITs generally will not be considered “qualified dividend income” and therefore will not be eligible for reduced rates of federal income taxation on these dividends.

Fixed Income Securities

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in bonds and other fixed-income securities, including mortgage-backed securities of any maturity, U.S. Government securities and asset-backed securities and repurchase agreements.

Lower Rated Securities

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade (below Baa or BBB) by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s), Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (S&P), Fitch Ratings (Fitch) or an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating agency), or that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the Advisor. These below investment grade quality securities are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” and are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of foreign issuers which meet the same criteria for investment as domestic companies, or sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts for such securities. Depositary receipts may take the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a United States bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. GDRs and EDRs are receipts issued outside the United States, typically by non-United States banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Generally, ADRs in registered form are dollar denominated securities designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. GDRs, in bearer form, are designated for use outside the United States. EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in the European securities markets. Dividend income the Fund receives from foreign securities may not be eligible for the special tax treatment applicable to qualified dividend income.

Covered Call Options

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio. This technique offers the Fund the potential to earn additional income on its portfolio holdings, although it may limit the Fund’s ability to participate in capital appreciation on its portfolio holdings when security prices rise.

 

8


 

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION

In addition to the principal investment strategies described above, the Fund has other investment practices that are described here and in the SAI.

Illiquid Securities

The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. A security is illiquid if, for legal or market reasons, it cannot be promptly sold (i.e., within seven days) at a price which approximates its fair value.

Defensive Position

When the Advisor believes that market or general economic conditions justify a temporary defensive position, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and invest all or any portion of its assets in high-grade fixed income securities. When and to the extent the Fund assumes a temporary defensive position, it may not pursue or achieve its investment objectives.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund may engage in active and frequent portfolio trading when considered appropriate, but short-term trading will not be used as the primary means of achieving its investment objectives. However, there are no limits on the rate of portfolio turnover, and investments may be sold without regard to length of time held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. A higher turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses which are borne by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to stockholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. See Additional Information—Tax Considerations.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. The Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, which are sent to shareholders and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), contain information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings, including a complete schedule of holdings. The Fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters. The Fund’s shareholder reports are made available on http://www.cohenandsteers.com in the “Our Funds” section generally within 60 days after the end of each semi-annual period. The Fund also posts top 10 holdings quarterly on the website, generally within 30 days after the end of each quarter. The holdings information remains available until the next quarter’s holdings are posted on the website.

 

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

Because prices of equity securities fluctuate from day to day, the value of the Fund’s portfolio and the price per share will vary based upon general market conditions and the value of the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.

General Risks of Common Stocks

Common stocks represent an ownership interest in a company. Common stocks generally provide the investor with the right to vote on certain company matters and to receive dividends that the company may declare.

 

9


Common stock is one type of equity security. There are other types of equity securities that provide different voting and dividend rights and priority in the event of the company declares bankruptcy. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, and warrants.

The value of common stocks and other equity securities will fluctuate in response to developments concerning the company, political and regulatory circumstances, the stock market, and the economy. In the short term, stock prices can fluctuate dramatically in response to these developments. Different parts of the market and different types of equity securities can react differently to these developments. For example, stocks of large companies can react differently than stocks of smaller companies, and “growth” stocks, that is stocks of companies that are projected to grow at a faster rate than other comparable companies or the stock market as a whole, can react differently from value stocks. These developments can affect a single company, all companies within the same industry, economic sector or geographic region, or the stock market as a whole.

Risks of Investment in Preferred Stocks

The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks are securities that pay dividends at a specified rate and have a preference over common stocks in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on its preferred stock prior to paying dividends on its common stock. In addition, in the event a company is liquidated, preferred stockholders must be fully repaid on their investments before common stockholders can receive any money from the company. Preferred stockholders, however, usually have no right to vote for a company’s directors or on other corporate matters. Preferred stocks pay a fixed stream of income to investors and this income stream is a primary source of the long-term investment return on preferred stocks. As a result, the market value of preferred stocks is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than the market value of common stocks. In this respect, preferred stocks share many investment characteristics with debt securities.

General Risks of REIT Securities

The Fund will not invest in real estate directly, but only in securities issued by REITs. Because REITs are engaged in the real estate business, the Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include:

 

·  

declines in the value of real estate;

 

·  

risks related to general and local economic conditions;

 

·  

possible lack of availability of mortgage funds;

 

·  

overbuilding;

 

·  

extended vacancies of properties;

 

·  

increased competition;

 

·  

increases in property taxes and operating expenses;

 

·  

changes in zoning laws;

 

·  

losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems;

 

·  

liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems;

 

·  

casualty or condemnation losses;

 

10


·  

limitations on rents;

 

·  

changes in neighborhood values and the appeal of properties to tenants; and

 

·  

changes in interest rates.

In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act). The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

Risks of Investment in Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities

The Fund may be subject to additional investment risks for foreign securities that are different in some respects from those incurred by investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include currency risks, future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on interest income payable on the securities, the possible establishment of exchange controls, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payments on such securities. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than about a domestic issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers. Dividend income the Fund receives from foreign securities may not be eligible for the special tax treatment reserved for qualified dividend income.

In addition, brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs relating to investment in foreign securities markets generally are more expensive than in the U.S. and foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets, making many foreign issuers less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers.

General Risks of Fixed Income Securities

Bonds and other fixed income securities generally present two types of principal risks, interest rate risk and credit risk. As interest rates rise, fixed income securities may fall in value, which could reduce the value of your investment in the Fund. This risk may be compounded for mortgage-backed or other asset-backed securities, which may be prepaid. These securities have variable maturities that tend to lengthen when that is least desirable—when interest rates are rising.

Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or the guarantor of a fixed income security or other obligation will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. Varying degrees of credit risk, often reflected in credit ratings, apply. Foreign investments may be subject to increased credit risk because of the added difficulties associated with requiring foreign entities to honor their contractual commitments, and because a number of foreign governments and other issuers are already in default.

Lower Rated Securities Risk

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds). These securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-grade securities. It is reasonable to expect that any adverse economic conditions could disrupt the market for these securities, have an adverse impact on the value of these securities and adversely affect the ability of the issuers of these securities to repay principal and interest on those securities.

 

11


Covered Call Options Risk

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio. This strategy is designed to generate additional income from the Fund’s portfolio holdings, but also results in certain risks. With respect to portfolio holdings on which the Fund has written a covered call option, the Fund will forgo the opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of that security, but will continue to bear the risk of declines in the value of the security.

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

 

THE ADVISOR

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., with offices located at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, has been retained as the Fund’s investment advisor. The Advisor, a registered investment advisor, was formed in 1986 and its clients include pension plans, endowment funds and investment companies, including each of the open-end and closed-end Cohen & Steers funds. As of March 31, 2008, the Advisor managed approximately $28.6 billion in assets. The Advisor is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cohen & Steers, Inc., a publicly traded company whose common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CNS.”

Under its Investment Advisory Agreement with the Fund, the Advisor furnishes a continuous investment program for the Fund’s portfolio, makes the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund and generally manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund. The Advisor performs certain administrative services for the Fund and provides persons satisfactory to the Board of Directors of the Fund to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers, as well as certain other employees and Directors of the Fund, may also be directors, officers, or employees of the Advisor. The Advisor also selects brokers and dealers to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions.

For its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 0.80% of the average daily NAV of the Fund up to $1.5 billion and 0.70% of average daily net asset value of the Fund in excess of $1.5 billion. This fee is allocated among the separate classes based on the classes’ proportionate share of such average daily NAV. In addition to this investment advisory fee, the Fund pays other operating expenses, which may include but are not limited to, administrative, transfer agency, custodial, legal and accounting fees. Taking into account the investment advisory fees waived by the Advisor, the effective investment advisory fee during the fiscal year ended February 28, 2008 was 0.17% of average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the Board of Directors’ basis for approving the Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2008.

 

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund’s portfolio manager is:

Richard E. Helm—Mr. Helm is a vice president of the Fund. He joined the Advisor in 2005 and currently serves as a senior vice president of the Advisor and CNS and is head of its large cap value portfolio management team. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Helm was a senior portfolio manager of WM Advisors, Inc. From 1999 to 2001, he was vice president and senior portfolio manager of Northwestern Trust and Investors Advisory Company and was employed by other investment management firms prior to that time. Mr. Helm is a certified financial analyst. Mr. Helm has been a portfolio manager since the Fund’s inception.

 

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The SAI contains additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Fund.

 

 

HOW TO PURCHASE AND SELL FUND SHARES

 

 

PRICING OF FUND SHARES

The price at which you can purchase and redeem each class of the Fund’s shares is the NAV of that class of shares next determined after we receive your order in proper form, less any applicable initial or contingent deferred sales charge. Proper form means that your request includes the Fund name and account number, states the amount of the transaction (in dollars or shares), includes the signatures of all owners exactly as registered on the account, signature guarantees (if necessary), any supporting legal documentation that may be required and any outstanding certificates representing shares to be redeemed.

We calculate our NAV per share as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on each day the NYSE is open for trading. Therefore if your purchase or redemption order is received in proper form by the close of trading on the NYSE, your order will receive that day’s NAV; orders received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will receive the NAV next determined. The Fund has authorized one or more brokers to accept on its behalf purchase (and redemption) orders, and these brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase (or redemption) order when an authorized broker, or that broker’s designee, accepts the order, and that order will be priced at the next computed NAV after this acceptance. We determine NAV per share for each class by dividing that class’s share of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., its assets less liabilities) by the total number of outstanding shares of that class.

Securities for which market prices are unavailable will be valued at fair value as determined by the Fund’s Board of Directors. Circumstances in which market prices may be unavailable include, but are not limited to, when trading in a security is suspended, the exchange on which the security is traded is subject to an unscheduled close or disruption or material events occur after the close of the exchange on which the security is principally traded. In these circumstances, the Fund determines fair value in a manner that fairly reflects the market value of the security on the valuation date based on consideration of any information or factors it deems appropriate. These may include recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to the specific security and developments in the markets. In particular, portfolio securities primarily traded on foreign markets are generally valued at the preceding closing values of such securities on their respective exchanges or if after the close of the foreign markets, but prior to the close of trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued, developments occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such securities, such values may be adjusted to reflect the estimated fair value of such securities as of the close of trading on the NYSE using a pricing service and/or procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

The Fund’s use of fair value pricing may cause the NAV of Fund shares to differ from the NAV that would be calculated using market quotations. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security.

Because the Fund may hold securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of securities held in the Fund may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares.

 

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The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order and to withdraw or suspend the offering of shares at any time. The Fund may also request additional information from you in order to verify your identity. If you do not provide this information or if such information cannot be verified, we reserve the right to close your account to the extent required or permitted by applicable law or regulations, including those relating to the prevention of money laundering.

 

 

PURCHASING THE CLASS OF FUND SHARES THAT IS BEST FOR YOU

Mutual funds typically incur costs for the distribution and servicing of their shares. Many funds pay for these costs by charging a variety of fees to their shareholders. Some of the most common fees include:

 

·     Initial Sales Loads

  A percentage fee deducted from your initial investment.

·     Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

  A percentage fee deducted from your sales proceeds based on the length of time you own your shares.

·     Distribution (12b-1) Fees

  An annual percentage fee used to pay for distribution expenses.

·     Service Fees

  An annual percentage fee used to pay for the cost of servicing shareholder accounts.

·     Redemption Fee

  A percentage fee deducted from your redemption amount.

This Prospectus offers two separate classes of shares to give you flexibility in choosing a fee structure that is most beneficial to you. Each class represents an investment in the same portfolio of securities, but as described below, the classes utilize a combination of the above fees and other features to suit your investment needs. Since each investor’s financial considerations are different, you should speak with your financial advisor to help you decide which share class is best for you.

 

 

CLASS A SHARES

 

·  

Initial Sales Loads—The following initial sales loads apply to Class A shares:

 

    

SALES CHARGE AS A
PERCENTAGE OF

 

INVESTMENT AMOUNT

  

OFFERING
PRICE*

   

NET AMOUNT
INVESTED

 

Less than $100,000

   4.50 %   4.71 %

$100,000 but less than $250,000

   3.75 %   3.90 %

$250,000 but less than $500,000

   2.75 %   2.83 %

$500,000 but less than $1 million

   2.25 %   2.30 %

$1 million or more

   None     None  

 

* “Offering Price” is the amount you actually pay for Fund shares; it includes the initial sales charge.

 

·  

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC)—None, but if you invest $1,000,000 or more in Class A shares and sell those shares within one year of their purchase, you may pay a charge equal to 1% of the lesser of the current NAV or the original cost of the shares that you sell.

 

·  

Distribution (12b-1) Fees—0.25% of average daily net assets annually.

 

·  

Service Fees—0.10% of average daily net assets annually.

 

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You may want to purchase Class A shares if:

 

·  

you prefer to pay an initial sales load and have the benefit of lower continuing fees

 

·  

you expect to maintain your investment for an extended period of time

 

·  

you qualify for a reduced initial sales load due to the size of your investment

Reducing Your Class A Initial Sales Load. As demonstrated in the table at left, the size of your investment in Class A shares will affect the initial sales load that you pay. The Fund offers certain methods, which are described below, that you can use to reduce the initial sales load.

Aggregating Accounts. The size of the total investment applies to the total amount being invested by any person, which includes:

 

·  

you, your spouse and children under the age of 21

 

·  

a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved

 

·  

any U.S. bank or investment advisor purchasing shares for its investment advisory clients

Rights of Accumulation. A person may take into account not only the amount being invested, but also the current net asset value of the shares of the Fund and shares of other Cohen & Steers open-end funds that impose sales charges (eligible funds) already held by such person in order to reduce the sales charge on the new purchase.

Letter of Intention. You may reduce your Class A sales charge by establishing a letter of intention. A letter of intention allows a person to aggregate purchases of shares of the Fund and other eligible funds during a 12-month period in order to reduce the sales charge. All shares of the Fund and other eligible funds currently owned will be credited as purchases toward completion of the letter at the greater of their NAV on the date the letter is executed or their cost. You should retain any records necessary to substantiate cost basis because the Fund, the Transfer Agent or your dealer or financial intermediary may not maintain this information. Capital appreciation and reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions do not count toward the required purchase amount during this 12-month period.

At the time of your purchase, you must inform the Fund, your dealer or other financial intermediary of any other investment in the Fund or in other eligible funds that would count toward reducing your sales load. This includes, for example, investments held in a retirement account, an employee benefit plan, or at a dealer or other financial intermediary other than the one handling your current purchase. In addition, you may be asked to provide supporting account statements or other information to allow us to verify your eligibility for a discount. If you do not let the Fund, your dealer or other intermediary know that you are eligible for a discount, you may not receive the discount to which you are otherwise entitled.

You may obtain more information about sales charge reductions and waivers from

http://www.cohenandsteers.com, the SAI or your dealer or financial intermediary.

Sales at Net Asset Value. Class A shares of the Fund may be sold at NAV (i.e., without a sales charge) to certain investors without regard to investment amount, including investment advisors and financial planners who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services (NAV Purchases). See the SAI for additional information on NAV Purchases.

 

15


The Fund will charge a redemption fee of 2.00% of the value of such Class A shares redeemed or exchanged within 60 days of the time of any NAV Purchase (other than those shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or other distributions) as described below under How to Sell Fund Shares—Payment of Redemption Proceeds.

Dealer Commission. Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC (the Distributor), may pay dealers a commission of up to 1% on investments of $1 million or more in Class A shares.

Higher Dividends. The net income attributable to, and dividends payable on, the shares of each class is reduced by the amount of annual distribution and other expenses of each class. Because Class A shares bear lower annual distribution and other expenses, they will tend to pay higher dividends than Class C shares.

Reinstatement Privilege. If you redeem your Class A shares and then decide to reinvest in Class A shares, you have a one-time option to, within 120 calendar days of the date of your redemption, use all or any part of the proceeds of the redemption to reinstate, free of an initial sales load, all or any part of your investment in Class A shares of the Fund. If you redeem your Class A shares and your redemption was subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you may reinstate all or any part of your investment in Class A shares within 120 calendar days of the date of your redemption and receive a credit for the applicable CDSC that you paid. Your investment will be reinstated at the NAV per share next determined after we receive your request. The Transfer Agent must be informed that your new purchase represents a reinstated investment. Reinstated shares must be registered exactly and be of the same class as the shares previously redeemed, and the Fund’s minimum initial investment amount must be met at the time of reinstatement. The ability of a shareholder to utilize the reinstatement privilege is subject to the Fund’s right to reject any purchase or exchange order if it believes such shareholder is engaged in, or has engaged in, market timing or other abusive trading practices.

 

 

CLASS C SHARES

 

·  

Initial Sales Loads—None.

 

·  

CDSC—You may pay a charge equal to 1% of the lesser of the current NAV of your shares or their original cost if you sell your shares within one year of their purchase.

 

·  

Distribution 12b-1 Fees—0.75% of average daily net assets, annually.

 

·  

Service Fees—0.25% of average daily net assets, annually.

You may want to purchase Class C shares if:

 

·  

you prefer to have all of your assets invested initially

 

·  

you are uncertain as to the length of time you intend to hold your shares of the Fund

The following is additional information about Class C shares:

Dealer Commission. The Distributor may pay a commission of up to 1% to dealers who sell Class C shares.

No Automatic Conversion Feature. There is no automatic conversion feature, making your investment subject to higher distribution fees for an indefinite period of time, and potentially costing you more than owning Class A shares.

 

16


Lower Dividends. The net income attributable to, and dividends payable on, the shares of each class is reduced by the amount of annual distribution and other expenses of each class. Because Class C shares bear higher annual distribution and other expenses than Class A shares, they will tend to pay lower dividends than Class A shares.

Each class has advantages and disadvantages for different investors. You should choose the class that best suits your circumstances and objectives.

 

 

DEALER COMPENSATION

Dealers will be paid a commission when you buy shares and may also be compensated through the distribution and service fees that the Fund charges to shareholders. In addition, dealers may charge the Advisor fees for administrative and other services that such dealers provide to Fund shareholders, which the Advisor will pay from its own resources.

 

 

A NOTE ON CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES

For purposes of determining the CDSC, if you sell only some of your shares, shares that are not subject to any CDSC will be sold first, followed by shares that you have owned the longest. All CDSC will be waived on redemptions of shares following the death or disability of a shareholder or to meet the requirements of certain qualified retirement plans. See the SAI for more information on CDSC waivers.

 

 

CLASS I SHARES

The Fund also offers Class I shares, which are described in a separate Prospectus and are available for purchase only by certain investors. The Class I shares do not have a front-end sales load or a CDSC, and are not subject to distribution plan expenses. To obtain the Prospectus that describes the Fund’s Class I shares, contact the Fund or the Distributor by writing to the address or by calling the telephone number listed on the back cover of this Prospectus.

 

 

PURCHASE MINIMUMS

You may open an account with the Fund with a minimum investment of $1,000. Additional investments must be at least $250. We are free to reject any purchase order, and we reserve the right to waive or change these minimum investment requirements. You can purchase the Fund’s shares through authorized dealers or directly through the Distributor. For accounts opened directly through the Distributor, a completed and signed Subscription Agreement is required for the initial account opened with the Fund.

 

 

FORM OF PAYMENT

1. We will accept payment for shares in two forms: A check drawn on any bank or domestic savings institution. Checks must be payable in U.S. dollars and will be accepted subject to collection at full face value.

2. A bank wire or federal reserve wire of federal funds.

 

17


 

PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES

Initial Purchase By Wire

1. Telephone toll free from any continental U.S. state: (800) 437-9912. When you contact the Transfer Agent, you will need the following information:

 

·  

name of the Fund

 

·  

class of shares

 

·  

name(s) in which shares are to be registered

 

·  

address

 

·  

social security or tax identification number (where applicable)

 

·  

dividend payment election

 

·  

amount to be wired

 

·  

name of the wiring bank

 

·  

name and telephone number of the person to be contacted in connection with the order

The Transfer Agent will assign you an account number.

2. Instruct the wiring bank to transmit at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above) to the custodian:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02111

ABA # 011000028

Account: DDA # 99055287

Attn: Cohen & Steers Dividend Value

Fund, Inc.

For further credit to: (account name)

Account Number: (provided by the Transfer Agent)

3. Complete the Subscription Agreement included in the center of this Prospectus. Mail the Subscription Agreement to the Transfer Agent:

Boston Financial Data Services

Attn: Cohen & Steers Funds

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Initial Purchase By Mail

1. Complete the Subscription Agreement included in the center of this Prospectus.

2. Mail the Subscription Agreement and a check in at least the required minimum amount per class purchased (see Purchase Minimums above), payable to the Fund, to the Transfer Agent at the above address.

 

18


Additional Purchases By Wire

1. Telephone toll free from any continental U.S. state: (800) 437-9912. When you contact the Transfer Agent, you will need the following information:

 

·  

name of the Fund

 

·  

class of shares

 

·  

account number

 

·  

amount to be wired

 

·  

name of the wiring bank

 

·  

name and telephone number of the person to be contacted in connection with the order

2. Instruct the wiring bank to transmit at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above) to the custodian:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02111

ABA # 011000028

Account: DDA # 99055287

Attn: Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

For further credit to: (account name)

Account Number: (provided by the Transfer Agent)

Additional Purchases By Mail

1. Make a check payable to the Fund in at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above). Write your Fund account number and the class of shares to be purchased on the check.

2. Mail the check and the detachable stub from your account statement (or a letter providing your account number) to the Transfer Agent at the address set forth above.

Purchases by ACH

You may purchase additional shares of the Fund by automated clearing house (ACH). To elect the Auto-Buy option, select it on your Subscription Agreement application or call the Transfer Agent and request an optional shareholder services form. ACH is similar to the pre-authorized automatic investment plan, except that you may choose the date on which you want to make the purchase. We will need a voided check or deposit slip before you may purchase by ACH. If you are interested in this option, please call (800) 437-9912.

 

 

PURCHASES THROUGH DEALERS AND INTERMEDIARIES

You may purchase the Fund’s shares through authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries. These entities are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to the Distributor and may impose transaction fees that are in addition to the sales charges or any other charges described in this prospectus. Such charges may include processing or service fees, which are typically fixed dollar amounts. You should contact your dealer or intermediary for more information about any additional charges that may apply.

 

19


Financial service firms that do not have a sales agreement with the Distributor also may place orders for purchases of the Fund’s shares, but may charge you a transaction fee in addition to the applicable initial sales charge.

 

 

PURCHASES THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTOR

You also may purchase shares of the Fund directly through the Distributor by mailing a check made payable to Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. along with the completed Subscription Agreement to Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. c/o Boston Financial Data Services, P.O. Box 8123, Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123. The Distributor will deduct any applicable sales charge from your payment.

 

 

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN

The Fund’s automatic investment plan (the Plan) provides a convenient way to invest in the Fund. Under the Plan, you can have money transferred automatically from your checking account to the Fund each month to buy additional shares. If you are interested in this Plan, please refer to the automatic investment plan section of the Subscription Agreement included with this Prospectus or contact your dealer. The market value of the Fund’s shares may fluctuate, and a systematic investment plan such as this will not assure a profit or protect against a loss. You may discontinue the Plan at any time by notifying the Fund by mail or telephone at the address or number on the back cover of this prospectus.

 

 

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

You may exchange some or all of your Fund shares for shares of other Cohen & Steers open-end funds provided that you meet applicable investment minimums. If you exchange Fund shares for shares of another Cohen & Steers open-end fund that imposes sales charges you must exchange into shares of the same class of such other fund. In computing the holding period for the purposes of the CDSC, the length of time you have owned your shares will be measured from the date of original purchase and will not be affected by the permitted exchange assuming you exchange into shares of the same class. If you exchange Fund shares for shares of another Cohen & Steers fund that does not impose any sales charges or for shares of SSgA Money Market Fund (described below), then that exchange will be subject to any applicable CDSCs. Similarly, if you exchange shares of another Cohen & Steers fund that does not impose any sales charges or exchange shares of SSgA Money Market Fund for shares of the Fund, then that exchange will be subject to applicable initial sales charges.

The Fund will charge a redemption fee of 2.00% on certain Class A exchange transactions. See How to Sell Fund Shares—Other Redemption Information—Payment of Redemption Proceeds.

The Fund also makes available for exchange shares of SSgA Money Market Fund, which is advised by State Street Bank and Trust Company. Exchanges are subject to applicable sales charges. You may request a prospectus and application for the SSgA Money Market Fund by calling (800) 437-9912. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.

An exchange of shares may result in your realizing a taxable gain or loss for income tax purposes. See Additional Information—Tax Considerations. The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the shares being acquired may be legally sold. Before you exercise the exchange privilege, you should read the prospectus of the fund whose shares you are acquiring. Certain dealers may limit or prohibit your right to use the exchange privilege and may charge you a fee for exchange transactions placed through them.

 

20


We have adopted reasonable procedures that are designed to ensure that any telephonic exchange instructions are genuine. Neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss or expenses if we act in accordance with these procedures. We may modify or revoke the exchange privilege for all shareholders upon 60 days prior written notice, and this privilege may be revoked immediately with respect to any shareholder if the Fund believes the shareholder is engaged in, or has engaged in, market timing or other abusive trading practices. For additional information concerning exchanges, or to make an exchange, please call the Transfer Agent at (800) 437-9912.

 

 

HOW TO SELL FUND SHARES

You may sell or redeem your shares through dealer or other financial intermediary or through the Transfer Agent. If your shares are held in your dealer’s “street name,” you must redeem your shares through your dealer.

Redemptions Through Dealers

If you have an account with an authorized dealer, you may submit a redemption request to that dealer. Dealers are responsible for promptly transmitting redemption requests to the Distributor. Dealers may impose charges for handling redemption transactions placed through them that are in addition to the sales charges or any other charges described in this Prospectus. Such charges may include processing or service fees, which are typically fixed dollar amounts. You should contact your dealer for more information about any additional charges that may apply.

Redemption By Telephone

To redeem shares by telephone, call the Transfer Agent at (800) 437-9912. In order to be honored at that day’s NAV, we must receive any telephone redemption requests by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. Orders received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will receive the NAV next determined.

If you would like to change your telephone redemption instructions, you must send the Transfer Agent written notification signed by all of the account’s registered owners, accompanied by signature guarantee(s), as described below.

We may modify or suspend telephone redemption privileges without notice during periods of drastic economic or market changes. We have adopted reasonable procedures that are designed to ensure that any telephonic redemption instructions are genuine. Neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss or expenses if we act in accordance with these procedures. We may modify or terminate the telephone redemption privilege at any time on 30 days notice to shareholders.

