485BPOS 1 a13-7295_1485bpos.htm 485BPOS

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2013

Registration No. 2-66269
811-2978

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  
x

  Pre-Effective Amendment No.  o

  Post-Effective Amendment No. 44  x

and/or

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY
  ACT OF 1940  
x

  Amendment No. 45  x

Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund

(A Massachusetts business trust)

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (212) 296-6970

Stefanie V. Chang Yu, Esq.
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:

Carl Frischling, Esq.
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
  Stuart M. Strauss, Esq.
Dechert LLP
1095 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:

As soon as practicable after this Post-Effective Amendment becomes effective.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

               

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 
         

X

   

On April 30, 2013 pursuant to paragraph (b)

 
               

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 
               

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 
               

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

 
               

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

 

Amending the Prospectus and Updating Financial Statements

  If appropriate, check the following box:

               

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously

 
               

filed post-effective amendment.

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 44 to the Registration Statement of Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund (the "Registrant") on Form N-1A (File No. 002-66269) (the "Amendment") relates only to the Registrant's Class A shares (Class Id: C000006088), Class B shares (Class Id: C000006089), Class L shares (Class Id: C000006090) and Class I shares (Class Id: C000006091).

This Amendment does not affect the Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration Statement of the Registrant filed on March 15, 2013 with respect to the Registrant's Class IS shares (Class Id: C000126924).




INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Morgan Stanley
Focus Growth Fund

A mutual fund that seeks long-term capital growth

Share Class

  Ticker
Symbol
 

Class A

 

AMOAX

 

Class B

 

AMOBX

 

Class L

 

AMOCX

 

Class I

 

AMODX

 

Prospectus

April 30, 2013

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



Contents

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

   

1

   

Fees and Expenses

   

1

   

Portfolio Turnover

   

2

   

Principal Investment Strategies

   

2

   

Principal Risks

   

2

   

Past Performance

   

3

   

Fund Management

   

4

   

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

   

4

   

Tax Information

   

5

   

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

   

5

   

Fund Details

Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks

   

6

   

Portfolio Holdings

   

13

   

Fund Management

   

13

   

Shareholder Information

Pricing Fund Shares

   

14

   

How to Buy Shares

   

15

   

How to Exchange Shares

   

17

   

How to Sell Shares

   

19

   

Distributions

   

22

   

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

   

23

   

Tax Consequences

   

24

   

Share Class Arrangements

   

25

   

Additional Information

   

33

   

Financial Highlights

   

34

   

This Prospectus contains important information about the Fund. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.




Fund Summary

Investment Objective

Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the Morgan Stanley Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial advisor and in the "Share Class Arrangements" section beginning on page 25 of this Prospectus and in the "Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares" section beginning on page 50 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

   

Class A

 

Class B

 

Class L*

 

Class I

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

5.25

%

 

None

 

None

 

None

 
Maximum deferred sales charge
(load) (as a percentage based on
the lesser of the offering price or
net asset value at redemption)
 

None1

 

5.00

%2

 

None

 

None

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

   

Class A

 

Class B

 

Class L*

 

Class I

 

Advisory Fee

   

0.44

%

   

0.44

%

   

0.44

%

   

0.44

%

 
Distribution and/or Shareholder
Service (12b-1) Fee3
   

0.25

%

   

1.00

%

   

0.75

%

   

None

   

Other Expenses

   

0.27

%

   

0.27

%

   

0.27

%

   

0.27

%

 
Total Annual Fund
Operating Expenses
   

0.96

%

   

1.71

%

   

1.46

%

   

0.71

%

 

Example

The example below 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, your investment has a 5% return each year, and the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (except for the ten-year amounts for Class B shares which reflect the conversion to Class A shares eight years after the end of the calendar month in which shares were purchased). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

If You SOLD Your Shares:

   

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Class A

 

$

618

   

$

815

   

$

1,028

   

$

1,641

   

Class B

 

$

674

   

$

839

   

$

1,128

   

$

1,821

   

Class L*

 

$

149

   

$

462

   

$

797

   

$

1,746

   

Class I

 

$

73

   

$

227

   

$

395

   

$

883

   

If You HELD Your Shares:

   

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Class A

 

$

618

   

$

815

   

$

1,028

   

$

1,641

   

Class B

 

$

174

   

$

539

   

$

928

   

$

1,821

   

Class L*

 

$

149

   

$

462

   

$

797

   

$

1,746

   

Class I

 

$

73

   

$

227

   

$

395

   

$

883

   

*  Effective February 25, 2013, Class C shares were renamed Class L shares.

(1)  Investments that are not subject to any sales charges at the time of purchase are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") of 1.00% that will be imposed if you sell your shares within 18 months after purchase, except for certain specific circumstances.

(2)  The Class B CDSC is scaled down to 1.00% during the sixth year, reaching zero thereafter. See "Share Class Arrangements" for a complete discussion of the CDSC.

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1



(3)  The Board of Trustees approved an amendment to the Plan of Distribution reducing the distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fee for the Fund's Class L shares from 1.00% to 0.75% of the average daily net assets of such Class, effective February 25, 2013. The Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee shown in the table above has been restated to reflect such change.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 44% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund normally invests at least 65% of its assets in a portfolio of common stocks (including depositary receipts).

The Fund's "Adviser," Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., emphasizes a bottom-up stock selection process, seeking attractive investments on an individual company basis. In selecting securities for investment, the Adviser seeks to invest primarily in established and emerging high quality companies it believes have sustainable competitive advantages and the ability to redeploy capital at high rates of return. The Adviser typically favors companies with rising returns on invested capital, above average business visibility, strong free cash flow generation and an attractive risk/reward.

Up to 25% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in foreign securities (including depositary receipts), which may include emerging market securities. This percentage limitation, however, does not apply to securities of foreign companies that are listed in the United States on a national securities exchange.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, depositary receipts, rights, warrants and limited partnership interests. The Fund may invest in equity securities that are publicly-traded on securities exchanges or over-the-counter

("OTC"). The Fund may invest in privately placed and restricted securities.

The Fund may utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are derivatives, in connection with its investments in foreign securities.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

•  Common Stock and Other Equity Securities. In general, common stock and other equity security values fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions. To the extent that the Fund invests in convertible securities, and the convertible security's investment value is greater than its conversion value, its price will be likely to increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the price of the convertible security will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the underlying equity security.

•  Foreign and Emerging Market Securities. Investments in foreign markets entail special risks such as currency, political, economic and market risks. There also may be greater market volatility, less reliable financial information, higher transaction and custody costs, decreased market liquidity and less government and exchange regulation associated with investments in foreign markets. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets, which have historically been considered stable, may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Moreover, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. The risks of investing in emerging market countries are greater than risks associated with investments in foreign developed countries. In addition, the Fund's investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, to the extent unhedged, the value of the investment will fluctuate


2



with the U.S. dollar exchange rates. To the extent hedged by the use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts, the precise matching of the foreign currency forward exchange contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date on which it matures. There is additional risk that such transactions reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the currency should move in the direction opposite to the position taken and that foreign currency forward exchange contracts create exposure to currencies in which the Fund's securities are not denominated. The use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts involves the risk of loss from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure of the counterparty to make payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract.

•  Non-Diversified Status. The Fund is a "non-diversified" mutual fund and, as such, its investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under federal law. Compared with "diversified" funds, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of an individual corporation or governmental entity. Thus, the Fund's assets may be concentrated in fewer securities than other funds. A decline in the value of those investments would cause the Fund's overall value to decline to a greater degree.

•  Privately Placed and Restricted Securities. The Fund's investments may also include privately placed securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. These securities will have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent the Fund may be unable to sell or transfer these securities due to restrictions on transfers or on the ability to find buyers interested in purchasing the securities. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Past Performance

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's Class A shares' performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for the one, five and 10 year periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance, as well as an index that represents a group of similar mutual funds, over time. The performance of the other Classes will differ because the Classes have different ongoing fees. The performance information in the bar chart does not reflect the deduction of sales charges; if these amounts were reflected, returns would be less than shown. The Fund's returns in the table include the maximum applicable sales charge for each Class and assume you sold your shares at the end of each period (unless otherwise noted). The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/im or by calling toll-free (800) 869-NEWS.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

*  The Fund previously disclosed the total return of Class B shares. However, Class B shares are closed to new investments. The bar chart now shows Class A shares which remain open to new investments.

High Quarter

 

6/30/09

   

22.65

%

 

Low Quarter

 

12/31/08

   

–33.86

%

 

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3



Average Annual Total Returns For Periods Ended
December 31, 2012

    Past 1
Year
  Past 5
Years
  Past 10
Years
 
Class A: Return Before Taxes    

7.97

%

   

1.18

%

   

6.76

%

 
Return After Taxes
on Distributions1
   

7.97

%

   

1.18

%

   

6.76

%

 
Return After Taxes
on Distributions and  
Sale of Fund Shares
   

5.18

%

   

1.01

%

   

5.96

%

 
Class B: Return Before Taxes    

8.07

%

   

1.14

%

   

6.68

%**

 
Class LReturn Before Taxes    

12.07

%

   

1.51

%

   

6.53

%

 
Class I: Return Before Taxes    

14.18

%

   

2.54

%

   

7.59

%

 
Russell 1000® Growth
Index (reflects no  
deduction for fees,  
expenses or taxes)2
   

15.26

%

   

3.12

%

   

7.52

%

 
Lipper Large-Cap
Growth Funds Index  
(reflects no deduction  
for taxes)3
   

15.92

%

   

1.01

%

   

6.39

%

 

**  Effective April 2005, Class B shares will generally convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after the end of the calendar month in which the shares were purchased. The "Past 10 Years" performance for Class B shares reflects this conversion.

†  Effective February 25, 2013, Class C shares were renamed Class L shares. The one year performance of Class L shares reflects the 1% CDSC in effect for Class C shares as of December 31, 2012. Class C shares held for less than one year were subject to a 1% CDSC. The CDSC on Class L shares was eliminated effective February 25, 2013.

(1)  These returns do not reflect any tax consequences from a sale of your shares at the end of each period, but they do reflect any applicable sales charges on such a sale.

(2)  The Russell 1000® Growth Index measures the performance of the large-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 1000® Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The Russell 1000® Index is an index of approximately 1,000 of the largest U.S. companies based on a combination of market capitalization and current index membership. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

(3)  The Lipper Large-Cap Growth Funds Index is an equally weighted performance index of the largest qualifying funds (based on net assets) in the Lipper Large-Cap Growth Funds classification. There are currently 30 funds represented in this Index.

The after-tax returns shown in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates during the period shown and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. After-tax returns for the Fund's other Classes will vary from the Class A shares' returns. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns may be higher than before-tax returns due to foreign tax credits and/or an assumed benefit from capital losses that would have been realized had Fund shares been sold at the end of the relevant periods, as applicable.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. The Fund is managed by members of the Growth team. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio is shown below:

Name

  Title with
Adviser
  Date Began
Managing Fund
 

Dennis P. Lynch

 

Managing Director

 

June 2004

 

David S. Cohen

 

Managing Director

 

June 2004

 

Sam G. Chainani

 

Managing Director

 

June 2004

 

Alexander T. Norton

 

Executive Director

 

July 2005

 

Jason C. Yeung

 

Managing Director

 

September 2007

 

Armistead B. Nash

 

Executive Director

 

September 2008

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Class B shares of the Fund are closed to new investments. The Class B shareholders of the Fund do not have the option of purchasing additional Class B shares. However, the existing Class B shareholders may be able to invest through dividend reinvestments.

The minimum initial investment generally is $1,000 for Class A shares, Class B shares and Class L shares and $5 million for Class I shares of the Fund. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirements under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the "How


4



to Buy Shares—Minimum Investment Amounts" section beginning on page 15 of this Prospectus.

You can purchase or sell Fund shares directly from the Fund or by contacting your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other authorized financial intermediary.

To contact a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, call toll-free 1-866-MORGAN8 for the telephone number of the Morgan Stanley office nearest you or access our office locator at www.morganstanley.com. To purchase or sell Fund shares by mail, contact the Fund's transfer agent, Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), at: Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., P.O. Box 219885, Kansas City, MO 64121-9885 (for purchases) or Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., P.O. Box 219886, Kansas City, MO 64121-9886 (for sales). To sell shares by telephone, call (800) 869-NEWS. You can also sell Fund shares at any time by enrolling in a systematic withdrawal plan. Your shares will be sold at the next price calculated after we receive your order to redeem. If you redeem Class A or Class B shares, your net sale proceeds are reduced by the amount of any applicable CDSC. For more information, please refer to the "How to Buy Shares" and "How to Sell Shares" sections, beginning on page 15 and page 19, respectively, of this Prospectus.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Fund's "Distributor," Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your broker-dealer's or other financial intermediary's web site for more information.

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5




Fund Details

Capital Growth

An investment objective having the goal of selecting securities with the potential to rise in price rather than pay out income.

Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks

Investment Objective

Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund normally invests at least 65% of its assets in a portfolio of common stocks (including depositary receipts).

The Adviser emphasizes a bottom-up stock selection process, seeking attractive investments on an individual company basis. In selecting securities for investment, the Adviser seeks to invest primarily in established and emerging high quality companies it believes have sustainable competitive advantages and the ability to redeploy capital at high rates of return. The Adviser typically favors companies with rising returns on invested capital, above average business visibility, strong free cash flow generation and an attractive risk/reward. The Adviser generally considers selling an investment when it determines the company no longer satisfies its investment criteria.

Up to 25% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in foreign securities (including depositary receipts), which may include emerging market securities. This percentage limitation, however, does not apply to securities of foreign companies that are listed in the United States on a national securities exchange. A depositary receipt is generally issued by a bank or financial institution and represents an ownership interest in the common stock or other equity securities of a foreign company.

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, depositary receipts, rights, warrants and limited partnership interests. The Fund may invest in equity securities that are publicly-traded on securities exchanges or OTC. The Fund may invest in privately placed and restricted securities.

The Fund may also utilize derivative instruments as discussed herein. These derivative instruments will be counted toward the Fund's 65% policy discussed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy. The Fund may use foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are derivatives, in connection with its investments in foreign securities.


6



In pursuing the Fund's investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser in its discretion may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others.

Additional Investment Strategy Information

This section provides additional information relating to the Fund's investment strategies.

Other Investments. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in preferred stock and fixed-income securities, such as U.S. government securities and investment grade corporate debt securities, and real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and foreign real estate companies. The Fund's fixed-income investments may include zero coupon securities which are purchased at a discount and accrue interest, but make no interest payments until maturity.

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are debt securities such as bonds, notes or commercial paper. The issuer of the debt security borrows money from the investor who buys the security. Most debt securities pay either fixed or adjustable rates of interest at regular intervals until they mature, at which point investors get their principal back. The Fund's fixed-income investments may include zero coupon securities which are purchased at a discount and generally accrue interest, but make no interest payments until maturity.

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The Fund may also purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Further, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality.

REITs and Foreign Real Estate Companies. The Fund may invest in REITs and foreign real estate companies, which are similar to entities organized and operated as REITs in the United States. REITs and foreign real estate companies pool investors' funds for investments primarily in real estate properties or real estate-related loans. They may also include, among other businesses, real estate developers, brokers and operating companies whose products and services are significantly related to the real estate industry such as building suppliers and mortgage lenders.

Derivatives. The Fund may, but it is not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Derivatives are financial instruments whose value is based on the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, index or financial instrument. The Fund's use of derivatives may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments such as options, futures, swaps, structured investments and other related instruments and techniques.

Defensive Investing. The Fund may take temporary "defensive" positions in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. The Fund may invest any amount of its assets in cash, cash equivalents and other fixed-income securities in a defensive posture that may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies when the Adviser believes it is advisable to do so. Although taking a defensive posture is designed to protect


7



the Fund from an anticipated market downturn, it could have the effect of reducing the benefit from any upswing in the market. When the Fund takes a defensive position, it may not achieve its investment objective.

***

The percentage limitations relating to the composition of the Fund's portfolio apply at the time the Fund acquires an investment. Subsequent percentage changes that result from market fluctuations generally will not require the Fund to sell any portfolio security. However, the Fund may be required to reduce its borrowings, if any, in response to fluctuations in the value of such holdings. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies without shareholder approval; however, you would be notified of any changes.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund's share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund's portfolio securities. When you sell Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in this Fund.

Common Stock and Other Equity Securities. A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its investments in common stock and other equity securities. In general, common stock and other equity security values fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.

Investments in convertible securities subject the Fund to the risks associated with both fixed-income securities and common stocks. To the extent that a convertible security's investment value is greater than its conversion value, its price will be likely to increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise, as with a fixed-income security. If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the price of the convertible security will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the underlying equity security.

Preferred stock generally has a preference as to dividends and liquidation over an issuer's common stock but ranks junior to debt securities in an issuer's capital structure. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

While the Fund principally invests in large, established companies, the Fund may invest in medium and small capitalization companies. Investing in securities of medium and small capitalization growth companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in more established companies. These stocks may be more volatile and have returns that vary, sometimes significantly, from the overall stock market.

Foreign and Emerging Market Securities. The Fund's investments in foreign securities involve risks that are in addition to the risks associated with domestic securities. One additional risk is currency risk. While the price of Fund shares is quoted in U.S. dollars, the Fund may convert U.S. dollars to a foreign market's local currency to purchase a security in that market. If the value of that local currency falls relative to the U.S. dollar, the U.S. dollar value of the foreign security will decrease. This is true even if the foreign security's local price remains unchanged.


8



Foreign securities also have risks related to economic and political developments abroad, including expropriations, confiscatory taxation, exchange control regulation, limitations on the use or transfer of Fund assets and any effects of foreign social, economic or political instability. Foreign companies, in general, are not subject to the regulatory requirements of U.S. companies and, as such, there may be less publicly available information about these companies. Moreover, foreign accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards generally are different from those applicable to U.S. companies. Finally, in the event of a default of any foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or enforce a judgment against the issuers of the securities.

Securities of foreign issuers may be less liquid than comparable securities of U.S. issuers and, as such, their price changes may be more volatile. In addition, the prices of such securities may be susceptible to influence by large traders, due to the limited size of many foreign securities markets. Moreover, investments in certain foreign markets, which have historically been considered stable, may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Also, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. Furthermore, foreign exchanges and broker-dealers are generally subject to less government and exchange scrutiny and regulation than their U.S. counterparts. In addition, differences in clearance and settlement procedures in foreign markets may cause delays in settlement of the Fund's trades effected in those markets and could result in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in the value of the securities subject to the trades.

The foreign securities in which the Fund may invest may be issued by issuers located in emerging market or developing countries. Compared to the United States and other developed countries, emerging market or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on only a few industries and securities markets that trade a small number of securities. Securities issued by companies located in these countries tend to be especially volatile and may be less liquid than securities traded in developed countries. In the past, securities in these countries have been characterized by greater potential loss than securities of companies located in developed countries.

Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks as those associated with direct investment in foreign securities. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

In connection with its investments in foreign securities, the Fund also may enter into contracts with banks, brokers or dealers to purchase or sell securities or foreign currencies at a future date. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between the contracting parties to exchange a specified amount of currency at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates or to gain or modify exposure to a particular currency. In addition, the Fund may use cross currency hedging or proxy hedging with respect to currencies in which the Fund has or expects to have portfolio or currency exposure. Cross currency hedges involve the sale of one currency against the positive exposure to a different currency and may be used for hedging purposes or to establish an active exposure to the exchange rate between any two currencies. To the extent hedged by use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts, the precise matching of foreign currency forward exchange contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of


9



market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. Furthermore, such transactions reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the currency should move in the direction opposite to the position taken. There is additional risk to the extent that foreign currency forward exchange contracts create exposure to currencies in which the Fund's securities are not denominated. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into such contracts. The use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts involves the risk of loss from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure of the counterparty to make payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract.

Non-Diversified Status. The Fund is a "non-diversified" mutual fund and, as such, its investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under federal law. Compared with "diversified" funds, the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of an individual corporation or governmental entity. Thus, the Fund's assets may be concentrated in fewer securities than other funds. A decline in the value of those investments would cause the Fund's overall value to decline to a greater degree.

Privately Placed and Restricted Securities. The Fund's investments may also include privately placed securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. These securities will have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent the Fund may be unable to sell or transfer these securities due to restrictions on transfers or on the ability to find buyers interested in purchasing the securities. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities.

Other Risks. The performance of the Fund also will depend on whether or not the Adviser is successful in applying the Fund's investment strategies. The Fund is also subject to other risks from its permissible investments, including the risks associated with its investments in convertible securities, fixed-income securities such as U.S. government securities, REITs and foreign real estate companies and derivatives. For more information about these risks, see the "Additional Risk Information" section.

Additional Risk Information

This section provides additional information relating to the risks of investing in the Fund.

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer's inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund is not limited as to the maturities of the securities in which it may invest. Securities with longer durations are likely to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, generally making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Zero coupon securities (which are purchased at a discount and generally accrue interest, but make no payments until maturity) are typically subject to greater price fluctuations than comparable securities that pay current interest.

U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, as well as varying degrees of credit risk. Some U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (but not issued by the U.S. Treasury). These securities may have less credit risk than U.S. government securities not supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there


10



is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored entities if it is not obligated to do so by law.

REITs and Foreign Real Estate Companies. REITs and foreign real estate companies generally derive their income from rents on the underlying properties or interest on the underlying loans, and their value is impacted by changes in the value of the underlying property or changes in interest rates affecting the underlying loans owned by the REITs and/or foreign real estate companies. REITs and foreign real estate companies are more susceptible to risks associated with the ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These risks can include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; increases in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures or operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting the real estate industry. In addition, REITs and foreign real estate companies depend upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified (which may increase the volatility of a REIT's and/or foreign real estate company's value), may have less trading volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities market. Foreign real estate companies may be subject to laws, rules and regulations governing those entities and their failure to comply with those laws, rules and regulations could negatively impact the performance of those entities. Operating REITs and foreign real estate companies requires specialized management skills and the Fund indirectly bears REIT and foreign real estate company management expenses along with the direct expenses of the Fund. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). REITs are subject to the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through income under the Code.

Derivatives. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which they relate, and risks that the transactions may not be liquid. The use of derivatives involves risks that are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with other portfolio investments. Derivatives may involve the use of highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments.

Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Leverage associated with derivative transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet earmarking or segregation requirements, pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, or may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further the Fund's investment objective, there is no assurance that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.

The derivative instruments and techniques that the Fund may use include:

Futures. A futures contract is a standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when and how to use futures contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the derivatives risks discussed


11



above, the prices of futures contracts can be highly volatile, using futures contracts can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures contracts can exceed the Fund's initial investment in such contracts. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time.

Options. If the Fund buys an option, it buys a legal contract giving it the right to buy or sell a specific amount of the underlying instrument or futures contract on the underlying instrument at an agreed-upon price typically in exchange for a premium paid by the Fund. If the Fund sells an option, it sells to another person the right to buy from or sell to the Fund a specific amount of the underlying instrument or futures contract on the underlying instrument at an agreed-upon price typically in exchange for a premium received by the Fund. When options are purchased OTC, the Fund bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Options may also be illiquid and the Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived option transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. The prices of options can be highly volatile and the use of options can lower total returns.

Swaps. An OTC swap contract is an agreement between two parties pursuant to which the parties exchange payments at specified dates on the basis of a specified notional amount, with the payments calculated by reference to specified securities, indices, reference rates, currencies or other instruments. A small percentage of swap contracts are cleared through a central clearinghouse. Most swap agreements provide that when the period payment dates for both parties are the same, the payments are made on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with only the net amount paid by one party to the other). The Fund's obligations or rights under a swap contract entered into on a net basis will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each party. Most swap agreements are not entered into or traded on exchanges and there is often no central clearing or guaranty function for swaps. These OTC swaps are often subject to credit risk or the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Swaps could result in losses if interest rates or foreign currency exchange rates or credit quality changes are not correctly anticipated by the Fund or if the reference index, security or investments do not perform as expected. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and related regulatory developments will require the clearing and exchange-trading of many OTC swap agreements. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis.

Structured Investments. The Fund also may invest a portion of its assets in structured investments. A structured investment is a derivative security designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying security, currency, commodity or market. Structured investments may come in various forms including notes, warrants and options to purchase securities. The Fund will typically use structured investments to gain exposure to a permitted underlying security, currency, commodity or market when direct access to a market is limited or inefficient from a tax or cost standpoint. Investments in structured investments involve risks including issuer risk, counterparty risk and market risk. Holders of structured investments bear risks of the underlying investment and are subject to issuer or counterparty risk because the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such issuer or counterparty and has no rights with respect to the issuer of the underlying investment. Certain structured investments may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing the Fund's illiquidity to the extent that the Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these securities.


12



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 Fund's SAI.

Fund Management

The Fund has retained the Adviser—Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.—to provide investment advisory services. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: "MS"), a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. The Adviser's address is 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036.

The Fund is managed by members of the Growth team. The team consists of portfolio managers and analysts. Current members of the team jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio are Dennis P. Lynch, David S. Cohen, Sam G. Chainani, Alexander T. Norton, Jason C. Yeung and Armistead B. Nash.

Mr. Lynch has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since 1998. Mr. Cohen has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since 1993. Mr. Chainani has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since 1996. Mr. Norton has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since 2000. Messrs. Yeung and Nash have been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since 2002.

Mr. Lynch is the lead portfolio manager of the Fund. Messrs. Cohen, Chainani, Norton, Yeung and Nash are co-portfolio managers. Members of the team collaborate to manage the assets of the Fund.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.

The composition of the team may change from time to time.

The Fund pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee as full compensation for the services and facilities furnished to the Fund, and for Fund expenses assumed by the Adviser. The fee is based on the Fund's average daily net assets. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the Fund paid total investment advisory compensation (net of affiliated rebates, if applicable) amounting to 0.44% of the Fund's average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment advisory agreement is available in the Fund's semiannual report to shareholders for the period ended June 30, 2012.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

The Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $341.5 billion in assets under management or supervision as of March 31, 2013.


13



Shareholder Information

Class B shares of the Fund are closed to new investments. The Class B shareholders of the Fund do not have the option of purchasing additional Class B shares. However, the existing Class B shareholders may be able to invest through dividend reinvestments.

Pricing Fund Shares

The price of Fund shares (excluding sales charges), called "net asset value," is based on the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. While the assets of each Class are invested in a single portfolio of securities, the net asset value of each Class will differ because the Classes have different ongoing distribution fees.

The net asset value per share of the Fund is determined once daily at the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") close (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day that the NYSE is open. Shares will not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed.

The value of the Fund's portfolio securities is based on the securities' market price when available. When a market price is not readily available, including circumstances under which the Adviser determines that a security's market price is not accurate, a portfolio security is valued at its fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Fund's Board of Trustees.

In addition, with respect to securities that primarily are listed on foreign exchanges, when an event occurs after the close of such exchanges that is likely to have changed the value of the securities (e.g., a percentage change in value of one or more U.S. securities indices in excess of specified thresholds), such securities will be valued at their fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Fund's Board of Trustees. Securities also may be fair valued in the event of a significant development affecting a country or region or an issuer-specific development which is likely to have changed the value of the security. In these cases, the Fund's net asset value will reflect certain portfolio securities' fair value rather than their market price. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgement and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the value of the Fund's portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your shares.

To the extent the Fund invests in open-end management companies that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("Investment Company Act"), the Fund's net asset value is calculated based upon the net asset value of such funds. The prospectuses for such funds explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and its effects.


14



An exception to the Fund's general policy of using market prices concerns its short-term debt portfolio securities. Debt securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less at the time of purchase are valued at amortized cost. However, if the cost does not reflect the securities' market value, these securities will be valued at their fair value.

How to Buy Shares

Because every investor has different immediate financial needs and long-term investment goals, the Fund offers investors four Classes of shares: Classes A, B, L (formerly Class C) and I. Class I shares are only offered to a limited group of investors. Each Class of shares offers a distinct structure of sales charges, distribution and service fees, and other features that are designed to address a variety of needs. Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other authorized financial intermediary can help you decide which Class may be most appropriate for you. When purchasing Fund shares, you must specify which Class of shares you wish to purchase.

Minimum Investment Amounts. The minimum investment amounts for Class A shares, Class B shares and Class L shares are as follows:

 

Minimum Investment

 

Investment Options

 

Initial

 

Additional

 

Regular Account

 

$

1,000

   

$

100

   

Individual Retirement Account

 

$

1,000

   

$

100

   
EasyInvest®
(Automatically from your checking or savings account or
Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund)
 

$

100

*

 

$

100

*  

*  Provided your schedule of investments totals $1,000 in 12 months.

The minimum investment amount is generally $5 million for Class I shares. To be eligible to purchase Class I shares, you must qualify under one of the investor categories specified in the "Share Class Arrangements" section of this Prospectus.

There is no minimum investment amount if you purchase Fund shares through: (1) banks, broker-dealers and other financial institutions (including registered investment advisers and financial planners) purchasing shares on behalf of their clients in (i) discretionary and non-discretionary advisory programs, (ii) fund supermarkets, (iii) asset allocation programs, (iv) other programs in which the client pays an asset-based fee for advice or for executing transactions in Fund shares or for otherwise participating in the program or (v) certain other investment programs that do not charge an asset-based fee; (2) qualified state tuition plans described in Section 529 of the Code and donor-advised charitable gift funds (subject to all applicable terms and conditions); (3) defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer-sponsored employee benefit plans, whether or not qualified under the Code; (4) certain retirement and deferred compensation programs established by Morgan Stanley Investment Management or its affiliates for their employees or the Fund's Trustees; (5) current or

Contacting a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor

If you are new to the Morgan Stanley Funds and would like to contact a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, call toll-free 1-866-MORGAN8 for the telephone number of the Morgan Stanley office nearest you. You may also access our office locator on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com

EasyInvest®

A purchase plan that allows you to transfer money automatically from your checking or savings account or from a Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund on a semi-monthly, monthly or quarterly basis. Contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor for further information about this service.


15



retired directors, officers and employees of Morgan Stanley and any of its subsidiaries, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary; (6) current or retired Directors or Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary; (7) certain other registered open-end investment companies whose shares are distributed by the Distributor; (8) investments made in connection with certain mergers and/or reorganizations as approved by the Adviser; or (9) the reinvestment of dividends in additional Fund shares.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary. You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each a "Financial Intermediary"). Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary will assist you, step-by-step, with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary may charge transaction-based or other fees in connection with the purchase or sale of the Fund's shares. Please consult your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary for more information regarding any such fees.

Purchasing Shares Directly from the Fund.

Initial Purchase By Mail. You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Fund shares by completing and signing a New Account Application provided by the Transfer Agent, which you can obtain by calling the Transfer Agent at (800) 869-NEWS (our automated telephone system (which is generally accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week)) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund, c/o Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., P.O. Box 219885, Kansas City, MO 64121-9885 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares by wire.

Initial Purchase By Wire. You may purchase Fund shares by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Custodian"). You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following instructions under "Initial Purchase by Mail." You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #99060238
Attn: Morgan Stanley Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)


16



Additional Investments. You may purchase additional Fund shares for your account at any time by contacting your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary, or by contacting the Fund directly. For additional purchases directly from the Fund, you should write a "letter of instruction" that includes your account name, account number, the Fund name and the Class selected, signed by the account owner(s), to assure proper crediting to your account. The letter must be mailed along with a check in accordance with instructions under "Initial Purchase by Mail." Instead of a letter you may mail a check along with the payment stub attached to the bottom portion of your account statement. You may also purchase additional Fund shares by wire by following the instructions under "Initial Purchase by Wire."

General. To help the U.S. 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 to you: when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated net asset value after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Fund has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

When you buy Fund shares, the shares will be purchased at the next share price calculated (plus any applicable front-end sales charge for Class A shares) after we receive your purchase order. Your payment is due on the third business day after you place your purchase order. We reserve the right to reject any order for the purchase of Fund shares for any reason.