Redemption By Mail

You can redeem Fund shares by sending a written request for redemption to the Transfer Agent:

Boston Financial Data Services

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Attn: Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

A written redemption request must:

 

·  

state the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed

 

·  

identify your account number and tax identification number

 

·  

be signed by each registered owner exactly as the shares are registered

 

21


If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificate must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by a duly executed stock power) and must be submitted to the Transfer Agent together with a redemption request.

For redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators or guardians, the Transfer Agent may require additional supporting documents evidencing the authority of the person making the redemption (including evidence of appointment or incumbency). For additional information regarding the specific documentation required, contact the Transfer Agent at (800) 437-9912.

The Transfer Agent will not consider your redemption request to be properly made until it receives all required documentation in proper form.

Other Redemption Information

Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund will send you redemption proceeds by check. If you made an election on the Subscription Agreement to receive redemption proceeds by wire, the Fund will send the proceeds by wire to your designated bank account. When proceeds of a redemption are to be paid to someone other than the stockholder, either by wire or check, you must send a letter of instruction and the signature(s) on the letter of instruction must be guaranteed, as described below, regardless of the amount of the redemption. The Transfer Agent will normally mail checks for redemption proceeds within five business days. Redemptions by wire will normally be sent within two business days. The Fund will delay the payment of redemption proceeds, however, if your check used to pay for the shares to be redeemed has not cleared, which may take up to 15 days or more.

The Fund will pay redemption proceeds in cash, by check or wire, unless the Board of Directors believes that economic conditions exist which make redeeming in cash detrimental to the best interests of the Fund. In the event that this were to occur, all or a portion of your redemption proceeds would consist of readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund transferred into your name. You would then incur brokerage costs in converting the securities to cash.

The Fund will charge a redemption fee of 2.00% of the value of any Class A shares redeemed or exchanged within 60 days of any NAV Purchase (other than those shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or other distributions) to certain investors that are authorized to purchase Class A shares at net asset value without regard to investment amount. For purposes of calculating the redemption fee, Class A shares that are held longer than 60 days, and Class A shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions, will be deemed to have been sold first. The redemption fee does not apply for redemptions or exchanges: (i) of shares held in certain omnibus accounts, including retirement, pension, profit sharing and other qualified plans, as well as bank or trust company accounts, (ii) of shares held through firm-sponsored, discretionary asset allocation or wrap programs that utilize a regularly scheduled automatic rebalancing of assets and that the Fund determines are not designed to facilitate short-term trading, (iii) of shares due to the death or disability of a stockholder, (iv) of shares in connection with required distributions and certain other transactions in an individual retirement account or qualified retirement plan and (v) of shares by certain other accounts in the absolute discretion of the Fund when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship. The Fund reserves the right to modify or eliminate these waivers at any time.

In addition to the circumstances noted above, the Fund reserves the right to grant additional waivers based on such factors as operational limitations, contractual limitations and further guidance from the SEC or other regulators. Since the Fund is designed to be a long-term investment, this fee is intended to compensate the Fund for the costs imposed when NAV Purchases are redeemed shortly after the purchase.

 

22


If your shares are held through a financial intermediary in an omnibus or other group account, the Fund relies on the financial intermediary to assess the redemption fee on underlying shareholder accounts. The application of redemption fees and exemptions may vary and certain intermediaries may not apply the exceptions listed above. If you invest through a financial intermediary, please contact your intermediary for more information regarding when redemption fees will be applied to the redemption of your shares.

Signature Guarantee. You may need to have your signature guaranteed in certain situations, such as:

 

·  

written requests to wire redemption proceeds (if not previously authorized on the subscription agreement)

 

·  

sending redemption proceeds to any person, address or bank account not on record

 

·  

transferring redemption proceeds to a Cohen & Steers fund account with a different registration (name/ownership) from yours

 

·  

establishing certain services after the account is opened

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, savings institutions, broker-dealers and other guarantors acceptable to the Fund. The Fund cannot accept guarantees from notaries public or organizations that do not provide reimbursement in the case of fraud.

Redemption of Small Accounts. If your Fund account has a value of $1,000 or less as the result of any voluntary redemption, we may redeem your remaining shares. We will, however, give you 30 days notice of our intention to do so. During this 30-day notice period, you may make additional investments to increase your account value to $1,000 (the minimum purchase amount) or more and avoid having the Fund automatically liquidate your account.

 

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES

The Fund is designed for long-term investors with investment horizons of at least six months. Excessive trading, short-term market timing or other abusive trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm portfolio performance. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of a fund, a portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the Fund’s performance. Additionally, market timing is a concern for the Fund because the Fund’s portfolio will have foreign securities and therefore could be subject to time-zone arbitrage.

Because of potential harm to the Fund and its long-term investors, the Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted policies and procedures to discourage and prevent excessive trading and short-term market timing. As part of these policies and procedures, the Advisor monitors purchase, exchange and redemption activity in Fund shares. The intent is not to inhibit legitimate strategies such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of the Fund’s shares. Therefore, there are no specific restrictions on the volume or number of purchases, exchanges or redemptions of Fund shares a stockholder may make, although the Fund reserves the right to reject or refuse any purchase request (including those that are part of exchange activity) that could adversely affect the Fund or its operations. If, based on these procedures, the Advisor believes that a stockholder is engaged in, or has engaged in, market timing or excessive trading, we may place a temporary or permanent block on all further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares.

 

23


Multiple accounts under common ownership or control may be considered one account for the purpose of determining a pattern of excessive trading, short-term market timing or other abusive trading practices.

In addition, the Fund charges a 2.00% redemption fee on certain redemptions, and this fee is intended to compensate the Fund for the costs that short-term investors impose. The Fund will also utilize fair value pricing in an effort to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders.

Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying excessive trading and market timing activity and the volume of stockholder transactions, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify and restrict such activity in all cases. Additionally, it is more difficult for the Fund to monitor the trading activity of beneficial owners of Fund shares who hold those shares through 401(k) and other group retirement plans and other omnibus arrangements maintained by broker/dealers and other intermediaries. Omnibus account arrangements permit multiple investors to aggregate their respective share ownership positions and purchase, redeem and exchange Fund shares in a single account.

In certain circumstances the Fund may accept frequent trading restrictions of intermediaries that differ from the Fund’s policies. Since such intermediaries execute or administer transactions with many fund families, it may be impractical for them to enforce a particular fund’s frequent trading or exchange policy. These alternate trading restrictions would be authorized only if the Fund believes that the alternate restrictions would provide reasonable protection to the Fund and its shareholders.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

 

DISTRIBUTION PLAN

The Fund has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (a Distribution Plan) which allows the Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of its shares. Under this plan, the Fund may pay the Distributor a quarterly distribution fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily value of the Fund’s net assets attributable to the Class A shares and 0.75% of the average daily value of the Fund’s net assets attributable to the Class C shares. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

The Distributor is obligated to use the amounts received under the Distribution Plan for payments to qualifying dealers for their assistance in the distribution of the Fund’s shares and for other expenses such as advertising costs and the payment for the printing and distribution of prospectuses to prospective investors. Payments received under the Distribution Plan with respect to Class A and Class C shares will not be used to pay any interest expenses, carrying charges or other financing costs or allocation of overhead of the Distributor. The Distributor bears distribution expenses to the extent they are not covered by payments under the Distribution Plan. Any distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor in any fiscal year of the Fund, which are not reimbursed from payments under the Distribution Plan accrued in such fiscal year, will not be carried over for payment under the Distribution Plan in any subsequent year.

 

 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN

The Fund has adopted a shareholder services plan which provides that the Fund may obtain the services of qualified financial institutions to act as shareholder servicing agents for their customers. Under this

 

24


plan, the Fund may enter into agreements pursuant to which the shareholder servicing agents perform certain shareholder services not otherwise provided by the Fund's Transfer Agent. For these services, the Fund may pay the shareholder servicing agent a fee at an annual rate of up to 0.10% of the average daily NAV of the Fund’s Class A shares and up to 0.25% of the average daily NAV of the Fund’s Class C shares owned by investors for which the shareholder servicing agent maintains a servicing relationship.

Among the services provided by shareholder servicing agents are: answering customer inquiries regarding account matters; assisting in designating and changing various account options; aggregating and processing purchase and redemption orders and transmitting and receiving funds for shareholder orders; transmitting, on behalf of the Fund, proxy statements, prospectuses and shareholder reports to shareholders and tabulating proxies; processing dividend payments and providing subaccounting services for Fund shares held beneficially; and providing such other services as the Fund or a shareholder may request.

 

 

OTHER COMPENSATION

The Advisor and the Distributor may make payments from their own resources to dealers and other financial intermediaries for distribution, administrative or other services. For further details, please consult the SAI.

 

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends from its investment income quarterly. The Fund intends to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, at least once each year, normally in December. The Transfer Agent will automatically reinvest your dividends and distributions in additional shares of the Fund unless you elected on your Subscription Agreement to have them paid to you in cash.

We will calculate the dividends payable on each class of the Fund’s shares in the same manner at the same time on the same day.

 

 

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following discussion assumes you are a U.S. shareholder. This discussion offers only a brief outline of the federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund and is based on the federal tax laws in effect on the date hereof. Such tax laws are subject to change by legislative, judicial or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. In the SAI we have provided more detailed information regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Fund.

Dividends paid to you out of the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” as that term is defined in the Code, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid, will be taxable to you as ordinary dividend income. If a portion of the Fund’s income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations (other than REITs), a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction. In addition, for taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, distributions of investment company taxable income designated by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met by both you and the Fund. Dividend income that the Fund receives from U.S. REITs will generally not be treated as qualified dividend income. Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, designated as capital gain dividends are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. A distribution of an amount

 

25


in excess of the Fund’s earnings is treated as a non-taxable return of capital that reduces your tax basis in your shares; any such distribution in excess of your tax basis is treated as gain from a sale of your shares. The tax treatment of your dividends and distributions will be the same regardless of whether they were paid to you in cash or reinvested in additional Fund shares.

A distribution will be treated as paid to you on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid during January of the following year. Each year, we will notify you of the tax status of dividends and other distributions.

If you sell or redeem your Fund shares, or exchange them for shares of another Cohen & Steers open-end fund, you may realize a capital gain or loss (provided the shares are held as a capital asset) which will be long-term or short-term, depending generally on your holding period for the shares.

We may be required to withhold U.S. Federal income tax on all taxable distributions and redemption proceeds payable if you

 

·  

fail to provide us with your correct taxpayer identification number;

 

·  

fail to make required certifications; or

 

·  

have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that you are subject to backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against your U.S. Federal income tax liability.

The Fund has elected to be treated as, and intends to qualify each year as, a regulated investment company under Federal income tax law. If the Fund so qualifies and distributes each year to its shareholders at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt interest, the Fund will not be required to pay Federal income taxes on any income it distributes to shareholders. Additionally, if the Fund distributes less than an amount equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year and 98% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31, unless the Fund elects to use a calendar year, plus any ordinary income and capital gain net income from previous years that was not distributed, then the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts. The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions of its income to satisfy the distribution requirement and prevent application of the excise tax.

Fund distributions also may be subject to state and local taxes. You should consult with your own tax advisor regarding the particular consequences of investing in the Fund.

 

 

PRIVACY POLICY*

In the course of doing business with Cohen & Steers, you may share personal information with us. We are committed to maintaining the privacy of this information and recognize the importance of preventing unauthorized access to it. You may provide personal information (such as your address and social security number) on Subscription Agreements and requests for forms or other literature and through account transactions with us (such as purchases, sales and requests for account balances). You may also provide us with this information through written, electronic and telephone account inquiries.

 

 

* This privacy policy applies to the following Cohen & Steers companies: Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, Cohen & Steers Capital Advisors, LLC and the Cohen & Steers Funds.

 

26


We do not sell personal information about current and former customers to anyone, and we do not disclose it unless necessary to process a transaction, service an account or as otherwise required or permitted by law. For example, we may disclose information to companies that perform administrative services for Cohen & Steers, such as transfer agents, or printers that assist us in the distribution of investor materials. These organizations will use this information only for purposes of providing the required services or as otherwise may be required by law. We may also share personal information within the Cohen & Steers family of companies to provide you with additional information about our products and services.

We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information. Within Cohen & Steers, we restrict access to your personal information to those employees who need it to perform their jobs, such as servicing your account or informing you of new products and services.

The accuracy of your personal information is important. If you need to correct or update your personal or account information, please call us at (800) 330-7348. We will be happy to review, correct or update your personal or account information.

 

 

COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE

 

 

This is not the Fund’s performance and is not indicative of the past or future performance of the Fund. The returns shown represent the performance of linked portfolios (the Composite), in each case comprised of accounts with investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund. Performance prior to July 31, 2005 reflects accounts managed on a fully discretionary basis by Richard E. Helm, the Fund’s portfolio manager, while employed by WM Advisors, Inc. Performance from August 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 reflects the performance of an internal non-fee paying account managed in a similar large cap value manner by Mr. Helm. Performance returns after August 31, 2005 reflects the Cohen & Steers US large cap value composite, managed on a fully discretionary basis by Mr. Helm while employed by the Advisor. The Composite represents the investment performance record of all US large cap value total return accounts and was created on October 31, 2005.

Returns are presented gross and net of management fees and include the reinvestment of all income. Net of fees performance was calculated by deducting actual fees charged to accounts included in the Composite, except custodian fees of separately managed accounts. However, the Fund bears fees and operational expenses not typically borne by managed accounts (including distribution fees of the Fund’s Class A and Class C shares). The Composite performance also does not reflect sales charges that apply to the Fund’s Class A and Class C shares. If the Fund’s higher expenses and applicable sales charges were reflected, the performance of the Composite would be lower.

The Fund’s performance will be different from the Composite’s performance due to factors such as differences in cash flows into and out of the Fund, and different fees, expenses, performance calculation methods, and portfolio sizes and composition. However, such differences do not alter the conclusion that the Fund and the accounts included in the Composite have substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies. In addition, certain accounts included in the Composite are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements, and other restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act and the Code, which, if applicable, can have a negative impact on performance.

 

27


Results are based on fully discretionary accounts under management, including those accounts no longer with the firm. Composite results are United States dollar-based, measured based upon trade date accounting, and include the reinvestment of dividend and interest income. Composite investment performance has been determined on an asset weighted basis, which differs from guidelines of the SEC for calculating the performance of mutual funds.

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods Ended December 31, 2007

 

    

1 Year

   

3 Years

   

5 Years

   

Since

Inception*

 

Cohen & Steers Large Cap Value Composite (Gross)

   9.31 %   14.37 %   18.48 %   12.51 %

Cohen & Steers Large Cap Value Composite (Net)

   8.19 %   13.20 %   17.37 %   11.46 %

Russell 1000 Value Index1

   -0.17 %   9.32 %   14.63 %   7.95 %

S&P 500 Index1

   5.49 %   8.63 %   12.84 %   5.38 %

 

* Inception date of Mr. Helm’s employment as portfolio manager of the WM Equity Income Fund was March 15, 2001. Performance is shown from April 1, 2001.

 

1 The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of common stocks that is considered to be generally representative of the United States stock market. The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. Indexes are adjusted to reflect reinvestment of dividends.

 

28


 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Fund’s Class A shares and Class C shares, each for the fiscal years ended February 29, 2008 and February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). These financial highlights have been derived from financial statements included in the Fund’s current annual report, which is available free of charge upon request.

 

     Class A  

Per Share Operating Performance:

  

For the
Year Ended
February 29, 2008

   

For the
Year Ended
February 28, 2007

   

For the Period
August 31, 2005(a)
through
February 28, 2006

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

   $ 13.99     $ 12.26     $ 11.46  
                        

Income from investment operations:

      

Net investment income(b)

     0.23       0.22       0.07  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     (0.17 )     1.86       0.77  
                        

Total from investment operations

     0.06       2.08       0.84  
                        

Less dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

      

Net investment income

     (0.21 )     (0.18 )     (0.04 )

Net realized gain on investments

     (0.28 )     (0.17 )      
                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     (0.49 )     (0.35 )     (0.04 )
                        

Redemption fees retained by the fund

     0.01       0.00 (c)     0.00 (c)
                        

Net increase (decrease) in net asset value

     (0.42 )     1.73       0.80  
                        

Net asset value, end of period

   $ 13.57     $ 13.99     $ 12.26  
                        
   

Total investment return(d)

     0.33 %     17.12 %     7.29 %(e)
                        
   

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

      

Net assets, end of period
(in millions)

   $ 61.9     $ 41.7     $ 6.6  
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(before expense reduction)

     1.63 %     2.33 %(g)     7.02 %(f)
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     1.00 %     1.00 %     1.28 %(f)
                        

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average daily net assets (before expense reduction)

     0.95 %     0.30 %     (4.66 )%(f)
                        

Ratio of net investment income to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     1.59 %     1.63 %     1.08 %(f)
                        

Portfolio turnover rate

     52 %     30 %     8 %(e)
                        

 

(a) Commencement of operations.

 

(b) Calculation based on average shares outstanding during the period.

 

(c) Amount is less than $0.005.

 

(d) Does not reflect sales charges, which would reduce return.

 

(e) Not annualized.

 

(f) Annualized.

 

(g) Due to the significant growth of net assets on a small asset base, the expense ratio, when averaged over the year, differs from the fund’s other classes by an amount other than class specific expenses. Typically, the ratios between classes will only differ by the class specific expenses (i.e., distribution fees and shareholder servicing fees).

 

29


      Class C  

Per Share Operating Performance:

  

For the
Year Ended
February 29, 2008

   

For the
Year Ended
February 28, 2007

   

For the Period

August 31, 2005(a)

through
February 28, 2006

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

   $ 13.94     $ 12.23     $ 11.46  
                        

Income from investment operations:

      

Net investment income(b)

     0.14       0.14       0.03  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     (0.18 )     1.86       0.77  
                        

Total from investment operations

     (0.04 )     2.00       0.80  
                        

Less dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

      

Net investment income

     (0.14 )     (0.12 )     (0.03 )

Net realized gain on investments

     (0.28 )     (0.17 )      
                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     (0.42 )     (0.29 )     (0.03 )
                        

Redemption fees retained by the fund

     0.02       0.00 (c)     0.00 (c)
                        

Net increase (decrease) in net asset value

     (0.44 )     1.71       0.77  
                        

Net asset value, end of period

   $ 13.50     $ 13.94     $ 12.23  
                        
   

Total investment return(d)

     –0.35 %     16.40 %     6.96 %(e)
                        
   

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

      

Net assets, end of period
(in millions)

   $ 41.2     $ 14.7     $ 3.8  
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(before expense reduction)

     2.27 %     3.21 %(g)     7.93 %(f)
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     1.65 %     1.65 %     1.95 %(f)
                        

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average daily net assets
(before expense reduction)

     0.33 %     (0.50 )%     (5.53 )%(f)
                        

Ratio of net investment income to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     0.96 %     1.06 %     0.45 %(f)
                        

Portfolio turnover rate

     52 %     30 %     8 %(e)
                        

 

(a) Commencement of operations.

 

(b) Calculation based on average shares outstanding during the period.

 

(c) Amount is less than $0.005.

 

(d) Does not reflect sales charges, which would reduce return.

 

(e) Not annualized.

 

(f) Annualized.

 

(g) Due to the significant growth of net assets on a small asset base, the expense ratio, when averaged over the year, differs from the fund’s other classes by an amount other than class specific expenses. Typically, the ratios between classes will only differ by the class specific expenses (i.e., distribution fees and shareholder servicing fees).

 

30


COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.

 

THE USA PATRIOT ACT

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.

What this means for you: when you open an account, we will ask you for your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. This information will be verified to ensure the identity of all individuals opening a mutual fund account.

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

 

1

  Account Type (Please print; indicate only one registration type)   
¨  

A.   Individual or Joint Account*

     
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Name   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Name of Joint Owner, if any   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
  Citizenship:  ¨  U.S. Citizen    ¨  Resident Alien       ¨  Nonresident Alien***:                                                                                       

 

  Country of Citizenship                

 

¨  

B.  Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors (UGMA/UTMA)

  
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Custodian’s name (only one permitted)   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Minor’s name (only one permitted)   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
  under the                                                                           Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
                                  (state residence of minor)
  Citizenship of custodian:   ¨   U.S. Citizen   ¨   Resident Alien   ¨   Nonresident Alien***:                                                                        
                Country of Citizenship
  Citizenship of minor:   ¨   U.S. Citizen   ¨   Resident Alien   ¨   Nonresident Alien***:                                                                        
                Country of Citizenship

 

¨  

C.   Trust, Corporation or Other Entity

     

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
  Name of Trust, Corporation or Other Entity    Tax Identification Number**    Date of Trust Agreement

Check the box that describes the entity establishing the account:

 

  ¨ U.S. Financial Institution governed by a federal regulator.

 

  ¨ Bank governed by a U.S. state bank regulator.

 

  ¨ Corporation. Attach a copy of the certified articles of incorporation or business license unless the corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or Nasdaq Stock Market. If so, please provide ticker symbol:                  

 

  ¨ Retirement plan governed by ERISA.

 

  ¨ Trust. Attach a copy of the Trust Agreement.

 

  ¨ Partnership. Attach a copy of Partnership Agreement.

 

  ¨ U.S. Government Agency or Instrumentality.

 

  ¨ Foreign correspondent account, foreign broker dealer or foreign private banking account.

 

  ¨ Other.                                                       Attach copy of document that formed entity or by laws or similar document.

Call (800) 437-9912 to see if additional information is required.

 

 

  *   All joint registrations will be registered as “joint tenants with rights of survivorship” unless otherwise specified.
  **   If applied for, include a copy of application for social security or tax identification number.
  ***   Nonresident aliens must include a copy of a government-issued photo ID with this application.


2

  Authorized Persons      
  If you are establishing an account under 1C above as a (i) Corporation (non-publicly traded), (ii) Partnership, (iii) Trust or (iv) Other, information on each of the individuals authorized to effect transactions must be provided below:

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Authorized Individual/Trustee   Social Security Number*    Date of Birth

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Authorized Individual/Trustee   Social Security Number*    Date of Birth
  Citizenship:  ¨  U.S. Citizen    ¨  Resident Alien       ¨  Nonresident Alien**:                                                                                         
  Country of Citizenship                

(If there are more than two authorized persons, provide the information, in the same format, on a separate sheet for each such additional person.)

 

  * If applied for, include a copy of application for social security number.
  ** Nonresident aliens must include a copy of a government-issued photo ID with this application.

 

3

  Address      
 

(If mailing address is a post office box, a street address is also required. APO and FPO addresses will be accepted)

 

Registrant Street Address

 

                                                                                             

(                 )

  Street    Home Telephone Number
                                                                                             

(                 )

  City and State                                                             Zip Code    Business Telephone Number

 

  Mailing Address                                                                             City                                                     State                             Zip                     

Joint Registrant Street Address (required if different than Registrant Address above)

 

  Address                                                                                            City                                                     State                             Zip                     

 

4

  Investment Information      

Class of shares (please check one):    ¨  A     ¨  C

    (Class A purchased if no box checked)

                         Amount to invest ($1,000 minimum investment). Do not send cash. Investment will be paid for by

(please check one):

 

  ¨ Check or draft made payable to “Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.”

 

  ¨ Wire through the Federal Reserve System.*                                                                                   

 

  * Call (800) 437-9912 to notify the Fund of investments by wire and to obtain an account number. See the Purchase of Fund Shares section of the prospectus for wire instructions.

 

5

  Automatic Investment Plan      

 

  A. The automatic investment plan makes possible regularly scheduled monthly purchases of Fund shares. The Fund’s Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you ($100 minimum) to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund.

Please debit $                            from my checking account beginning on                            *.

(Month)

Please debit my account on (check one):  ¨  1st of Month        ¨  15th of Month

 

  B. ¨  Check here to establish the Auto-Buy option, which allows you to make additional investments on dates you choose by having an amount of money selected by you ($100 minimum) deducted from your checking account.*

 

  * To initiate the Automatic Investment Plan or the Auto-Buy option, Section 10 of this Subscription Agreement must be completed.

Please continue application on reverse side.


6

  Reduced Sales Charge (Class A Only)      

Aggregating Accounts or Rights of Accumulation

 

  ¨ I apply for Aggregating Accounts reduced sales charges based on the following accounts:

 

  ¨ I apply for Rights of Accumulation reduced sales charges based on the following accounts:

 

 

Account Name

   

Social Security Number

 

1.

          -       -        
                         
 

2.

          -       -        
                         
 

3.

          -       -        

Letter of Intention

 

  ¨ I am already investing under an existing Letter of Intention.

 

  ¨ I agree to the Letter of Intention provisions in the Fund’s current Prospectus. During a 12 month period, I plan to invest a dollar amount of at least:  ¨  $100,000        ¨  $250,000        ¨  $500,000        ¨  $1,000,000

Net Asset Value Purchase

 

  ¨ I certify that I qualify for an exemption from the sales charge by meeting the conditions set forth in the Prospectus.

 

7

  Exchange Privileges      

Exchange privileges will be automatically granted unless you check the box below. Stockholders wishing to exchange into other Cohen & Steers Funds or the SSgA Money Market Fund should consult the Exchange Privilege section of the Prospectus. (Note: If shares are being purchased through a dealer, please contact your dealer for availability of this service.)

 

  ¨ I decline the exchange privilege.

 

8

  Redemption Privileges      

Stockholders may select the following redemption privileges by checking the box(es) below. See How to Sell Fund Shares section of the Prospectus for further details. Redemption privileges will be automatically declined for boxes not checked.

 

  ¨ I authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem shares in my account(s) by telephone, in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Fund’s current Prospectus.

 

  ¨ I wish to have redemption proceeds paid by wire (please complete Section 10).

 

9

  Distribution Options      

Dividends and capital gains may be reinvested or paid by check. If no options are selected below, both dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in additional Fund shares.

 

Dividends   ¨ Reinvest.   ¨ Pay in cash.   
Capital Gains   ¨ Reinvest.   ¨ Pay in cash.   

 

  ¨   I wish to have my distributions paid by wire (please complete Section 10).

 

 

10

 

Bank of Record (for Wire Instructions and/or Automatic Investment Plan)

  

Please attach a voided check from your bank account.

 

Bank Name     Bank ABA Number
   
Street or P.O. Box     Bank Account Number
   
City and State Zip Code                 Account Name


11   Signature and Certifications      

 

(a) By signing this agreement, I represent and warrant that:

 

  (1) I have the full right, power, capacity and authority to invest in the Fund;

 

  (2) I am of legal age in my state of residence or am an emancipated minor;

 

  (3) All of the information on this agreement is true and correct; and

 

  (4) I will notify the Fund immediately if there is any change in this information.

 

(b) I have read the current Prospectus of the Fund and this agreement and agree to all their terms. I also agree that any shares purchased now or later are and will be subject to the terms of the Fund’s Prospectus as in effect from time to time. Further, I agree that the Fund, its administrators and service providers and any of their directors, trustees, employees and agents will not be liable for any claims, losses or expenses (including legal fees) for acting on any instructions believed to be genuine, provided that reasonable security procedures have been followed. If an account has multiple owners, the Fund may rely on the instructions of any one account owner unless all owners specifically instruct the Fund otherwise.

 

(c) If I am a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or a representative of a U.S. entity, I certify, under penalty of perjury, that:

 

  (1) The taxpayer identification number and tax status shown on this form are correct.

 

  (2) I am not subject to backup withholding because:

 

   

I am exempt from backup withholding, OR

 

   

I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, OR

 

   

The IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

NOTE: If you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because of under-reporting interest or dividends on your tax return, you must cross out this Item 2.

 

  (3) I am a U.S. person (including resident alien).

 

(d) If I am a nonresident alien, I understand that I am required to complete and attach the appropriate Form W-8 to certify my foreign status.

 

  (1) Indicate country of residence for tax purposes                                              
     Under penalty of perjury, I certify that I am not a U.S. citizen or resident alien and I am an exempt foreign person as defined by the IRS.

 

(e) Additional Certification:

 

  (1) Neither I (we), nor any person having a direct or indirect beneficial interest in the shares to be acquired, appears on any U.S. Government published list of persons who are known or suspected to engage in money laundering activities, such as the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury. I (we) do not know or have any reason to suspect that (i) the monies used to fund my (our) investment have been or will be derived from or related to any illegal activities and (ii) the proceeds from my (our) investment will be used to finance any illegal activities.

 

  (2) I agree to provide such information and execute and deliver such documents as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time to verify the accuracy of the information provided in connection with the opening of an account or to comply with any law, rule or regulation to which the Fund may be subject, including compliance with anti-money laundering laws.

 

   The IRS does not require your consent to any provision of this document other than the certifications required to avoid backup withholding.

 

x       x    
             

Signature* (Owner, Trustee, Etc.)

  Date   Signature* (Joint Owner, Co-Trustee)   Date

 

              

Name and Title

     

 

 

*   If shares are to be registered in (1) joint names, both persons should sign, (2) a custodian’s name, the custodian should sign, (3) a trust, the trustee(s) should sign, or (4) a corporation or other entity, an officer or other authorized person should sign and print name and title above. Persons signing as representatives or fiduciaries of corporations, partnerships, trusts or other organizations are required to furnish corporate resolutions or similar documents providing evidence that they are authorized to effect securities transactions on behalf of the Investor (alternatively, the secretary or another designated officer of the entity may certify the authority of the persons signing on the space provided above). In addition, signatures of representatives or fiduciaries of corporations and other entities must be accompanied by a signature guarantee by a commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a trust company or a member of a national securities exchange.

Mail to: Boston Financial Data Services, P.O. Box 8123, Boston, MA 02266-8123


For Authorized Dealer Use Only   
  We hereby authorize the Transfer Agent to act as our agent in connection with the transactions authorized by the Subscription Agreement and agree to notify the Transfer Agent of any purchases made under a Letter of Intention, Rights of Accumulation or Aggregating Accounts. If the Subscription Agreement includes a Telephone Redemption Privilege, we guarantee the signature(s) above.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Dealer’s Name    Dealer Number
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Main Office Address    Branch Number
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Representative’s Name    Rep. Number
     (          )                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                  
  Branch Address    Telephone Number
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Authorized Signature of Dealer    Date


LOGO

TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

If you would like additional information about Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc., the following documents are available to you without any charge, upon request or at http://www.cohenandsteers.com:

 

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports—Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. In these reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recent fiscal period.

 

 

Statement of Additional Information—Additional information about the Fund’s investments, structure and operations can be found in the SAI. The information presented in the SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and is legally considered to be part of the Prospectus.

To request a free copy of any of the materials described above as well as other information, or to make other inquiries, please contact us:

 

By telephone    (800) 437-9912
By mail    Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.
   c/o Boston Financial Data Services
   P.O. Box 8123
   Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123
By e-mail    marketing@cohenandsteers.com
On the Internet    http://www.cohenandsteers.com

This information may also be available from your broker or financial advisor. In addition, information about the Fund (including the Fund’s SAI) may also be obtained from the SEC:

 

 

By going to the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. where you can review and copy the information. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

 

 

By accessing the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov where you can view, download and print the information.

 

 

By electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102. Upon payment of a duplicating fee, copies of the information will be sent to you.

280 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017

SEC File No. 811-21668

DVFPRO-AC


LOGO

280 PARK AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017

 

 

CLASS I SHARES

 

 

PROSPECTUS

Advisor

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.

280 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10017

Telephone: (212) 832-3232

Transfer Agent

Boston Financial Data Services

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Telephone: (800) 437-9912

THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE FUND’S SHARES OR DETERMINED WHETHER THIS PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANYONE WHO INDICATES OTHERWISE IS COMMITTING A CRIME.

JULY 1, 2008

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

RISK/RETURN SUMMARY

   1

Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies

   1

Who Should Invest

   2

Principal Risks

   2

Historical Fund Performance

   3

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

   4

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

   5

Objectives

   5

Principal Investment Strategies

   5

Additional Investment Information

   7

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

   8

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

   10

The Advisor

   10

Portfolio Managers

   11

HOW TO PURCHASE AND SELL FUND SHARES

   11

Pricing of Fund Shares

   11

Types of Shareholders Qualified to Purchase Class I Shares

   12

Purchase Minimums

   12

Additional Classes Offered

   13

Form of Payment

   13

Purchases of Fund Shares

   13

Purchases Through Dealers and Intermediaries

   15

Purchases Through the Distributor

   15

Automatic Investment Plan

   15

Exchange Privilege

   15

How To Sell Fund Shares

   16

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

   18

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

   19

Other Compensation

   19

Dividends and Distributions

   19

Tax Considerations

   19

Privacy Policy

   21

COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE

   21

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

   23

 


COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.

 

 

RISK/RETURN SUMMARY

 

 

IN VESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

The investment objectives of Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. (the Fund) are to provide a relatively high level of current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund may change its investment objectives without shareholder approval, although it has no current intention to do so.

Under normal conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend-paying common stocks and preferred stocks that have the potential to deliver regular income and to offer the opportunity for long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests primarily in companies with large market capitalizations, similar to those of companies included in the Russell 1000 Value Index using a “value approach.” A value approach seeks to identify companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures but have good prospects for capital appreciation and dividend growth.

In selecting securities that the Fund will invest in, Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., the Fund’s investment advisor (the Advisor), first seeks to identify attractive businesses by industry through identification of key industry drivers and evaluation of each company’s business model, market position and management team. Then a number of additional screens are applied to assess a company’s dividend growth potential as well as the sustainability of that growth, including analysis of dividend history, free cash flow and dividend payout ratios. Once this fundamental research has been completed and the universe of companies has been narrowed, a dividend discount model is employed to determine the present value of a future stream of a company’s dividend payments to identify stocks the Advisor believes are undervalued relative to their long-term growth prospects. This model assists in both quantifying discounts to target prices and determining individual stock and sector weightings.

In an effort to mitigate risk, the Advisor adheres to a sell discipline that helps to identify when to begin scaling out of a position that no longer meets its investment criteria. Considerations include change in company management or strategy, change in dividend policy, invalid investment thesis, stock price approaching target price, deterioration of company fundamentals or changing industry considerations.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). A REIT is a company that owns and generally operates income producing properties or finances real estate transactions.

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in bonds and other fixed-income securities of any maturity.

In addition, the Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of foreign issuers which meet the same criteria for investment as domestic companies, or sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts for such securities.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the Advisor.

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. A security is illiquid if, for legal or market reasons, it cannot be promptly sold (i.e., within seven days) at a price which approximates its fair value.

 

1


 

WHO SHOULD INVEST

The Fund may be suitable for you if you are seeking:

 

·  

to add exposure to the stock market to your portfolio

 

·  

a fund that may perform differently than other types of stock or funds because of the Fund’s focus on dividend-paying common and preferred stocks

 

·  

a fund offering the potential for both current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation.

The Fund is designed for long-term investors. You should not invest in the Fund unless your investment horizon is at least six months. The Fund will take reasonable steps to identify and reject orders from market timers. In addition, the Fund will charge a redemption fee on certain redemptions and exchanges. See How to Purchase and Sell Fund Shares—Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares and—How to Sell Fund Shares.

 

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS

Investment Risk. An investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.

Market Risk. Your investment in Fund shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Your Fund shares at any point in time may be worth less than what you invested, even after taking into account the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions.

Common Stock Risk. While common stock has historically generated higher average returns than fixed-income securities, common stock has also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock held by the Fund. Also, the price of common stock is sensitive to general movements in the stock market. A drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stock held by the Fund.

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks pay a fixed stream of income to investors and this income stream is a primary source of the long-term investment return on preferred stocks. As a result, the market value of preferred stocks is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than the market value of common stocks. In this respect, preferred stocks share many investment characteristics with debt securities. In addition, preferred stockholders usually have no right to vote for a company’s directors or on other corporate matters.

REIT Market Risk. The Fund will not invest directly in real estate, but only in securities issued by REITs. Because REITs are engaged in the real estate business, the Fund also is subject to the risks associated with direct ownership of real estate. Property values may fall due to increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal, cultural or technological developments. Real estate company prices also may drop because of the failure of borrowers to pay their loans and poor management.

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed-income securities, and to a lesser extent dividend-paying common stocks, will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates. When market interest rates rise, the market value of such securities generally will fall. The Fund’s investment in such securities means that the net asset value (NAV) and market price of the Fund’s common shares may tend to decline if market interest rates rise.

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or guarantor of a bond or other fixed-income security will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. There are varying degrees of credit risk, which are often reflected in credit ratings.

 

2


Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities Risks. Risks of investing in foreign securities include currency risks, future political and economic developments and possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on interest income payable on the securities. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than about a domestic issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers.

Risks of Investment in Lower-Rated Securities. Lower-rated securities, or equivalent unrated securities, generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, and may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher grade securities. It is reasonable to expect that any adverse economic conditions could disrupt the market for lower-rated securities, have an adverse impact on the value of those securities and adversely affect the ability of the issuers of those securities to repay principal and/or interest on those securities.

Non-Diversification. As a nondiversified investment company, the Fund may invest in fewer individual companies than a diversified investment company. Because a nondiversified portfolio is more likely to experience large market price fluctuations, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss than a fund that has a diversified portfolio.

Your investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

 

HISTORICAL FUND PERFORMANCE

You should review the following information regarding the past performance of the Class I shares of the Fund. It shows how the Fund’s investment return can change from year to year and how the Fund’s returns can vary from the performance of selected broad market indexes over various time periods. This information is intended to give you some indication of the risk associated with an investment in the Fund. Past performance (both before and after taxes) is not, however, an indication as to how the Fund may perform in the future.

This chart shows the annual total return of the Fund’s Class I shares for the one full calendar year since Class I shares commenced operations, but does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.

LOGO

Highest quarterly return during this period:    8.99% (quarter ended December 31, 2006)

Lowest quarterly return during this period:    –2.30% (quarter ended December 31, 2007)

 

3


This table shows the average annual total returns of the Class I shares of the Fund for the past fiscal year and the period since Class I shares of the Fund commenced operations, and compares these returns with the performance of two indexes. Index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for periods ended December 31, 2007)

 

    

1 Year

   

Since
Inception**

 

Return Before Taxes

   8.45 %   14.22 %

Return After Taxes on Distributions

   7.59 %   13.41 %

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   6.00 %   11.91 %

Russell 1000 Value Index*

   (0.17 )%   10.16 %

S&P 500® Index*

   5.49 %   10.32 %

 

    * The Fund’s returns as shown are net of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements agreed to by the Advisor. Absent these arrangements, returns would have been lower.

 

  ** Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged index of common stocks that is frequently used as a general measure of stock market performance. Performance figures include reinvestment of income dividends and, for the Fund, capital gains distributions. You should note that the Fund is a professionally managed mutual fund while the indexes are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

*** The inception date for Class I shares was August 31, 2005.

 

 

FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND

 

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you could pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

 

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):

   None

Redemption Fee (as a percentage of redemption proceeds; also imposed on exchanges)

  

    
2.00% during the first

60 days

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets):

  

Management Fee

   0.80  %

Other Expenses

   0.48 %
      

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   1.28 %

Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement

   (0.63 )%
      

Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1)

   0.65 %
      

 

(1) Through February 28, 2009, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fee and/or reimburse the Fund for expenses incurred to the extent necessary so that the Fund’s total annual operating expenses do not exceed 0.80% for the Class I shares.

 

4


EXAMPLE

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and that the Advisor did not reimburse expenses after the first year (for the first year, expenses are based on the net amount pursuant to the contractual agreement). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

$ 66   $ 344   $ 642   $ 1,490

 

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

 

OBJECTIVES

The investment objectives of the Fund are to provide a relatively high level of current income and long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. The Fund may change its investment objectives without shareholder approval, although it has no current intention to do so. The Fund will not concentrate its investments in any one industry.

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend-paying common stocks and preferred stocks that have the potential to deliver regular income and to offer the opportunity for long-term growth of income and capital appreciation. The Fund invests primarily in companies with large market capitalizations similar to those of companies included in the Russell 1000 Value Index.

In selecting securities that the Fund will invest in, Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., the Advisor first seeks to identify attractive businesses by industry through identification of key industry drivers and evaluation of each company’s business model, market position and management team. Then a number of additional screens are applied to assess a company’s dividend growth potential as well as the sustainability of that growth, including analysis of dividend history, free cash flow and dividend payout ratios. Once this fundamental research has been completed and the universe of companies has been narrowed, a dividend discount model is employed to determine the present value of a future stream of a company’s dividend payments to identify stocks the Advisor believes are undervalued relative to their long-term growth prospects. This model assists in both quantifying discounts to target prices and determining individual stock and sector weightings.

In an effort to mitigate risk, the Advisor adheres to a sell discipline that helps to identify when to begin scaling out of a position that no longer meets its investment criteria. Considerations include change in company management or strategy, change in dividend policy, invalid investment thesis, stock price approaching target price, deterioration of company fundamentals or changing industry considerations.

 

5


The following are the Fund’s principal investment strategies. A more detailed description of the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions and more detailed information about the Fund’s investments are contained in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (SAI).

Common and Preferred Stocks

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend paying common stocks and preferred stocks. The Fund typically employs a “value” approach in selecting investments. The Advisor seeks companies that appear to be undervalued by various measures and may be temporarily out of favor but have good prospects for capital appreciation and dividend growth.

In pursuing the Fund’s investment objectives, the Advisor has the discretion to purchase some securities that do not meet its normal investment criteria, as described above, when it perceives an unusual opportunity for gain. These special situations might arise when the Advisor believes a security could increase in value for a variety of reasons, including a change in management, an extraordinary corporate event or a temporary imbalance in the supply of or demand for the securities.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets, in securities issued by REITs. REITs pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in investment income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if, among other things, it distributes to its shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gain) for each taxable year. As a result, REITs tend to pay relatively higher dividends than other types of companies. Dividends paid by REITs generally will not be considered “qualified dividend income” and therefore will not be eligible for reduced rates of federal income taxation on these dividends.

Fixed Income Securities

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in bonds and other fixed-income securities of any maturity, including mortgage-backed securities, U.S. Government securities and asset-backed securities and repurchase agreements.

Lower Rated Securities

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities that at the time of investment are rated below investment grade (below Baa or BBB) by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s), Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (S&P), Fitch Ratings (Fitch) or an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating agency), or that are unrated but judged to be below investment grade by the Fund’s Advisor. These below investment grade quality securities are sometimes referred to as “junk bonds” and are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal.

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of foreign issuers which meet the same criteria for investment as domestic companies, or sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts for such securities. Depositary receipts may take the form of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a United States bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. GDRs and EDRs are receipts issued outside the

 

6


United States, typically by non-United States banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either foreign or domestic securities. Generally, ADRs in registered form are dollar denominated securities designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. GDRs, in bearer form, are designated for use outside the United States. EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in the European securities markets. Dividend income the Fund receives from foreign securities may not be eligible for the special tax treatment applicable to qualified dividend income.

Covered Call Options

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio. This technique offers the Fund the potential to earn additional income on its portfolio holdings, although it may limit the Fund’s ability to participate in capital appreciation on its portfolio holdings when security prices rise.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION

In addition to the principal investment strategies described above, the Fund has other investment practices that are described here and in the statement of additional information (SAI).

Illiquid Securities

The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. A security is illiquid if, for legal or market reasons, it cannot be promptly sold (i.e., within seven days) at a price which approximates its fair value.

Defensive Position

When the Advisor believes that market or general economic conditions justify a temporary defensive position, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and invest all or any portion of its assets in high-grade fixed income securities. When and to the extent the Fund assumes a temporary defensive position, it may not pursue or achieve its investment objectives.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund may engage in active and frequent portfolio trading when considered appropriate, but short-term trading will not be used as the primary means of achieving its investment objectives. However, there are no limits on the rate of portfolio turnover, and investments may be sold without regard to length of time held when, in the opinion of the Advisor, investment considerations warrant such action. A higher turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses which are borne by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to stockholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. See Additional Information—Tax Considerations.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the SAI. The Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, which are sent to shareholders and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) contain information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings, including a complete schedule of holdings. The Fund also files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-Q as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters. The Fund’s full portfolio holdings are published semi-annually in reports sent to stockholders and such reports are made available on http://www.cohenandsteers.com in the “Our Funds” section, generally within 60 days after the end of each semi-annual period. The Fund also posts

 

7


top 10 holdings quarterly on the website, within 30 days after the end of each quarter. The holdings information remains available until the next quarter’s holdings are posted on the website.

 

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

Because prices of equity securities fluctuate from day to day, the value of the Fund’s portfolio and the price per share will vary based upon general market conditions and the value of the securities held in the Fund’s portfolio.

General Risks of Common Stocks

Common stocks represent an ownership interest in a company. Common stocks generally provide the investor with the right to vote on certain company matters and to receive dividends that the company may declare.

Common stock is one type of equity security. There are other types of equity securities that provide different voting and dividend rights and priority in the event of the company declares bankruptcy. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, and warrants.

The value of common stocks and other equity securities will fluctuate in response to developments concerning the company, political and regulatory circumstances, the stock market, and the economy. In the short term, stock prices can fluctuate dramatically in response to these developments. Different parts of the market and different types of equity securities can react differently to these developments. For example, stocks of large companies can react differently than stocks of smaller companies, and “growth” stocks, that is stocks of companies that are projected to grow at a faster rate than other comparable companies or the stock market as a whole, can react differently from value stocks. These developments can affect a single company, all companies within the same industry, economic sector or geographic region, or the stock market as a whole.

Risks of Investment in Preferred Stocks

The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks are securities that pay dividends at a specified rate and have a preference over common stocks in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on its preferred stock prior to paying dividends on its common stock. In addition, in the event a company is liquidated, preferred stockholders must be fully repaid on their investments before common stockholders can receive any money from the company. Preferred stockholders, however, usually have no right to vote for a company’s directors or on other corporate matters. Preferred stocks pay a fixed stream of income to investors and this income stream is a primary source of the long-term investment return on preferred stocks. As a result, the market value of preferred stocks is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than the market value of common stocks. In this respect, preferred stocks share many investment characteristics with debt securities.

General Risks of REIT Securities

The Fund will not invest in real estate directly, but only in securities issued by REITs. Because REITs are engaged in the real estate business, the Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include:

 

·  

declines in the value of real estate;

 

·  

risks related to general and local economic conditions;

 

8


·  

possible lack of availability of mortgage funds;

 

·  

overbuilding;

 

·  

extended vacancies of properties;

 

·  

increased competition;

 

·  

increases in property taxes and operating expenses;

 

·  

changes in zoning laws;

 

·  

losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems;

 

·  

liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems;

 

·  

casualty or condemnation losses;

 

·  

limitations on rents;

 

·  

changes in neighborhood values and the appeal of properties to tenants; and

 

·  

changes in interest rates.

In addition, REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act). The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

Risks of Investment in Foreign (Non-U.S.) Securities.

The Fund may be subject to additional investment risks for foreign securities that are different in some respects from those incurred by investments in securities of domestic issuers.

Such risks include currency risks, future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on interest income payable on the securities, the possible establishment of exchange controls, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which might adversely affect the payments on such securities. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than about a domestic issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers. Dividend income the Fund receives from foreign securities may not be eligible for the special tax treatment reserved for qualified dividend income.

In addition, brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs relating to investment in foreign securities markets generally are more expensive than in the U.S. and foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets, making many foreign issuers less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers.

General Risks of Fixed Income Securities

Bonds and other fixed income securities generally present two types of principal risks, interest rate risk and credit risk. As interest rates rise, fixed income securities may fall in value, which could reduce the value of your investment in the Fund. This risk may be compounded for mortgage- backed or other asset-backed securities, which may be prepaid. These securities have variable maturities that tend to lengthen when that is least desirable—when interest rates are rising.

 

9


Credit risk is the risk that the issuer or the guarantor of a fixed income security or other obligation will be unable or unwilling to make timely principal and/or interest payments, or to otherwise honor its obligations. Varying degrees of credit risk, often reflected in credit ratings, apply. Foreign investments may be subject to increased credit risk because of the added difficulties associated with requiring foreign entities to honor their contractual commitments, and because a number of foreign governments and other issuers are already in default.

Lower Rated Securities Risk

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated securities (commonly referred to as junk bonds). These securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-grade securities. It is reasonable to expect that any adverse economic conditions could disrupt the market for these securities, have an adverse impact on the value of these securities and adversely affect the ability of the issuers of these securities to repay principal and interest on those securities.

Covered Call Options Risk

The Fund may write (sell) covered call options on securities the Fund holds in its portfolio. This strategy is designed to generate additional income from the Fund’s portfolio holdings, but also results in certain risks. With respect to portfolio holdings on which the Fund has written a covered call option, the Fund will forgo the opportunity to benefit from potential increases in the value of that security, but will continue to bear the risk of declines in the value of the security.

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

 

THE ADVISOR

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (the Advisor), with offices located at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, has been retained as the Fund’s investment advisor. The Advisor, a registered investment advisor, was formed in 1986 and its current clients include pension plans, endowment funds and investment companies, including each of the open-end and closed-end Cohen & Steers funds. As of March 31, 2008, the Advisor managed approximately $28.6 billion in assets. The Advisor is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS), a publicly traded company whose common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CNS.”

Under its Investment Advisory Agreement with the Fund, the Advisor furnishes a continuous investment program for the Fund’s portfolio, makes the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund and generally manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund. The Advisor performs certain administrative services for the Fund and provides persons satisfactory to the Board of Directors of the Fund to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers, as well as certain other employees and Directors of the Fund, may also be directors, officers, or employees of the Advisor. The Advisor also selects brokers and dealers to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions.

For its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly fee at the annual rate of 0.80% of the average daily NAV of the Fund up to $1.5 billion and 0.70% of the average daily NAV of the Fund in excess of $1.5 billion. This fee is allocated to the Class I shares based on the Class I shares proportionate share of such average daily net asset value. In addition to this investment advisory fee, the Fund pays other operating expenses, which may include but are not

 

10


limited to, administrative, transfer agency, custodial, legal and accounting fees. Taking into account the investment advisory fees waived by the Advisor, the effective investment advisory fee paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended February 29, 2008 was 0.17%.

A discussion regarding the Board of Directors’ basis for approving the investment advisory agreement is available in the Fund’s annual report for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2008.

 

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The Fund’s portfolio manager is:

 

·  

Richard E. Helm—Mr. Helm is a vice president of the Fund. He joined the Advisor in 2005 and currently serves as a senior vice president of the Advisor and CNS and is head of its large cap value portfolio management team. From 2001 to 2005, Mr. Helm was a senior portfolio manager of WM Advisors, Inc. From 1999 to 2001, he was vice president and senior portfolio manager of Northwestern Trust and Investors Advisory Company and was employed by other investment management firms prior to that time. Mr. Helm is a certified financial analyst. Mr. Helm has been a portfolio manager since the Fund’s inception.

The SAI contains additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the portfolio manager’s ownership of securities in the Fund.

 

 

HOW TO PURCHASE AND SELL FUND SHARES

 

 

PRICING OF FUND SHARES

The price at which you can purchase and redeem the Fund’s Class I shares is the net asset value of the shares next determined after we receive your order in proper form, less any redemption fee. Proper form means that your request includes the Fund name and account number, states the amount of the transaction (in dollars or shares), includes the signatures of all owners exactly as registered on the account, signature guarantees (if necessary), any supporting legal documentation that may be required and any outstanding certificates representing shares to be redeemed.

We calculate our NAV per share as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on each day the NYSE is open for trading. Therefore if your purchase or redemption order is received in proper form by the close of regular trading on the NYSE your order will receive that day’s NAV; orders received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will receive the NAV next determined. The Fund has authorized one or more brokers to accept on its behalf purchase (and redemption) orders, and these brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase (or redemption) order when an authorized broker, or that broker’s designee, accepts the order, and that order will be priced at the next computed net asset value after this acceptance. We determine net asset value per share for the Class I shares by dividing that class’s share of the NAV of the Fund (i.e., its assets less liabilities) by the total number of Class I shares then outstanding.

Securities for which market prices are unavailable will be valued at fair value as determined by the Fund’s Board of Directors. Circumstances in which market prices may be unavailable include, but are not limited to, when trading in a security is suspended, the exchange on which the security is traded is subject to an unscheduled close or disruption or material events occur after the close of the exchange on which the security is principally traded. In these circumstances, the Fund determines fair value in a manner that fairly reflects the market value of the security on the valuation date based on consideration

 

11


of any information or factors it deems appropriate. These may include recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to the specific security and developments in the markets. In particular, portfolio securities primarily traded on foreign markets are generally valued at the preceding closing values of such securities on their respective exchanges or if after the close of the foreign markets, but prior to the close of trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued, developments occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such securities, such values may be adjusted to reflect the estimated fair value of such securities as of the close of trading on the NYSE using a pricing service and/or procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

The Fund’s use of fair value pricing may cause the net asset value of Fund shares to differ from the net asset value that would be calculated using market quotations. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security.

Because the Fund may hold securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities held in the Fund may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem Fund shares.

The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order and to withdraw or suspend the offering of shares at any time. The Fund may also request additional information from you in order to verify your identity. If you do not provide this information or if such information cannot be verified, we reserve the right to close your account to the extent required or permitted by applicable law or regulations, including those relating to the prevention of money laundering.