How to Exchange Shares

Permissible Fund Exchanges. You may exchange shares of any Class of the Fund for the same Class of: Morgan Stanley European Equity Fund Inc., Morgan Stanley Global Fixed Income Opportunities Fund, Morgan Stanley Global Infrastructure Fund, Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust, Morgan Stanley Multi Cap Growth Trust and Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Securities Trust (each, a "Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund"), if available (Class B shares of the Fund may be exchanged for Class B shares of any Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund even if such Class is closed to investors). In addition, you may exchange shares of any Class of the Fund for shares of Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free Daily Income Trust, Morgan Stanley Liquid Asset Fund Inc., Morgan Stanley New York Municipal Money Market Trust, Morgan Stanley Tax-Free Daily Income Trust and Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust (each, a "Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund") or the Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust ("MS Limited Duration" and together with the Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds and Morgan Stanley Money Market Funds, the "Morgan Stanley Funds"), if available, without the imposition of an exchange fee. Class B shares of the Fund that are exchanged for shares of a Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund or MS Limited Duration may not be subsequently re-exchanged for Class B shares of the Fund or any Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund. In addition, Class Q shares of the Morgan Stanley Global Infrastructure Fund may be exchanged for Class A shares of the Fund without payment of sales charges (including CDSCs) or the imposition of an exchange fee. Front-end sales charges are not imposed on exchanges of Class A shares.


17



The current prospectus for each Morgan Stanley Fund describes its investment objective(s), policies and investment minimums, and should be read before investment. Since exchanges are available only into continuously offered Morgan Stanley Funds, exchanges are not available into Morgan Stanley Funds or classes of Morgan Stanley Funds that are not currently being offered for purchase (except with respect to exchanges of Class B shares as noted above).

Exchange Procedures. You can process an exchange by contacting your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary. You may also write the Transfer Agent or call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS to place an exchange order.

Exchange requests received on a business day prior to the time shares of the funds involved in the request are priced will be processed on the date of receipt. "Processing" a request means that shares of the fund which you are exchanging will be redeemed at the net asset value per share next determined on the date of receipt. Shares of the fund that you are purchasing will also normally be purchased at the net asset value per share, plus any applicable sales charge, next determined on the date of receipt. Exchange requests received on a business day after the time that shares of the funds involved in the request are priced will be processed on the next business day in the manner described herein. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum investment amount in certain cases.

The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. See "Limitations on Exchanges." The check writing privilege is not available for Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund shares you acquire in an exchange.

Telephone Exchanges. Morgan Stanley and its subsidiaries, including the Transfer Agent, and the Fund employ procedures considered by them to be reasonable to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. Such procedures may include requiring certain personal identification information prior to acting upon telephone instructions, tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, the Transfer Agent or the Fund will be liable for following telephone instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. Telephone exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Transfer Agent by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund's other exchange procedures described in this section.

Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Transfer Agent between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone exchange procedures may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Fund in the past.

You automatically have the telephone exchange privilege unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application. You may also opt out of telephone privileges at any time by contacting the Transfer Agent at (800) 869-NEWS. If you hold share certificates, no exchanges may be processed until we have received all applicable share certificates.

Margin Accounts. If you have pledged your Fund shares in a margin account, contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary regarding restrictions on the exchange of such shares.


18



Tax Considerations of Exchanges. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another Morgan Stanley Fund, there are important tax considerations. For tax purposes, the exchange out of the Fund is considered a sale of Fund shares and the exchange into the other fund is considered a purchase. As a result, you may realize a capital gain or loss.

You should review the "Tax Consequences" section and consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an exchange.

Limitations on Exchanges. Certain patterns of past exchanges and/or purchase or sale transactions involving the Fund or other Morgan Stanley Funds may result in the Fund rejecting, limiting or prohibiting, at its sole discretion, and without prior notice, additional purchases and/or exchanges and may result in a shareholder's account being closed. Determinations in this regard may be based on the frequency or dollar amount of the previous exchanges or purchase or sale transactions. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange request for any reason.

CDSC Calculations on Exchanges. See the "Share Class Arrangements" section of this Prospectus for a discussion of how applicable CDSCs are calculated for shares of one Morgan Stanley Fund that are exchanged for shares of another.

For further information regarding exchange privileges, you should contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor (or other Financial Intermediary) or call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS.

How to Sell Shares

You can sell some or all of your Fund shares at any time. If you sell Class A or Class B shares, your net sale proceeds are reduced by the amount of any applicable CDSC. Your shares will be sold at the next price calculated after we receive your order to sell as described below.

Options

 

Procedures

 

Contact Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor/Financial Intermediary

 

To sell your shares, simply call your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary. Payment will be sent to the address to which the account is registered or deposited in your brokerage account. Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary may charge transaction-based or other fees in connection with the purchase or sale of the Fund's shares. Please contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary for more information regarding any such fees.

 

Contact the Fund By Telephone

 

You can sell your shares by telephone and have the proceeds sent to the address of record or wired to your bank account on record. You automatically have the telephone redemption privilege unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application. You may also opt out of telephone privileges at any time by contacting the Transfer Agent at (800) 869-NEWS.

 


19



Options

 

Procedures

 

Contact the Fund By Telephone (continued)

  Before processing a telephone redemption, keep the following information in mind:
n You can establish this option at the time you open the account by completing the New Account Application or subsequently by calling toll-free (800) 869-NEWS.
n Call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS to process a telephone redemption using our automated telephone system which is generally accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
n Your request must be received prior to market close, generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
n If your account has multiple owners, the Transfer Agent may rely on the instructions of any one owner.
n Proceeds must be made payable to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered.
n You may redeem amounts of $50,000 or less daily if the proceeds are to be paid by check or by Automated Clearing House.
n This privilege is not available if the address on your account has changed within 15 calendar days prior to your telephone redemption request.
n Telephone redemption is available for most accounts other than accounts with shares represented by certificates.
If you request to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the proceeds of that sale may not be sent to you until it has been verified that the check has cleared, which may take up to 15 calendar days from the date of purchase.
Morgan Stanley and its subsidiaries, including the Transfer Agent, employ procedures considered by them to be reasonable to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. Such procedures may include requiring certain personal identification information prior to acting upon telephone instructions, tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone. If reasonable procedures are employed, neither Morgan Stanley nor the Transfer Agent will be liable for following telephone instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. Telephone redemptions may not be available if a shareholder cannot reach the Transfer Agent by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund's other redemption procedures described in this section.
 

Contact the Fund By Letter

  You can also sell your shares by writing a "letter of instruction" that includes:
n your account name and account number;
n the name of the Fund;
n the dollar amount or the number of shares you wish to sell;
n the Class of shares you wish to sell;
n the signature of each owner as it appears on the account; and
n whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by check or by wire to the bank account we have on file for you.
 


20



Options

 

Procedures

 

Contact the Fund By Letter (continued)

  If you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account, you will need a signature guarantee. You can obtain a signature guarantee from an eligible guarantor acceptable to the Transfer Agent. (You should contact the Transfer Agent toll-free at (800) 869-NEWS for a determination as to whether a particular institution is an eligible guarantor.) A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee. Additional documentation may be required for shares held by a corporation, partnership, trustee or executor.
Mail the letter to Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at P.O. Box 219886, Kansas City, MO 64121-9886. If you hold share certificates, you must return the certificates, along with the letter and any required additional documentation. A check or wire will be sent according to your instructions.
 

Systematic Withdrawal Plan

  If your investment in all of the Morgan Stanley Funds has a total market value of at least $10,000, you may elect to withdraw amounts of $25 or more, or in any whole percentage of a fund's balance (provided the amount is at least $25), on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis, from any fund with a balance of at least $1,000. Each time you add a fund to the plan, you must meet the plan requirements.
Amounts withdrawn are subject to any applicable CDSC. A CDSC may be waived under certain circumstances. See the Class B waiver categories listed in the "Share Class Arrangements" section of this Prospectus.
To sign up for the systematic withdrawal plan, contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS. You may terminate or suspend your plan at any time. Please remember that withdrawals from the plan are sales of shares, not Fund "distributions," and ultimately may exhaust your account balance. The Fund may terminate or revise the plan at any time.
 

Payment for Sold Shares. After we receive your complete instructions to sell as described above, a check will be mailed to you or a wire will be sent to your bank within seven days, although we will attempt to make payment within one business day. Payment may also be sent to your brokerage account.

Payment may be postponed or the right to sell your shares suspended under unusual circumstances. If you request to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the proceeds of the sale may not be sent to you until it has been verified that the check has cleared, which may take up to 15 calendar days from the date of purchase.

Payment-in-Kind. If we determine that it is in the best interest of the Fund not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you partly or entirely by distributing to you securities held by the Fund. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same


21



Targeted DividendsSM

You may select to have your Fund distributions automatically invested in other Classes of Fund shares or Classes of another Morgan Stanley Fund that you own. Contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor for further information about this service.

manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Tax Considerations. Normally, your sale of Fund shares is subject to federal and state income tax. You should review the "Tax Consequences" section of this Prospectus and consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of a sale.

Reinstatement Privilege. If you sell Fund shares and have not previously exercised the reinstatement privilege, you may, within 35 days after the date of sale, invest any portion of the proceeds in the same Class of Fund shares at their net asset value and receive a pro rata credit for any CDSC paid in connection with the sale.

Involuntary Sales. The Fund reserves the right, on 60 days' notice, to sell the shares of any shareholder (other than shares held in an individual retirement account ("IRA") or 403(b) Custodial Account) whose shares, due to sales by the shareholder, have a value below $100, or in the case of an account opened through EasyInvest®, if after 12 months the shareholder has invested less than $1,000 in the account. However, before the Fund sells your shares in this manner, we will notify you and allow you 60 days to make an additional investment in an amount that will increase the value of your account to at least the required amount before the sale is processed. No CDSC will be imposed on any involuntary sale.

Margin Accounts. If you have pledged your Fund shares in a margin account, contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary regarding restrictions on the sale of such shares.

Distributions

The Fund passes substantially all of its earnings from income and capital gains along to its investors as "distributions." The Fund earns income from stocks and interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as "income dividend distributions." The Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as "capital gain distributions."

The Fund declares income dividends separately for each Class. Distributions paid on Class A and Class I shares usually will be higher than for Class B and Class L shares because distribution fees that Class B and Class L shares pay are higher. Normally, income dividends are distributed to shareholders semi-annually. Capital gains, if any, are usually distributed in June and December. The Fund, however, may retain and reinvest any long-term capital gains. The Fund may at times make payments from sources other than income or capital gains that represent a return of a portion of your investment. These payments would not be taxable to you as a shareholder, but would have the effect of reducing your basis in the Fund.


22



Distributions are reinvested automatically in additional shares of the same Class and automatically credited to your account, unless you request in writing that all distributions be paid in cash. If you elect the cash option, the Fund will mail a check to you no later than seven business days after the distribution is declared. However, if you purchase Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary within three business days prior to the record date for the distribution, the distribution will automatically be paid to you in cash, even if you did not request to receive all distributions in cash. No interest will accrue on uncashed checks. If you wish to change how your distributions are paid, your request should be received by the Transfer Agent at least five business days prior to the record date of the distributions.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders are referred to as "market-timing" or "short-term trading" and may present risks for other shareholders of the Fund, which may include, among other things, dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders, interference with the efficient management of the Fund's portfolio, increased brokerage and administrative costs, incurring unwanted taxable gains and forcing the Fund to hold excess levels of cash.

In addition, the Fund is subject to the risk that market-timers and/or short-term traders may take advantage of time zone differences between the foreign markets on which the Fund's portfolio securities trade and the time the Fund's net asset value is calculated ("time-zone arbitrage"). For example, a market-timer may purchase shares of the Fund based on events occurring after foreign market closing prices are established, but before the Fund's net asset value calculation, that are likely to result in higher prices in foreign markets the following day. The market-timer would redeem the Fund's shares the next day when the Fund's share price would reflect the increased prices in foreign markets, for a quick profit at the expense of long-term Fund shareholders.

Investments in other types of securities also may be susceptible to short-term trading strategies. These investments include securities that are, among other things, thinly traded, traded infrequently, or relatively illiquid, which have the risk that the current market price for the securities may not accurately reflect current market values. A shareholder may seek to engage in short-term trading to take advantage of these pricing differences (referred to as "price arbitrage"). Investments in certain fixed-income securities may be adversely affected by price arbitrage trading strategies.

The Fund's policies with respect to valuing portfolio securities are described in "Shareholder Information—Pricing Fund Shares."

The Fund discourages and does not accommodate frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders and the Fund's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to such frequent purchases and redemptions. The Fund's policies with respect to purchases, redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares are described in the "How to Buy Shares," "How to Exchange Shares" and "How to Sell Shares" sections of this Prospectus. Except as described in each of these sections, and with respect to trades that occur through omnibus accounts at intermediaries, as described below, the Fund's policies regarding frequent trading of Fund shares are applied uniformly to all shareholders. With respect to trades that occur through omnibus accounts at intermediaries, such as investment managers, broker-dealers, transfer agents and third-party administrators, the Fund (i) requests assurance that such


23



intermediaries currently selling Fund shares have in place internal policies and procedures reasonably designed to address market-timing concerns and has instructed such intermediaries to notify the Fund immediately if they are unable to comply with such policies and procedures and (ii) requires all prospective intermediaries to agree to cooperate in enforcing the Fund's policies (or, upon prior written approval only, an intermediary's own policies) with respect to frequent purchases, redemptions and exchanges of Fund shares.

Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers' trading activity to the Fund on an individual ongoing basis. Therefore, with respect to trades that occur through omnibus accounts at Financial Intermediaries, to some extent, the Fund relies on the Financial Intermediary to monitor frequent short-term trading within the Fund by the Financial Intermediary's customers. However, the Fund or the Distributor has entered into agreements with Financial Intermediaries whereby Financial Intermediaries are required to provide certain customer identification and transaction information upon the Fund's request. The Fund may use this information to help identify and prevent market-timing activity in the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to identify or prevent all market-timing activities.

Tax Consequences

As with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.

Unless your investment in the Fund is through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

n  The Fund makes distributions; and

n  You sell Fund shares, including an exchange to another Morgan Stanley Fund.

Taxes on Distributions. Your distributions are normally subject to federal and state income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in Fund shares. A distribution also may be subject to local income tax. Any income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.

If certain holding period requirements are met with respect to your shares, a portion of the income dividends you receive may be taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains. However, even if income received in the form of income dividends is taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered long-term capital gains for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you generally will not be permitted to offset income dividends with capital losses. Short-term capital gain distributions are taxed at ordinary income rates.

You will be sent a statement (IRS Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.


24



Taxes on Sales. Your sale of Fund shares normally is subject to federal and state income tax and may result in a taxable gain or loss to you. A sale also may be subject to local income tax. Your exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Morgan Stanley Fund is treated for tax purposes like a sale of your original shares and a purchase of your new shares. Thus, the exchange may, like a sale, result in a taxable gain or loss to you and will give you a new tax basis for your new shares.

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.

Due to recent legislation, the Fund (or its administrative agent) is required to report to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and furnish to Fund shareholders the cost basis information for sale transactions of shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012. Shareholders may elect to have one of several cost basis methods applied to their account when calculating the cost basis of shares sold, including average cost, FIFO ("first-in, first-out") or some other specific identification method. Unless you instruct otherwise, the Fund will use average cost as its default cost basis method, and will treat sales as first coming from shares purchased prior to January 1, 2012. If average cost is used for the first sale of Fund shares covered by these new rules, the shareholder may only use an alternative cost basis method for shares purchased prospectively. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisors to determine the best cost basis method for their tax situation.

When you open your Fund account, you should provide your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding tax on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at a rate of 28%. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of your taxes due on your income.

Share Class Arrangements

The Fund offers several Classes of shares having different distribution arrangements designed to provide you with different purchase options according to your investment needs. Your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary can help you decide which Class may be appropriate for you.

The general public is offered three Classes: Class A shares, Class B shares (closed to new investments) and Class L (formerly Class C) shares, which differ principally in terms of sales charges and ongoing expenses. A fourth Class, Class I shares, is offered only to a limited category of investors. Shares that you acquire through reinvested distributions will not be subject to any front-end sales charge or CDSC.

Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each Class of shares. The sales charges applicable to each Class provide for the distribution financing of shares of that Class.


25



The chart below compares the sales charge and annual 12b-1 fee applicable to each Class:

Class

 

Sales Charge

 

Maximum Annual 12b-1 Fee

 
 

A

    Maximum 5.25% initial sales charge reduced for purchases of $25,000 or more;
shares purchased without an initial sales charge are generally subject to a 1.00%
CDSC if sold during the first 18 months
   

0.25

%

 
 

B

   

Maximum 5.00% CDSC during the first year decreasing to 0% after six years

   

1.00

%

 
 

L

   

None

   

0.75

%

 
 

I

   

None

   

None

   

While Class B and Class L shares do not have any front-end sales charges, their higher ongoing annual expenses (due to higher 12b-1 fees) mean that over time you could end up paying more for these shares than if you were to pay front-end sales charges for Class A shares.

Certain shareholders may be eligible for reduced sales charges (i.e., breakpoint discounts), CDSC waivers and eligibility minimums. Please see the information for each Class set forth below for specific eligibility requirements. You must notify your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary (or the Transfer Agent if you purchase shares directly through the Fund) at the time a purchase order (or in the case of Class B, a redemption order) is placed, that the purchase (or redemption) qualifies for a reduced sales charge (i.e., breakpoint discount), CDSC waiver or eligibility minimum. Similar notification must be made in writing when an order is placed by mail. The reduced sales charge, CDSC waiver or eligibility minimum will not be granted if: (i) notification is not furnished at the time of order; or (ii) a review of the records of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC ("Morgan Stanley & Co.") or other authorized dealer of Fund shares, or the Transfer Agent does not confirm your represented holdings.

In order to obtain a reduced sales charge (i.e., breakpoint discount) or to meet an eligibility minimum, it may be necessary at the time of purchase for you to inform your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary (or the Transfer Agent if you purchase shares directly through the Fund) of the existence of other accounts in which there are holdings eligible to be aggregated to meet the sales load breakpoints or eligibility minimums. In order to verify your eligibility, you may be required to provide account statements and/or confirmations regarding shares of the Fund or other Morgan Stanley Funds held in all related accounts described below at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. or by other authorized dealers, as well as shares held by related parties, such as members of the same family or household, in order to determine whether you have met a sales load breakpoint or eligibility minimum. The Fund makes available, in a clear and prominent format, free of charge, on its web site, www.morganstanley.com, information regarding applicable sales loads, reduced sales charges (i.e., breakpoint discounts), sales load waivers and eligibility minimums. The web site includes hyperlinks that facilitate access to the information.

CLASS A SHARES Class A shares are sold at net asset value plus an initial sales charge of up to 5.25% of the public offering price. The initial sales charge is reduced for purchases of $25,000 or more according to the schedule below. Investments of $1 million or more are not subject to an initial sales charge, but are generally subject to a CDSC of 1.00% on sales made within 18 months after the last day of the month of purchase. The CDSC will be assessed in the same manner and with the same CDSC waivers as with Class B shares. In addition, the CDSC on Class A shares will be waived in connection with sales of Class A shares for which no commission or transaction fee was paid by the


26



Distributor to authorized dealers at the time of purchase of such shares. Class A shares are also subject to a distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Class. The maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class A shares is lower than the maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class B or Class L shares.

The offering price of Class A shares includes a sales charge (expressed as a percentage of the public offering price) on a single transaction as shown in the following table:

   

Front-End Sales Charge

 
Amount of
Single Transaction
  Percentage of
Public Offering Price
  Approximate Percentage
of Net Amount Invested
 

Less than $25,000

   

5.25

%

   

5.54

%

 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

   

4.75

%

   

4.99

%

 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

   

4.00

%

   

4.17

%

 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

   

3.00

%

   

3.09

%

 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

   

2.50

%

   

2.56

%

 

$500,000 but less than $1 million

   

2.00

%

   

2.04

%

 
$1 million and over    

0.00

%

   

0.00

%

 

You may benefit from a reduced sales charge schedule (i.e., breakpoint discount) for purchases of Class A shares of the Fund, by combining in a single transaction, your purchase with purchases of Class A shares of the Fund by the following related accounts ("Related Accounts"):

n  A single account (including an individual, a joint account, trust or fiduciary account).

n  A family member account (limited to spouse, and children under the age of 21, but including trust accounts established solely for the benefit of a spouse, or children under the age of 21).

n  An UGMA/UTMA account.

n  Pension, profit sharing or other employee benefit plans of companies and their affiliates.

n  Employer sponsored and individual retirement accounts (including IRAs, Keogh, 401(k), 403(b), 408(k) and 457(b) plans).

n  Tax-exempt organizations.

n  Groups organized for a purpose other than to buy mutual fund shares.

Combined Purchase Privilege. You will have the benefit of reduced sales charges by combining purchases of Class A shares of the Fund for any Related Account in a single transaction with purchases of any class of shares of other Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds for the Related Account or any other Related Account.

Right of Accumulation. You may benefit from a reduced sales charge if the cumulative net asset value of Class A shares of the Fund purchased in a single transaction, together with the net asset value of all classes of shares of Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds (including shares of Morgan Stanley Money Market Funds and MS Limited Duration which resulted from an exchange from Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds) held in Related Accounts, amounts to $25,000 or more.

Front-End Sales Charge or FSC

An initial sales charge you pay when purchasing Class A shares that is based on a percentage of the offering price. The percentage declines based upon the dollar value of Class A shares you purchase. We offer three ways to reduce your Class A sales charges—the Combined Purchase Privilege, Right of Accumulation and Letter of Intent.


27



Notification. You must notify your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary (or the Transfer Agent, if you purchase shares directly through the Fund) at the time a purchase order is placed, that the purchase qualifies for a reduced sales charge under any of the privileges discussed above. Similar notification must be made in writing when an order is placed by mail. The reduced sales charge will not be granted if: (i) notification is not furnished at the time of the order; or (ii) a review of the records of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other authorized dealer of Fund shares or the Transfer Agent does not confirm your represented holdings.

In order to obtain a reduced sales charge under any of the privileges discussed above, it may be necessary at the time of purchase for you to inform your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary (or the Transfer Agent if you purchase shares directly through the Fund) of the existence of other accounts in which there are holdings eligible to be aggregated to meet the sales load breakpoint and/or right of accumulation threshold. In order to verify your eligibility, you may be required to provide account statements and/or confirmations regarding shares of the Fund or other Morgan Stanley Funds held in all Related Accounts described above at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or by other authorized dealers, as well as shares held by related parties, such as members of the same family or household, in order to determine whether you have met the sales load breakpoint and/or right of accumulation threshold. The Fund makes available, in a clear and prominent format, free of charge, on its web site, www.morganstanley.com, information regarding applicable sales loads and reduced sales charges (i.e., breakpoint discounts). The web site includes hyperlinks that facilitate access to the information.

Letter of Intent. The above schedule of reduced sales charges for larger purchases also will be available to you if you enter into a written "Letter of Intent." A Letter of Intent provides for the purchase of Class A shares of the Fund or other Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds within a 13-month period. The initial purchase under a Letter of Intent must be at least 5% of the stated investment goal. The Letter of Intent does not preclude the Fund (or any other Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund) from discontinuing sales of its shares. To determine the applicable sales charge reduction, you may also include: (1) the cost of shares of other Morgan Stanley Funds which were previously purchased at a price including a front-end sales charge during the 90-day period prior to the Distributor receiving the Letter of Intent, and (2) the historical cost of shares of other funds you currently own that you acquired in exchange for shares of funds purchased during that period at a price including a front-end sales charge. You may combine purchases and exchanges by family members (limited to spouse, and children under the age of 21) during the periods referenced in (1) and (2) above. You should retain any records necessary to substantiate historical costs because the Fund, the Transfer Agent and any financial intermediaries may not maintain this information. You can obtain a Letter of Intent by contacting your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary, or by calling toll-free (800) 869-NEWS . If you do not achieve the stated investment goal within the 13-month period, you are required to pay the difference between the sales charges otherwise applicable and sales charges actually paid, which may be deducted from your investment. Shares acquired through reinvestment of distributions are not aggregated to achieve the stated investment goal.

Other Sales Charge Waivers. In addition to investments of $1 million or more, your purchase of Class A shares is not subject to a front-end sales charge (or a CDSC upon sale) if your account qualifies under one of the following categories:

n  Sales through banks, broker-dealers and other financial institutions (including registered investment advisers and financial planners) purchasing shares on behalf of their clients in (i) discretionary and non-discretionary advisory programs, (ii) fund supermarkets, (iii) asset allocation programs, (iv) other programs in which the client pays an


28



asset-based fee for advice or for executing transactions in Fund shares or for otherwise participating in the program or (v) certain other investment programs that do not charge an asset-based fee.

n  Qualified state tuition plans described in Section 529 of the Code and donor-advised charitable gift funds (subject to all applicable terms and conditions).

n  Defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer-sponsored employee benefit plans, whether or not qualified under the Code.

n  Certain retirement and deferred compensation programs established by Morgan Stanley Investment Management or its affiliates for their employees or the Fund's Trustees.

n  Current or retired Directors or Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary.

n  Current or retired directors, officers and employees of Morgan Stanley and any of its subsidiaries, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary.

n  Certain other registered open-end investment companies whose shares are distributed by the Distributor.

n  Investments made in connection with certain mergers and/or reorganizations as approved by the Adviser.

n  The reinvestment of dividends from Class A shares in additional Class A shares of the Fund.

CLASS B SHARES Class B shares are offered at net asset value with no initial sales charge but are subject to a CDSC, as set forth in the table below. For the purpose of calculating the CDSC, shares are deemed to have been purchased on the last day of the month during which they were purchased.

Year Since Purchase Payment Made

 

CDSC as a Percentage of Amount Redeemed

 

First

   

5.0

%

 

Second

   

4.0

%

 

Third

   

3.0

%

 

Fourth

   

2.0

%

 

Fifth

   

2.0

%

 

Sixth

   

1.0

%

 

Seventh and thereafter

   

None

   

The CDSC is assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the then market value of the shares or the historical cost of the shares (which is the amount actually paid for the shares at the time of original purchase) being redeemed. Accordingly, no sales charge is imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In determining whether a CDSC applies to a redemption, it is

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge or CDSC

A fee you pay when you sell shares of certain Morgan Stanley Funds purchased without an initial sales charge. This fee declines the longer you hold your shares as set forth in the table.


29



assumed that the shares being redeemed first are any shares in the shareholder's Fund account that are not subject to a CDSC, followed by shares held the longest in the shareholder's account.

Financial Intermediaries may impose a limit on the dollar value of a Class B share purchase order that they will accept. You should discuss with your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary which share class is most appropriate for you, based on the size of your investment, your expected time horizon for holding the shares and other factors, bearing in mind the availability of reduced sales loads on Class A share purchases of $25,000 or more and for existing shareholders who hold over $25,000 in Morgan Stanley Funds.

CDSC Waivers. A CDSC, if otherwise applicable, will be waived in the case of:

n  Sales of shares held at the time you die or become disabled (within the definition in Section 72(m)(7) of the Code which relates to the ability to engage in gainful employment), if the shares are: (i) registered either in your individual name or in the names of you and your spouse as joint tenants with right of survivorship; (ii) registered in the name of a trust of which (a) you are the settlor and that is revocable by you (i.e., a "living trust") or (b) you and your spouse are the settlors and that is revocable by you or your spouse (i.e., a "joint living trust"); or (iii) held in a qualified corporate or self-employed retirement plan, IRA or 403(b) Custodial Account; provided in each case that the sale is requested within one year after your death or initial determination of disability.

n  Sales in connection with the following retirement plan "distributions": (i) lump-sum or other distributions from a qualified corporate or self-employed retirement plan following retirement (or, in the case of a "key employee" of a "top heavy" plan, following attainment of age 59 1/2); (ii) required minimum distributions and certain other distributions (such as those following attainment of age 59 1/2) from an IRA or 403(b) Custodial Account; or (iii) a tax-free return of an excess IRA contribution (a "distribution" does not include a direct transfer of IRA, 403(b) Custodial Account or retirement plan assets to a successor custodian or trustee).

n  Sales of shares in connection with the systematic withdrawal plan of up to 12% annually of the value of each fund from which plan sales are made. The percentage is determined on the date you establish the systematic withdrawal plan and based on the next calculated share price. You may have this CDSC waiver applied in amounts up to 1% per month, 3% per quarter, 6% semi-annually or 12% annually. Shares with no CDSC will be sold first, followed by those with the lowest CDSC. As such, the waiver benefit will be reduced by the amount of your shares that are not subject to a CDSC. If you suspend your participation in the plan, you may later resume plan payments without requiring a new determination of the account value for the 12% CDSC waiver.

The Distributor may require confirmation of your entitlement before granting a CDSC waiver. If you believe you are eligible for a CDSC waiver, please contact your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or other Financial Intermediary or call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS.

Distribution Fee. Class B shares are subject to an annual distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets of Class B shares. The maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class B shares is higher than the maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class A and Class L shares.

Conversion Feature. After eight years, Class B shares generally will convert automatically to Class A shares of the Fund with no initial sales charge. The eight-year period runs from the last day of the month in which the shares were


30



purchased or, in the case of Class B shares acquired through an exchange, from the last day of the month in which the original Class B shares were purchased; the shares will convert to Class A shares based on their relative net asset values in the month following the eight-year period. At the same time, an equal proportion of Class B shares acquired through automatically reinvested distributions will convert to Class A shares on the same basis. This conversion will be suspended during any period in which the expense ratio of the Class B shares of the Fund is lower than the expense ratio of the Class A shares of the Fund.

Exchanging Shares Subject to a CDSC. There are special considerations when you exchange Fund shares that are subject to a CDSC. When determining the length of time you held the shares and the corresponding CDSC rate, any period (starting at the end of the month) during which you held shares of a fund that charges a CDSC will be counted. In addition, any period (starting at the end of the month) during which you held shares of (i) a Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund or (ii) MS Limited Duration, received in exchange for Fund shares, will also be counted; however, if you sell shares of such Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund or MS Limited Duration before the expiration of the CDSC "holding period," you will be charged the applicable CDSC rate.

For example, if you held Class B shares of the Fund for one year, exchanged to Class B of another Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund for another year, then sold your shares, a CDSC rate of 4% would be imposed on the shares based on a two-year holding period—one year for each fund. Similarly, if you had exchanged the shares of the Fund for a Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund or MS Limited Duration, then sold your shares, a CDSC rate of 4% would be imposed on the shares based on a two-year holding period—one year for each fund.

CLASS L SHARES Class L (formerly Class C) shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge. Broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries may impose a limit on the dollar value of a Class L share purchase order that they will accept. For example, a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor generally will not accept purchase orders for Class L shares that in the aggregate amount to $250,000 or more. You should discuss with your financial advisor which share class is most appropriate for you based on the size of your investment, your expected time horizon for holding the shares and other factors, bearing in mind the availability of reduced sales loads on Class A share purchases of $25,000 or more and for existing shareholders who hold over $25,000 in Morgan Stanley Funds.

Distribution Fee. Class L shares are subject to an annual distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fee of up to 0.75% of the average daily net assets of that Class. The maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class L shares is higher than the maximum annual 12b-1 fee payable by Class A shares. Unlike Class B shares, Class L shares have no conversion feature and, accordingly, an investor that purchases Class L shares may be subject to distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fees applicable to Class L shares for as long as the investor owns such shares.

CLASS I SHARES Class I shares are offered without any sales charge on purchases or sales and without any distribution and shareholder services (12b-1) fee. Class I shares are offered only to investors meeting an initial investment minimum of $5 million and to the following categories:

n  Sales through banks, broker-dealers and other financial institutions (including registered investment advisers and financial planners) purchasing shares on behalf of their clients in (i) discretionary and non-discretionary advisory programs, (ii) fund supermarkets, (iii) asset allocation programs, (iv) other programs in which the client pays an asset-based fee for advice or for executing transactions in Fund shares or for otherwise participating in the program or (v) certain other investment programs that do not charge an asset-based fee.


31



n  Qualified state tuition plans described in Section 529 of the Code and donor-advised charitable gift funds (subject to all applicable terms and conditions).

n  Defined contribution, defined benefit and other employer-sponsored employee benefit plans, whether or not qualified under the Code.

n  Certain other registered open-end investment companies whose shares are distributed by the Distributor.

n  Investors who were shareholders of the Dean Witter Retirement Series on September 11, 1998 for additional purchases for their former Dean Witter Retirement Series accounts.

n  Certain retirement and deferred compensation programs established by Morgan Stanley Investment Management or its affiliates for their employees or the Fund's Trustees.

n  Current or retired directors, officers and employees of Morgan Stanley and any of its subsidiaries, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary.

n  Current or retired Directors or Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds, such persons' spouses, and children under the age of 21, and trust accounts for which any of such persons is a beneficiary.

n  Investments made in connection with certain mergers and/or reorganizations as approved by the Adviser.

n  The reinvestment of dividends from Class I shares in additional Class I shares of the Fund.

Class I shares are not offered for investments made through insurance company separate accounts (regardless of the size of the investment).

Meeting Class I Eligibility Minimums. To meet the $5 million initial investment to qualify to purchase Class I shares you may combine: (1) purchases in a single transaction of Class I shares of the Fund and other Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds; and/or (2) previous purchases of Class A and Class I shares of Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Funds you currently own, along with shares of Morgan Stanley Funds you currently own that you acquired in exchange for those shares. Shareholders cannot combine purchases made by family members or a shareholder's other Related Accounts in a single transaction for purposes of meeting the $5 million initial investment minimum requirement to qualify to purchase Class I shares.

NO SALES CHARGES FOR REINVESTED CASH DISTRIBUTIONS If you receive a cash payment representing an ordinary dividend or capital gain and you reinvest that amount in the applicable Class of shares by returning the check within 30 days of the payment date, the purchased shares would not be subject to an initial sales charge or CDSC.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (RULE 12b-1 FEES) The Fund has adopted a Plan of Distribution in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class L shares. (Class I shares are offered without any 12b-1 fee.) The Plan allows the Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of these shares. It also allows the Fund to pay for services to shareholders of Class A, Class B and Class L 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 reduce your return in these Classes and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.


32



Additional Information

The Adviser and/or Distributor may pay compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund) to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other Financial Intermediaries or service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing or retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder servicing. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or such other Financial Intermediary with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the net asset value or the price of the Fund's shares. For more information, please see the Fund's SAI.


33




Financial Highlights

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share throughout each period. The total returns in the table represent the rate an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The ratio of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each class of shares of the Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that the Fund's average net assets decrease over the Fund's next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

This information for the years ended December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is incorporated by reference in the SAI from the Fund's annual report, which is available upon request. The financial highlights for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2010 have been audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.

CLASS A SHARES

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010^

 

2009^

 

2008^

 

Selected Per Share Data:

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

 

$

33.63

   

$

35.68

   

$

28.14

   

$

16.23

   

$

34.23

   

Income (loss) from investment operations:

 

Net investment income (loss)(1)

   

0.10

     

(0.10

)

   

(0.09

)

   

(0.05

)

   

(0.13

)

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

   

4.59

     

(1.95

)

   

7.63

     

11.96

     

(17.87

)

 

Total income (loss) from investment operations

   

4.69

     

(2.05

)

   

7.54

     

11.91

     

(18.00

)

 

Net asset value, end of period

 

$

38.32

   

$

33.63

   

$

35.68

   

$

28.14

   

$

16.23

   

Total Return(2)

   

13.95

%

   

(5.75

)%

   

26.79

%

   

73.38

%

   

(52.59

)%

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(3):

 

Net expenses

   

0.96

%(4)

   

0.96

%(4)

   

1.02

%(4)

   

1.12

%(4)

   

0.99

%(4)

 

Net investment income (loss)

   

0.26

%(4)

   

(0.28

)%(4)

   

(0.30

)%(4)

   

(0.24

)%(4)

   

(0.48

)%(4)

 

Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

 

Supplemental Data:

 

Net assets, end of period, in thousands

 

$

1,043,181

   

$

1,016,444

   

$

1,166,135

   

$

1,026,707

   

$

642,610

   

Portfolio turnover rate

   

44

%

   

32

%

   

44

%

   

11

%

   

31

%

 

^  Beginning with the year ended December 31, 2011, the Fund was audited by Ernst & Young LLP. The previous years were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.

(1)  The per share amounts were computed using an average number of shares outstanding during the period.

(2)  Does not reflect the deduction of sales charge. Calculated based on the net asset value as of the last business day of the period.

(3)  Reflects overall Fund ratios for investment income and non-class specific expenses.

(4)  The ratios reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with investments in a Morgan Stanley affiliate during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as "Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate."

(5)  Amount is less than 0.005%.


34



CLASS B SHARES

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010^

 

2009^

 

2008^

 

Selected Per Share Data:

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

 

$

30.14

   

$

32.22

   

$

25.59

   

$

14.87

   

$

31.61

   

Income (loss) from investment operations:

 

Net investment loss(1)

   

(0.16

)

   

(0.34

)

   

(0.29

)

   

(0.20

)

   

(0.33

)

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

   

4.10

     

(1.74

)

   

6.92

     

10.92

     

(16.41

)

 

Total income (loss) from investment operations

   

3.94

     

(2.08

)

   

6.63

     

10.72

     

(16.74

)

 

Net asset value, end of period

 

$

34.08

   

$

30.14

   

$

32.22

   

$

25.59

   

$

14.87

   

Total Return(2)

   

13.07

%

   

(6.43

)%

   

25.87

%

   

72.09

%

   

(52.96

)%

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(3):

 

Net expenses

   

1.71

%(4)

   

1.71

%(4)

   

1.77

%(4)

   

1.87

%(4)

   

1.74

%(4)

 

Net investment loss

   

(0.49

)%(4)

   

(1.03

)%(4)

   

(1.05

)%(4)

   

(0.99

)%(4)

   

(1.23

)%(4)

 

Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

 

Supplemental Data:

 

Net assets, end of period, in thousands

 

$

36,344

   

$

55,134

   

$

110,821

   

$

160,803

   

$

179,417

   

Portfolio turnover rate

   

44

%

   

32

%

   

44

%

   

11

%

   

31

%

 

^  Beginning with the year ended December 31, 2011, the Fund was audited by Ernst & Young LLP. The previous years were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.

(1)  The per share amounts were computed using an average number of shares outstanding during the period.

(2)  Does not reflect the deduction of sales charge. Calculated based on the net asset value as of the last business day of the period.

(3)  Reflects overall Fund ratios for investment income and non-class specific expenses.

(4)  The ratios reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with investments in a Morgan Stanley affiliate during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as "Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate."

(5)  Amount is less than 0.005%.


35



Financial Highlights (Continued)

CLASS L SHARES@@

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010^

 

2009^

 

2008^

 

Selected Per Share Data:

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

 

$

29.84

   

$

31.90

   

$

25.34

   

$

14.73

   

$

31.30

   

Income (loss) from investment operations:

 

Net investment loss(1)

   

(0.16

)

   

(0.34

)

   

(0.28

)

   

(0.19

)

   

(0.31

)

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

   

4.06

     

(1.72

)

   

6.84

     

10.80

     

(16.26

)

 

Total income (loss) from investment operations

   

3.90

     

(2.06

)

   

6.56

     

10.61

     

(16.57

)

 

Net asset value, end of period

 

$

33.74

   

$

29.84

   

$

31.90

   

$

25.34

   

$

14.73

   

Total Return(2)

   

13.07

%

   

(6.46

)%

   

25.89

%

   

72.03

%

   

(52.94

)%

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(3):

 

Net expenses

   

1.71

%(4)

   

1.71

%(4)

   

1.77

%(4)

   

1.87

%(4)

   

1.74

%(4)

 

Net investment loss

   

(0.49

)%(4)

   

(1.03

)%(4)

   

(1.05

)%(4)

   

(0.99

)%(4)

   

(1.23

)%(4)

 

Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

   

0.00

%(5)

 

Supplemental Data:

 

Net assets, end of period, in thousands

 

$

69,420

   

$

63,048

   

$

71,158

   

$

64,739

   

$

45,406

   

Portfolio turnover rate

   

44

%

   

32

%

   

44

%

   

11

%

   

31

%

 

@@  Formerly Class C shares, renamed Class L effective February 25, 2013.

^  Beginning with the year ended December 31, 2011, the Fund was audited by Ernst & Young LLP. The previous years were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.

(1)  The per share amounts were computed using an average number of shares outstanding during the period.

(2)  Does not reflect the deduction of sales charge. Calculated based on the net asset value as of the last business day of the period.

(3)  Reflects overall Fund ratios for investment income and non-class specific expenses.

(4)  The ratios reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with investments in a Morgan Stanley affiliate during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as "Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate."

(5)  Amount is less than 0.005%.


36



CLASS I SHARES

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2010^

 

2009^

 

2008^

 

Selected Per Share Data:

 

Net asset value, beginning of period

 

$

34.90

   

$

36.94

   

$

29.05

   

$

16.72

   

$

35.17

   

Income (loss) from investment operations:

 

Net investment income (loss)(1)

   

0.20

     

(0.01

)

   

(0.01

)

   

0.00

(2)

   

(0.07

)

 

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

   

4.76

     

(2.03

)

   

7.90

     

12.33

     

(18.38

)

 

Total income (loss) from investment operations

   

4.96

     

(2.04

)

   

7.89

     

12.33

     

(18.45

)

 

Net asset value, end of period

 

$

39.86

   

$

34.90

   

$

36.94

   

$

29.05

   

$

16.72

   

Total Return(3)

   

14.18

%

   

(5.50

)%

   

27.16

%

   

73.74

%

   

(52.46

)%

 

Ratios to Average Net Assets(4):

 

Net expenses

   

0.71

%(5)

   

0.71

%(5)

   

0.77

%(5)

   

0.87

%(5)

   

0.74

%(5)

 

Net investment income (loss)

   

0.51

%(5)

   

(0.03

)%(5)

   

(0.05

)%(5)

   

0.01

%(5)

   

(0.23

)%(5)

 

Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate

   

0.00

%(6)

   

0.00

%(6)

   

0.00

%(6)

   

0.00

%(6)

   

0.00

%(6)

 

Supplemental Data:

 

Net assets, end of period, in thousands

 

$

366,571

   

$

328,775

   

$

385,571

   

$

296,944

   

$

240,596

   

Portfolio turnover rate

   

44

%

   

32

%

   

44

%

   

11

%

   

31

%

 

^  Beginning with the year ended December 31, 2011, the Fund was audited by Ernst & Young LLP. The previous years were audited by another independent registered public accounting firm.

(1)  The per share amounts were computed using an average number of shares outstanding during the period.

(2)  Amount is less than $0.005.

(3)  Calculated based on the net asset value as of the last business day of the period.

(4)  Reflects overall Fund ratios for investment income and non-class specific expenses.

(5)  The ratios reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with investments in a Morgan Stanley affiliate during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as "Rebate from Morgan Stanley affiliate."

(6)  Amount is less than 0.005%.


37



Notes


38




Additional information about the Fund's investments is available in the Fund's Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders. In the Fund's Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

The Fund's Statement of Additional Information also provides additional information about the Fund. The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated herein by reference (legally is part of this Prospectus). For a free copy of the Fund's Annual Report, Semiannual Report or Statement of Additional Information, to request other information about the Fund or to make shareholder inquiries, please call toll-free (800) 869-NEWS. Free copies of these documents are also available from our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/im.

You also may obtain information about the Fund by calling your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor or by visiting our Internet site.

Information about the Fund (including the Statement of Additional Information) can be reviewed and copied at the SEC Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at: http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Morgan Stanley

Focus Growth Fund

(THE FUND'S INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. IS 811-2978)

Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., member FINRA.

© 2013 Morgan Stanley

Prospectus

April 30, 2013

AMOPRO




STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

April 30, 2013

Morgan Stanley

Focus Growth Fund

Share Class

  Ticker
Symbol
 

Class A

 

AMOAX

 

Class B

 

AMOBX

 

Class L*

 

AMOCX

 

Class I

 

AMODX

 

*  Formerly Class C

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. The Prospectus (dated April 30, 2013) for Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund may be obtained without charge from the Fund at its address or telephone number listed below.

The Fund's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, including notes thereto, and the report of the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, are herein incorporated by reference to the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders. A copy of the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders must accompany the delivery of this SAI.

Morgan Stanley
Focus Growth Fund
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
(800) 869-NEWS



TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.

 

Fund History

   

4

   

II.

 

Description of the Fund and Its Investments and Risks

   

4

   
   

A. Classification

   

4

   
   

B. Investment Strategies and Risks

   

4

   
   

C. Fund Policies/Investment Restrictions

   

22

   
   

D. Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   

23

   

III.

  Management of the Fund    

25

   
    A. Board of Trustees    

25

   
    B. Management Information    

26

   
    C. Compensation    

36

   

IV.

  Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities    

38

   

V.

  Investment Advisory and Other Services    

38

   
    A. Adviser and Administrator    

38

   
    B. Principal Underwriter    

39

   
    C. Services Provided by the Adviser and Administrator    

39

   
    D. Dealer Reallowances    

40

   
    E. Rule 12b-1 Plan    

40

   
    F. Other Service Providers    

43

   
    G. Fund Management    

44

   
    H. Codes of Ethics    

45

   
    I. Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record    

45

   
    J. Revenue Sharing    

46

   

VI.

  Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices    

47

   
    A. Brokerage Transactions    

47

   
    B. Commissions    

47

   
    C. Brokerage Selection    

48

   
    D. Regular Broker-Dealers    

49

   

VII.

  Capital Stock and Other Securities    

49

   

VIII.

  Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares    

50

   
    A. Purchase/Redemption of Shares    

50

   
    B. Offering Price    

51

   

IX.

  Taxation of the Fund and Shareholders    

52

   

X.

  Underwriters    

55

   

XI.

  Performance Data    

55

   

XII.

  Financial Statements    

56

   

XIII.

  Fund Counsel    

56

   

Appendix A.

 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

   

A-1

   


2




Glossary of Selected Defined Terms

The terms defined in this glossary are frequently used in this SAI (other terms used occasionally are defined in the text of the document).

"Administrator" or "Morgan Stanley Services" — Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., a wholly-owned fund services subsidiary of the Adviser.

"Adviser" — Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., a wholly-owned investment adviser subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

"Custodian" — State Street Bank and Trust Company.

"Distributor" — Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

"Financial Advisors" — Morgan Stanley authorized financial services representatives.

"Fund" — Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund, a registered open-end investment company.

"Independent Trustees" — Trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("Investment Company Act")) of the Fund.

"Morgan Stanley & Co." — Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

"Morgan Stanley Funds" — Registered investment companies for which the Adviser serves as the investment adviser and that hold themselves out to investors as related companies for investment and investor services.

"Transfer Agent" — Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., a wholly-owned transfer agent subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

"Trustees" — The Board of Trustees of the Fund.


3



I. FUND HISTORY

The Fund was incorporated in the State of Maryland on December 13, 1979 under the name InterCapital Industry-Valued Securities Inc. Effective March 21, 1983, the Fund's name was changed to Dean Witter Industry-Valued Securities Inc. On April 6, 1987, the Fund was reorganized as a Massachusetts business trust, under a Declaration of Trust, with the name Dean Witter American Value Fund. Effective June 22, 1998, the Fund's name was changed to Morgan Stanley Dean Witter American Value Fund. Effective April 26, 1999, the Fund's name was changed to Morgan Stanley Dean Witter American Opportunities Fund. Effective June 18, 2001, the Fund's name was changed to Morgan Stanley American Opportunities Fund. Effective July 3, 2006, the Fund's name was changed to Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund.

II. DESCRIPTION OF THE FUND AND ITS INVESTMENTS AND RISKS

A. Classification

The Fund is an open-end, non-diversified management investment company whose investment objective is long-term capital growth.

B. Investment Strategies and Risks

The following discussion of the Fund's investment strategies and risks should be read with the sections of the Fund's Prospectus titled "Principal Investment Strategies," "Principal Risks" and "Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks."

Convertible Securities. The Fund may invest in securities which are convertible into common stock or other securities of the same or a different issuer or into cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. Convertible securities are generally fixed-income securities (but may include preferred stock) and generally rank senior to common stocks in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, entail less risk than the corporation's common stock. The value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" (its value as if it did not have a conversion privilege), and its "conversion value" (the security's worth if it were to be exchanged for the underlying security, at market value, pursuant to its conversion privilege).

To the extent that a convertible security's investment value is greater than its conversion value, its price will be primarily a reflection of such investment value and its price will be likely to increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise, as with a fixed-income security (the credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the convertible security's value). If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the price of the convertible security will rise above its investment value and, in addition, will sell at some premium over its conversion value. (This premium represents the price investors are willing to pay for the privilege of purchasing a fixed-income security with a possibility of capital appreciation due to the conversion privilege.) At such times the price of the convertible security will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the underlying equity security. Convertible securities may be purchased by the Fund at varying price levels above their investment values and/or their conversion values in keeping with the Fund's objective.

Up to 5% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in convertible securities that are below investment grade. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly known as "junk bonds." Although the Fund selects these securities primarily on the basis of their equity characteristics, investors should be aware that convertible securities rated in these categories are considered high risk securities; the rating agencies consider them speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to make timely payments of interest and principal. Thus, to the extent that such convertible securities are acquired by the Fund, there is a greater risk as to the timely repayment of the principal of, and timely payment of interest or dividends on, such securities than in the case of higher-rated convertible securities.

Foreign Investment.  Investing in foreign securities involves certain special considerations which are not typically associated with investments in the securities of U.S. issuers. Foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and may have policies that are not comparable to those of domestic issuers. As a result, there may be less information available about


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foreign issuers than about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers and listed issuers than in the United States. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political and social instability, or diplomatic development which could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The costs of investing in foreign countries frequently are higher than the costs of investing in the United States. Although the Adviser endeavors to achieve the most favorable execution costs in portfolio transactions, fixed commissions on many foreign stock exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets, which have historically been considered stable, may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Moreover, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may be denominated in foreign currencies. Accordingly, the value of the Fund's assets, as measured in U.S. dollars may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates and in exchange control regulations. The Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies.

Certain foreign governments levy withholding or other taxes on dividend and interest income. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes are recoverable, the non-recovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from investments in such countries.

The Adviser may consider an issuer to be from a particular country (including the United States) or geographic region if (i) its principal securities trading market is in that country or geographic region; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis it derives 50% or more of its annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in that country or geographic region; or (iii) it is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, that country or geographic region. By applying these tests, it is possible that a particular issuer could be deemed to be from more than one country or geographic region.

Emerging Market Securities. An emerging market security is one issued by a foreign government or private issuer that has one or more of the following characteristics: (i) its principal securities trading market is in an emerging market or developing country, (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis it derives 50% or more of its annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in emerging markets or (iii) it is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, an emerging market or developing country. Based on these criteria, it is possible for a security to be considered issued by an issuer in more than one country. Therefore, it is possible for the securities of any issuer that has one or more of these characteristics in connection with any emerging market or developing country not to be considered an emerging market security if it has one or more of these characteristics in connection with a developed country.

Emerging market describes any country which is generally considered to be an emerging or developing country by major organizations in the international financial community, such as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (more commonly known as the World Bank) and the International Finance Corporation. Emerging markets can include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most nations located in Western Europe.

The economies of individual emerging market or developing countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation or deflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely effected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.

Prior governmental approval for foreign investments may be required under certain circumstances in some emerging market or developing countries, and the extent of foreign investment in certain fixed-income securities and domestic companies may be subject to limitation in other emerging market or


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developing countries. Foreign ownership limitations also may be imposed by the charters of individual companies in emerging market or developing countries to prevent, among other concerns, violation of foreign investment limitations. Repatriation of investment income, capital and the proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval in some emerging countries. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental registration or approval for such repatriation. Any investment subject to such repatriation controls will be considered illiquid if it appears reasonably likely that this process will take more than seven days.

Investment in emerging market or developing countries may entail purchasing securities issued by or on behalf of entities that are insolvent, bankrupt, in default or otherwise engaged in an attempt to reorganize or reschedule their obligations and in entities that have little or no proven credit rating or credit history. In any such case, the issuer's poor or deteriorating financial condition may increase the likelihood that the Fund will experience losses or diminution in available gains due to bankruptcy, insolvency or fraud. Emerging market or developing countries also pose the risk of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political changes, government regulation, social instability or diplomatic development (including war) that could affect adversely the economies of such countries or the value of a fund's investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Investments in emerging markets may also be exposed to an extra degree of custodial and/or market risk, especially where the securities purchased are not traded on an official exchange or where ownership records regarding the securities are maintained by an unregulated entity (or even the issuer itself).

Depositary Receipts. Depositary Receipts represent an ownership interest in securities of foreign companies (an "underlying issuer") that are deposited with a depositary. Depositary Receipts are not necessarily denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities. Depositary Receipts include American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs") and other types of Depositary Receipts (which, together with ADRs and GDRs, are hereinafter collectively referred to as "Depositary Receipts"). ADRs are dollar-denominated Depositary Receipts typically issued by a U.S. financial institution which evidence an ownership interest in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs are listed and traded in the United States. GDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by U.S. financial institutions, and evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States.

Depositary Receipts may be "sponsored" or "unsponsored." Sponsored Depositary Receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored Depositary Receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of unsponsored Depositary Receipts generally bear all the costs associated with establishing unsponsored Depositary Receipts. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts. For purposes of the Fund's investment policies, the Fund's investments in Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be an investment in the underlying securities, except that ADRs may be deemed to be issued by a U.S. issuer.

Derivatives. The Fund may, but is not required to, use various derivatives and related investment strategies as described below. Derivatives may be used for a variety of purposes including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Any or all of the investment techniques described herein may be used at any time and there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one technique rather than another, as the use of any derivative by the Fund is a function of numerous variables, including market conditions. The Fund complies with applicable regulatory requirements when using derivatives, including the segregation or earmarking of cash or liquid assets when mandated by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules or SEC staff positions. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further the Fund's investment objective, no assurance can be given that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.


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General Risks of Derivatives

Derivatives utilized by the Fund may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments. A derivative is a financial instrument the value of which depends upon (or derives from) the value of another asset, security, interest rate or index. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying instruments, including equity and debt securities, indices, interest rates, currencies and other assets. Certain derivative instruments which the Fund may use and the risks of those instruments are described in further detail below. The Fund may in the future also utilize derivatives techniques, instruments and strategies that may be newly developed or permitted as a result of regulatory changes, consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. Such newly developed techniques, instruments and strategies may involve risks different than or in addition to those described herein. No assurance can be given that any derivatives strategy employed by the Fund will be successful.

The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the instruments underlying such derivatives. Derivatives are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from other portfolio investments. The use of derivative instruments requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself. Certain risk factors generally applicable to derivative transactions are described below.

•  Derivatives are subject to the risk that the market value of the derivative itself or the market value of underlying instruments will change in a way adverse to the Fund's interests. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser may incorrectly forecast future market trends and other financial or economic factors or the value of the underlying security, index, interest rate or currency when establishing a derivatives position for the Fund.

•  Derivatives may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive (or inexpensive) relative to historical prices or corresponding instruments. Under such market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.

•  Many derivatives are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund.

•  Using derivatives as a hedge against a portfolio investment subjects the Fund to the risk that the derivative will have imperfect correlation with the portfolio investment, which could result in the Fund incurring substantial losses. This correlation risk may be greater in the case of derivatives based on an index or other basket of securities, as the portfolio securities being hedged may not duplicate the components of the underlying index or the basket may not be of exactly the same type of obligation as those underlying the derivative. The use of derivatives for "cross hedging" purposes (using a derivative based on one instrument as a hedge for a different instrument) may also involve greater correlation risks.

•  While using derivatives for hedging purposes can reduce the Fund's risk of loss, it may also limit the Fund's opportunity for gains or result in losses by offsetting or limiting the Fund's ability to participate in favorable price movements in portfolio investments.

•  Derivatives transactions for non-hedging purposes involve greater risks and may result in losses which would not be offset by increases in the value of portfolio securities or declines in the cost of securities to be acquired. In the event that the Fund enters into a derivatives transaction as an alternative to purchasing or selling the underlying instrument or in order to obtain desired exposure to an index or market, the Fund will be exposed to the same risks as are incurred in purchasing or selling the underlying instruments directly as well as additional risks associated with derivatives transactions.

•  The use of certain derivatives transactions involves the risk of loss resulting from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure by the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. In the event of default by a counterparty, the Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.


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•  Liquidity risk exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, the Fund may be unable to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.

•  Certain derivatives transactions are not entered into or traded on exchanges or in markets regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") or the SEC. Instead, such bi-lateral over-the-counter ("OTC") derivatives are entered into directly by the Fund and a counterparty and may be traded only through financial institutions acting as market makers. OTC derivatives transactions can only be entered into with a willing counterparty that is approved by the Adviser in accordance with guidelines established by the Board. Where no such counterparty is available, the Fund will be unable to enter into a desired OTC transaction. There also may be greater risk that no liquid secondary market in the trading of OTC derivatives will exist, in which case the Fund may be required to hold such instruments until exercise, expiration or maturity. Many of the protections afforded to exchange participants are not available to participants in bi-lateral OTC derivatives transactions. Bi-lateral OTC derivatives transactions are not subject to the guarantee of an exchange or clearinghouse and, as a result, the Fund would bear greater risk of default by the counterparties to such transactions.

•  The Fund may be required to make physical delivery of portfolio securities underlying a derivative in order to close out a derivatives position or to sell portfolio securities at a time or price at which it may be disadvantageous to do so in order to obtain cash to close out or to maintain a derivatives position.

•  As a result of the structure of certain derivatives, adverse changes in the value of the underlying instrument can result in losses substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.

•  Certain derivatives may be considered illiquid and therefore subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

•  Derivatives transactions conducted outside the United States may not be conducted in the same manner as those entered into on U.S. exchanges, and may be subject to different margin, exercise, settlement or expiration procedures. Brokerage commissions, clearing costs and other transaction costs may be higher on foreign exchanges. Many of the risks of OTC derivatives transactions are also applicable to derivatives transactions conducted outside the United States. Derivatives transactions conducted outside the United States are subject to the risk of governmental action affecting the trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions could be adversely affected by foreign political and economic factors; lesser availability of data on which to make trading decisions; delays on the Fund's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets; and less liquidity than U.S. markets.

•  Currency derivatives are subject to additional risks. Currency derivatives transactions may be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages and manipulations. Currency exchange rates may be influenced by factors extrinsic to a country's economy. There is no systematic reporting of last sale information with respect to foreign currencies. As a result, the available information on which trading in currency derivatives will be based may not be as complete as comparable data for other transactions. Events could occur in the foreign currency market which will not be reflected in currency derivatives until the following day, making it more difficult for the Fund to respond to such events in a timely manner.

Options

An option is a contract that gives the holder of the option the right, but not the obligation, to buy from (in the case of a call option) or sell to (in the case of a put option) the seller of the option (the "option writer") the underlying security at a specified fixed price (the "exercise price") on or prior to a specified date for American options or only at expiration for European options (the "expiration date"). The buyer of the option pays to the option writer the option premium, which is the purchase price of the option.


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Exchange-traded options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options. OTC options are purchased from or sold to counterparties through direct bilateral agreements between the Fund and its counterparties. Certain options, such as options on individual securities, may be settled through physical delivery of the underlying security, whereas other options, such as index options, are settled in cash in an amount based on the value of the underlying instrument multiplied by a specified multiplier.

Writing Options. The Fund may write call and put options. As the writer of a call option, the Fund receives the premium from the purchaser of the option and has the obligation, upon exercise of the option, to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price. If the option expires without being exercised the Fund is not required to deliver the underlying security but retains the premium received.

The Fund may only write call options that are "covered." A call option on a security is covered if (a) the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, such amount is maintained by the Fund in segregated or earmarked cash or liquid assets) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund; or (b) the Fund has purchased a call on the underlying security, the exercise price of which is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated or earmarked cash or liquid assets.

Selling call options involves the risk that the Fund may be required to sell the underlying security at a disadvantageous price, below the market price of such security, at the time the option is exercised. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price but retains the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline.

The Fund may write put options. As the writer of a put option, the Fund receives the premium from the purchaser of the option and has the obligation, upon exercise of the option, to pay the exercise price and receive delivery of the underlying security. If the option expires without being exercised, the Fund is not required to receive the underlying security in exchange for the exercise price but retains the option premium.

The Fund may only write put options that are "covered." A put option on a security is covered if (a) the Fund segregates or earmarks cash or liquid assets equal to the exercise price; or (b) the Fund has purchased a put on the same security as the put written, the exercise price of which is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated or earmarked cash or liquid assets.

Selling put options involves the risk that the Fund may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price, above the market price of such security, at the time the option is exercised. While the Fund's potential gain in writing a covered put option is limited to the premium received plus the interest earned on the liquid assets covering the put option, the Fund's risk of loss is equal to the entire value of the underlying security, offset only by the amount of the premium received.

The Fund may close out an options position which it has written through a closing purchase transaction. The Fund could execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to a written call option by purchasing a call option on the same underlying security and having the same exercise price and expiration date as the call option written by the Fund. The Fund could execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to a put option written by purchasing a put option on the same underlying security and having the same exercise price and expiration date as the put option written by the Fund. A closing purchase transaction may or may not result in a profit to a Fund. The Fund can close out its position as an option writer only if a liquid market exists for options on the same underlying security and having the same exercise date as the option written by the Fund. There is no assurance that such a market will exist with respect to any particular option.

The writer of an American option generally has no control over the time when the option is exercised and the option writer is required to deliver or acquire the underlying security. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option. Thus, the use of options may require the Fund to buy or sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than the current market values of such securities, may limit the amount of


9



appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment, or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell.

Purchasing Options. The Fund may purchase call and put options. As the buyer of a call option, the Fund pays the premium to the option writer and has the right to purchase the underlying security from the option writer at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying security rises above the exercise price, the Fund could exercise the option and acquire the underlying security at a below-market price, which could result in a gain to the Fund, minus the premium paid. As the buyer of a put option, the Fund pays the premium to the option writer and has the right to sell the underlying security to the option writer at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying security declines below the exercise price, the Fund could exercise the option and sell the underlying security at an above-market price, which could result in a gain to the Fund, minus the premium paid. The Fund may buy call and put options whether or not it holds the underlying securities.

As a buyer of a call or put option, the Fund may sell put or call options that it has purchased at any time prior to such option's expiration date through a closing sale transaction. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security, the underlying security's dividend policy, and the time remaining until the expiration date. A closing sale transaction may or may not result in a profit to the Fund. The Fund's ability to initiate a closing sale transaction is dependent upon the liquidity of the options market and there is no assurance that such a market will exist with respect to any particular option. If the Fund does not exercise or sell an option prior to its expiration date, the option expires and becomes worthless.

OTC Options. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options generally are established through negotiation between the parties to the options contract. This type of arrangement allows the purchaser and writer greater flexibility to tailor the option to their needs. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities or other assets, and in a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices, than exchange-traded options. However, unlike exchange-traded options, which are issued and guaranteed by a regulated intermediary, such as the OCC, OTC options are entered into directly with the counterparty. Unless the counterparties provide for it, there is no central clearing or guaranty function for an OTC option. Therefore, OTC options are subject to the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of the counterparty to determine the likelihood that the terms of the option will be satisfied. There can be no assurance that a continuous liquid secondary market will exist for any particular OTC option at any specific time. As a result, the Fund may be unable to enter into closing sale transactions with respect to OTC options.

Index Options. Call and put options on indices operate similarly to options on securities. Rather than the right to buy or sell a single security at a specified price, options on an index give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash determined by reference to the value of the underlying index. The underlying index may be a broad-based index or a narrower market index. Unlike many options on securities, all settlements are in cash. The settlement amount, which the writer of an index option must pay to the holder of the option upon exercise, is generally equal to the difference between the fixed exercise price of the option and the value of the underlying index, multiplied by a specified multiplier. The multiplier determines the size of the investment position the option represents. Gain or loss to the Fund on index options transactions will depend, in part, on price movements of the underlying index generally or in a particular segment of the index rather than price movements of individual components of the index. As with other options, the Fund may close out its position in index options through closing purchase transactions and closing sale transactions provided that a liquid secondary market exists for such options.

Index options written by the Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or segregating or earmarking cash or liquid assets. The Fund may cover call options written on an index by owning securities or other assets whose price changes, in the opinion of the Adviser, are expected to correlate to those of the underlying index.