 

 

TYPES OF SHAREHOLDERS QUALIFIED TO PURCHASE CLASS I SHARES

Class I shares are available for purchase by:

 

·  

retirement plans introduced by persons not associated with brokers or dealers that are primarily engaged in the retail securities business and rollover individual retirement accounts (IRA) from such plans

 

·  

employee benefit plans of the Advisor or its affiliates and securities dealer firms with a selling agreement with Cohen & Steers Securities LLC, the Fund’s Distributor (the Distributor)

 

·  

institutional advisory accounts of the Advisor or its affiliates and related employee benefit plans and rollover IRAs from such institutional advisory accounts

 

·  

a bank, trust company or similar financial institution investing for its own account or for the account of its customers for whom such financial institution is exercising investment discretion in purchasing Class I shares, except where the investment is part of a program that requires payment to the financial institution of a Rule 12b-1 Plan fee

 

·  

registered advisors investing on behalf of clients where the advisors derive compensation for their services exclusively from clients for such advisory services

 

·  

other institutional and individual investors that meet the minimum investment amount

 

 

PURCHASE MINIMUMS

You may open a Class I account with the Fund with a minimum investment of $1,000,000. If you are an Advisor, you may open a Class I account with the Fund with an aggregate minimum investment of

 

12


$1,000,000. Shareholders previously invested in the Fund at the prior minimum investment of $100,000 will continue to be permitted to remain shareholders of the Fund and to make additional investments in the Fund. Additional Class I investments must be at least $500. We are free to reject any purchase order, and we reserve the right to change or waive these minimum investment requirements.

You can purchase the Fund’s Class I shares through authorized dealers, other intermediaries or directly through the Distributor. For accounts opened directly with the Fund, a completed and signed Subscription Agreement is required for the initial account opened with the Fund.

 

 

ADDITIONAL CLASSES OFFERED

In addition to offering Class I shares, the Fund also offers Class A and Class C shares, which are described in a separate prospectus. To obtain a prospectus for these classes, contact the Transfer Agent by writing to the address or by calling the telephone number listed on the back cover of this prospectus.

 

 

FORM OF PAYMENT

We will accept payment for shares in two forms:

1. A check drawn on any bank or domestic savings institution. Checks must be payable in U.S. dollars and will be accepted subject to collection at full face value.

2. A bank wire or federal reserve wire of federal funds.

 

 

PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES

Initial Purchase By Wire

1. Telephone toll free from any continental U.S. state: (800) 437-9912. When you contact the Transfer Agent, you will need the following information:

 

·  

name of the Fund

 

·  

class of shares

 

·  

name(s) in which shares are to be registered

 

·  

address

 

·  

social security or tax identification number (where applicable)

 

·  

dividend payment election

 

·  

amount to be wired

 

·  

name of the wiring bank

 

·  

name and telephone number of the person to be contacted in connection with the order

The Transfer Agent will assign you an account number.

 

13


2. Instruct the wiring bank to transmit at least the required minimum amount (see “Purchase Minimums” above) to the custodian:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02111

ABA # 011000028

Account: DDA # 99055287

Attn: Cohen & Steers

Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

For further credit to: (account name)

Account Number: (provided by the Transfer Agent)

3. Complete the Subscription Agreement attached to this Prospectus. Mail the Subscription Agreement to the Transfer Agent:

Boston Financial Data Services

Attn: Cohen & Steers Funds

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Initial Purchase By Mail

1. Complete the Subscription Agreement attached to this Prospectus.

2. Mail the Subscription Agreement and a check in at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above), payable to the Fund, to the Transfer Agent at the above address.

Additional Purchases By Wire

1. Telephone toll free from any continental U.S. state: (800) 437-9912. When you contact the Transfer Agent, you will need the following information:

 

·  

name of the Fund

 

·  

class of shares

 

·  

account number

 

·  

amount to be wired

 

·  

name of the wiring bank

 

·  

name and telephone number of the person to be contacted in connection with the order

2. Instruct the wiring bank to transmit at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above) to the custodian:

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02111

ABA # 011000028

Account: DDA # 99055287

Attn: Cohen & Steers

Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

For further credit to: (account name)

Account Number: (provided by the Transfer Agent)

 

14


Additional Purchases By Mail

1. Make a check payable to the Fund in at least the required minimum amount (see Purchase Minimums above). Write your Fund account number and the class of shares to be purchased on the check.

2. Mail the check and the detachable stub from your account statement (or a letter providing your account number) to the Transfer Agent at the address set forth above.

Purchases by ACH

You may purchase additional shares of the Fund by automated clearing house (ACH). To elect the Auto-Buy option, select it on your Subscription Agreement or call the Transfer Agent and request an optional shareholder services form. ACH is similar to the pre-authorized automatic investment plan, except that you may choose the date on which you want to make the purchase. We will need a voided check or deposit slip before you may purchase by ACH. If you are interested in this option, please call (800) 437-9912.

 

 

PURCHASES THROUGH DEALERS AND INTERMEDIARIES

You may purchase the Fund’s shares through selected authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries. These entities are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase orders to the Distributor and may impose transaction fees that are in addition to any other fees described in this Prospectus. Such fees may include processing or service fees, which are typically fixed dollar amounts. You should contact your dealer or intermediary for more information about any additional fees that may apply.

 

 

PURCHASES THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTOR

You may also purchase shares of the Fund directly through the Distributor by mailing a check made payable to Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. along with the completed Subscription Agreement to Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. c/o Boston Financial Data Services, P.O. Box 8123, Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123.

 

 

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PLAN

The Fund’s automatic investment plan (the Plan) provides a convenient way to invest in the Fund. Under the Plan, you can have money transferred automatically from your checking account to the Fund each month to buy additional shares. If you are interested in this Plan, please refer to the automatic investment plan section of the Subscription Agreement included with this Prospectus or contact your dealer. The market value of the Fund’s shares may fluctuate and a systematic investment plan such as this will not assure a profit or protect against a loss. You may discontinue the plan at any time by notifying the Fund by mail or telephone at the address or number on the back cover of this Prospectus.

 

 

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

You may exchange some or all of your Fund shares for shares of other Cohen & Steers open-end funds, provided that you meet applicable investment minimums. If you exchange Fund shares for shares of another multi-class Cohen & Steers fund, you must exchange into shares of the same class of such other fund.

 

15


The Fund will charge you a redemption fee of 2.00% if you exchange shares within 60 days of the time you purchased them. See How to Sell Fund Shares—Other Redemption Information—Payment of Redemption Proceeds.

The Fund also makes available for exchange shares of SSgA Money Market Fund, which is advised by State Street Bank and Trust Company. You may request a prospectus and application for the SSgA Money Market Fund by calling (800) 437-9912. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.

An exchange of shares may result in your realizing a taxable gain or loss for income tax purposes. See Additional Information—Tax Considerations. The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the shares being acquired may be legally sold. Before you exercise the exchange privilege, you should read the prospectus of the fund whose shares you are acquiring. Certain dealers may limit or prohibit your right to use the exchange privilege and may charge you a fee for exchange transactions placed through them.

We have adopted reasonable procedures that are designed to ensure that any telephonic exchange instructions are genuine. Neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss or expenses if we act in accordance with these procedures. We may modify or revoke the exchange privilege for all shareholders upon 60 days prior written notice and this privilege may be revoked immediately with respect to any shareholder if the Fund believes the shareholder is engaged in, or has engaged in, market timing or other abusive trading practices. For additional information concerning exchanges, or to make an exchange, please call the transfer agent at (800) 437-9912.

 

 

HOW TO SELL FUND SHARES

You may sell or redeem your shares through your dealer or other financial intermediary or through the Transfer Agent. If your shares are held by your dealer or intermediary in “street name,” you must redeem your shares through that dealer or intermediary.

Redemptions Through Dealers and Other Intermediaries

If you have an account with an authorized dealer or other intermediary, you may submit a redemption request to such dealer or intermediary. They are responsible for promptly transmitting redemption requests to the Distributor. Dealers and intermediaries may impose charges for handling redemption transactions placed through them that are in addition to any other charges described in this Prospectus. Such charges may include processing or service fees, which are typically fixed dollar amounts. You should contact your dealer or intermediary for more information about additional charges that may apply.

Redemption By Telephone

To redeem shares by telephone, call the Transfer Agent at (800) 437-9912. In order to be honored at that day’s net asset value, we must receive any telephone redemption requests by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. Orders received after the close of regular trading on the NYSE will receive the NAV next determined.

If you would like to change your telephone redemption instructions, you must send the Transfer Agent written notification signed by all of the account’s registered owners, accompanied by signature guarantee(s), as described below.

We may modify or suspend telephone redemption and exchange privileges without notice during periods of drastic economic or market changes. We have adopted reasonable procedures that are designed to ensure that any telephonic exchange instructions are genuine. Neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for any loss or expenses if we act in accordance with these procedures. We may modify or terminate the telephone redemption privilege at any time on 30 days notice to shareholders.

 

16


Redemption By Mail

You can redeem Fund shares by sending a written request for redemption to the Transfer Agent:

Boston Financial Data Services

P.O. Box 8123

Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123

Attn: Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

A written redemption request must:

 

·  

state the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed

 

·  

identify your account number and tax identification number

 

·  

be signed by each registered owner exactly as the shares are registered

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificate must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by a duly executed stock power) and must be submitted to the Transfer Agent together with a redemption request.

For redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators or guardians, the Transfer Agent may require additional supporting documents evidencing the authority of the person making the redemption (including evidence of appointment or incumbency). For additional information regarding the specific documentation required, contact the Transfer Agent at (800) 437-9912.

The Transfer Agent will not consider your redemption request to be properly made until it receives all required documentation in proper form.

Other Redemption Information

Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund will send you redemption proceeds by check. If you made an election on the Subscription Agreement to receive redemption proceeds by wire, the Fund will send the proceeds by wire to your designated bank account. When proceeds of a redemption are to be paid to someone other than the shareholder, either by wire or check, you must send a letter of instruction and the signature(s) on the letter of instruction must be guaranteed, as described below, regardless of the amount of the redemption. The Transfer Agent will normally mail checks for redemption proceeds within five business days. Redemptions by wire will normally be sent within two business days. The Fund will delay the payment of redemption proceeds, however, if your check used to pay for the shares to be redeemed has not cleared, which may take up to 15 days or more.

The Fund will charge a redemption fee of 2.00% of the value of shares redeemed or exchanged within 60 days of any purchase (other than those shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or other distributions). For purposes of calculating the redemption fee, shares that are held longer than 60 days, and shares acquired by reinvestment of dividends or distributions, will be deemed to have been sold first. The redemption fee does not apply to redemptions or exchanges of shares: (i) held in certain omnibus accounts, including retirement, pension, profit sharing and other qualified plans, as well as bank or trust company accounts, (ii) held through firm-sponsored, discretionary asset allocation or wrap programs that utilize a regularly scheduled automatic rebalancing of assets and that the Fund determines are not designed to facilitate short-term trading, (iii) due to the death or disability of a stockholder, (iv) in connection with required distributions and certain other transactions in an individual retirement account or qualified retirement plan and (v) by certain other accounts in the absolute discretion of the Fund when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship. The Fund reserves the right to modify or eliminate these waivers at any time.

 

17


In addition to the circumstances noted above, the Fund reserves the right to grant additional waivers based on such factors as operational limitations, contractual limitations and further guidance from the SEC or other regulators. Since the Fund is designed to be a long-term investment, this fee is intended to compensate the Fund for the costs imposed when the Fund’s shares are redeemed shortly after the purchase.

If your shares are held through a financial intermediary in an omnibus or other group account, the Fund relies on the financial intermediary to assess the redemption fee on underlying shareholder accounts. The application of redemption fees and exemptions may vary and certain intermediaries may not apply the exceptions listed above. If you invest through a financial intermediary, please contact your intermediary for more information regarding when redemption fees will be applied to the redemption of your shares.

Signature Guarantee. You may need to have your signature guaranteed in certain situations, such as:

 

·  

written requests to wire redemption proceeds (if not previously authorized on the subscription agreement)

 

·  

sending redemption proceeds to any person, address or bank account not on record

 

·  

transferring redemption proceeds to a Cohen & Steers fund account with a different registration (name/ownership) from yours

 

·  

establishing certain services after the account is opened

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, savings institutions, broker-dealers and other guarantors acceptable to the Fund. The Fund cannot accept guarantees from notaries public or organizations that do not provide reimbursement in the case of fraud.

Redemption of Small Accounts. If your Fund account has a value of $1,000,000 or less as the result of any voluntary redemption, we may redeem your remaining shares. We will, however, give you 30 days notice of our intention to do so. During this 30-day notice period, you may make additional investments to increase your account value to $1,000,000 (the minimum purchase amount) or more and avoid having the Fund automatically liquidate your account.

 

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES

The Fund is designed for long-term investors with investment horizons of at least six months. Excessive trading, short-term market timing or other abusive trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm portfolio performance. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of a fund, a portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the Fund’s performance. Additionally, market timing is a concern for the Fund because the Fund’s portfolio will have foreign securities and therefore could be subject to time-zone arbitrage.

Because of potential harm to the Fund and its long-term investors, the Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted policies and procedures to discourage and prevent excessive trading and short-term market timing. As part of these policies and procedures, the Advisor monitors purchase, exchange and redemption activity in Fund shares. The intent is not to inhibit legitimate strategies such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of the Fund’s shares. Therefore, there are no specific restrictions on the volume or number of purchases,

 

18


exchanges or redemptions of Fund shares a stockholder may make, although the Fund reserves the right to reject or refuse any purchase request (including those that are part of exchange activity) that could adversely affect the Fund or its operations. If, based on these procedures, the Advisor believes that a stockholder is engaged in, or has engaged in, market timing or excessive trading, we may place a temporary or permanent block on all further purchases or exchanges of Fund shares.

Multiple accounts under common ownership or control may be considered one account for the purpose of determining a pattern of excessive trading, short-term market timing or other abusive trading practices.

In addition, the Fund charges a 2.00% redemption fee on certain redemptions, and this fee is intended to compensate the Fund for the costs that short-term investors impose. The Fund will also utilize fair value pricing in an effort to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders.

Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying excessive trading and market timing activity, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify and restrict such activity in all cases. Additionally, it is more difficult for the Fund to monitor the trading activity of beneficial owners of Fund shares who hold those shares through 401(k) and other group retirement plans and other omnibus arrangements maintained by broker/dealers and other intermediaries. Omnibus account arrangements permit multiple investors to aggregate their respective share ownership positions and purchase, redeem and exchange Fund shares in a single account.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

 

OTHER COMPENSATION

The Advisor and the Distributor may make payments from their own resources to dealers and other financial intermediaries for distribution, administrative or other services. For further details, please consult the SAI.

 

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends from its investment income quarterly. The Fund intends to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, at least once each year, normally in December. The Transfer Agent will automatically reinvest your dividends and distributions in additional shares of the Fund unless you elected on your Subscription Agreement to have them paid to you in cash.

We will calculate the dividends payable on each class of the Fund’s shares in the same manner at the same time on the same day.

 

 

TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following brief tax discussion assumes you are a U.S. shareholder. This discussion offers only a brief outline of the federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund and is based on the federal tax laws in effect on the date hereof. Such tax laws are subject to change by legislative, judicial or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. In the SAI we have provided more detailed information regarding the tax consequences of investing in the Fund.

Dividends paid to you out of the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” as that term is defined in the Code, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid, will be taxable to you as

 

19


ordinary dividend income. If a portion of the Fund’s income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations (other than REITs), a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may be eligible for the corporate dividends received deduction. In addition, for taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, distributions of investment company taxable income designated by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met by both you and the Fund. Dividend income that the Fund receives from U.S. REITs will generally not be treated as qualified dividend income. Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, designated as capital gain dividends are taxable to you as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s earnings is treated as a non-taxable return of capital that reduces your tax basis in your shares; any such distribution in excess of your tax basis is treated as gain from a sale of your shares. The tax treatment of your dividends and distributions will be the same regardless of whether they were paid to you in cash or reinvested in additional Fund shares.

A distribution will be treated as paid to you on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid during January of the following year. Each year, we will notify you of the tax status of dividends and other distributions.

If you sell or redeem your Fund shares, or exchange them for shares of another Cohen & Steers open-end fund, you may realize a capital gain or loss (provided the shares are held as a capital asset) which will be long-term or short-term, depending generally on your holding period for the shares.

We may be required to withhold U.S. Federal income tax on all taxable distributions and redemption proceeds payable if you

 

·  

fail to provide us with your correct taxpayer identification number;

 

·  

fail to make required certifications; or

 

·  

have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that you are subject to backup withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against your U.S. Federal income tax liability.

The Fund has elected to be treated as, and intends to qualify each year as, a regulated investment company under Federal income tax law. If the Fund so qualifies and distributes each year to its shareholders at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt interest, the Fund will not be required to pay Federal income taxes on any income it distributes to shareholders. Additionally, if the Fund distributes less than an amount equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for the calendar year and 98% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending on October 31, unless the Fund elects to use a calendar year, plus any ordinary income and capital gain net income from previous years that was not distributed, then the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts. The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions of its income to satisfy the distribution requirement and prevent application of the excise tax.

Fund distributions also may be subject to state and local taxes. You should consult with your own tax advisor regarding the particular consequences of investing in the Fund.

 

20


 

PRIVACY POLICY*

In the course of doing business with Cohen & Steers, you may share personal information with us. We are committed to maintaining the privacy of this information and recognize the importance of preventing unauthorized access to it. You may provide personal information (such as your address and social security number) on Subscription Agreements and requests for forms or other literature and through account transactions with us (such as purchases, sales and requests for account balances). You may also provide us with this information through written, electronic and telephone account inquiries.

We do not sell personal information about current and former customers to anyone, and we do not disclose it unless necessary to process a transaction, service an account or as otherwise required or permitted by law. For example, we may disclose information to companies that perform administrative services for Cohen & Steers, such as transfer agents, or printers that assist us in the distribution of investor materials. These organizations will use this information only for purposes of providing the required services or as otherwise may be required by law. We may also share personal information within the Cohen & Steers family of companies to provide you with additional information about our products and services. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information. Within Cohen & Steers, we restrict access to your personal information to those employees who need it to perform their jobs, such as servicing your account or informing you of new products and services.

The accuracy of your personal information is important. If you need to correct or update your personal or account information, please call us at (800) 330-7348. We will be happy to review, correct or update your personal or account information.

 

 

 

COMPOSITE PERFORMANCE

 

 

This is not the Fund’s performance and is not indicative of the past or future performance of the Fund. The returns shown represent the performance of linked portfolios (the Composite), in each case comprised of accounts with investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund. Performance prior to July 31, 2005 reflects accounts managed on a fully discretionary basis by Richard E. Helm, the Fund’s portfolio manager, while employed by WM Advisors, Inc. Performance from August 1, 2005 to August 31, 2005 reflects the performance of an internal non-fee paying account managed in a similar large cap value manner by Mr. Helm. Performance returns after August 31, 2005 reflects the Cohen & Steers US large cap value composite, managed on a fully discretionary basis by Mr. Helm while employed by the Advisor. The Composite represents the investment performance record of all US large cap value total return accounts and was created on October 31, 2005.

Returns are presented gross and net of management fees and include the reinvestment of all income. Net of fees performance was calculated by deducting actual fees charged to accounts included in the Composite, except custodian fees of separately managed accounts. However, the Fund bears fees and operational expenses not typically borne by managed accounts (including distribution fees of the Fund’s Class A and Class C shares). The Composite performance also does not reflect sales charges that apply to the Fund’s Class A and Class C shares. If the Fund’s higher expenses and applicable sales charges were reflected, the performance of the Composite would be lower.

 

 

* This privacy policy applies to the following Cohen & Steers companies: Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, Cohen & Steers Capital Advisors, LLC and the Cohen & Steers Funds.

 

21


The Fund’s performance will be different from the Composite’s performance due to factors such as differences in cash flows into and out of the Fund, and different fees, expenses, performance calculation methods, and portfolio sizes and composition. However, such differences do not alter the conclusion that the Fund and the accounts included in the Composite have substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies. In addition, certain accounts included in the Composite are not subject to certain investment limitations, diversification requirements, and other restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act and the Code, which, if applicable, can have a negative impact on performance.

Results are based on fully discretionary accounts under management, including those accounts no longer with the firm. Composite results are United States dollar-based, measured based upon trade date accounting, and include the reinvestment of dividend and interest income. Composite investment performance has been determined on an asset weighted basis, which differs from guidelines of the SEC for calculating the performance of mutual funds.

Average Annual Total Returns

Periods Ended December 31, 2007

 

    

1 Year

   

3 Years

   

5 Years

   

Since

Inception*

 

Cohen & Steers Large Cap Value Composite (Gross)

   9.31 %   14.37 %   18.48 %   12.51 %

Cohen & Steers Large Cap Value Composite (Net)

   8.19 %   13.20 %   17.37 %   11.46 %

Russell 1000 Value Index1

   -0.17 %   9.32 %   14.63 %   7.95 %

S&P 500 Index1

   5.49 %   8.63 %   12.84 %   5.38 %

 

* Inception date of Mr. Helm’s employment as portfolio manager of the WM Equity Income Fund was March 15, 2001. Performance is shown from April 1, 2001.

 

1 The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index of common stocks that is considered to be generally representative of the United States stock market. The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. Indexes are adjusted to reflect reinvestment of dividends.

 

22


 

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Fund’s Class I shares for the fiscal years ended February 29, 2008 and February 28, 2007 and for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total return in the table represents the rate that an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The financial highlights have been derived from financial statements included in the Fund’s current annual report, which is available free of charge upon request.

 

     Class I  

Per Share Operating Performance:

  

For the
Year Ended
February 29, 2008

   

For the
Year Ended
February 28, 2007

   

For the Period
August 31, 2005(a)
through
February 28, 2006

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

   $ 14.00     $ 12.27     $ 11.46  
                        

Income from investment operations:

      

Net investment income(b)

     0.28       0.27       0.09  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

     (0.18 )     1.87       0.76  
                        

Total from investment operations

     0.10       2.14       0.85  
                        

Less dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

      

Net investment income

     (0.26 )     (0.24 )     (0.04 )

Net realized gain on investments

     (0.28 )     (0.17 )      
                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     (0.54 )     (0.41 )     (0.04 )
                        

Redemption fees retained by the fund

     0.02       0.00 (c)     0.00 (c)
                        

Net increase (decrease) in net asset value

     (0.42 )     1.73       0.81  
                        

Net asset value, end of period

   $ 13.58     $ 14.00     $ 12.27  
                        
   

Total investment return

     0.65 %     17.63 %     7.42 %(d)
                        
   

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

      

Net assets, end of period (in millions)

   $ 21.2     $ 9.4     $ 3.7  
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(before expense reduction)

     1.28 %     2.27 %(f)     11.99 %(e)
                        

Ratio of expenses to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     0.65 %     0.65 %     1.07 %(e)
                        

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average daily net assets (before expense reduction)

     1.31 %     0.45 %     (9.43 )%(e)
                        

Ratio of net investment income to average daily net assets
(net of expense reduction)

     1.94 %     2.06 %     1.49 %(e)
                        

Portfolio turnover rate

     52 %     30 %     8 %(d)
                        

 

(a) Commencement of operations.

 

(b) Calculation based on average shares outstanding during the period.

 

(c) Amount is less than $0.005.

 

(d) Not annualized.

 

(e) Annualized.

 

(f) Due to the significant growth of net assets on a small asset base, the expense ratio, when averaged over the year, differs from the fund’s other classes by an amount other than class specific expenses. Typically, the ratios between classes will only differ by the class specific expenses (i.e., distribution fees and shareholder servicing fees).

 

23


COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC. — CLASS I SHARES ONLY

 

THE USA PATRIOT ACT

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.

What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask you for your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. This information will be verified to ensure the identity of all individuals opening a mutual fund account.

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

 

1

  Account Type (Please print; indicate only one registration type)   
¨  

A.   Individual or Joint Account*

     
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Name   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Name of Joint Owner, if any   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
  Citizenship:  ¨  U.S. Citizen    ¨  Resident Alien***       ¨  Nonresident Alien***:                                                                                  
  Country of Citizenship                

 

¨  

B.  Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors (UGMA/UTMA)

  
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Custodian’s name (only one permitted)   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Minor’s name (only one permitted)   Social Security Number**    Date of Birth
  under the                                                                           Uniform Gifts/Transfers to Minors Act
                                  (state residence of minor)
  Citizenship of custodian:   ¨   U.S. Citizen   ¨   Resident Alien   ¨   Nonresident Alien***:                                                                        
                Country of Citizenship
  Citizenship of minor:   ¨   U.S. Citizen   ¨   Resident Alien   ¨   Nonresident Alien***:                                                                        
                Country of Citizenship

 

¨  

C.   Trust, Corporation or Other Entity

     

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
  Name of Trust, Corporation or Other Entity    Tax Identification Number**    Date of Trust Agreement

Check the box that describes the entity establishing the account:

 

  ¨ U.S. Financial Institution governed by a federal regulator.

 

  ¨ Bank governed by a U.S. state bank regulator.

 

  ¨ Corporation. Attach a copy of the certified articles of incorporation or business license unless the corporation is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange or Nasdaq Stock Market. If so, please provide ticker symbol:                  

 

  ¨ Retirement plan governed by ERISA.

 

  ¨ Trust. Attach a copy of the Trust Agreement.

 

  ¨ Partnership. Attach a copy of Partnership Agreement.

 

  ¨ U.S. Government Agency or Instrumentality.

 

  ¨ Foreign correspondent account, foreign broker dealer or foreign private banking account.

 

  ¨ Other.                                                       Attach copy of document that formed entity or by laws or similar document.

Call (800) 437-9912 to see if additional information is required.

 

 

  *   All joint registrations will be registered as “joint tenants with rights of survivorship” unless otherwise specified.
  **   If applied for, include a copy of application for social security or tax identification number.
  ***   Nonresident aliens must include a copy of a government-issued photo ID with this application.


2

  Authorized Persons      
  If you are establishing an account under 1C above as a (i) Corporation (non-publicly traded), (ii) Partnership, (iii) Trust or (iv) Other, information on each of the individuals authorized to effect transactions must be provided below:

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Authorized Individual/Trustee   Social Security Number*    Date of Birth

 

                                                                                       -       -                                                      
  Authorized Individual/Trustee   Social Security Number*    Date of Birth
  Citizenship:  ¨  U.S. Citizen    ¨  Resident Alien       ¨  Nonresident Alien**:                                                                                         
  Country of Citizenship                

(If there are more than two authorized persons, provide the information, in the same format, on a separate sheet for each such additional person.)

 

  * If applied for, include a copy of application for social security number.
  ** Nonresident aliens must include a copy of a government-issued photo ID with this application.