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Foreign Currency Options. Options on foreign currencies operate similarly to options on securities. Rather than the right to buy or sell a single security at a specified price, options on foreign currencies give the holder the right to buy or sell foreign currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars or other base currencies. Options on foreign currencies are traded primarily in the OTC market, but may also be traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges. The value of a foreign currency option is dependent upon the value of the underlying foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other base currency. The price of the option may vary with changes in, among other things, the value of either or both currencies and has no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security. Options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors which influence foreign exchange rates and foreign investment generally. As with other options, the Fund may close out its position in foreign currency options through closing purchase transactions and closing sale transactions provided that a liquid market exists for such options.

Foreign currency options written by the Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or segregating or earmarking cash or liquid assets.

Additional Risks of Options Transactions. The risks associated with options transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Options are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of options requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the option itself. Options may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described herein, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

•  The exercise of options written or purchased by the Fund could cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities, thus increasing the Fund's portfolio turnover.

•  The Fund pays brokerage commissions each time it writes or purchases an option or buys or sells an underlying security in connection with the exercise of an option. Such brokerage commissions could be higher relative to the commissions for direct purchases of sales of the underlying securities.

•  The Fund's options transactions may be limited by limitations on options positions established by the SEC, the CFTC or the exchanges on which such options are traded.

•  The hours of trading for exchange listed options may not coincide with the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying securities that cannot be reflected in the options markets.

•  Index options based upon a narrow index of securities or other assets may present greater risks than options based on broad market indices, as narrower indices are more susceptible to rapid and extreme fluctuations as a result of changes in the values of a smaller number of securities or other assets.

•  The Fund is subject to the risk of market movements between the time that an option is exercised and the time of performance thereunder, which could increase the extent of any losses suffered by the Fund in connection with options transactions.

Futures Contracts

A futures contract is a standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time (the "settlement date"). Futures contracts may be based on, among other things, a specified equity security (securities futures), a specified debt security or reference rate (interest rate futures), the value of a specified securities index (index futures) or the value of a foreign currency (currency futures). The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. The buyer of a futures contract agrees to purchase the underlying instrument on the settlement date and is said to be "long" the contract. The seller of a futures contract agrees to sell the underlying instrument on the settlement


11



date and is said to be "short" the contract. Futures contracts call for settlement only on the expiration date and cannot be "exercised" at any other time during their term.

Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date (such as in the case of securities futures based on a specified debt security) or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date (such as in the case of futures contracts relating to interest rates, foreign currencies and broad-based securities indices). In the case of cash-settled futures contracts, the settlement amount is equal to the difference between the reference instrument's price on the last trading day of the contract and the reference instrument's price at the time the contract was entered into. Most futures contracts, particularly futures contracts requiring physical delivery, are not held until the settlement date, but instead are offset before the settlement date through the establishment of an opposite and equal futures position (buying a contract that had been sold, or selling a contract that had been purchased). All futures transactions are effected through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the futures are traded.

The buyer and seller of a futures contract are not required to deliver or pay for the underlying commodity unless the contract is held until the settlement date. However, both the buyer and seller are required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures commission merchant when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as a percentage of the contract's market value. If the value of either party's position declines, the party will be required to make additional "variation margin" payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. The process is known as "marking-to-market." Upon the closing of a futures position through the establishment of an offsetting position, a final determination of variation margin will be made and additional cash will be paid by or released to the Fund.

In addition, the Fund may be required to earmark cash or liquid assets or maintain segregated cash or liquid assets in order to cover futures transactions. The Fund will earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets in an amount equal to the difference between the market value of a futures contract entered into by the Fund and the aggregate value of the initial and variation margin payments made by the Fund with respect to such contract or as otherwise permitted by SEC rules or SEC staff positions. See "Regulatory Matters" below.

Forwards. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between two parties to exchange specified amounts of two or more currencies at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate specified by the foreign currency forward exchange contract can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. Currency futures are similar to foreign currency forward exchange contracts, except that they are traded on an exchange and standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures call for payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in losses to the Fund and poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into foreign currency forward exchange contracts. The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts under various circumstances. The typical use of a foreign currency forward exchange contract is to "lock in" the price of a security in U.S. dollars or some other foreign currency, which the Fund is holding in its portfolio. By entering into a foreign currency forward exchange contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of dollars or other currency, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying security transactions, the Fund may be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar or other currency which is being used for the security purchase and the foreign currency in which the security is denominated during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received. The Adviser also may from time to time utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts for other purposes. For example, they may be used to hedge a foreign security held in the portfolio, against a decline in value of the applicable foreign currency. They also may be used to lock in the current exchange rate of the currency in which those securities anticipated to be purchased are denominated. At times, the Fund may enter into "cross-currency" hedging transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities are held or proposed to be purchased denominated.

The Fund will not enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts or maintain a net exposure to these contracts where the consummation of the contracts would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Fund's portfolio securities.


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When required by law, the Fund will segregate or earmark cash, U.S. government securities or other appropriate liquid portfolio securities in an amount equal to the value of the Fund's total assets committed to the consummation of foreign currency forward exchange contracts entered into under the circumstances set forth above. If the value of the securities so earmarked declines, additional cash or securities will be segregated or earmarked on a daily basis so that the value of such securities will equal the amount of the Fund's commitments with respect to such contracts.

The Fund may be limited in its ability to enter into hedging transactions involving foreign currency forward exchange contracts by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), requirements relating to qualification as a regulated investment company.

Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may limit gains on portfolio securities that could otherwise be realized had they not been utilized and could result in losses. The contracts also may increase the Fund's volatility and may involve a significant amount of risk relative to the investment of cash.

Options on Futures Contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that options on futures contracts give the purchasers the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position in the case of a call option and a short position in the case of a put option) at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the parties will be subject to all of the risks associated with futures transactions and subject to margin requirements. As the writer of options on futures contracts, the Fund would also be subject to initial and variation margin requirements on the option position.

Options on futures contracts written by the Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or segregating or earmarking cash or liquid assets. The Fund may cover an option on a futures contract by purchasing or selling the underlying futures contract. In such instances the exercise of the option will serve to close out the Fund's futures position.

Additional Risk of Futures Transactions. The risks associated with futures contract transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Futures are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of futures requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the futures contract itself. Futures may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described herein, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

•  The risk of loss in buying and selling futures contracts can be substantial. Small price movements in the commodity underlying a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) to the Fund.

•  Buying and selling futures contracts may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the position in the form of initial margin. In the event of adverse price movements in the underlying commodity, security, index, currency or instrument, the Fund would be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. The Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities, or make or take delivery of the underlying securities in order to meet daily margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The Fund could lose margin payments deposited with a futures commission merchant if the futures commission merchant breaches its agreement with the Fund, becomes insolvent or declares bankruptcy.

•  Most exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during any single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at prices beyond that limit. If futures contract prices were to move to the daily limit for several trading days with little or no trading, the Fund could be prevented from prompt liquidation of a futures position and subject to substantial losses. The daily limit governs only price movements during a single trading day and therefore does not limit the Fund's potential losses.

•  Index futures based upon a narrower index of securities may present greater risks than futures based on broad market indices, as narrower indices are more susceptible to rapid and extreme fluctuations as a result of changes in value of a small number of securities.


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Swap Contracts and Related Derivative Instruments

An OTC swap contract is an agreement between two parties pursuant to which the parties exchange payments at specified dates on the basis of a specified notional amount, with the payments calculated by reference to specified securities, indices, reference rates, currencies or other instruments. Most swap agreements provide that when the period payment dates for both parties are the same, the payments are made on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with only the net amount paid by one party to the other). The Fund's obligations or rights under a swap contract entered into on a net basis will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each party. Most swap agreements are generally not entered into or traded on exchanges and there is no central clearing or guaranty function for swaps. These OTC swaps are often subject to the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of the counterparty to determine the likelihood that the terms of the swap will be satisfied.

Swap agreements allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments, U.S. dollar denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in foreign currencies, and payments tied to the price of one security, index, reference rate, currency or other instrument may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of a different security, index, reference rate, currency or other instrument. Swap contracts are typically individually negotiated and structured to provide exposure to a variety of particular types of investments or market factors. Swap contracts can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names. To the extent consistent with a Fund's investment objectives and policies, the Fund is not limited to any particular form or variety of swap contract. The Fund may utilize swaps to increase or decrease its exposure to the underlying instrument, reference rate, foreign currency, market index or other asset. The Fund may also enter into related derivative instruments including caps, floors and collars.

The Fund may be required to cover swap transactions. Obligations under swap agreements entered into on a net basis are generally accrued daily and any accrued but unpaid amounts owed by the Fund to the swap counterparty will be covered by earmarking or segregating cash or liquid assets. If the Fund enters into a swap agreement on other than a net basis, the Fund will earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets with a value equal to the full amount of the Fund's accrued obligations under the agreement.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments will require the clearing and exchange-trading of many OTC swap agreements. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis.

Index Swaps. An index swap consists of an agreement between two parties in which a party exchanges a cash flow based on a notional amount of a reference index for a cash flow based on a different index or on another specified instrument or reference rate. Index swaps are generally entered into on a net basis.

Inflation Swaps. Inflation swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to pay the cumulative percentage increase in a price index, such as the Consumer Price Index, over the term of the swap (with some lag on the referenced inflation index), and the other party pays a compounded fixed rate. Inflation swap agreements may be used to protect the net asset value of the Fund against an unexpected change in the rate of inflation measured by an inflation index. The value of inflation swap agreements is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation.

Swaptions. An option on a swap agreement, also called a "swaption," is an option that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap on a future date in exchange for paying a market based "premium." A receiver swaption gives the owner the right to receive the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. A payer swaption gives the owner the right to pay the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. Swaptions also include options that allow an existing swap to be terminated or extended by one of the counterparties.

General Risks of Swaps. The risks associated with swap transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of swaps requires an understanding not only of the


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underlying instrument but also of the swap contract itself. Swap transactions may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described above, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

•  OTC swap agreements are not traded on exchanges and may be subject to liquidity risks, which exist when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell.

•  In addition to the risk of default by the counterparty, if the creditworthiness of a counterparty to a swap agreement declines, the value of the swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses.

•  The swaps market is subject to extensive regulation under the Dodd-Frank Act and certain CFTC and SEC rules promulgated thereunder. It is possible that further developments in the swaps market, including new and additional governmental regulation, could result in higher Fund costs and expenses and could adversely affect the Fund's ability to utilize swaps, terminate existing swap agreements or realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Combined Transactions

Combined transactions involve entering into multiple derivatives transactions (such as multiple options transactions, including purchasing and writing options in combination with each other; multiple futures transactions; and combinations of options, futures, forward and swap transactions) instead of a single derivatives transaction in order to customize the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. Combined transactions typically contain elements of risk that are present in each of the component transactions. The Fund may enter into a combined transaction instead of a single derivatives transaction when, in the opinion of the Adviser, it is in the best interest of the Fund to do so. Because combined transactions involve multiple transactions, they may result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to close out.

Regulatory Matters

As described herein, the Fund may be required to cover its potential economic exposure to certain derivatives transactions by holding an offsetting financial position and/or earmarking or segregating cash or liquid assets equal in value to the Fund's potential economic exposure under the transaction. The Fund will cover such transactions as described herein or in such other manner in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Assets used to cover derivatives transactions cannot be sold while the derivatives position is open, unless they are replaced by other appropriate assets. Earmarked or segregated cash or liquid assets and assets held in margin accounts are not otherwise available to the Fund for investment purposes. If a large portion of the Fund's assets are used to cover derivatives transactions or are otherwise earmarked or segregated, it could affect portfolio management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. With respect to derivatives which are cash-settled (i.e., have no physical delivery requirement), the Fund is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund's daily marked-to-market net obligations (i.e., the Fund's daily net liability) under the derivative, if any, rather than the derivative's full notional value or the market value of the instrument underlying the derivative, as applicable. By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled derivatives, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional amount of the derivative or the market value of the underlying instrument, as applicable.

Regulatory developments affecting the exchange-traded and OTC derivatives markets may impair the Fund's ability to manage or hedge its investment portfolio through the use of derivatives. The Dodd-Frank Act and the rules promulgated thereunder may limit the ability of the Fund to enter into one or more exchange-traded or OTC derivatives transactions.

The Fund's use of derivatives may also be limited by the requirements of the Code, for qualification as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has filed with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" ("CPO") under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA") and the rules of the CFTC promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Fund's operations. Therefore, neither the Fund nor the Adviser (with respect to the Fund) is subject to registration or regulation


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as a commodity pool or CPO under the CEA. If the Fund becomes subject to these requirements, as well as related NFA rules, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.

Structured Investments

The Fund also may invest a portion of its assets in structured investments. A structured investment is a derivative security designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying security, currency, commodity or market, for which the amount of principal repayment and/or interest payments is based on the change in value of such underlying security, currency, commodity or market, including, among others, currency exchange rates, interest rates (such as the prime lending rate or LIBOR), referenced bonds and stock indices or other financial references. Structured investments may come in various forms, including notes, warrants and options to purchase securities, and may be listed and traded on an exchange or otherwise traded in the OTC market.

The Fund will typically use structured investments to gain exposure to a permitted underlying security, currency, commodity or market when direct access to such security, currency, commodity or market is limited or inefficient from a tax, cost or regulatory standpoint. Investments in structured investments involve risks including issuer risk, counterparty risk and market risk. Holders of structured investments bear risks of the underlying investment and are subject to issuer or counterparty risk because the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such issuer or counterparty and has no rights with respect to the issuer of the underlying investment. Certain structured investments may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing the Fund's illiquidity to the extent that the Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these investments.

A structured investment may be linked either positively or negatively to an underlying security, currency, commodity, index or market and a change in interest rates, principal amount, volatility, currency values or other factors, depending on the structured investment's design, may result in a gain or loss that is a multiple of the movement of such interest rates, principal amount, volatility, currency values or other factors. Application of a multiplier is comparable to the use of financial leverage, a speculative technique. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. As a result, a relatively small decline in the value of the referenced factor could result in a relatively large loss in the value of a structured investment.

Other types of structured investments include interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of underlying investment interests or securities. This type of securitization or restructuring usually involves the deposit or purchase of an underlying security by a U.S. or foreign entity, such as a corporation or trust of specified instruments, and the issuance by that entity of one or more classes of securities backed by, or representing an interest in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow or rate of return on the underlying investments may be apportioned among the newly issued securities to create different investment characteristics, such as varying maturities, credit quality, payment priorities and interest rate provisions. Structured investments which are subordinated, for example, in payment priority often offer higher returns, but may result in increased risks compared to other investments.

Contracts for Difference ("CFDs"). The Fund may purchase CFDs. A CFD is a privately negotiated contract between two parties, buyer and seller, stipulating that the seller will pay to or receive from the buyer the difference between the nominal value of the underlying instrument at the opening of the contract and that instrument's value at the end of the contract. The underlying instrument may be a single security, stock basket or index. A CFD can be set up to take either a short or long position on the underlying instrument. The buyer and seller are both required to post margin, which is adjusted daily. The buyer will also pay to the seller a financing rate on the notional amount of the capital employed by the seller less the margin deposit. A CFD is usually terminated at the buyer's initiative. The seller of the CFD will simply match the exposure of the underlying instrument in the open market and the parties will exchange whatever payment is due.

As is the case with owning any financial instrument, there is the risk of loss associated with buying a CFD. For example, if the Fund buys a long CFD and the underlying security is worth less at the end of the contract, the Fund would be required to make a payment to the seller and would suffer a loss. Also, there may be liquidity risk if the underlying instrument is illiquid because the liquidity of a CFD is based on the liquidity of the underlying instrument. A further risk is that adverse movements in the underlying security will require the buyer to post additional margin. CFDs also carry counterparty risk, i.e., the risk that the


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counterparty to the CFD transaction may be unable or unwilling to make payments or to otherwise honor its financial obligations under the terms of the contract. If the counterparty were to do so, the value of the contract, and of the Fund's shares, may be reduced.

To the extent that there is an imperfect correlation between the return on the Fund's obligation to its counterparty under the CFDs and the return on related assets in its portfolio, the CFD transaction may increase the Fund's financial risk. The Fund will not enter into a CFD transaction that is inconsistent with its investment objective, policies and strategies.

Money Market Securities. The Fund may invest in various money market securities for cash management purposes or when assuming a temporary defensive position, which among others may include commercial paper, bankers' acceptances, bank obligations, corporate debt securities, certificates of deposit, U.S. government securities, obligations of savings institutions and repurchase agreements. Such securities are limited to:

U.S. Government Securities. Obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States or its agencies (such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Federal Housing Administration and Government National Mortgage Association) or its instrumentalities (such as the Federal Home Loan Bank), including Treasury bills, notes and bonds;

Bank Obligations. Obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers' acceptances) of banks subject to regulation by the U.S. Government and having total assets of $1 billion or more, and instruments secured by such obligations, not including obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks except to the extent below;

Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit. Eurodollar certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of domestic banks having total assets of $1 billion or more;

Obligations of Savings Institutions. Certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan associations, having total assets of $1 billion or more;

Fully Insured Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit of banks and savings institutions, having total assets of less than $1 billion, if the principal amount of the obligation is federally insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund (each of which is administered by the FDIC), limited to $250,000 principal amount per certificate (a temporary increase from $100,000, which is due to expire on December 31, 2013) and to 10% or less of the Fund's total assets in all such obligations and in all illiquid assets, in the aggregate;

Commercial Paper. Commercial paper rated within the two highest grades by Standard & Poor's Rating Group, a division of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. ("S&P"), or by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or, if not rated, issued by a company having an outstanding debt issue rated at least AA by S&P or Aa by Moody's; and

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. When cash may be available for only a few days, it may be invested by the Fund in repurchase agreements until such time as it may otherwise be invested or used for payments of obligations of the Fund. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Fund of debt securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Fund will sell back to the institution, and that the institution will repurchase, the underlying securities serving as collateral at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future, usually not more than seven days from the date of purchase. The collateral will be marked-to-market daily to determine that the value of the collateral, as specified in the agreement, does not decrease below the purchase price plus accrued interest. If such decrease occurs, additional collateral will be requested and, when received, added to the account to maintain full collateralization. The Fund will accrue interest from the institution until the time when the repurchase is to occur. Although this date is deemed by the Fund to be the maturity date of a repurchase agreement, the maturities of securities subject to repurchase agreements are not subject to any limits.

While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities, the Fund follows procedures approved by the Trustees that are designed to minimize such risks. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions whose financial condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. In addition, as


17



described above, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of the Fund's right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. It is the current policy of the Fund not to invest in repurchase agreements that do not mature within seven days if any such investment, together with any other illiquid assets held by the Fund, amounts to more than 15% of its net assets.

Zero Coupon Securities. A portion of the fixed-income securities purchased by the Fund may be "zero coupon" securities. Such securities are purchased at a discount from their face amount, giving the purchaser the right to receive their full value at maturity. The interest earned on such securities is, implicitly, automatically compounded and paid out at maturity. While such compounding at a constant rate eliminates the risk of receiving lower yields upon reinvestment of interest if prevailing interest rates decline, the owner of a zero coupon security will be unable to participate in higher yields upon reinvestment of interest received on interest-paying securities if prevailing interest rates rise.

A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life. Therefore, to the extent the Fund invests in zero coupon securities, it will not receive current cash available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, a zero coupon security is subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing prevailing interest rates than are comparable securities which pay interest on a current basis. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Fund) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on the security during the year.

Borrowing. The Fund has an operating policy, which may be changed by the Fund's Board of Trustees, not to borrow except from a bank for temporary or emergency purposes in amounts not exceeding 5% (taken at the lower of cost or current value) of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed). Should the Board of Trustees remove this operating policy, the Fund would be permitted to borrow money from banks in accordance with the Investment Company Act or the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder. Currently, the Investment Company Act permits a fund to borrow money from banks in an amount up to 331/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less its liabilities (not including any borrowings but including the fair market value at the time of computation of any other senior securities then outstanding). The Fund may also borrow an additional 5% of its total assets without regard to the foregoing limitation for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions. The Fund will only borrow when the Adviser believes that such borrowings will benefit the Fund after taking into account considerations such as interest income and possible gains or losses upon liquidation. The Fund will maintain asset coverage in accordance with the Investment Company Act.

Borrowing by the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income but, at the same time, creates special risks. For example, leveraging may exaggerate changes in and increase the volatility of the net asset value of Fund shares. This is because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. The use of leverage also may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous in order to do so to satisfy its obligations or to maintain asset coverage.

In general, the Fund may not issue any class of senior security, except that the Fund may (i) borrow from banks, provided that immediately following any such borrowing there is an asset coverage of at least 300% for all Fund borrowings and in the event such asset coverage falls below 300% the Fund will within three days or such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rules and regulations, reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300%, and (ii) engage in trading practices which could be deemed to involve the issuance of a senior security, including but not limited to options, futures, forward contracts and reverse repurchase agreements, provided that the Fund earmarks or segregates cash or liquid assets in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and interpretations.

Real Estate Investment Trusts ("REITs") and Foreign Real Estate Companies. The Fund may invest in REITs and foreign real estate companies, which are similar to entities organized and operated as REITs in the United States. REITs and foreign real estate companies pool investors' funds for investment primarily in real estate properties or real estate-related loans. REITs and foreign real estate companies


18



generally derive their income from rents on the underlying properties or interest on the underlying loans, and their value is impacted by changes in the value of the underlying property or changes in interest rates affecting the underlying loans owned by the REITs and/or foreign real estate companies. REITs and foreign real estate companies are more susceptible to risks associated with the ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These risks can include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; increases in competition, property taxes, capital expenditure or operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting the real estate industry. In addition, REITs and foreign real estate companies depend upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified (which may increase the volatility of a REIT's and/or foreign real estate company's value), may have less trading volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities market. Foreign real estate companies may be subject to laws, rules and regulations governing those entities and their failure to comply with those laws, rules and regulations could negatively impact the performance of those entities. Operating REITs and foreign real estate companies requires specialized management skills and the Fund indirectly bears REIT and foreign real estate company management expenses along with the direct expenses of the Fund. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Code. REITs are subject to the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code.

Loans of Portfolio Securities. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, banks and other institutional investors. By lending its portfolio securities, the Fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the cash collateral with respect to the loan or fees received from the borrower in connection with the loan. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. The Fund employs an agent to implement the securities lending program and the agent receives a fee from the Fund for its services. The Fund will not lend more than 25% of the value of its total assets.

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities so long as the terms, structure and the aggregate amount of such loans are not inconsistent with the Investment Company Act or the rules and regulations or interpretations of the SEC thereunder, which currently require that (i) the borrower pledge and maintain with the Fund collateral consisting of liquid, unencumbered assets having a value at all times not less than 100% of the value of the securities loaned; (ii) the borrower add to such collateral whenever the price of the securities loaned rises (i.e., the borrower "marks to market" on a daily basis); (iii) the loan be made subject to termination by the Fund at any time; and (iv) the Fund receives a reasonable return on the loan (which may include the Fund investing any cash collateral in interest bearing short-term investments), any distributions on the loaned securities and any increase in their market value. In addition, voting rights may pass with the loaned securities, but the Fund will retain the right to call any security in anticipation of a vote that the Adviser deems material to the security on loan.

There may be risks of delay and costs involved in recovery of securities or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. However, loans will be made only to borrowers deemed by the Adviser to be creditworthy and when, in the judgment of the Adviser, the income which can be earned from such securities loans justifies the attendant risk. All relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the broker, dealer, bank or institution, will be considered in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to review by the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Fund also bears the risk that the reinvestment of collateral will result in a principal loss. Finally, there is the risk that the price of the securities will increase while they are on loan and the collateral will not be adequate to cover their value.

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments. From time to time, the Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis or may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. When these transactions are negotiated, the price is fixed at the time of the commitment, but delivery and payment can take place a month or more after the date of commitment. While the Fund will only purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis with the intention of acquiring the securities, the Fund may sell the securities before the settlement date, if it is deemed advisable. The securities so purchased or sold are subject to market fluctuation and no interest or dividends accrue to the purchaser prior to the settlement date.


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At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, it will record the transaction and thereafter reflect the value, each day, of such security purchased, or if a sale, the proceeds to be received, in determining its net asset value. At the time of delivery of the securities, their value may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. An increase in the percentage of the Fund's assets committed to the purchase of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis may increase the volatility of its net asset value. The Fund will also earmark cash or liquid assets or establish a segregated account on the Fund's books in which it will continually maintain cash or cash equivalents or other liquid portfolio securities equal in value to commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

When, As and If Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a "when, as and if issued" basis, under which the issuance of the security depends upon the occurrence of a subsequent event, such as approval of a merger, corporate reorganization or debt restructuring. The commitment for the purchase of any such security will not be recognized in the portfolio of the Fund until the Adviser determines that issuance of the security is probable. At that time, the Fund will record the transaction and, in determining its net asset value, will reflect the value of the security daily. At that time, the Fund will also earmark cash or liquid assets or establish a segregated account on the Fund's books in which it will maintain cash, cash equivalents or other liquid portfolio securities equal in value to recognized commitments for such securities.

An increase in the percentage of the Fund's total assets committed to the purchase of securities on a "when, as and if issued" basis may increase the volatility of its net asset value. The Fund may also sell securities on a "when, as and if issued" basis provided that the issuance of the security will result automatically from the exchange or conversion of a security owned by the Fund at the time of sale.

Private Placements and Restricted Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities which are subject to restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or which are otherwise not readily marketable. (Securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, and determined to be liquid pursuant to the procedures discussed in the following paragraph, are not subject to the foregoing restriction.) These securities are generally referred to as private placements or restricted securities. Such securities may involve a higher degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. As a result of the absence of a public trading market for these securities, they may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. To the extent these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less than what may be considered the fair value of such securities. Furthermore, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements which might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities. If such securities are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being sold, the Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration.

Rule 144A permits the Fund to sell restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers without limitation. The Adviser, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trustees, will make a determination as to the liquidity of each restricted security purchased by the Fund. If a restricted security is determined to be "liquid," the security will not be included within the category "illiquid securities," which may not exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets. However, investing in Rule 144A securities could have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent the Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing such securities.

Private Investments in Public Equity. The Fund may purchase equity securities in a private placement that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class ("private investments in public equity" or "PIPES"). Shares in PIPES generally are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPES are restricted as to resale and the Fund cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPES to be illiquid


20



during this time. PIPES may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect.

Limited Partnership Interests. A limited partnership interest entitles the Fund to participate in the investment return of the partnership's assets as defined by the agreement among the partners. As a limited partner, the Fund generally is not permitted to participate in the management of the partnership. However, unlike a general partner whose liability is not limited, a limited partner's liability generally is limited to the amount of its commitment to the partnership. The Fund may invest in limited liability company interests to the same extent it invests in limited partnership interests. Limited liability company interests have similar characteristics as limited partnership interests.

Warrants and Subscription Rights. The Fund may acquire warrants and subscription rights attached to other securities. A warrant is, in effect, an option to purchase equity securities at a specific price, generally valid for a specific period of time, and has no voting rights, pays no dividends and has no rights with respect to the corporation issuing it.

A subscription right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is offered to the public. A subscription right normally has a life of two to four weeks and a subscription price lower than the current market value of the common stock.

Investment Company Securities. Investment company securities are securities of other open-end, closed-end and unregistered investment companies, including foreign investment companies and exchange-traded funds. The Fund may invest in investment company securities as may be permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time; (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time; or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time. The Investment Company Act generally prohibits an investment company from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of the Fund's total assets in any one investment company, and no more than 10% in any combination of investment companies. The Fund may invest in investment company securities of investment companies managed by the Adviser or its affiliates to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act or as otherwise authorized by the SEC. To the extent the Fund invests a portion of its assets in investment company securities, those assets will be subject to the risks of the purchased investment company's portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly the expenses of the purchased investment company.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Fund may invest all or some of its short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. In connection with any such investments, the Fund, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, will pay its share of all expenses (other than advisory and administrative fees) of a money market fund in which it invests which may result in the Fund bearing some additional expenses.

Exchange-Traded Funds ("ETFs"). The Fund may invest in various ETFs. Investments in ETFs are subject to a variety of risks, including the risks of a direct investment in the underlying securities that the ETF holds. For example, the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of the underlying investments of the ETF and, consequently, the value of the ETF. In addition, the market value of the ETF shares may differ from their net asset value because the supply and demand the market for ETF shares at any point is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the performance of the index exactly due to the ETF's operating expenses and transaction costs. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. Therefore, as a shareholder in an ETF (as with other investment companies), the Fund would bear its ratable share of that entity's expenses. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment management fees and other expenses. As a result, the Fund and its shareholders, in effect, will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in ETFs.


21



C. Fund Policies/Investment Restrictions

The investment objective, policies and restrictions listed below have been adopted by the Fund as fundamental policies. Under the Investment Company Act, a fundamental policy may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Company Act defines a majority as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares present at a meeting of shareholders, if the holders of 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy; or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. For purposes of the following restrictions: (i) all percentage limitations apply immediately after a purchase or initial investment, and (ii) any subsequent change in any applicable percentage resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in total or net assets does not require elimination of any security from the portfolio, except in the case of borrowing and investments in illiquid securities.

The Fund will:

1. Seek long-term capital growth.

The Fund will not:

1. Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to cash equivalents.

2. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein (including limited partnership interests), although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein.

3. Borrow money, except the Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time.

4. Make loans of money or property to any person, except (a) to the extent that securities or interests in which the Fund may invest are considered to be loans, (b) through the loan of portfolio securities, (c) by engaging in repurchase agreements or (d) as may otherwise be permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time.

5. Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts and related options thereon, forward contracts, swaps, caps, floors, collars and any other financial instruments or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities or as otherwise permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time.

6. Issue senior securities, except the Fund may issue senior securities to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time, or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time.

7. Engage in the underwriting of securities, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act in disposing of a portfolio security.

In addition, as non-fundamental policies which can be changed with Board approval and without shareholder vote, the Fund will not:

1. Make short sales of securities, except short sales against the box.

2. Invest its assets in the securities of any investment company except as may be permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time; (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time; or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the Investment Company Act, as amended from time to time.


22



The Fund has an operating policy, which may be changed by the Fund's Board of Trustees, not to borrow except from a bank for temporary or emergency purposes in amounts not exceeding 5% (taken at the lower of cost or current value) of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed).

Notwithstanding any other investment policy or restriction, the Fund may seek to achieve its investment objective by investing all or substantially all of its assets in another investment company having substantially the same investment objective and policies as the Fund.

The investment policies, limitations or practices of the Fund may not apply during periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. Such market, economic, political or other conditions may include periods of abnormal or heightened market volatility, strained credit and/or liquidity conditions or increased governmental intervention in the markets or industries. During such periods, the Fund may not invest according to its principal investment strategies or in the manner in which its name may suggest, and may be subject to different and/or heightened risks. It is possible that such unusual or adverse conditions may continue for extended periods of time.

D. Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The Fund's Board of Trustees and the Adviser have adopted policies and procedures regarding disclosure of portfolio holdings (the "Policy"). Pursuant to the Policy, the Adviser may disclose information concerning Fund portfolio holdings only if such disclosure is consistent with the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Fund's and the Adviser's fiduciary duties to Fund shareholders. In no instance may the Adviser or the Fund receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with the disclosure of information about the portfolio securities of the Fund. Consideration includes any agreement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any affiliated person of the Adviser. Non-public information concerning portfolio holdings may be divulged to third-parties only when the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so and the recipients of the information are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Under no circumstances shall current or prospective Fund shareholders receive non-public portfolio holdings information, except as described below.

The Fund makes available on its public website the following portfolio holdings information:

•  complete portfolio holdings information monthly, at least 15 calendar days after the end of each month; and

•  top 10 holdings monthly, at least 15 calendar days after the end of each month.

The Fund provides a complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the second and fourth fiscal quarters in its semiannual and annual reports, and for the first and third fiscal quarters in its filings with the SEC on Form N-Q.

All other portfolio holdings information that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available to investors generally as described above is non-public information for purposes of the Policy.

The Fund may make selective disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information pursuant to certain exemptions set forth in the Policy. Third-parties eligible for exemptions under the Policy and therefore eligible to receive such disclosures currently include fund rating agencies, information exchange subscribers, consultants and analysts, portfolio analytics providers and service providers, provided that the third-party expressly agrees to maintain the disclosed information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities or related derivative securities based on the non-public information. Non-public portfolio holdings information may not be disclosed to a third-party pursuant to an exemption unless and until the third-party recipient has entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the Fund and the arrangement has been reviewed and approved, as set forth in the Policy and discussed below. In addition, persons who owe a duty of trust or confidence to the Fund or the Adviser may receive non-public portfolio holdings information without entering into a non-disclosure agreement. Currently, these persons include (i) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm (as of the Fund's fiscal year-end and on an as-needed basis), (ii) counsel to the Fund (on an as-needed basis), (iii) counsel to the independent Trustees (on an as-needed basis) and (iv) members of the Board of Trustees (on an as-needed basis). Subject to the terms and conditions of any agreement between the Adviser or the Fund and the third-party recipient, if these conditions for disclosure are satisfied, there shall be no restriction on the frequency with which Fund non-public portfolio holdings information is released, and no lag period shall apply (unless otherwise indicated below).


23



The Adviser may provide interest lists to broker-dealers who execute securities transactions for the Fund without entering into a non-disclosure agreement with the broker-dealers, provided that the interest list satisfies all of the following criteria: (1) the interest list must contain only the CUSIP numbers and/or ticker symbols of securities held in all registered management investment companies advised by the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser (the "MSIM Funds") on an aggregate, rather than a fund-by-fund basis; (2) the interest list must not contain information about the number or value of shares owned by a specified MSIM Fund; (3) the interest list may identify the investment strategy, but not the particular MSIM Funds, to which the list relates; and (4) the interest list may not identify the portfolio manager or team members responsible for managing the MSIM Funds.

Fund shareholders may elect in some circumstances to redeem their shares of the Fund in exchange for their pro rata share of the securities held by the Fund. Under such circumstances, Fund shareholders may receive a complete listing of the holdings of the Fund up to seven calendar days prior to making the redemption request provided that they represent in writing that they agree not to disclose or trade on the basis of the portfolio holdings information.

The Fund may discuss or otherwise disclose performance attribution analyses (i.e., mention the effects of having a particular security in the portfolio(s)) where such discussion is not contemporaneously made public, provided that the particular holding has been disclosed publicly. Additionally, any discussion of the analyses may not be more current than the date the holding was disclosed publicly.

The Fund may disclose portfolio holdings to transition managers, provided that the Fund has entered into a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement with the party requesting that the information be provided to the transition manager and the party to the non-disclosure agreement has, in turn, entered into a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement with the transition manager.

The Adviser and/or the Fund currently have entered into ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

Name

 

Information Disclosed

  Frequency(1)   

Lag Time

 

Service Providers

             
RiskMetrics Group
(proxy voting agent)(*)
 

Complete portfolio holdings

 

Daily basis

 

(2)

 
State Street Bank and Trust Company(*)  

Complete portfolio holdings

 

As needed

  (2)  

Fund Rating Agencies

             
Lipper(*)  

Top ten and complete portfolio holdings

 

Monthly basis

 

Approximately six business days after month end

 

Consultants and Analysts

             
Citigroup(*)  

Complete portfolio holdings

  Quarterly basis(3)  

At least one day after quarter end

 
Credit Suisse First Boston(*)  

Top ten and complete portfolio holdings

 

Monthly and quarterly basis, respectively

 

Approximately 10-12 days after month/quarter end

 
Evaluation Associates(*)  

Top ten and complete portfolio holdings

  Monthly and quarterly basis, respectively(3)  

Approximately 10-12 days after month/quarter end

 
Merrill Lynch(*)  

Top ten and complete portfolio holdings

  Monthly and quarterly basis, respectively(3)  

Approximately 10-12 days after month/quarter end

 

Portfolio Analytics Providers

             
FactSet Research Systems, Inc.(*)  

Complete portfolio holdings

 

Daily basis

 

One day

 

(*)  This entity has agreed to maintain Fund non-public portfolio holdings information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public portfolio holdings information.

(1)  Dissemination of portfolio holdings information to entities listed above may occur less frequently than indicated (or not at all).

(2)  Information will typically be provided on a real time basis or as soon thereafter as possible.

(3)  This information will also be provided upon request from time to time.

All disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information made to third-parties pursuant to the exemptions set forth in the Policy must be reviewed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management's ("MSIM") Legal


24



and Compliance Division and approved by the Head of the Long-Only Business of MSIM. Disclosures made to third-parties in connection with (i) broker-dealer interest lists; (ii) shareholder in-kind distributions; (iii) attribution analyses; or (iv) transitions managers are pre-approved for purposes of the Policy. In addition, the following categories of third-parties that may receive non-public portfolio holdings information are also pre-approved provided that they enter into non-disclosure agreements (as discussed above): (i) fund rating agencies; (ii) information exchange subscribers; (iii) consultants and analysts (including defined benefit and defined contribution plan sponsors, and variable annuity providers); (iv) portfolio analytics providers; and (v) service providers.

The Adviser shall report quarterly to the Board of Trustees (or a designated committee thereof) at the next regularly scheduled meeting: (i) any material information concerning all parties receiving non-public portfolio holdings information pursuant to an exemption; and (ii) any new non-disclosure agreements entered into during the reporting period. Procedures to monitor the use of such non-public portfolio holdings information may include requiring annual certifications that the recipients have utilized such information only pursuant to the terms of the agreement between the recipient and the Adviser and, for those recipients receiving information electronically, acceptance of the information will constitute reaffirmation that the third- party expressly agrees to maintain the disclosed information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public information.

III. MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

A. Board of Trustees

General. The Board of Trustees of the Fund oversees the management of the Fund, but does not itself manage the Fund. The Trustees review various services provided by or under the direction of the Adviser to ensure that the Fund's general investment policies and programs are properly carried out. The Trustees also conduct their review to ensure that administrative services are provided to the Fund in a satisfactory manner.

Under state law, the duties of the Trustees are generally characterized as a duty of loyalty and a duty of care. The duty of loyalty requires a Trustee to exercise his or her powers in the interest of the Fund and not the Trustee's own interest or the interest of another person or organization. A Trustee satisfies his or her duty of care by acting in good faith with the care of an ordinarily prudent person and in a manner the Trustee reasonably believes to be in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

Trustees and Officers. The Board of the Fund consists of 10 Trustees. These same individuals also serve as directors or trustees for certain of the funds advised by the Adviser and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP. Nine Trustees have no affiliation or business connection with the Adviser or any of its affiliated persons and do not own any stock or other securities issued by the Adviser's parent company, Morgan Stanley. These are the "non-interested" or "Independent" Trustees. The other Trustee (the "Interested Trustee") is affiliated with the Adviser.

Board Structure and Oversight Function. The Board's leadership structure features an Independent Trustee serving as Chairperson and the Board Committees described below. The Chairperson participates in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board and the preparation of information to be presented to the Board with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board. The Chairperson also presides at all meetings of the Board and is involved in discussions regarding matters pertaining to the oversight of the management of the Fund between meetings.

The Board of Trustees operates using a system of committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of all matters of importance to the Trustees, the Fund and Fund shareholders, and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and oversight of the Fund's activities and associated risks. The Board of Trustees has established four standing committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee, (4) Investment Committee and (5) Closed-End Fund Committee. The Audit Committee, the Governance Committee and the Closed-End Fund Committee are comprised exclusively of Independent Trustees. Each committee charter governs the scope of the committee's responsibilities with respect to the oversight of the Fund. The responsibilities of each committee,


25



including their oversight responsibilities, are described further under the caption "Independent Trustees and the Committees."

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risk, among others. The Board of Trustees oversees these risks as part of its broader oversight of the Fund's affairs through various Board and committee activities. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address various risks to the Fund. In addition, appropriate personnel, including but not limited to the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer, members of the Fund's administration and accounting teams, representatives from the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, the Fund's Treasurer, portfolio management personnel and independent valuation and brokerage evaluation service providers, make regular reports regarding the Fund's activities and related risks to the Board of Trustees and the committees, as appropriate. These reports include, among others, quarterly performance reports, quarterly derivatives activity and risk reports and discussions with members of the risk teams relating to each asset class. The Board's committee structure allows separate committees to focus on different aspects of risk and the potential impact of these risks has on some or all of the funds in the complex and then report back to the full Board. In between regular meetings, Fund officers also communicate with the Trustees regarding material exceptions and items relevant to the Board's risk oversight function. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Fund, and that it is not possible to develop processes and controls to eliminate all of the risks that may affect the Fund. Moreover, the Board recognizes that it may be necessary for the Fund to bear certain risks (such as investment risks) to achieve its investment objective.

As needed between meetings of the Board, the Board or a specific committee receives and reviews reports relating to the Fund and engages in discussions with appropriate parties relating to the Fund's operations and related risks.

B. Management Information

Independent Trustees. The Fund seeks as Trustees individuals of distinction and experience in business and finance, government service or academia. In determining that a particular Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. Based on a review of the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee, including those enumerated in the table below, the Board has determined that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Fund. In addition, the Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Fund and protecting the interests of shareholders. Information about the Fund's Governance Committee and Board of Trustees nomination process is provided below under the caption "Independent Trustees and the Committees."

The Independent Trustees of the Fund, their ages, addresses, terms of office and lengths of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex (defined below) overseen by each Independent Trustee (as of December 31, 2012) and other directorships, if any, held by the Trustees, are shown below. The Fund Complex includes all open-end and closed-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Adviser and any registered funds that have an adviser that is an affiliate of the Adviser (including, but not limited to, Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (the "Morgan Stanley AIP Funds")) (collectively, the "Morgan Stanley Funds").


26



Independent Trustees:

Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee
  Other Directorships Held
by Independent Trustee**
 
Frank L. Bowman (68)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 

Trustee

 

Since August 2006

 

President, Strategic Decisions, LLC (consulting) (since February 2009); Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (since February 2007); served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute (policy organization) (February 2005-November 2008); retired as Admiral, U.S. Navy after serving over 38 years on active duty including 8 years as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of the Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy (1996-2004); served as Chief of Naval Personnel (July 1994-September 1996) and on the Joint Staff as Director of Political Military Affairs (June 1992-July 1994); knighted as Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; awarded the Officier de l'Orde National du Mérite by the French Government; elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2009).

 

101

 

Director of BP p.l.c.; Director of Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP; Director of the Armed Services YMCA of the USA and the U.S. Naval Submarine League; Director of the American Shipbuilding Suppliers Association; Member of the National Security Advisory Council of the Center for U.S. Global Engagement and a member of the CNA Military Advisory Board.

 
Michael Bozic (72)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 

Trustee

 

Since April 1994

 

Private investor and a member of the advisory board of American Road Group LLC (retail) (since June 2000); Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (since October 2006); Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since April 1994); formerly, Chairperson of the Insurance Committee (July 2006-September 2006); Vice Chairman of Kmart Corporation (December 1998-October 2000), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Levitz Furniture Corporation (November 1995-November 1998) and President and Chief Executive Officer of Hills Department Stores (May 1991-July 1995); variously Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer (1987-1991) of the Sears Merchandise Group of Sears, Roebuck & Co.

 

103

 

Trustee and member of the Hillside College Board of Trustees.

 

*  Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

**  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.


27



Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee
  Other Directorships Held
by Independent Trustee**
 
Kathleen A. Dennis (59)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 

Trustee

 

Since August 2006

 

President, Cedarwood Associates (mutual fund and investment management consulting) (since July 2006); Chairperson of the Money Market and Alternatives Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Senior Managing Director of Victory Capital Management (1993-2006).

 

101

 

Director of various non-profit organizations.

 
Dr. Manuel H. Johnson (64)
c/o Johnson Smick
Group, Inc.
888 16th Street, N.W.
Suite 740
Washington, D.C. 20006
 

Trustee

 

Since July 1991

 

Senior Partner, Johnson Smick International, Inc. (consulting firm); Chairperson of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 1991); Co-Chairman and a founder of the Group of Seven Council (G7C) (international economic commission); formerly, Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 1991-September 2006); Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.

 

103

 

Director of NVR, Inc. (home construction).

 
Joseph J. Kearns (70)
c/o Kearns & Associates LLC
PMB754
22631 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265
 

Trustee

 

Since August 1994

 

President, Kearns & Associates LLC (investment consulting); Chairperson of the Audit Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 1994); formerly, Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 2003-September 2006) and Chairperson of the Audit Committee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 1994); CFO of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

 

104

 

Director of Electro Rent Corporation (equipment leasing) and The Ford Family Foundation.

 

*  Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

**  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.


28



Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee
  Other Directorships Held
by Independent Trustee**
 
Michael F. Klein (54)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 

Trustee

 

Since August 2006

 

Managing Director, Aetos Capital, LLC (since March 2000) and Co-President, Aetos Alternatives Management, LLC (since January 2004); Chairperson of the Fixed Income Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management, President, various Morgan Stanley Funds (June 1998-March 2000) and Principal, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management (August 1997-December 1999).

 

101

 

Director of certain investment funds managed or sponsored by Aetos Capital, LLC; Director of Sanitized AG and Sanitized Marketing AG (specialty chemicals).

 
Michael E. Nugent (76)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
 

Chairperson of the Board and Trustee

 

Chairperson of the Boards since July 2006 and Trustee since July 1991

 

General Partner, Triumph Capital, L.P. (private investment partnership); Chairperson of the Boards of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 2006); Chairperson of the Closed-End Fund Committee (since June 2012) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 1991); formerly, Chairperson of the Insurance Committee (until July 2006).

 

103

 

None.

 
W. Allen Reed (66)
c/o Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 

Trustee

 

Since August 2006

 

Chairperson of the Equity Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, President and CEO of General Motors Asset Management; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the GM Trust Bank and Corporate Vice President of General Motors Corporation (August 1994-December 2005).

 

101

 

Director of Temple-Inland Industries (packaging and forest products), Director of Legg Mason, Inc. and Director of the Auburn University Foundation.

 

*  Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

**  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.


29



Name, Age and Address of
Independent Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Independent
Trustee
  Other Directorships Held
by Independent Trustee**
 
Fergus Reid (80)
c/o Joe Pietryka, Inc.
85 Charles Colman Blvd.
Pawling, NY 12564
 

Trustee

 

Since June 1992

 

Chairman, Joe Pietryka, Inc.; Chairperson of the Governance Committee and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since June 1992).

 

104

 

Through December 31, 2012, Trustee and Director of certain investment companies in the JP Morgan Fund complex.

 

*  Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

**  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.

The Trustee who is affiliated with the Adviser or affiliates of the Adviser (as set forth below) and executive officers of the Fund, their ages, addresses, terms of office and lengths of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex overseen by the Interested Trustee (as of December 31, 2012) and the other directorships, if any, held by the Interested Trustee, are shown below.

Interested Trustee:

Name, Age and Address of
Interested Trustee
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
  Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Interested
Trustee
  Other Directorships Held
by Interested Trustee**
 
James F. Higgins (65)
c/o Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. Harborside Financial Center
201 Plaza Two
Jersey City, NJ 07311
 

Trustee

 

Since June 2000

 

Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since June 2000); Senior Advisor of Morgan Stanley (since August 2000).

 

102

 

Director of AXA Financial, Inc. and The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States (financial services).

 

*  Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

**  This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.


30



Executive Officers:

Name, Age and Address of
Executive Officer
  Position(s)
Held with
Registrant
  Length of
Time
Served*
 
Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
 
Arthur Lev (51)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
 

President and Principal Executive Officer — Equity, Fixed Income and AIP Funds

 

Since June 2011

 

President and Principal Executive Officer of the Equity and Fixed Income Funds (since June 2011) and the Morgan Stanley AIP Funds (since February 2013) in the Fund Complex; Head of the Long Only Business of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (since February 2011) and Head of Morgan Stanley AIP (since February 2013); Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser (since December 2006) and Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser (since March 2013). Formerly, Chief Strategy Officer of Morgan Stanley Investment Management's Traditional Asset Management business (November 2010-February 2011); General Counsel of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (December 2006-October 2010); Partner and General Counsel of FrontPoint Partners LLC (July 2002-December 2006); Managing Director and General Counsel of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (May 2000-June 2002).

 
Mary Ann Picciotto (40)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
 

Chief Compliance Officer

 

Since May 2010

 

Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Chief Compliance Officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since May 2010); Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser (since April 2007).

 
Stefanie V. Chang Yu (46)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
 

Vice President

 

Since December 1997

 

Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Vice President of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since December 1997).

 
Francis J. Smith (47)
c/o Morgan Stanley Services
Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center,
201 Plaza Two,
Jersey City, NJ 07311
 

Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

 

Treasurer since July 2003 and Principal Financial Officer since September 2002

 

Executive Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 2003).

 
Mary E. Mullin (46)
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
 

Secretary

 

Since June 1999

 

Executive Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Secretary of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since June 1999).

 

*  Each officer serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.


31



In addition, the following individuals who are officers of the Adviser or its affiliates serve as assistant secretaries of the Fund: Joanne Antico, Joseph C. Benedetti, Daniel E. Burton, Tara A. Farrelly and Edward J. Meehan.

For each Trustee, the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustee in the Fund and in the Family of Investment Companies (Family of Investment Companies includes all of the registered investment companies advised by the Adviser and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP) for the calendar year ended December 31, 2012, is set forth in the table below.

Name of Trustee   Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
(As of December 31, 2012)
  Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in
All Registered Investment Companies Overseen
by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies
(As of December 31, 2012)
 

Independent:

         

Frank L. Bowman(1)

  $10,001 - $50,000  

over $100,000

 

Michael Bozic

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Kathleen A. Dennis

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Manuel H. Johnson

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Joseph J. Kearns(1)

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Michael F. Klein

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Michael E. Nugent

 

over $100,000

 

over $100,000

 

W. Allen Reed(1)

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Fergus Reid(1)

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

Interested:

         

James F. Higgins

 

None

 

over $100,000

 

(1)  Includes the total amount of compensation deferred by the Trustee at his election pursuant to a deferred compensation plan. Such deferred compensation is placed in a deferral account and deemed to be invested in one or more of the Morgan Stanley Funds (or portfolio thereof) that are offered as investment options under the plan.

As to each Independent Trustee and his or her immediate family members, no person owned beneficially or of record securities of an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund, or a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund.

Independent Trustees and the Committees. Law and regulation establish both general guidelines and specific duties for the Independent Trustees. The Board has five committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee, (4) Investment Committee and (5) Closed-End Fund Committee.

The Independent Trustees are charged with recommending to the full Board approval of management, advisory and administration contracts, Rule 12b-1 plans and distribution and underwriting agreements; continually reviewing fund performance, checking on the pricing of portfolio securities, brokerage commissions, transfer agent costs and performance and trading among funds in the same complex; and approving fidelity bond and related insurance coverage and allocations, as well as other matters that arise from time to time. The Independent Trustees are required to select and nominate individuals to fill any Independent Trustee vacancy on the board of any fund that has a Rule 12b-1 plan of distribution. Most of the retail Morgan Stanley Funds have a Rule 12b-1 plan.

The Board of Trustees has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Audit Committee is charged with recommending to the full Board the engagement or discharge of the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm; directing investigations into matters within the scope of the independent registered public accounting firm's duties, including the power to retain outside specialists; reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the audit plan and results of the auditing engagement; approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm and other accounting firms prior to the performance of the services; reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; considering the range of audit and non-audit fees; reviewing the adequacy of the Fund's system of internal controls; and reviewing the valuation process. The Fund has adopted a formal, written Audit Committee Charter.


32



The members of the Audit Committee of the Fund are Joseph J. Kearns, Michael F. Klein, Michael E. Nugent and W. Allen Reed. None of the members of the Fund's Audit Committee is an "interested person," as defined under the Investment Company Act, of the Fund (with such disinterested Trustees being "Independent Trustees" or individually, "Independent Trustee"). Each Independent Trustee is also "independent" from the Fund under the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. ("NYSE"). The Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Fund is Joseph J. Kearns.

The Board of Trustees of the Fund also has a Governance Committee. The Governance Committee identifies individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees on the Fund's Board and on committees of such Board and recommends such qualified individuals for nomination by the Fund's Independent Trustees as candidates for election as Independent Trustees, advises the Fund's Board with respect to Board composition, procedures and committees, develops and recommends to the Fund's Board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to the Fund, monitors and makes recommendations on corporate governance matters and policies and procedures of the Fund's Board of Trustees and any Board committees and oversees periodic evaluations of the Fund's Board and its committees. The members of the Governance Committee of the Fund are Kathleen A. Dennis and Fergus Reid, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Chairperson of the Governance Committee is Fergus Reid.

The Fund does not have a separate nominating committee. While the Fund's Governance Committee recommends qualified candidates for nominations as Independent Trustees, the Board of Trustees of the Fund believes that the task of nominating prospective Independent Trustees is important enough to require the participation of all current Independent Trustees, rather than a separate committee consisting of only certain Independent Trustees. Accordingly, each Independent Trustee (Frank L. Bowman, Michael Bozic, Kathleen A. Dennis, Manuel H. Johnson, Joseph J. Kearns, Michael F. Klein, Michael E. Nugent, W. Allen Reed and Fergus Reid) participates in the election and nomination of candidates for election as Independent Trustees for the Fund. Persons recommended by the Fund's Governance Committee as candidates for nomination as Independent Trustees shall possess such experience, qualifications, attributes, skills, and diversity so as to enhance the Board's ability to manage and direct the affairs and business of the Fund, including, when applicable, to enhance the ability of committees of the Board to fulfill their duties and/or to satisfy any independence requirements imposed by law, regulation or any listing requirements of the NYSE. While the Independent Trustees of the Fund expect to be able to continue to identify from their own resources an ample number of qualified candidates for the Fund's Board as they deem appropriate, they will consider nominations from shareholders to the Board. Nominations from shareholders should be in writing and sent to the Independent Trustees as described below under the caption "Shareholder Communications."

The Board formed the Compliance and Insurance Committee to address insurance coverage and oversee the compliance function for the Fund and the Board. The Compliance and Insurance Committee consists of Frank L. Bowman, Michael Bozic, Manuel H. Johnson, and James F. Higgins. Frank L. Bowman, Michael Bozic and Manuel H. Johnson are Independent Trustees. The Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee is Michael Bozic. The Compliance and Insurance Committee has an Insurance Sub-Committee to review and monitor the insurance coverage maintained by the Fund. The Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee is Frank L. Bowman.

The Investment Committee oversees the portfolio investment process for and reviews the performance of the Fund. The Investment Committee also recommends to the Board to approve or renew the Fund's Investment Advisory and Administration Agreements. The members of the Investment Committee are Frank L. Bowman, Michael Bozic, Kathleen A. Dennis, James F. Higgins, Manuel H. Johnson, Joseph J. Kearns, Michael F. Klein, Michael E. Nugent, W. Allen Reed and Fergus Reid. The Chairperson of the Investment Committee is Manuel H. Johnson.

The Investment Committee has three Sub-Committees, each with its own Chairperson. Each Sub-Committee focuses on the funds' primary areas of investment, namely equities, fixed income and alternatives. The Sub-Committees and their members are as follows:

(1) Equity — W. Allen Reed (Chairperson), Frank L. Bowman and Michael E. Nugent.


33



(2) Fixed Income — Michael F. Klein (Chairperson), Michael Bozic and Fergus Reid.

(3) Money Market and Alternatives — Kathleen A. Dennis (Chairperson), James F. Higgins and Joseph J. Kearns.

The Board formed the Closed-End Fund Committee to consider a range of issues unique to closed-end funds. The Closed-End Fund Committee consists of Michael E. Nugent, W. Allen Reed and Fergus Reid, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Chairperson of the Closed-End Fund Committee is Michael E. Nugent.

During the Fund's fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the Board of Trustees held the following meetings:

Board of Trustees

   

8

   

Committee/Sub-Committee:

 

Number of meetings:

 

Audit Committee

   

4

   

Governance Committee

   

4

   

Compliance and Insurance Committee

   

4

   

Insurance Sub-Committee

   

1

   

Investment Committee

   

5

   

Equity Sub-Committee

   

6

   

Fixed Income Sub-Committee

   

6

   

Money Market and Alternatives Sub-Committee

   

5

   

Closed-End Fund Committee

   

2

   

Experience, Qualifications and Attributes. The Board has concluded, based on each Trustee's experience, qualifications and attributes that each Board member should serve as a Trustee. Following is a brief summary of the information that led to and/or supports this conclusion.

Mr. Bowman has experience in a variety of business and financial matters through his prior service as a Director or Trustee for various other funds in the Fund Complex, where he serves as Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee of the Compliance and Insurance Committee, and as a Director of B.P. p.l.c. and Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP. Mr. Bowman also serves as a Director for the Armed Services YMCA of the USA, the Naval Submarine League and the American Shipbuilding Supplier Association. Mr. Bowman is also a member of the National Security Advisory Council of the Center for U.S. Global Engagement and a member of the CNA Military Advisory Board. Mr. Bowman retired as an Admiral in the U.S. Navy after serving over 38 years on active duty including eight years as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of the Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy (1996-2004). Additionally, Mr. Bowman served as the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Personnel (1994-1996) where he was responsible for the planning and programming of all manpower, personnel, training and education resources for the U.S. Navy and on the Joint Staff as Director of Political Military Affairs (1992-1994). In addition, Mr. Bowman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute. Mr. Bowman has received such distinctions as a knighthood as Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and the Officier de l'Orde National du Mérite from the French Government and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2009). He is President of the consulting firm Strategic Decisions, LLC.

With over 20 years of experience on the boards and in senior management of such companies as Kmart Corporation, Levitz Furniture Corporation, Hills Department Stores and Sears Merchandise Group of Sears, Roebuck & Co., where Mr. Bozic also served as Chief Financial Officer of the Merchandise Group, and with nearly 20 years of experience as a Director or Trustee of certain other funds in the Fund Complex, Mr. Bozic has experience with a variety of financial, management, regulatory and operational issues as well as experience with marketing and distribution. Mr. Bozic has served as the Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee since 2006.

Ms. Dennis has over 25 years of business experience in the financial services industry and related fields including serving as a Director or Trustee of various other funds in the Fund Complex, where she serves as Chairperson of the Money Market and Alternatives Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee. Ms. Dennis possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must


34



operate based on her years of service to this Board and her position as Senior Managing Director of Victory Capital Management.

In addition to his tenure as a Director or Trustee of various other funds in the Fund Complex, where he formerly served as Chairperson of the Audit Committee, Dr. Johnson has also served as an officer or a board member of numerous companies for over 20 years. These positions included Co-Chairman and a founder of the Group of Seven Council, Director of NVR, Inc., Director of Evergreen Energy and Director of Greenwich Capital Holdings. He also has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. In addition, Dr. Johnson also served as Chairman of the Financial Accounting Foundation, which oversees the Financial Accounting Standards Board, for seven years.

Mr. Kearns gained extensive experience regarding accounting through his experience on the Audit Committees of the boards of other funds in the Funds Complex, including serving as either Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Committee for nearly 20 years, and through his position as Chief Financial Officer of the J. Paul Getty Trust. He also has experience in financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his position as President and founder of Kearns & Associates LLC, a financial consulting company. Mr. Kearns also serves as a Director of Electro Rent Corporation and The Ford Family Foundation. The Board has determined that Mr. Kearns is an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by the SEC.

Through his prior positions as Managing Director of Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management and as President of Morgan Stanley Institutional Funds, Mr. Klein has experience in the management and operation of registered investment companies, enabling him to provide management input and investment guidance to the Board. Mr. Klein also has extensive experience in the investment management industry based on his current positions as Managing Director of Aetos Capital, LLC and as Director of certain investment funds managed or sponsored by Aetos Capital, LLC. In addition, he also has experience as a member of the board of other funds in the Fund Complex.

Mr. Nugent has extensive experience with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his over 20 years of service on the boards of various funds in the Fund Complex, including time as the Chairperson of the Insurance Committee, Chairperson of the Closed-End Fund Committee and Chairman of the Morgan Stanley Funds. Mr. Nugent also has experience as a General Partner in Triumph Capital, L.P.

Mr. Reed has experience on investment company boards and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his prior service as a Director of iShares, Inc. and his service as Trustee and Director of other funds in the Fund Complex. Mr. Reed also gained substantial experience in the financial services industry through his position as Director of Legg Mason, Inc. and prior position as President and CEO of General Motors Asset Management.

Mr. Reid has served on a number of mutual fund boards, including as a Director and Trustee of certain investment companies in the JPMorgan Funds complex and as a Trustee or Director of other funds in the Fund Complex. Therefore, Mr. Reid is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters, enabling him to provide management input and investment guidance to the Board.

Mr. Higgins has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Higgins has substantial mutual fund experience and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters due to his experience on the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex. Mr. Higgins also serves on the boards of other companies in the financial services industry, including AXA Financial, Inc. and The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States.

The Trustees' principal occupations during the past five years or more are shown in the above tables.

Advantages of Having the Same Individuals as Trustees for the Morgan Stanley Funds. The Independent Trustees and the Fund's management believe that having the same Independent Trustees for each of the Morgan Stanley Funds avoids the duplication of effort that would arise from having different groups of individuals serving as Independent Trustees for each of the funds or even of sub-groups of funds. They believe that having the same individuals serve as Independent Trustees of all the Morgan Stanley Funds tends to increase their knowledge and expertise regarding matters which affect the Fund Complex


35



generally and enhances their ability to negotiate on behalf of each fund with the fund's service providers. This arrangement also precludes the possibility of separate groups of Independent Trustees arriving at conflicting decisions regarding operations and management of the funds and avoids the cost and confusion that would likely ensue. Finally, having the same Independent Trustees serve on all fund boards enhances the ability of each fund to obtain, at modest cost to each separate fund, the services of Independent Trustees, of the caliber, experience and business acumen of the individuals who serve as Independent Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds.

Trustee and Officer Indemnification. The Fund's Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee, Officer, employee or agent of the Fund is liable to the Fund or to a shareholder, nor is any Trustee, Officer, employee or agent liable to any third persons in connection with the affairs of the Fund, except as such liability may arise from his/her or its own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his/her or its duties. It also provides that all third persons shall look solely to Fund property for satisfaction of claims arising in connection with the affairs of the Fund. With the exceptions stated, the Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee, Officer, employee or agent is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Fund.

Shareholder Communications. Shareholders may send communications to the Fund's Board of Trustees. Shareholders should send communications intended for the Fund's Board by addressing the communications directly to that Board (or individual Board members) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Board members) and by sending the communication to either the Fund's office or directly to such Board member(s) at the address specified for each Trustee previously noted. Other shareholder communications received by the Fund not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management's discretion based on the matters contained therein.

C. Compensation

Effective January 1, 2013, each Trustee (except for the Chairperson of the Boards) receives an annual retainer fee of $220,000 for serving as a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley Funds. Prior to January 1, 2013, each Trustee (except for Chairperson of the Boards) received an annual retainer fee of $210,000 for serving as a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley Funds.

The Chairperson of the Audit Committee receives an additional annual retainer fee of $78,750 and the Investment Committee Chairperson receives an additional annual retainer fee of $63,000. Other Committee and, effective January 1, 2012, Sub-Committee Chairpersons receive an additional annual retainer fee of $31,500. The aggregate compensation paid to each Trustee is paid by the Morgan Stanley Funds, and is allocated on a pro rata basis among each of the operational funds/portfolios of the Morgan Stanley Funds based on the relative net assets of each of the funds/portfolios. Michael E. Nugent receives a total annual retainer fee of $440,000 ($420,000 prior to January 1, 2013) for his services as Chairperson of the Boards of the Morgan Stanley Funds and for administrative services provided to each Board.

The Fund also reimburses such Trustees for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with attending such meetings. Trustees of the Fund who are employed by the Adviser receive no compensation or expense reimbursement from the Fund for their services as Trustee.

Effective April 1, 2004, the Fund began a Deferred Compensation Plan (the "DC Plan"), which allows each Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees he or she receives for serving on the Board of Trustees throughout the year. Each eligible Trustee generally may elect to have the deferred amounts credited with a return equal to the total return on one or more of the Morgan Stanley Funds (or portfolios thereof) that are offered as investment options under the DC Plan. At the Trustee's election, distributions are either in one lump sum payment, or in the form of equal annual installments over a period of five years. The rights of an eligible Trustee and the beneficiaries to the amounts held under the DC Plan are unsecured and such amounts are subject to the claims of the creditors of the Fund.