 

3

  Address      
 

(If mailing address is a post office box, a street address is also required. APO and FPO addresses will be accepted)

 

Registrant Street Address

 

                                                                                             

(                 )

  Street    Home Telephone Number
                                                                                             

(                 )

  City and State                                                             Zip Code    Business Telephone Number

 

  Mailing Address                                                                             City                                                     State                             Zip                     

Joint Registrant Street Address (required if different than Registrant Address above)

 

  Address                                                                                            City                                                     State                             Zip                     

 

4

  Investment Information      

                         Amount to invest ($1,000,000 minimum investment). Do not send cash. Investment will be paid for by

(please check one):

 

  ¨ Check or draft made payable to “Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.”

 

  ¨ Wire through the Federal Reserve System.*                                                                                   

 

  * Call (800) 437-9912 to notify the Fund of investments by wire and to obtain an Account Number. See the Purchase of Fund Shares section of the Prospectus for wire instructions.

 

5

  Automatic Investment Plan      

 

  A. The Automatic Investment Plan makes possible regularly scheduled monthly purchases of Fund shares. The Fund’s Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you ($500 minimum) to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund.

Please debit $                            from my checking account beginning on                            *.

(Month)

Please debit my account on (check one):  ¨  1st of Month        ¨  15th of Month

 

  B. ¨  Check here to establish the Auto-Buy option, which allows you to make additional investments on dates you choose by having an amount of money selected by you ($500 minimum) deducted from your checking account.*

 

  * To initiate the Automatic Investment Plan or the Auto-Buy option, Section 9 of this Subscription Agreement must be completed.


6

  Exchange Privileges      

Exchange privileges will be automatically granted unless you check the box below. Stockholders wishing to exchange into other Cohen & Steers Funds or the SSgA Money Market Fund should consult the Exchange Privilege section of the Prospectus. (Note: If shares are being purchased through a dealer, please contact your dealer for availability of this service.)

 

  ¨ I decline the exchange privilege.

 

7

  Redemption Privileges      

Stockholders may select the following redemption privileges by checking the box(es) below. See How to Sell Fund Shares section of the Prospectus for further details. Redemption privileges will be automatically declined for boxes not checked.

 

  ¨ I authorize the Transfer Agent to redeem shares in my account(s) by telephone, in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Fund’s current Prospectus.

 

  ¨ I wish to have redemption proceeds paid by wire (please complete Section 9).

 

8

  Distribution Options      

Dividends and capital gains may be reinvested or paid by check. If no options are selected below, both dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in additional Fund shares.

 

Dividends   ¨ Reinvest.   ¨ Pay in cash.   
Capital Gains   ¨ Reinvest.   ¨ Pay in cash.   

 

  ¨ I wish to have my distributions paid by wire (please complete Section 9).

 

9

  Bank of Record (for Wire Instructions and/or Automatic Investment Plan)   

Please attach a voided check from your bank account.

 

Bank Name     Bank ABA Number
   
Street or P.O. Box     Bank Account Number
   
City and State Zip Code                 Account Name

 

10   Signature and Certifications      

 

(a) By signing this agreement, I represent and warrant that:

 

  (1) I have the full right, power, capacity and authority to invest in the Fund;

 

  (2) I am of legal age in my state of residence or am an emancipated minor;

 

  (3) All of the information on this agreement is true and correct; and

 

  (4) I will notify the Fund immediately if there is any change in this information.

 

(b) I have read the current Prospectus of the Fund and this agreement and agree to all their terms. I also agree that any shares purchased now or later are and will be subject to the terms of the Fund’s Prospectus as in effect from time to time. Further, I agree that the Fund, its administrators and service providers and any of their directors, trustees, employees and agents will not be liable for any claims, losses or expenses (including legal fees) for acting on any instructions believed to be genuine, provided that reasonable security procedures have been followed. If an account has multiple owners, the Fund may rely on the instructions of any one account owner unless all owners specifically instruct the Fund otherwise.

 

(c) If I am a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or a representative of a U.S. entity, I certify, under penalty of perjury, that:

 

  (1) The taxpayer identification number and tax status shown on this form are correct.

 

  (2) I am not subject to backup withholding because:

 

   

I am exempt from backup withholding, OR

 

   

I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) that I am subject to backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or dividends, OR

 

   

The IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

NOTE: If you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because of under-reporting interest or dividends on your tax return, you must cross out this Item 2.

 

  (3) I am a U.S. person (including resident alien).


(d) If I am a nonresident alien, I understand that I am required to complete and attach the appropriate Form W-8 to certify my foreign status.

 

  (1) Indicate country of residence for tax purposes                                              
     Under penalty of perjury, I certify that I am not a U.S. citizen or resident alien and I am an exempt foreign person as defined by the IRS.

 

(e) Additional Certification:

 

  (1) Neither I (we), nor any person having a direct or indirect beneficial interest in the shares to be acquired, appears on any U.S. Government published list of persons who are known or suspected to engage in money laundering activities, such as the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury. I (we) do not know or have any reason to suspect that (i) the monies used to fund my (our) investment have been or will be derived from or related to any illegal activities and (ii) the proceeds from my (our) investment will be used to finance any illegal activities.

 

  (2) I agree to provide such information and execute and deliver such documents as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time to verify the accuracy of the information provided in connection with the opening of an account or to comply with any law, rule or regulation to which the Fund may be subject, including compliance with anti-money laundering laws.

 

   The IRS does not require your consent to any provision of this document other than the certifications required to avoid backup withholding.

 

x       x    
             

Signature* (Owner, Trustee, Etc.)

  Date   Signature* (Joint Owner, Co-Trustee)   Date

 

              

Name and Title

     

 

 

*   If shares are to be registered in (1) joint names, both persons should sign, (2) a custodian’s name, the custodian should sign, (3) a trust, the trustee(s) should sign, or (4) a corporation or other entity, an officer or other authorized person should sign and print name and title above. Persons signing as representatives or fiduciaries of corporations, partnerships, trusts or other organizations are required to furnish corporate resolutions or similar documents providing evidence that they are authorized to effect securities transactions on behalf of the Investor (alternatively, the secretary or another designated officer of the entity may certify the authority of the persons signing on the space provided above). In addition, signatures of representatives or fiduciaries of corporations and other entities must be accompanied by a signature guarantee by a commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a trust company or a member of a national securities exchange.

Mail to: Boston Financial Data Services, P.O. Box 8123, Boston, MA 02266-8123


LOGO

TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND

If you would like additional information about Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc., the following documents are available to you without any charge, upon request or at http://www.cohenandsteers.com:

 

 

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports—Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. In these reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recent fiscal period.

 

 

Statement of Additional Information—Additional information about the Fund’s investments, structure and operations can be found in the SAI. The information presented in the SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and is legally considered to be part of the Prospectus.

To request a free copy of any of the materials described above as well as other information, or to make other inquiries, please contact us:

 

By telephone    (800) 437-9912
By mail    Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.
   c/o Boston Financial Data Services
   P.O. Box 8123
   Boston, Massachusetts 02266-8123
By e-mail    marketing@cohenandsteers.com
On the Internet    http://www.cohenandsteers.com

This information may also be available from your broker or financial advisor. In addition, information about the Fund (including the Fund’s SAI) may also be obtained from the SEC:

 

 

By going to the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. where you can review and copy the information. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

 

 

By accessing the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov where you can view, download and print the information.

 

 

By electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102. Upon payment of a duplicating fee, copies of the information will be sent to you.

280 PARK AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017

SEC File No. 811-21668

DVFPRO-I


LOGO

280 PARK AVENUE

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017

(800) 437-9912

 

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

JULY 1, 2008

This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a Prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus for the Class A and Class C shares of Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. and the Prospectus for the Class I shares of Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc., each dated the same date as this SAI, as supplemented from time to time (together, the Prospectus). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. Copies of the SAI, Prospectus and Annual and Semi-Annual Reports may be obtained free of charge by writing the address or calling the phone number shown above.

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

Statement of Additional Information

   3

Investment Strategies, Policies and Risks

   3

Investment Restrictions

   10

Management of the Fund

   12

Compensation of Directors and Certain Officers

   16

Principal Holders of Securities

   17

Investment Advisory and Other Services

   18

Administrator and Sub-Administrator

   20

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

   29

Organization and Description of Capital Stock

   30

Dealer Reallowances

   30

Distribution Plan

   31

Determination of Net Asset Value

   32

Reducing the Initial Sales Load on Class A Shares

   32

Sale of Fund Shares

   34

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

   35

Other Information

   36

Taxation

   36

Distributions

   38

Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   45

Financial Statements

   46

 

2


 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

 

Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc. (the Fund) is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company organized as a Maryland corporation on November 9, 2004.

Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made without first reading the Prospectus.

 

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND RISKS

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING FUND INVESTMENTS

The following descriptions supplement the information set forth in the Prospectus. Except as otherwise provided below, the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and policies are not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Directors of the Fund without the approval of the shareholders; however, the Fund will not change its investment objectives or policies without written notice to shareholders. Shareholders will be provided with at least 60 days prior written notice of any change to the Fund’s investment policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of dividend-paying common stocks and preferred stocks. Amounts borrowed for investment purposes, if any, will be included for purposes of this 80% policy.

 

 

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS)

REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT invests primarily in the fee ownership or leasehold ownership of land and buildings and derives its income primarily from rental income. An equity REIT may also realize capital gains (or losses) by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income primarily from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate. It is anticipated, although not required, that under normal circumstances a majority of the Fund’s investments in REITs will consist of securities issued by equity REITs.

 

 

FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) SECURITIES

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign companies. Investing in securities issued by foreign companies involves considerations and possible risks not typically associated with investing in securities issued by domestic corporations. The values of foreign investments are affected by changes in currency rates or exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws, including withholding taxes, changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in the United States or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions are generally higher than in the United States, and foreign securities markets may be less liquid, more volatile and less subject to governmental supervision than in the United States. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, confiscatory taxation, lack of uniform accounting and auditing standards and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations which could extend settlement periods. Dividend income the Fund receives from foreign securities may not be eligible for the special tax treatment applicable to qualified dividend income. See Taxation.

 

3


The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and similar depositary receipts. ADRs, typically issued by a financial institution (a depositary), evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign company and deposited with the depositary. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars, and ADRs are traded in the U.S. Ownership of ADRs entails similar investment risks to direct ownership of foreign securities traded outside the U.S., including increased market liquidity, currency, political, information and other risks.

 

 

LOWER RATED SECURITIES

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets (measured at the time of purchase) in securities rated below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) or in unrated securities determined by Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (the Advisor) to be of comparable quality. Lower-rated securities are commonly known as “junk bonds.” Securities rated below investment grade are generally characterized as having speculative elements and are of high risk. They may be subject to certain risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated securities. The retail secondary market for lower grade securities may be less liquid than that of higher rated securities; adverse conditions could make it difficult at times for the Fund to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating the Fund’s net asset value.

The prices of debt securities generally are inversely related to interest rate changes; however, the price volatility caused by fluctuating interest rates of securities also is inversely related to the coupons of such securities. Accordingly, lower-rated securities may be relatively less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher quality securities of comparable maturity because of their higher coupon. This higher coupon is what the investor receives in return for bearing greater credit risk. The higher credit risk associated with below investment grade securities potentially can have a greater effect on the value of such securities than may be the case with higher quality issues of comparable maturity. Lower grade securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could severely disrupt the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities. In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities.

The ratings of NRSROs represent their opinions as to the quality of the obligations that they undertake to rate. Ratings are relative and subjective and, although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk of such obligations. Although these ratings may be an initial criterion for selection of portfolio investments, the Advisor also will independently evaluate these securities and the ability for the issuers of such securities to pay interest and principal. To the extent that the Fund invests in lower grade securities that have not been rated by a rating agency, the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives will be more dependent on the Fund’s credit analysis than would be the case when the Fund invests in rated securities.

 

 

CASH RESERVES

The Fund’s cash reserves, held to provide sufficient flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities for investments and for other cash needs, will be invested in money market instruments and generally will not exceed 15% of net assets.

 

4


Money market instruments in which the Fund may invest its cash reserves will generally consist of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and such obligations which are subject to repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is an instrument under which an investor, such as the Fund, purchases a U.S. Government security from a counterparty, with an agreement by the counterparty to repurchase the security at the same price, plus interest at a specified rate. In such a case, the security is held by the Fund, in effect, as collateral for the repurchase obligation. Repurchase agreements may be entered into with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or primary dealers (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in U.S. Government securities. Other acceptable money market instruments include commercial paper rated by any NRSRO, such as Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s) or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P), certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks having total assets in excess of one billion dollars and money market mutual funds.

In entering into any repurchase agreement for the Fund, the Advisor, will evaluate and monitor the creditworthiness of the counterparty. In the event that a counterparty should default on its repurchase obligation, the Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. If the counterparty becomes bankrupt, the Fund might be delayed, or may incur costs or possible losses of principal or income, in selling the collateral.

 

 

SECURITIES LENDING

The Fund may lend portfolio securities to broker/dealers or other institutions. The borrower must maintain with the Fund cash or equivalent collateral equal to at least 100% of the market value of the securities loaned. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. The Fund may invest the collateral and earn additional income or receive an agreed upon amount of interest income from the borrower. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan. The Fund does not have the right to vote securities on loan, but would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment. The Fund may lose money if a borrower defaults on its obligation to return securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund is insufficient to replace the loaned securities. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower’s collateral.

 

 

ILLIQUID SECURITIES

The Fund will not invest in illiquid securities if immediately after such investment more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets (taken at market value) would be invested in such securities. For this purpose, illiquid securities include, among others, securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation.

Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) and securities which are otherwise not readily marketable. Securities which have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities, and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or

 

5


other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.

In recent years, however, a large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act, including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer’s ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments.

Rule 144A, under the Securities Act adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) allows a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a safe harbor from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers, which generally creates a more liquid market for securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A than other types of restricted securities.

The Advisor will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in the Fund’s portfolio under the supervision of the Board of Directors. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Advisor will consider, among other things, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (3) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).

 

 

CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES

The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are preferred stocks or debt obligations that are convertible into common stock. They generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities have both equity and fixed-income risk characteristics. Like all fixed-income securities, the value of convertible securities is susceptible to the risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. Generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security approaches or exceeds the conversion price of the convertible security, the convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the convertible security, like a fixed-income security, tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and thus, may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock. The markets for convertible securities may be less liquid than markets for common stocks or bonds.

 

 

DEBT SECURITIES

The Fund may invest in debt securities, such as bonds, debentures, government obligations, commercial paper and pass-through instruments. The value of debt securities may fluctuate based on changes in interest rates and the issuer’s financial condition. When interest rates rise or the issuer’s

 

6


financial condition worsens or is perceived by the market to be at greater risk, the value of debt securities tends to decline.

 

 

PREFERRED STOCK, WARRANTS AND RIGHTS

The Fund may invest in preferred stock, warrants and rights. Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest providing the holder with claims on the issuer’s earnings and assets before common stockholders, but after bond holders and other creditors. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of such preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default or other non-compliance by the issuer of the preferred stock. Investments in preferred stock present market and liquidity risks. The value of a preferred stock may be highly sensitive to the economic condition of the issuer, and markets for preferred stock may be less liquid than the market for the issuer’s common stock.

Warrants are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price at any time during the life of the warrant. Rights represent a privilege offered to holders of record of issued securities to subscribe (usually on a pro rata basis) for additional securities of the same class, of a different class or of a different issuer. The holders of warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer. The value of a warrant or right may not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities. Warrants and rights cease to have value if they are not exercised prior to their expiration date. Investments in warrants and rights are thus speculative and may result in a total loss of any money invested in their acquisition.

 

 

PREFERRED SECURITIES

The Fund may invest in preferred securities. There are two basic types of preferred securities. The first, sometimes referred to as traditional preferred securities, consists of preferred stock issued by an entity taxable as a corporation. Preferred stocks are considered equity securities. The second is referred to as hybrid-preferred securities. Hybrid-preferred securities are usually issued by a trust or limited partnership and often represent preferred interests in subordinated debt instruments issued by a corporation for whose benefit the trust or partnership was established. Preferred securities pay fixed or floating dividends to investors and have “preference” over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of a company’s assets. This means that a company must pay dividends on preferred stock before paying dividends on its common stock. Preferred shareholders usually have no right to vote for corporate directors or on other matters.

The hybrid preferred securities in which the Fund intends to invest do not qualify for the dividends received deduction (DRD) under Section 243 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code), and are not expected to provide significant benefits under the rules relating to qualified dividend income. The DRD generally allows corporations to deduct from their income 70% of dividends received. Pursuant to recently enacted legislation, individuals will generally be taxed at long-term capital gain rates on qualified dividend income. Distributions received from the Fund attributable to traditional preferred securities would qualify for the DRD as to any corporate shareholder and would qualify to be taxed at long-term capital gains rates as to any individual shareholder. However, any corporate shareholder who otherwise would qualify for the DRD, and any individual shareholder who otherwise would qualify to be taxed at long-term capital gain rates on qualified dividend income, should assume that none of the distributions the shareholder receives from the Fund attributable to hybrid-preferred securities will qualify for the DRD or provide significant

 

7


benefits under the rules relating to qualified dividend income. Distributions received from the Fund attributable to traditional preferred securities, such as the preferred securities of utility companies, generally would qualify to be taxed at long-term capital gains rates as to any individual shareholder.

 

 

STRATEGIC TRANSACTIONS

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies as set forth herein, the Fund may also enter into certain hedging and risk management transactions. In particular, the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, exchange-listed and over-the-counter put and call options on securities, financial indices and futures contracts and may enter into various interest rate transactions (collectively, Strategic Transactions). Strategic Transactions may be used to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio resulting from fluctuations in the securities markets and changes in interest rates, to protect the Fund’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of such securities for investment purposes or to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities.

Calls on Securities, Indices and Futures Contracts. In order to enhance income or reduce fluctuations in net asset value, the Fund may “write” or sell call options (calls) on securities, futures contracts and indices based upon the prices of debt securities that are traded on U.S. securities exchanges and to the over-the-counter markets. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the seller to sell, the underlying security, futures contract or index at the exercise price at any time or at a specified time during the option period. All such calls sold by the Fund must be “covered” as long as the call is outstanding (i.e., the Fund must own the instrument subject to the call or other securities or assets acceptable for applicable segregation and coverage requirements). A call sold by the Fund exposes the Fund during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security, index or futures contract and may require the Fund to hold an instrument that it might otherwise have sold.

Interest Rate Transactions. The Fund may enter are interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate caps and floors. The Fund expects to enter into the transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may also enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery (future contracts) of debt securities, aggregates of debt securities, financial indices, and U.S. Government debt securities or options on the foregoing to hedge the value of its portfolio securities that might result from a change in interest rates or market movements. The Fund will be authorized to use futures contracts and related options for hedging and non-hedging purposes. 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 the Fund expects to purchase. Except as stated below, the Fund’s futures transactions will be entered into for traditional hedging purposes—i.e., futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Fund owns, or futures contracts will be purchased to protect the Fund against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase.

Although the Fund does not intend to engage in non-hedging transactions, in accordance with CFTC regulations, the Fund is permitted to engage in non-hedging transactions, provided that:

(i) its pro rata share of the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits on futures contracts entered

 

8


into by the Fund and premiums paid for unexpired options with respect to such contracts does not exceed 5% of the Fund’s net assets, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on such contracts and options (in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the in-the-money amount may be excluded in calculating the 5% limitation); or

(ii) the aggregate “notional value” (i.e., the size of the contract, in contract units, times the current market price (futures position) or strike price (options position) of each such unit) of the contract, it does not exceed the liquidation preference of the Fund, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on such contracts and options.

Any or all of these techniques may be used at any time. There is no particular strategy that requires use of one technique rather than another. Use of any Strategic Transaction is a function of market conditions. The ability of the Fund to hedge successfully will depend on the Advisor’s ability to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured.

Certain provisions of the Code may restrict or affect the ability of the Fund to engage in Strategic Transactions. See Taxation.

 

 

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Fund has adopted policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings and ongoing arrangements to make available such information to the general public and to certain persons on a selective basis. Except as noted below, the Fund does not provide portfolio holdings to any third party until they are made available on the Cohen & Steers website at http://www.cohenandsteers.com or through some other means of public dissemination. The Fund’s full portfolio holdings are published semi-annually in reports sent to stockholders and such reports are made available on the Cohen & Steers website, within 60 days after the end of each semi-annual period. These semi-annual holdings reports are also filed semi-annually with the SEC within 60 days of the end of each semi-annual period, as part of Form N-CSR. Quarterly holdings reports are filed quarterly with the SEC within 60 days of the end of each quarter, as part of Form N-Q. In addition, the Fund publishes its top 10 holdings quarterly on the Cohen & Steers website, within 30 days after the end of each quarter. One day after the full holdings and top 10 holdings have been published, employees of the Advisor may freely distribute them to third parties. This information remains available until the next quarter’s holdings are posted on the website.

The following are exceptions to the general rule that holdings are not disclosed to third parties until posted to the website:

1. The Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed prior to public release to certain third parties (e.g. rating and ranking organizations, financial printers, pricing information vendors, and other research firms) for legitimate business purposes. Disclosure is conditioned on receipt of a written confidentiality agreement, including a duty not to trade on the basis of the information disclosed. The portfolio holdings may be disclosed to such third parties on an as-needed basis and such disclosure must be authorized by an officer of the Fund. Under these circumstances, the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed to the following third parties: Automatic Data Processing, Inc., Charles River Systems, Inc., R.R. Donnelley Financial, Merrill Corporation, Lipper, Morningstar, Princeton Financial Systems, Inc., RiskMetrics Group, Moody’s and S&P.

2. The Fund’s portfolio holdings may also be disclosed between and among the Fund’s Advisor, distributor, sub-administrator, custodian, independent registered public accounting firm and outside legal counsel for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, subject to their continuing duty of confidentiality and duty not to trade on the basis of

 

9


any material nonpublic information, as such duties are imposed under the Code of Ethics and the Inside Information Policies and Procedures applicable to the Advisor, distributor and administrator and as imposed on the other parties by agreement or under applicable laws, rules and regulations.

3. The Advisor, sub-administrator or custodian may, for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, disclose portfolio holdings to one or more broker-dealers during the course of, or in connection with, normal day-to-day securities transactions with such broker-dealers, subject to the broker-dealer’s legal obligation not to use or disclose material nonpublic information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

4. Fund portfolio holdings may also be disclosed to any person as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Examples of such required disclosure include, but are not limited to, disclosure (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body, (2) in connection with a lawsuit or (3) as required by court order.

Neither the Fund, the Advisor nor any other party receives any compensation in connection with the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

The Board of Directors of the Fund exercises continuing oversight of the disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings by (1) having the chief compliance officer of the Fund oversee the implementation and enforcement of the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures, (2) considering reports and recommendations by the chief compliance officer concerning any material compliance matters that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings disclosure, and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any material amendment to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies.

The Board of Directors believes that the limited disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings as described above for legitimate business purposes is in the best interest of Fund shareholders.

 

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

 

The investment objectives and the principal investment strategies and investment techniques of the Fund are described in the Prospectus. The Fund has also adopted certain investment restrictions limiting the following activities except as specifically authorized:

The Fund may not:

1. Borrow money, or pledge its assets, except that the Fund may borrow money from banks for temporary or emergency purposes, including the meeting of redemption requests which might require the untimely disposition of securities.

Borrowing in the aggregate may not exceed 15%, and borrowing for purposes other than meeting redemptions may not exceed 5%, of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (not including the amount borrowed) at the time the borrowing is made. Outstanding borrowings in excess of 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets will be repaid before any subsequent investments are made;

2. Issue any senior securities, except that collateral arrangements with respect to transactions such as forward contracts, futures contracts, short sales or options, including deposits of initial and variation margin, shall not be considered to be the issuance of a senior security for purposes of this restriction;

 

10


3. Act as an underwriter of securities issued by other persons, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of securities;

4. Purchase or sell real estate or mortgages on real estate, except that the Fund may invest in securities of companies that deal in real estate or are engaged in the real estate business, including REITs, and securities secured by real estate or interests therein and the Fund may hold and sell real estate or mortgages acquired on real estate acquired through default, liquidation or other distributions of an interest in real estate as a result of the Fund’s ownership of such securities;

5. Purchase or sell commodities or commodity futures contracts, except that the Fund may invest in financial futures contracts, options thereon and similar instruments;

6. Make loans to other persons except through the lending of securities held by it (but not to exceed a value of one-third of total assets), through the use of repurchase agreements, and by the purchase of debt securities, all in accordance with its investment policies;

7. Invest 25% or more of its net assets in securities of issuers in any particular industry, this limitation shall exclude securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities;

8. Purchase restricted or “illiquid” securities, including repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days, if as a result, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would then be invested in such securities (excluding securities which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and determined to be liquid);

9. Acquire or retain securities of any investment company, except that the Fund may (a) acquire securities of investment companies up to the limits permitted by Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act), and (b) acquire securities of any investment company as part of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction;

10. Make short sales whereby the dollar amount of short sales at any one time would exceed 25% of the net assets of the Fund; provided the Fund maintains collateral in a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid portfolio securities with a value equal to the current market value of the shorted securities, which is marked-to-market daily. If the Fund owns an equal amount of such securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any further consideration, securities of the same issuer as, and equal in amount to, the securities sold short (which sales are commonly referred to as “short sales against the box”), such restrictions shall not apply;

11. Invest in puts, calls, straddles, spreads or any combination thereof, except that the Fund may (a) purchase put and call options on securities and securities indexes, and (b) write covered put and call options on securities and securities indexes, provided that (i) the securities underlying such options are within the investment policies of the Fund; (ii) at the time of such investment, the value of the aggregate premiums paid for such securities does not exceed 5% of the Fund’s total assets; and (iii) the value of the underlying securities on which options may be written at any one time does not exceed 25% of total assets;

12. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral exploration programs, development programs or leases, except that the Fund may purchase securities of companies engaging in whole or in part in such activities;

13. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except in connection with permitted borrowings; or

 

11


14. Purchase securities on margin, except short-term credits as are necessary for the purchase and sale of securities, provided that the deposit or payment of initial or variation margin in connection with futures contracts or related options will not be deemed to be a purchase on margin.

The investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 in this SAI have been adopted as fundamental policies of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, a fundamental policy may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, as defined under the 1940 Act to mean the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the shares present at a meeting of shareholders of the Fund, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Investment restrictions numbered 8 through 14 above, are non-fundamental and may be changed at any time by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors.

 

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

 

The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Directors approve all significant agreements between the Fund and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the Fund’s agreements with its Advisor, administrator, sub-administrator, custodian and Transfer Agent. The management of the Fund’s day-to-day operations is delegated to its officers, the Advisor and the Fund’s administrator, subject always to the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and to the general supervision of the Directors.