Prior to April 1, 2004, certain Morgan Stanley Funds maintained a similar Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Prior DC Plan") which also allowed each Independent Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees he or she received for serving on the Board of Trustees throughout the year. Generally, the DC Plan amends and supersedes the Prior DC Plan and all amounts payable under the Prior DC Plan


36



are now subject to the terms of the DC Plan (except for amounts paid during the calendar year 2004, which remain subject to the terms of the Prior DC Plan).

The following table shows aggregate compensation payable to each of the Fund's Trustees from the Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 and the aggregate compensation payable to each of the funds' Trustees by the Fund Complex (which includes all of the Morgan Stanley Funds) for the calendar year ended December 31, 2012.

Compensation(1)

Name of Independent Trustee:

  Aggregate Compensation
From the Fund(2)
  Total Compensation
From Fund and Fund
Complex Paid to Trustee(3)
 

Frank L. Bowman

 

$

3,619

   

$

241,500

   
Michael Bozic    

3,562

     

241,500

   
Kathleen A. Dennis    

3,619

     

241,500

   
Manuel H. Johnson    

4,027

     

273,000

   
Joseph J. Kearns(3)    

4,259

     

312,000

   
Michael F. Klein    

3,619

     

241,500

   
Michael E. Nugent    

6,195

     

420,000

   
W. Allen Reed(2)(3)    

2,856

     

181,125

   
Fergus Reid(3)    

3,562

     

274,750

   

Name of Interested Trustee:

 
James F. Higgins    

3,103

     

210,000

   

(1)  Includes all amounts paid for serving as director/trustee of the funds, as well as serving as Chairperson of the Boards or a Chairperson of a Committee or Sub-Committee.

(2)  The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate compensation before deferral with respect to the Fund's fiscal year. The following Trustees deferred compensation from the Fund during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012: Mr. Reed, $2,856.

(3)  The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate compensation paid by all of the funds in the Fund Complex as of December 31, 2012 before deferral by the Trustees under the DC Plan. As of December 31, 2012, the value (including interest) of the deferral accounts across the Fund Complex for Messrs. Kearns, Reed and Reid pursuant to the deferred compensation plan was $594,589, $969,468 and $619,208, respectively. Because the funds in the Fund Complex have different fiscal year ends, the amounts shown in this column are presented on a calendar year basis.

Prior to December 31, 2003, 49 of the Morgan Stanley Funds (the "Adopting Funds"), including the Fund, had adopted a retirement program under which an Independent Trustee who retired after serving for at least five years as an Independent Trustee of any such fund (an "Eligible Trustee") would have been entitled to retirement payments, based on factors such as length of service, upon reaching the eligible retirement age. On December 31, 2003, the amount of accrued retirement benefits for each Eligible Trustee was frozen, and will be payable, together with a return of 8% per annum, at or following each such Eligible Trustee's retirement as shown in the table below.

The following table illustrates the retirement benefits accrued to the Fund's Independent Trustees by the Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 and by the Adopting Funds for the calendar year ended December 31, 2012, and the estimated retirement benefits for the Independent Trustees, from the Fund as of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 and from the Adopting Funds for each calendar year following retirement. Only the Trustees listed below participated in the retirement program.


Name of Independent Trustee:
  Retirement Benefits Accrued as
Fund Expenses
  Estimated Annual Benefits Upon
Retirement(1) 
 
    By the
Fund
  By all Adopting
Funds
  From the
Fund
  From all Adopting
Funds
 

Michael Bozic

 

$

910

   

$

42,107

   

$

967

   

$

43,940

   
Manuel H. Johnson    

676

     

30,211

     

1,420

     

64,338

   
Michael E. Nugent    

151

     

6,804

     

1,269

     

57,539

   

(1)  Total compensation accrued under the retirement plan, together with a return of 8% per annum, will be paid annually commencing upon retirement and continuing for the remainder of the Trustee's life.


37



IV. CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

The following owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding Class A shares of the Fund as of March 30, 2013: Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza II, 3rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311 — 73.42%. The following owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding Class B shares of the Fund as of March 30, 2013: Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza II, 3rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311 — 59.57%; First Clearing, LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 — 8.05%; Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc., for the Sole Benefit of Its Customers, 4800 Deer Lake Drive East, Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 — 5.99%. The following owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding Class L shares of the Fund as of March 30, 2013: Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza II, 3rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311 — 79.65%; First Clearing, LLC, Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers, 2801 Market Street, Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523 — 6.41%. The following owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding Class I shares of the Fund as of March 30, 2013: Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza II, 3rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311 — 47.88%; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., Special Custody Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customers, 101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94101-4151 — 29.10%; Pershing LLC, 1 Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002 — 9.28%. The percentage ownership of shares of the Fund changes from time to time depending on purchases and redemptions by shareholders and the total number of shares outstanding.

As of the date of this SAI, the aggregate number of shares of beneficial interest of the Fund owned by the Fund's officers and Trustees as a group was less than 1% of the Fund's shares of beneficial interest outstanding.

V. INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

A. Adviser and Administrator

The Adviser to the Fund is Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., a Delaware corporation, whose address is 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, a Delaware corporation traded on the NYSE under the symbol "MS". Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services.

Pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Investment Advisory Agreement") with the Adviser, the Fund has retained the Adviser to manage and/or oversee the investment of the Fund's assets, including the placing of orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. The Fund pays the Adviser monthly compensation calculated daily by applying the following annual rates to the average daily net assets of the Fund determined as of the close of each business day: 0.545% of the portion of the daily net assets not exceeding $250 million; 0.42% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $250 million but not exceeding $2.5 billion; 0.395% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $2.5 billion but not exceeding $3.5 billion; 0.37% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $3.5 billion but not exceeding $4.5 billion; and 0.345% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $4.5 billion. The investment advisory fee is allocated among the Classes pro rata based on the net assets of the Fund attributable to each Class.

The following table reflects for the Fund (i) the advisory fee paid; and (ii) the advisory fee waived and/or affiliated rebates for each of the past three fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012:

Advisory Fees Paid
(After Fee Waivers and/or
Affiliated Rebates)
 

Advisory Fees Waived

 

Affiliated Rebates

 
2010  

2011

 

2012

 

2009

 

2010

 

2011

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

 
$

6,640,324

   

$

7,369,625

   

$

6,860,038

     

     

     

   

$

38,959

   

$

53,713

   

$

54,530

   


38



Administration services are provided to the Fund by Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. ("Administrator"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, pursuant to a separate administration agreement ("Administration Agreement") entered into by the Fund with the Administrator. The Fund pays the Administrator monthly compensation of 0.08% of daily net assets.

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund paid compensation under its Administration Agreement as follows (no administrative fees were waived):

    Compensation Paid for the Fiscal Year
Ended December 31,
 

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

 
       

$

1,212,720

   

$

1,354,445

   

$

1,257,537

   

Under a Sub-Administration Agreement between the Administrator and State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), State Street provides certain administrative services to the Fund. For such services, the Administrator pays State Street a portion of the fee the Administrator receives from the Fund.

B. Principal Underwriter

The Fund's principal underwriter is the Distributor (which has the same address as the Adviser). In this capacity, the Fund's shares are distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor has entered into a selected dealer agreement with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co., which through their own sales organizations sell shares of the Fund. In addition, the Distributor may enter into similar agreements with other selected broker-dealers. The Distributor, a Delaware corporation, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

The Distributor bears all expenses it may incur in providing services under the Distribution Agreement. The Distributor also pays certain expenses in connection with the distribution of the Fund's shares, including the costs of preparing, printing and distributing advertising or promotional materials, and the costs of printing and distributing prospectuses and supplements thereto used in connection with the offering and sale of the Fund's shares. The Fund bears the costs of initial typesetting, printing and distribution of prospectuses and supplements thereto to shareholders. The Fund also bears the costs of registering the Fund and its shares under federal and state securities laws and pays filing fees in accordance with state securities laws.

The Fund and the Distributor have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor uses its best efforts in rendering services to the Fund, but in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations, the Distributor is not liable to the Fund or any of its shareholders for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission or for any losses sustained by the Fund or its shareholders.

C. Services Provided by the Adviser and Administrator

The Adviser manages the investment of the Fund's assets, including the placing of orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. The Adviser obtains and evaluates the information and advice relating to the economy, securities markets and specific securities as it considers necessary or useful to continuously manage the assets of the Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective.

Under the terms of the Administration Agreement, the Administrator maintains certain of the Fund's books and records and furnishes, at its own expense, the office space, facilities, equipment, clerical help and bookkeeping as the Fund may reasonably require in the conduct of its business. The Administrator also assists in the preparation of prospectuses, proxy statements and reports required to be filed with federal and state securities commissions (except insofar as the participation or assistance of the independent registered public accounting firm and attorneys is, in the opinion of the Administrator, necessary or desirable). The Administrator also bears the cost of telephone service, heat, light, power and other utilities provided to the Fund.

Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement or by the Administrator under the Administration Agreement or by the Distributor will be paid by the Fund. These expenses will be allocated among the four Classes of shares pro rata based on the net assets of the Fund


39



attributable to each Class, except as described below. Such expenses include, but are not limited to: expenses of the Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1; charges and expenses of any registrar, custodian, stock transfer and dividend disbursing agent; brokerage commissions; taxes; engraving and printing share certificates; registration costs of the Fund and its shares under federal and state securities laws; the cost and expense of printing, including typesetting, and distributing prospectuses of the Fund and supplements thereto to the Fund's shareholders; all expenses of shareholders' and Trustees' meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing of proxy statements and reports to shareholders; fees and travel expenses of Trustees or members of any advisory board or committee who are not employees of the Adviser or any corporate affiliate of the Adviser; all expenses incident to any dividend, withdrawal or redemption options; charges and expenses of any outside service used for pricing of the Fund's shares; fees and expenses of legal counsel, including counsel to the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund or of the Adviser (not including compensation or expenses of attorneys who are employees of the Adviser); fees and expenses of the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm; membership dues of industry associations; interest on Fund borrowings; postage; insurance premiums on property or personnel (including officers and Trustees) of the Fund which inure to its benefit; extraordinary expenses (including, but not limited to, legal claims and liabilities and litigation costs and any indemnification relating thereto); and all other costs of the Fund's operation. The 12b-1 fees relating to a particular Class will be allocated directly to that Class. In addition, other expenses associated with a particular Class (except advisory or custodial fees) may be allocated directly to that Class, provided that such expenses are reasonably identified as specifically attributable to that Class and the direct allocation to that Class is approved by the Trustees.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Adviser is not liable to the Fund or any of its investors for any act or omission by the Adviser or for any losses sustained by the Fund or its investors.

The Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect from year to year, provided continuance of the Investment Advisory Agreement is approved at least annually by the vote of the holders of a majority, as defined in the Investment Company Act, of the outstanding shares of the Fund, or by the Trustees; provided that in either event such continuance is approved annually by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees.

The Administration Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Administrator is not liable to the Fund or any of its investors for any act or omission by the Administrator or for any losses sustained by the Fund or its investors. The Administration Agreement will continue unless terminated by either party by written notice delivered to the other party within 30 days.

D. Dealer Reallowances

Upon notice to selected broker-dealers, the Distributor may reallow up to the full applicable front-end sales charge during periods specified in such notice. During periods when 90% or more of the sales charge is reallowed, such selected broker-dealers may be deemed to be underwriters as that term is defined in the Securities Act.

E. Rule 12b-1 Plan

The Fund has adopted an Amended and Restated Plan of Distribution, effective February 25, 2013, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act (the "Current Plan"), pursuant to which each Class, other than Class I pays the Distributor compensation accrued daily and payable monthly at the following maximum annual rates: 0.25%, 1.00% and 0.75% of the average daily net assets of Class A, Class B and Class L (formerly Class C), respectively. Prior to February 25, 2013, in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act, the Fund had adopted an Amended and Restated Plan of Distribution, effective July 31, 2011 (the "Prior Plan" and together with the Current Plan, the "Plan"), with respect to its Class A, Class B and Class L shares, pursuant to which each Class, other than Class I, paid the Distributor compensation accrued daily and payable monthly at the following annual rates: 0.25%, 1.00% and 1.00% of the average daily net assets of Class A, Class B and Class L shares, respectively. Prior to July 31, 2011, in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act, the Fund had adopted a Plan of Distribution with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class L shares, between the Fund and Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc. (the "Prior Distributor"), pursuant to which the Prior Distributor provided certain services in connection with the promotion and sale of the Fund's shares.


40



The Distributor also receives the proceeds of front-end sales charges ("FSCs") and of contingent deferred sales charges ("CDSCs") imposed on certain redemptions of shares, which are separate and apart from payments made pursuant to the Plan. The Distributor and the Prior Distributor have informed the Fund that they and/or Morgan Stanley & Co. received the proceeds of CDSCs and FSCs, for the last three fiscal years ended December 31, in approximate amounts as provided in the table below.

 

2010

 

2011

 

2012

 
Class A   FSCs:(1)   

$

93,501

    FSCs:(1)   

$

287,135

    FSCs:(1)   

$

460,046

   

 

CDSCs:

 

$

125

   

CDSCs:

 

$

406

   

CDSCs:

 

$

19,775

   
Class B  

CDSCs:

 

$

117,315

   

CDSCs:

 

$

68,625

   

CDSCs:

 

$

49,474

   
Class L*  

CDSCs:

 

$

2,552

   

CDSCs:

 

$

9,046

   

CDSCs:

 

$

16,780

   

(1)  FSCs apply to Class A only.

*  Effective February 25, 2013, Class C shares were renamed Class L shares. The CDSC on Class L was eliminated effective February 25, 2013.

The entire fee payable by Class A shares and a portion of the fees payable by each of Class B and Class L shares each year pursuant to the Plan equal to 0.25% of such Class' average daily net assets are currently each characterized as a "service fee" under the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") (of which the Distributor is a member). The "service fee" is a payment made for personal service and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The remaining portion of the Plan fees payable by a Class, if any, is characterized as an "asset-based sales charge" as such is defined by the Rules of FINRA.

Under the Plan and as required by Rule 12b-1, the Trustees receive and review promptly after the end of each calendar quarter a written report provided by the Distributor of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purpose for which such expenditures were made. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, Class A, Class B and Class L shares of the Fund made payments under the Plan amounting to $2,688,253, $469,416 and $717,959, respectively, which amounts are equal to 0.25%, 1.00% and 1.00% of the average daily net assets of Class A, Class B and Class L, respectively, for the fiscal year. The amount paid by Class A shares reflects a reduction of $12,125.

The Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Fund's method of distribution. Under this distribution method the Fund offers four Classes, each with a different distribution arrangement.

With respect to Class A shares, the Distributor generally compensates authorized dealers, from proceeds of the FSC, commissions for the sale of Class A shares, currently a gross sales credit of up to 5.00% of the amount sold and an annual residual commission, currently a residual of up to 0.25% of the current value of the respective accounts for which they are dealers of record in all cases.

With respect to sales of Class B and Class L shares of the Fund, a commission or transaction fee generally will be compensated by the Distributor at the time of purchase directly out of the Distributor's assets (and not out of the Fund's assets) to authorized dealers who initiate and are responsible for such purchases computed based on a percentage of the dollar value of such shares sold of up to 4.00% on Class B shares and up to 0.75% (1.00% prior to February 25, 2013) on Class L shares.

Proceeds from any CDSC and any distribution fees on Class B and Class L shares, as applicable, of the Fund are paid to the Distributor and are used by the Distributor to defray its distribution related expenses in connection with the sale of the Fund's shares, such as the payment to authorized dealers for selling such shares. With respect to Class L shares, the authorized dealers generally receive from the Distributor ongoing distribution fees of up to 0.75% (1.00% prior to February 25, 2013) of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class L shares annually commencing in the second year after purchase.

The distribution fee that the Distributor receives from the Fund under the Plan, in effect, offsets distribution expenses incurred under the Plan on behalf of the Fund and, in the case of Class B shares, opportunity costs, such as the gross sales credit and an assumed interest charge thereon ("carrying charge"). These expenses may include the cost of Fund-related educational and/or business-related trips or payment of Fund-related educational and/or promotional expenses of Financial Advisors. In the Distributor's reporting of the distribution expenses to the Fund, in the case of Class B shares, such assumed


41



interest (computed at the "broker's call rate") has been calculated on the gross credit as it is reduced by amounts received by the Distributor under the Plan and any CDSCs received by the Distributor upon redemption of shares of the Fund. No other interest charge is included as a distribution expense in the Distributor's calculation of its distribution costs for this purpose. The broker's call rate is the interest rate charged to securities brokers on loans secured by exchange-listed securities.

The Fund may reimburse expenses incurred or to be incurred in promoting the distribution of the Fund's Class A, Class B and Class L shares and in servicing shareholder accounts. Reimbursement will be made through payments at the end of each month. The amount of each monthly payment may in no event exceed an amount equal to a payment at the annual rate of 0.25% in the case of Class A, 1.00% in the case of Class B and 0.75% (1.00% prior to February 25, 2013) in the case of Class L, of the average daily net assets of the respective Class during the month. No interest or other financing charges, if any, incurred on any distribution expenses on behalf of Class A and Class L will be reimbursable under the Plan.

Each Class paid 100% of the amounts accrued under the Plan with respect to that Class for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 to the Distributor. It is estimated that the Distributor spent this amount in approximately the following ways: (i) 0.00% ($0) — advertising and promotional expenses; (ii) 0.00% ($0) — printing and mailing of prospectuses for distribution to other than current shareholders; and (iii) 100.00% ($199,533) — other expenses, including the gross sales credit and the carrying charge, of which 0.00% ($0) represents carrying charges, 41.40% ($82,606) represents commission credits to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. branch offices and other selected broker-dealers for payments of commissions to Financial Advisors and other authorized financial representatives, 58.60% ($116,927) represents overhead and other branch office distribution-related expenses. The amounts accrued by Class A and a portion of the amounts accrued by Class L under the Plan during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 were service fees. The remainder of the amounts accrued by Class L were for expenses, which relate to compensation of sales personnel and associated overhead expenses.

In the case of Class B shares, at any given time, the expenses of distributing shares of the Fund may be more or less than the total of (i) the payments made by the Fund pursuant to the Plan; and (ii) the proceeds of CDSCs paid by investors upon redemption of shares. For example, if $1 million in expenses in distributing Class B shares of the Fund had been incurred and $750,000 had been received as described in (i) and (ii) above, the excess expense would amount to $250,000. The Distributor have advised the Fund that in the case of Class B shares the excess distribution expenses, including the carrying charge designed to approximate the opportunity costs incurred by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. which arise from their having advanced monies without having received the amount of any sales charges imposed at the time of sale of the Fund's Class B shares, totaled $52,055,096 as of December 31, 2012 (the end of the Fund's fiscal year), which was equal to 143.23% of the net assets of Class B on such date. Because there is no requirement under the Plan or the Prior Plan that the Distributor be reimbursed for all distribution expenses with respect to Class B shares or any requirement that the Plan be continued from year to year, this excess amount does not constitute a liability of the Fund. Although there is no legal obligation for the Fund to pay expenses incurred in excess of payments made to the Distributor under the Plan and the proceeds of CDSCs paid by investors upon redemption of shares, if for any reason the Plan is terminated, the Trustees will consider at that time the manner in which to treat such expenses. Any cumulative expenses incurred, but not yet recovered through distribution fees or CDSCs, may or may not be recovered through future distribution fees or CDSCs.

In the case of Class A and Class L shares, expenses incurred pursuant to the Plan in any calendar year in excess of 0.25% or 0.75% (1.00% prior to February 25, 2013) of the average daily net assets of Class A or Class L shares, respectively, will not be reimbursed by the Fund through payments in any subsequent year, except that expenses representing a gross sales commission credited to Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and other authorized financial representatives at the time of sale may be reimbursed in the subsequent calendar year. The Distributor has advised the Fund that there were no unreimbursed expenses representing a gross sales commission credited to Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and other authorized financial representatives in the case of Class A or Class L at December 31, 2012 (the end of the calendar year). No interest or other financing charges will be incurred on any Class A or Class L distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor under the Plan or on any unreimbursed expenses due to the Distributor pursuant to the Plan.


42



No interested person of the Fund nor any Independent Trustee has any direct financial interest in the operation of the Plan except to the extent that the Distributor, the Adviser, Morgan Stanley & Co., Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, Morgan Stanley Services or certain of their employees may be deemed to have such an interest as a result of benefits derived from the successful operation of the Plan or as a result of receiving a portion of the amounts expended thereunder by the Fund.

On an annual basis, the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, consider whether the Plan should be continued. Prior to approving the last continuation of the Plan, the Trustees requested and received from the Distributor and reviewed all the information which they deemed necessary to arrive at an informed determination. In making their determination to continue the Plan, the Trustees considered: (1) the Fund's experience under the Plan and whether such experience indicates that the Plan is operating as anticipated; (2) the benefits the Fund had obtained, was obtaining and would be likely to obtain under the Plan, including that: (a) the Plan is essential in order to give Fund investors a choice of alternatives for payment of distribution and service charges and to enable the Fund to continue to grow and avoid a pattern of net redemptions which, in turn, are essential for effective investment management; and (b) without the compensation to individual brokers and the reimbursement of distribution and account maintenance expenses of Morgan Stanley & Co. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC branch offices made possible by the 12b-1 fees, Morgan Stanley & Co. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC could not establish and maintain an effective system for distribution, servicing of Fund shareholders and maintenance of shareholder accounts; and (3) what services had been provided and were continuing to be provided under the Plan to the Fund and its shareholders. Based upon their review, the Trustees, including each of the Independent Trustees, determined that continuation of the Plan would be in the best interest of the Fund and would have a reasonable likelihood of continuing to benefit the Fund and its shareholders.

The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent for the services described therein without approval by the shareholders of the affected Class or Classes of the Fund, and all material amendments to the Plan must also be approved by the Trustees. The Plan may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the Investment Company Act) on not more than 30 days' written notice to any other party to the Plan. So long as the Plan is in effect, the election and nomination of Independent Trustees shall be committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees.

F. Other Service Providers

(1) Transfer Agent/Dividend Disbursing Agent

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., P.O. Box 219886, Kansas City, MO 64121-9886, is the Transfer Agent for the Fund's shares and the Dividend Disbursing Agent for payment of dividends and distributions on Fund shares and Agent for shareholders under various investment plans.

(2) Custodian and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, is the Custodian of the Fund's assets. Any of the Fund's cash balances with the Custodian in excess of $250,000 (a temporary increase from $100,000, which is due to expire on December 31, 2013) are unprotected by federal deposit insurance. These balances may, at times, be substantial.

Ernst & Young LLP, located at 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116-5021, is the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund. Prior to June 7, 2011. The Fund's independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements.

(3) Affiliated Persons

The Transfer Agent is an affiliate of the Adviser and the Distributor. As Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent, the Transfer Agent's responsibilities include maintaining shareholder accounts, disbursing cash dividends and reinvesting dividends, processing account registration changes, handling purchase and redemption transactions, mailing prospectuses and reports, mailing and tabulating proxies, processing share certificate transactions, and maintaining shareholder records and lists. Pursuant to a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, as consideration for the services it provides, the Transfer Agent receives certain fees from the Fund, which are approved by the Trustees, generally based on the number of shareholder accounts and is reimbursed for its out-of-pocket expenses in connection with such services. The Fund and


43



the Transfer Agent may enter into agreements with unaffiliated third-party intermediaries, pursuant to which such intermediaries agree to provide recordkeeping and other administrative services for their clients who invest in the Fund. In such instances, the Fund will pay certain fees to the intermediaries for the services they provide that otherwise would have been performed by the Transfer Agent.

G. Fund Management

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers at December 31, 2012 (unless otherwise indicated):

    Registered Investment
Companies
  Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
 

Other Accounts

 

Portfolio Managers

  Number of
Accounts
  Total Assets
in the Accounts
  Number of
Accounts
  Total Assets
in the Accounts
  Number of
Accounts
  Total Assets
in the Accounts
 
Dennis P. Lynch    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  
David S. Cohen    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  
Sam G. Chainani    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  
Alexander T. Norton    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  
Jason C. Yeung    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  
Armistead B. Nash    

32

    $15.4 billion    

4

    $5.4 billion    

11

    $1.0 billion  

Because the portfolio managers may manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee it receives from the Fund, or it may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest could exist to the extent the Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Adviser's employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor these accounts over others. If the Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Fund invests, the Adviser could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser has adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.

Portfolio Manager Compensation Structure

Portfolio managers receive a combination of base compensation and discretionary compensation, comprising a cash bonus and several deferred compensation programs described below. The methodology used to determine portfolio manager compensation is applied across all funds/accounts managed by the portfolio managers.

Base salary compensation. Generally, portfolio managers receive base salary compensation based on the level of their position with the Adviser.

Discretionary compensation. In addition to base compensation, portfolio managers may receive discretionary compensation.

Discretionary compensation can include:

•  Cash Bonus.

•  Morgan Stanley's Long Term Incentive Compensation awards — a mandatory program that defers a portion of discretionary year-end compensation into restricted stock units or other awards based on Morgan Stanley common stock or other plans that are subject to vesting and other conditions. All long-term incentive compensation awards are subject to clawback provisions where awards can be cancelled if an employee takes any action, or omits to take any action, which causes a restatement of Morgan Stanley's consolidated financial results, or constitutes a violation of Morgan Stanley's risk policies and standards.


44



•  Investment Management Alignment Plan (IMAP) awards — a mandatory program that defers a portion of discretionary year-end compensation and notionally invests it in designated funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates. The award is subject to vesting and other conditions. Portfolio managers must notionally invest a minimum of 25% to a maximum of 100% of their IMAP deferral account into a combination of the designated funds they manage that are included in the IMAP fund menu, which may or may not include the Fund. In addition to the clawbacks listed above for long term incentive compensation awards, the provision on IMAP awards is further strengthened such that it may also be triggered if an employee's actions cause substantial financial loss on a trading strategy, investment, commitment or other holding provided that previous gains on those positions were relevant to the employees' prior year compensation decisions.

Several factors determine discretionary compensation, which can vary by portfolio management team and circumstances. These factors may include:

•  Revenues generated by the investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager.

•  The investment performance of the funds/accounts managed by the portfolio manager.

•  Contribution to the business objectives of the Adviser.

•  The dollar amount of assets managed by the portfolio manager.

•  Market compensation survey research by independent third-parties.

•  Other qualitative factors, such as contributions to client objectives.

•  Performance of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and the overall performance of the investment team(s) of which the portfolio manager is a member.

Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers

As of December 31, 2012, the dollar range of securities beneficially owned by each portfolio manager in the Fund is shown below:

Dennis P. Lynch:  

Over $1 million

 
David S. Cohen:   $100,001 - $500,000  
Sam G. Chainani:   $100,001 - $500,000  
Alexander T. Norton:   $1 - $10,000  
Jason C. Yeung:   $10,001 - $50,000  
Armistead B. Nash:   $10,001 - $50,000  

H. Codes of Ethics

The Fund, the Adviser and the Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Codes of Ethics are designed to detect and prevent improper personal trading. The Codes of Ethics permit personnel subject to the Codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased, sold or held by the Fund, subject to a number of restrictions and controls, including prohibitions against purchases of securities in an initial public offering and a preclearance requirement with respect to personal securities transactions.

I. Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record

The Board of Trustees believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Fund is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Trustees have delegated the responsibility to vote such proxies to MSIM.

A copy of MSIM's Proxy Voting Policy ("Proxy Policy") is attached hereto as Appendix A. In addition, a copy of the Proxy Policy, as well as the Fund's most recent proxy voting record for the 12-month period ended June 30, as filed with the SEC, are available without charge on our web site at www.morganstanley.com/im. The Fund's proxy voting record is also available without charge on the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov.


45



J. Revenue Sharing

The Adviser and/or Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund, to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and certain other affiliated and unaffiliated brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries, including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans ("Intermediaries") in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of Fund shares and/or shareholder servicing. For example, the Adviser or the Distributor may pay additional compensation to Intermediaries for, among other things, promoting the sale and distribution of Fund shares, providing access to various programs, mutual fund platforms or preferred or recommended mutual fund lists that may be offered by an Intermediary, granting the Distributor access to the Intermediary's financial advisors and consultants, providing assistance in the ongoing education and training of an Intermediary's financial personnel, furnishing marketing support, maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, recordkeeping, administrative, shareholder or transaction processing services. Such payments are in addition to any distribution fees, shareholder service fees and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by the Fund. The additional payments may be based on various factors, including level of sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other similar criteria related to sales of the Fund and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), amount of assets invested by the Intermediary's customers (which could include current or aged assets of the Fund and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), a Fund's advisory fees, some other agreed upon amount, or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or Distributor. The amount of these payments may be different for different Intermediaries.

With respect to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, these payments currently include the following amounts which are paid in accordance with the applicable compensation structure:

(1)  an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to $750,000 in consideration of the Distributor's participation at various Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC events, including seminars, conferences and meetings as determined by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC.

(2)  On Class A, Class B and Class L shares of the Fund held in brokerage accounts where Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is designated by purchasers as broker-dealer of record, an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 0.16% of the total average quarterly net asset value of such shares.

(3)  On Class I shares of the Fund held in brokerage accounts where Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is designated by purchasers as broker-dealer of record, an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 35% of the advisory fee the Adviser receives based on the average daily net assets of such shares.

(4)  On Class A and Class I shares of the Fund held in taxable accounts through any fee-based advisory program offered by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 0.12% of the total average monthly net asset value of such shares.

(5)  On any shares of the Fund held in an account through certain 401(k) platforms in Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC's Corporate Retirement Solutions, an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 0.20% of the total average monthly net asset value of such shares.

With respect to other Intermediaries, these payments currently include the following amounts, which are paid in accordance with the applicable compensation structure for each Intermediary:

(1)  On Class A, Class B, Class L and Class I shares of the Fund held in Intermediary accounts other than those held through Intermediary 401(k) platforms, an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 0.13% of the total average monthly net asset value of such shares.

(2)  With respect to one or more Intermediaries, a one-time fee in an amount up to $25,000 for access to such Intermediary's sales platform(s).

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other Intermediaries may provide Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or such Intermediaries, and/or their financial advisors or other sales persons, with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options with respect to which Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or an Intermediary does not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of the Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may


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wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosure provided by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or other Intermediaries as to their compensation.

VI. BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES

A. Brokerage Transactions

Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, the Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions, and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In the OTC market, securities are generally traded on a "net" basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. The Fund also expects that securities will be purchased at times in underwritten offerings where the price includes a fixed amount of compensation, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. Options and futures transactions will usually be effected through a broker and a commission will be charged. On occasion, the Fund may also purchase certain money market instruments directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid.

Pursuant to orders issued by the SEC, the Fund is permitted to engage in principal transactions, subject to certain conditions, with Morgan Stanley & Co., and with Citigroup, Inc. or its affiliates ("Citigroup"), each of which is, or may be deemed to be, a broker-dealer affiliated with the Fund's Adviser.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund did not effect any principal transactions with Morgan Stanley & Co.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010 and 2011, the Fund effected principal transactions with Citigroup. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the Fund did not effect any principal transactions with Citigroup.

B. Commissions

Brokerage transactions in securities listed on exchanges or admitted to unlisted trading privileges may be effected through Morgan Stanley & Co., Citigroup and other affiliated brokers and dealers. In order for an affiliated broker or dealer to effect any portfolio transactions on an exchange for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by the affiliated broker or dealer must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on an exchange during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow the affiliated broker or dealer to receive no more than the remuneration which would be expected to be received by an unaffiliated broker in a commensurate arm's-length transaction. Furthermore, the Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to an affiliated broker or dealer are consistent with the foregoing standard. The Fund does not reduce the management fee it pays to the Adviser by any amount of the brokerage commissions it may pay to an affiliated broker or dealer.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund paid a total of $1,125,410, $775,535 and $1,026,759, respectively, in brokerage commissions.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund paid a total of $8,065, $48,502 and $1,516, respectively, in brokerage commissions to Morgan Stanley & Co. and/or its affiliated broker-dealers. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the brokerage commissions paid to Morgan Stanley & Co. and/or its affiliated broker-dealers represented approximately 0.15% of the total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the year and were paid on account of transactions having an aggregate dollar value equal to approximately 0.13% of the aggregate dollar value of all portfolio transactions of the Fund during the year for which commissions were paid.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Fund paid a total of $11,294, $20,934 and $4,286, respectively, in brokerage commissions to Citigroup. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the brokerage commissions paid to Citigroup represented approximately 0.42% of the total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the period and were paid on account of transactions


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having an aggregate dollar value equal to approximately 1.24% of the aggregate dollar value of all portfolio transactions of the Fund during the period for which commissions were paid.

C. Brokerage Selection

The policy of the Fund regarding purchases and sales of securities for its portfolio is that primary consideration will be given to obtaining the most favorable prices and efficient executions of transactions. The Adviser is prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of investment companies for which it acts as investment adviser. Consistent with this policy, when securities transactions are effected on a stock exchange, the Fund's policy is to pay commissions which are considered fair and reasonable without necessarily determining that the lowest possible commissions are paid in all circumstances. The Fund believes that a requirement always to seek the lowest possible commission cost could impede effective portfolio management and preclude the Fund and the Adviser from obtaining a high quality of brokerage and research services. The Fund anticipates that certain of its transactions involving foreign securities will be effected on foreign securities exchanges. Fixed commissions on such transactions are generally higher than negotiated commissions on domestic transactions. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges and brokers than in the United States.

In seeking to implement the Fund's policies, the Adviser effects transactions with those broker-dealers that the Adviser believes provide prompt execution of orders in an effective manner at the most favorable prices. The Adviser may place portfolio transactions with those broker-dealers that also furnish research and other services to the Fund or the Adviser. Services provided may include certain research services (as described below) as well as effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement and custody).

The Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers have established commission sharing arrangements under a commission management program (the "Commission Management Program" or "CMP"), pursuant to which execution and research costs or a portion of those costs are decoupled in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. Under the CMP, the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers select approved equity brokers (which include the Adviser's affiliates) for execution services, and after accumulation of commissions with such brokers, the Adviser and/or its affiliates instruct these approved equity brokers to pay for eligible research provided by executing brokers or third-party research providers, which are selected independently by a Research Services Committee of the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers. Generally, the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers will direct the approved equity broker to record research credits based upon a previously agreed-upon allocation and will periodically instruct the approved equity broker to direct specified dollar amounts from that pool to pay for eligible research services provided by third-party research providers and executing brokers. The research credits are pooled among the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers and allocated on behalf of both the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers. Likewise, the research services obtained under the CMP are shared among the Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers.

Selection of approved equity brokers for execution is based on three main criteria: access to liquidity, provision of capital and quality of execution. Under the CMP, each approved equity broker is responsible for the payment of fees for research services and obtains the research services pursuant to written agreements between the approved equity broker and the third-party research provider.

For those costs not decoupled but retained by broker-dealers, the Adviser also effects transactions with brokers which directly pay for research services provided by those brokers in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act. Such transactions include equity and may include fixed-income transactions effected on an agency basis.

Transactions involving client accounts managed by two or more affiliated investment advisers may be aggregated and executed using the services of broker-dealers that provide third-party benefits/research so long as: (i) all client accounts involved in the transaction benefit from one or more of the services offered by such broker-dealer; and (ii) each affiliated investment adviser has approved the use of such broker-dealer and the services provided thereby.

The research services received include those of the nature described above and other services which aid the Adviser in fulfilling its investment decision-making responsibilities, including (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; and (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning


48



issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts. Where a particular item has both research and non-research related uses (such as proxy services where both research services and services relating to the administration of the proxy itself are provided), the Adviser will make a reasonable allocation of the cost of the item between research and non-research uses and will only pay for the portion of the cost allocated to research uses with client brokerage transactions. Research services furnished or paid for by brokers through whom the Adviser effects transactions for a particular account may be used by the Adviser or its affiliated investment advisers in servicing their other accounts, and not all such services may be used for the benefit of the client which pays the brokerage commission that results in the receipt of such research services. Commissions paid to brokers providing research services may be higher than those charged by brokers not providing services.

The Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers make a good faith determination of the value of research services in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act, UK Financial Services Authority Rules and other relevant regulatory requirements.

Certain investment professionals and other employees of the Adviser are also officers of affiliated investment advisers and may provide investment advisory services to clients of such affiliated investment advisers. The Adviser's personnel also provide research and trading support to personnel of certain affiliated investment advisers. Research related costs may be shared by affiliated investment advisers and may benefit the clients of such affiliated investment advisers. Research services that benefit the Adviser may be received in connection with commissions generated by clients of its affiliated investment advisers. Similarly, research services received in connection with commissions generated by the Adviser's clients may benefit affiliated investment advisers and their clients. Moreover, research services provided by broker-dealers through which the Adviser effects transactions for a particular account may be used by the Adviser and/or an affiliated investment adviser in servicing its other accounts and not all such research services may be used for the benefit of the particular client, which pays the brokerage commission giving rise to the receipt of such research services.

The Adviser and certain of its affiliates currently serve as an investment adviser to a number of clients, including other investment companies, and may in the future act as investment adviser to others. It is the practice of the Adviser, and its affiliates, to cause purchase and sale transactions (including transactions in certain initial and secondary public offerings) to be allocated among clients whose assets they manage (including the Fund) in such manner they deem equitable. In making such allocations among the Fund and other client accounts, various factors may be considered, including the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held and the opinions of the persons responsible for managing the portfolios of the Fund and other client accounts. The Adviser and its affiliates may operate one or more order placement facilities and each facility will implement order allocation in accordance with the procedures described above. From time to time, each facility may transact in a security at the same time as other facilities are trading in that security.

D. Regular Broker-Dealers

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, the Fund purchased securities issued by Goldman Sachs & Co., which was among the ten brokers or the ten dealers which executed transactions for or with the Fund in the largest dollar amounts during the period. At December 31, 2012, the Fund did not own any securities issued by any of such issuers.

VII. CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES

The shareholders of the Fund are entitled to a full vote for each full share of beneficial interest held. The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of beneficial interest of the Fund are of $0.01 par value and are equal as to earnings, assets and voting privileges except that each Class will have exclusive voting privileges with respect to matters relating to distribution expenses borne solely by such Class or any other matter in which the interests of one Class differ from the interests of any other Class. In addition, Class B shareholders will have the right to vote on any proposed material increase in Class A's expenses, if such proposal is submitted separately to Class A shareholders. Also, Class A, Class B and Class L bear expenses related to the distribution of their respective shares.


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The Fund's Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to authorize the creation of additional series of shares (the proceeds of which would be invested in separate, independently managed portfolios) and additional Classes of shares within any series. The Trustees have not presently authorized any such additional series or Classes of shares other than as set forth in the Prospectus.

The Fund is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and in ordinary circumstances the Fund does not intend to hold such meetings. The Trustees may call special meetings of shareholders for action by shareholder vote as may be required by the Investment Company Act or the Declaration of Trust. Under certain circumstances, the Trustees may be removed by the actions of the Trustees. In addition, under certain circumstances, the shareholders may call a meeting to remove the Trustees and the Fund is required to provide assistance in communicating with shareholders about such a meeting. The voting rights of shareholders are not cumulative, so that holders of more than 50% of the shares voting can, if they choose, elect all Trustees being selected, while the holders of the remaining shares would be unable to elect any Trustees.

Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a business trust may, under certain limited circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the Fund. However, the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund, requires that notice of such Fund obligations include such disclaimer, and provides for indemnification out of the Fund's property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Given the above limitations on shareholder personal liability, and the nature of the Fund's assets and operations, the possibility of the Fund being unable to meet its obligations is remote and thus, in the opinion of Massachusetts counsel to the Fund, the risk to Fund shareholders of personal liability is remote.

The Trustees themselves have the power to alter the number and the terms of office of the Trustees (as provided for in the Declaration of Trust), and they may at any time lengthen or shorten their own terms or make their terms of unlimited duration and appoint their own successors, provided that always at least a majority of the Trustees has been elected by the shareholders of the Fund.

VIII. PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES

A. Purchase/Redemption of Shares

Information concerning how Fund shares are offered to the public (and how they are redeemed and exchanged) is provided in the Fund's Prospectus.

Suspension of Redemptions. Redemptions are not made on days during which the NYSE is closed. The right of redemption may be suspended and the payment therefore may be postponed for more than seven days during any period when (a) the NYSE is closed for other than customary weekends or holidays; (b) the SEC determines trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) the SEC determines an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of its net assets; or (d) the SEC, by order, so permits.

Transfer Agent as Agent. With respect to the redemption or repurchase of Fund shares, the application of proceeds to the purchase of new shares in the Fund or any other Morgan Stanley Funds and the general administration of the exchange privilege, the Transfer Agent acts as agent for the Distributor and for the shareholder's authorized broker-dealer, if any, in the performance of such functions. With respect to exchanges, redemptions or repurchases, the Transfer Agent is liable for its own negligence and not for the default or negligence of its correspondents or for losses in transit. The Fund is not liable for any default or negligence of the Transfer Agent, the Distributor or any authorized broker-dealer.

The Distributor and any authorized broker-dealer have appointed the Transfer Agent to act as their agent in connection with the application of proceeds of any redemption of Fund shares to the purchase of shares of any other Morgan Stanley Fund and the general administration of the exchange privilege. No commission or discounts will be paid to the Distributor or any authorized broker-dealer for any transaction pursuant to the exchange privilege.


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Transfers of Shares. In the event a shareholder requests a transfer of Fund shares to a new registration, the shares will be transferred without sales charge at the time of transfer. With regard to the status of shares which are either subject to the CDSC or free of such charge (and with regard to the length of time shares subject to the charge have been held), any transfer involving less than all of the shares in an account will be made on a pro rata basis (that is, by transferring shares in the same proportion that the transferred shares bear to the total shares in the account immediately prior to the transfer). The transferred shares will continue to be subject to any applicable CDSC as if they had not been so transferred.

Outside Brokerage Accounts/Limited Portability. Most Fund shareholders hold their shares with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Please note that your ability to transfer your Fund shares to a brokerage account at another securities dealer may be limited. Fund shares may only be transferred to accounts held at securities dealers or financial intermediaries that have entered into agreements with the Distributor. After a transfer, you may purchase additional shares of the Morgan Stanley Fund(s) you owned before the transfer and, in most instances, you will also be able to purchase shares of most other Morgan Stanley Funds. If you transfer shares of a fund that is not a Morgan Stanley Multi-Class Fund (for example, a Morgan Stanley Money Market Fund) you will not be able to exchange shares of that fund for any other Morgan Stanley Fund after the transfer.

If you wish to transfer Fund shares to a securities dealer or other financial intermediary that has not entered into an agreement with the Distributor, you may request that the securities dealer or financial intermediary maintain the shares in an account at the Transfer Agent registered in the name of such securities dealer or financial intermediary for your benefit. You may also hold your Fund shares in your own name directly with the Transfer Agent. In either case, you will continue to have the ability to purchase additional Morgan Stanley Funds and will have full exchange privileges. Other options may also be available; please check with the respective securities dealer or financial intermediary. If you choose not to hold your shares with the Transfer Agent, either directly or through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary, you must redeem your shares and pay any applicable CDSC.

B. Offering Price

The Fund's Class B, Class L and Class I shares are offered at net asset value per share and the Class A shares are offered at net asset value per share plus any applicable FSC which is distributed among the Fund's Distributor, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC and other authorized dealers as described in Section "V. Investment Advisory and Other Services — E. Rule 12b-1 Plan." The price of Fund shares, called "net asset value," is based on the value of the Fund's portfolio securities. Net asset value per share of each Class is calculated by dividing the value of the portion of the Fund's securities and other assets attributable to that Class, less the total market value of the liabilities attributable to that Class, by the number of shares of that Class outstanding. The assets of each Class of shares are invested in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each Class, however, will differ because the Classes have different ongoing fees.

In the calculation of the Fund's net asset value: (1) an equity portfolio security listed or traded on an exchange is valued at its latest reported sales price (or at the exchange official closing price if such exchange reports an official closing price), and if there were no sales on a given day, the securities is valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices; and (2) all other equity portfolio securities for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available are valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices. In cases where a security is traded on more than one exchange, the security is valued on the exchange designated as the primary market. When market quotations are not readily available, including circumstances under which it is determined by the Adviser that the closing price, last sale price or the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices are not reflective of a security's market value, portfolio securities are valued at their fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Fund's Board. For valuation purposes, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates prior to the close of the NYSE.

Short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less at the time of purchase may be valued at amortized cost, unless the Adviser determines such valuation does not reflect the securities'


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market value, in which case these securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined by the Adviser.

Certain of the Fund's portfolio securities may be valued by an outside pricing service approved by the Fund's Board. The pricing service may utilize a matrix system or other model incorporating attributes such as security quality, maturity and coupon as the evaluation model parameters, and/or research evaluations by its staff, including review of broker-dealer market price quotations in determining what it believes is the fair valuation of the portfolio securities valued by such pricing service.

Listed options are valued at the last reported sales price on the exchange on which they are listed (or at the exchange official closing price if such exchange reports an official closing price). If an official closing price or last reported sale price is unavailable, the listed option should be fair valued at the mean between its latest bid and ask prices. If an exchange closing price or bid and asked prices are not available from the exchange, then the quotes from one or more brokers or dealers may be used. Unlisted options and swaps are valued by an outside pricing service approved by the Board or quotes from a broker or dealer. Unlisted options and swaps cleared on a clearinghouse or exchange may be valued using the closing price provided by the clearinghouse or exchange. Futures are valued at the settlement price on the exchange on which they trade or, if a settlement price is unavailable, then at the last sale price on the exchange.

If the Adviser determines that the valuation received from the outside pricing service or broker or dealer is not reflective of the security's market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

Generally, trading in foreign securities, as well as corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments, is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the net asset value of the Fund's shares are determined as of such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior to the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events which may affect the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which they are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events that may affect the value of such securities occur during such period, then these securities may be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the supervision of the Board.

IX. TAXATION OF THE FUND AND SHAREHOLDERS

The Fund generally will make two basic types of distributions: ordinary dividends and long-term capital gain distributions. These two types of distributions are reported differently on a shareholder's income tax return. The tax treatment of the investment activities of the Fund will affect the amount, timing and character of the distributions made by the Fund. The following discussion is only a summary of certain tax considerations generally affecting the Fund and shareholders of the Fund and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Tax issues relating to the Fund are not generally a consideration for shareholders such as tax-exempt entities and tax-advantaged retirement vehicles such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax professionals regarding specific questions as to federal, state or local taxes.

Investment Company Taxation. The Fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on its net investment income and capital gains, if any, to the extent that it timely distributes such income and capital gains to its shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify for any taxable year as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income will be subject to tax at regular corporate income tax rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions generally will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits.

The Fund generally intends to distribute sufficient income and gains so that the Fund will not pay corporate income tax on its earnings. The Fund also generally intends to distribute to its shareholders in each calendar year a sufficient amount of ordinary income and capital gains to avoid the imposition of a 4% excise tax. However, the Fund may instead determine to retain all or part of any income or net long-term


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capital gains in any year for reinvestment. In such event, the Fund will pay federal income tax (and possibly excise tax) on such retained income or gains.

Gains or losses on sales of securities by the Fund will generally be long-term capital gains or losses if the securities have a tax holding period of more than one year at the time of such sale. Gains or losses on the sale of securities with a tax holding period of one year or less will be short-term capital gains or losses. Special tax rules may change the normal treatment of gains and losses recognized by the Fund when the Fund invests in foreign currency forward exchange contracts, options, futures transactions, and non-U.S. corporations classified as "passive foreign investment companies." Those special tax rules can, among other things, affect the treatment of capital gain or loss as long-term or short-term and may result in ordinary income or loss rather than capital gain or loss. The application of these special rules would therefore also affect the character of distributions made by the Fund.

The Fund may make investments in which it recognizes income or gain prior to receiving cash with respect to such investment. For example, under certain tax rules, the Fund may be required to accrue a portion of any discount at which certain securities are purchased as income each year even though the Fund receives no payments in cash on the security during the year. To the extent that the Fund makes such investments, it generally would be required to pay out such income or gain as a distribution in each year to avoid taxation at the Fund level. Such distributions will be made from the available cash of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities if necessary. If a distribution of cash necessitates the liquidation of portfolio securities, the Adviser will select which securities to sell. The Fund may realize a gain or loss from such sales. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.

Taxation of Dividends and Distributions. Shareholders normally will be subject to federal income taxes, and any state and/or local income taxes, on the dividends and other distributions they receive from the Fund. Such dividends and distributions, to the extent that they are derived from net investment income or short-term capital gains, are generally taxable to the shareholder as ordinary income regardless of whether the shareholder receives such payments in additional shares or in cash. If certain holding period requirements are met with respect to a shareholder's shares, a portion of the ordinary income dividends received by a shareholder may be taxed at the same rate as long-term capital gains. However, even if income received in the form of income dividends is taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered long-term capital gains for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you generally will not be permitted to offset ordinary income dividends with capital losses. Short-term capital gain distributions will continue to be taxed at ordinary income rates.

Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains regardless of how long a shareholder has held the Fund's shares and regardless of whether the distribution is received in additional shares or in cash. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, the maximum individual rate applicable to "qualified dividend income" and long-term capital gains is generally either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual's income exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders are generally taxed on any income dividend or capital gain distributions from the Fund in the year they are actually distributed. However, if any such dividends or distributions are declared in October, November or December and paid to shareholders of record of such month in January then such amounts will be treated for tax purposes as received by the shareholders on December 31.

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and new gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Subject to certain exceptions, a corporate shareholder may be eligible for a 70% dividends received deduction to the extent that the Fund earns and distributes qualifying dividends from its investments. Distributions of net capital gains by the Fund will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction.


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Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities, while not subject to U.S. tax on distributions of net long-term capital gains, will generally be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by the Fund of investment income and short term capital gains. The Fund is not required to withhold any amounts with respect to distributions to foreign shareholders that are properly designated by the Fund as "interest-related dividends" or "short-term capital gain dividends," provided that the income would not be subject to federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, the Fund may withhold on some of these amounts regardless of the fact that it is not required to do so. The provisions discussed above relating to distributions to foreign persons generally would apply to distributions with respect to taxable years of regulated investment companies beginning before January 1, 2014 (or a later date if extended by the U.S. Congress). Prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the specific tax consequences discussed above. Such prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of dividends and distributions and the potential applicability of the U.S. estate tax.

Effective January 1, 2014, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends and (effective January 1, 2017) redemption proceeds made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed complaint) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

After the end of each calendar year, shareholders will be sent information on their dividends and capital gain distributions for tax purposes, including the portion taxable as ordinary income, the portion taxable as long-term capital gains and the amount of any dividends eligible for the federal dividends received deduction for corporations.

Purchases and Redemptions and Exchanges of Fund Shares. Any dividend or capital gains distribution received by a shareholder from the Fund will have the effect of reducing the net asset value of the shareholder's stock in the Fund by the exact amount of the dividend or capital gains distribution. Furthermore, such dividends and capital gains distributions are subject to federal income taxes. If the net asset value of the shares should be reduced below a shareholder's cost as a result of the payment of dividends or the distribution of realized long-term capital gains, such payment or distribution would be in part a return of the shareholder's investment but nonetheless would be taxable to the shareholder. Therefore, an investor should consider the tax implications of purchasing Fund shares immediately prior to a distribution record date.

Shareholders normally will be subject to federal income taxes, and state and/or local income taxes, on the sale or disposition of Fund shares. In general, a sale of shares results in capital gain or loss, and for individual shareholders, is taxable at a federal rate dependent upon the length of time the shares were held. A redemption of a shareholder's Fund shares is normally treated as a sale for tax purposes. Fund shares held for a period of one year or less at the time of such sale or redemption will, for tax purposes, generally result in short-term capital gains or losses and those held for more than one year will generally result in long-term capital gains or losses. For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, the maximum individual rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual's income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized by shareholders upon a sale or redemption of shares within six months of the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net long-term capital gains with respect to such shares during the six-month period.

Gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares in the Fund is measured by the difference between the amount of cash received (or the fair market value of any property received) and the adjusted tax basis of the shares.

Exchanges of Fund shares for shares of another fund, including shares of other Morgan Stanley Funds, are also subject to similar tax treatment. Such an exchange is treated for tax purposes as a sale of the original shares in the Fund, followed by the purchase of shares in the other fund.


54



The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited. In addition, if a shareholder realizes a loss on the redemption or exchange of a fund's shares and receives securities that are considered substantially identical to that fund's shares or reinvests in that fund's shares or substantially identical shares within 30 days before or after the redemption or exchange, the transactions may be subject to the "wash sale" rules, resulting in a postponement of the recognition of such loss for tax purposes.

Shareholders should keep records of investments made (including shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends and distributions) so they can compute the tax basis of their shares. Under certain circumstances a shareholder may compute and use an average cost basis in determining the gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares.

Due to recent legislation, the Fund (or its administrative agent) is required to report to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and furnish to Fund shareholders the cost basis information for sale transactions of shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012. Shareholders may elect to have one of several cost basis methods applied to their account when calculating the cost basis of shares sold, including average cost, FIFO ("first-in, first-out") or some other specific identification method. Unless you instruct otherwise, the Fund will use average cost as its default cost basis method, and will treat sales as first coming from shares purchased prior to January 1, 2012. If average cost is used for the first sale of Fund shares covered by these new rules, the shareholder may only use an alternative cost basis method for shares purchased prospectively. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisors to determine the best cost basis method for their tax situation.

X. UNDERWRITERS

The Fund's shares are offered to the public on a continuous basis. The Distributor, as the principal underwriter of the shares, has certain obligations under the Distribution Agreement concerning the distribution of the shares. These obligations and the compensation the Distributor receives are described above in the sections titled "Principal Underwriter" and "Rule 12b-1 Plan."

XI. PERFORMANCE DATA

Average annual returns assuming deduction of maximum sales charge
Period Ended December 31, 2012

Class

  Inception
Date
 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Life of Fund

 

Class A

 

07/28/97

   

7.97

%

   

1.18

%

   

6.76

%

   

4.80

%

 

Class B

 

03/27/80

   

8.07

%

   

1.14

%

   

6.68

%**

   

10.18

%**

 

Class L*

 

07/28/97

   

12.07

%

   

1.51

%

   

6.53

%

   

4.37

%

 

Class I

 

07/28/97

   

14.18

%

   

2.54

%

   

7.59

%

   

5.41

%

 

Average annual returns assuming NO deduction of sales charge
Period Ended December 31, 2012

Class

  Inception
Date
 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Life of Fund

 

Class A

 

07/28/97

   

13.95

%

   

2.28

%

   

7.34

%

   

5.17

%

 

Class B

 

03/27/80

   

13.07

%

   

1.52

%

   

6.68

%**

   

10.18

%**

 

Class L*

 

07/28/97

   

13.07

%

   

1.51

%

   

6.53

%

   

4.37

%

 

Class I

 

07/28/97

   

14.18

%

   

2.54

%

   

7.59

%

   

5.41

%

 

Aggregate total returns assuming NO deduction of sales charge
Period Ended December 31, 2012

Class

  Inception
Date
 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Life of Fund

 

Class A

 

07/28/97

   

13.95

%

   

11.95

%

   

102.97

%

   

117.56

%

 

Class B

 

03/27/80

   

13.07

%

   

7.81

%

   

90.91

%**

   

2293.17

%**

 

Class L*

 

07/28/97

   

13.07

%

   

7.80

%

   

88.18

%

   

93.53

%

 

Class I

 

07/28/97

   

14.18

%

   

13.34

%

   

107.82

%

   

125.58

%

 


55



Average annual after-tax returns assuming deduction of maximum sales charge
Class A***
Period Ended December 31, 2012

Calculation Methodology

  Inception
Date
 

1 Year

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Life of Fund

 
After taxes on distributions  

07/28/97

   

7.97

%

   

1.18

%

   

6.76

%

   

3.55

%

 
After taxes on distributions and redemptions  

07/28/97

   

5.18

%

   

1.01

%

   

5.96

%

   

3.41

%

 

*  Effective February 25, 2013, Class C shares were renamed Class L shares. The one year performance assuming deduction of maximum sales charge of Class L shares reflects the 1% contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) in effect for Class C shares as of December 31, 2012. Class C shares held for less than one year were subject to a 1% CDSC. The CDSC on Class L shares was eliminated effective February 25, 2013.

**  Effective April 2005, Class B shares will generally convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after the end of the calendar month in which the shares were purchased. Performance for periods greater than eight years reflects this conversion (beginning April 2005).

***  The Fund previously disclosed the average annual after-tax returns assuming deduction of maximum sales charge of Class B shares. However, Class B shares are closed to new investments. The table now shows Class A shares which remain open to new investments.

XII. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Fund's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012, including notes thereto, and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are herein incorporated by reference to the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders. A copy of the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders must accompany the delivery of this SAI.

XIII. FUND COUNSEL

Dechert LLP, located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, acts as the Fund's legal counsel.

*****

This SAI and the Prospectus do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement the Fund has filed with the SEC. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC.


56




Appendix A

MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

I. POLICY STATEMENT

Morgan Stanley Investment Management's ("MSIM") policy and procedures for voting proxies ("Policy") with respect to securities held in the accounts of clients applies to those MSIM entities that provide discretionary investment management services and for which an MSIM entity has authority to vote proxies. This Policy is reviewed and updated as necessary to address new and evolving proxy voting issues and standards.

The MSIM entities covered by this Policy currently include the following: Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company, Morgan Stanley Asset & Investment Trust Management Co., Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited and Private Investment Partners Inc. (each an "MSIM Affiliate" and collectively referred to as the "MSIM Affiliates" or as "we" below).

Each MSIM Affiliate will use its best efforts to vote proxies as part of its authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets. With respect to the MSIM registered management investment companies (the "MSIM Funds"), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under its applicable investment advisory agreement or, in the absence of such authority, as authorized by the Board of Directors/Trustees of the MSIM Funds. A MSIM Affiliate will not vote proxies unless the investment management or investment advisory agreement explicitly authorizes the MSIM Affiliate to vote proxies. MSIM Affiliates will vote proxies in a prudent and diligent manner and in the best interests of clients, including beneficiaries of and participants in a client's benefit plan(s) for which the MSIM Affiliates manage assets, consistent with the objective of maximizing long-term investment returns ("Client Proxy Standard"). In certain situations, a client or its fiduciary may provide an MSIM Affiliate with a proxy voting policy. In these situations, the MSIM Affiliate will comply with the client's policy.

Proxy Research Services — ISS Governance Services ("ISS") and Glass Lewis (together with other proxy research providers as we may retain from time to time, the "Research Providers") are independent advisers that specialize in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy-related services to institutional investment managers, plan sponsors, custodians, consultants, and other institutional investors. The services provided include in-depth research, global issuer analysis, and voting recommendations. While we may review and utilize the recommendations of one or more Research Providers in making proxy voting decisions, we are in no way obligated to follow such recommendations. In addition to research, ISS provides vote execution, reporting, and recordkeeping services.

Voting Proxies for Certain Non-U.S. Companies Voting proxies of companies located in some jurisdictions may involve several problems that can restrict or prevent the ability to vote such proxies or entail significant costs. These problems include, but are not limited to: (i) proxy statements and ballots being written in a language other than English; (ii) untimely and/or inadequate notice of shareholder meetings; (iii) restrictions on the ability of holders outside the issuer's jurisdiction of organization to exercise votes; (iv) requirements to vote proxies in person; (v) the imposition of restrictions on the sale of the securities for a period of time in proximity to the shareholder meeting; and (vi) requirements to provide local agents with power of attorney to facilitate our voting instructions. As a result, we vote clients' non-U.S. proxies on a best efforts basis only, after weighing the costs and benefits of voting such proxies, consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. ISS has been retained to provide assistance in connection with voting non-U.S. proxies.

II. GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES

To promote consistency in voting proxies on behalf of its clients, we follow this Policy (subject to any exception set forth herein). The Policy addresses a broad range of issues, and provides general voting parameters on proposals that arise most frequently. However, details of specific proposals vary, and those


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details affect particular voting decisions, as do factors specific to a given company. Pursuant to theprocedures set forth herein, we may vote in a manner that is not in accordance with the following general guidelines, provided the vote is approved by the Proxy Review Committee (see Section III for description) and is consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP will follow the procedures as described in Appendix A.

We endeavor to integrate governance and proxy voting policy with investment goals, using the vote to encourage portfolio companies to enhance long-term shareholder value and to provide a high standard of transparency such that equity markets can value corporate assets appropriately.

We seek to follow the Client Proxy Standard for each client. At times, this may result in split votes, for example when different clients have varying economic interests in the outcome of a particular voting matter (such as a case in which varied ownership interests in two companies involved in a merger results in different stakes in the outcome). We also may split votes at times based on differing views of portfolio managers.

We may abstain on matters for which disclosure is inadequate.

A. Routine Matters.

We generally support routine management proposals. The following are examples of routine management proposals:

•  Approval of financial statements and auditor reports if delivered with an unqualified auditor's opinion.

•  General updating/corrective amendments to the charter, articles of association or bylaws, unless we believe that such amendments would diminish shareholder rights.

•  Most proposals related to the conduct of the annual meeting, with the following exceptions. We generally oppose proposals that relate to "the transaction of such other business which may come before the meeting," and open-ended requests for adjournment. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment would facilitate passage of a proposal that would otherwise be supported under this Policy (i.e. an uncontested corporate transaction), the adjournment request will be supported.

We generally support shareholder proposals advocating confidential voting procedures and independent tabulation of voting results.

B. Board of Directors.

1.  Election of directors: Votes on board nominees can involve balancing a variety of considerations. In vote decisions, we may take into consideration whether the company has a majority voting policy in place that we believe makes the director vote more meaningful. In the absence of a proxy contest, we generally support the board's nominees for director except as follows:

a.  We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if we believe a direct conflict exists between the interests of the nominee and the public shareholders, including failure to meet fiduciary standards of care and/or loyalty. We may oppose directors where we conclude that actions of directors are unlawful, unethical or negligent. We consider opposing individual board members or an entire slate if we believe the board is entrenched and/or dealing inadequately with performance problems; if we believe the board is acting with insufficient independence between the board and management; or if we believe the board has not been sufficiently forthcoming with information on key governance or other material matters.

b.  We consider withholding support from or voting against interested directors if the company's board does not meet market standards for director independence, or if otherwise we believe board independence is insufficient. We refer to prevalent market standards as promulgated by a stock exchange or other authority within a given market (e.g., New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq rules for most U.S. companies, and The Combined Code on Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom). Thus, for an NYSE company with no controlling shareholder, we would expect that at a minimum a majority of directors should be independent as defined by NYSE. Where we view market standards as inadequate, we may withhold votes based on stronger


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independence standards. Market standards notwithstanding, we generally do not view long board tenure alone as a basis to classify a director as non-independent.

i.  At a company with a shareholder or group that controls the company by virtue of a majority economic interest in the company, we have a reduced expectation for board independence, although we believe the presence of independent directors can be helpful, particularly in staffing the audit committee, and at times we may withhold support from or vote against a nominee on the view the board or its committees are not sufficiently independent. In markets where board independence is not the norm (e.g. Japan), however, we consider factors including whether a board of a controlled company includes independent members who can be expected to look out for interests of minority holders.

ii.  We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if he or she is affiliated with a major shareholder that has representation on a board disproportionate to its economic interest.

c.  Depending on market standards, we consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who is interested and who is standing for election as a member of the company's compensation/remuneration, nominating/governance or audit committee.

d.  We consider withholding support or voting against nominees if the term for which they are nominated is excessive. We consider this issue on a market-specific basis.

e.  We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if, in our view, there has been insufficient board renewal (turnover), particularly in the context of extended poor company performance.

f.  We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee standing for election if the board has not taken action to implement generally accepted governance practices for which there is a "bright line" test. For example, in the context of the U.S. market, failure to eliminate a dead hand or slow hand poison pill would be seen as a basis for opposing one or more incumbent nominees.

g.  In markets that encourage designated audit committee financial experts, we consider voting against members of an audit committee if no members are designated as such. We also consider voting against the audit committee members if the company has faced financial reporting issues and/or does not put the auditor up for ratification by shareholders.

h.  We believe investors should have the ability to vote on individual nominees, and may abstain or vote against a slate of nominees where we are not given the opportunity to vote on individual nominees.

i.  We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who has failed to attend at least 75% of the nominee's board and board committee meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance.

j.  We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who appears overcommitted, particularly through service on an excessive number of boards. Market expectations are incorporated into this analysis; for U.S. boards, we generally oppose election of a nominee who serves on more than six public company boards (excluding investment companies), although we may reference National Association of Corporate Directors guidance suggesting that public company CEOs, for example, should serve no more than two outside boards given the level of time commitment required in their primary job.