The Directors and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. Each Director and officer is also a Director or officer of some or all of the other twenty funds in the Cohen & Steers fund complex.

 

Name, Address*** and Age

 

Position(s) Held
with Fund

 

Term of
Office

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
(Including Other Directorships Held)

 

Number of Funds
Within Fund Complex
Overseen by Director
(Including the Fund)

 

Length of
Time Served†

Interested Directors*

       

Robert H. Steers

Age: 55

  Director and Co-Chairman   Until Next Election of Directors   Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Advisor since 2003 and prior to that, Chairman of the Advisor; President of Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, the Fund’s Distributor.   22   Since
1991

Martin Cohen**

Age: 59

  Director and Co-Chairman   Until Next Election of Directors   Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Advisor since 2003 and prior to that, President of the Advisor; Vice President of Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC.   22   Since
1991

 

* “Interested Persons” within the meaning of the 1940 Act on the basis of their affiliation with the Advisor (Interested Directors).
** Martin Cohen and Bonnie Cohen are unrelated.
*** The address for all Directors is 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
The length of time served represents the year in which the Director was first elected or appointed to any Fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex.

(table continued on next page)

 

12


(table continued from previous page)

 

Name, Address*** and Age

 

Position(s) Held
with Fund

 

Term of
Office

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
(Including Other Directorships Held)

 

Number of Funds
Within Fund Complex
Overseen by Director
(Including the Fund)

 

Length of
Time Served†

Independent Directors

       

Bonnie Cohen**

Age: 65

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Consultant. Director, Reis, Inc. (formerly Wellsford Real Property); Chair of the Board of Global Heritage Fund; Program member, The Moriah Fund; Advisory Committee member, The Posse Foundation; Board member, District of Columbia Public Libraries; Visiting Committee, Harvard Business School. Former Under Secretary of State for Management, United States Department of State, 1996-2000.   22   Since
2001

George Grossman

Age: 54

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Attorney-at-law.   22   Since
1993

Richard E. Kroon

Age: 65

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Member of Investment Committee, Monmouth University. Retired Chairman and Managing Partner of Sprout Group venture capital funds, then an affiliate of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corporation; and former chairman of the National Venture Capital Association.   22   Since
2004

Richard J. Norman

Age: 64

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Private Investor. Board of Directors, Maryland Public Television, Advisory Board Member of the Salvation Army. Prior thereto, Investment Representative of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter.   22   Since
2001

 

** Martin Cohen and Bonnie Cohen are unrelated.
*** The address for all Directors is 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
The length of time served represents the year in which the Director was first elected or appointed to any Fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex.

(table continued on next page)

 

13


(table continued from previous page)

 

Name, Address*** and Age

 

Position(s) Held
with Fund

 

Term of
Office

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
(Including Other Directorships Held)

 

Number of Funds
Within Fund Complex
Overseen by Director
(Including the Fund)

 

Length of
Time Served†

Frank K. Ross

Age: 64

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Professor of Accounting, Howard University. Board member of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (electric utility). Formerly, Midatlantic Area Managing Partner for Audit and Risk Advisory Services at KPMG LLP and Managing Partner of its Washington DC office.   22   Since
2004

Willard H. Smith Jr

Age: 71

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Board member of Essex Property Trust, Inc., Realty Income Corporation and Crest Net Lease, Inc. Managing Director at Merrill Lynch & Co., Equity Capital Markets Division from 1983 to 1995.   22   Since
1996

C. Edward Ward, Jr

Age: 61

  Director   Until Next Election of Directors   Member of Board of Trustees of Manhattan College, Riverdale, New York. Formerly head of closed-end fund listings for the New York Stock Exchange.   22   Since
2004

 

*** The address for all Directors is 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
The length of time served represents the year in which the Director was first elected or appointed to any Fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex.

The officers of the Fund (other than Messrs. Cohen & Steers, whose biographies are provided above), their addresses, their ages and their principal occupations for at least the past five years are set forth below.

 

Name, Address* and Age†

 

Position(s) Held
with Fund

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years

 

Length of
Time Served**

Adam M. Derechin

Age: 43

  President and Chief Executive Officer   Chief Operating Officer of the Advisor since 2003 and prior to that, Senior Vice President of the Advisor.   2005

Joseph M. Harvey

Age: 44

  Vice President   President of the Advisor since 2003 and prior to that Senior Vice President and director of investment research.   2004

Richard E. Helm

Age: 49

  Vice President   Senior Vice President of the Advisor since August 2005 and head of its large cap value portfolio management team. Prior to that, senior portfolio manager of WM Advisors Inc. since 2001. From 1999 to 2001, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager of Northwestern Trust and Investors Advisory Company and was employed by other investment management firms prior to that time.   2005

 

14


Name, Address* and Age**

 

Position(s) Held
with Fund

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years

 

Length of
Time Served**

James Giallanza

Age: 41

  Treasurer   Senior Vice President of the Advisor since 2006. Prior thereto, Deputy Head of the US Funds Administration and Treasurer & CFO of various mutual funds within the Legg Mason (formerly Citigroup Asset Management) fund complex from August 2004 to September 2006; Director/Controller of the US wholesale business at UBS Global Asset Management (U.S.) from September 2001 to July 2004.   2006

Francis C. Poli

Age: 45

  Secretary   Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Advisor since March 2007. Prior thereto, General Counsel of Allianz Global Investors of America LP.   2007

Tina M. Payne

Age: 33

  Assistant Secretary   Vice President and Associate General Counsel of the Advisor since June 2007. Prior thereto, Vice President and Counsel at PFPC Inc. (financial services company) from 2003 to 2007; Associate at Stradley, Ronon, Stevens and Young, LLC (law firm) from 2001 to 2003.   2007

Lisa Phelan

Age: 39

  Chief Compliance Officer   Senior Vice President of the Advisor since 2007 and prior to that Vice President since 2006. Prior to joining the Advisor in 2004, she was Chief Compliance Officer of Avatar Associates and Overture Asset Managers from 2003 to 2004. Prior to that, she served as First Vice President, Risk Management, for Prudential Securities.   2006

 

* The address for all officers is 280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017.
** The length of time served represents the year in which the Officer was first appointed to any fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex.
Officers serve until their resignation, removal or retirement.

All of the officers of the Fund listed above may also be officers of some or all of the other Cohen & Steers Funds and are officers or employees of the Advisor, as provided under their principal business occupations.

The following table provides information concerning the dollar range of the Fund’s equity securities owned by each Director and the aggregate dollar range of securities owned in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex is set forth below.

 

   

Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund as
of February 28, 2008

 

Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities in
the Cohen & Steers
Fund Complex as of
February 28, 2008*

Bonnie Cohen

  $10,001-$50,000   over $100,000

Martin Cohen

  none   over $100,000

George Grossman

  none   over $100,000

Richard E. Kroon

  none   $50,001-$100,000

Richard J. Norman

  none   over $100,000

Frank K. Ross

  none   over $100,000

Willard H. Smith Jr

  none   over $100,000

Robert H. Steers

  over $100,000   over $100,000

C. Edward Ward, Jr

  $1-$10,000   $50,001-$100,000

 

* Valued as of May 1, 2008

 

15


Conflicts of Interest. No Director who is not an “interested person” of the Fund (Independent Directors) as defined in the 1940 Act, and no immediate family members, own any securities issued by the Advisor, or any person or entity (other than the Fund and other funds in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Advisor.

 

 

BOARD’S ROLE IN FUND GOVERNANCE

Committees. The Fund’s Board of Directors has four standing committees of the Board, the Audit Committee, the Nominating Committee, the Contract Review Committee and the Governance Committee. Each Committee is composed solely of Independent Directors. All of the Independent Directors are members of the Nominating and Contract Review Committees. The members of the Governance Committee are Messrs. Norman, Ward and Smith. The members of the Audit Committee are Ms. Cohen and Messrs. Ross, Kroon and Grossman.

The Audit, Nominating, Contract Review and Governance Committee met four, zero, one and eight times, respectively, during the fiscal year ended February 28, 2008.

The function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight of the Fund’s financial reporting process. The main functions of the Contract Review Committee are to make recommendations to the Board of Directors after reviewing advisory and other contracts that the Fund has with the Advisor and to select third parties to provide evaluative reports and other information regarding the services provided by the Advisor to the Board. The main function of the Governance Committee is to assist the Board in the oversight of appropriate and effective governance of the Fund. The Governance Committee will oversee, among other things, the structure and composition of the Board committees, the size of the Board and the compensation of Independent Directors for service on the Board and any Board committee.

As necessary, the Board will convene a Nominating Committee. The functions of the Nominating Committee are to identify individuals qualified to become members of the Board of Directors in the event that a position is vacated or created, to select the Director nominees for any future meeting of stockholders and to set any necessary standards or qualifications for service on the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees properly recommended by the Fund’s stockholders. Stockholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations that include, among other things, biographical data and the qualifications of the proposed nominee to the Fund’s Secretary.

 

 

COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS AND CERTAIN OFFICERS

 

 

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation of the Directors by the Fund for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2008 and by the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007. Officers of the Fund and Interested Directors do not receive any compensation from the Fund or any other fund in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex. Each of the Independent Directors is paid an annual retainer of $4,500 per fund, and a fee of $500 per fund for each meeting attended and is reimbursed for the expenses of attendance at such meetings. In addition, the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex pays the chair of the Governance Committee and the Contract Review Committee each an annual fee of $10,000, the Audit Committee chair an annual fee of $15,000, and the lead Independent Director an annual fee of $50,000. In the column headed “Total Compensation From Fund and Fund Complex Paid to Directors,” the compensation paid to each

 

16


Director represents the twenty-two funds that each Director serves in the fund complex during the calendar year ended December 31, 2007. The Directors do not receive any pension or retirement benefits from the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex.

Compensation Table

 

Name of Person, Position

  

Aggregate
Compensation
From Fund

  

Total
Compensation
From Fund and
Fund Complex
Paid to Directors

Bonnie Cohen, Director

   $ 6,500    $ 138,125

Martin Cohen,(1) Director and Co-Chairman

   $ 0    $ 0

George Grossman, Director

   $ 6,972    $ 148,125

Richard E. Kroon,(2) Director

   $ 8,856    $ 188,125

Richard J. Norman, Director

   $ 6,972    $ 148,125

Frank K. Ross, Director

   $ 7,206    $ 153,125

Willard H. Smith Jr., Director

   $ 6,500    $ 138,125

Robert H. Steers,(1) Director and Co-Chairman

   $ 0    $ 0

C. Edward Ward, Jr., Director

   $ 6,500    $ 138,125

 

(1) Interested Director.
(2) Lead Independent Director.

 

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

As of April 30, 2008, the following principal holders owned 5% or more of a Class of shares of the then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Fund as follows:

 

Name and Address

  

Fund
Classes

  

Percentage
of Total
Shares Held

Merrill Lynch

   A    42.22%

Attn: Michael Ceglio

   C    73.25%

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

     

2nd Floor

     

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

     

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc.

   I    13.97%

280 Park Avenue, 10th Floor

     

New York, NY 10017-1216

     

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

   A    11.20%

Reinvest Account

   I    48.52%

101 Montgomery Street

     

San Francisco, CA 94101-4122

     

Prudential Investment Management Services for the Benefit of Mutual Fund Clients,

   I    11.34%

Attn: PruChoice Unit

     

100 Mulberry Street

     

Gateway Center 3-11th Floor

     

Newark, NJ 07102-4056

     

Ameritrade Inc.

   I    6.33%

For the Exclusive Benefit of our Customers

     

P.O. Box 2226

     

Omaha, NE 68103-2226

     

 

17


Name and Address

  

Fund
Classes

  

Percentage
of Total
Shares Held

CitiGroup Global Markets

   C    5.69%

House Account

     

700 Red Brook Blvd.

     

Owings Mills, MD 21117-5184

     

Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.

   I    10.04%

FBO 013529881

     

50 North Front Street

     

Memphis, TN 38103-2126

     

 

 

MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP

As of April 30, 2008, Directors and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the Fund’s outstanding shares.

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

 

 

THE ADVISOR

Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., a New York Corporation, a registered investment advisor, with offices located at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 is the investment advisor to the Fund. The Advisor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cohen & Steers, Inc. (CNS), a publicly traded company whose common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CNS.” The Advisor was formed in 1986 and its current clients include pension plans of leading corporations, endowment funds and investment companies, including each of the open-end and closed-end Cohen & Steers funds. Mr. Cohen and Mr. Steers are deemed “controlling persons” of the Advisor on the basis of their ownership of stock in CNS.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor furnishes a continuous investment program for the Fund’s portfolio, makes the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund, executes the purchase and sale orders for the portfolio transactions of the Fund and generally manages the Fund’s investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund.

For its services under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and for paying the ordinary operating expenses of the Fund, the Fund pays the Advisor a monthly management fee at the annual rate of 0.80% of the average daily NAV of the Fund up to $1.5 billion in net assets and 0.70% thereafter. This fee is allocated among the separate classes based on the classes’ proportionate shares of such average daily NAV. For the fiscal years ended February 28, 2008 and 2007 and the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006, the Advisor accrued $821,227, $252,104 and $25,796, respectively, in advisory fees from the Fund of which $650,656, $252,104 and $25,796, respectively, were waived.

The Advisor also provides the Fund with such personnel as the Fund may from time to time request for the performance of clerical, accounting and other office services, such as coordinating matters with the sub-administrator, the Transfer Agent and the custodian, which the Advisor is not required to furnish under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The personnel rendering these services, who may act as officers of the Fund, may be employees of the Advisor or its affiliates. The cost to the Fund of these services must be agreed to by the Fund and is intended to be no higher than the actual cost to the Advisor or its affiliates of providing the services. The Fund may from time to time hire its own

 

18


employees or contract to have services performed by third parties, and the management of the Fund intends to do so whenever it appears advantageous to the Fund.

 

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

Accounts Managed. The Fund’s portfolio manager also manages other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts in addition to the Fund. The following table shows, as of March 31, 2008, the number of accounts the portfolio manager managed in each of the listed categories and the total assets in the accounts managed within each category. Neither the Advisor nor the portfolio manager receives performance-based fees with respect to any of the registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles or other accounts managed.

Richard E. Helm

 

    

Number of
All Accounts

  

Total Assets of All
Accounts

Registered Investment Companies

   4    $ 1,141,426,000

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

   2    $ 130,569,000

Other Accounts

   4    $ 34,019,000

Share Ownership. The following table indicates the dollar range of securities of the Fund owned by the Fund’s portfolio manager as of February 29, 2008:

 

    

Dollar Range of

Securities Owned

Richard E. Helm

   Over $ 100,000

Conflicts of Interest. It is possible that conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the portfolio manager’s management of the Fund’s investments on the one hand and the investments of other accounts or vehicles for which the portfolio manager is responsible on the other. For example, the portfolio manager may have conflicts of interest in allocating management time, resources and investment opportunities among the Fund and the other accounts or vehicles he advises. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions among the Fund and the other accounts, the portfolio manager may take action with respect to another account that differs from the action taken with respect to the Fund. In some cases, another account managed by a portfolio manager may provide more revenue to the Advisor. While this may appear to create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities, the Advisor strives to ensure that the portfolio manager endeavors to exercise his discretion in a manner that is equitable to all interested persons. In this regard, in the absence of specific account- related impediments (such as client-imposed restrictions or lack of available cash), it is the policy of the Advisor to allocate investment ideas pro rata to all accounts with the same primary investment objective.

Advisor Compensation Structure. Compensation of the Advisor’s portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) an annual cash bonus and (3) annual stock-based compensation consisting generally of restricted stock units of the Advisor’s parent, CNS. The Advisor’s investment professionals, including the portfolio manager, also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to all of its employees. Compensation of the Advisor’s investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual basis. Cash bonuses, stock-based compensation awards, and adjustments in base salary are typically paid or put into effect at or around the December 31st fiscal year-end of CNS.

 

19


Method to Determine Compensation. Compensation of the Advisor’s portfolio managers and other investment professionals has three primary components: (1) a base salary, (2) an annual cash bonus and (3) annual stock-based compensation consisting generally of restricted stock units of the Advisor’s parent, CNS. The Advisor’s investment professionals, including the portfolio managers, also receive certain retirement, insurance and other benefits that are broadly available to all of its employees. Compensation of the Advisor’s investment professionals is reviewed primarily on an annual basis.

The Advisor compensates its portfolio managers based primarily on the total return performance of funds and accounts managed by the portfolio manager versus appropriate peer groups or benchmarks. In evaluating the performance of a portfolio manager, primary emphasis is normally placed on one- and three-year performance, with secondary consideration of performance over longer periods of time. Performance is evaluated on a pre-tax and pre-expense basis. In addition to rankings within peer groups of funds on the basis of absolute performance, consideration may also be given to risk-adjusted performance. For funds and accounts with a primary investment objective of high current income, consideration will also be given to the fund’s and account’s success in achieving this objective. For portfolio managers responsible for multiple funds and accounts, investment performance is evaluated on an aggregate basis. The Advisor does not have any funds or accounts with performance-based advisory fees. Portfolio managers are also evaluated on the basis of their success in managing their dedicated team of analysts. Base compensation for portfolio managers of the Advisor varies in line with the portfolio manager’s seniority and position with the firm.

Salaries, bonuses and stock-based compensation are also influenced by the operating performance of the Advisor and CNS. While the annual salaries of the Advisor’s portfolio managers are fixed, cash bonuses and stock based compensation may fluctuate significantly from year to year, based on changes in manager performance and other factors.

In addition, Mr. Helm and the investment team that is assembled in Seattle, Washington to manage large cap value portfolios are entitled to additional compensation based on a percentage of revenues, less allocated expenses, associated with fees paid to Cohen & Steers with respect to large cap value portfolios.

 

 

ADMINISTRATOR AND SUB-ADMINISTRATOR

 

 

The Advisor has also entered into an administration agreement with the Fund (the “Administration Agreement”) under which the Advisor performs certain administrative functions for the Fund, including (i) providing office space, telephones, office equipment and supplies for the Fund; (ii) paying the compensation of the Fund’s officers for services rendered as such; (iii) authorizing expenditures and approving bills for payment on behalf of the Fund; (iv) supervising preparation of the periodic updating of the Fund’s registration statement, including the Prospectus and SAI, for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators and monitoring and maintaining the effectiveness of such filings, as appropriate; (v) supervising preparation of quarterly reports to the Fund’s shareholders, notices of dividends, capital gains distributions and tax credits, and attending to routine correspondence and other communications with individual shareholders; (vi) supervising the daily pricing of the Fund’s investment portfolio and the publication of the NAV of the Fund’s shares, earnings reports and other financial data; (vii) monitoring relationships with organizations providing services to the Fund, including the custodian, Transfer Agent and printers; (viii) providing trading desk facilities for the Fund; (ix) supervising compliance by the Fund with recordkeeping requirements under

 

20


the 1940 Act and regulations thereunder, maintaining books and records for the Fund (other than those maintained by the custodian and Transfer Agent) and preparing and filing of tax reports other than the Fund’s income tax returns; and (x) providing executive, clerical and secretarial help needed to carry out these responsibilities. For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Advisor receives a monthly fee from the Fund at the annual rate of 0.04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

In accordance with the terms of the Administration Agreement and with the approval of the Fund’s Board of Directors, the Advisor has caused the Fund to retain State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) as sub-administrator under a fund accounting and administration agreement (the “Sub-Administration Agreement”). Under the Sub-Administration Agreement, State Street has assumed responsibility for performing certain of the foregoing administrative functions, including (i) determining the Fund’s NAV and preparing these figures for publication; (ii) maintaining certain of the Fund’s books and records that are not maintained by the Advisor, custodian or Transfer Agent; (iii) preparing financial information for the Fund’s income tax returns, proxy statements, shareholders reports, and SEC filings; and (iv) responding to shareholder inquiries. Under the Administration Agreement, the Advisor remains responsible for monitoring and overseeing the performance by State Street of its obligations to the Fund under its Sub-Administration Agreement with the Fund, subject to the overall authority of the Fund’s Board of Directors.

Under the terms of the Sub-Administration Agreement, the Fund pays State Street a monthly administration fee. The administration fee paid by the Fund is computed on the basis of the net assets in the Fund at an annual rate equal to 0.03% of the first $2.2 billion in assets, 0.02% of the next $2.2 billion, and 0.01% of assets in excess of $4.4 billion, with a minimum fee of $120,000. The aggregate fee paid by the Fund and the other funds in the Cohen & Steers Fund Complex to State Street is computed by calculating the effective rate for all the funds and multiplying the monthly average net assets of each respective fund in the complex by that effective rate. The Fund is then responsible for its pro rata amount of the aggregate administration fee. State Street also serves as the Fund’s custodian and Transfer Agent. See Custodian and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent, below.

For the fiscal years ended February 28, 2008 and 2007 and the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006, the Advisor accrued administration fees from the Fund in the amount of $41,061, $12,605 and $1,290, respectively, of which $0, $12,605 and $1,290, respectively, were waived.

 

 

DISTRIBUTOR

Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC (the Distributor), an affiliate of the Advisor, located at 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, serves without compensation as the Distributor of shares of the Fund. For Class A and Class C, the Distributor receives compensation as described below under Distribution Plan. The Distributor is not obligated to sell any specific amount of shares and will sell shares, as agent for the Fund, on a continuous basis only against orders to purchase shares.

The Distributor is an “affiliated person” of the Advisor, which is itself an affiliated person of the Fund. The Distributor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Advisor. Those individuals identified above under “Management of the Fund” as directors or officers of both the Fund and the Distributor are affiliated persons of both entities.

The Distributor receives a portion of the sales charge imposed on the sale, in the case of Class A shares, or redemption in the case of Class C shares (and in certain cases Class A shares) of Fund shares. For the

 

21


last fiscal year ended February 28, 2007 and the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006, the Distributor received the following combined commissions on sales of Class A and Class C shares during the following periods:

 

    2008    

  2007   2006
$41,228   $ 24,160   $ 5,138

 

 

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENT

State Street, which has its principal business at One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, has been retained to act as custodian of the Fund’s investments and as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. State Street has retained its wholly-owned subsidiary, Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), to provide transfer and dividend disbursing agency services to the Fund. Neither State Street nor Boston Financial has any part in deciding the Fund’s investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold for the Fund’s portfolio.

 

 

CODE OF ETHICS

The Fund, the Advisor, the Subadvisors and the Distributor have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and, with respect to the Advisor and Subadvisors, Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, that are designed to ensure that the interests of Fund shareholders come before the interests of those involved in managing the Fund. Each code of ethics, among other things, prohibits personnel of the Advisor, the Subadvisors and the Distributor from investing in REITs and real estate securities, preferred securities and initial public offerings; requires pre-approval for transactions in private placements and most other securities transactions (including transactions in Cohen & Steers closed-end funds); and requires pre-approval for sales of shares of Cohen & Steers open-end funds. The Fund’s Independent Directors are prohibited from purchasing or selling any security if they know or reasonably should know at the time of the transaction that the security is being considered for purchase or sale by the Fund or is being purchased or sold by the Fund.

 

 

PROXY VOTING

The Fund’s Board of Directors has delegated to the Advisor the responsibility for voting proxies on behalf of the Fund, and has determined that proxies with respect to the Fund’s portfolio companies shall be voted in accordance with the Advisor’s Statement of Policies and Procedures Regarding the Voting of Securities (the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures). The following is a summary of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.

Voting rights are an important component of corporate governance. The Advisor has three overall objectives in exercising voting rights:

A. Responsibility. The Advisor shall seek to ensure that there is an effective means in place to hold companies accountable for their actions. While management must be accountable to its board, the board must be accountable to a company’s shareholders. Although accountability can be promoted in a variety of ways, protecting shareholder voting rights may be among our most important tools.

B. Rationalizing Management and Shareholder Concerns. The Advisor seeks to ensure that the interests of a company’s management and board are aligned with those of the company’s shareholders. In this respect, compensation must be structured to reward the creation of shareholder value.

 

22


C. Shareholder Communication. Since companies are owned by their shareholders, the Advisor seeks to ensure that management effectively communicates with its owners about the company’s business operations and financial performance. It is only with effective communication that shareholders will be able to assess the performance of management and to make informed decisions on when to buy, sell or hold a company’s securities.

In exercising voting rights, the Advisor shall conduct itself in accordance with the general principles set forth below.

1. The ability to exercise a voting right with respect to a security is a valuable right and, therefore, must be viewed as part of the asset itself.

2. In exercising voting rights, the Advisor shall engage in a careful evaluation of issues that may materially affect the rights of shareholders and the value of the security.

3. Consistent with general fiduciary principles, the exercise of voting rights shall always be conducted with reasonable care, prudence and diligence.

4. In exercising voting rights on behalf of clients, the Advisor shall conduct itself in the same manner as if it were the constructive owner of the securities.

5. To the extent reasonably possible, the Advisor shall participate in each shareholder voting opportunity.

6. Voting rights shall not automatically be exercised in favor of management-supported proposals.

7. The Advisor, and its officers and employees shall never accept any item of value in consideration of a favorable proxy voting decision.

Set forth below are general guidelines followed in exercising proxy voting rights:

Prudence. In making a proxy voting decision, the Advisor shall give appropriate consideration to all relevant facts and circumstances, including the value of the securities to be voted and the likely effect any vote may have on that value.

Since voting rights must be exercised on the basis of an informed judgment, investigation shall be a critical initial step.

Third Party Views. While the Advisor may consider the views of third parties, it shall never base a proxy voting decision solely on the opinion of a third party. Rather, decisions shall be based on a reasonable and good faith determination as to how best to maximize shareholder value.

Shareholder Value. Just as the decision whether to purchase or sell a security is a matter of judgment, determining whether a specific proxy resolution will increase the market value of a security is a matter of judgment as to which informed parties may differ. In determining how a proxy vote may affect the economic value of a security, the Advisor shall consider both short-term and long-term views about a company’s business and prospects, especially in light of the projected holding period on the stock (e.g., the Advisor may discount long-term views on a short-term holding).

Set forth below are guidelines as to how specific proxy voting issues shall be analyzed and assessed. While these guidelines will provide a framework for the decision making process, the mechanical application of these guidelines can never address all proxy voting decisions. When new issues arise or old issues present nuances not encountered before, the Advisor must be guided by its reasonable judgment to vote in a manner that the Advisor deems to be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

23


Stock-Based Compensation

Approval of Plans or Plan Amendments. By their nature, compensation plans must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. As a general matter, the Advisor always favors compensation plans that align the interests of management and shareholders. The Advisor generally approves compensation plans under the following conditions:

10% Rule. The dilution effect of the newly authorized shares, plus the shares reserved for issuance in connection with all other stock related plans, generally should not exceed 10%.

Exercise Price. The minimum exercise price of stock options should be at least equal to the market price of the stock on the date of grant.

Plan Amendments. Compensation plans should not be materially amended without shareholder approval.

Non-Employee Directors. Awards to non-employee directors should not be subject to management discretion, but rather should be made under non-discretionary grants specified by the terms of the plan.

Repricing/Replacement of Underwater Options. Stock options generally should not be repriced, and never should be re-priced without shareholder approval. In addition, companies should not issue new options, with a lower strike price, to make up for previously issued options that are substantially underwater. The Advisor will generally vote against the election of any slate of directors that, to its knowledge, has authorized a company to re-price or replace underwater options during the most recent year without shareholder approval.

Reload/Evergreen Features. The Advisor will generally vote against plans that enable the issuance of reload options and that provide an automatic share replenishment (evergreen) feature.

Measures to Increase Executive Long-Term Stock Ownership. The Advisor supports measures to increase the long-term stock ownership by a company’s executives. These include requiring senior executives to hold a minimum amount of stock in a company (often expressed as a percentage of annual compensation), requiring stock acquired through option exercise to be held for a certain minimum amount of time and issuing restricted stock awards instead of options. In this respect, the Advisor supports the expensing of option grants because it removes the incentive of a company to issue options in lieu of restricted stock. The Advisor also supports employee stock purchase plans, although the Advisor generally believes the discounted purchase price should be at least 85% of the current market price.

Vesting. Restricted stock awards normally should vest over at least a two-year period.

Other Stock Awards. Stock awards other than stock options and restricted stock awards should be granted in lieu of salary or a cash bonus, and the number of shares awarded should be reasonable.

Change of Control Issues

While the Advisor recognizes that a takeover attempt can be a significant distraction for the board and management to deal with, the simple fact is that the possibility of a corporate takeover keeps management focused on maximizing shareholder value. As a result, the Advisor opposes measures that are designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers because they can entrench current management. The following are the guidelines on change of control issues:

Shareholder Rights Plans. The Advisor acknowledges that there are arguments for and against shareholder rights plans, also known as “poison pills.” Companies should put their case for rights plans to shareholders. The Advisor generally votes against any directors who, without shareholder approval,

 

24


to its knowledge have instituted a new poison pill plan, extended an existing plan, or adopted a new plan upon the expiration of an existing plan during the past year.

Golden Parachutes. The Advisor opposes the use of accelerated employment contracts that result in cash grants of greater than three times annual compensation (salary and bonus) in the event of termination of employment following a change in control of a company. In general, the guidelines call for voting against “golden parachute” plans because they impede potential takeovers that shareholders should be free to consider. The Advisor generally withholds votes at the next shareholder meeting for directors who to its knowledge approved golden parachutes.

Approval of Mergers. The Advisor votes against proposals that require a super-majority of shareholders to approve a merger or other significant business combination. The Advisor supports proposals that seek to lower super-majority voting requirements.

Routine Issues

Director Nominees in a Non-Contested Election. Management proposals on director nominees generally are voted in favor of approval.

Director Nominees in a Contested Election. By definition, this type of board candidate or slate runs for the purpose of seeking a significant change in corporate policy or control. Therefore, the economic impact of the vote in favor of or in opposition to that director or slate must be analyzed using a higher standard normally applied to changes in control. Criteria for evaluating director nominees as a group or individually should include: performance; compensation, corporate governance provisions and takeover activity; criminal activity; attendance at meetings; investment in the company; interlocking directorships; inside, outside and independent directors; whether the chairman and CEO titles are held by the same person; number of other board seats; and other experience. It is impossible to have a general policy regarding director nominees in a contested election.

Board Composition. The Advisor supports the election of a board that consists of at least a majority of independent directors. The Advisor generally withholds support for non-independent directors who serve on a company’s audit, compensation and/or nominating committees. The Advisor also generally withholds support for director candidates who have not attended a sufficient number of board or committee meetings to effectively discharge their duties as directors.

Classified Boards. Because a classified board structure prevents shareholders from electing a full slate of directors at annual meetings, the Advisor generally votes against classified boards. The Advisor votes in favor of shareholder proposals to declassify a Board of Directors unless a company’s charter or governing corporate law allows shareholders, by written consent, to remove a majority of directors at any time, with or without cause.

Barriers to Shareholder Action. The Advisor votes to support proposals that lower the barriers to shareholder action. This includes the right of shareholders to call a meeting and the right of shareholders to act by written consent.

Cumulative Voting. Having the ability to cumulate votes for the election of directors—that is, cast more than one vote for a director about whom they feel strongly—generally increases shareholders’ rights to effect change in the management of a corporation. Proposals to adopt cumulative voting therefore are generally supported.

Ratification of Auditors. Votes generally are cast in favor of proposals to ratify an independent auditor, unless there is a reason to believe the auditing firm is no longer performing its required duties or there

 

25


are exigent circumstances requiring us to vote against the approval of the recommended auditor. For example, the general policy is to vote against an independent auditor that receives more than 50% of its total fees from a company for non-audit services.

Stock Related Items

Increase Additional Common Stock. The guidelines generally call for approval of increases in authorized shares, provided that the increase is not greater than three times the number of shares outstanding and reserved for issuance (including shares reserved for stock-related plans and securities convertible into common stock, but not shares reserved for any poison pill plan).

Votes generally are cast in favor of proposals to authorize additional shares of stock except where the proposal:

1. creates blank check preferred stock; or

2. establishes classes of stock with superior voting rights.

Blank Check Preferred Stock. Votes generally are cast in opposition to management proposals authorizing the creation of new classes of preferred stock with unspecific voting, conversion, distribution and other rights, and management proposals to increase the number of authorized blank check preferred shares. This type of proposal may be approved when assurances are received that (i) the preferred stock was authorized by the board for the use of legitimate capital formation purposes and not for anti-takeover purposes, and (ii) no preferred stock will be issued with voting power that is disproportionate to the economic interests of the preferred stock. These representations should be made either in the proxy statement or in a separate letter from the company.

Preemptive Rights. Votes are cast in favor of shareholder proposals restoring limited preemptive rights.

Dual Class Capitalizations. Because classes of common stock with unequal voting rights limit the rights of certain shareholders, the Advisor votes against adoption of a dual or multiple class capitalization structure.

Social Issues

The Advisor believes that it is the responsibility of the board and management to run a company on a daily basis. With this in mind, in the absence of unusual circumstances, the Advisor does not believe that shareholders should be involved in determining how a company should address broad social and policy issues. As a result, the Advisor generally votes against these types of proposals, which are generally initiated by shareholders, unless the Advisor believes the proposal has significant economic implications.

Other Situations

No set of guidelines can anticipate all situations that may arise. The Advisor will be expected to analyze proxy proposals in an effort to gauge the impact of a proposal on the financial prospects of a company, and vote accordingly. These policies are intended to provide guidelines for voting. They are not, however, hard and fast rules because corporate governance issues are so varied.

Proxy Voting Procedures

The Advisor maintains a record of all voting decisions for the period required by applicable laws. Votes contrary to the stated policies set forth in these guidelines must be supported.

The Investment Committee of the Advisor shall have responsibility for voting proxies, under the supervision of the Director of Research. The Director of Research’s designee (the “Designee”) shall be responsible for ensuring that the Investment Committee is aware of all upcoming proxy voting

 

26


opportunities. The Designee shall ensure that proxy votes are properly recorded and that the requisite information regarding each proxy voting opportunity is maintained. The Advisor’s General Counsel shall have overall responsibility for ensuring that the Advisor complies with all proxy voting requirements and procedures.

Recordkeeping

The Designee shall be responsible for recording and maintaining the following information with respect to each proxy voted by the Advisor:

 

·  

Name of the company

 

·  

Ticker symbol

 

·  

CUSIP number

 

·  

Shareholder meeting date

 

·  

Brief identification of each matter voted upon

 

·  

Whether the matter was proposed by management or a shareholder

 

·  

Whether the Advisor voted on the matter

 

·  

If the Advisor voted, then how the Investment Manager voted

 

·  

Whether the Advisor voted with or against management

The Advisor’s General Counsel shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the Policies and Procedures, and for maintaining any records of written client requests for proxy voting information and documents that were prepared by the Advisor and were deemed material to making a voting decision or that memorialized the basis for the decision.

The Advisor shall rely on the SEC’s EDGAR filing system with respect to the requirement to maintain proxy materials regarding client securities.

Conflicts of Interest

There may be situations in which the Advisor may face a conflict between its interests and those of its clients or Fund shareholders. Potential conflicts are most likely to fall into three general categories:

Business Relationships. This type of conflict would occur if the Advisor or an affiliate has a substantial business relationship with the company or a proponent of a proxy proposal relating to the company (such as an employee group) such that failure to vote in favor of management (or the proponent) could harm the relationship of the Advisor or its affiliate with the company or proponent. In the context of the Advisor, this could occur if an affiliate of the Advisor has a material business relationship with a company that the Advisor has invested in on behalf of the Fund, and the Advisor is encouraged to vote in favor of management as an inducement to acquire or maintain the affiliate’s relationship.

Personal Relationships. The Advisor or an affiliate could have a personal relationship with other proponents of proxy proposals, participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or director nominees.

Familial Relationships. The Advisor or an affiliate could have a familial relationship relating to a company (e.g., spouse or other relative who serves as a director or nominee of a public company).

 

27


The next step is to identify if a conflict is material. A material matter is one that is reasonably likely to be viewed as important by the average shareholder. Materiality will be judged under a two-step approach:

Financial Based Materiality. The Advisor presumes a conflict to be nonmaterial unless it involves at least $500,000.

Non-Financial Based Materiality. Non-financial based materiality would impact the members of the Advisor’s Investment Committee, who are responsible for making proxy voting decisions.

Finally, if a material conflict exists, the Advisor shall vote in accordance with the advice of a proxy voting service.

The Advisor’s General Counsel shall supervise and monitor conflicts of interest in the proxy voting process according to the following process:

Identifying Conflicts. The Advisor is responsible for monitoring the relationships of the Advisor’s affiliates for purposes of the Advisor’s Inside Information Policy and Procedures. The General Counsel (or his designee) maintains a watch list and a restricted list. The Advisor’s Investment Committee is unaware of the content of the watch list and therefore it is only those companies on the restricted list, which is made known to everyone at the Advisor, for which potential concerns might arise. When a company is placed on the restricted list, the General Counsel (or his designee) shall promptly inquire of the Designee as to whether there is a pending proxy voting opportunity with respect to that company, and continue to inquire on a weekly basis until such time as the company is no longer included on the restricted list. When there is a proxy voting opportunity with respect to a company that has been placed on the restricted list, the General Counsel shall inform the Investment Committee that no proxy vote is to be submitted for that company until the general counsel completes the conflicts analysis.

For purposes of monitoring personal or familial relationships, the General Counsel (or his designee) shall receive on at least an annual basis from each member of the Advisor’s Investment Committee written disclosure of any personal or familial relationships with public company directors that could raise potential conflict of interest concerns. Investment Committee members also shall agree in writing to advise if (i) there are material changes to any previously furnished information, (ii) a person with whom a personal or familial relationship exists is subsequently nominated as a director or (iii) a personal or familial relationship exists with any proponent of a proxy proposal or a participant in a proxy contest.

Identifying Materiality. The General Counsel (or his designee) shall be responsible for determining whether a conflict is material. He shall evaluate financial based materiality in terms of both actual and potential fees to be received. Non-financial based items impacting a member of the Investment Committee shall be presumed to be material.

Communication with Investment Committee; Voting of Proxy. If the General Counsel determines that the relationship between the Advisor’s affiliate and a company is financially material, he shall communicate that information to the members of the Advisor’s Investment Committee and instruct them, and the Designee, that the Advisor will vote its proxy based on the advice of a consulting firm engaged by the Advisor. Any personal or familial relationship, or any other business relationship, that exists between a company and any member of the Investment Committee shall be presumed to be material, in which case the Advisor again will vote its proxy based on the advice of a consulting firm engaged by the Advisor. The fact that a member of the Investment Committee personally owns securities issued by a company will not disqualify the Advisor from voting common stock issued by that company, since the member’s personal and professional interests will be aligned.

 

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In cases in which the Advisor will vote its proxy based on the advice of a consulting firm, the General Counsel (or his designee) shall be responsible for ensuring that the Designee votes proxies in this manner. The General Counsel will maintain a written record of each instance when

a conflict arises and how the conflict is resolved (e.g., whether the conflict is judged to be material, the basis on which the materiality is decision is made and how the proxy is voted.)

The Fund is required to file Form N-PX, with its complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30th, no later than August 31st of each year. The Fund’s Form N-PX filings are available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund toll-free at (800) 437-9912 and (ii) on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).

 

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

 

Subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors, decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund and negotiation of its brokerage commission rates are made by the Advisor. Transactions on U.S. stock exchanges involve the payment by the Fund of negotiated brokerage commissions. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter market but the price paid by the Fund usually includes an undisclosed dealer commission or mark-up. In certain instances, the Fund may make purchases of underwritten or agency placed issues at prices that reflect underwriting or placement fees.

In selecting a broker to execute each particular transaction, the Advisor will take the following into consideration: the best net price available; the reliability, integrity and financial condition of the broker; the size and difficulty in executing the order; and the value of the expected contribution of the broker to the investment performance of the Fund on a continuing basis. Accordingly, the cost of the brokerage commissions to the Fund in any transaction may be greater than that available from other brokers if the difference is reasonably justified by other aspects of the portfolio execution services offered.

In addition, the Advisor may receive research services from a broker in connection with initiating portfolio transactions for the Fund. Research services include pricing and market data services. The Advisor shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker would have charged solely for execution services for that transaction if the Advisor determines in good faith that the commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the research service provided viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Advisor’s ongoing responsibilities to the Fund. Research and investment information is provided by brokers at no cost to the Advisor and is available for the benefit of other accounts advised by the Advisor and its affiliates, and not all of the information will be used in connection with the Fund. While this information may be useful in varying degrees and may tend to reduce the Advisor’s expenses, it is not possible to estimate its value and in the opinion of the Advisor it does not reduce the Advisor’s expenses in a determinable amount. The extent to which the Advisor makes use of statistical, research and other services furnished by brokers is considered by the Advisor in the allocation of brokerage business but there is no formula by which such business is allocated. The Advisor does so in accordance with its judgment of the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Advisor may also take into account payments made by brokers effecting transactions for the Fund to other persons on behalf of the Fund for services provided to it for which the Fund would be obligated to pay (such as custodial and professional fees).

 

29


For the fiscal years ended February 28, 2008, and February 28, 2007 and the fiscal period ended February 28, 2006, the Fund paid a total of $180,046, $64,784 and $12,457, respectively, in brokerage commissions. Of such amount, $71,702, $58,303 and $7,658, respectively, was placed with brokers or dealers who provide research and investment information. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal period ended February 28, 2008 was 52%.

 

 

ORGANIZATION AND DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

 

 

The Fund was incorporated on November 9, 2004, as a Maryland corporation and is authorized to issue 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value. The authorized shares of the Fund are currently divided into four classes designated Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, Class C Common Stock and Class I Common Stock. The Fund is not currently offering Class B Common Stock. The Fund shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, have the right, at its option, at any time to redeem shares owned by any shareholder of any class if the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the Fund to redeem the shares. The Fund’s shares have no preemptive or conversion rights. Each class of shares represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund and is identical in all respects except that (i) each class is subject to different sales charges and distribution and service fees, which may affect performance, and (ii) each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that affects only that class, including any matter that relates to that class’ Distribution Plan and has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of any other class. With the exceptions noted above, each share has equal voting, dividend, distribution and liquidation rights. All shares of the Fund, when duly issued, will be fully paid and nonassessable. Shareholders are entitled to one vote per share. All voting rights for the election of directors are noncumulative, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares can elect 100% of the Directors then nominated for election if they choose to do so and, in such event, the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any Directors. The foregoing description is subject to the provisions contained in the Fund’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws.

 

 

DEALER REALLOWANCES

 

 

Dealers and financial advisors receive a percentage of the initial sales charge on sales of Class A shares, as set forth below:

 

Investment Amount

  

Sales Charge
as a % of
Offering Price(1)

   

Sales Charge
as a % of
Net Amount Invested

   

Regular Dealer
Reallowance as a %
of Offering Price

 

Less than $ 100,000

   4.50 %   4.71 %   4.00 %

$100,000 but less than $250,000

   3.75 %   3.90 %   3.25 %

$250,000 but less than $500,000

   2.75 %   2.83 %   2.25 %

$500,000 but less than $1million

   2.25 %   2.30 %   1.75 %

$1 million or more

   None     None     None

 

(1) “Offering Price” is the amount that you actually pay for Fund shares; it includes the initial sales charge.
See Other Share Information.

 

30


 

DISTRIBUTION PLAN

 

 

The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan and related agreements (the Distribution Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which provides that investment companies may pay distribution expenses, directly or indirectly, pursuant to a Distribution Plan adopted by the investment company’s Board of Directors. Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor, as compensation for acting as principal underwriter of the Fund’s shares and as reimbursement of the distribution expenses incurred therewith, a fee at annual rates not to exceed 0.25% and 0.75% of the average net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A shares and Class C shares, respectively. The Distributor may use such amounts to pay various distribution-related expenses, including (i) to make payments to brokers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries (payee(s)) who have rendered distribution assistance and (ii) for other expenses such as advertising costs and the payment for printing and distribution of prospectuses to prospective investors. The Class I shares do not participate in the Distribution Plan. In addition to the amounts required by the Distribution Plan, the Distributor may, in its discretion, pay additional amounts from its own resources. The Directors have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood the Distribution Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The expected benefits include greater sales and lower redemptions of class shares, which should allow each class to maintain a consistent cash flow.

For the fiscal years ended February 28, 2008 and February 28, 2007 and the period from August 31, 2005 (Commencement of Operations) to February 28, 2006, with respect to the Class A shares, the Fund paid distribution services fees for expenditures under the Distribution Plan, in the aggregate amount of $143,634, $45,673 and $2,461, respectively. All of the amounts paid were spent for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries.

For the fiscal years ended February 28, 2008 and February 28, 2007 and the period from August 31, 2005 (Commencement of Operations) to February 28, 2006, with respect to the Class C shares, the Fund paid distribution services fees for expenditures under the Distribution Plan, in the aggregate amount of $225,487, $59,340 and $4,752, respectively . All of the amounts paid were spent for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries.

Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund’s Treasurer reports quarterly the amounts and purposes of assistance payments. During the continuance of the Distribution Plan the selection and nomination of the Independent Directors are at the discretion of the Independent Directors currently in office.

The Distribution Plan was duly approved by the shareholders and the Board of Directors, including the Independent Directors who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Distribution Plan and related agreements (“Non-Interested Directors”). The Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of the shareholders or by vote of the Independent Directors. The Distribution Plan and related agreements may be renewed from year to year if approved by a vote of the Board of Directors, and by the vote of the Independent Directors cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such renewal. The Distribution Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for distribution without shareholder approval. All material amendments to the Distribution Plan must be approved by a vote of the Board of Directors and of the Independent Directors, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of such vote.

Pursuant to the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Distributor is required to limit aggregate initial sales charges, deferred sales charges and asset-based sales charges to 6.25% of total gross sales of each class of shares. Interest charges on unreimbursed distribution

 

31


expenses equal to the prime rate plus one percent per annum may be added to the 6.25% limitation. Sales from the reinvestment of dividends and distributions are not included in the calculation of the 6.25% limitation. The annual asset-based sales charge on shares of the Fund may not exceed 0.75 of 1% per class. The 6.25% limitation applies to each class of the Fund rather than on a per shareholder basis. If aggregate sales charges were to exceed 6.25% of total gross sales of any class, all sales charges on shares of that class would be suspended.

 

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

 

NAV per share of each class is determined by the Fund on each day the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE) is open for trading.

For purposes of determining the NAV of each Class of the Fund, readily marketable portfolio securities principally traded on any exchange or similar regulated market reporting contemporaneous transaction prices are valued, except as indicated below, at the last sales price on such principal market on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices or, if no asked price is available, at the bid price. If no bid or asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued by such method as the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith to reflect its fair market value. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined as reflected on the tape at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities.

Readily marketable securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed securities whose primary market is believed by the Advisor to be over-the-counter, but excluding securities admitted to trading on the NASDAQ National List, are valued at the official closing price as reported by NASDAQ or, in the case of securities not quoted by NASDAQ, the National Quotation Bureau or such other comparable source as the Board of Directors deem appropriate to reflect their fair market value. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices or, if no asked price is available, at the bid price. If no bid or asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued by such method as the Board of Directors shall determine in good faith to reflect its fair market value. However, certain fixed-income securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed by the Board of Directors to reflect the fair market value of such securities. The prices provided by a pricing service take into account institutional size trading in similar groups of securities and any developments related to specific securities. Where securities are traded on more than one exchange and also over-the-counter, the securities will generally be valued using the quotations the Board of Directors believes reflect most closely the value of such securities.

Securities for which market prices are unavailable will be valued at fair value pursuant to procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors. Circumstances in which market prices may be unavailable include, but are not limited to, when trading in a security is suspended, the exchange on which the security is traded is subject to an unscheduled close or disruption or material events occur after the close of the exchange on which the security is principally traded. In these circumstances, the Fund determines fair value in a manner that fairly reflects the market value of the security on the valuation date based on consideration of any information or factors it deems appropriate. These may include recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to the specific security and developments in the markets. In particular, portfolio securities primarily traded on foreign markets are generally valued at the preceding closing values of such securities on their respective exchanges or if after the close of the foreign markets,

 

32


but prior to the close of trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued, developments occur that are expected to materially affect the value of such securities, such values may be adjusted to reflect the estimated fair value of such securities as of the close of trading on the NYSE using a pricing service and/or procedures approved by the Fund’s Board of Directors.

For purposes of determining the Fund’s NAV per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the mean of the bid and asked prices of such currencies against the U.S. dollar last quoted by a major bank which is a regular participant in the institutional foreign exchange markets or on the basis of a pricing service which takes into account the quotes provided by a number of such major banks.

 

 

 

REDUCING THE INITIAL SALES LOAD ON CLASS A SHARES

 

 

As discussed in the Prospectus for Class A shares, the size of the total investment in the Class A shares of the Fund will affect your sales load.

Described below are several methods to reduce the applicable sales load. In order to obtain a reduction in the sales load, an investor must notify, at the time of purchase, his or her dealer, the Transfer Agent or the Distributor of the applicability of one of the following:

Rights of Aggregation. The size of the total investment applies to the total amount being invested by any “person,” which term includes an individual, his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account (including a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit trust created pursuant to a plan qualified under the Code) although more than one beneficiary is involved, or any U.S. bank or investment advisor purchasing shares for its investment advisory clients or customers. Any such person purchasing for several accounts at the same time may combine these investments into a single transaction in order to reduce the applicable sales charge.

Rights of Accumulation. The Class A shares may be purchased at a reduced sales charge by a “person” (as defined above) who is already a shareholder of the Fund and/or a shareholder of other Cohen & Steers open-end funds that impose sales charges (Eligible Funds) by taking into account not only the amount then being invested, but also the current NAV of the shares of the Fund and other Eligible Funds already held by such person. If the current NAV of the qualifying shares already held plus the NAV of the current purchase exceeds a point in the schedule of sales charges at which the charge is reduced to a lower percentage, the entire current purchase is eligible for the reduced charge. To be entitled to a reduced sales charge pursuant to the Rights of Accumulation, the investor must notify his or her dealer, the Transfer Agent or the Distributor at the time of purchase that he or she wishes to take advantage of such entitlement, and give the numbers of his or her account, and those accounts held in the name of his or her spouse or for a minor child, and the specific relationship of each such other person to the investor.

Letter of Intention. An investor may also qualify for a reduced sales charge by completing a Letter of Intention (the Letter) set forth in the Subscription Agreement in the Prospectus or on a separate form for this purpose which is available from the Fund. This enables the investor to aggregate purchases of shares of the Fund and other Eligible Funds during a 12-month period for purposes of calculating the applicable sales charge. All shares of the Fund and other Eligible Funds currently owned by the investor will be credited as purchases toward the completion of the Letter at the greater of their NAV on the date

 

33


the Letter is executed or their cost. No retroactive adjustment will be made if purchases exceed the amount indicated in the Letter. For each investment made, the investor must notify his or her dealer, the Transfer Agent or the Distributor that a Letter is on file along with all account numbers associated with the Letter.

The Letter is not a binding obligation on the investor. However, 5% of the amount specified in the Letter will be held in escrow, and if the investor’s purchases are less than the amount specified, the investor will be requested to remit to the Fund an amount equal to the difference between the sales charge paid and the sales charge applicable to the aggregate purchases actually made. If not remitted within 20 days after written request, an appropriate number of escrowed shares will be redeemed in order to realize the difference. However, the sales charge applicable to the investment will in no event be higher than if the shareholder had not submitted a Letter.

Sales at Net Asset Value. Class A shares of the Fund may be sold at NAV (i.e., without a sales charge) (i) to registered representatives or employees (and their immediate families) of authorized dealers, or to any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for only such persons, (ii) to banks or trust companies or their affiliates when the bank, trust company, or affiliate is authorized to make investment decisions on behalf of a client, (iii) to investment advisors and financial planners who place trades for their own accounts or the accounts of their clients and who charge a management, consulting or other fee for their services, (iv) to clients of such investment advisors and financial planners who place trades for their own accounts if the accounts are linked to the master account of such investment advisor or financial planner on the books and records of the broker, agent, investment advisor or financial institution, and (v) to retirement and deferred compensation plans provided that (a) such plan has total assets of at least $1 million, and (b) such plan has at least 50 participating employees. Investors may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Fund shares through a broker or agent. Class A shares of the Fund may also be sold at NAV to current officers, directors and employees (and their immediate families) of the Fund, the Advisor, the Distributor, employees (and their immediate families) of certain firms providing services to the Fund (such as the custodian and Transfer Agent), and to any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for only such persons.

 

 

SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

 

Payment of the price for shares that are sold or “redeemed” may be made either in cash or in portfolio securities (selected in the discretion of the Board of Directors of the Fund and taken at their value used in determining the Fund’s NAV per share as described in the Prospectus and in this SAI less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares made within 12 months following purchases without a sales charge), or partly in cash and partly in portfolio securities. However, payments will be made wholly in cash unless the Board of Directors believes that economic conditions exist which would make such a practice detrimental to the best interests of the Fund. If payment for shares redeemed is made wholly or partly in portfolio securities, brokerage costs may be incurred by the investor in converting the securities to cash. The Fund will not distribute in-kind portfolio securities that are not readily marketable.