2.  Discharge of directors' duties: In markets where an annual discharge of directors' responsibility is a routine agenda item, we generally support such discharge. However, we may vote against discharge or abstain from voting where there are serious findings of fraud or other unethical behavior for which the individual bears responsibility. The annual discharge of responsibility represents shareholder approval of disclosed actions taken by the board during the year and may make future shareholder action against the board difficult to pursue.


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3.  Board independence: We generally support U.S. shareholder proposals requiring that a certain percentage (up to 66 2/3%) of the company's board members be independent directors, and promoting all-independent audit, compensation and nominating/governance committees.

4.  Board diversity: We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals urging diversity of board membership with respect to social, religious or ethnic group.

5.  Majority voting: We generally support proposals requesting or requiring majority voting policies in election of directors, so long as there is a carve-out for plurality voting in the case of contested elections.

6.  Proxy access: We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals on particular procedures for inclusion of shareholder nominees in company proxy statements.

7.  Reimbursement for dissident nominees: We generally support well-crafted U.S. shareholder proposals that would provide for reimbursement of dissident nominees elected to a board, as the cost to shareholders in electing such nominees can be factored into the voting decision on those nominees.

8.  Proposals to elect directors more frequently: In the U.S. public company context, we usually support shareholder and management proposals to elect all directors annually (to "declassify" the board), although we make an exception to this policy where we believe that long-term shareholder value may be harmed by this change given particular circumstances at the company at the time of the vote on such proposal. As indicated above, outside the U.S., we generally support greater accountability to shareholders that comes through more frequent director elections, but recognize that many markets embrace longer term lengths, sometimes for valid reasons given other aspects of the legal context in electing boards.

9.  Cumulative voting: We generally support proposals to eliminate cumulative voting in the U.S. market context. (Cumulative voting provides that shareholders may concentrate their votes for one or a handful of candidates, a system that can enable a minority bloc to place representation on a board.) U.S. proposals to establish cumulative voting in the election of directors generally will not be supported.

10.  Separation of Chairman and CEO positions: We vote on shareholder proposals to separate the Chairman and CEO positions and/or to appoint an independent Chairman based in part on prevailing practice in particular markets, since the context for such a practice varies. In many non-U.S. markets, we view separation of the roles as a market standard practice, and support division of the roles in that context. In the U.S., we consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, considering, among other things, the existing board leadership structure, company performance, and any other evidence of entrenchment or perceived risk that power is overly concentrated in a single individual.

11.  Director retirement age and term limits: Proposals setting or recommending director retirement ages or director term limits are voted on a case-by-case basis that includes consideration of company performance, the rate of board renewal, evidence of effective individual director evaluation processes, and any indications of entrenchment.

12.  Proposals to limit directors' liability and/or broaden indemnification of officers and directors. Generally, we will support such proposals provided that an individual is eligible only if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or with reckless disregard of their duties.

C. Statutory Auditor Boards.

The statutory auditor board, which is separate from the main board of directors, plays a role in corporate governance in several markets. These boards are elected by shareholders to provide assurance on compliance with legal and accounting standards and the company's articles of association. We generally vote for statutory auditor nominees if they meet independence standards. In markets that require disclosure on attendance by internal statutory auditors, however, we consider voting against nominees for these positions who failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance.


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D. Corporate Transactions and Proxy Fights.

We examine proposals relating to mergers, acquisitions and other special corporate transactions (i.e., takeovers, spin-offs, sales of assets, reorganizations, restructurings and recapitalizations) on a case-by-case basis in the interests of each fund or other account. Proposals for mergers or other significant transactions that are friendly and approved by the Research Providers usually are supported if there is no portfolio manager objection. We also analyze proxy contests on a case-by-case basis.

E. Changes in Capital Structure.

1.  We generally support the following:

•  Management and shareholder proposals aimed at eliminating unequal voting rights, assuming fair economic treatment of classes of shares we hold.

•  U.S. management proposals to increase the authorization of existing classes of common stock (or securities convertible into common stock) if: (i) a clear business purpose is stated that we can support and the number of shares requested is reasonable in relation to the purpose for which authorization is requested; and/or (ii) the authorization does not exceed 100% of shares currently authorized and at least 30% of the total new authorization will be outstanding. (We consider proposals that do not meet these criteria on a case-by-case basis.)

•  U.S. management proposals to create a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital, unless we have concerns about use of the authority for anti-takeover purposes.

•  Proposals in non-U.S. markets that in our view appropriately limit potential dilution of existing shareholders. A major consideration is whether existing shareholders would have preemptive rights for any issuance under a proposal for standing share issuance authority. We generally consider market-specific guidance in making these decisions; for example, in the U.K. market, we usually follow Association of British Insurers' ("ABI") guidance, although company-specific factors may be considered and for example, may sometimes lead us to voting against share authorization proposals even if they meet ABI guidance.

•  Management proposals to authorize share repurchase plans, except in some cases in which we believe there are insufficient protections against use of an authorization for anti-takeover purposes.

•  Management proposals to reduce the number of authorized shares of common or preferred stock, or to eliminate classes of preferred stock.

•  Management proposals to effect stock splits.

•  Management proposals to effect reverse stock splits if management proportionately reduces the authorized share amount set forth in the corporate charter. Reverse stock splits that do not adjust proportionately to the authorized share amount generally will be approved if the resulting increase in authorized shares coincides with the proxy guidelines set forth above for common stock increases.

•  Management dividend payout proposals, except where we perceive company payouts to shareholders as inadequate.

2.  We generally oppose the following (notwithstanding management support):

•  Proposals to add classes of stock that would substantially dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders.

•  Proposals to increase the authorized or issued number of shares of existing classes of stock that are unreasonably dilutive, particularly if there are no preemptive rights for existing shareholders. However, depending on market practices, we consider voting for proposals giving general authorization for issuance of shares not subject to pre-emptive rights if the authority is limited.

•  Proposals that authorize share issuance at a discount to market rates, except where authority for such issuance is de minimis, or if there is a special situation that we believe justifies such


A-5



authorization (as may be the case, for example, at a company under severe stress and risk of bankruptcy).

•  Proposals relating to changes in capitalization by 100% or more.

We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals to increase dividend payout ratios, in light of market practice and perceived market weaknesses, as well as individual company payout history and current circumstances. For example, currently we perceive low payouts to shareholders as a concern at some Japanese companies, but may deem a low payout ratio as appropriate for a growth company making good use of its cash, notwithstanding the broader market concern.

F. Takeover Defenses and Shareholder Rights.

1.  Shareholder rights plans: We generally support proposals to require shareholder approval or ratification of shareholder rights plans (poison pills). In voting on rights plans or similar takeover defenses, we consider on a case-by-case basis whether the company has demonstrated a need for the defense in the context of promoting long-term share value; whether provisions of the defense are in line with generally accepted governance principles in the market (and specifically the presence of an adequate qualified offer provision that would exempt offers meeting certain conditions from the pill); and the specific context if the proposal is made in the midst of a takeover bid or contest for control.

2.  Supermajority voting requirements: We generally oppose requirements for supermajority votes to amend the charter or bylaws, unless the provisions protect minority shareholders where there is a large shareholder. In line with this view, in the absence of a large shareholder we support reasonable shareholder proposals to limit such supermajority voting requirements.

3.  Shareholder right to call a special meeting: We consider proposals to enhance a shareholder's right to call a special meeting on a case-by-case basis. At large-cap U.S. companies, we generally support efforts to establish the rights of holders of 10% or more of shares to call special meetings, unless the board or state law has a set policy or law establishing such rights at a threshold that we believe to be acceptable.

4.  Written consent rights: In the U.S. context, we examine proposals for shareholder written consent rights on a case-by-case basis.

5.  Reincorporation: We consider management and shareholder proposals to reincorporate to a different jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. We oppose such proposals if we believe the main purpose is to take advantage of laws or judicial precedents that reduce shareholder rights.

6.  Anti-greenmail provisions: Proposals relating to the adoption of anti-greenmail provisions will be supported, provided that the proposal: (i) defines greenmail; (ii) prohibits buyback offers to large block holders (holders of at least 1% of the outstanding shares and in certain cases, a greater amount) not made to all shareholders or not approved by disinterested shareholders; and (iii) contains no anti-takeover measures or other provisions restricting the rights of shareholders.

7.  Bundled proposals: We may consider opposing or abstaining on proposals if disparate issues are "bundled" and presented for a single vote.

G. Auditors.

We generally support management proposals for selection or ratification of independent auditors. However, we may consider opposing such proposals with reference to incumbent audit firms if the company has suffered from serious accounting irregularities and we believe rotation of the audit firm is appropriate, or if fees paid to the auditor for non-audit-related services are excessive. Generally, to determine if non-audit fees are excessive, a 50% test will be applied (i.e., non-audit-related fees should be less than 50% of the total fees paid to the auditor). We generally vote against proposals to indemnify auditors.


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H. Executive and Director Remuneration.

1.  We generally support the following:

•  Proposals for employee equity compensation plans and other employee ownership plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. Such approval may be against shareholder interest if it authorizes excessive dilution and shareholder cost, particularly in the context of high usage ("run rate") of equity compensation in the recent past; or if there are objectionable plan design and provision.

•  Proposals relating to fees to outside directors, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry, and provided that the structure is appropriate within the market context. While stock-based compensation to outside directors is positive if moderate and appropriately structured, we are wary of significant stock option awards or other performance-based awards for outside directors, as well as provisions that could result in significant forfeiture of value on a director's decision to resign from a board (such forfeiture can undercut director independence).

•  Proposals for employee stock purchase plans that permit discounts, but only for grants that are part of a broad-based employee plan, including all non-executive employees, and only if the discounts are limited to a reasonable market standard or less.

•  Proposals for the establishment of employee retirement and severance plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest.

2.  We generally oppose retirement plans and bonuses for non-executive directors and independent statutory auditors.

3.  In the U.S. context, we generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring shareholder approval of all severance agreements, but proposals that require shareholder approval for agreements in excess of three times the annual compensation (salary and bonus) generally will be supported. We generally oppose shareholder proposals that would establish arbitrary caps on pay. We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals that seek to limit Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), but support such proposals where we consider SERPs to be excessive.

4.  Shareholder proposals advocating stronger and/or particular pay-for-performance models will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the merits of the individual proposal within the context of the particular company and its labor markets, and the company's current and past practices. While we generally support emphasis on long-term components of senior executive pay and strong linkage of pay to performance, we consider factors including whether a proposal may be overly prescriptive, and the impact of the proposal, if implemented as written, on recruitment and retention.

5.  We generally support proposals advocating reasonable senior executive and director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements for shares gained in executive equity compensation programs

6.  We generally support shareholder proposals for reasonable "claw-back" provisions that provide for company recovery of senior executive bonuses to the extent they were based on achieving financial benchmarks that were not actually met in light of subsequent restatements.

7.  Management proposals effectively to re-price stock options are considered on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include the company's reasons and justifications for a re-pricing, the company's competitive position, whether senior executives and outside directors are excluded, potential cost to shareholders, whether the re-pricing or share exchange is on a value-for-value basis, and whether vesting requirements are extended.

8.  Say-on-Pay: We consider proposals relating to an advisory vote on remuneration on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include a review of the relationship between executive remuneration and performance based on operating trends and total shareholder return over multiple performance periods. In addition, we review remuneration structures and potential poor pay practices, including relative magnitude of pay, discretionary bonus awards, tax gross ups, change-in-control features, internal pay equity and peer group construction. As long-term investors, we support remuneration policies that align with long-term shareholder returns.


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I. Social, Political and Environmental Issues.

Shareholders in the U.S. and certain other markets submit proposals encouraging changes in company disclosure and practices related to particular corporate, social, political and environmental matters. We consider how to vote on the proposals on a case-by-case basis to determine likely impacts on shareholder value. We seek to balance concerns on reputational and other risks that lie behind a proposal against costs of implementation, while considering appropriate shareholder and management prerogatives. We may abstain from voting on proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. We support proposals that, if implemented, would enhance useful disclosure, but we generally vote against proposals requesting reports that we believe are duplicative, related to matters not material to the business, or that would impose unnecessary or excessive costs. We believe that certain social and environmental shareholder proposals may intrude excessively on management prerogatives, which can lead us to oppose them.

J. Fund of Funds.

Certain Funds advised by an MSIM Affiliate invest only in other MSIM Funds. If an underlying fund has a shareholder meeting, in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest, such proposals will be voted in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee.

III. ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY

The MSIM Proxy Review Committee (the "Committee") has overall responsibility for the Policy. The Committee, which is appointed by MSIM's Long-Only Executive Committee, consists of investment professionals who represent the different investment disciplines and geographic locations of the firm, and is chaired by the director of the Corporate Governance Team ("CGT"). Because proxy voting is an investment responsibility and impacts shareholder value, and because of their knowledge of companies and markets, portfolio managers and other members of investment staff play a key role in proxy voting, although the Committee has final authority over proxy votes.

The CGT Director is responsible for identifying issues that require Committee deliberation or ratification. The CGT, working with advice of investment teams and the Committee, is responsible for voting on routine items and on matters that can be addressed in line with these Policy guidelines. The CGT has responsibility for voting case-by-case where guidelines and precedent provide adequate guidance.

The Committee will periodically review and have the authority to amend, as necessary, the Policy and establish and direct voting positions consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.

CGT and members of the Committee may take into account Research Providers' recommendations and research as well as any other relevant information they may request or receive, including portfolio manager and/or analyst comments and research, as applicable. Generally, proxies related to securities held in accounts that are managed pursuant to quantitative, index or index-like strategies ("Index Strategies") will be voted in the same manner as those held in actively managed accounts, unless economic interests of the accounts differ. Because accounts managed using Index Strategies are passively managed accounts, research from portfolio managers and/or analysts related to securities held in these accounts may not be available. If the affected securities are held only in accounts that are managed pursuant to Index Strategies, and the proxy relates to a matter that is not described in this Policy, the CGT will consider all available information from the Research Providers, and to the extent that the holdings are significant, from the portfolio managers and/or analysts.

A. Committee Procedures

The Committee meets at least quarterly and reviews and considers changes to the Policy at least annually. Through meetings and/or written communications, the Committee is responsible for monitoring and ratifying "split votes" (i.e., allowing certain shares of the same issuer that are the subject of the same proxy solicitation and held by one or more MSIM portfolios to be voted differently than other shares) and/or "override voting" (i.e., voting all MSIM portfolio shares in a manner contrary to the Policy). The Committee will review developing issues and approve upcoming votes, as appropriate, for matters as requested by CGT.

The Committee reserves the right to review voting decisions at any time and to make voting decisions as necessary to ensure the independence and integrity of the votes.


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B. Material Conflicts of Interest

In addition to the procedures discussed above, if the CGT Director determines that an issue raises a material conflict of interest, the CGT Director may request a special committee to review, and recommend a course of action with respect to, the conflict(s) in question ("Special Committee").

A potential material conflict of interest could exist in the following situations, among others:

1.  The issuer soliciting the vote is a client of MSIM or an affiliate of MSIM and the vote is on a matter that materially affects the issuer.

2.  The proxy relates to Morgan Stanley common stock or any other security issued by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates except if echo voting is used, as with MSIM Funds, as described herein.

3.  Morgan Stanley has a material pecuniary interest in the matter submitted for a vote (e.g., acting as a financial advisor to a party to a merger or acquisition for which Morgan Stanley will be paid a success fee if completed).

If the CGT Director determines that an issue raises a potential material conflict of interest, depending on the facts and circumstances, the issue will be addressed as follows:

1.  If the matter relates to a topic that is discussed in this Policy, the proposal will be voted as per the Policy.

2.  If the matter is not discussed in this Policy or the Policy indicates that the issue is to be decided case-by-case, the proposal will be voted in a manner consistent with the Research Providers, provided that all the Research Providers consulted have the same recommendation, no portfolio manager objects to that vote, and the vote is consistent with MSIM's Client Proxy Standard.

3.  If the Research Providers' recommendations differ, the CGT Director will refer the matter to a Special Committee to vote on the proposal, as appropriate.

Any Special Committee shall be comprised of the CGT Director and at least two portfolio managers (preferably members of the Committee) as approved by the Committee. The CGT Director may request non-voting participation by MSIM's General Counsel or his/her designee and the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. In addition to the research provided by Research Providers, the Special Committee may request analysis from MSIM Affiliate investment professionals and outside sources to the extent it deems appropriate.

C. Proxy Voting Reporting

The CGT will document in writing all Committee and Special Committee decisions and actions, which documentation will be maintained by the CGT for a period of at least six years. To the extent these decisions relate to a security held by an MSIM Fund, the CGT will report the decisions to each applicable Board of Trustees/Directors of those Funds at each Board's next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The report will contain information concerning decisions made during the most recently ended calendar quarter immediately preceding the Board meeting.

MSIM will promptly provide a copy of this Policy to any client requesting it. MSIM will also, upon client request, promptly provide a report indicating how each proxy was voted with respect to securities held in that client's account.

MSIM's Legal Department is responsible for filing an annual Form N-PX on behalf of each MSIM Fund for which such filing is required, indicating how all proxies were voted with respect to such Fund's holdings.

APPENDIX A

The following procedures apply to accounts managed by Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP and Private Investment Partners Inc. ("AIP").

Generally, AIP will follow the guidelines set forth in Section II of MSIM's Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures. To the extent that such guidelines do not provide specific direction, or AIP determines that consistent with the Client Proxy Standard, the guidelines should not be followed, the Proxy Review Committee has delegated the voting authority to vote securities held by accounts managed by AIP to the Fund of Hedge Funds investment team, the Private Equity Fund of Funds investment team or the Private


A-9



Equity Real Estate Fund of Funds investment team of AIP. A summary of decisions made by the investment teams will be made available to the Proxy Review Committee for its information at the next scheduled meeting of the Proxy Review Committee.

In certain cases, AIP may determine to abstain from determining (or recommending) how a proxy should be voted (and therefore abstain from voting such proxy or recommending how such proxy should be voted), such as where the expected cost of giving due consideration to the proxy does not justify the potential benefits to the affected account(s) that might result from adopting or rejecting (as the case may be) the measure in question.

Waiver of Voting Rights

For regulatory reasons, AIP may either 1) invest in a class of securities of an underlying fund (the "Fund") that does not provide for voting rights; or 2) waive 100% of its voting rights with respect to the following:

1.  Any rights with respect to the removal or replacement of a director, general partner, managing member or other person acting in a similar capacity for or on behalf of the Fund (each individually a "Designated Person," and collectively, the "Designated Persons"), which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the election or removal of a Designated Person in the event of such Designated Person's death, disability, insolvency, bankruptcy, incapacity, or other event requiring a vote of interest holders of the Fund to remove or replace a Designated Person; and

2.  Any rights in connection with a determination to renew, dissolve, liquidate, or otherwise terminate or continue the Fund, which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the renewal, dissolution, liquidation, termination or continuance of the Fund upon the occurrence of an event described in the Fund's organizational documents; provided, however, that, if the Fund's organizational documents require the consent of the Fund's general partner or manager, as the case may be, for any such termination or continuation of the Fund to be effective, then AIP may exercise its voting rights with respect to such matter.

Approved by Morgan Stanley Funds Board on September 27-28, 2011


A-10




 

MORGAN STANLEY FOCUS GROWTH FUND

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28.

 

Exhibits

 

 

 

(a)(1).

 

Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated April 6, 1987, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 23, 1996.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Instrument Establishing and Designating Additional Classes of Shares, dated July 28, 1997, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 21, 1997.

 

 

 

(3).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust, dated June 22, 1998, of the Registrant is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 24, 1999.

 

 

 

(4).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated June 18, 2001, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2002.

 

 

 

(5).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (changing the name of the Fund from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter American Value Fund to Morgan Stanley Dean Witter American Opportunities Fund), dated April 26, 1999, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 28, 2009.

 

 

 

(6).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (changing the name of the Fund from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter American Opportunities Fund to Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund), dated July 3, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 28, 2009.

 

 

 

(7).

 

Instrument Establishing and Designating Additional Classes (with respect to Class R and Class W shares), dated December 31, 2007, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(8) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on January 27, 2009.

 

 

 

(8).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (changing Class D to Class I), dated March 31, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(7) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 28, 2009.

 

 

 

(9).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (with respect to the change of Resident Agent), dated December 8, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(9) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 24, 2012.

 

 

 

(10).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (changing Class C to Class L), dated February 25, 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(10) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 15, 2013.

 

 

 

(11).

 

Amendment to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (adding Class IS), to be filed by further amendment.

 

 

 

(b).

 

Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant, dated February 27, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 35 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 28, 2008.

 

 

 

(c).

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

(d).

 

Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., dated July 31, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust, filed on February 28, 2013.

 

 

 

(e)(1).

 

Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., dated July 31, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust, filed on February 28, 2013.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Selected Dealer Agreement between Morgan Stanley Distributors Inc. and Morgan Stanley DW Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, of Morgan Stanley Fundamental Value Fund, filed on January 25, 2006.

 

 

 

(3).

 

Addendum No. 1 to the Selected Dealer Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Strategist Fund, filed on September 26, 2007.

 

 

 

(4).

 

First Amendment to Addendum No. 1 to the Selected Dealer Agreement, dated February 15, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 19 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Term Municipal Trust, filed on July 25, 2008.

 

 

 

(5).

 

Form of Dealer Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Aggressive Equity Fund, filed on November 22, 2006.

 

 

 

(f).

 

Second Amended and Restated Retirement Plan for Non-Interested Trustees or Directors, dated May 8, 1997,is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 6 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 27, 2000.

 

 

 

(g)(1).

 

Custodian Agreement between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, dated March 7, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley New York Municipal Money Market Trust, filed on April 26, 2013.

 

1



 

Item 28.

 

Exhibits

 

 

 

(2).

 

Data Access Services Agreement between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, dated March 7, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust, filed on September 30, 2010.

 

 

 

(h)(1).

 

Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, dated June 1, 2010, between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust, filed on September 30, 2010.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Amendment, effective June 1, 2010, to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust, filed on September 30, 2010.

 

 

 

(3).

 

Administration Agreement between Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. and the Registrant, dated July 31, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust, filed on February 28, 2013.

 

 

 

(i)(1).

 

Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 27, 2005.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Consent of Dechert LLP, filed herein.

 

 

 

(3).

 

Opinion of Dechert LLP, Massachusetts Counsel is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on April 27, 2005.

 

 

 

(j).

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, Ernst & Young LLP, filed herein.

 

 

 

(k).

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

(l).

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

(m)(1).

 

Amended and Restated Plan of Distribution, Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, dated February 25, 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust, filed on February 28, 2013.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Plan of Distribution, Pursuant to Rule 12b-1, with respect to Class R and Class W shares, dated July 31, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Global Strategist Fund, filed on November 23, 2011.

 

 

 

(3).

 

Shareholder Services Plan, with respect to Class R and Class W, dated July 31, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Global Strategist Fund, filed on November 23, 2011.

 

 

 

(n).

 

Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan pursuant to Rule 18f-3, dated April 1, 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (n) of Post-Effective Amendment 38 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Securities Trust, filed on April 26, 2013.

 

 

 

(o).

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

(p)(1).

 

Code of Ethics of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, effective February 15, 2011, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Multi Cap Growth Trust, filed on March 29, 2011.

 

 

 

(2).

 

Code of Ethics of Morgan Stanley Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust, filed on September 30, 2010.

 

 

 

(q).

 

Powers of Attorney of Trustees are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Multi Cap Growth Trust, filed on March 15, 2013.

 

2



 

ITEM 29.  

PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE FUND.

 

None

 

ITEM 30.

INDEMNIFICATION.

 

Pursuant to Section 5.3 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust and under Section 4.8 of the Registrant’s By-Laws, the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees, officers, employees and agents is permitted if it is determined that they acted under the belief that their actions were in or not opposed to the best interest of the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, they had reasonable cause to believe their conduct was not unlawful. In addition, indemnification is permitted only if it is determined that the actions in question did not render them liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their duties or by reason of reckless disregard of their obligations and duties to the Registrant. Trustees, officers, employees and agents will be indemnified for the expense of litigation if it is determined that they are entitled to indemnification against any liability established in such litigation. The Registrant may also advance money for these expenses provided that they give their undertakings to repay the Registrant unless their conduct is later determined to permit indemnification. 

 

Pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, neither the Investment Adviser nor any trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant shall be liable for any action or failure to act, except in the case of bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties to the Registrant. Pursuant to Section 9 of the Registrant’s Investment Advisory Agreement, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations under the Agreement, the Investment Adviser shall not be liable to the Registrant or any of its investors for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission by the Investment Adviser or for any losses sustained by the Registrant or its investors. Pursuant to Section 7 of the Registrant’s Administration Agreement, the Administrator will use its best efforts in the performance of administrative activities on behalf of each fund, but in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations hereunder, the Administrator shall not be liable to the Fund or any of its investors for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission by the Administrator or for any losses sustained by the Fund or its investors.

 

Pursuant to Section 7 of the Registrant’s Underwriting Agreement, the Registrant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter against any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damage or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares, which may be based upon the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”), or on any other statute or at common law, on the grounds that the Registration Statement or related Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as from time to time amended and supplemented, or the annual or interim reports to shareholders of the Registrant, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Registrant in connection therewith by or on behalf of the Underwriter; provided, however, that in no case (i) is the indemnity of the Registrant in favor of the Underwriter and any such controlling persons to be deemed to protect the Underwriter or any such controlling persons thereof against any liability to the Registrant or its security holders to which the Underwriter or any such controlling persons would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement; or (ii) is the Registrant to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Underwriter or any such controlling persons, unless the Underwriter or any such controlling persons, as the case may be, shall have notified the Registrant in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Underwriter or such controlling persons (or after the Underwriter or such controlling persons shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Registrant of any such claim shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Act may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, 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 whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will apply the indemnification provision of its by-laws in a manner consistent with Release 11330 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, so long as the interpretation of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of such Act remains in effect.

 

The Registrant, in conjunction with the Investment Adviser, the Registrant’s Trustees, and other registered investment management companies managed by the Investment Adviser, maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Registrant, or who is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another trust or corporation, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him or arising out of his position. However, in no event will Registrant maintain insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify him.

 

ITEM 31. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

See “Fund Management” in the Prospectus regarding the business of the investment adviser. The following information is given regarding directors and officers of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

 

3



 

Set forth below is the name and principal business address of each company for which directors or officers of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. serve as directors, officers or employees:

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.
Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc.

522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036

 

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center, 201 Plaza Two, Jersey City, NJ 07311

 

4



 

Listed below are the officers and Directors of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.:

 

NAME AND POSITION WITH

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS, PROFESSION

MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT ADVISORS

 

OR VOCATION

Gregory J. Fleming
Managing Director and President

 

President of MSAM Holdings II, Inc. and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.

 

 

 

Christopher O’Dell
Managing Director and Secretary

 

Managing Director and Secretary of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. and Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.; Vice President and Secretary of MSAM Holdings II, Inc.; Secretary of other entities affiliated with the Adviser.

 

 

 

Mary Ann Picciotto
Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer

 

Chief Compliance Officer of Morgan Stanley Funds.

 

 

 

Jeffrey Gelfand
Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer

 

Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. and Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.; Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MSAM Holdings II, Inc.

 

 

 

Arthur Lev
Managing Director and Director

 

President and Principal Executive Officer of the Morgan Stanley Equity, Fixed Income and AIP Funds; Head of the Long-only Business of Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Head of Morgan Stanley AIP; Director of various entities affiliated with Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

 

 

 

James Janover
Managing Director and Director

 

Director of MSAM Holdings II, Inc.

 

 

 

Kevin Klingert

Managing Director and Director

 

Managing Director and Director of Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. and Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc.; Vice President and Director of MSAM Holdings II, Inc.

 

 

 

Karen Cassidy

Managing Director and Treasurer

 

Treasurer of other entities affiliated with the Adviser

 

For information as to the business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature of additional officers of the Adviser, reference is made to the Adviser’s current Form ADV (File No. 801-15757) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, incorporated herein by reference.

 

5


 


 

ITEM 32. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS

 

(a) Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is the principal underwriter of the Registrant. Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. is also the principal underwriter of the following investment companies:

 

(1)  Active Assets California Tax-Free Trust

 

(2)  Active Assets Government Securities Trust

 

(3)  Active Assets Institutional Government Securities Trust

 

(4)  Active Assets Institutional Money Trust

 

(5)  Active Assets Money Trust

 

(6)  Active Assets Tax-Free Trust

 

(7)  Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free Daily Income Trust

 

(8) Morgan Stanley European Equity Fund Inc.

 

(9) Morgan Stanley Global Fixed Income Opportunities Fund

 

6



 

(10) Morgan Stanley Global Infrastructure Fund

 

(11) Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund, Inc.

 

(12) Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund Trust

 

(13) Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

 

(14) Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust

 

(15) Morgan Stanley Liquid Asset Fund Inc.

 

(16) Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust

 

(17) Morgan Stanley Multi Cap Growth Trust

 

(18) Morgan Stanley New York Municipal Money Market Trust

 

7



 

(19) Morgan Stanley Select Dimensions Investment Series

 

(20) Morgan Stanley Tax-Free Daily Income Trust

 

(21) Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust

 

(22) Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Securities Trust

 

(23) Morgan Stanley Variable Investment Series

 

(24) The Universal Institutional Funds, Inc.

 

(b) The following information is given regarding directors and officers of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. The principal address of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. is 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036.

 

NAME AND PRINCIPAL BUSINESS

 

POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH

 

POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH

ADDRESS

 

UNDERWRITER

 

REGISTRANT

Lisa Jones

 

President and Director

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Klingert

 

Director

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Gelfand

 

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher O’Dell

 

Secretary

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Keraya Jefferson

 

Chief Compliance Officer

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Gina Gallagher

 

Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Sergio Lupetin

 

Financial and Operations Principal

 

None

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

ITEM 33. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

Books or other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) [15 U.S.C. 80a-30(a)] of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules promulgated thereunder, are maintained as follows:

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street Boston
Boston, MA 02111
(records relating to its function as custodian)

 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
(records relating to its function as investment adviser)

 

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.
Harborside Financial Center,
201 Plaza II
Jersey City, NJ 07311
(records relating to its function as administrator, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent)

 

ITEM 34. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 

Registrant is not a party to any such management-related service contract.

 

ITEM 35. UNDERTAKINGS

 

None.

 

8


 


 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 26th day of April 2013.

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY FOCUS GROWTH FUND

 

 

 

By

/s/ ARTHUR LEV

 

 

Arthur Lev

 

 

President and Principal Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 44 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

Signatures

 

Title

 

Date

(1)

Principal Executive Officer

 

President and Principal

 

 

 

 

 

Executive Officer

 

 

By

/s/ ARTHUR LEV

 

 

 

April 26, 2013

 

Arthur Lev

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2)

Principal Financial Officer

 

Principal Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ FRANCIS SMITH

 

 

 

April 26, 2013

 

Francis Smith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3)

Majority of the Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James F. Higgins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ STEFANIE V. CHANG YU

 

 

 

April 26, 2013

 

Stefanie V. Chang Yu

 

 

 

 

 

Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank L. Bowman

 

Michael F. Klein

Michael Bozic

 

Michael E. Nugent (Chairman)

Kathleen A. Dennis

 

W. Allen Reed

Manuel H. Johnson

 

Fergus Reid

Joseph J. Kearns

 

 

 

By

/s/ CARL FRISCHLING

 

 

 

April 26, 2013

 

Carl Frischling

 

 

 

 

 

Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

Exhibit Index

 

(i)(2)

 

Consent of Dechert LLP.

 

 

 

(j)

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, Ernst & Young LLP.