The Fund will charge a redemption fee of 2.00% of the value of certain Class A shares and Class I shares sold or exchanged within 60 days of the time of purchase (other than shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends and other distributions). For purposes of calculating the redemption fee, shares that are held longer than 60 days and shares acquired by reinvestments of distributions will be deemed to

 

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have been sold first. The redemption fee may be waived with the approval of the Fund, for redemptions or exchanges: (i) by retirement pension, profit sharing, deferred compensation and other qualified plans, bank or trust company accounts, and certain other omnibus-type accounts, (ii) by accounts of certain asset allocation or wrap programs where the redemption is in connection with a regularly scheduled automatic rebalancing of assets, (iii) due to death or disability of a shareholder, (iv) in connection with required distributions from an IRA or qualified retirement plan, and (v) such other redemptions as approved by the Fund.

The Fund reserves the right to modify or eliminate these waivers at any time.

In addition to the circumstances noted above, the Fund reserves the right to grant additional waivers based on such factors as operational limitations, contractual limitations and further guidance from the SEC or other regulators.

The sales of Class A shares at net asset value described in this section are made upon the written assurance of the purchaser that the purchase is made for investment purposes and that the Class A shares will not be resold except through redemption. Such notice must be given to the Transfer Agent or the Distributor at the time of purchase on a form for this purpose as available from the Fund.

 

 

CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES

 

 

CLASS A SHARES

With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge equal to 1% of the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their NAV at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in NAV above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares will be waived on certain redemptions, as described below under Contingent Deferred Sales Charges—Class C Shares. In determining the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to a redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (for example, because an initial sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or they have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge on Class A shares are paid to the Distributor and are used by the Distributor to defray the expenses of the Distributor related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sales of Class A shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers or financial intermediaries for selling Class A shares.

 

 

CLASS C SHARES

Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1%, charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their NAV at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in NAV above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on redemptions

 

35


of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Code, of a stockholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a stockholder who has attained the age of 70 1/2, or (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative. In determining the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to a redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge (for example, because the shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions) and, second, of any shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge.

Proceeds from the contingent deferred sales charge are paid to the Distributor and are used by the Distributor to defray the expenses of the Distributor related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the payment of compensation to dealers and financial intermediaries for selling Class C shares.

 

 

CLASS I SHARES

Class I shares are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. Please see the Class I Prospectus for a further discussion of Class I shares.

 

 

FUND REORGANIZATIONS

Class A shares may be issued without an initial sales charge in connection with the acquisition of cash and securities owned by other investment companies. Any contingent deferred sales charge or redemption fee will be waived in connection with the redemption of shares of the Fund if the Fund is combined with another Cohen & Steers open-end fund, or in connection with a similar reorganization transaction.

 

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

The Advisor and the Distributor may make payments from their own resources to dealers and other financial intermediaries as compensation for distribution, administrative or other services (Additional Payments). These Additional Payments may take the form of, among other things, “due diligence” payments for an intermediary’s examination of the Fund and payments for providing extra employee training and information relating to the Fund; “listing” fees for the placement of the Fund on an intermediary’s list of mutual funds available for purchase by its customers; “marketing support” fees for providing assistance in promoting the sale of the Fund’s shares; payments for the sale of shares and/or the maintenance of share balances; and fees for subaccounting, administrative and/or shareholder processing services that are in addition to the shareholder servicing fees paid by the Fund. The Additional Payments may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by a dealer, or may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the intermediary.

The Advisor and Distributor may from time to time pay additional cash or non-cash incentives to intermediaries in connection with the sale of shares of the Fund, subject to applicable rules of FINRA. Such additional amounts may be utilized, in whole or in part, in some cases together with other

 

36


revenues of such dealers, to provide additional compensation to registered representatives who sell shares of the Fund. On some occasions, such cash or non-cash incentives may be offered only to certain dealers who have sold or may sell significant amounts of shares. Such incentives may include payment for attendance at seminars or payment for occasional meals, sporting events, theater performances or comparable entertainment. Such dealer may elect to receive cash incentives of equivalent amount in lieu of such payments.

 

 

TAXATION

 

 

Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax issues concerning the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Fund shares. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular circumstances. This discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling authorities, all of which are subject to change, which change may be retroactive. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, or disposition of Fund shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, foreign country, or other taxing jurisdiction.

 

 

TAXATION OF THE FUND

The Fund intends to elect to be treated as, and to qualify annually as, a regulated investment company under the Code.

To qualify for the favorable U.S. Federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies, the Fund must, among other things, (i) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from: (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gain from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies; and (b) net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each a “Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership”); and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by (I) cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and (II) other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities and the securities of other regulated investment companies) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or (III) any one or more Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships; and (iii) distribute at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt interest each taxable year.

 

37


As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. Federal income tax on its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. Amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement (described below) are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax. To prevent imposition of the excise tax, the Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) 98% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains net income for previous years that were not distributed during those years.

If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company or failed to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on its taxable income (even if such income were distributed to its shareholders) and all distributions out of earnings and profits (including distributions of net capital gain) would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary dividend income.

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

 

Dividends paid out of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, except in the case of distributions of qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends described below, be taxable to a U.S. stockholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits. For taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, qualified dividend income received by individual stockholders is taxed at rates equivalent to long-term capital gain tax rates, which reach a maximum of 15%. Qualified dividend income generally includes dividends from domestic corporations and dividends from “qualified foreign corporations” although dividends paid by REITs will not generally be eligible to qualify as qualified dividend income. A foreign corporation is a “qualified foreign corporation” if it is (1) incorporated in a possession of the United States or is eligible for benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States that the United States Treasury Department determines is satisfactory for this purpose and that includes an exchange of information program or (2) any other foreign corporation with respect to any dividend paid by such corporation if the stock with respect to which such dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. A “qualified foreign corporation” does not include any foreign corporation, which for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a passive foreign investment company. The Fund generally can pass the tax treatment of qualified dividend income it receives through to Fund stockholders. For the Fund to receive qualified dividend income, the Fund must meet certain holding period requirements for the stock on which the otherwise qualified dividend is paid. In addition, the Fund cannot be obligated to make payments (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) with respect to substantially similar or related property. The same provisions, including the holding period requirements, apply to each stockholder’s investment in the Fund. The provisions of the Code applicable to qualified dividend income and the 15% maximum individual tax rate on long-term capital gains are currently effective through 2010. Thereafter, qualified dividend income will no longer be taxed at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains, and the maximum individual tax rate on long-term capital gains will increase to 20%, unless Congress enacts legislation

 

38


providing otherwise. Because of the fact-specific nature of the inquiry, the Fund cannot predict at this time what portion, if any, of the dividends it will receive from foreign corporations will be eligible for the reduced rates of taxation applicable to qualified dividend income nor can there be any assurance as to what portion, if any, of the Fund’s distribution will be entitled to the lower tax rates that apply to qualified dividend income.

Distributions of net capital gain, if any, designated as capital gain dividends are taxable to a stockholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the stockholder has held Fund shares. Long-term capital gain rates for individuals have been temporarily reduced to 15% (with lower rates for individuals in the 10% and 15% rate brackets) for taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010.

A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. To prevent application of the excise tax, the Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement.

A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a stockholder as a return of capital which is applied against and reduces the stockholder’s basis in his or her shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the stockholder’s basis in his or her shares, the excess will be treated by the stockholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares.

Dividends designated by the Fund and received by corporate stockholders of the Fund will qualify for the DRD to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations (other than REITs) for the taxable year. A dividend received by the Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend (i) if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be “debt-financed” (generally, acquired with borrowed funds), (ii) if the Fund fails to meet certain holding period requirements for the stock on which the dividend is paid or (iii) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the DRD may be disallowed or reduced if the corporate stockholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or by application of the Code.

Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional shares of the Fund.

The Fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment and be taxed at corporate rates on the amount retained. In such case, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its stockholders who will be treated as if each received a distribution of his or her pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each stockholder will (i) be required to report his or her pro rata share of such gain on his or her tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for his or her pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain and (iii) increase the tax basis for his or her shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.

Stockholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions.

 

39


 

SALE OR EXCHANGE OF FUND SHARES

Upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund which a shareholder holds as a capital asset, including an exchange of shares in the Fund for shares of another Cohen & Steers fund, such shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. A shareholder who exchanges shares in the Fund for shares of another Cohen & Steers fund will have a tax basis in the newly-acquired fund shares equal to the amount invested and will begin a new holding period for federal income tax purposes.

Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of dividends) with substantially similar shares within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

 

NATURE OF FUND’S INVESTMENTS

Certain of the Fund’s investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited), (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash, (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions and (vii) produce income that will not qualify as good income under the 90% annual gross income test described above. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.

 

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT SECURITIES

Investments by the Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess of the face value of the securities over their issue price (the original issue discount) each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund receives no cash interest payments. This income is included in determining the amount of income which the Fund must distribute to maintain its status as a regulated investment company and to avoid the payment of federal income tax and the 4% excise tax. Because such income may not be matched by a corresponding cash distribution to the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of other securities to be able to make distributions to its shareholders.

 

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INVESTMENT IN NON-U.S. SECURITIES

The Fund’s investment in non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In that case, the Fund’s yield on those securities would be decreased. Shareholders will generally not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to foreign taxes paid by the Fund.

In addition, if the Fund acquires an equity interest in certain foreign corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income (passive foreign investment companies), the Fund could be subject to U.S. Federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. An election may generally be available to ameliorate these adverse tax consequences but any such election could require the Fund to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash. These investments could also result in the treatment of capital gains as ordinary income. The Fund intends to manage its holdings to limit the tax liability from these investments.

 

 

OPTIONS AND HEDGING TRANSACTIONS

The taxation of equity options and over-the-counter options on debt securities is governed by Section 1234 of the Code. Pursuant to Section 1234 of the Code, the premium received by the Fund for selling a put or call option is not included in income at the time of receipt. If the option expires, the premium is short-term capital gain to the Fund. If the Fund enters into a closing transaction, the difference between the premium received and the amount paid to close out its position is short-term capital gain or loss. If a call option written by the Fund is exercised, thereby requiring the Fund to sell the underlying security, the premium will increase the amount realized upon the sale of such security, and any resulting gain or loss will be capital gain or loss and will be long-term or short-term depending upon the holding period of the security. With respect to a put or call option that is purchased by the Fund, if the option is sold, any resulting gain or loss will be a capital gain or loss, and will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the holding period of the option. If the option expires, the resulting loss is a capital loss and is long-term or short-term depending upon the holding period of the option. If the option is exercised, the cost of the option, in the case of a call option, is added to the basis of the purchased security and, in the case of a put option, reduces the amount realized on the underlying security in determining gain or loss.

Certain options, futures contracts and forward contracts in which the Fund may invest are “Section 1256 contracts” governed by Section 1256 of the Code. Gains or losses on Section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses; however, foreign currency gains or losses (as discussed below) arising from certain Section 1256 contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss. Also, Section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year (and, generally, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on December 31) are “marked-to-market” (that is, treated as sold at fair market value), resulting in unrealized gains or losses being treated as though they were realized.

Generally, the hedging transactions undertaken by the Fund may result in “straddles” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The straddle rules may affect the character of gains (or losses) realized by the Fund. In addition, losses realized by the Fund on positions that are part of a straddle may be deferred under the straddle rules, rather than being taken into account in calculating the taxable income for the taxable year in which the losses are realized. Because only a few regulations implementing the straddle

 

41


rules have been promulgated, the tax consequences to the Fund of engaging in hedging transactions are not entirely clear. Hedging transactions may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders.

The Fund may make one or more of the elections available under the Code which are applicable to straddles. If the Fund makes any of the elections, the amount, character and timing of the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions will be determined under rules that vary according to the election(s) made. The rules applicable under certain of the elections may operate to accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions.

Because the straddle rules may affect the character of gains or losses, defer losses and/or accelerate the recognition of gains or losses from the affected straddle positions, the amount which may be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to them as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased as compared to a fund that did not engage in such hedging transactions.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the Fund may recognize gain (but not loss) from a constructive sale of certain “appreciated financial positions” if the Fund enters into a short sale, offsetting notional principal contract, or futures or forward contract transaction with respect to the appreciated position or substantially identical property. Appreciated financial positions subject to this constructive sale treatment are interests (including options, futures and forward contracts and short sales) in stock, partnership interests, certain actively traded trust instruments and certain debt instruments. Constructive sale treatment does not apply to certain transactions closed prior to the end of the 30th day after the close of the taxable year, if certain conditions are met.

 

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency forward contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.

 

 

INVESTMENTS IN SECURITIES OF UNCERTAIN TAX CHARACTER

The Fund may invest in preferred securities or other securities the U.S. Federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. To the extent the tax treatment of such securities or the income from such securities differs from the tax treatment expected by the Fund, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, requiring the Fund to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.

 

 

INVESTMENT IN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS

The Fund may invest in U.S. REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) or which are, or have certain wholly-owned subsidiaries that are “taxable mortgage pools.” Under a Notice issued by the IRS, the Code and Treasury regulations to be issued, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the U.S. REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC or, possibly, equity interests in a taxable mortgage pool (referred to in the Code as an excess inclusion) will

 

42


be subject to Federal income tax in all events. The excess inclusion income of a regulated investment company, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or, if applicable, taxable mortgage pool directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income, and (iii) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. Federal withholding tax. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined in the Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the highest Federal income tax rate imposed on corporations. The Notice imposes certain reporting requirements upon regulated investment companies that have excess inclusion income. The Advisor does not intend to invest a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets in U.S. REITs which generate excess inclusion income.

 

 

PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANY

If the Fund purchases shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (a “PFIC”), the Fund may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. If the Fund were to invest in a PFIC and elected to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code (a “QEF”), in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the Fund would be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gain of the QEF, even if not distributed to the Fund. Alternatively, the Fund can elect to mark-to-market at the end of each taxable year its shares in a PFIC; in this case, the Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income.

Under either election, the Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above).

Dividends from a PFIC and certain other foreign corporations are not eligible for treatment as “qualified dividend income.” See “Distributions” above for a discussion regarding the taxation of qualified dividend income.

Certain other “anti-deferral” rules could apply to the extent the Fund owns 10% or more of the voting powers of the voting stock of a “controlled foreign corporation.”

 

 

FOREIGN WITHHOLDING TAXES

Investment income that may be received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries, which entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of, or exemption from, taxes on such income.

 

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BACKUP WITHHOLDING

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. Federal income tax on all taxable distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. Federal income tax liability.

 

 

FOREIGN SHAREHOLDER

U.S. taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a foreign shareholder) depends on whether the income of the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.

Income Not Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the foreign shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate, except in the case of any excess inclusion income allocated to the shareholders (see Taxation—Investment in Real Estate Investment Trusts above)), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions.

Capital gain dividends and any amounts retained by the Fund which are designated as undistributed capital gains will not be subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) unless the foreign shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements. However, this 30% tax on capital gains of nonresident alien individuals who are physically present in the United States for more than the 182 day period only applies in exceptional cases because any individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year is generally treated as a resident for U.S. income tax purposes; in that case, he or she would be subject to U.S. income tax on his or her worldwide income at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, rather than the 30% U.S. withholding tax. In the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the Fund may be required to withhold U.S. income tax on distributions of net capital gain unless the foreign shareholder certifies his or her non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption (generally by providing an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN).

If the Fund is a “U.S. real property holding corporation,” or would be but for the operation of certain exclusions, distributions by the Fund attributable to gains from “U.S. real property interests” realized on account of certain capital gain dividends from U.S. REITs, will generally cause the foreign stockholder to be treated as recognizing such gain as income effectively connected to a trade or business within the United States (subject to the rules described below for effectively connected income). Generally, the Fund is required to withhold at a 35% rate on a distribution to a foreign shareholder attributable to such gains from U.S. real property interests, and such a distribution may subject a foreign shareholder to a U.S. tax filing obligation and may create a branch profits tax liability for foreign corporate shareholders. Under a de minimis exception to the rule described above, if a foreign shareholder has not held more than 5% of the Fund’s shares at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution, the foreign shareholder is not treated as receiving a distribution attributable to gains from U.S. real property interests, but is, instead treated as receiving an ordinary distribution subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate).

 

44


Any gain that a foreign stockholder realizes upon the sale or exchange of such stockholder’s shares of the Fund will ordinarily be exempt from U.S. tax unless (i) in the case of a stockholder that is a nonresident alien individual, the gain is U.S. source income and such stockholder is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements, or (ii) at any time during the shorter of the period during which the foreign stockholder held shares of the Fund and the five-year period ending on the date of the disposition of those shares, the Fund was a “U.S. real property holding corporation” and the foreign stockholder actually or constructively held more than 5% of the shares of the Fund. In the latter event, the gain would be taxed in the same manner as for a U.S. stockholder as discussed above and a 10% U.S. Federal withholding tax generally would be imposed on the amount realized on the disposition of such shares and credited against the foreign stockholder’s U.S. Federal income tax liability on such disposition. A corporation is a “U.S. real property holding corporation” if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests equals or exceeds 50% of the fair market value of such interests plus its interests in real property located outside the United States plus any other assets used or held for use in a business. In the case of the Fund, U.S. real property interests include interests in stock in U.S. real property holding corporations (other than stock of a REIT controlled by U.S. persons and holdings of 5% or less in the stock of publicly traded U.S. real property holding corporations) and certain participating debt securities.

Foreign stockholders that engage in certain “wash sale” and/or substitute dividend payment transactions the effect of which is to avoid the receipt of distributions from the Fund that would be treated as gain effectively connected with a United States trade or business will be treated as having received such distributions. All shareholders of the Fund should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the foregoing rule.

Income Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign stockholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income and capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund which are designated as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents and domestic corporations. Foreign corporate stockholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code.

The tax consequences to a foreign stockholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein.

Foreign shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

 

OTHER TAXATION

Fund shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

45


 

COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

 

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP serves as counsel to the Fund, and is located at 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038.

                                          has been appointed as independent registered public accountants for the Fund. The address of                                           is                                                                                    .

 

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

 

 

The Fund’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended February 29, 2008, including notes thereto, are incorporated by reference in this SAI from the Fund’s Annual Report dated February 29, 2008.

DVFSAI

 

46


PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 23. EXHIBITS

 

(a)    (i)   Articles of Incorporation(1)
   (ii)   Articles of Amendment(2)
   (iii)   Articles of Amendment(2)
(b) By-Laws(1)

(c) The rights of security holders are defined in the Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation (Article FIFTH and Article SEVENTH), filed as Exhibit (a) to this Registration Statement and the Registrant’s By-Laws (Article II and Article VI) filed as Exhibit (b) to this Registration Statement.

 

(d)    (i)   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement(2)
   (ii)   Form of Fee Waiver Agreement(2)
(e)    (i)   Form of Underwriting Agreement (Class A and Class C shares)(2)
   (ii)   Form of Distribution Agreement (Class I shares only)(2)
(f)    Not Applicable
(g)    Form of Master Custodian Agreement(2)
(h)    (i)   Form of Administration Agreement between the Fund and the Advisor(2)
   (ii)   Form of Administration Agreement between the Fund and State Street Bank and Trust Company(2)
   (iii)   Form of Transfer Agency and Service Agreement(2)
(i)    (i)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel(2)
   (ii)   Opinion and Consent of Counsel(2)
(j)    Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm*
(k)    Not Applicable
(l)    Investment Representation Letter(2)
(m)    Distribution Plan(2)
(n)    Multiple-Class Plan(2)
(p)    Code of Ethics of the Registrant and Advisor(2)
(q)    Powers of Attorney(2)

 

(1) Filed with initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A on November 9, 2004.
(2) Filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on August 8, 2005.
* To be filed by amendment.

 

ITEM 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 25. INDEMNIFICATION

It is the Registrant’s policy to indemnify its directors, officers, employees and other agents to the maximum extent permitted by Section 2-418 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland as set forth in Article EIGHTH of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, filed as Exhibit (a), and Article VIII, of the Registrant’s By-Laws, filed as Exhibit (b). The liability of the Registrant’s directors and officers is dealt with in Article EIGHTH of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation. The liability of Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., the Registrant’s investment advisor (the “Advisor”), for any loss suffered by the Registrant or its shareholders is set forth in Section 4 of the Investment Advisory Agreement, filed as Exhibit (d) to this Registration Statement. The liability of Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., the Registrant’s administrator, for any loss suffered by the Registrant or its shareholders is set forth in Section 6 of the Administration Agreement, filed as Exhibit (h)(i) to this Registration Statement. The liability of Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, the Registrant’s distributor, for any loss suffered by the Registrant or its shareholders is set forth in Section 8 of the Underwriting Agreement and Distribution Agreement filed as Exhibits (e)(i) and (e)(ii), respectively, to this Registration Statement.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to the directors and officers, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act and is therefore unenforceable. If a claim for indemnification against such liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 (other than for expenses incurred in a successful defense) is asserted against the Registrant by the directors or officers in connection with the Registrant’s shares, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

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ITEM 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISOR

The descriptions of the Advisor under the caption “Management of the Fund” in the Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement are incorporated by reference herein.

The following is a list of the Directors and officers of the Advisor. None of the persons listed below has had other business connections of a substantial nature during the past two fiscal years (other than noted below).

 

Name

 

Title

 

Other Business/Position Held/Dates

Robert H. Steers   Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director   *
Martin Cohen   Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director   *
Joseph M. Harvey   President   *
Adam M. Derechin   Chief Operating Officer   *
Matthew S. Stadler   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer   *
Frank Poli   Executive Vice President, General Counsel   Allianz Global Investors of America LP, 1998-2007
John J. McCombe   Executive Vice President   *
Douglas R. Bond   Executive Vice President   *
William J. Frischling   Executive Vice President   *
Stephen Dunn   Executive Vice President   *
William F. Scapell   Senior Vice President, Director of Fixed Income Investments   *
Robert Becker   Senior Vice President   *
Thomas Bohjalian   Senior Vice President   *
Yigal Jhirad   Senior Vice President   Morgan Stanley, Executive Director, 1986 - 2007
James Giallanza   Senior Vice President   *
Bernard Doucette   Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer   *
Richard E. Helm   Senior Vice President   *
Norbert Berrios   Senior Vice President   *
Anthony Dotro   Senior Vice President   *
Salvatore Rappa   Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel   *
Lisa Phelan   Senior Vice President and Director of Compliance   *
Michele Nolty   Senior Vice President   *
Terrance R. Ober   Senior Vice President   *
Robert Tisler   Vice President   *
Tina M. Payne   Vice President and Associate General Counsel   PFPC Inc., Vice President and Counsel, 2003-2007
Blair Lewis   Vice President   *
John Cheigh   Vice President   *
Derek Cheung   Vice President   *
Lester Lay   Vice President   *
Kim Spellman   Vice President   Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Executive Director, 1983-2007
Sandra Morgan   Vice President   *
Ben Morton   Vice President   *
Pascal van Garderen   Vice President   *
Elaine Zaharis-Nikas   Vice President   *
Frank Zukowski   Vice President   *
Matthew Karcic   Vice President   *
Luis Polit   Vice President   *
Ted Valenti   Vice President   *
Antonio Cavallo   Vice President   *
Michael DeGroff   Vice President   *
Scott Dwyer   Vice President   *
Jonathan Geurkink   Vice President   Wells Fargo, Vice President, 1999-2006
Kristy Ives   Vice President   Lord Abbett, 2003-2006
Gary Kessler   Vice President   Credit Suisse, Associate, 2005-2007
Deborah Krisbergh   Vice President   *
Srikanth Nagarajan   Vice President   RBC Capital Markets, Senior Analyst/Vice President, 2006-2007 Keybanc Capital Markets, Senior Analyst, 2005-2006
Sayuri Ohyagi   Vice President   *
River Xin   Vice President   *
Jason Yablon   Vice President   *

 

C-2


ITEM 27. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS

(a) Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC is the principal underwriter for the Registrant. The names of each investment company for which Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC acts as principal underwriter are:

Cohen & Steers Asia Pacific Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Dividend Value Fund, Inc.

Cohen & Steers European Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Institutional Global Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Institutional Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers International Realty Fund, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Global Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Realty Income Fund, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Realty Shares, Inc.

Cohen & Steers Global Infrastructure Fund, Inc.

(b) The following are directors and officers of Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC. The principal address of these persons is 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017.

 

Name

 

Position and Offices with Distributor

 

Position and Offices with Registrant

John McCombe   President   None
Robert H. Steers   Vice President   Co-Chairman and Director
Martin Cohen   Vice President   Co-Chairman and Director
Adam M. Derechin   Vice President   President and Chief Executive Officer
Douglas Bond   Vice President   None
Kevin Crook   Vice President   None
Stephen Dunn   Vice President   None
Francis C. Poli   Vice President and Chief Legal Officer   Secretary
Matthew Stadler   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer   None
Lisa D. Phelan   Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer   Chief Compliance Officer
Tina M. Payne   Secretary   Assistant Secretary
Salvatore Rappa   Assistant Secretary   None

(c) Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

The majority of the accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules thereunder will be maintained as follows: journals, ledgers, securities records and other original records will be maintained principally at the offices of the Registrant’s Sub-Administrator and Custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. All other records so required to be maintained will be maintained at the offices of Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc., 280 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017.

 

ITEM 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 30. UNDERTAKINGS

Not Applicable.

 

C-3


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and the State of New York, on the 16th day of May, 2008.

 

COHEN & STEERS DIVIDEND VALUE FUND, INC.
By:  

/s/ ADAM DERECHIN

NAME:   ADAM DERECHIN
TITLE:   PRESIDENT

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

SIGNATURE

  

TITLE

  

DATE

By:  

/s/ ADAM DERECHIN

(ADAM DERECHIN)

  

President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

   May 16, 2008
By:  

/s/ JAMES GIALLANZA

(JAMES GIALLANZA)

  

Treasurer (Principal Financial and

Accounting Officer)

   May 16, 2008
By:  

/s/ MARTIN COHEN

   Co-Chairman and Director    May 16, 2008
  (MARTIN COHEN)      
By:  

/s/ ROBERT H. STEERS

   Co-Chairman and Director    May 16, 2008
  (ROBERT H. STEERS)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (BONNIE COHEN)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (GEORGE GROSSMAN)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (RICHARD E. KROON)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (RICHARD J. NORMAN)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (FRANK K. ROSS)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (WILLARD H. SMITH, JR.)      
 

*

   Director    May 16, 2008
  (C. EDWARD WARD, JR.)      

 

*By:  

/s/ MARTIN COHEN

     
  MARTIN COHEN      
  ATTORNEY-IN-FACT      

 

C-4