497 1 d472458b_497.txt This is filed pursuant to Rule 497(e). File Nos. 2-48227 and 811-02383. [LOGO] ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN BOND FUND, INC. -ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN U.S. GOVERNMENT PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- c/o Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc. P.O. Box 786003, San Antonio, Texas 78278-6003 Toll Free: (800) 221-5672 For Literature: Toll Free (800) 227-4618 ----------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION February 2, 2004 (as amended November 10, 2004) ----------------------------------------------------------------- This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus but supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus, dated February 4, 2004, for the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio (the "Portfolio") of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") that offers Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio (the "Prospectus"). Financial statements for the Portfolio for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 are included in the Portfolio's annual report to shareholders and are incorporated into this SAI by reference. Copies of the Prospectus and the Portfolio's annual report may be obtained by contacting Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc. ("AGIS"), at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown above. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- Page ---- Description of the Portfolio Management of the Fund Expenses of the Fund Purchase of Shares Redemption and Repurchase of Shares Shareholder Services Net Asset Value Portfolio Transactions Dividends, Distributions and Taxes General Information Financial Statements and Report of Independent Auditors Appendix A: Statement of Policies and Procedures for Voting Proxies A-1 -------- SM: This service mark is used under license from the owner. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction to the Fund ------------------------ The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company whose shares are offered in separate series referred to as Portfolios. Each portfolio is a separate pool of assets constituting, in effect, a separate fund with its own investment objective policies. A shareholder in the portfolio will be entitled to his or her pro-rata share of all dividends and distributions arising from that portfolio's assets and, upon redeeming shares of that portfolio, the shareholder will receive the then current net asset value of that portfolio represented by the redeemed shares. (See "Purchase and Sale of Shares" in the Prospectus.) The Fund is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional portfolios that may have different investment objectives. The Fund currently has three portfolios: the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio (the "Portfolio"), which is described in this SAI, the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio, and the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio, each of which is described in a separate SAI. Copies of the Prospectuses and SAIs for either the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio or the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. The Portfolio ------------- Except as otherwise indicated, the Portfolio's investment policies are not designated "fundamental policies" and, therefore, may be changed by the Board of Directors without a shareholder vote. However, the Portfolio will not change its investment policies without contemporaneous written notice to its shareholders. The Portfolio's investment objective may not be changed without shareholder approval. The value of the Portfolio's shares will be influenced by the factors that generally affect securities, such as the economic and political outlook, earnings, dividends and the supply and demand for various classes of securities. There can be, of course, no assurance that the Portfolio's investment objective will be achieved. Investment Objective -------------------- The investment objective of the Portfolio is to seek a high level of current income that is consistent with prudent investment risk. How the Portfolio Pursues its Objective --------------------------------------- Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. Government securities, repurchase agreements and forward contracts relating to U.S. Government securities. This policy may not be changed without 60 day's prior written notice to shareholders. In addition, for purposes of this policy, net assets include any borrowings for investment purposes. As a matter of fundamental policy the Portfolio pursues its objective by investing at least 65% of the value of its total assets in U.S. Government securities and repurchase agreements and forward contracts relating to U.S. Government securities. The Portfolio may invest the remaining 20% of the value of its net assets in non-U.S. Government mortgage-related and asset-backed securities. The Portfolio will not invest in any security rated below BBB or Baa by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. The Portfolio may invest in unrated securities of equivalent quality to the rated securities in which it may invest, as determined by Alliance Capital Management L.P. (the "Investment Adviser" or "Alliance"). The Portfolio expects, but is not required, to dispose of securities that are downgraded below BBB and Baa or, if unrated, are determined by the Adviser to have undergone similar credit quality deterioration subsequent to their purchase. The Portfolio may also (i) enter into repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements, forward contracts, and dollar rolls, (ii) enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest rate swaps, caps and floors, (iii) purchase and sell futures contracts for hedging purposes, and (iv) purchase call and put options on futures contracts or on securities for hedging purposes. The following information provides a description of the types of securities in which the Portfolio would be able to invest and the various investment techniques that the Portfolio would be able to use in pursuit of its investment objectives. U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. These securities include: (i) the following U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance: U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year or less with no interest paid and hence issued at a discount and repaid at full face value upon maturity), U.S. Treasury notes (maturities of one to ten years with interest payable every six months) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years with interest payable every six months); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Farmers Home Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Export-Import Bank, the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration; and (iii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government or a right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and governmental collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"). The maturities of the U.S. Government securities listed in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above usually range from three months to 30 years. Such securities, except GNMA certificates, normally provide for periodic payments of interest in fixed amount with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon securities and principal-only securities and certain stripped mortgage-related securities ("SMRS"). In addition, other U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an interest-only ("IO") class and a principal-only ("PO") class. Although these stripped securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be illiquid. Guarantees of securities by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest on the securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value or the yield or value of the shares of the Fund that holds the securities. U.S. Government securities are considered among the safest of fixed-income investments. As a result, however, their yields are generally lower than the yields available from other fixed-income securities. Zero Coupon Securities ---------------------- The Portfolio may invest in zero coupon Treasury securities, which consist of Treasury bills or the principal components of U.S. Treasury bonds or notes. The Portfolio may also invest in zero coupon securities issued by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, which consist of the principal components of securities of U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life. An investor acquires a zero coupon security at a price which is generally an amount based upon its present value, and which, depending upon the time remaining until maturity, may be significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a "deep discount" price). Upon maturity of the zero coupon security, the investor receives the face value of the security. Currently, the only U.S. Treasury security issued without coupons is the Treasury bill. The zero coupon securities purchased by the Portfolio may consist of principal components held in STRIPS form issued through the U.S. Treasury's STRIPS program, which permits the beneficial ownership of the component to be recorded directly in the Treasury book-entry system. In addition, in the last few years a number of banks and brokerage firms have separated ("stripped") the principal portions ("corpus") from the coupon portions of the U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sold them separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank in a custodial or trust account). The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") has indicated that, in its view, these receipts or certificates should be considered as securities issued by the bank or brokerage firm involved and, therefore, unlike those obligations issued under the U.S. Treasury's STRIPS program, should not be included in the Fund's categorization of U.S. Government Securities. The Fund disagrees with the staff's interpretation but has undertaken that it will not invest in such securities until final resolution of the issue. However, if such securities are deemed to be U.S. Government Securities, the Portfolio will not be subject to any limitations on their purchase. Zero coupon securities do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity. Accordingly, such securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and will be subject to greater fluctuations of market value in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities which make periodic distributions of interest. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. As a result, in order to make the distributions necessary for the Portfolio not to be subject to federal income or excise taxes, the Portfolio might be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, obtained by liquidation of portfolio securities or borrowings if necessary, greater than the total amount of cash that the Portfolio has actually received as interest during the year. The Portfolio believes, however, that it is highly unlikely that it would be necessary to liquidate portfolio securities or borrow money in order to make such required distributions or to meet its investment objective. Mortgage-Related Securities. The mortgage-related securities in which the Portfolio may invest typically are securities representing interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as savings and loan associations, mortgage bankers and commercial banks and are assembled for sale to investors (such as the Portfolio) by governmental, government-related or private organizations. Pass-Through Mortgage-Related Securities. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying residential property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment. The average life of pass-through pools varies with the maturities of the underlying mortgage instruments. In addition, a pool's term may be shortened by unscheduled or early payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by factors including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location and age of the mortgage and other social and demographic conditions. As prepayment rates of individual pools vary widely, it is not possible to accurately predict the average life of a particular pool. For pools of fixed-rate 30-year mortgages, common industry practice is to assume that prepayments will result in a 12-year average life. Pools of mortgages with other maturities or different characteristics will have varying average life assumptions. The assumed average life of pools of mortgages having terms of less than 30 years, is less than 12 years, but typically not less than 5 years. Yields on pass-through securities are typically quoted by investment dealers and vendors based on the maturity of the underlying instruments and the associated average life assumption. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayment tends to increase, thereby shortening the actual average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. Conversely, in periods of rising interest rates the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the actual average life of the pool. Historically, actual average life has been consistent with the 12-year assumption referred to above. Actual prepayment experience may cause the yield to differ from the assumed average life yield. Reinvestment of prepayments may occur at higher or lower interest rates than the original investment, thus affecting the yield of the Fund. The compounding effect from reinvestment of monthly payments received by the Fund will increase the yield to shareholders compared with bonds that pay interest semi-annually. The principal governmental (i.e., backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly-owned United States Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the United States Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed mortgages. Government-related (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government) guarantors include the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. The Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally-chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC") is a corporate instrumentality of the United States Government whose stock is owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks. Participation certificates issued by FHLMC, which represent interests in mortgages from FHLMC's national portfolio, are guaranteed by FHLMC as to the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. Commercial banks, savings and loan associations, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Securities representing interests in pools created by non-governmental private issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than securities representing interests in pools created by governmental issuers because there are no direct or indirect governmental guarantees of the underlying mortgage payments. However, private issuers sometimes obtain committed loan facilities, lines of credit, letters of credit, surety bonds or other forms of liquidity and credit enhancement to support the timely payment of interest and principal with respect to their securities if the borrowers on the underlying mortgages fail to make their mortgage payments. The ratings of such non-governmental securities are generally dependent upon the ratings of the providers of such liquidity and credit support and would be adversely affected if the rating of such an enhancer were downgraded. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Another form of mortgage-related security is a "pay-through" security, which is a debt obligation of the issuer secured by a pool of mortgage loans pledged as collateral that is legally required to be paid by the issuer, regardless of whether payments are actually made on the underlying mortgages. CMOs are the predominant type of "pay-through" mortgage-related security. In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of a CMO, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause one or more tranches of the CMO to be retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates of the collateral. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC, any other governmental agency or any other person or entity. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Securities. Another type of mortgage-related security, known as adjustable-rate mortgage securities (ARMS), bears interest at a rate determined by reference to a predetermined interest rate or index. ARMS may be secured by fixed-rate mortgages or adjustable-rate mortgages. ARMS secured by fixed-rate mortgages generally have lifetime caps on the coupon rates of the securities. To the extent that general interest rates increase faster than the interest rates on the ARMS, these ARMS will decline in value. The adjustable-rate mortgages that secure ARMS will frequently have caps that limit the maximum amount by which the interest rate or the monthly principal and interest payments on the mortgages may increase. These payment caps can result in negative amortization (i.e., an increase in the balance of the mortgage loan). Furthermore, since many adjustable-rate mortgages only reset on an annual basis, the values of ARMS tend to fluctuate to the extent that changes in prevailing interest rates are not immediately reflected in the interest rates payable on the underlying adjustable-rate mortgages. Stripped Securities. Stripped mortgage-related securities (SMRS) are mortgage related securities that are usually structured with two classes of securities collateralized by a pool of mortgages or a pool of mortgage backed bonds or pass-through securities, with each class receiving different proportions of the principal and interest payments from the underlying assets. A common type of SMRS has one class of interest-only securities (IOs) receiving all of the interest payments from the underlying assets; while the other class of securities, principal-only securities (POs), receives all of the principal payments from the underlying assets. IOs and POs are extremely sensitive to interest rate changes and are more volatile than mortgage-related securities that are not stripped. IOs tend to decrease in value as interest rates decrease, while POs generally increase in value as interest rates decrease. If prepayments of the underlying mortgages are greater than anticipated, the amount of interest earned on the overall pool will decrease due to the decreasing principal balance of the assets. Changes in the values of IOs and POs can be substantial and occur quickly, such as occurred in the first half of 1994 when the value of many POs dropped precipitously due to increases in interest rates. Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. Commercial mortgage-backed securities are securities that represent an interest in, or are secured by, mortgage loans secured by multifamily or commercial properties, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, and cooperative apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals and senior living centers. Commercial mortgage-backed securities have been issued in public and private transactions by a variety of public and private issuers using a variety of structures, some of which were developed in the residential mortgage context, including multi-class structures featuring senior and subordinated classes. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may pay fixed or floating-rates of interest. The commercial mortgage loans that underlie commercial mortgage-related securities have certain distinct risk characteristics. Commercial mortgage loans generally lack standardized terms, which may complicate their structure, tend to have shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and may not be fully amortizing. Commercial properties themselves tend to be unique and are more difficult to value than single-family residential properties. In addition, commercial properties, particularly industrial and warehouse properties, are subject to environmental risks and the burdens and costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Certain Risks. The value of mortgage-related securities is affected by a number of factors. Unlike traditional debt securities, which have fixed maturity dates, mortgage-related securities may be paid earlier than expected as a result of prepayments of underlying mortgages. Such prepayments generally occur during periods of falling mortgage interest rates. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in the early payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event, the Portfolio may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related securities in investments that provide as high a yield as the mortgage-related securities. Early payments associated with mortgage-related securities cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than is experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. The level of general interest rates, general economic conditions and other social and demographic factors affect the occurrence of mortgage prepayments. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective life of mortgage-related securities, subjecting them to greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates. If the life of a mortgage-related security is inaccurately predicted, the Portfolio may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected. Commercial mortgage-related securities, like all fixed-income securities, generally decline in value as interest rates rise. Moreover, although generally the value of fixed-income securities increases during periods of falling interest rates, this inverse relationship is not as marked in the case of single-family residential mortgage-related securities, due to the increased likelihood of prepayments during periods of falling interest rates, and may not be as marked in the case of commercial mortgage-related securities. The process used to rate commercial mortgage-related securities may focus on, among other factors, the structure of the security, the quality and adequacy of collateral and insurance, and the creditworthiness of the originators, servicing companies and providers of credit support. Although the market for mortgage-related securities is becoming increasingly liquid, those issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. In particular, the secondary markets for CMOs, IOs and POs may be more volatile and less liquid than those for other mortgage-related securities, thereby potentially limiting the Portfolio's ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time. In addition, the rating agencies have not had experience in rating commercial mortgage-related securities through different economic cycles and in monitoring such ratings on a longer-term basis. As with fixed-income securities generally, the value of mortgage-related securities can also be adversely affected by increases in general interest rates relative to the yield provided by such securities. Such an adverse effect is especially possible with fixed-rate mortgage securities. If the yield available on other investments rises above the yield of the fixed-rate mortgage securities as a result of general increases in interest rate levels, the value of the mortgage-related securities will decline. Other Asset-Backed Securities. The securitization techniques used to develop mortgage-related securities are being applied to a broad range of financial assets. Through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations, various types of assets, including automobile loans and leases, credit card receivables, home equity loans, equipment leases and trade receivables, are being securitized in structures similar to the structures used in mortgage securitizations. These asset-backed securities are subject to risks associated with changes in interest rates and prepayment of underlying obligations similar to the risks of investment in mortgage-related securities discussed above. Each type of asset-backed security also entails unique risks depending on the type of assets involved and the legal structure used. For example, credit card receivables are generally unsecured obligations of the credit card holder and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. There have also been proposals to cap the interest rate that a credit card issuer may charge. In some transactions, the value of the asset-backed security is dependent on the performance of a third party acting as credit enhancer or servicer. Furthermore, in some transactions (such as those involving the securitization of vehicle loans or leases) it may be administratively burdensome to perfect the interest of the security issuer in the underlying collateral and the underlying collateral may become damaged or stolen. Forward Contracts. A forward contract is an obligation by one party to buy, and the other party to sell, a specific quantity of an underlying commodity or other tangible asset for an agreed upon price at a future date. Forward contracts are customized, privately negotiated agreements designed to satisfy the objectives of each party. A forward contract usually results in the delivery of the underlying asset upon maturity of the contract in return for the agreed upon payment. Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls. Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales by the Portfolio of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by the Portfolio to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. During the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Portfolio continues to receive principal and interest payments on these securities. Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that the Portfolio can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while it will be able to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if the interest cost to the Portfolio of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of otherwise obtaining the cash. Dollar rolls involve sales by the Portfolio of securities for delivery in the current month and the Portfolio's simultaneously contracting to repurchase substantially similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Portfolio forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities. The Portfolio is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the "drop") as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Portfolio is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Portfolio's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Portfolio's obligation to repurchase the securities. Under normal circumstances, the Adviser does not expect to engage in reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls with respect to greater than 50% of the Portfolio's total assets. Derivatives. The Portfolio may use, for hedging purposes only, futures, options, options on futures, interest rate swaps, caps and floors. These investment practices are known as derivatives. Derivatives are a financial contract whose value depends on, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. These assets, rates, and indices may include bonds, stocks, mortgages, commodities, interest rates, currency exchange rates, bond indices and stock indices. Derivatives can be used by investors to earn income and enhance returns, to hedge or adjust the risk profile of a portfolio and either to replace more traditional direct investments or to obtain exposure to otherwise inaccessible markets. The Portfolio may only use the above-referenced derivatives for hedging purposes. Options. An option, which may be standardized and exchange-traded, or customized and privately negotiated, is an agreement that, for a premium payment or fee, gives the option holder (the buyer) the right but not the obligation to buy or sell the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an underlying asset, rate or index) at a specified price (the exercise price) during a period of time or on a specified date. A call option entitles the holder to purchase, and a put option entitles the holder to sell, the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an underlying asset, rate or index). Likewise, when an option is exercised the writer of the option is obligated to sell (in the case of a call option) or to purchase (in the case of a put option) the underlying asset (or settle for cash an amount based on an underlying asset, rate or index). Futures. A futures contract is an agreement that obligates the buyer to buy and the seller to sell a specified quantity of an underlying asset (or settle for cash the value of a contract based on an underlying asset, rate or index) at a specific price on the contract maturity date. Futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded instruments and are fungible (i.e., considered to be perfect substitutes for each other). This fungibility allows futures contracts to be readily offset or cancelled through the acquisition of equal but opposite positions, which is the primary method in which futures contracts are liquidated. A cash-settled futures contract does not require physical delivery of the underlying asset but instead is settled for cash equal to the difference between the values of the contract on the date it is entered into and its maturity date. Options on Futures. Options on futures contracts are options that call for the delivery of futures contracts upon exercise. 1. Swaps. A swap is a customized, privately negotiated agreement that obligates two parties to exchange a series of cash flows at specified intervals (payment dates) based upon or calculated by reference to changes in specified prices or rates (interest rates in the case of interest rate swaps, currency exchange rates in the case of currency swaps) for a specified amount of an underlying asset (the "notional" principal amount). The payment flows are netted against each other, with the difference being paid by one party to the other. Except for currency swaps, the notional principal amount is used solely to calculate the payment streams but is not exchanged. With respect to currency swaps, actual principal amounts of currencies may be exchanged by the counterparties at the initiation, and again upon the termination, of the transaction. Swap transactions also include credit default swaps in which one party pays a periodic fee, typically expressed in basis points on a notational amount, in return for a contingent payment by the counterparty following a credit event in a specific debt obligation or obligations. A credit event is typically a default and the contingent payment may be a cash settlement or by physical delivery of the reference obligation in return for payment of its face amount. 2. Risks. Investment techniques employing such derivatives involve risks different from, and, in certain cases, greater than, the risks presented by more traditional investments. Following is a general discussion of important risk factors and issues concerning the use of derivatives that investors should understand in considering the proposed amendment of the Portfolio's investment policies. -- Market Risk--This is the general risk attendant to all investments that the value of a particular investment will change in a way detrimental to the Portfolio's interest. -- Management Risk--Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks and bonds. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions. In particular, the use and complexity of derivatives require the maintenance of adequate controls to monitor the transactions entered into, the ability to assess the risk that a derivative adds to the Portfolio's investment portfolio, and the ability to forecast price, interest rate or currency exchange rate movements correctly. -- Credit Risk--This is the risk that a loss may be sustained by the Portfolio as a result of the failure of another party to a derivative (usually referred to as a "counterparty") to comply with the terms of the derivative contract. The credit risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for privately negotiated derivatives, since the clearinghouse, which is the issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded derivative, provides a guarantee of performance. This guarantee is supported by a daily payment system (i.e., margin requirements) operated by the clearinghouse in order to reduce overall credit risk. For privately negotiated derivatives, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee. Therefore, the Portfolio considers the creditworthiness of each counterparty to a privately negotiated derivative in evaluating potential credit risk. -- Liquidity Risk--Liquidity risk exists when a particular instrument is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many privately negotiated derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous price. -- Leverage Risk--Since many derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, rate or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. In the case of swaps, the risk of loss generally is related to a notional principal amount, even if the parties have not made any initial investment. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. -- Other Risks--Other risks in using derivatives include the risk of mispricing or improper valuation of derivatives and the inability of derivatives to correlate perfectly with underlying assets, rates and indices. Many derivatives, in particular privately negotiated derivatives, are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Portfolio. Derivatives do not always perfectly or even highly correlate or track the value of the assets, rates or indices they are designed to closely track. Consequently, the Portfolio's use of derivatives may not always be an effective means of, and sometimes could be counterproductive to, furthering the Portfolio's investment objective. Use of Options, Futures, Credit Default Swaps and Interest Rate Transactions by the Portfolio ----------------------------------------------- Options on Securities. In purchasing an option on securities, the Portfolio would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the underlying securities increased (in the case of a call) or decreased (in the case of a put) by an amount in excess of the premium paid; otherwise the Portfolio would experience a loss not greater than the premium paid for the option. Thus, the Portfolio would realize a loss if the price of the underlying security declined or remained the same (in the case of a call) or increased or remained the same (in the case of a put) or otherwise did not increase (in the case of a put) or decrease (in the case of a call) by more than the amount of the premium. If a put or call option purchased by the Portfolio were permitted to expire without being sold or exercised, its premium would represent a loss to the Portfolio. The Portfolio may write a put or call option in return for a premium, which is retained by the Portfolio whether or not the option is exercised. Except with respect to uncovered call options written for cross-hedging purposes, the Portfolio will not write uncovered call or put options on securities. A call option written by the Portfolio is "covered" if the Portfolio owns the underlying security, has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security upon conversion or exchange of another security it holds, or holds a call option on the underlying security with an exercise price equal to or less than of the call option it has written. A put option written by the Portfolio is covered if the Portfolio holds a put option on the underlying securities with an exercise price equal to or greater than of the put option it has written. The risk involved in writing an uncovered put option is that there could be a decrease in the market value of the underlying securities. If this occurred, the Portfolio could be obligated to purchase the underlying security at a higher price than its current market value. Conversely, the risk involved in writing an uncovered call option is that there could be an increase in the market value of the underlying security, and the Portfolio could be obligated to acquire the underlying security at its current price and sell it at a lower price. The risk of loss from writing an uncovered put option is limited to the exercise price of the option, whereas the risk of loss from writing an uncovered call option is potentially unlimited. The Portfolio may write a call option on a security that it does not own in order to hedge against a decline in the value of a security that it owns or has the right to acquire, a technique referred to as "cross-hedging." The Portfolio would write a call option for cross-hedging purposes, instead of writing a covered call option, when the premium to be received from the cross-hedge transaction exceeds that to be received from writing a covered call option, while at the same time achieving the desired hedge. The correlation risk involved in cross-hedging may be greater than the correlation risk involved with other hedging strategies. The Portfolio will not purchase an option on a security if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate cost of all outstanding options would exceed 2% of the Portfolio's total assets. In addition, the Portfolio will not write an option if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate value of the Portfolio's securities subject to outstanding options would exceed 15% of the Portfolio's total assets. Options on Securities Indices. An option on a securities index is similar to an option on a security except that, rather than taking or making delivery of a security at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the chosen index is greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. Futures contracts that the Portfolio may buy and sell may include futures contracts on fixed-income or other securities, and contracts based on interest rates or financial indices, including any index of U.S. Government securities. Options on futures contracts are options that call for the delivery of futures contracts upon exercise. Options on futures contracts written or purchased by the Portfolio will be traded on U.S. exchanges and, will be used only for hedging purposes. The Portfolio has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under that Act. The Portfolio will not enter into a futures contract or write or purchase an option on a futures contract if immediately thereafter the market values of the outstanding futures contracts of the Portfolio and the futures contracts subject to outstanding options written by the Portfolio would exceed 50% of the Portfolio's total assets. Nor will the Portfolio enter into a futures contract or write or purchase an option on a futures contract if immediately thereafter the aggregate of initial margin deposits on all the outstanding futures contracts of the Portfolio and premiums paid on outstanding options on futures contracts would exceed 5% of the Portfolio's total assets. Credit Default Swap Agreements. The "buyer" in a credit default swap contract is obligated to pay the "seller" a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract in return for a contingent payment upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to an underlying reference obligation. Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration or modified restructuring. The Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. As a seller, the Portfolio receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between one month and five years, provided that no credit event occurs. If a credit event occurs, the Portfolio typically must pay the contingent payment to the buyer, which is typically the "par value" (full notional value) of the reference obligation. The contingent payment may be a cash settlement or by physical delivery of the reference obligation in return for payment of the face amount of the obligation. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Portfolio may lose its investment and recover nothing. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer typically receives full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value. Credit default swaps may involve greater risks than if the Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly. Credit default swaps are subject to general market risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. As noted above, if the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, it will lose its investment. In addition, the value of the reference obligation received by the Portfolio as a seller if a credit event occurs, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund. The Portfolio will not enter into a credit default swap if the swap provides for settlement by physical delivery and such delivery would result in the Portfolio investing (i) in securities rated below BBB or Baa3 or (ii) less than 80% of its net assets in U.S. Government securities. Interest Rate Transactions (Swaps, Caps and Floors). The Portfolio may enter into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions for hedging purposes, which may include preserving a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or protecting against an increase in the price of securities the Portfolio anticipates purchasing at a later date. The Adviser does not intend to use these transactions in a speculative manner. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Portfolio with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments) computed based on a contractually-based principal (or "notional") amount. Interest rate swaps are entered into on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). Interest rate caps and floors are similar to options in that the purchase of an interest rate cap or floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds (in the case of a cap) or falls below (in the case of a floor) a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional amount from the party selling the interest rate cap or floor. The Portfolio may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending upon whether it is hedging its assets or liabilities. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become well established and relatively liquid. Caps and floors are less liquid than swaps. These transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, unless there is a counterparty default, the risk of loss to the Portfolio from interest rate transactions is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Portfolio is contractually obligated to make. The Portfolio will enter into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions only with counterparties who have credit ratings of at least A (or the equivalent) from any one NRSRO or counterparties with guarantors with debt securities having such a rating. Securities Ratings. The ratings of fixed-income securities by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations including Standard & Poor's Rating Services, Moody's Investors Services, Inc., and Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor's standpoint. The rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition, there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities within each rating category. The Portfolio may invest in non-U.S. government mortgage-related and asset-based securities that are rated at least Baa or BBB or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of equivalent credit quality. Securities rated Baa or BBB are considered to have speculative characteristics and share some of the same characteristics as lower-rated securities. Sustained periods of deteriorating economic conditions or of rising interest rates are more likely to lead to a weakening in the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in the case of higher-rated securities. The Investment Adviser expects, but is not required, to dispose of securities that are downgraded below Baa or BBB, or, if unrated, are determined by the Investment Adviser to have undergone similar credit quality deterioration. Illiquid Securities. The Portfolio will not invest in illiquid securities if immediately after such investment more than 15% of the Portfolio's net assets (taken at market value) would be invested in such securities. In addition, the Portfolio will not maintain more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, illiquid securities include, among others, (a) direct placements or other securities which are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale or for which there is no readily available market (e.g., trading in the security is suspended or, in the case of unlisted securities, market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers), (b) options purchased by the Portfolio over-the-counter and the cover for options written by the Portfolio over-the-counter, and (c) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days. See "Additional Investment Policies and Practices," below. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation. Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), securities which are otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven days. Securities which have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities. A large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. An insufficient number of qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing certain restricted securities held by the Portfolio, however, could affect adversely the marketability of such portfolio securities and the Portfolio might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices. The Investment Adviser, acting under the supervision of the Board of Directors, will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in the Portfolio that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Investment Adviser will consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers issuing quotations to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) the number of dealers undertaking to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (including its unregistered nature) and the nature of the marketplace for the security (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer); and (6) any applicable Commission interpretation or position with respect to such type of securities. Repurchase Agreements. The Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements pertaining to the types of securities in which it invests with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or "primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) in such securities. There is no percentage restriction on the Portfolio's ability to enter into repurchase agreements. Currently, the Portfolio intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with its custodian and such primary dealers. A repurchase agreement arises when a buyer purchases a security and simultaneously agrees to resell it to the vendor at an agreed-upon future date, normally one day or a few days later. The resale price is greater than the purchase price, reflecting an agreed-upon interest rate which is effective for the period of time the buyer's money is invested in the security and which is related to the current market rate rather than the coupon rate on the purchased security. Such agreements permit the Fund Portfolio to keep all of its assets at work while retaining "overnight" flexibility in pursuit of investments of a longer-term nature. The Portfolio requires continual maintenance by its custodian for its account in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book Entry System of collateral in an amount equal to, or in excess of, the resale price. In the event a vendor defaulted on its repurchase obligation, the Portfolio might suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the collateral were less than the repurchase price. In the event of a vendor's bankruptcy, the Portfolio might be delayed in, or prevented from, selling the collateral for its benefit. The Portfolio's Board of Directors has established procedures, which are periodically reviewed by the Board, pursuant to which the Portfolio's Investment Adviser monitors the creditworthiness of the dealers with which the Portfolio enters into repurchase agreement transactions. Repurchase agreements may exhibit the characteristics of loans by the Portfolio. During the term of the repurchase agreement, the Portfolio retains the security subject to the repurchase agreement as collateral securing the seller's repurchase obligation, continually monitors on a daily basis the market value of the security subject to the agreement and requires the seller to deposit with the Portfolio collateral equal to any amount by which the market value of the security subject to the repurchase agreement falls below the resale amount provided under the repurchase agreement. Fundamental Investment Policies ------------------------------- The following restrictions supplement those set forth in the Prospectus for the Portfolio. These restrictions may not be changed without shareholder approval which means the vote of (1) 67% or more of the shares of the Portfolio represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio, whichever is less. The following restrictions provide that, except with respect to investments in repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, forward contracts and dollar rolls involving the types of securities in which the Portfolio may invest, and the employment, for hedging purposes, of futures, options, options on futures, and interest rate swaps, caps and floors, the Portfolio may not: 1. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management; 2. Issue any senior securities (except to the extent that securities lending may be considered senior securities); 3. Participate on a joint or a joint and several basis in any trading account in securities; 4. Effect a short sale of any security; 5. Purchase securities on margin, but it may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchase and sales of securities; 6. Invest in the securities of any other investment company except in connection with a merger, consolidation, acquisition of assets or other reorganization approved by the Fund's shareholders; 7. Borrow money, except for temporary or emergency purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time the borrowing is made; or 8. Make loans to other persons, except that the Portfolio may lend its portfolio securities in accordance with applicable law. The acquisition of investment securities or other investment instruments shall not be deemed the making of a loan. In addition to the restrictions set forth above in connection with the qualification of its shares for sale in certain states, the following restrictions apply and provide that the Portfolio may not: 1. Invest in warrants (other than warrants acquired by the Portfolio as a part of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase) if, as a result such warrants valued at the lower of cost or market would exceed 5% of the value of the Portfolio's net assets provided that not more than 2% of the Portfolio's net assets may be in warrants not listed on the New York or American Stock Exchanges; 2. Engage in the purchase of real estate (including limited partnership interests) excluding readily marketable interests in real estate investment trusts or readily marketable securities of companies which invest in real estate; or 3. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral leases. The foregoing percentage limitations will apply at the time of the purchase of a security and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of an acquisition of such security. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------- Board of Directors Information ------------------------------ The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. Certain information concerning the Fund's Directors is set forth below. PORTFOLIOS OTHER IN FUND DIRECTOR- COMPLEX SHIPS NAME, AGE AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN BY HELD BY DIRECTOR, (YEARS OF SERVICE*) DURING PAST 5 YEARS DIRECTOR DIRECTOR ----------------------------- ------------------- -------- -------- INTERESTED DIRECTOR Marc O. Mayer,** 46, Executive Vice President 68 None 1345 Avenue of the Americas, of Alliance Capital New York, NY 10105 Management Corporation (Elected November 18, 2003) ("ACMC") since 2001; prior thereto, Chief Executive Officer of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co") and its predecessor since prior to 1999. DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board William H. Foulk, Jr., Investment adviser and 116 None #+ 71, 2 an independent consultant. Sound View Drive, He was formerly Senior Suite 100, Manager of Barrett Greenwich, CT 06830 (5) Associates, Inc., a registered investment adviser, with which he had been associated since prior to 1999. He was formerly Deputy Comptroller of the State of New York and, prior thereto, Chief Investment Officer of the New York Bank for Savings. Ruth Block,***#+ 73, Formerly Executive 96 None 500 SE Mizner Blvd., Vice President and Boca Raton, FL 33432 Chief Insurance (15) Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Evlico. Formerly, a Director of Avon, BP (oil and gas), Ecolab Incorporated (specialty chemicals), Tandem Financial Group and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation; former Governor at Large, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. David H. Dievler,#+ 74, Independent consultant. 100 None P.O. Box 167, Until December 1994 Spring Lake, NJ 07762 (15) he was Senior Vice President of ACMC responsible for mutual fund administration. Prior to joining ACMC in 1984 he was Chief Financial Officer of Eberstadt Asset Management since 1968. Prior to that he was Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse & Co. Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 1953. John H. Dobkin,#+ 61, Consultant. 98 None P.O. Box 12, Formerly President of Annandale, NY 12504 (5) Save Venice, Inc. (preservation organization) from 2001-2002; a Senior Advisor from June 1999- June 2000 and President of Historic Hudson Valley from December 1989- May 1999 (historic preservation). Previously, he was Director of the National Academy of Design and during 1988-1992 Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of ACMC. Donald J. Robinson,#+ 69, Senior Counsel to 96 None 98 Hell's Peak Road, the law firm of Orrick, Weston, VT 05161 (6) Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP since prior to 1999. Formerly a senior partner and a member of the Executive Committee of that firm. He was also a member and Chairman of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and a Trustee of the Museum of of the City of New York. -------- * There is no stated term of office for the Fund's Directors. ** Mr. Mayer is an "interested person," as defined in the 1940 Act, due to his position as Executive Vice President of ACMC. *** Ms. Block is currently a disinterested director. Prior to October 21, 2004 Ms. Block owned 116 American Depository Shares of AXA, which is a controlling person of the Fund's Adviser, with a valuation as of December 31, 2003 of $2,396 (constituting less than 0.01% of the American Depository Shares). Ms. Block received these shares over ten years ago as a result of the demutualization of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. During the time Ms. Block owned these shares, she was an "interested person" of the Adviser under the 1940 Act and would not have been a "disinterested director." # Member of the Audit Committee. + Member of the Nominating Committee. The Fund's Board of Directors has two standing committees of the Board -- an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee. The members of the Audit and Nominating Committees are identified above. The function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight of the Portfolio's financial reporting process. The Audit Committee met four times during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The function of the Nominating Committee is to nominate persons to fill any vacancies or newly created positions on the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee did not meet during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The Nominating Committee has a charter and, pursuant to the charter, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates for nomination as a director submitted by a shareholder or group of shareholders who have owned at least 5% of the Portfolio's common stock for at least two years at the time of submission and who timely provide specified information about the candidates and the nominating shareholder or group. To be timely for consideration by the Nominating Committee, the submission, including all required information, must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Fund not less than 120 days before the date of the proxy statement for the previous year's annual meeting of shareholders. If the Fund did not hold an annual meeting of shareholders in the previous year, the Fund will make a public notice specifying the deadline for the submission. The Fund will make the public notice at least 30 days prior to the deadline for the submission, which is expected to be approximately 120 days prior to the anticipated date of the proxy statement for the annual meeting. The Fund may make the public notice in a shareholder report or other mailing to shareholders or by other means deemed by the Nominating Committee or the Board to be reasonably calculated to inform shareholders. Shareholders submitting a candidate for consideration by the Nominating Committee must provide the following information to the Nominating Committee: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, date of birth, business address and residence address of the candidate; (B) any position or business relationship of the candidate, currently or within the preceding five years, with the shareholder or an associated person of the shareholder as defined below; (C) the class or series and number of all shares of the Portfolio owned of record or beneficially by the candidate; (D) any other information regarding the candidate that is required to be disclosed about a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies for election of Directors pursuant to Section 20 of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (E) whether the shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an "interested person" of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if believed not to be an "interested person," information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient for the Fund to make such determination; and (F) information as to the candidate's knowledge of the investment company industry, experience as a director or senior officer of public companies, directorships on the boards of other registered investment companies and educational background; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as a Director if elected; (iii) the written and signed agreement of the candidate to complete a directors' and officers' questionnaire if elected; (iv) the shareholder's consent to be named as such by the Fund; (v) the class or series and number of all shares of each portfolio of the Fund owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder and any associated person of the shareholder and the dates on which such shares were acquired, specifying the number of shares owned beneficially but not of record by each, and stating the names of each as they appear on the Fund's record books and the names of any nominee holders for each; and (vi) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder, the candidate and/or any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made by the shareholder. "Associated Person of the shareholder" means any person who is required to be identified under clause (vi) of this paragraph and any other person controlling, controlled by or under common control with, directly or indirectly, (a) the shareholder or (b) the associated person of the shareholder. The Nominating Committee may require the shareholder to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require or deem necessary to verify any information furnished pursuant to the nominating procedures described above or to determine the qualifications and eligibility of the candidate proposed by the shareholder to serve on the Board. If the shareholder fails to provide such other information in writing within seven days of receipt of written request from the Nominating Committee, the recommendation of such candidate as a nominee will be deemed not properly submitted for consideration, and will not be considered, by the Committee. The Nominating Committee will consider only one candidate submitted by such a shareholder or group for nomination for election at an annual meeting of shareholders. The Nominating Committee will not consider self-nominated candidates. The Nominating Committee will consider and evaluate candidates submitted by shareholders on the basis of the same criteria as those used to consider and evaluate candidates submitted from other sources. These criteria include the candidate's relevant knowledge, experience, and expertise, the candidate's ability to carry out his or her duties in the best interests of the Fund, the candidate's ability to qualify as a disinterested Director and such other criteria as the Nominating Committee determines to be relevant in light of the existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies or other factors. In approving the most recent annual continuance of the Portfolio's investment advisory contract ("Investment Advisory Contract"), the Directors considered all information they deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract. The principal areas of review by the Directors were the nature and quality of the services provided by the Investment Adviser and the reasonableness of the fees charged for those services. These matters were considered by the disinterested Directors meeting separately from the full Board with experienced counsel that is independent of the Investment Adviser. The Directors' evaluation of the quality of the Investment Adviser's services took into account their knowledge and experience gained through meetings with and reports of the Investment Adviser's senior management, portfolio managers and administrative personnel over the course of the preceding year. Both short-term and long-term investment performance of the Portfolio, as well as senior management's attention to any portfolio management issues, were considered. The Portfolio's current and longer-term performance were compared to its performance benchmark and to that of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The Directors also considered the scope and quality of the in-house research capability of the Investment Adviser and other resources dedicated to performing its services. The quality of administrative and other services, including the Investment Adviser's role in coordinating the activities of the Portfolio's other service providers, were considered in light of on-going reports by management as to compliance with investment policies and applicable laws and regulations and of related reports by management and the Portfolio's independent auditors in periodic meetings with the Fund's Audit Committee. In reviewing the fees payable under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Directors compared the fees and overall expense levels of the Portfolio to those of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The information on advisory fees and expense ratios, as well as performance data, included both information compiled by the Investment Adviser and information compiled by an independent data service. The Directors also considered the fees of the Portfolio as a percentage of assets at different asset levels and possible economies of scale to the Investment Adviser. The Directors considered information provided by the Investment Adviser concerning the Investment Adviser's profitability with respect to the Portfolio, including the assumptions and methodology used in preparing the profitability information, in light of applicable case law relating to advisory fees. For these purposes, the Directors took into account not only the fees paid by the Portfolio, but also so-called "fallout benefits" to the Investment Adviser, such as the engagement of affiliates of the Investment Adviser to provide distribution and transfer agency services to the Portfolio, and that the Investment Advisory Contract provides that the Portfolio reimburses the Investment Adviser for the cost of providing certain administrative services. In evaluating the Portfolio's advisory fees, the Directors also took into account the demands, complexity and quality of the investment management of the Portfolio. The Directors also considered the business reputation of the Investment Adviser and its financial resources. The Directors evaluated the procedures and systems adopted by the Investment Adviser that are designed to fulfill the Investment Adviser's fiduciary duty to the Portfolio with respect to possible conflicts of interest, including the Investment Adviser's code of ethics (regulating the personal trading of its officers and employees) and the allocation of trades among its various investment advisory clients. The Directors also considered information concerning policies and procedures of the Investment Adviser with respect to the execution of portfolio transactions. No single factor was considered in isolation or to be determinative to the decision of the Directors to approve continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract. Rather, the Directors concluded in light of a weighing and balancing of all factors considered that it was in the best interests of the Portfolio to continue its Investment Advisory Contract without modification to its terms, including the fees charged for services thereunder. The dollar range of the Portfolio's securities owned by each Director and the aggregate dollar range of securities owned in all of the registered investment companies to which the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services (collectively, the "AllianceBernstein Fund Complex") owned by each Director are set forth below. AGGREGATE DOLLAR DOLLAR RANGE RANGE OF EQUITY OF EQUITY SECURITIES IN THE SECURITIES IN ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN THE PORTFOLIO FUND COMPLEX AS OF AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2003 DECEMBER 31, 2003 ----------------------- --------------------- Marc O. Mayer None Over $100,000 Ruth Block $10,001 - $50,000 Over $100,000 David H. Dievler Over $100,000 Over $100,000 John H. Dobkin None Over $100,000 William H. Foulk, Jr. None $1 - $10,000 Donald J. Robinson None Over $100,000 Officer Information ------------------- Certain information concerning the Fund's officers is set forth below. NAME AND ADDRESS,* POSITION(S) HELD PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION AND (AGE) WITH FUND DURING PAST 5 YEARS --------- --------- ------------------- Marc O. Mayer (46) President See biography above. Kathleen A. Corbet, (43) Senior Vice Executive Vice President President of ACMC,** with which she has been associated since prior to 1999. Philip L. Kirstein, (59) Senior Vice Senior Vice President and President Independent Compliance and Independent Officer - Mutual Funds of Compliance Officer ACMC,** with which he has been associated since October 2004. Prior thereto, he was Counsel of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, LLP from 2003 to October 2004, and General Counsel and First Vice President of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers since prior to 1999. Matthew D.W. Bloom, (47) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associate since prior to 1999. Paul J. DeNoon, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Jeffrey S. Phlegar, (37) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Lawrence J. Shaw, (52) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Michael A. Snyder, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC** since May, 2001. Previously he was a Managing Director in the high yield asset management group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Corporation from since prior to 1999. Kewjin Yuoh, (32) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC** since March 2003. Previously, he was a Vice President of Credit Suisse Asset Management from 2000 to 2002 and a Vice President of Brundage, Story & Rose since prior to 1999. Mark R. Manley, (41) Secretary Senior Vice President and Acting General Counsel of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Andrew L. Gangolf, (49) Assistant Secretary Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of AllianceBernstein Investment Research and Management, Inc. ("ABIRM"),** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Mark D. Gersten, (53) Treasurer and Chief Senior Vice President of Financial Officer AGIS** and Vice President of ABIRM,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Vincent S. Noto, (39) Controller Vice President of AGIS,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. -------- * The address for each of the Fund's officers is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. ** ACMC, ABIRM, and AGIS are affiliates of the Fund. The Portfolio does not pay any fees to, or reimburse expenses of, its Directors who are considered "interested persons" of the Portfolio. The aggregate compensation paid by the Portfolio to each of the Directors during its fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Directors during calendar year 2003 by the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex, and the total number of registered investment companies (and separate investment portfolios within the companies) in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex with respect to which each of the Directors serves as a director or trustee are set forth below. Neither the Portfolio nor any other fund in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex provides compensation in the form of pension or retirement benefits to any of its directors or trustees. Each of the Directors is a director or trustee of one or more other registered investment companies in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex. Total Number of Number of Investment Investment Companies Portfolios Aggregate in the within the Compensation Total Alliance- Alliance- from the Compensation Bernstein Bernstein Portfolio from the Fund Complex, Fund Complex, for the Alliance- Including the Including fiscal year Bernstein Portfolio, the Portfolio, ended 6/30/03 Fund Complex, as to which as to which fiscal Including the Director the Director period ended the is a Director is a Director Name of Director 9/30/03 Portfolio or Trustee or Trustee ---------------- ------- --------- ---------- ---------- Marc O. Mayer $-0-/-0- $-0- 40 68 Ruth Block $3,351/$1,531 $192,600 43 96 David H. Dievler $3,335/$1,531 $246,238 47 100 John H. Dobkin $3,350/$1,531 $217,888 45 98 William H. Foulk, Jr. $3,339/$1,531 $241,700 50 116 Donald J. Robinson $3,351/$1,531 $193,100 43 96 As of January 5, 2004, the Directors and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the shares of the Portfolio. Investment Adviser ------------------ Alliance, a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under the Investment Advisory Contract to provide investment advice and, in general, to conduct the management and investment program of the Fund under the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors (see "Management of the Fund" in the Prospectus). Alliance is a leading global investment management firm supervising client accounts with assets as of September 30, 2003, totaling approximately $438 billion. Alliance provides management services for many of the largest U.S. public and private employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, public employee retirement funds, banks, insurance companies and high net worth individuals worldwide. Alliance is also one of the largest mutual fund sponsors, with a diverse family of globally distributed mutual fund portfolios. As one of the world's leading global investment management organizations, Alliance is able to compete for virtually any portfolio assignment in any developed capital market in the world. Alliance is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. ("AXA Financial"), is the general partner of both Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P. ("Alliance Holding") and Alliance. AXA Financial is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA, which is a holding company for an international group of insurance and related financial services companies. Alliance Holding Units are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Alliance Units do not trade publicly and are subject to significant restrictions on transfer. At March 31, 2003, Alliance Holding owned approximately 76.9 million, or 30.7%, of the issued and outstanding Alliance Units. ACMC owns 100,000 general partnership units in Alliance Holding and a 1% general partnership interest in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, AXA Financial was the beneficial owner of approximately 1.9% of the outstanding Alliance Holding Units and approximately 54.7% of the outstanding Alliance Units which, including the general partnership interests in Alliance and Alliance Holding, represent an economic interest of approximately 55.7% in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, SCB Partners Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCB Inc., was the beneficial owner of approximately 13.0% of the outstanding Alliance Units. Based on information provided by AXA, on March 3, 2003, approximately 17.70% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 28.71% of the voting power) of AXA were owned directly and indirectly by Finaxa, a French holding company. At January 1, 2003, 70.13% of the shares (representing 79.83% of the voting power) of Finaxa were owned by three French mutual insurance companies (the "Mutuelles AXA") and 21.82% of the shares of Finaxa (representing 13.32% of the voting power) were owned by BNP Paribas, a French bank. At January 1, 2003, the Mutuelles AXA owned directly or indirectly through intermediate holding companies (including Finaxa) approximately 20.48% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 33.16% of the voting power) of AXA. Under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services and order placement facilities for the Fund and pays all compensation of Directors and officers of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser or its affiliates also furnishes the Fund, without charge, management supervision and assistance and office facilities and provides persons satisfactory to the Fund's Board of Directors to serve as the Fund's officers. The Investment Adviser is, under the Investment Advisory Contract, responsible for certain expenses incurred by the Fund, including, for example, office facilities and certain administrative services, and any expenses incurred in promoting the sale of Fund shares (other than the portion of the promotional expenses borne by the Fund in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the costs of printing Fund prospectuses and other reports to shareholders and fees related to registration with the Commission and with state regulatory authorities). The Fund has, under the Investment Advisory Contract, assumed the obligation for payment of all of its other expenses. As to the obtaining of services other than those specifically provided to the Fund by the Investment Adviser, the Fund may employ its own personnel. For such services it may also utilize personnel employed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and, in such event, the services will be provided to the Fund at cost and the payments will be specifically approved by the Fund's Board of Directors. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Portfolio paid to the Investment Adviser a total of $124,000 and $30,340, respectively with respect to such services. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract, the Portfolio pays the Investment Adviser a quarterly fee on the first business day of January, April, July and October equal to .15 of 1% (approximately .60 of 1% on an annual basis) of the first $500 million and .125 of 1% (approximately .50 of 1% on an annual basis) of the excess over $500 million of the Portfolio's aggregate net assets valued on the last business day of the previous quarter. Effective as of January 1, 2004, the Adviser voluntarily waived a portion of its advisory fee and this fee reduction is expected to continue for a period of at least five years. The advisory fee waiver would reduce the advisory fees to 0.45% on an annual basis of the first $2.5 billion, 0.40% on an annual basis of the excess over $2.5 billion up to $5 billion and 0.35% on an annual basis of the excess over $5 billion as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Investment Adviser received under the Investment Advisory Contract, $5,847,964, $8,463,807, $9,698,623 and $2,104,878, respectively, as advisory fees from the Portfolio. The Investment Advisory Contract became effective on July 22, 1992. The Investment Advisory Contract was approved by the unanimous vote, cast in person, of the Fund's Directors, including the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act of any such party, at a meeting called for such purpose and held on September 11, 1991. The Investment Advisory Contract continues in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Portfolio's outstanding voting securities or by the Fund's Board of Directors, and in either case, by a majority of the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or interested persons of any such party. Most recently, continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract for an additional annual term was approved by vote, cast in person, by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are not "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act, at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. The Investment Advisory Contract is terminable without penalty on 60 days' written notice, by a vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities or by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Directors or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Contract provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Investment Adviser or of reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Investment Adviser shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder. The Investment Adviser may act as an investment adviser to other persons, firms or corporations, including investment companies, and is the investment adviser to the following registered investment companies: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc., AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Capital Reserves, AllianceBernstein Disciplined Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Dynamic Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Government Reserves, AllianceBernstein Greater China `97 Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Funds, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Reserves, Inc., AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II, AllianceBernstein Municipal Trust, AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Trust, AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Variable Products Series Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc., Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. and The AllianceBernstein Portfolios, all registered open-end investment companies; and to ACM Government Opportunity Fund, Inc., ACM Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Dollar Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Income Fund, Inc., ACM Municipal Securities Income Fund, Inc., Alliance All-Market Advantage Fund, Inc., Alliance California Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance National Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance New York Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund II, Inc. and The Spain Fund, Inc., all registered closed-end investment companies. ----------------------------------------------------------------- EXPENSES OF THE FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------- Distribution Services Agreement ------------------------------- The Fund has entered into a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement") with ABIRM the Fund's principal underwriter (the "Principal Underwriter"), to permit the Principal Underwriter to distribute the Portfolio's shares and to permit the Fund to pay distribution services fees to defray expenses associated with the distribution of its Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares and Class R shares in accordance with a plan of distribution that is included in the Agreement and has been duly adopted and approved in accordance with Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act (the "Rule 12b-1 Plan"). During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class A shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $2,702,157 and $631,330, which constituted .30%, annualized, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares during the fiscal year and period, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $1,844,914 and $251,934. Of the $4,547,071 and $883,264 paid by the portfolio and the investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class A shares, $19,398 and $3,194 was spent on advertising, $33,261 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $3,082,562 and $702,041 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $559,447 and $87,214 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $386,148 and $56,950 for compensation to sales personnel, and $1,025,702 and $121,079 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class B shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $5,220,716 and $1,106,714, which constituted 1%, annualized, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares during the fiscal year and period, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $0 and $0. Of the $5,220,716 and $1,106,714 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class B shares, $6,846 and $1,243 was spent on advertising, $21,559 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $2,566,038 and $154,015 for compensation to broker- dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $210,855 and $33,893 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $203,978 and $35,529 for compensation paid to sales personnel, $186,316 and $47,860 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses and $263,642 and $108,997 was spent on the financing of interest relating to Class B shares, and $1,972,337 and $759,070 was used to offset the distribution service fees paid in prior years. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class C shares, distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $2,293,231 and $454,736, which constituted 1%, annualized, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares during the fiscal year and period, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $97,355 and $0. Of the $2,390,586 and $454,736 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class C shares, $2,514 and $383 was spent on advertising, $7,409 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $2,222,791 and $366,981 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $82,740 and $10,460 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $78,969 and $13,427 for compensation paid to sales personnel, $72,440 and $15,012 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence, other promotional expenses, and $6,463 and $1,999 was spent on the financing of interest relating to Class C shares, and $56,934 was used to offset the distribution service fees paid in prior years. Distribution services fees are accrued daily and paid monthly and are charged as expenses of the Portfolio as accrued. The distribution services fees attributable to the Class B, Class C and Class R shares are designed to permit an investor to purchase such shares through broker-dealers without the assessment of an initial sales charge, and at the same time to permit the Principal Underwriter to compensate broker-dealers in connection with the sale of such shares. In this regard, the purpose and function of the combined contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") and distribution services fee on the Class B shares and Class C shares are the same as those of the initial sales charge and distribution services fee with respect to the Class A shares in that in each case the sales charge and distribution services fee provide for the financing of the distribution of the relevant class of the Portfolio's shares. With respect to Class A shares of the Portfolio, distribution expenses accrued by ABIRM in one fiscal year may not be paid from distribution services fees received from the Portfolio in subsequent fiscal years. ABIRM's compensation with respect to Class B, Class C and Class R shares under the Rule 12b-1 Plan is directly tied to the expense incurred by ABIRM. Actual distribution expenses for Class B, Class C and Class R shares for any given year, however, will probably exceed the distribution services fee payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments received from CDSCs. The excess will be carried forward by ABIRM and reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments subsequently received through CDSCs, so long as the Rule 12b-1 Plan is in effect. Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the end of the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, and carried over for reimbursement in future years in respect of the Class B and Class C shares for the Portfolio, were, respectively, $6,924,839 and $6,146,859 (1.40% and 1.54% of net assets of Class B Shares) and $5,987,124 and $5,929,811 (2.93% and 3.54% of net assets of Class C Shares). The Rule 12b-1 Plan is in compliance with rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to .75% and .25%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum. In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Directors of the Fund determined that there was a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The distribution services fee of a particular class will not be used to subsidize the provision of distribution services with respect to any other class. The Investment Adviser may from time to time and from its own funds or such other resources as may be permitted by rules of the Commission make payments for distribution services to the Principal Underwriter; the latter may in turn pay part or all of such compensation to brokers or other persons for their distribution assistance. The Agreement will continue in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Directors of the Fund or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of that class, and in either case, by a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any such party (other than as directors of the Fund) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any agreement related thereto. Most recently the Directors approved the continuance of the Agreement for an additional annual term at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. All material amendments to the Agreement will become effective only upon approval as provided in the preceding paragraph; and the 12b-1 Plan may not be amended in order to increase materially the costs that the Fund may bear pursuant to the Agreement without the approval of a majority of the holders of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund or the class or classes of the Fund affected. The Agreement may be terminated (a) by the Fund without penalty at any time by a majority vote of the holders of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, voting separately by class, or by a majority vote of the disinterested Directors or (b) by the Principal Underwriter. To terminate the Agreement, any party must give the other parties 60 days' written notice; to terminate the Rule 12b-1 Plan only, the Fund is not required to give prior notice to the Principal Underwriter. The Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. In the event that the Rule 12b-1 Plan is terminated by either party or not continued with respect to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares or Class R shares, (i) no distribution services fees (other than current amounts accrued but not yet paid) would be owed by the Fund to the Principal Underwriter with respect to that class, and (ii) the Fund would not be obligated to pay the Principal Underwriter for any amounts expended under the Agreement not previously recovered by the Principal Underwriter from distribution services fees in respect of shares of such class or through deferred sales charges. Transfer Agency Agreement ------------------------- AGIS, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 8000 IH 10 W, 4th Floor, San Antonio, Texas 78230, acts as the Portfolio's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of account holders for each of the Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. The transfer agency fee with respect to the Class B shares and Class C shares is higher than the transfer agency fee with respect to the Class A shares and Advisor Class shares. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003, and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Fund paid AGIS $2,495,897 and $584,436, respectively, for transfer agency services. Code of Ethics and Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ------------------------------------------------------- The Fund, the Investment Adviser and the Principal Underwriter have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Fund has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached as Appendix A. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Prospectuses under "Purchase and Sale of Shares - How to Buy Shares." General ------- Shares of the Portfolio are offered on a continuous basis at a price equal to their net asset value plus an initial sales charge at the time of purchase ("Class A shares"), with a CDSC ("Class B shares"), without any initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without any CDSC ("Class C shares"), to investors eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares, without any initial or, contingent deferred sales charge ("Advisor Class shares"), or to group retirement plans eligible to purchase Class R shares without any initial sales charge or CDSC ("Class R shares"), in each case as described below. "Group retirement plans" are defined as 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation plans where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Portfolio. All of the classes of shares of the Portfolio, except the Advisor Class shares, are subject to Rule 12b-1 asset-based sales charges. Shares of the Portfolio that are offered subject to a sales charge are offered through (i) investment dealers that are members of NASD and have entered into selected dealer agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected dealers"), (ii) depository institutions and other financial intermediaries, or their affiliates, that have entered into selected agent agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected agents") and (iii) the Principal Underwriter. Investors may purchase shares of the Portfolio either through selected broker-dealers, agents, financial intermediaries or other financial representatives ("financial intermediaries") or directly through the Principal Underwriter. A transaction, service, administrative or other similar fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares made through the financial intermediary. Such financial intermediary may also impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares that are different from, or in addition to, those imposed by the Portfolio, including requirements as to the classes of shares available through that financial intermediary and the minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Sales personnel of selected dealers and agents distributing the Fund's Portfolio shares may receive differing compensation for selling different classes of shares. In order to open your account, the Portfolio or your financial intermediary is required to obtain certain information from you for identification purposes. This information may include name, date of birth, permanent residential address and social security/taxpayer identification number. It will not be possible to establish your account without this information. If the Portfolio or your financial intermediary is unable to verify the information provided, your account may be closed and other appropriate action may be taken as permitted by law. Right to Restrict, Reject or Cancel Purchase and Exchange Orders. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds reserve the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without any prior notice, any purchase or exchange order for any reason, including any purchase or exchange order accepted by any shareholder's financial intermediary. Policy Regarding Excessive or Short Duration Trading. Purchases and exchanges of shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds should be made for investment purposes only. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, as a matter of policy, seek to prevent patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares. Such practices are commonly referred to as "market timing" or "short duration trading." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will seek to prevent such practices to the extent they are detected by the procedures described below, subject to AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds' ability to monitor purchase, sale and exchange activity, as described under "Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, Alliance Capital Management L.P., ABIRM and AGIS each reserve the right to modify this policy, including any surveillance or account blocking procedures established from time to time to effectuate this policy, at any time without notice. o Transaction Surveillance Procedures. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, through their agents, ABIRM and AGIS, maintain surveillance procedures with respect to purchase, sale and exchange activity in fund shares. This surveillance process involves scrutinizing transactions in fund shares that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a specified period of time. Trading activity identified by either, or a combination, of these factors, or as a result of any other information actually available at the time, will be evaluated to determine whether such activity might constitute excessive or short duration trading activity. Generally speaking, when a fund shareholder makes more than two exchange transactions in amounts of $25,000 or more involving an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund during any 90-day period, these transactions will be identified by these surveillance procedures. Additionally, each purchase of fund shares in excess of $25,000 followed by a sale within certain periods of time will be similarly identified. For purposes of these transaction surveillance procedures, AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, may consider trading activity in multiple accounts under common ownership, control or influence. These monetary thresholds, numerical surveillance limits or surveillance procedures generally may be modified from time to time, including, for example, in respect of accounts held by certain retirement plans to conform to plan exchange limits or U.S. Department of Labor regulations, as well as for certain automated or pre-established exchange, asset allocation or dollar cost averaging programs or omnibus account arrangements. o Account Blocking Procedures. When a particular transaction or pattern of transactions identified by the transaction surveillance procedures described above is determined by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, in their sole discretion, to be excessive or short duration trading in nature, the relevant fund account(s) will be immediately "blocked" with respect to any future purchase or exchange activity. However, sales of fund shares back to a fund will continue to be permitted in accordance with the terms of the relevant AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund's current Prospectus. In the event an account is blocked, certain account-related privileges, such as the ability to place purchase, sale and exchange orders over the internet, may be suspended for such account. AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds accounts that are so blocked will generally remain blocked unless and until the account holder or the associated broker, dealer or other financial intermediary provides evidence or assurance acceptable to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, that the account holder did not or will not in the future engage in excessive or short duration trading. Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices. Shareholders seeking to engage in excessive or short duration trading practices may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares, there is no guarantee that the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will be able to identify these shareholders or curtail their trading practices. For example, omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of a fund, particularly among certain brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries, including retirement plans and variable insurance products. Entities utilizing such omnibus account arrangements may not identify customers' trading activity in shares of a fund on an individual basis. Consequently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, may not be able to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares attributable to a particular investor who effects purchase and/or exchange activity in fund shares through a broker, dealer or other financial intermediary acting in an omnibus capacity. Also, there may exist multiple tiers of these entities, each utilizing an omnibus account arrangement, that may further compound the difficulty to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS of detecting excessive or short duration trading activity in fund shares. It is common for a substantial portion of AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares to be held through such omnibus account arrangements. In seeking to prevent excessive or short duration trading in shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, including the maintenance of any transaction surveillance or account blocking procedures, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, consider the information actually available to them at the time. Risks Associated with Excessive or Short Duration Trading Generally ------------------------------------------------------------------- While the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will try to prevent market timing by utilizing the procedures described above, these procedures may not be successful in identifying or stopping excessive or short duration trading in all circumstances. Excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may adversely affect fund performance and the interests of long-term investors. Volatility resulting from excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares, especially involving large dollar amounts, may disrupt efficient portfolio management. In particular, a fund may have difficulty implementing long-term investment strategies if it is unable to anticipate what portion of its assets it should retain in cash to provide liquidity to its shareholders. Also, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of funds shares may force a fund to maintain a disadvantageously large cash position to accommodate short duration trading activity. Further, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of a fund's shares may force a fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to raise cash to accommodate short duration trading activity. In addition, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may incur increased expenses if one or more shareholders engage in excessive purchase and sale or exchange activity. For example, a fund that is forced to liquidate investments due to short duration trading activity may incur increased brokerage and tax costs without attaining any investment advantage. Similarly, a fund may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short duration trading activity. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds that invest in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to short duration trading strategies. This is because time zone differences among international stock markets can allow a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy to exploit fund share prices that are based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time before the fund calculates its own share price. In addition, a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy may target an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that does not invest primarily in foreign securities. For example, a fund that invests in certain fixed-income securities such as high yield bonds or certain asset backed securities may also constitute an effective vehicle for a shareholder's short duration trading strategy. Money market funds and closed-end funds generally are not effective vehicles for short duration trading activity, and therefore the risks relating to short duration trading activity are correspondingly lower for AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds of these types. Risks Resulting from Imposition of Account Blocks in Response to Excessive or Short Duration Trading Activity. A shareholder identified as having engaged in excessive or short duration trading activity and prevented from purchasing or exchanging AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares and who does not wish to redeem his or her shares effectively may be "locked" into an investment in an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that the shareholder did not intend to hold on a long-term basis or that may not be appropriate for the shareholder's risk profile. To rectify this situation, a shareholder with an account "blocked" due to patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges may be forced to sell fund shares, which could be costly if, for example, these shares decline in value before sale, are subject to a CDSC, the shareholder recently paid a front-end sales charge or the sale results in adverse tax consequences to the shareholder. To avoid this risk, shareholders should carefully monitor the nature and frequency of their purchases, sales and exchanges of fund shares. The Portfolio reserves the right to suspend the sale of its shares to the public in response to conditions in the securities markets or for other reasons. If the Portfolio suspends the sale of its shares, shareholders will not be able to acquire its shares, including through an exchange. The public offering price of shares of the Portfolio is their net asset value, plus, in the case of Class A shares, a sales charge. On each Fund business day on which a purchase or redemption order is received by the Fund and trading in the types of securities in which the Portfolio invests might materially affect the value of Portfolio shares, the per share net asset value is computed as of the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. A Fund business day is any day on which the Exchange is open for trading. The respective per share net asset values of the various classes of shares of the Portfolio are expected to be substantially the same. Under certain circumstances, however, the per share net asset values of the Class B, Class C and Class R shares will generally be slightly lower than the per share net asset values of the Class A shares and Advisor Class shares as a result of the differential daily expense accruals of the higher distribution and, in some cases, transfer agency fees applicable with respect to those classes of shares. The Portfolio will accept unconditional orders for shares to be executed at the public offering price equal to their net asset value next determined (plus applicable Class A sales charges), as described below. Orders received by the Principal Underwriter prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading are priced at the net asset value computed as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on that day (plus applicable Class A sales charges). In the case of orders for purchase of shares placed through financial intermediaries, the applicable public offering price will be the net asset value so determined, but only if the financial intermediary receives the order prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting such orders by a prescribed time to the Fund or its transfer agent. If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the investor will not receive that day's net asset value. If the financial intermediary receives the order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange, the price received by the investor will be based on the net asset value determined as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on the next day it is open for trading. Following the initial purchase of Portfolio shares, a shareholder may place orders to purchase additional shares by telephone if the shareholder has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or an "Autobuy" application obtained by calling the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Except with respect to certain omnibus accounts, telephone purchase orders may not exceed $500,000. Payment for shares purchased by telephone can be made only by electronic funds transfer from a bank account maintained by the shareholder at a bank that is a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association ("NACHA"). Telephone purchase requests must be received before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day to receive that day's public offering price. Telephone purchase requests received after 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, are automatically placed the following Fund business day, and the applicable public offering price will be the public offering price determined as of the close of business on such following business day. Full and fractional shares are credited to a shareholder's account in the amount of his or her subscription. As a convenience, and to avoid unnecessary expense to the Portfolio, stock certificates representing shares of the Portfolio are not issued except upon written request to the Portfolio by the shareholder or his or her authorized financial intermediary. This facilitates later redemption and relieves the shareholder of the responsibility for and inconvenience of lost or stolen certificates. No certificates are issued for fractional shares, although such shares remain in the shareholder's account on the books of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represent an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Portfolio, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that (i) Class A shares bear the expense of the initial sales charge (or CDSC, when applicable) and Class B and Class C shares bear the expense of the CDSC, (ii) Class B shares, Class C and Class R shares each bear the expense of a higher distribution services fee than that borne by Class A shares, and Advisor Class shares do not bear such a fee, (iii) Class B and Class C shares bear higher transfer agency costs than that borne by Class A, Class R and Advisor Class shares, (iv) Class B and Advisor Class shares are subject to a conversion feature and will convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances, and (v) each of Class A, Class B, Class C and Class R shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which its distribution services fee is paid and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders, an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders because the Class B and Advisor Class shares convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances and the Class A, the Class B and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. Each class has different exchange privileges and certain different shareholder service options available. The Directors of the Fund have determined that currently no conflict of interest exists between or among the classes of the Portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Directors of the Fund, pursuant to their fiduciary duties under the 1940 Act and state law, will seek to ensure that no such conflict arises. Alternative Purchase Arrangements --------------------------------- Classes A, B and C Shares. Class A, Class B and Class C shares have the following alternative purchase arrangements: Class A shares are generally offered with an initial sales charge, Class B shares are generally offered with a CDSC and Class C shares are sold to investors choosing the asset-based sales charge alternative. Special purchase arrangements are available for Group Retirement Plans. See "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans" below. These alternative purchase arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares, and other circumstances. Investors should consider whether, during the anticipated life of their investment in the Portfolio, the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class B shares prior to conversion, or the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class C shares, would be less than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution services fee on Class A shares purchased at the same time, and to what extent such differential would be offset by the higher return of Class A shares. Class A shares will normally be more beneficial than Class B shares to the investor who qualifies for reduced initial sales charges on Class A shares, as described below. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order (except orders from certain group retirement plans) for more than $250,000 for Class B shares (see "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans"). Class C shares will normally not be suitable for the investor who qualifies to purchase Class A shares at net asset value. For this reason, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order for more than $1,000,000 for Class C shares. Class A shares are subject to a lower distribution services fee and, accordingly, pay correspondingly higher dividends per share than Class B shares or Class C shares. However, because initial sales charges are deducted at the time of purchase, most investors purchasing Class A shares would not have all their funds invested initially and, therefore, would initially own fewer shares. Investors not qualifying for reduced initial sales charges who expect to maintain their investment for an extended period of time might consider purchasing Class A shares because the accumulated continuing distribution charges on Class B shares or Class C shares may exceed the initial sales charge on Class A shares during the life of the investment. Again, however, such investors must weigh this consideration against the fact that, because of such initial sales charges, not all their funds will be invested initially. Other investors might determine, however, that it would be more advantageous to purchase Class B shares or Class C shares in order to have all their funds invested initially, although remaining subject to higher continuing distribution charges and being subject to a CDSC for a three-year and one-year period, respectively. For example, based on current fees and expenses, an investor subject to the 4.25% initial sales charge would have to hold his or her investment approximately seven years for the Class C distribution services fee to exceed the initial sales charge plus the accumulated distribution services fee of Class A shares. In this example, an investor intending to maintain his or her investment for a longer period might consider purchasing Class A shares. This example does not take into account the time value of money, which further reduces the impact of the Class C distribution services fees on the investment, fluctuations in net asset value or the effect of different performance assumptions. Those investors who prefer to have all of their funds invested initially but may not wish to retain Portfolio shares for the three-year period during which Class B shares are subject to a CDSC may find it more advantageous to purchase Class C shares. During the Fund's fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 and the fiscal years ended June 30, 2003, 2002 and 2001, the aggregate amount of underwriting commission payable with respect to shares of the Portfolio in each year was $112,000, $1,408,916, $5,326,804 and $5,032,910, respectively. Of that amount, the Principal Underwriter received amounts of $3,507, $48,272, $147,795 and $157,936, respectively, representing that portion of the sales charges paid on shares of the Portfolio sold during the year which was not re-allowed to selected dealers (and was, accordingly, retained by the Principal Underwriter). During the Fund's fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 and the fiscal years ended in 2003, 2002 and 2001, the Principal Underwriter received CDSCs of $3,972, $108,249, $118,874 and $112,286, respectively, on Class A shares, $329,394, $1,116,604, $829,807 and $391,371, respectively, on Class B shares, and $9,534, $64,753, $94,782 and $40,243, respectively, on Class C shares. Class A Shares -------------- The public offering price of Class A shares is the net asset value plus a sales charge, as set forth below. Sales Charge Discount or As % of As % of Commission to Dealers Net Amount the Public or Agents as % of Amount of Purchase Invested Offering Price Offering Price ------------------ ---------- -------------- --------------------- Less than $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00% $100,000 but less than $250,000 3.36 3.25 3.00 $250,000 but less than $500,000 2.30 2.25 2.00 $500,000 but less than $1,000,000* 1.78 1.75 1.50 -------- * There is no initial sales charge on transactions of $1,000,000 or more. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC equal to 1% of the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The CDSC on Class A shares will be waived on certain redemptions, as described below under "--Class C Shares." In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because an initial sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or they have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC on Class A shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sales of Class A shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers or agents for selling Class A shares. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more made through selected dealers or agents, the Investment Adviser may, pursuant to the Distribution Services Agreement described above, pay such dealers or agents from its own resources a fee of up to .25 of 1% of the amount invested to compensate such dealers or agents for their distribution assistance in connection with such purchases. No initial sales charge is imposed on Class A shares issued (i) pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income dividends or capital gains distributions, (ii) in exchange for Class A shares of other "AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds" (as that term is defined under Combined Purchase Privilege below), except that an initial sales charge will be imposed on Class A shares issued in exchange for Class A shares of AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves that were purchased for cash without the payment of an initial sales charge and without being subject to a CDSC, or (iii) upon the automatic conversion of Class B shares or Advisor Class shares as described below under "--Class B Shares--Conversion Feature" and "--Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares." The Portfolio receives the entire net asset value of its Class A shares sold to investors. The Principal Underwriter's commission is the sales charge shown above less any applicable discount or commission "reallowed" to selected dealers and agents. The Principal Underwriter will reallow discounts to selected dealers and agents in the amounts indicated in the table above. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter may elect to reallow the entire sales charge to selected dealers and agents for all sales with respect to which orders are placed with the Principal Underwriter. A selected dealer who receives reallowance in excess of 90% of such a sales charge may be deemed to be an "underwriter" under the Securities Act. In addition to the circumstances described above, certain types of investors may be entitled to pay no initial sales charge in certain circumstances described below. Class A shares - Sales at Net Asset Value. The Portfolio may sell its Class A shares at net asset value (i.e., without any initial sales charge) to certain categories of investors including: (i) investment management clients of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates; (ii) officers and present or former Directors of the Fund or other investment companies managed by the Investment Adviser, officer's directors and present or retired full-time employees and former employees (for subsequent investment in accounts established during the course of their employment) of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents; or the spouse of any such person; or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person; (iii) the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; (iv) persons participating in a fee-based program, sponsored and maintained by a registered broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and approved by the Principal Underwriter, pursuant to which such persons pay an asset-based fee to such broker-dealer or financial intermediary, or its affiliate or agent, for service in the nature of investment advisory or administrative services; and (v) certain retirement plan accounts as described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans." Class B Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class B shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class B shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge at the time of purchase. The Class B shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment. Proceeds from the CDSC on the Class B shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class B shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class B shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class B shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class B shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Class B shares that are redeemed within three years of purchase will be subject to a CDSC at the rates set forth below charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. To illustrate, assume that an investor purchased 100 Class B shares at $10 per share (at a cost of $1,000) and in the second year after purchase, the net asset value per share is $12 and, during such time, the investor has acquired 10 additional Class B shares upon dividend reinvestment. If at such time the investor makes his or her first redemption of 50 Class B shares (proceeds of $600), 10 Class B shares will not be subject to the charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the remaining 40 Class B shares, the charge is applied only to the original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in net asset value of $2 per share. Therefore, $400 of the $600 redemption proceeds will be charged at a rate of 2.0% (the applicable rate in the second year after purchase as set forth below). The amount of the CDSC, if any, will vary depending on the number of years from the time of payment for the purchase of Class B shares until the time of redemption of such shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge as a % of Dollar Year Since Purchase Amount Subject to Charge ------------------- ------------------------ First 3.0% Second 2.0% Third 1.0% Thereafter None In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. When shares acquired in an exchange are redeemed, the applicable CDSC and conversion schedules will be the schedules that applied at the time of the purchase of shares of the corresponding class of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund originally purchased by the shareholder. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs - Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan. Conversion Feature. Six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted, Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares and will no longer be subject to a higher distribution services fee. Such conversion will occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The purpose of the conversion feature is to reduce the distribution services fee paid by holders of Class B shares that have been outstanding long enough for the Principal Underwriter to have been compensated for distribution expenses incurred in the sale of such shares. For purposes of conversion to Class A, Class B shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions paid in respect of Class B shares in a shareholder's account will be considered to be held in a separate sub-account. Each time any Class B shares in the shareholder's account (other than those in the sub-account) convert to Class A, an equal pro-rata portion of the Class B shares in the sub-account will also convert to Class A. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, no further conversions of Class B shares would occur, and shares might continue to be subject to the higher distribution services fee for an indefinite period which may extend beyond the period ending six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted. Class C Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class C shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class C shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge either at the time of purchase or, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, upon redemption. Class C shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without a CDSC so that the investor will receive as proceeds upon redemption the entire net asset value of his or her Class C shares. The Class C distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell Class C shares without either an initial sales charge or CDSC, as long as the shares are held one year or more. Class C shares do not convert to any other class of shares of the Portfolio and incur higher distribution services fees than Class A shares, and will thus have a higher expense ratio and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC of 1%, charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because the shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class C shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class C shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class C shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Code, of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70 1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs -- Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan or to accommodate a plan participant's or beneficiary's direction to reallocate his or her plan account among other investment alternatives available under a group retirement plan. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are offered only to group retirement plans that have plan assets of $1 million to $10 million and have plan level or omnibus accounts held on the books of the Portfolio. Class R shares are not available to retail non-retirement accounts, traditional or Roth IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, SEPs, SAR-SEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, individual 403(b) plans and to AllianceBernstein sponsored retirement products. Class R shares incur a .50% distribution services fee and thus have a higher expense ratio than Class A shares and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Advisor Class Shares -------------------- Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio may be purchased and held solely (i) through accounts established under fee-based programs, sponsored and maintained by registered broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and approved by the Principal Underwriter, (ii) through self-directed defined contribution employee benefit plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) that have at least $10 million in assets and are purchased directly by the plan without the involvement of a financial intermediary, (iii) by the categories of investors described in clauses (i) through (iv) under "--Sales at Net Asset Value" (other than officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents, or relatives of such person, or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of such relative, none of whom is eligible on the basis solely of such status to purchase and hold Advisor Class shares) or (iv) by directors and present or retired full-time employees of CB Richard Ellis, Inc. Generally, a fee-based program must charge an asset-based or other similar fee and must invest at least $250,000 in Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio in order to be approved by the Principal Underwriter for investment in Advisor Class shares. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial intermediary. Advisor Class shares do not incur any distribution services fees, and will thus have a lower expense ratio and pay correspondingly higher dividends than Class A, Class B, Class C or Class R shares. Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares ---------------------------------------------------- Advisor Class shares may be held solely through the fee-based program accounts, employee benefit plans, qualified state tuition programs and registered investment advisory or other financial intermediary relationships described above under "Purchase of Shares--Advisor Class Shares," and by investment advisory clients of, and certain other persons associated with, the Investment Adviser and its affiliates or the Fund. If (i) a holder of Advisor Class shares ceases to participate in a fee-based program or plan, or to be associated with the investment adviser or financial intermediary, in each case, that satisfies the requirements to purchase shares set forth under "Purchase of Shares--Advisor Class Shares" or (ii) the holder is otherwise no longer eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares as described in the Prospectus and this SAI (each, a "Conversion Event"), then all Advisor Class shares held by the shareholder will convert automatically to Class A shares of the Portfolio during the calendar month following the month in which the Portfolio is informed of the occurrence of the Conversion Event. The Portfolio will provide the shareholder with at least 30 days' notice of the conversion. The failure of a shareholder or a fee-based program to satisfy the minimum investment requirements to purchase Advisor Class shares will not constitute a Conversion Event. The conversion would occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes and without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. Class A shares currently bear a .30% distribution services fee. Advisor Class shares do not have any distribution services fees. As a result, Class A shares have a higher expense ratio and may pay correspondingly lower dividends and have a lower net asset value than Advisor Class shares. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, the Advisor Class shareholder would be required to redeem his or her Advisor Class shares, which would constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans ---------------------------------------------------------- The Portfolio offers special distribution arrangements for group retirement plans. However, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Group retirement plans also may not offer all classes of shares of the Portfolio. In order to enable participants investing through group retirement plans to purchase shares of the Portfolio, the maximum and minimum investment amounts may be different for shares purchased through group retirement plans from those described herein. In addition, the Class A, Class B and Class C CDSCs may be waived for investments made through certain group retirement plans. Therefore, plan sponsors or fiduciaries may not adhere to these share class eligibility standards as set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor or fiduciary to impose such differing requirements. Class A Shares -------------- Class A shares are available at net asset value to all AllianceBernstein sponsored group retirement plans, regardless of size, and to the AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with at least $250,000 in plan assets or 100 or more employees. If the plan terminates the Portfolio as an investment option within one year, then all plan purchases of Class A shares will be subject to a 1%, 1-year CDSC on redemption. Class A shares are also available at NAV to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. The 1%, 1-year CDSC also generally applies. However, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived if the financial intermediary agrees to waive all commissions or other compensation paid in connection with the sale of such shares (typically up to a 1% advance payment for sales of Class A sales at NAV) other than the service fee paid pursuant to the Portfolio's distribution service plan. Class B Shares -------------- Class B shares are generally not available for purchase by group retirement plans. However, Class B shares may continue to be purchased by group retirement plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment alternative under their plan prior to September 2, 2003. Class C Shares -------------- Class C shares are available to AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with less than $250,000 in plan assets and less than 100 employees. Class C shares are also available to group retirement plans with plan assets of less than $1 million. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are available to certain group retirement plans with plan assets of $1 million to $10 million. Such plans are not eligible to purchase Class A shares. Class R shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or CDSC, but are subject to a .50% distribution fee. Choosing a Class of Shares for Group Retirement Plans ----------------------------------------------------- As noted, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Plan fiduciaries should consider how these requirements differ from the Portfolio's share class eligibility criteria before determining whether to invest. For example, the Portfolio makes its Class A shares available at NAV to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. In addition, under certain circumstances described above, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived. Because Class A shares have a lower Rule 12b-1 distribution fee than Class R shares, plans eligible for Class A shares with no CDSC should purchase Class A shares. The plan sponsor or fiduciary of plans purchasing shares through a financial intermediary that is not willing to waive advance commission payments (and therefore is not eligible for the waiver of the 1%, 1-year CDSC) should weigh the lower distribution fee and the 1%, 1-year CDSC of Class A shares against the higher distribution fee and absence of a CDSC on Class R shares available from the Portfolio. In addition, as described above, while Class B shares are generally not available to group retirement plans, Class B shares are available for continuing contributions from plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment option under their plans prior to September 2, 2003. Plan fiduciaries should weigh the fact that Class B shares will convert to Class A shares after a period of time against the fact that Class A and Class R shares have lower expenses, and therefore higher returns, than Class B shares, before determining which class to make available to its plan participants. Sales Charge Reduction Programs ------------------------------- The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds offer shareholders various programs through which shareholders may obtain reduced sales charges or reductions in CDSC through participation in such programs. In order for shareholders to take advantage of the reductions available through the combined purchase privilege, rights of accumulation and letters of intent, the Portfolio must be notified by the shareholder or his/her financial intermediary that they qualify for such a reduction. If the Portfolio is not notified that a shareholder is eligible for these reductions, the Portfolio will be unable to ensure that the reduction is applied to the shareholder's account. Combined Purchase Privilege. Shareholders may qualify for the sales charge reductions by combining purchases of shares of the Portfolio into a single "purchase." By combining such purchases, shareholders may be able to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." A "purchase" means a single or concurrent purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund by (i) an individual, his or her spouse and their children under the age of 21 years purchasing shares for his, her or their own account(s); (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved; or (iii) the employee benefit plans of a single employer. The term "purchase" also includes purchases by any "company," as the term is defined in the 1940 Act, but does not include purchases by any such company which has not been in existence for at least six months or which has no purpose other than the purchase of shares of the Portfolio or shares of other registered investment companies at a discount. The term "purchase" does not include purchases by any group of individuals whose sole organizational nexus is that the participants therein are credit card holders of a company, policy holders of an insurance company, customers of either a bank or broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser. Currently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds include: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc. AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc. -U.S. Large Cap Portfolio AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Greater China `97 Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc. -California Portfolio -Insured California Portfolio -Insured National Portfolio -National Portfolio -New York Portfolio AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II -Arizona Portfolio -Florida Portfolio -Massachusetts Portfolio -Michigan Portfolio -Minnesota Portfolio -New Jersey Portfolio -Ohio Portfolio -Pennsylvania Portfolio -Virginia Portfolio AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc. -Biotechnology Portfolio -Premier Portfolio -Technology Portfolio AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Trust -AllianceBernstein Global Value Fund -AllianceBernstein International Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Small Cap Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Value Fund AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc. The AllianceBernstein Portfolios -AllianceBernstein Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Growth Fund -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Wealth Preservation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Preservation Strategy Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Intermediate Diversified Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate California Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate New York Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein International Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Short Duration Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed International Portfolio Prospectuses for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may be obtained without charge by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the front cover of this SAI. Cumulative Quantity Discount (Right of Accumulation). An investor's purchase of additional Class A shares of the Portfolio may be combined with the value of the shareholder's existing accounts, thereby enabling the shareholder to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." In such cases, the applicable sales charge on the newly purchased shares will be based on the total of: (i) the investor's current purchase; (ii) the net asset value (at the close of business on the previous day) of (a) all shares of the Portfolio held by the investor and (b) all shares of any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund held by the investor; and (iii) the net asset value of all shares described in paragraph (ii) owned by another shareholder eligible to combine his or her purchase with that of the investor into a single "purchase" (see above). For example, if an investor owned shares of an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund worth $200,000 at their then current net asset value and, subsequently, purchased Class A shares of the Portfolio worth an additional $100,000, the sales charge for the $100,000 purchase would be the 2.25% rate applicable to a single $300,000 purchase of shares of the Portfolio, rather than the 3.25% rate. Statement of Intention. Class A investors may also obtain the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements-Class A Shares" by means of a written Statement of Intention, which expresses the investor's intention to invest not less than $100,000 within a period of 13 months in shares of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Each purchase of shares under a Statement of Intention will be made at the public offering price or prices applicable at the time of such purchase to a single transaction of the dollar amount indicated in the Statement of Intention. At the investor's option, a Statement of Intention may include purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund made not more than 90 days prior to the date that the investor signs a Statement of Intention, in which case the 13-month period during which the Statement of Intention is in effect will begin on the date of that earliest purchase. However, sales charges will not be reduced for purchases made prior to the date the Statement of Intention is signed. Investors qualifying for the Combined Purchase Privilege described above may purchase shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds under a single Statement of Intention. For example, if at the time an investor signs a Statement of Intention to invest at least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Portfolio, the investor and the investor's spouse each purchase shares of the Portfolio worth $20,000 (for a total of $40,000), it will only be necessary to invest a total of $60,000 during the following 13 months in shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund, to qualify for the 3.25% sales charge on the total amount being invested (the sales charge applicable to an investment of $100,000). The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation upon the investor to purchase the full amount indicated. The minimum initial investment under a Statement of Intention is 5% of such amount. Shares purchased with the first 5% of such amount will be held in escrow (while remaining registered in the name of the investor) to secure payment of the higher sales charge applicable to the shares actually purchased if the full amount indicated is not purchased, and such escrowed shares will be involuntarily redeemed at their then net asset value to pay the additional sales charge, if necessary. Dividends on escrowed shares, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Portfolio shares, are not subject to escrow. When the full amount indicated has been purchased, the escrow will be released. Investors wishing to enter into a Statement of Intention in conjunction with their initial investment in Class A shares of the Portfolio can obtain a form of Statement of Intention by contacting AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI. Reinstatement Privilege. A shareholder who has redeemed any or all of his or her Class A or Class B shares may reinvest all or any portion of the proceeds from that redemption in Class A shares of the Portfolio at net asset value without any sales charge, provided that (i) such reinvestment is made within 120 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase date, and (ii) for Class B shares, a CDSC has been paid and the Principal Underwriter has approved, at its discretion, the reinstatement of such shares. Shares are sold to a reinvesting shareholder at the net asset value next determined as described above. A reinstatement pursuant to this privilege will not cancel the redemption or repurchase transaction; therefore, any gain or loss so realized will be recognized for federal income tax purposes except that no loss will be recognized to the extent that the proceeds are reinvested in shares of the Portfolio within 30 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase transaction. Investors may exercise the reinstatement privilege by written request sent to the Portfolio at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shareholders may elect to have all income and capital gains distributions from their account paid to them in the form of additional shares of the same class of the Portfolio pursuant to the Portfolio's Dividend Reinvestment Program. No initial sales charge or CDSC will be imposed on shares issued pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shares issued under this program will have an aggregate net asset value as of the close of business on the declaration date of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount of the distribution. Investors wishing to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program. In certain circumstances where a shareholder has elected to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash but the account has been determined to be lost due to mail being returned to us by the Postal Service as undeliverable, such shareholder's distributions option will automatically be placed within the Dividend Reinvestment Program for future distributions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks. Dividend Direction Plan ----------------------- A shareholder who already maintains accounts in more than one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund may direct that income dividends and/or capital gains paid by one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund be automatically reinvested, in any amount, without the payment of any sales or service charges, in shares of the same class of the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund(s). Further information can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Investors wishing to establish a dividend direction plan in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to establish a dividend direction plan. Systematic Withdrawal Plan -------------------------- General. Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares of the Portfolio having a current net asset value of at least $4,000 (for quarterly or less frequent payments), $5,000 (for bi-monthly payments) or $10,000 (for monthly payments) may establish a systematic withdrawal plan under which the shareholder will periodically receive a payment in a stated amount of not less than $50 on a selected date. Systematic withdrawal plan participants must elect to have their dividends and distributions from the Portfolio automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolio owned by a participant in the Portfolio's systematic withdrawal plan will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal payments and such payments will be subject to any taxes applicable to redemptions and, except as discussed below with respect to Class B and Class C shares, any applicable CDSC. Shares acquired with reinvested dividends and distributions will be liquidated first to provide such withdrawal payments and thereafter other shares will be liquidated to the extent necessary, and depending upon the amount withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. A systematic withdrawal plan may be terminated at any time by the shareholder or the Portfolio. Withdrawal payments will not automatically end when a shareholder's account reaches a certain minimum level. Therefore, redemptions of shares under the plan may reduce or even liquidate a shareholder's account and may subject the shareholder to the Portfolio's involuntary redemption provisions. See "Redemption and Repurchase of Shares -- General." Purchases of additional shares concurrently with withdrawals are undesirable because of sales charges applicable when purchases are made. While an occasional lump-sum investment may be made by a holder of Class A shares who is maintaining a systematic withdrawal plan, such investment should normally be an amount equivalent to three times the annual withdrawal or $5,000, whichever is less. Payments under a systematic withdrawal plan may be made by check or electronically via the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") network. Investors wishing to establish a systematic withdrawal plan in conjunction with their initial investment in shares of the Portfolio should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application, while current Portfolio shareholders desiring to do so can obtain an application form by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. CDSC Waiver for Class B Shares and Class C Shares. Under the systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 2% bi-monthly or 3% quarterly of the value at the time of redemption of the Class B or Class C shares in a shareholder's account may be redeemed free of any CDSC. Class B shares that are not subject to a CDSC (such as shares acquired with reinvested dividends or distributions) will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Remaining Class B shares that are held the longest will be redeemed next. Redemptions of Class B shares in excess of the foregoing limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. With respect to Class C shares, shares held the longest will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Redemptions in excess of those limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. ----------------------------------------------------------------- REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares--How to Sell Shares." If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program your fee-based program may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial representative with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial representative. The Portfolio has authorized one or more brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Portfolio's behalf. In such cases, orders will receive the net asset value next computed after such order is properly received by the authorized broker or designee and accepted by the Portfolio. Redemption ---------- Subject only to the limitations described below, the Fund's Charter requires that the Fund redeem the shares of the Portfolio tendered to it, as described below, at a redemption price equal to their net asset value as next computed following the receipt of shares tendered for redemption in proper form. Except for any CDSC which may be applicable to Class A shares, Class B shares or Class C shares, there is no redemption charge. Payment of the redemption price will be made within seven days after the Fund's receipt of such tender for redemption. If a shareholder is in doubt about what documents are required by his or her fee-based program or employee benefit plan, the shareholder should contact his or her financial representative. The right of redemption may not be suspended or the date of payment upon redemption postponed for more than seven days after shares are tendered for redemption, except for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings) or during which the Commission determines that trading thereon is restricted, or for any period during which an emergency (as determined by the Commission) exists as a result of which disposal by the Portfolio of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or for such other periods as the Commission may by order permit for the protection of security holders of the Portfolio. Payment of the redemption price normally will be made in cash. No interest will accrue on uncashed redemption checks. The value of a shareholder's shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the cost of such shares to the shareholder, depending upon the market value of the Portfolio's portfolio securities at the time of such redemption or repurchase. Redemption proceeds on Class A, Class B and Class C shares will reflect the deduction of the CDSC, if any. Payment (either in cash or in portfolio securities) received by a shareholder upon redemption or repurchase of his or her shares, assuming the shares constitute capital assets in his or her hands, will result in long-term or short-term capital gains (or loss) depending upon the shareholder's holding period and basis in respect of the shares redeemed. To redeem shares of the Portfolio for which no share certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners should forward a letter to the Portfolio containing a request for redemption. The signature or signatures on the letter must be Medallion Signature Guaranteed. To redeem shares of the Portfolio represented by stock certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate stock certificate or certificates, endorsed in blank or with blank stock powers attached, to the Portfolio with the request that the shares represented thereby, or a specified portion thereof, be redeemed. The stock assignment form on the reverse side of each stock certificate surrendered to the Portfolio for redemption must be signed by the registered owner or owners exactly as the registered name appears on the face of the certificate or, alternatively, a stock power signed in the same manner may be attached to the stock certificate or certificates or, where tender is made by mail, separately mailed to the Fund. The signature or signatures on the assignment form must be guaranteed in the manner described above. Telephone Redemption by Electronic Funds Transfer. Each Portfolio shareholder is entitled to request redemption by electronic funds transfer (of shares for which no share certificates have been issued) by telephone at (800) 221-5672 if the shareholder who has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or, if an existing shareholder has not completed this portion, by an "Autosell" application obtained from AGIS. A telephone redemption by electronic funds transfer may not exceed $100,000 (except for certain omnibus accounts), and must be made by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Proceeds of telephone redemptions will be sent by Electronic Funds Transfer to a shareholder's designated bank account at a bank selected by the shareholder that is a member of the NACHA. Telephone Redemption by Check. Each Portfolio shareholder is eligible to request redemption by check of Portfolio shares for which no stock certificates have been issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in an amount not exceeding $50,000. Proceeds of such redemptions are remitted by check to the shareholder's address of record. A shareholder otherwise eligible for telephone redemption by check may cancel the privilege by written instruction to AGIS, or by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Telephone Redemptions - General. During periods of drastic economic, market or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. The Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate its telephone redemption service at any time without notice. Telephone redemption by check is not available with respect to shares (i) for which certificates have been issued, (ii) held in nominee or "street name" accounts, (iii) held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of record within the preceding 30 calendar days or (iv) held in any retirement plan account. Neither the Fund nor the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter or AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for redemptions that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for redemptions are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Selected dealers or agents may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for redemptions. Repurchase ---------- The Portfolio may repurchase shares through the Principal Underwriter or financial intermediaries. The repurchase price will be the net asset value next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the request (less the CDSC, if any, with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class C shares), except that requests placed through selected dealers or agents before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any day will be executed at the net asset value determined as of such close of regular trading on that day if received by the Principal Underwriter prior to its close of business on that day (normally 5:00 p.m., Eastern time). The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting the request to the Principal Underwriter by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, (certain financial intermediaries may enter into operating agreements permitting them to transmit purchase information that was received prior to the close of business to the Principal Underwriter after 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, and receive that day's net asset value). If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the shareholder's right to receive that day's closing price must be settled between the shareholder and the dealer or agent. A shareholder may offer shares of the Portfolio to the Principal Underwriter either directly or through a selected dealer or agent. Neither the Portfolio nor the Principal Underwriter charges a fee or commission in connection with the repurchase of shares (except for the CDSC, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares). Normally, if shares of the Portfolio are offered through a financial intermediary, the repurchase is settled by the shareholder as an ordinary transaction with or through the selected dealer or agent, who may charge the shareholder for this service. The repurchase of shares of the Portfolio as described above is a voluntary service of the Fund and the Fund may suspend or terminate this practice at any time. General ------- The Fund reserves the right to close out an account that through redemption has remained below $200 for at least 90 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to increase the account value before the account is closed. No CDSC will be deducted from the proceeds of this redemption. In the case of a redemption or repurchase of shares of the Portfolio recently purchased by check, redemption proceeds will not be made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SHAREHOLDER SERVICES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares." The shareholder services set forth below are applicable to all classes of shares unless otherwise indicated. If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program or a shareholder in a group retirement plan, your fee-based program or retirement plan may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. Automatic Investment Program ---------------------------- Investors may purchase shares of the Portfolio through an automatic investment program utilizing electronic funds transfer drawn on the investor's own bank account. Under such a program, pre-authorized monthly drafts for a fixed amount (at least $25) are used to purchase shares through the selected dealer or selected agent designated by the investor at the public offering price next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the proceeds from the investor's bank. In electronic form, drafts can be made on or about a date each month selected by the shareholder. Investors wishing to establish an automatic investment program in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI to establish an automatic investment program. Exchange Privilege ------------------ You may exchange your investment in the Portfolio for shares of the same class of other AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds (including AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by the Investment Adviser) if the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund in which you wish to invest offers shares of the same class. In addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the Investment Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates may, on a tax-free basis, exchange Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. Exchanges of shares are made at the net asset value next determined and without sales or service charges. Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone exchange requests must be received by AGIS by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in order to receive that day's net asset value. Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges for purposes of determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and, in the case of Class B shares, for the purpose of conversion to Class A shares. After an exchange, your Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance with the conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original shares"). When redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the original shares is applied. Please read carefully the prospectus of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund into which you are exchanging before submitting the request. Call AGIS at (800) 221-5672 to exchange uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges of Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio, exchanges of shares as described above in this section are taxable transactions for federal income tax purposes. The exchange service may be modified, restricted or terminated on 60 days' written notice. All exchanges are subject to the minimum investment requirements and any other applicable terms set forth in the prospectus for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being acquired. An exchange is effected through the redemption of the shares tendered for exchange and the purchase of shares being acquired at their respective net asset values as next determined following receipt by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being exchanged of (i) proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents as described in such fund's prospectus, or (ii) a telephone request for such exchange in accordance with the procedures set forth in the following paragraph. Exchanges involving the redemption of shares recently purchased by check will be permitted only after the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares have been tendered for exchange is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. Exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will generally result in the realization of a capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. Each Portfolio shareholder and the shareholder's financial intermediary is authorized to make telephone requests for exchanges unless AGIS receives written instruction to the contrary from the shareholder, or the shareholder declines the privilege by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Such telephone requests cannot be accepted with respect to shares then represented by stock certificates. Shares acquired pursuant to a telephone request for exchange will be held under the same account registration as the shares redeemed through such exchange. Eligible shareholders desiring to make an exchange should telephone AGIS with their account number and other details of the exchange, at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Telephone requests for exchange received before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day will be processed as of the close of business on that day. During periods of drastic economic, market or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. A shareholder may elect to initiate a monthly "Auto Exchange" whereby a specified dollar amount's worth of his or her Fund shares (minimum $25) is automatically exchanged for shares of another AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Auto Exchange transactions normally occur on the 12th day of each month, or the Fund business day prior thereto. None of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter or AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for exchanges that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for exchanges are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Selected dealers, agents or financial representatives, as applicable, may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for exchanges. The exchange privilege is available only in states where shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund being acquired may be legally sold. Each AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund reserves the right, at any time on 60 days' notice to its shareholders, to modify, restrict or terminate the exchange privilege. Statements and Reports ---------------------- Each shareholder of the Portfolio receives semi-annual and annual reports which include a portfolio of investments, financial statements and, in the case of the annual report, the report of the Fund's independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP, as well as a monthly cumulative dividend statement and a confirmation of each purchase and redemption. By contacting his or her broker or AGIS, a shareholder can arrange for copies of his or her account statements to be sent to another person. Checkwriting ------------ A new Class A or Class C investor may fill out the Signature Card to authorize the Fund to arrange for a checkwriting service through State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank") to draw against Class A or Class C shares of the Portfolio redeemed from the investor's account. Under this service, checks may be made payable to any payee in any amount not less than $500 and not more than 90% of the net asset value of the Class A or Class C shares in the investor's account (excluding for this purpose the current month's accumulated dividends and shares for which certificates have been issued). A Class A or Class C shareholder wishing to establish this checkwriting service subsequent to the opening of his or her Portfolio account should contact the Portfolio by telephone or mail. Corporations, fiduciaries and institutional investors are required to furnish a certified resolution or other evidence of authorization. This checkwriting service will be subject to the Bank's customary rules and regulations governing checking accounts, and the Portfolio and the Bank each reserve the right to change or suspend the checkwriting service. There is no charge to the shareholder for the initiation and maintenance of this service or for the clearance of any checks. When a check is presented to the Bank for payment, the Bank, as the shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem, at the net asset value next determined, a sufficient number of full and fractional shares of the Portfolio in the shareholder's account to cover the check. Because the level of net assets in a shareholder's account constantly changes due, among various factors, to market fluctuations, a shareholder should not attempt to close his or her account by use of a check. In this regard, the Bank has the right to return checks (marked "insufficient funds") unpaid to the presenting bank if the amount of the check exceeds 90% of the assets in the account. Canceled (paid) checks are returned to the shareholder. The checkwriting service enables the shareholder to receive the daily dividends declared on the shares to be redeemed until the day that the check is presented to the Bank for payment. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSET VALUE ----------------------------------------------------------------- The per share net asset value is computed at the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) following receipt of a purchase or redemption order by the Portfolio on each Fund business day on which such an order is received and on such other days as the Board of Directors deems appropriate or necessary in order to comply with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act. The Portfolio's per share net asset value is calculated by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. A Fund business day is any weekday on which the Exchange is open for trading. In accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act and the Portfolio's pricing policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors (the "Pricing Policies"), portfolio securities are valued at current market value or at fair value. The Board of Directors has delegated to the Investment Adviser, subject to the Board's continuing oversight, certain of its duties with respect to the Pricing Policies. With respect to securities for which market quotations are readily available, the market value of a security will be determined as follows: (a) securities listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange are valued at the last sale price reflected on the consolidated tape at the close of the Exchange or foreign securities exchange on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices on such day. If no bid or asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued in good faith at fair value by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors; (b) securities not listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange but listed on other national securities exchanges are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above, and securities traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ") are valued in accordance with the NASDAQ Official Closing Price; (c) securities traded on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange and on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, and securities not traded on the Exchange but traded on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above by reference to the principal exchange on which the securities are traded; (d) listed put or call options purchased by the Portfolio are valued at the last sale price. If there has been no sale on that day, such securities will be valued at the closing bid prices on that day; (e) open futures contracts and options thereon will be valued using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of such a price, the most recent quoted bid price. If there are no quotations available for the day of valuations, the last available closing settlement price will be used; (f) securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including securities listed on a national securities exchange whose primary market is believed to be over-the-counter (but excluding securities traded on NASDAQ) are valued at the mean of the current bid and asked prices as reported by the National Quotation Bureau or other comparable sources; (g) U.S. Government securities and other debt instruments having 60 days or less remaining until maturity are valued at amortized cost if their original maturity was 60 days or less, or by amortizing their fair value as of the 61st day prior to maturity if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days (unless in either case it is determined, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors, that this method does not represent fair value); (h) fixed-income securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. The prices provided by a pricing service take into account many factors, including institutional size, trading in similar groups of securities and any developments related to specific securities. For securities where the Investment Adviser has determined that an appropriate pricing service does not exist, such securities may be valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; (i) mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may be valued at prices obtained from a bond pricing service or at a price obtained from one or more of the major broker/dealers in such securities when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. In cases where broker/dealer quotes are obtained, the Investment Adviser may establish procedures whereby changes in market yields or spreads are used to adjust, on a daily basis, a recently obtained quoted bid price on a security; (j) OTC and other derivatives are valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; and (k) all other securities will be valued in accordance with readily available market quotations as determined in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors. With respect to securities for which market quotations are not readily available, the security will be valued at fair value in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors. Trading in securities on Far Eastern and European securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed well before the close of business of each Fund business day. In addition, trading in foreign markets may not take place on all Fund business days. Furthermore, trading may take place in various foreign markets on days that are not Fund business days. The Portfolio's calculation of the net asset value per share, therefore, does not always take place contemporaneously with the most recent determination of the prices of portfolio securities in these markets. Events affecting the values of these portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are determined in accordance with the above procedures and the close of the Exchange will not be reflected in the Portfolio's calculation of net asset value unless it is believed that these prices do not reflect current market value, in which case the securities will be valued in good faith by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors at fair value. The Portfolio may suspend the determination of its net asset value (and the offering and sale of shares), subject to the rules of the Commission and other governmental rules and regulations, at a time when: (1) the Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, (2) an emergency exists as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio to dispose of securities owned by it or to determine fairly the value of its net assets, or (3) for the protection of shareholders, the Commission by order permits a suspension of the right of redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption. For purposes of determining the Portfolio's net asset value per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in a foreign currency will be converted into U.S. dollars at the mean of the current bid and asked prices of such currency against the U.S. dollar last quoted by a major bank that is a regular participant in the relevant foreign exchange market or on the basis of a pricing service that takes into account the quotes provided by a number of such major banks. If such quotations are not available as of the close of the Exchange, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith by, or under the direction of, the Board of Directors. The assets attributable to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares, Class R shares and Advisor Class shares will be invested together in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each class will be determined separately by subtracting the liabilities allocated to that class from the assets belonging to that class in conformance with the provisions of a plan adopted by the Fund in accordance with Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is responsible for the investment decisions and the placing of the orders for portfolio transactions for the Portfolio. The Portfolio's portfolio transactions occur primarily with issuers, underwriters or major dealers acting as principals. Such transactions are normally on a net basis, which do not involve payment of brokerage commissions. The cost of securities purchased from an underwriter usually includes a commission paid by the issuer to the underwriter; transactions with dealers normally reflect the spread between bid and asked prices. Premiums are paid with respect to options purchased by the Portfolio, and brokerage commissions are payable with respect to transactions in exchange-traded interest rate futures contracts. The Investment Adviser makes the decisions for the Portfolio and determines the broker or dealer to be used in each specific transaction. Most transactions for the Portfolio, including transactions in listed securities, are executed in the over-the-counter market by approximately fifteen (15) principal market maker dealers with whom the Investment Adviser maintains regular contact. Most transactions made by the Portfolio will be principal transactions at net prices and the Portfolio will incur little or no brokerage costs. Where possible, securities will be purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter or market maker for the securities unless the Investment Adviser believes a better price and execution is available elsewhere. Purchases from underwriters of newly-issued securities for inclusion in the Portfolio usually will include a concession paid to the underwriter by the issuer and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include the spread between the bid and asked price. The Portfolio does not consider sales of its shares as a factor in the selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Portfolio. The Portfolio has no obligation to enter into transactions in securities with any broker, dealer, issuer, underwriter or other entity. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to obtain the best price and execution for its transactions. Where best price and execution may be obtained from more than one broker or dealer, the Investment Adviser may, in its discretion, purchase and sell securities through brokers and dealers who provide research, statistical and other information to the Investment Adviser. Such services may be used by the Investment Adviser for all of its investment advisory accounts and, accordingly, not all such services may be used by the Investment Adviser in connection with the Portfolio. There may be occasions where the transaction cost charged by a broker may be greater than that which another broker may charge if the Fund determines in good faith that the amount of such transaction cost is reasonable in relationship to the value of the brokerage and research and statistical services provided by the executing broker. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 the Portfolio incurred no brokerage commissions. The Fund may from time to time place orders for the purchase or sale of securities (including listed call options) with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co."), an affiliate of the Adviser. In such instances, the placement of orders with such brokers would be consistent with the Fund's objective of obtaining best execution and would not be dependent upon the fact that SCB & Co. is an affiliate of the Adviser. With respect to orders placed with SCB & Co. for execution on a national securities exchange, commissions received must conform to Section 17(e)(2)(A) of the 1940 Act and Rule 17e-1 thereunder, which permit an affiliated person of a registered investment company (such as the Fund), or any affiliated person of such person, to receive a brokerage commission from such registered investment company provided that such commission is reasonable and fair compared to the commissions received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES ----------------------------------------------------------------- United States Federal Income Taxation of Dividends and Distributions --------------------------------------- General. The Portfolio intends for each taxable year to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated investment company" under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). To so qualify, the Portfolio must, among other things, (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currency, or certain other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in stock, securities or currency; and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, the following two conditions are met: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is represented by cash, cash items, U.S. Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities with respect to which the Portfolio's investment is limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is invested in securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government Securities or securities of other regulated investment companies). If the Portfolio qualifies as a regulated investment company for any taxable year and makes timely distributions to its shareholders of 90% or more of its investment company taxable income for that year (calculated without regard to its net capital gain, i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) it will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income for the year (including any net capital gain) that it distributes to shareholders. It is the present policy of the Portfolio to distribute to shareholders all net investment income quarterly and to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The amount of any such distributions must necessarily depend upon the realization by the Fund of income and capital gains from investments. The Portfolio will also avoid the 4% federal excise tax that would otherwise apply to certain undistributed income for a given calendar year if it makes timely distributions to shareholders equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income and foreign currency gains for the twelve-month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (iii) any ordinary income or capital gain net income from the preceding calendar year that was not distributed during such year. For this purpose, income or gain retained by the Portfolio that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by the Portfolio during such year. For federal income and excise tax purposes, dividends declared and payable to shareholders of record as of a date in October, November or December but actually paid during the following January will be treated as if paid by the Portfolio on December 31 of such earlier calendar year, and will be taxable to these shareholders in the year declared, and not in the year in which the shareholders actually receive the dividend. The information set forth in the Prospectus and the following discussion relate solely to the significant United States federal income taxes on dividends and distributions by the Portfolio and assumes that the Portfolio qualifies to be taxed as a regulated investment company. An investor should consult his or her own tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio, including the effect and applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws to his or her own particular situation and the possible effects of changes therein. Dividends and Distributions. The Portfolio intends to make timely distributions of the Portfolio's taxable income (including any net capital gain) so that the Portfolio will not be subject to federal income and excise taxes. Dividends of the Portfolio's net ordinary income and distributions of any net realized short-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some or all of the distributions from a mutual fund may be treated as "qualified dividend income," taxable to individuals at the reduced maximum rate of 15% (5% for individuals in lower tax brackets), provided that both the fund and the individual satisfy certain holding period and other requirements. Based upon the investment policies of the Portfolio, it is expected that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions would be treated as "qualified dividend income." Distributions of net capital gain are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio. Any dividend or distribution received by a shareholder on shares of the Portfolio will have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of such dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or distribution made shortly after the purchase of such shares by a shareholder, although in effect a return of capital to that particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or her as described above. Dividends are taxable in the manner discussed regardless of whether they are paid to the shareholder in cash or are reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. The investment objective of the Portfolio is such that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions is expected to qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. After the end of the calendar year, the Portfolio will notify shareholders of the federal income tax status of any distributions made by the Portfolio to shareholders during such year. Sales and Redemptions. Any gain or loss arising from a sale or redemption of Portfolio shares generally will be capital gain or loss if the Portfolio shares are held as a capital asset, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shareholder has held such shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or redemption; otherwise it will be short-term capital gain or loss. If a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio for six months or less and during that period has received a distribution of net capital gain, any loss recognized by the shareholder on the sale of those shares during the six-month period will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the distribution. In determining the holding period of such shares for this purpose, any period during which a shareholder's risk of loss is offset by means of options, short sales or similar transactions is not counted. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are reacquired within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are sold or exchanged. For this purpose, acquisitions pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan would constitute a reacquisition if made within the period. If a loss disallowed, then such loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired. Qualified Plans. A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to shares of the Portfolio held by a tax-deferred or qualified plan, such as an individual retirement account, section 403(b)(7) retirement plan or corporate pension or profit-sharing plan, generally will not be taxable to the plan. Distributions from such plans will be taxable to individual participants under applicable tax rules without regard to the character of the income earned by the qualified plan. Backup Withholding. Any distributions and redemption proceeds payable to a shareholder may be subject to "backup withholding" tax (currently at a rate of 28%) if such shareholder fails to provide the Portfolio with his or her correct taxpayer identification number, fails to make certain required certifications, or is notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") that he or she is subject to backup withholding. Certain categories of shareholders, including all corporations, are exempt from such backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax; rather, a shareholder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed such shareholder's income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS. Foreign Taxes. Investment income received by the Portfolio from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income taxes, including taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that entitle the Portfolio to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Portfolio's assets to be invested within various countries is not known. United States Federal Income Taxation of the Portfolio ------------------------------------------------------ The following discussion relates to certain significant United States federal income tax consequences to the Portfolio with respect to the determination of its "investment company taxable income" each year. This discussion assumes that the Portfolio will be taxed as a regulated investment company for each of its taxable years. Zero Coupon Treasury Securities. Under current federal tax law, the Portfolio will receive net investment income in the form of interest by virtue of holding Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and will recognize interest attributable to it under the original issue discount rules of the Code from holding zero coupon Treasury securities. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the Portfolio receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. Accordingly, the Portfolio may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Portfolio actually received. Such distributions will be made from the cash assets of the Portfolio 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 Portfolio may realize a gain or loss from such sales. In the event the Portfolio realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions. Stripped-Mortgage Related Securities. Certain classes of SMRS which are issued at a discount, the payments of which are subject to acceleration by reason of prepayments of the underlying Mortgage Assets securing such classes, are subject to special rules for determining the portion of the discount at which the class was issued which must be accrued as income each year. Under Code section 1272(a)(6), a principal-only class or a class which receives a portion of the interest and a portion of the principal from the underlying Mortgage Assets is subject to rules which require accrual of interest to be calculated and included in the income of a holder (such as the Portfolio) based on the increase in the present value of the payments remaining on the class, taking into account payments includable in the class' stated redemption price at maturity which are received during the accrual period. For this purpose, the present value calculation is made at the beginning of each accrual period (i) using the yield to maturity determined for the class at the time of its issuance (determined on the basis of compounding at the close of each accrual period and properly adjusted for the length of the accrual period), calculated on the assumption that certain prepayments will occur, and (ii) taking into account any prepayments that have occurred before the close of the accrual period. Since interest included in the Portfolio's income as a result of these rules will have been accrued and not actually paid, the Portfolio may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash interest it actually received, with possible results as described above. Other Taxation -------------- The Portfolio may be subject to other state and local taxes. Taxation of Foreign Shareholders -------------------------------- The foregoing discussion relates only to United States federal income tax law as it affects shareholders who are United States citizens or residents or United States corporations. The effects of federal income tax law on a shareholder that is a non- resident alien individual or foreign corporation may be substantially different. A foreign investor should therefore consult his or her own tax adviser for further information as to the United States federal income tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio. ----------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Fund is a Maryland Corporation organized in 1973 under the name "Alliance Bond Fund, Inc." The name of the Fund became "AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc." on March 31, 2003. Capitalization -------------- The authorized capital stock of the Fund consists of 45,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock having a par value of $.001 per share. All shares of each Portfolio participate equally in dividends and distributions from that Portfolio, including any distributions in the event of a liquidation, and upon redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Portfolio represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC. Each share of the Portfolio is entitled to one vote for all purposes. Shares of the Portfolios vote for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affects the Portfolios in substantially the same manner as a single class, except as otherwise required by law. As to matters affecting each Portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each Portfolio would vote as a separate class. There are no conversion or preemptive rights in connection with any shares of the Portfolio. All shares of the Portfolio when duly issued will be fully paid and non-assessable. The authorized capital stock of the Portfolio currently consists of 3,000,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class C Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class R Common Stock, and 3,000,000,000 shares of Advisor Class Common Stock, each having a par value of $.001 per share. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments, and has the same rights and is identical in all respects, except that expenses related to the distribution of each class are borne solely by each class and each class of shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan which pertain to a particular class and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders and the Class A shareholders, the Class B shareholders and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. The Fund's Board of Directors may, without shareholder approval, increase or decrease the number of authorized but unissued shares of the Portfolio's Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class Common Stock. The Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify and issue any unissued shares to any number of additional portfolios and classes without shareholder approval. Accordingly, the Directors in the future, for reasons such as the desire to establish one or more additional portfolios with different investment objectives, policies or restrictions, may create additional portfolios of shares. Any issuance of shares of another portfolio would be governed by the 1940 Act and the laws of the State of Maryland. If shares of another portfolio were issued in connection with the creation of a second portfolio, each share of either portfolio would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of both portfolios would vote as a single portfolio for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affected both portfolios in substantially the same manner. As to matters affecting each portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each portfolio would vote as separate portfolios. It is anticipated that annual shareholder meetings will not be held; shareholder meetings will be held only when required by federal or state law. As of the close of business on January 5, 2004, there were 196,918,558 shares of common stock of the Portfolio outstanding. Of this amount, 101,093,999 shares were Class A shares, 46,556,307 shares were Class B shares, 19,171,415 shares were Class C shares , 1,401 Class R shares and 30,095,436 shares were Advisor Class shares. To the knowledge of the Portfolio, the following persons owned of record, or beneficially, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio as of October 3, 2003: Name and Address No. of Shares % of Class ---------------- ------------- ---------- Class A ------- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (97369) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 7,468,739 7.39% Class B ------- Citigroup Global Markets House Account Attn: Cindy Tempesta 333 W. 34th St. - Fl. 3 New York, NY 10001-2483 2,655,504 5.70% Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (977U1) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 8,362,379 17.96% Class C ------- Citigroup Global Markets House Account Attn: Cindy Tempesta 333 W. 34th St. - Fl. 3 New York, NY 10001-2483 1,263,295 6.59% Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (978E9) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 4,669,047 24.35% Ho Chunk Nation P.O. Box 640 Black River Flass, WI 54615-0640 1,171,803 6.11% Class R ------- Alliance Capital Management LP Attn: Raymond Cardosi 1 N. Lexington Ave White Plains, NY 10601-1712 1,401 100% Advisor Class ------------- Collegebound Fund CBF-Balanced Portfolio 529 Plan 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 3,672,599 12.20% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1990-1992 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,028,486 6.74% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1993-1995 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 1,986,628 6.60% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1996-1998 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 1,884,233 6.26% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1984-1986 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,204,614 7.33% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1987-1989 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 3,457,666 11.49% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1990-1992 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 3,808,849 12.66% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1993-1995 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 3,256,919 10.82% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1996-1998 500 Plaza Dr Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,839,531 9.44% Custodian --------- State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, acts as the Fund's Custodian for the assets of the Fund but plays no part in deciding on the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Directors, State Street may enter into subcustodial agreements for the holding of the Fund's foreign securities. Principal Underwriter --------------------- ABIRM, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter of shares of the Portfolio, and as such may solicit orders from the public to purchase shares of the Portfolio. Under the Distribution Services Agreement, the Fund has agreed to indemnify the Principal Underwriter, in the absence of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Counsel ------- Legal matters in connection with the issuance of the shares of the Fund offered hereby are passed upon by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York. Independent Auditors -------------------- Ernst & Young LLP, 5 Times Square, New York, New York, 10036, has been appointed as independent auditors for the Fund. Additional Information ---------------------- Any shareholder inquiries may be directed to the shareholder's broker or other financial adviser or to AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the front cover of this SAI. This SAI does not contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement filed by the Fund with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statement may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS ----------------------------------------------------------------- The financial statements of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. - AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, the independent auditors, are incorporated herein by reference to the Fund's annual report. The annual report was filed on Form N-CSR with the Commission on January 9, 2004. It is available without charge upon request by calling AGIS at (800) 227-4618. ----------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX A: STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR VOTING PROXIES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction ------------ As a registered investment adviser, Alliance Capital Management L.P. ("Alliance Capital", "we" or "us") has a fiduciary duty to act solely in the best interests of our clients. As part of this duty, we recognize that we must vote client securities in a timely manner and make voting decisions that are in the best interests of our clients. This statement is intended to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It sets forth our policies and procedures for voting proxies for our discretionary investment advisory clients, including investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This statement is applicable to Alliance Capital's growth and value investment groups investing on behalf of clients in both U.S. and global securities. Proxy Policies -------------- This statement is designed to be responsive to the wide range of subjects that can have a significant effect on the investment value of the securities held in our clients' accounts. These policies are not exhaustive due to the variety of proxy voting issues that we may be required to consider. Alliance Capital reserves the right to depart from these guidelines in order to avoid voting decisions that we believe may be contrary to our clients' best interests. In reviewing proxy issues, we will apply the following general policies: Elections of Directors: Unless there is a proxy fight for seats on the Board or we determine that there are other compelling reasons for withholding votes for directors, we will vote in favor of the management proposed slate of directors. That said, we believe that directors have a duty to respond to shareholder actions that have received significant shareholder support. We may withhold votes for directors that fail to act on key issues such as failure to implement proposals to declassify boards, failure to implement a majority vote requirement, failure to submit a rights plan to a shareholder vote and failure to act on tender offers where a majority of shareholders have tendered their shares. In addition, we will withhold votes for directors who fail to attend at least seventy-five percent of board meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. Finally, we may withhold votes for directors of non-U.S. issuers where there is insufficient information about the nominees disclosed in the proxy statement. Appointment of Auditors: Alliance Capital believes that the company remains in the best position to choose the auditors and will generally support management's recommendation. However, we recognize that there may be inherent conflicts when a company's independent auditor performs substantial non-audit related services for the company. Therefore, we may vote against the appointment of auditors if the fees for non-audit related services are disproportionate to the total audit fees paid by the company or there are other reasons to question the independence of the company's auditors. Changes in Capital Structure: Changes in a company's charter, articles of incorporation or by-laws are often technical and administrative in nature. Absent a compelling reason to the contrary, Alliance Capital will cast its votes in accordance with the company's management on such proposals. However, we will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis any non-routine proposals that are likely to affect the structure and operation of the company or have a material economic effect on the company. For example, we will generally support proposals to increase authorized common stock when it is necessary to implement a stock split, aid in a restructuring or acquisition or provide a sufficient number of shares for an employee savings plan, stock option or executive compensation plan. However, a satisfactory explanation of a company's intentions must be disclosed in the proxy statement for proposals requesting an increase of greater than one hundred percent of the shares outstanding. We will oppose increases in authorized common stock where there is evidence that the shares will be used to implement a poison pill or another form of anti-takeover device, or if the issuance of new shares could excessively dilute the value of the outstanding shares upon issuance. Corporate Restructurings, Mergers and Acquisitions: Alliance Capital believes proxy votes dealing with corporate reorganizations are an extension of the investment decision. Accordingly, we will analyze such proposals on a case-by-case basis, weighing heavily the views of the research analysts that cover the company and the investment professionals managing the portfolios in which the stock is held. Proposals Affecting Shareholder Rights: Alliance Capital believes that certain fundamental rights of shareholders must be protected. We will generally vote in favor of proposals that give shareholders a greater voice in the affairs of the company and oppose any measure that seeks to limit those rights. However, when analyzing such proposals we will weigh the financial impact of the proposal against the impairment of shareholder rights. Corporate Governance: Alliance Capital recognizes the importance of good corporate governance in ensuring that management and the board of directors fulfill their obligations to the shareholders. We favor proposals promoting transparency and accountability within a company. For example, we will vote for proposals providing for equal access to proxies, a majority of independent directors on key committees, and separating the positions of chairman and chief executive officer. Anti-Takeover Measures: Alliance Capital believes that measures that impede takeovers or entrench management not only infringe on the rights of shareholders but may also have a detrimental effect on the value of the company. We will generally oppose proposals, regardless of whether they are advanced by management or shareholders, the purpose or effect of which is to entrench management or dilute shareholder ownership. Conversely, we support proposals that would restrict or otherwise eliminate anti-takeover measures that have already been adopted by corporate issuers. For example, we will support shareholder proposals that seek to require the company to submit a shareholder rights plan to a shareholder vote. We will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to completely redeem or eliminate such plans. Furthermore, we will generally oppose proposals put forward by management (including blank check preferred stock, classified boards and supermajority vote requirements) that appear to be intended as management entrenchment mechanisms. Executive Compensation: Alliance Capital believes that company management and the compensation committee of the board of directors should, within reason, be given latitude to determine the types and mix of compensation and benefit awards offered. Whether proposed by a shareholder or management, we will review proposals relating to executive compensation plans on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the long-term interests of management and shareholders are properly aligned. We will analyze the proposed plans to ensure that shareholder equity will not be excessively diluted, the option exercise price is not below market price on the date of grant and an acceptable number of employees are eligible to participate in such programs. We will generally oppose plans that permit repricing of underwater stock options without shareholder approval. Other factors such as the company's performance and industry practice will generally be factored into our analysis. We will support proposals to submit severance packages triggered by a change in control to a shareholder vote and proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive compensation. Finally, we will support shareholder proposals requiring companies to expense stock options because we view them as a large corporate expense. Social and Corporate Responsibility: Alliance Capital will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis proposals relating to social, political and environmental issues to determine whether they will have a financial impact on shareholder value. We will vote against proposals that are unduly burdensome or result in unnecessary and excessive costs to the company. We may abstain from voting on social proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. Proxy Voting Committees ----------------------- Our growth and value investment groups have formed separate proxy voting committees to establish general proxy policies for Alliance Capital and consider specific proxy voting matters as necessary. These committees periodically review new types of corporate governance issues, evaluate proposals not covered by these policies and recommend how we should generally vote on such issues. In addition, the committees, in conjunction with the analyst that covers the company, contact management and interested shareholder groups as necessary to discuss proxy issues. Members of the committees include senior investment personnel and representatives of the Corporate Legal Department. The committees may also evaluate proxies where we face a potential conflict of interest (as discussed below). Finally, the committees monitor adherence to guidelines, industry trends and review the policies contained in this statement from time to time. Conflicts of Interest --------------------- Alliance Capital recognizes that there may be a potential conflict of interest when we vote a proxy solicited by an issuer whose retirement plan we manage, whose retirement plan we administer, or with whom we have another business or personal relationship that may affect how we vote on the issuer's proxy. We believe that centralized management of proxy voting, oversight by the proxy voting committees and adherence to these policies ensures that proxies are voted with only our clients' best interests in mind. That said, we have implemented additional procedures to ensure that our votes are not the product of a conflict of interests, including: (i) requiring anyone involved in the decision making process to disclose to the chairman of the appropriate proxy committee any potential conflict that they are aware of and any contact that they have had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; (ii) prohibiting employees involved in the decision making process or vote administration from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties; and (iii) where a material conflict of interests exists, reviewing our proposed vote by applying a series of objective tests and, where necessary, considering the views of a third party research service to ensure that our voting decision is consistent with our clients' best interests. For example, if our proposed vote is consistent with our stated proxy voting policy, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy but is also contrary to management's recommendation, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation, and is also consistent with the views of an independent source, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation and is contrary to the views of an independent source, the proposal is reviewed by the appropriate proxy committee for final determination. Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers ----------------------------------- Proxy voting in certain countries requires "share blocking." Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting (usually one-week) with a designated depositary. During this blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares are returned to the clients' custodian banks. Alliance Capital may determine that the value of exercising the vote does not outweigh the detriment of not being able to transact in the shares during this period. Accordingly, if share blocking is required we may abstain from voting those shares. In such a situation we would have determined that the cost of voting exceeds the expected benefit to the client. Proxy Voting Records -------------------- Clients may obtain information about how we voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their Alliance Capital administrative representative. Alternatively, clients may make a written request for proxy voting information to: Mark R. Manley, Senior Vice President & Acting General Counsel, Alliance Capital Management L.P., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. 00250.0123 #472443 (LOGO)(R) ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN BOND FUND, INC. -ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN CORPORATE BOND PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- c/o Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc. P. O. Box 786003, San Antonio, Texas 78278-6003 Toll Free: (800) 221-5672 For Literature: Toll Free (800) 227-4681 ----------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION February 2, 2004 (as amended November 10, 2004) ----------------------------------------------------------------- This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus but supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus, dated February 2, 2004, for the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio (the "Portfolio") of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") that offers Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio (the "Prospectus"). Financial statements for the Portfolio for the year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 are included in the Portfolio's annual report to shareholders and are incorporated into this SAI by reference. Copies of the Prospectus and the Portfolio's annual report may be obtained by contacting Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc. ("AGIS") at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown above. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- Page ---- Description of the Portfolio Management of the Fund Purchase of Shares Redemption and Repurchase of Shares Shareholder Services Net Asset Value Portfolio Transactions Dividends, Distributions and Taxes General Information Financial Statements and Report of Independent Auditors Appendix A: Statement of Policies and Procedures For Voting Proxies A-1 -------- SM: This service mark is used under license from the owner. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction to the Fund ------------------------ The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company commonly known as a "mutual fund" whose shares are offered in separate series referred to as portfolios. Each portfolio is a separate pool of assets constituting, in effect, a separate fund with its own investment objectives and policies. A shareholder in the portfolio will be entitled to his or her pro-rata share of all dividends and distributions arising from that portfolio's assets and, upon redeeming shares of that portfolio, the shareholder will receive the then current net asset value of that portfolio represented by the redeemed shares. (See "Purchase and Sale of Shares" in the Prospectus.) The Fund is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional portfolios that may have different investment objectives. The Fund currently has three portfolios: the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio (the "Portfolio"), which is described in this SAI, the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio, and the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio, each of which is described in a separate statement of additional information. Copies of the prospectuses and statements of additional information for either the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio or the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. The Portfolio ------------- Except as otherwise indicated, the Portfolio's investment policies are not designated "fundamental policies" and, therefore, may be changed by the Board of Directors without a shareholder vote. However, the Portfolio will not change its investment policies without contemporaneous written notice to its shareholders. The Portfolio's investment objectives may not be changed without shareholder approval. There can be, of course, no assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objectives. Investment Objective -------------------- General. The primary investment objective of the Portfolio is to maximize income over the long term consistent with providing reasonable safety in the value of each shareholder's investment. As a secondary objective, the Portfolio will attempt to increase its capital through appreciation of its investments in order to preserve and, if possible, increase the purchasing power of each shareholder's investment. How the Portfolio Pursues its Objectives ---------------------------------------- In pursuing these objectives, the Portfolio's policy is to invest in readily marketable securities which give promise of relatively attractive yields, but which do not involve substantial risk of loss of capital. The Portfolio follows a policy of maintaining at least 65% of its net assets invested in debt securities. Such objectives and policies cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Portfolio's voting securities. Under normal circumstances, however, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets in corporate bonds or other corporate debt securities. This policy may not be changed without 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders. For purposes of this policy, net assets include any borrowings for investment purposes. Moreover, the Portfolio intends to manage its portfolio actively by taking advantage of such trading opportunities as swaps to higher yielding bonds of similar quality and swaps to different types of bonds which are more attractive investments due to distortions in normal yield differentials. There is no minimum rating requirement applicable to the Portfolio's investments in fixed-income securities. Currently, the Portfolio believes its objectives and policies may best be implemented by investing at least 65% of its total assets in fixed-income securities considered investment grade or higher (securities rated at least Baa by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's") or BBB by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P")). During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Portfolio did not invest in securities rated below B by Moody's, or if unrated by Moody's, considered by Alliance Capital Management L.P. (the "Investment Adviser" or "Alliance") to be of equivalent quality to such a rating. Securities rated Ba or below by Moody's or BB or below by S&P are often referred to as junk bonds. (See "Special Risk Considerations" below). The Portfolio expects that it will not retain a security that is downgraded below B, or if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to have undergone similar credit quality deterioration subsequent to purchase. During this period, the Portfolio has continued to hold its position in certain notes issued by Empresa Electrica that have been downgraded below B by Moody's. The Portfolio will not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer, excepting U.S. Government obligations. Further, the Portfolio will not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer. The Portfolio has complete flexibility as to the types of securities in which it will invest and the relative proportions thereof, and the Portfolio plans to vary the proportions of its holdings of long- and short-term fixed-income securities (including debt securities, convertible debt securities, U.S. Government (full faith and credit) obligations) and of common and preferred stocks in order to reflect its assessment of prospective cyclical changes even if such action may adversely affect current income. However, substantially all of the Portfolio's investments will be income producing. (See "Investment Restrictions", below, for additional restrictions which are fundamental policies of the Portfolio and which cannot be changed without shareholder approval). The Portfolio may invest up to 50% of the value of its total assets in foreign fixed-income securities which will consist primarily of corporate fixed-income securities and instruments issued or guaranteed by foreign governments ("Sovereign Debt Obligations"). Sovereign Debt Obligations may include, as described below, securities issued in connection with foreign government debt restructurings as well as foreign government loan participations and assignments. Not more than 15% of the Portfolio's total assets may be invested in Sovereign Debt Obligations in the form of foreign government loan participations and assignments, substantially all of which may be high-yield, high-risk debt securities that are low-rated (i.e. below investment grade) or of comparable quality and unrated, and that are considered to be predominantly speculative as regards the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Investors should be aware that there are risks associated with investment by the Portfolio in foreign securities. See "Special Risk Considerations." Brady Bonds. The Portfolio may invest in certain debt obligations customarily referred to as "Brady Bonds." Brady Bonds are created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to foreign entities for new obligations in connection with debt restructurings under a plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the "Brady Plan"). Brady Plan debt restructurings totaling more than $120 billion have been implemented to date in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Uruguay and Venezuela, with the largest proportion of Brady Bonds having been issued to date by Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela. Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized and issued in various currencies (although most are dollar-denominated) and they are actively traded in the over-the-counter secondary market. Certain Brady Bonds are collateralized in full as to principal due at maturity by zero coupon obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities having the same maturity ("Collateralized Brady Bonds"). Dollar-denominated, Collateralized Brady Bonds may be fixed rate bonds or floating rate bonds. Interest payments on Brady Bonds are often collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year's rolling interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to "value recovery payments" in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) collateralized interest payments; (iii) uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts constitute the "residual risk"). In the event of a default with respect to Collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors, nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed. The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds, which will continue to be outstanding, at which time the face amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments which would have been due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. In addition, in light of the residual risk of Brady Bonds and, among other factors, the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds, investments in Brady Bonds are to be viewed as speculative. Structured Securities. The Portfolio may invest in interests in entities organized and operated solely for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of Sovereign Debt Obligations and loan participations and assignments. This type of restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, of specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans or Brady Bonds) and the issuance by that entity of one or more classes of securities ("Structured Securities") backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued Structured Securities to create securities with different investment characteristics such as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of the payments made with respect to Structured Securities is dependent on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because Structured Securities of the type in which the Portfolio anticipates it will invest typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments. The Portfolio is permitted to invest in a class of Structured Securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated Structured Securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated Structured Securities. Certain issuers of Structured Securities may be deemed to be "investment companies" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a result, the Portfolio's investment in these Structured Securities may be limited by the restrictions contained in the 1940 Act. Loan Participations and Assignments. The Portfolio may invest in fixed and floating rate loans ("Loans") arranged through private negotiations between an issuer of Sovereign Debt Obligations and one or more financial institutions ("Lenders"). The Portfolio's investments in Loans are expected in most instances to be in the form of participations in Loans ("Participations") and assignments of all or a portion of Loans ("Assignments") from third parties. The Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets in Participations and Assignments. The government that is the borrower on the Loan will be considered by the Portfolio to be the issuer of a Participation or Assignment for purposes of the Portfolio's fundamental investment policy that it will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (i.e., foreign government). The Portfolio's investment in Participations typically will result in the Portfolio having a contractual relationship only with the Lender and not with the borrower. The Portfolio will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the Lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the Lender of the payments from the borrower. The Portfolio will acquire Participations only if the Lender interpositioned between the Portfolio and the borrower is a Lender having total assets of more than $25 billion and whose senior unsecured debt is rated investment grade or higher (i.e., Baa or higher by Moody's or BBB or higher by S&P). In connection with purchasing Participations, the Portfolio generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the Loan, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Portfolio may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the Loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, the Portfolio may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the Lender that is selling the Participation. In the event of the insolvency of the Lender selling a Participation, the Portfolio may be treated as a general creditor of the Lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the Lender and the borrower. Certain Participations may be structured in a manner designed to avoid purchasers of Participations being subject to the credit risk of the Lender with respect to the Participation, but even under such a structure, in the event of the Lender's insolvency, the Lender's servicing of the Participation may be delayed and the assignability of the Participation impaired. When the Portfolio purchases Assignments from Lenders it will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the Loan. Because Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the Portfolio as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Lender. The Portfolio may have difficulty disposing of Assignments and Participations because to do so it will have to assign such securities to a third party. Because there is no liquid market for such securities, the Portfolio anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and the Portfolio's ability to dispose of particular Assignments or Participations when necessary to meet the Portfolio's liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for Assignments and Participations also may make it more difficult for the Portfolio to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Portfolio and calculating its net asset value. Further, the assignability of certain Sovereign Debt Obligations is restricted by the governing documentation as to the nature of the assignee such that the only way in which the Portfolio may acquire an interest in a Loan is through a Participation and not an Assignment. Options. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options written by others and write covered put and call options overlying the types of securities in which the Portfolio may invest. A put option (sometimes called a "standby commitment") gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to deliver a specified amount of a security to the writer of the option on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. A call option (sometimes called a "reverse standby commitment") gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to call upon the writer to deliver a specified amount of a security on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. The Portfolio will not purchase any option if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate cost of all outstanding options purchased by the Portfolio would exceed 2% of the value of its total assets; the Portfolio will not write any option if, immediately thereafter, the aggregate value of the Portfolio's securities subject to outstanding options would exceed 15% of its total assets. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options to provide protection against adverse price or yield effects from anticipated changes in prevailing interest rates. For instance in periods of rising interest rates and falling bond prices, the Portfolio might purchase a put option to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising bond prices, the Portfolio might purchase a call option. In purchasing a call option, the Portfolio would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the security increased by an amount in excess of the premium paid. It would realize a loss if the price of the security declined or remained the same or did not increase during the period by more than the amount of the premium. By purchasing a put option, the Portfolio would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the security declined by an amount in excess of the premium paid. It would realize a loss if the price of the security increased or remained the same or did not decrease during that period by more than the amount of the premium. If a put or call option purchased by the Portfolio were permitted to expire without being sold or exercised, its premium would represent a loss to the Portfolio. When the Portfolio writes a put option it must either own at all times during the option period an offsetting put option on the same security or maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid assets in an amount adequate to purchase the underlying security should the put be exercised. When the Portfolio writes a call option it must own at all times during the option period either the underlying securities or an offsetting call option on the same securities. If a put option written by the Portfolio were exercised the Portfolio would be obligated to purchase the underlying security at the exercise price. If a call option written by the Portfolio were exercised the Portfolio would be obligated to sell the underlying security at the exercise price. The risk involved in writing a put option is that there could be a decrease in the market value of the underlying security caused by rising interest rates or other factors. If this occurred, the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold to the Portfolio at a higher price than its current market value. The risk involved in writing a call option is that there could be an increase in the market value of the underlying security caused by declining interest rates or other factors. If this occurred, the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold by the Portfolio at a lower price than its current market value. These risks could be reduced by entering into a closing transaction as described below. The Portfolio retains the premium received from writing a put or call option whether or not the option is exercised. The Portfolio may also write call options for cross-hedging purposes. A call option is for cross-hedging purposes if it is designed to provide a hedge against a decline in value in another security which the Portfolio owns or has the right to acquire. In such circumstances, the Portfolio collateralizes the option by maintaining, in a segregated account with the Custodian, liquid assets in an amount not less than the market value of the underlying security, marked to market daily. The Portfolio may dispose of an option that it has purchased by entering into a "closing sale transaction" with the writer of the option. A closing sale transaction terminates the obligation of the writer of the option and does not result in the ownership of an option. The Portfolio realizes a profit or loss from a closing sale transaction if the premium received from the transaction is more than or less than the cost of the option. The Portfolio may terminate its obligation to the holder of an option written by the Portfolio through a "closing purchase transaction." The Portfolio may not, however, effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to such an option after it has been notified of the exercise of such option. The Portfolio realizes a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is more than or less than the premium received by the Portfolio from writing the option. The Portfolio generally purchases or writes options in negotiated transactions. The Portfolio effects such transactions only with investment dealers and other financial institutions (such as commercial banks or savings and loan institutions) deemed creditworthy by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser has also adopted procedures for monitoring the creditworthiness of such entities. Options purchased or written by the Portfolio in negotiated transactions are illiquid and it may not be possible for the Portfolio to effect a closing purchase transaction at a time when the Investment Adviser believes it would be advantageous to do so. Credit Default Swap Agreements. The "buyer" in a credit default swap contract is obligated to pay the "seller" a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract in return for a contingent payment upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to an underlying reference obligation. Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration or modified restructuring. The Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. As a seller, the Portfolio receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between one month and five years, provided that no credit event occurs. If a credit event occurs, the Portfolio typically must pay the contingent payment to the buyer, which is typically the "par value" (full notional value) of the reference obligation. The contingent payment may be a cash settlement or by physical delivery of the reference obligation in return for payment of the face amount of the obligation. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Portfolio may lose its investment and recover nothing. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer typically receives full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value. Credit default swaps may involve greater risks than if the Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly. Credit default swaps are subject to general market risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. As noted above, if a Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, it will lose its investment. In addition, the value of the reference obligation received by the Portfolio as the seller if a credit event occurs, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Fund. The Portfolio will not enter into a credit default swap if the swap provides for settlement by physical delivery and such delivery would result in the Portfolio investing (i) less than 80% of its net assets in corporate bonds and other corporate debt securities or (ii) less than 65% of its total assets in securities rated investment grade or higher. Interest Rate Transactions. In order to attempt to protect the value of the Portfolio's investments from interest rate fluctuations, the Portfolio may enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate caps and floors. The Portfolio expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio. The Portfolio may also enter into these transactions to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Portfolio anticipates purchasing at a later date. The Portfolio intends to use these transactions as a hedge and not as a speculative investment. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Portfolio with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor. The Portfolio may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will only be entered into on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Portfolio's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the Custodian. The Portfolio will enter into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions only with counterparties who have credit ratings of at least A (or the equivalent) from any one nationally recognized statistical rating organization or counterparties with guarantors with debt securities having such a rating. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Portfolio will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become well established and provides a degree of liquidity. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which documentation is not as standardized and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps. U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. These securities include: (i) the following U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance: U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year or less with no interest paid and hence issued at a discount and repaid at full face value upon maturity), U.S. Treasury notes (maturities of one to ten years with interest payable every six months) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years with interest payable every six months); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Farmers Home Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Export-Import Bank, the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration; and (iii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), and governmental collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"). The maturities of the U.S. Government securities listed in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above usually range from three months to 30 years. Such securities, except GNMA certificates, normally provide for periodic payments of interest in fixed amount with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon securities and principal-only securities and certain stripped mortgage-related securities ("SMRS"). In addition, other U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an interest-only ("IO") class and a principal-only ("PO") class. Although these stripped securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be illiquid. Guarantees of securities by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest on the securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value or the yield or value of the shares of the Fund that holds the securities. U.S. Government securities are considered among the safest of fixed-income investments. As a result, however, their yields are generally lower than the yields available from other fixed-income securities. Zero Coupon Securities. To the extent consistent with its investment objectives, the Portfolio may invest without limit in "zero coupon" securities, which are debt securities that have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons and receipts or certificates representing interests in such stripped debt obligations and coupons. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life. Its value to an investor consists of the difference between its face value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which is generally an amount significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a "deep discount" price). Accordingly, such securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and will be subject to greater fluctuations of market value in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities that make current distributions of interest. On the other hand, because there are no periodic interest payments to be reinvested prior to maturity, zero coupon securities eliminate reinvestment risk and lock in a rate of return to maturity. The Portfolio may also invest in "pay-in-kind" debentures (i.e., debt obligations, the interest on which may be paid in the form of additional obligations of the same type rather than cash) which have characteristics similar to zero coupon securities. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. As a result, in order to make the distributions necessary for the Portfolio not to be subject to federal income or excise taxes, the Portfolio might be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, obtained by liquidation of portfolio securities or borrowings if necessary, greater than the total amount of cash that the Portfolio has actually received as interest during the year. The Portfolio believes, however, that it is highly unlikely that it would be necessary to liquidate portfolio securities or borrow money in order to make such required distributions or to meet its investment objective. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations and Multi-Class Pass-Through Securities. Mortgage-related securities in which the Portfolio may invest may also include CMOs and multi-class pass-through securities. CMOs are debt obligations issued by special purpose entities that are secured by mortgage-backed certificates, including, in many cases, certificates issued by governmental and government-related guarantors, including GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC, together with certain funds and other collateral. Multi-class pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage loans or other mortgage-related securities. Payments of principal and interest on underlying collateral provide the funds to pay debt service on the CMO or make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. CMOs and multi-class pass-through securities (collectively CMOs unless the context indicates otherwise) may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States Government or by private organizations. The issuer of a CMO may elect to be treated as a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit ("REMIC"). In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of a CMO on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") has determined that certain issuers of CMOs are investment companies for purposes of the 1940 Act. In reliance on a 1991 staff interpretation, the Portfolio's investments in certain qualifying CMOs, including REMICs, are not subject to the 1940 Act's limitation on acquiring interests in other investment companies. In order to be able to rely on the staff's interpretation, the CMOs must be unmanaged, fixed-asset issuers that (i) invest primarily in mortgage-backed securities, (ii) do not issue redeemable securities, (iii) operate under general exemptive orders exempting them from all provisions of the 1940 Act, and (iv) are not registered or regulated under the 1940 Act as investment companies. To the extent that the Portfolio selects CMOs that do not meet the above requirements, the Portfolio may not invest more than 10% of its assets in all such entities and may not acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any single such entity. Lending of Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the Portfolio may loan its portfolio securities where such loans are continuously secured by cash collateral equal to no less than the market value, determined daily, of the securities loaned. In loaning its portfolio securities, the Portfolio will require that interest or dividends on securities loaned be paid to the Portfolio. Where voting or consent rights with respect to loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Portfolio will follow the policy of calling the loan, in whole or in part as may be appropriate, to permit it to exercise such voting or consent rights if the exercise of such rights involves issues having a material effect on the Portfolio's investment in the securities loaned. Although the Portfolio cannot at the present time determine the types of borrowers to whom it may lend its portfolio securities, the Portfolio anticipates that such loans will be made primarily to bond dealers. Illiquid Securities. The Portfolio will not invest in securities for which there is no public market (i.e. illiquid securities). For this purpose, illiquid securities include, among others, securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restriction on resale. Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), securities which are otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven days. Securities which have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities. A large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. An insufficient number of qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing certain restricted securities held by the Portfolio, however, could affect adversely the marketability of such portfolio securities and the Portfolio might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices. The Investment Adviser, acting under the supervision of the Board of Directors, will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in the Portfolio that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Investment Adviser will consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers issuing quotations to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) the number of dealers undertaking to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (including its unregistered nature) and the nature of the marketplace for the security (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer); and (6) any applicable Commission interpretation or position with respect to such type of securities. Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls. Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales by the Fund of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. During the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive principal and interest payments on these securities. Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that the Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while it will be able to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are advantageous only if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of otherwise obtaining the cash. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be a loan to the Fund by the counterparty, collaterized by the assets subject to repurchase because the incidents of ownership are retained by the Fund. By entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund obtains additional cash to invest on other securities. Reverse repurchase agreements create leverage and are speculative transactions because they allow the Fund to achieve a return on a larger capital base relative to its net asset value. The use of leverage creates the opportunity for increased income for the Fund's shareholders when the Fund achieves a higher rate of return on the investment of the reverse repurchase agreement proceeds than it pays in interest on the reverse repurchase transactions. However, there is the risk that returns could be reduced if the rates of interest on the investment proceeds do not exceed the interest paid by the Fund on the reverse repurchase transactions. Borrowings through reverse repurchase agreements are subject to a requirement to maintain asset coverage by segregating assets in a segregated account equal in value to proceeds received in the reverse repurchase agreement. Dollar rolls involve sales by the Fund of securities for delivery in the current month and the Fund's simultaneously contracting to repurchase substantially similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities. The Fund is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the "drop") as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities. Under normal circumstances, the Investment Adviser does not expect to engage in reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls with respect to greater than 50% of the Fund's total assets. Special Risk Considerations. Securities rated Baa are considered by Moody's to have speculative characteristics. Sustained periods of deteriorating economic conditions or rising interest rates are more likely to lead to a weakening in the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in the case of higher-rated securities. Securities rated below investment grade, i.e., Ba or BB and lower, ("lower-rated securities") are subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher-rated securities and are considered to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal, which may in any case decline during sustained periods of deteriorating economic conditions or rising interest rates. They are also generally considered to be subject to greater market risk than higher-rated securities in times of deteriorating economic conditions. In addition, lower-rated securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities, although the market values of securities rated below investment grade and comparable unrated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of higher-rated securities. The market for lower-rated securities may be thinner and less active than that for higher-quality securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which these securities can be sold. To the extent that there is no established secondary market for lower-rated securities, the Portfolio may experience difficulty in valuing such securities and, in turn, the Portfolio's assets. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions about lower-rated securities, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may tend to decrease the market value and liquidity of such lower-rated securities. The ratings of fixed-income securities by Moody's, S&P and Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor's standpoint. The rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition, there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities within each rating category. The Investment Adviser will try to reduce the risk inherent in the Portfolio's investment approach through credit analysis, diversification and attention to current developments and trends in interest rates and economic conditions. However, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur. Since the risk of default is higher for lower-quality securities, the Investment Adviser's research and credit analysis are a correspondingly important aspect of its program for managing the Portfolio's securities. In considering investments for the Portfolio, the Investment Adviser will attempt to identify those high-yielding securities whose financial condition is adequate to meet future obligations, has improved, or is expected to improve in the future. The Investment Adviser's analysis focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer. Non-rated securities will also be considered for investment by the Portfolio when the Investment Adviser believes that the financial condition of the issuers of such securities, or the protection afforded by the terms of the securities themselves, limits the risk to the Portfolio to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are consistent with the Portfolio's objectives and policies. In seeking to achieve the Portfolio's primary objective, there will be times, such as during periods of rising interest rates, when depreciation and realization of capital losses on securities in the portfolio will be unavoidable. Moreover, medium- and lower-rated securities and non-rated securities of comparable quality may be subject to wider fluctuations in yield and market values than higher rated securities under certain market conditions. Such fluctuations after a security is acquired do not affect the cash income received from that security but are reflected in the net asset value of the Portfolio. Extent of Trading. No established secondary markets may exist for many of the Sovereign Debt Obligations in which the Portfolio will invest. Reduced secondary market liquidity may have an adverse effect on the market price and the Portfolio's ability to dispose of particular instruments when necessary to meet its liquidity requirements or in response to specific economic events such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer. Reduced secondary market liquidity for certain Sovereign Debt Obligations may also make it more difficult for the Portfolio to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing its portfolio. Market quotations are generally available on many Sovereign Debt Obligations only from a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of those dealers or prices for actual sales. Economic and Political Factors. By investing in Sovereign Debt Obligations, the Portfolio will be exposed to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social and economic change in various countries. Political changes in a country may affect the willingness of a foreign government to make or provide for timely payments of its obligations. The country's economic status, as reflected, among other things, in its inflation rate, the amount of its external debt and its gross domestic product, will also affect the government's ability to honor its obligations. Many countries providing investment opportunities for the Portfolio have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have adverse effects on the economies and securities of certain of these countries. In an attempt to control inflation, wage and price controls have been imposed in certain countries. Investing in Sovereign Debt Obligations involves economic and political risks. The Sovereign Debt Obligations in which the Portfolio will invest in most cases pertain to countries that are among the world's largest debtors to commercial banks, foreign governments, international financial organizations and other financial institutions. In recent years, the governments of some of these countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their external debt obligations, which led to defaults on certain obligations and restructuring of certain indebtedness. Restructuring arrangements have included, among other things, reducing and rescheduling interest and principal payments by negotiating new or amended credit agreements or converting outstanding principal and unpaid interest to Brady Bonds, and obtaining new credit to finance interest payments. Certain governments have not been able to make payments of interest on or principal of Sovereign Debt Obligations as those payments have come due. Obligations arising from past restructuring agreements may affect the economic performance and political and social stability of those issuers. Central banks and other governmental authorities which control the servicing of Sovereign Debt Obligations may not be willing or able to permit the payment of the principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the obligations. As a result, the issuers of Sovereign Debt Obligations may default on their obligations. Defaults on certain Sovereign Debt Obligations have occurred in the past. Holders of certain Sovereign Debt Obligations may be requested in the restructuring and rescheduling of these obligations to extend further loans to the issuers. The interests of holders of Sovereign Debt Obligations could be adversely affected in the course of restructuring arrangements or by certain other factors referred to below. Furthermore, some of the participants in the secondary market for Sovereign Debt Obligations may also be directly involved in negotiating the terms of these arrangements and may therefore have access to information not available to other market participants. The ability of governments to make timely payments on their obligations is likely to be influenced strongly by the issuer's balance of payments, including export performance, and its access to international credits and investments. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities could be vulnerable to a decline in the international prices of one or more of those commodities. Increased protectionism on the part of a country's trading partners could also adversely affect the country's exports and diminish its trade account surplus, if any. To the extent that a country receives payments for its exports in currencies other than dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in dollars could be adversely affected. To the extent that a country develops a trade deficit, it will need to depend on continuing loans from foreign governments, multilateral organizations or private commercial banks, aid payments from foreign governments and on inflows of foreign investment. The access of a country to those forms of external funding may not be certain, and a withdrawal of external funding could adversely affect the capacity of a government to make payments on its obligations. In addition, the cost of servicing debt obligations can be affected by a change in international interest rates since the majority of these obligations carry interest rates that are adjusted periodically based upon international rates. Another factor bearing on the ability of a country to repay Sovereign Debt Obligations is the level of the country's international reserves. Fluctuations in the level of these reserves can affect the amount of foreign exchange readily available for external debt payments and, thus, could have a bearing on the capacity of the country to make payments on its Sovereign Debt Obligations. Expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, political or social instability or other similar developments, such as military coups, have occurred in the past in countries in which the Portfolio may invest and could adversely affect the Portfolio's assets should these conditions or events recur. Investment Controls and Repatriation. Foreign investment in certain Sovereign Debt Obligations is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain Sovereign Debt Obligations and increase the costs and expenses of the Portfolio. Certain countries in which the Portfolio may invest require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment by foreign persons only to a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of the countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. Certain countries may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of the sales of securities by foreign investors. In addition, if a deterioration occurs in a country's balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. The Portfolio could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Portfolio of any restrictions on investments. Investing in local markets may require the Portfolio to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs to the Portfolio. Other Characteristics of Investment in Foreign Issues. Foreign securities investments are affected by changes in currency rates or exchange control regulations as well as by changes in governmental administration, economic or monetary policy (in the United States or abroad) and changed circumstances in dealings between nations. Currency exchange rate movements will increase or reduce the U.S. dollar value of the Portfolio's net assets and income attributable to foreign securities. Costs are incurred in connection with conversion of currencies held by the Portfolio. There may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers than about domestic issuers, and foreign issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those of domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers, and foreign brokerage commissions are generally higher than in the United States. Foreign securities markets may be less liquid, more volatile and less subject to governmental supervision than in the United States. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, confiscatory taxation and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. Foreign issuers are subject to accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to U.S. issuers. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a foreign issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had the financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, for an issuer that keeps accounting records in local currency, inflation accounting rules in some of the countries in which the Portfolio may invest require, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the issuer's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits. Consequently, financial data may be materially affected by restatements for inflation and may not accurately reflect the real condition of those issuers and securities markets. Substantially less information is publicly available about certain non-U.S. issuers than is available about U.S. issuers. 1940 Act Restrictions --------------------- Under the 1940 Act, the Portfolio is not permitted to borrow unless immediately after such borrowing there is "asset coverage," as that term is defined and used in the 1940 Act, of at least 300% for all borrowings of the Portfolio. In addition, under the 1940 Act, in the event asset coverage falls below 300%, the Portfolio must within three days reduce the amount of its borrowing to such an extent that the asset coverage of its borrowings is at least 300%. Assuming, for example, outstanding borrowings representing not more than one-third of the Portfolio's total assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the asset coverage of the Portfolio's portfolio would be 300%; while outstanding borrowings representing 25% of the total assets less liabilities (other than such borrowings), the asset coverage of the Portfolio's portfolio would be 400%. The Portfolio will maintain asset coverage of outstanding borrowings of at least 300% and if necessary will, to the extent possible, reduce the amounts borrowed by making repayments from time to time in order to do so. Such repayments could require the Portfolio to sell portfolio securities at times considered disadvantageous by the Investment Adviser and such sales could cause the Portfolio to incur related transaction costs and to realize taxable gains. Fundamental Investment Policies. The following restrictions supplement those already discussed. These restrictions may not be changed without shareholder approval which means the vote of (1) 67% or more of the shares of the Portfolio represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio, whichever is less. The following restrictions provide that the Portfolio may not: 1. Purchase any security of any issuer (other than United States Government securities) if as a result more than 5% of the value of its total assets would consist of the securities of such issuer or the Portfolio would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer; 2. Purchase the securities of any other investment company except in a regular transaction in the open market or as part of a merger, consolidation or purchase of assets; 3. Invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in the securities of any issuer, the business of which has been in continuous operation for less than three years; 4. Purchase or retain the securities of any issuer if those officers and directors of the Fund or of the Investment Adviser beneficially owning individually more than 1/2 of 1% of the securities of such issuer together beneficially own more than 5% of the securities of such issuer; 5. Invest in other companies for the purpose of exercising control of management; 6. Purchase securities on margin, except that the Portfolio may borrow in an amount up to 10% of its total assets to meet redemption requests and for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities (this borrowing provision is not for investment leverage but solely to facilitate management of the Portfolio to enable the Portfolio to meet redemption requests where the liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed to be disadvantageous or inconvenient and to obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities; all borrowings at any time outstanding will be repaid before any additional investments are made; the Portfolio will not mortgage, pledge or hypothecate any assets in connection with any such borrowing in excess of 15% of the Portfolio's total assets) or sell securities short; 7. Borrow money except as previously set forth in 6 above; 8. Make loans to other persons except loans of securities collateralized in cash at 100% each business day (the acquisition of publicly distributed bonds, debentures and other debt securities is not considered a loan); 9. Purchase any security (other than United States Government securities) if as a result more than 25% of the value of its total assets would be invested in any one industry; 10. Underwrite securities issued by other persons; 11. Purchase any securities as to which it would be deemed a statutory underwriter under the Securities Act, or any securities having no public market; 12. Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts; 13. Purchase or sell real estate, except that the Portfolio may invest in marketable securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies including real estate investment trusts, which deal in real estate or interests therein; 14. Participate in a joint, or a joint and several, trading account in securities; 15. Invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral leases exploration or development programs; 16. Issue any securities senior to the capital stock offered hereby; or 17. Invest in warrants (other than warrants acquired by the Portfolio as a part of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase) if, as a result, such warrants valued at the lower of cost or market would exceed 5% of the value of the Portfolio's net assets at the time of purchase provided that not more than 2% of the Portfolio's net assets at the time of purchase may be invested in warrants not listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") or the American Stock Exchange. The foregoing percentage limitations will apply at the time of the purchase of a security and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of an acquisition of such security. The value of the Portfolio's shares will be influenced by the factors that generally affect securities, such as the economic and political outlook, earnings, dividends and the supply and demand for various classes of securities. There can be, of course, no assurance that the Portfolio's investment objectives will be achieved. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------- Board of Directors Information ------------------------------ The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. Certain information concerning the Fund's Directors is set forth below. PORTFOLIOS OTHER IN FUND DIRECTOR- NAME, AGE AND ADDRESS COMPLEX SHIPS OF DIRECTOR, PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN HELD BY (YEARS OF SERVICE*) DURING PAST 5 YEARS BY DIRECTOR DIRECTOR ------------------- ------------------- ----------- -------- INTERESTED DIRECTOR Marc O. Mayer,** 46, Executive Vice 68 None 1345 Avenue of the Americas, President of Alliance New York, NY 10105 Capital Management (Elected November 18, 2003) Corporation ("ACMC") since 2001; prior thereto, Chief Executive Officer of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co") and its predecessor since prior to 1999. DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board William H. Foulk, Jr.,#+ 71, Investment adviser 116 None 2 Sound View Drive, and an independent Suite 100, consultant. He was Greenwich, CT 06830 (6) formerly Senior Manager of Barrett Associates, Inc., a registered investment adviser, with which he had been associated since prior to 1999. He was formerly Deputy Comptroller of the State of New York and, prior thereto, Chief Investment Officer of the New York Bank for Savings. Ruth Block,***#+ 73, Formerly Executive 96 None 500 SE Mizner Blvd., Vice President and Boca Raton, FL 33432 (16) Chief Insurance Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Evlico; a Director of Avon, BP (oil and gas), Ecolab Incorporated (specialty chemicals), Tandem Financial Group and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation; former Governor at Large, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. David H. Dievler,#+ 74, Independent 100 None P.O. Box 167, consultant. Until December Spring Lake, NJ 07762 (16) 1994 he was Senior Vice President of ACMC responsible for mutual fund administration. Prior to joining ACMC in 1984 he was Chief Financial Officer of Eberstadt Asset Management since 1968. Prior to that he was a Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse & Co. Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 1953. John H. Dobkin,#+ 61, Consultant. Formerly 98 None P.O. Box 12, President of Save Annandale, NY 12504 Venice, Inc. (preservation (16) organization) from 2001-2002; Senior Advisor from June 1999- June 2000 and President of Historic Hudson Valley (historic preservation) from December 1989-May 1999. Previously, Director of the National Academy of Design and during 1988-1992, Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of ACMC. Donald J. Robinson, Senior Counsel to 96 None #+ 69, the law firm of Orrick, 98 Hell's Peak Road, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Weston, VT 05161 (7) since prior to 1999. Formerly a senior partner and a member of the Executive Committee of that firm. He was also a member and Chairman of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and a Trustee of the Museum of the City of New York. -------- * There is no stated term of office for the Fund's Directors. ** Mr. Mayer is an "interested person", as defined in the 1940 Act, due to his position as Executive Vice President of ACMC. *** Ms. Block is currently a disinterested director. Prior to October 21, 2004 Ms. Block owned 116 American Depository Shares of AXA, which is a controlling person of the Fund's Adviser, with a valuation as of December 31, 2003 of $2,396 (constituting less than 0.01% of the American Depository Shares). Ms. Block received these shares over ten years ago as a result of the demutualization of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. During the time Ms. Block owned these shares, she was an "interested person" of the Adviser under the 1940 Act and would not have been a "disinterested director." # Member of the Audit Committee. + Member of the Nominating Committee. The Fund's Board of Directors has two standing committees of the Board -- an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee. The members of the Audit and Nominating Committees are identified above. The function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight of the Portfolio's financial reporting process. The Audit Committee met four times during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The function of the Nominating Committee is to nominate persons to fill any vacancies or newly created positions on the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee did not meet during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The Nominating Committee has a charter and, pursuant to the charter, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates for nomination as a director submitted by a shareholder or group of shareholders who have owned at least 5% of the Portfolio's common stock for at least two years at the time of submission and who timely provide specified information about the candidates and the nominating shareholder or group. To be timely for consideration by the Nominating Committee, the submission, including all required information, must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Fund not less than 120 days before the date of the proxy statement for the previous year's annual meeting of shareholders. If the Fund did not hold an annual meeting of shareholders in the previous year, the Fund will make a public notice specifying the deadline for the submission. The Fund will make the public notice at least 30 days prior to the deadline for the submission, which is expected to be approximately 120 days prior to the anticipated date of the proxy statement for the annual meeting. The Fund may make the public notice in a shareholder report or other mailing to shareholders or by other means deemed by the Nominating Committee or the Board to be reasonably calculated to inform shareholders. Shareholders submitting a candidate for consideration by the Nominating Committee must provide the following information to the Nominating Committee: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, date of birth, business address and residence address of the candidate; (B) any position or business relationship of the candidate, currently or within the preceding five years, with the shareholder or an associated person of the shareholder as defined below; (C) the class or series and number of all shares of the Portfolio owned of record or beneficially by the candidate; (D) any other information regarding the candidate that is required to be disclosed about a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies for election of Directors pursuant to Section 20 of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (E) whether the shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an "interested person" of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if believed not to be an "interested person," information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient for the Fund to make such determination; and (F) information as to the candidate's knowledge of the investment company industry, experience as a director or senior officer of public companies, directorships on the boards of other registered investment companies and educational background; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as a Director if elected; (iii) the written and signed agreement of the candidate to complete a directors' and officers' questionnaire if elected; (iv) the shareholder's consent to be named as such by the Fund; (v) the class or series and number of all shares of each portfolio of the Fund owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder and any associated person of the shareholder and the dates on which such shares were acquired, specifying the number of shares owned beneficially but not of record by each, and stating the names of each as they appear on the Fund's record books and the names of any nominee holders for each; and (vi) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder, the candidate and/or any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made by the shareholder. "Associated Person of the shareholder" means any person who is required to be identified under clause (vi) of this paragraph and any other person controlling, controlled by or under common control with, directly or indirectly, (a) the shareholder or (b) the associated person of the shareholder. The Nominating Committee may require the shareholder to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require or deem necessary to verify any information furnished pursuant to the nominating procedures described above or to determine the qualifications and eligibility of the candidate proposed by the shareholder to serve on the Board. If the shareholder fails to provide such other information in writing within seven days of receipt of written request from the Nominating Committee, the recommendation of such candidate as a nominee will be deemed not properly submitted for consideration, and will not be considered, by the Committee. The Nominating Committee will consider only one candidate submitted by such a shareholder or group for nomination for election at an annual meeting of shareholders. The Nominating Committee will not consider self-nominated candidates. The Nominating Committee will consider and evaluate candidates submitted by shareholders on the basis of the same criteria as those used to consider and evaluate candidates submitted from other sources. These criteria include the candidate's relevant knowledge, experience, and expertise, the candidate's ability to carry out his or her duties in the best interests of the Fund, the candidate's ability to qualify as a disinterested Director and such other criteria as the Nominating Committee determines to be relevant in light of the existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies or other factors. In approving the most recent annual continuance of the Portfolio's investment advisory contract ("Investment Advisory Contract"), the Directors considered all information they deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract. The principal areas of review by the Directors were the nature and quality of the services provided by the Investment Adviser and the reasonableness of the fees charged for those services. These matters were considered by the disinterested directors meeting separately from the full Board with experienced counsel that is independent of the Investment Adviser. The Directors' evaluation of the quality of the Investment Adviser's services took into account their knowledge and experience gained through meetings with and reports of the Investment Adviser's senior management, portfolio managers and administrative personnel over the course of the preceding year. Both short-term and long-term investment performance of the Portfolio, as well as senior management's attention to any portfolio management issues, were considered. The Portfolio's current and longer-term performance were compared to its performance benchmark and to that of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The Directors also considered the scope and quality of the in-house research capability of the Investment Adviser and other resources dedicated to performing its services. The quality of administrative and other services, including the Investment Adviser's role in coordinating the activities of the Portfolio's other service providers, were considered in light of on-going reports by management as to compliance with investment policies and applicable laws and regulations and of related reports by management and the Portfolio's independent auditors in periodic meetings with the Fund's Audit Committee. In reviewing the fees payable under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Directors compared the fees and overall expense levels of the Portfolio to those of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The information on advisory fees and expense ratios, as well as performance data, included both information compiled by the Investment Adviser and information compiled by an independent data service. The Directors also considered the fees of the Portfolio as a percentage of assets at different asset levels and possible economies of scale to the Investment Adviser. The Directors considered information provided by the Investment Adviser concerning the Investment Adviser's profitability with respect to the Portfolio, including the assumptions and methodology used in preparing the profitability information, in light of applicable case law relating to advisory fees. For these purposes, the Directors took into account not only the fees paid by the Portfolio, but also so-called "fallout benefits" to the Investment Adviser, such as the engagement of affiliates of the Investment Adviser to provide distribution and transfer agency services to the Portfolio, and that the Investment Advisory Contract provides that the Portfolio reimburses the Investment Adviser for the cost of providing certain administrative services. In evaluating the Portfolio's advisory fees, the Directors also took into account the demands, complexity and quality of the investment management of the Portfolio. The Directors also considered the business reputation of the Investment Adviser and its financial resources. The Directors evaluated the procedures and systems adopted by the Investment Adviser that are designed to fulfill the Investment Adviser's fiduciary duty to the Portfolio with respect to possible conflicts of interest, including the Investment Adviser's code of ethics (regulating the personal trading of its officers and employees) and the allocation of trades among its various investment advisory clients. The Directors also considered information concerning policies and procedures of the Investment Adviser with respect to the execution of portfolio transactions. No single factor was considered in isolation or to be determinative to the decision of the Directors to approve continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract. Rather, the Directors concluded in light of a weighing and balancing of all factors considered that it was in the best interests of the Portfolio to continue its Investment Advisory Contract without modification to its terms, including the fees charged for services thereunder. The dollar range of the Portfolio's securities owned by each Director and the aggregate dollar range of securities of all the registered investment companies to which the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services (collectively, the "AllianceBernstein Fund Complex") owned by each Director are set forth below. AGGREGATE DOLLAR DOLLAR RANGE OF RANGE OF EQUITY EQUITY SECURITIES SECURITIES IN THE IN THE PORTFOLIO AS ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN FUND COMPLEX OF DECEMBER 31, 2003 AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2003 -------------------- ------------------------------ Marc O. Mayer $10,001 - $50,000 Over $100,000 Ruth Block $50,001 - $100,000 Over $100,000 David H. Dievler None Over $100,000 John H. Dobkin None Over $100,000 William H. Foulk, Jr. None Over $100,000 Donald J. Robinson None Over $100,000 Officer Information ------------------- Certain information concerning the Fund's officers is set forth below. NAME AND ADDRESS,* POSITION(S) HELD PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION AND (AGE) WITH FUND DURING PAST 5 YEARS ------------------ ---------------- -------------------- Marc O. Mayer, (46) President See biography above. Kathleen A. Corbet, (43) Senior Vice President Executive Vice President of ACMC,** with which she has been associated since prior to 1999. Philip L. Kirstein, (59) Senior Vice Senior Vice President and President Independent Compliance and Independent Officer - Mutual Funds of Compliance Officer ACMC,** with which he has been associated since October 2004. Prior thereto, he was Counsel of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, LLP from 2003 to October 2004, and General Counsel and First Vice President of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers since prior to 1999. Matthew D.W. Bloom, (47) Vice President Senior ice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associate since prior to 1999. Paul J. DeNoon, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Jeffrey S. Phlegar, (37) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Lawrence J. Shaw, (52) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Michael A. Snyder, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC** since May, 2001. Previously he was a Managing Director in the high yield asset management group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Corporation since prior to 1999. Mark R. Manley, (41) Secretary Senior Vice President and Acting General Counsel of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Andrew L. Gangolf, (49) Assistant Secretary Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of AllianceBernstein Investment Research & Management, Inc. ("ABIRM"),** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Mark D. Gersten, (53) Treasurer and Chief Senior Vice President of Financial Officer AGIS** and Vice President of ABIRM,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Vincent S. Noto, (39) Controller Vice President of AGIS,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. -------- * The address for each of the Fund's officers is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. ** ACMC, ABIRM, and AGIS are affiliates of the Fund. The Portfolio does not pay any fees to, or reimburse expenses of, its Directors who are considered "interested persons" of the Portfolio. The aggregate compensation paid by the Portfolio to each of the Directors during its fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Directors during calendar year 2003 by AllianceBernstein Fund Complex, and the total number of registered investment companies (and separate investment portfolios within those companies) in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex with respect to which each of the Directors serves as a director or trustee are set forth below. Neither the Portfolio nor any other fund in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex provides compensation in the form of pension or retirement benefits to any of its directors or trustees. Each of the Directors is a director or trustee of one or more other registered investment companies in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex. Total Number of Number of Investment Investment Companies Portfolios Aggregate in the within the Compensation Total Alliance- Alliance- from the Compensation Bernstein Bernstein Portfolio from the Fund Complex, Fund Complex, for the Alliance- Including the Including fiscal year Bernstein Portfolio, the Portfolio, ended 6/30/03 Fund Complex, as to which as to which fiscal Including the Director the Director period ended the is a Director is a Director Name of Director 9/30/03 Portfolio or Trustee or Trustee ---------------- ------- --------- ---------- ---------- Marc O. Mayer $-0-/$-0- $-0- 40 68 Ruth Block $3,351/$1,557 $205,550 43 96 David H. Dievler $3,335/$1,557 264,400 47 100 John H. Dobkin $3,350/$1,557 $234,550 45 98 William H. Foulk, Jr. $3,339/$1,557 $248,650 50 116 Donald J. Robinson $3,351/$1,557 $205,347 43 96 As of January 5, 2004, the Directors and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the shares of the Portfolio. Investment Adviser ------------------ Alliance, a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under the Investment Advisory Contract to provide investment advice and, in general, to conduct the management and investment program of the Fund under the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors (see "Management of the Fund" in the Prospectus). Alliance is a leading global investment management firm supervising client accounts with assets as of September 30, 2003, totaling approximately $438 billion. Alliance provides management services for many of the largest U.S. public and private employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, public employee retirement funds, banks, insurance companies and high net worth individuals worldwide. Alliance is also one of the largest mutual fund sponsors, with a diverse family of globally distributed mutual fund portfolios. As one of the world's leading global investment management organizations, Alliance is able to compete for virtually any portfolio assignment in any developed capital market in the world. Alliance is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. ("AXA Financial"), is the general partner of both Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P. ("Alliance Holding") and Alliance. AXA Financial is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA, which is a holding company for an international group of insurance and related financial services companies. Alliance Holding Units are publicly traded on the Exchange. Alliance Units do not trade publicly and are subject to significant restrictions on transfer. At March 31, 2003, Alliance Holding owned approximately 76.9 million, or 30.7%, of the issued and outstanding Alliance Units. ACMC owns 100,000 general partnership units in Alliance Holding and a 1% general partnership interest in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, AXA Financial was the beneficial owner of approximately 1.9% of the outstanding Alliance Holding Units and approximately 54.7% of the outstanding Alliance Units which, including the general partnership interests in Alliance and Alliance Holding, represent an economic interest of approximately 55.7% in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, SCB Partners Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCB Inc., was the beneficial owner of approximately 13.0% of the outstanding Alliance Units. Based on information provided by AXA, on March 3, 2003, approximately 17.70% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 28.71% of the voting power) of AXA were owned directly and indirectly by Finaxa, a French holding company. At January 1, 2003, 70.13% of the shares (representing 79.83% of the voting power) of Finaxa were owned by three French mutual insurance companies (the "Mutuelles AXA") and 21.82% of the shares of Finaxa (representing 13.32% of the voting power) were owned by BNP Paribas, a French bank. At January 1, 2003, the Mutuelles AXA owned directly or indirectly through intermediate holding companies (including Finaxa) approximately 20.48% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 33.16% of the voting power) of AXA. Under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services and order placement facilities for the Fund and pays all compensation of Directors and officers of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser or its affiliates also furnishes the Fund, without charge, management supervision and assistance and office facilities and provides persons satisfactory to the Fund's Board of Directors to serve as the Fund's officers. The Investment Adviser is, under the Investment Advisory Contract, responsible for certain expenses incurred by the Fund, including, for example, office facilities and certain administrative services, and any expenses incurred in promoting the sale of Fund shares (other than the portion of the promotional expenses borne by the Fund in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the costs of printing Fund prospectuses and other reports to shareholders and fees related to registration with the Commission and with state regulatory authorities). The Fund has, under the Investment Advisory Contract, assumed the obligation for payment of all of its other expenses. As to the obtaining of services other than those specifically provided to the Fund by the Investment Adviser, the Fund may employ its own personnel. For such services, it may also utilize personnel employed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, and, in such event, the services will be provided to the Fund at cost with the payments specifically approved by the Fund's Board of Directors. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Portfolio paid to the Investment Adviser a total of $125,000 and $31,250, respectively with respect to such services. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract, the Portfolio pays the Investment Adviser a monthly fee of 1/12 of .625 of 1% of the first $500 million of the Portfolio's average net assets and 1/12 of .50 of 1% of the excess over $500 million of such average net assets. Effective as of January 1, 2004, the Adviser voluntarily waived a portion of its advisory fee and this fee reduction is expected to continue for a period of at least five years. The advisory fee waiver would reduce the advisory fees to 0.50% on an annual basis of the first $2.5 billion, 0.45% on an annual basis of the excess over $2.5 billion up to $5 billion and 0.40% on an annual basis of the excess over $5 billion as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Investment Adviser received under the Investment Advisory Contract the amounts of $6,501,532, $7,038,525, $6,127,526, and $1,524,079, respectively, as advisory fees from the Portfolio. The Investment Advisory Contract became effective on July 22, 1992. The Investment Advisory Contract was approved by the unanimous vote, cast in person, of the Fund's Directors, including the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act of any such party, at a meeting called for such purpose and held on September 11, 1991. The Investment Advisory Contract continues in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Portfolio's outstanding voting securities or by the Fund's Board of Directors, including in either case approval by a majority of the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or interested persons of any such party. Most recently, continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract for an additional annual term was approved by vote, cast in person, by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are not "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act, at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. The Investment Advisory Contract is terminable without penalty on 60 days' written notice, by a vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities or by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Directors or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Contract provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Investment Adviser, or of reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Investment Adviser shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder. The Investment Adviser may act as an investment adviser to other persons, firms or corporations, including investment companies, and is the investment adviser to the following registered investment companies: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc., AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Capital Reserves, AllianceBernstein Disciplined Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Dynamic Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Government Reserves, AllianceBernstein Greater China `97 Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Funds, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Reserves, Inc., AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II, AllianceBernstein Municipal Trust, AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Trust, AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Variable Products Series Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc., The AllianceBernstein Portfolios and Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc., all registered open-end investment companies; and to ACM Government Opportunity Fund, Inc., ACM Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Dollar Income Fund, Inc., ACM Municipal Securities Income Fund, Inc., Alliance All-Market Advantage Fund, Inc., Alliance California Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance National Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance New York Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund II, Inc. and The Spain Fund, Inc., all registered closed-end investment companies. Distribution Services Agreement ------------------------------- The Fund has entered into a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement") with ABIRM, the Fund's principal underwriter (the "Principal Underwriter"), to permit the Principal Underwriter to distribute the Portfolio's shares and to permit the Fund to pay distribution services fees to defray expenses associated with the distribution of its Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares and Class R shares in accordance with a plan of distribution that is included in the Agreement and has been duly adopted and approved in accordance with Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act (the "Rule 12b-1 Plan"). During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class A shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $1,554,225 and $400,436, which constituted .30%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares during the fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $1,142,722 and $104,319. Of the $2,696,947 and $504,755 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class A shares, $13,677 and $2,681 was spent on advertising, $10,689 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $2,026,918 and $359,136 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $397,380 and $73,154 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $222,990 and $40,646 for compensation to sales personnel, and $422,673 and $102,292 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class B shares, distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $4,195,104 and $991,759, which constituted 1%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares during such fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $0 and $0. Of the $4,195,104 and $991,759 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class B shares, $6,034 and $1,471 was spent on advertising, $6,821 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $1,913,997 and $398,685 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $193,009 and $39,669 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $132,503 and $43,193 for compensation paid to sales personnel, $172,898 and $54,372 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses, $375,573 and $140,630 was spent on financing of interest relating to Class B shares, and $1,587,278 and $353,408 was used to offset the distribution service fees paid in prior years. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class C shares, distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $1,619,502 and $400,277, which constituted 1%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class C shares during such fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $73,650 and $60,213. Of the $1,693,152 and $460,490 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class C shares, $2,676 and $724 was spent on advertising, $2,044 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $1,546,287 and $401,229 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $89,368 and $19,401 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $56,250 and $29,943 for compensation paid to sales personnel, $80,117 and $27,423 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses, and $5,778 and $1,171 was spent on financing of interest relating to Class C shares. Distribution services fees are accrued daily and paid monthly and are charged as expenses of the Portfolio as accrued. The distribution services fees attributable to the Class B, Class C and Class R shares are designed to permit an investor to purchase such shares through broker-dealers without the assessment of an initial sales charge, and at the same time to permit the Principal Underwriter to compensate broker-dealers in connection with the sale of such shares. In this regard, the purpose and function of the combined contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") and distribution services fee on the Class B shares and Class C shares are the same as those of the initial sales charge and distribution services fee with respect to the Class A shares in that in each case the sales charge and distribution services fee provide for the financing of the distribution of the relevant class of the Portfolio's shares. With respect to Class A shares of the Portfolio, distribution expenses accrued by ABIRM in one fiscal year may not be paid from distribution services fees received from the Portfolio in subsequent fiscal years. ABIRM's compensation with respect to Class B, Class C and Class R shares under the Rule 12b-1 Plan is directly tied to the expenses incurred by ABIRM. Actual distribution expenses for Class B, Class C and Class R shares for any given year, however, will probably exceed the distribution services fee payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments received from CDSCs. The excess will be carried forward by ABIRM and reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments subsequently received through CDSCs, so long as the Rule 12b-1 Plan is in effect. Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the end of the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, and carried over for reimbursement in future years in respect of the Class B and Class C shares for the Portfolio, were, respectively, $14,090,845 and $13,736,574 (3.37% and 3.58% of net assets of Class B Shares) and $5,063,258 and $5,123,120 (3.01% and 3.25% of net assets of Class C Shares). The Rule 12b-1 Plan is in compliance with rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD") which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to .75% and .25%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum. In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the directors of the Fund determined that there was a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The distribution services fee of a particular class will not be used to subsidize the provision of distribution services with respect to any other class. The Investment Adviser may, from time to time and from its own funds or such other resources as may be permitted by rules of the Commission make payments for distribution services to the Principal Underwriter; the latter may in turn pay part or all of such compensation to brokers or other persons for their distribution assistance. The Agreement will continue in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Directors of the Fund or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of that class, and in either case, by a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any such party (other than as directors of the Fund) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any agreement related thereto. Most recently the Directors approved the continuance of the Agreement for an additional annual term at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. All material amendments to the Agreement will become effective only upon approval as provided in the preceding paragraph; and the Agreement may not be amended in order to increase materially the costs that the Fund may bear pursuant to the Agreement without the approval of a majority of the holders of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund or the class or classes of the Fund affected. The Agreement may be terminated (a) by the Fund without penalty at any time by a majority vote of the holders of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, voting separately by class, or by a majority vote of the disinterested Directors or (b) by the Principal Underwriter. To terminate the Agreement, any party must give the other parties 60 days' written notice; to terminate the Rule 12b-1 Plan only, the Fund is not required to give prior notice to the Principal Underwriter. The Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. In the event that the Rule 12b-1 Plan is terminated by either party or not continued with respect to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares or Class R shares, (i) no distribution services fees (other than current amounts accrued but not yet paid) would be owed by the Fund to the Principal Underwriter with respect to that class, and (ii) the Fund would not be obligated to pay the Principal Underwriter for any amounts expended under the Agreement not previously recovered by the Principal Underwriter from distribution services fees in respect of shares of such class or through deferred sales charges. Transfer Agency Agreement ------------------------- AGIS, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 8000 IH 10 W, 4th Floor, San Antonio, Texas 78230, acts as the Portfolio's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of account holders for each of the Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. The transfer agency fee with respect to the Class B shares and Class C shares is higher than the transfer agency fee with respect to the Class A shares and Advisor Class shares. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003, and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Portfolio paid AGIS $1,366,013 and $311,288, respectively, for transfer agency services. Code of Ethics and Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ------------------------------------------------------- The Fund, the Investment Adviser and the Principal Underwriter have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Fund has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached as Appendix A. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under the heading "Purchase and Sale of Shares -- How To Buy Shares." General ------- Shares of the Portfolio are offered on a continuous basis at a price equal to their net asset value plus an initial sales charge at the time of purchase ("Class A shares"), with a CDSC ("Class B shares"), without any initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without any CDSC ("Class C shares"), to group retirement plans eligible to purchase Class R shares, without any initial sales charge or CDSC ("Class R shares"), or to investors eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares, without any initial sales charge or CDSC ("Advisor Class shares"), in each case as described below. "Group retirement plans" are defined as 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Portfolio. All of the classes of shares of the Portfolio, except the Advisor Class shares, are subject to Rule 12b-1 asset-based sales charges. Shares of the Portfolio that are offered subject to a sales charge are offered through (i) investment dealers that are members of NASD and have entered into selected dealer agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected dealers"), (ii) depository institutions and other financial intermediaries or their affiliates, that have entered into selected agent agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected agents"), or (iii) the Principal Underwriter. Investors may purchase shares of the Fund either through selected broker-dealers, agents, financial intermediaries or other financial representatives ("financial intermediaries") or directly through the Principal Underwriter. A transaction, service, administrative or other similar fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares made through the financial intermediary. Such financial intermediary may also impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares that are different from, or in addition to, those imposed by the Fund, including requirements as to the classes of shares available through that financial intermediary and the minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Sales personnel of selected dealers and agents distributing the Fund's shares may receive differing compensation for selling different classes of shares. In order to open your account, the Portfolio or your financial intermediary, is required to obtain certain information from you for identification purposes. This information may include name, date of birth, permanent residential address and social security/taxpayer identification number. It will not be possible to establish your account without this information. If the Portfolio or your financial intermediary is unable to verify the information provided, your account may be closed and other appropriate action may be taken as permitted by law. Right to Restrict, Reject or Cancel Purchase and Exchange Orders. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds reserve the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without any prior notice, any purchase or exchange order for any reason, including any purchase or exchange order accepted by any shareholder's financial intermediary. Policy Regarding Excessive or Short Duration Trading. Purchases and exchanges of shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds should be made for investment purposes only. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, as a matter of policy, seek to prevent patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares. Such practices are commonly referred to as "market timing" or "short duration trading." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will seek to prevent such practices to the extent they are detected by the procedures described below, subject to AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds' ability to monitor purchase, sale and exchange activity, as described under "Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, the Adviser, ABIRM and AGIS each reserve the right to modify this policy, including any surveillance or account blocking procedures established from time to time to effectuate this policy, at any time without notice. o Transaction Surveillance Procedures. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, through their agents, ABIRM and AGIS, maintain surveillance procedures with respect to purchase, sale and exchange activity in fund shares. This surveillance process involves scrutinizing transactions in fund shares that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a specified period of time. Trading activity identified by either, or a combination, of these factors, or as a result of any other information actually available at the time, will be evaluated to determine whether such activity might constitute excessive or short duration trading activity. Generally speaking, when a fund shareholder makes more than two exchange transactions in amounts of $25,000 or more involving an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund during any 90-day period, these transactions will be identified by these surveillance procedures. Additionally, each purchase of fund shares in excess of $25,000 followed by a sale within certain periods of time will be similarly identified. For purposes of these transaction surveillance procedures, AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS may consider trading activity in multiple accounts under common ownership, control or influence. These monetary thresholds, numerical surveillance limits or surveillance procedures generally may be modified from time to time, including, for example, in respect of accounts held by certain retirement plans to conform to plan exchange limits or U.S. Department of Labor regulations, as well as for certain automated or pre-established exchange, asset allocation or dollar cost averaging programs or omnibus account arrangements. o Account Blocking Procedures. When a particular transaction or pattern of transactions identified by the transaction surveillance procedures described above is determined by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, in their sole discretion, to be excessive or short duration trading in nature, the relevant fund account(s) will be immediately "blocked" with respect to any future purchase or exchange activity. However, sales of fund shares back to a fund will continue to be permitted in accordance with the terms of the relevant AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund's current Prospectus. In the event an account is blocked, certain account-related privileges, such as the ability to place purchase, sale and exchange orders over the internet, may be suspended for such account. AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds accounts that are so blocked will generally remain blocked unless and until the account holder or the associated broker, dealer or other financial intermediary provides evidence or assurance acceptable to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, that the account holder did not or will not in the future engage in excessive or short duration trading. Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices. Shareholders seeking to engage in excessive or short duration trading practices may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares, there is no guarantee that the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will be able to identify these shareholders or curtail their trading practices. For example, omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of a fund, particularly among certain brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries, including retirement plans and variable insurance products. Entities utilizing such omnibus account arrangements may not identify customers' trading activity in shares of a fund on an individual basis. Consequently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, may not be able to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares attributable to a particular investor who effects purchase and/or exchange activity in fund shares through a broker, dealer or other financial intermediary acting in an omnibus capacity. Also, there may exist multiple tiers of these entities, each utilizing an omnibus account arrangement, that may further compound the difficulty to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS of detecting excessive or short duration trading activity in fund shares. It is common for a substantial portion of AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares to be held through such omnibus account arrangements. In seeking to prevent excessive or short duration trading in shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, including the maintenance of any transaction surveillance or account blocking procedures, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, consider the information actually available to them at the time. Risks Associated with Excessive or Short Duration Trading Generally ------------------------------------------------------------------- While the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will try to prevent market timing by utilizing the procedures described above, these procedures may not be successful in identifying or stopping excessive or short duration trading in all circumstances. Excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may adversely affect fund performance and the interests of long-term investors. Volatility resulting from excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares, especially involving large dollar amounts, may disrupt efficient portfolio management. In particular, a fund may have difficulty implementing long-term investment strategies if it is unable to anticipate what portion of its assets it should retain in cash to provide liquidity to its shareholders. Also, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of funds shares may force a fund to maintain a disadvantageously large cash position to accommodate short duration trading activity. Further, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of a fund's shares may force a fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to raise cash to accommodate short duration trading activity. In addition, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may incur increased expenses if one or more shareholders engage in excessive purchase and sale or exchange activity. For example, a fund that is forced to liquidate investments due to short duration trading activity may incur increased brokerage and tax costs without attaining any investment advantage. Similarly, a fund may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short duration trading activity. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds that invest in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to short duration trading strategies. This is because time zone differences among international stock markets can allow a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy to exploit fund share prices that are based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time before the fund calculates its own share price. In addition, a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy may target an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that does not invest primarily in foreign securities. For example, a fund that invests in certain fixed-income securities such as high yield bonds or certain asset backed securities may also constitute an effective vehicle for a shareholder's short duration trading strategy. Money market funds and closed-end funds generally are not effective vehicles for short duration trading activity, and therefore the risks relating to short duration trading activity are correspondingly lower for AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds of these types. Risks Resulting from Imposition of Account Blocks in Response to Excessive or Short Duration Trading Activity. A shareholder identified as having engaged in excessive or short duration trading activity and prevented from purchasing or exchanging AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares and who does not wish to redeem his or her shares effectively may be "locked" into an investment in an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that the shareholder did not intend to hold on a long-term basis or that may not be appropriate for the shareholder's risk profile. To rectify this situation, a shareholder with an account "blocked" due to patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges may be forced to sell fund shares, which could be costly if, for example, these shares decline in value before sale, are subject to a CDSC, the shareholder recently paid a front-end sales charge or the sale results in adverse tax consequences to the shareholder. To avoid this risk, shareholders should carefully monitor the nature and frequency of their purchases, sales and exchanges of fund shares. The Portfolio reserves the right to suspend the sale of its shares to the public in response to conditions in the securities markets or for other reasons. If the Portfolio suspends the sale of its shares, shareholders will not be able to acquire its shares, including through an exchange. The public offering price of shares of the Portfolio is their net asset value, plus, in the case of Class A shares, a sales charge. On each Fund business day on which a purchase or redemption order is received by the Portfolio and trading in the types of securities in which the Portfolio invests might materially affect the value of Portfolio shares, the per share net asset value is computed as of the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. A Fund business day is any day on which the Exchange is open for trading. The respective per share net asset values of the various classes of shares of the Portfolio are expected to be substantially the same. However, the per share net asset values of the Class B, Class C and Class R shares will generally be slightly lower than the per share net asset values of the Class A shares and Advisor Class shares as a result of the differential daily expense accruals of the higher distribution and, in some cases, transfer agency fees applicable with respect to those classes of shares. The Portfolio will accept unconditional orders for shares to be executed at the public offering price equal to their net asset value next determined (plus applicable Class A sales charges), as described below. Orders received by the Principal Underwriter prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading are priced at the net asset value computed as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on that day (plus applicable Class A sales charges). In the case of orders for purchase of shares placed through financial intermediaries, the applicable public offering price will be the net asset value as so determined, but only if the financial intermediary receives the order prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting such orders by a prescribed time to the Portfolio or its transfer agent. If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the investor will not receive that day's net asset value. If the financial intermediary receives the order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange, the price received by the investor will be based on the net asset value determined as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on the next day it is open for trading. Following the initial purchase of Portfolio shares, a shareholder may place orders to purchase additional shares by telephone if the shareholder has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or an "Autobuy" application obtained by calling the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Except with respect to certain omnibus accounts, telephone purchase orders may not exceed $500,000. Payment for shares purchased by telephone can be made only by electronic funds transfer from a bank account maintained by the shareholder at a bank that is a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association ("NACHA"). Telephone purchase requests must be received before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day to receive that day's public offering price. Telephone purchase requests received after 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, are automatically placed the following Fund business day, and the applicable public offering price will be the public offering price determined as of the close of business on such following business day. Full and fractional shares are credited to a shareholder's account in the amount of his or her subscription. As a convenience, and to avoid unnecessary expense to the Fund, stock certificates representing shares of the Portfolio are not issued except upon written request to the Portfolio by the shareholder or his or her authorized financial intermediary. This facilitates later redemption and relieves the shareholder of the responsibility for and inconvenience of lost or stolen certificates. No certificates are issued for fractional shares, although such shares remain in the shareholder's account on the books of the Portfolio. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Portfolio, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that (i) Class A shares bear the expense of the initial sales charge (or CDSC, when applicable) and Class B and Class C shares bear the expense of the CDSC, (ii) Class B shares, Class C shares and Class R shares each bear the expense of a higher distribution services fee than that borne by Class A shares, and Advisor Class shares do not bear such a fee, (iii) Class B and Class C shares bear higher transfer agency costs than that borne by Class A, Class R and Advisor Class shares, (iv) Class B and Advisor Class shares are subject to a conversion feature and will convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances, and each of Class A, Class B, Class C and Class R shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which its distribution services fee is paid and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders, an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders because the Class B and Advisor Class shares convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances and the Class A, the Class B and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. Each class has different exchange privileges and certain different shareholder service options available. The Directors of the Fund have determined that currently no conflict of interest exists between or among the classes of shares of the Portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Directors of the Fund, pursuant to their fiduciary duties under the 1940 Act and state law, will seek to ensure that no such conflict arises. Alternative Purchase Arrangements --------------------------------- Classes A, B and C shares. Class A, Class B and Class C shares have the following alternative purchase arrangements: Class A shares are generally offered with an initial sales charge, Class B shares are generally offered with a CDSC and Class C shares are sold to investors choosing the asset-based sales charge alternative. Special purchase arrangements are available for Group Retirement Plans. See "Alternative Purchase Arrangements-Group Retirement Plans" below. These alternative purchase arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares, and other circumstances. Investors should consider whether, during the anticipated life of their investment in the Portfolio, the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class B shares prior to conversion, or the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class C shares, would be less than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution services fee on Class A shares purchased at the same time, and to what extent such differential would be offset by the higher return of Class A shares. Class A shares will normally be more beneficial than Class B shares to the investor who qualifies for reduced initial sales charges on Class A shares, as described below. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order (except orders from certain group retirement plans) for more than $250,000 for Class B shares (see "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans"). Class C shares will normally not be suitable for the investor who qualifies to purchase Class A shares at net asset value. For this reason, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order for more than $1,000,000 for Class C shares. Class A shares are subject to a lower distribution services fee and, accordingly, pay correspondingly higher dividends per share than Class B shares or Class C shares. However, because initial sales charges are deducted at the time of purchase, most investors purchasing Class A shares would not have all their funds invested initially and, therefore, would initially own fewer shares. Investors not qualifying for reduced initial sales charges who expect to maintain their investment for an extended period of time might consider purchasing Class A shares because the accumulated continuing distribution charges on Class B shares or Class C shares may exceed the initial sales charge on Class A shares during the life of the investment. Again, however, such investors must weigh this consideration against the fact that, because of such initial sales charges, not all their funds will be invested initially. Other investors might determine, however, that it would be more advantageous to purchase Class B shares or Class C shares in order to have all their funds invested initially, although remaining subject to higher continuing distribution charges and being subject to a CDSC for a three-year and one-year period, respectively. For example, based on current fees and expenses, an investor subject to the 4.25% initial sales charge would have to hold his or her investment approximately seven years for the Class C distribution services fee to exceed the initial sales charge plus the accumulated distribution services fee of Class A shares. In this example, an investor intending to maintain his or her investment for a longer period might consider purchasing Class A shares. This example does not take into account the time value of money, which further reduces the impact of the Class C distribution services fees on the investment, fluctuations in net asset value or the effect of different performance assumptions. Those investors who prefer to have all of their funds invested initially but may not wish to retain Portfolio shares for the three-year period during which Class B shares are subject to a CDSC may find it more advantageous to purchase Class C shares. During the Fund's fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, and fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003, the aggregate amount of underwriting commission payable with respect to shares of the Portfolio in each year was $140,094, $3,058,620, $3,529,662 and $579,184, respectively. Of that amount, the Principal Underwriter received amounts of $8,003, $111,929, $160,090 and $29,192, respectively, representing that portion of the sales charges paid on shares of the Portfolio sold during the year which was not reallowed to selected dealers (and was, accordingly, retained by the Principal Underwriter). During the Fund's fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, and fiscal years ended in 2001, 2002 and 2003, the Principal Underwriter received CDSCs of $3,000, $32,884, $35,701 and $9,048, respectively, on Class A shares, $148,768, $569,862, $610,418 and $598,146, respectively, on Class B shares, and $5,678, $37,991, $49,144 and $46,997, respectively, on Class C shares. Class A Shares -------------- The public offering price of Class A shares is the net asset value plus a sales charge, as set forth below. Sales Charge ------------ Discount or As % of Commission to Dealers As % of Net the Public or Agents of up to % Amount of Purchase Amount Invested Offering Price of Offering Price ------------------ --------------- -------------- ----------------- Less than $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00% $100,000 but less than $250,000 3.36 3.25 3.00 $250,000 but less than $500,000 2.30 2.25 2.00 $500,000 but less than $1,000,000* 1.78 1.75 1.50 -------- * There is no initial sales charge on transactions of $1,000,000 or more. All or a portion of the initial sales charge may be paid to your financial representative. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC equal to 1% of the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The CDSC on Class A shares will be waived on certain redemptions, as described below under "Class C Shares." In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because an initial sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or they have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC on Class A shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sales of Class A shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers or agents for selling Class A shares. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more made through selected dealers or agents, the Investment Adviser may, pursuant to the Agreement described above, pay such dealers or agents from its own resources a fee of up to .25 of 1% of the amount invested to compensate such dealers or agents for their distribution assistance in connection with such purchases. No initial sales charge is imposed on Class A shares issued (i) pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income dividends or capital gains distributions, (ii) in exchange for Class A shares of other AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds (as that term is defined under "Combined Purchase Privilege" below), except that an initial sales charge will be imposed on Class A shares issued in exchange for Class A shares of AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves that were purchased for cash without the payment of an initial sales charge and without being subject to a CDSC, or (iii) upon the automatic conversion of Class B shares or Advisor Class shares as described below under "--Class B Shares--Conversion Feature" and "--Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares." The Portfolio receives the entire net asset value of its Class A shares sold to investors. The Principal Underwriter's commission is the sales charge shown above less any applicable discount or commission "reallowed" to selected dealers and agents. The Principal Underwriter will reallow discounts to selected dealers and agents in the amounts indicated in the table above. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter may elect to reallow the entire sales charge to selected dealers and agents for all sales with respect to which orders are placed with the Principal Underwriter. A selected dealer who receives reallowance in excess of 90% of such a sales charge may be deemed to be an "underwriter" under the Securities Act. In addition to the circumstances described above, certain types of investors may be entitled to pay no initial sales charge in certain circumstances described below. Class A Shares - Sales at Net Asset Value. The Portfolio may sell its Class A shares at net asset value (i.e., without any initial sales charge) to certain categories of investors including: (i) investment management clients of the Adviser or its affiliates; (ii) officers and present or former Directors of the Fund or other investment companies managed by the Investment Adviser, officers, directors and present or retired full-time employees and former employees (for subsequent investment in accounts established during the course of their employment) of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents; or the spouse of any such person; or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person; (iii) the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; (iv) persons participating in a fee-based program, sponsored and maintained by a registered broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and approved by the Principal Underwriter, pursuant to which such persons pay an asset-based fee to such broker-dealer or financial intermediary, or its affiliate or agent, for service in the nature of investment advisory or administrative services; and (v) certain retirement plan accounts as described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans." Class B Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class B shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class B shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge at the time of purchase. The Class B shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment. Proceeds from the CDSC on the Class B shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class B shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class B shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class B shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class B shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Class B shares that are redeemed within three years of purchase will be subject to a CDSC at the rates set forth below charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. To illustrate, assume that an investor purchased 100 Class B shares at $10 per share (at a cost of $1,000) and in the second year after purchase, the net asset value per share is $12 and, during such time, the investor has acquired 10 additional Class B shares upon dividend reinvestment. If at such time the investor makes his or her first redemption of 50 Class B shares (proceeds of $600), 10 Class B shares will not be subject to charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the remaining 40 Class B shares, the charge is applied only to the original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in net asset value of $2 per share. Therefore, $400 of the $600 redemption proceeds will be charged at a rate of 2.0% (the applicable rate in the second year after purchase as set forth below). The amount of the CDSC, if any, will vary depending on the number of years from the time of payment for the purchase of Class B shares until the time of redemption of such shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge as a % of Dollar Year Since Purchase Amount Subject to Charge ------------------- ------------------------ First 3.0% Second 2.0% Third 1.0% Thereafter None In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. When shares acquired in an exchange are redeemed, the applicable CDSC and conversion schedules will be the schedules that applied at the time of the purchase of shares of the corresponding class of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund originally purchased by the shareholder. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Code, of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs -- Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares, or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan. Conversion Feature. Six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted, Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares and will no longer be subject to a higher distribution services fee. Such conversion will occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The purpose of the conversion feature is to reduce the distribution services fee paid by holders of Class B shares that have been outstanding long enough for the Principal Underwriter to have been compensated for distribution expenses incurred in the sale of such shares. For purposes of conversion to Class A, Class B shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions paid in respect of Class B shares in a shareholder's account will be considered to be held in a separate sub-account. Each time any Class B shares in the shareholder's account (other than those in the sub-account) convert to Class A, an equal pro-rata portion of the Class B shares in the sub-account will also convert to Class A. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, no further conversions of Class B shares would occur, and shares might continue to be subject to the higher distribution services fee for an indefinite period which may extend beyond the period ending six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted. Class C Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class C shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class C shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge either at the time of purchase or, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, upon redemption. Class C shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without a CDSC so that the investor will receive as proceeds upon redemption the entire net asset value of his or her Class C shares. The Class C distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell Class C shares without either an initial sales charge or CDSC, as long as the shares are held for one year or more. Class C shares do not convert to any other class of shares of the Portfolio and incur higher distribution services fees than Class A shares, and will thus have a higher expense ratio and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC of 1%, charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because the shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class C shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class C shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class C shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Code, of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70 1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs -- Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares, or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan or to accommodate a plan participant's or beneficiary's direction to reallocate his or her plan account among other investment alternatives available under a group retirement plan. Advisor Class Shares -------------------- Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio may be purchased and held solely (i) through accounts established under fee-based programs, sponsored and maintained by registered broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and approved by the Principal Underwriter, (ii) through self-directed defined contribution employee benefit plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) that have at least $10 million in assets and are purchased directly by the plan without the involvement of a financial intermediary, (iii) by the categories of investors described in clauses (i) through (iv) under "--Sales at Net Asset Value" (other than officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents, or relatives of such person, or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of such relative, none of whom is eligible on the basis solely of such status to purchase and hold Advisor Class shares), or (iv) by directors and present or retired full-time employees of CB Richard Ellis, Inc. Generally, a fee-based program must charge an asset-based or other similar fee and must invest at least $250,000 in Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio in order to be approved by the Principal Underwriter for investment in Advisor Class shares. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial intermediary. Advisor Class shares do not incur any distribution services fees and will thus have a lower expense ratio and pay correspondingly higher dividends than Class A, Class B, Class C or Class R shares. Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares ---------------------------------------------------- Advisor Class shares may be held solely through the fee-based program accounts, employee benefit plans, qualified state tuition programs and registered investment advisory or other financial intermediary relationships described above under "Purchase of Shares--Advisor Class Shares," and by investment advisory clients of, and certain other persons associated with, the Investment Adviser and its affiliates or the Fund. If (i) a holder of Advisor Class shares ceases to participate in the fee-based program or plan, or to be associated with the investment adviser or financial intermediary, in each case, that satisfies the requirements to purchase shares set forth under "Purchase of Shares -- Advisor Class Shares" or (ii) the holder is otherwise no longer eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares as described in the Prospectus and this SAI (each, a "Conversion Event"), then all Advisor Class shares held by the shareholder will convert automatically to Class A shares of the Portfolio during the calendar month following the month in which the Portfolio is informed of the occurrence of the Conversion Event. The Portfolio will provide the shareholder with at least 30 days' notice of the conversion. The failure of a shareholder or a fee-based program to satisfy the minimum investment requirements to purchase Advisor Class shares will not constitute a Conversion Event. The conversion would occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes and without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. Class A shares currently bear a .30% distribution services fee. Advisor Class shares do not have any distribution services fee. As a result, Class A shares have a higher expense ratio and may pay correspondingly lower dividends and have a lower net asset value than Advisor Class shares. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, the Advisor Class shareholder would be required to redeem his or her Advisor Class shares, which would constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are offered only to group retirement plans that have plan assets of $1 million to $10 million and have plan level or omnibus accounts held on the books of the Portfolio. Class R shares are not available to retail non-retirement accounts, traditional or Roth IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, SEPs, SAR-SEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, individual 403(b) plans and to AllianceBernstein sponsored retirement products. Class R shares incur a .50% distribution services fee and thus have a higher expense ratio than Class A shares and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans ---------------------------------------------------------- The Portfolio offers special distribution arrangements for group retirement plans. However, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Group retirement plans also may not offer all classes of shares of the Portfolio. In order to enable participants investing through group retirement plans to purchase shares of the Portfolio, the maximum and minimum investment amounts may be different for shares purchased through group retirement plans from those described herein. In addition, the Class A, Class B and Class C CDSCs may be waived for investments made through certain group retirement plans. Therefore, plan sponsors or fiduciaries may not adhere to these share class eligibility standards as set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor or fiduciary to impose such differing requirements. Class A Shares -------------- Class A shares are available at net asset value to all AllianceBernstein sponsored group retirement plans, regardless of size, and to the AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with at least $250,000 in plan assets or 100 or more employees. If the plan terminates the Portfolio as an investment option within one year, then all plan purchases of Class A shares will be subject to a 1%, 1-year CDSC on redemption. Class A shares are also available at net asset value to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. The 1%, 1-year CDSC also generally applies. However, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived if the financial intermediary agrees to waive all commissions or other compensation paid in connection with the sale of such shares (typically up to a 1% advance payment for sales of Class A sales at net asset value) other than the service fee paid pursuant to the Portfolio's distribution service plan. Class B Shares -------------- Class B shares are generally not available for purchase by group retirement plans. However, Class B shares may continue to be purchased by group retirement plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment alternative under their plan prior to September 2, 2003. Class C Shares -------------- Class C shares are available to AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with less than $250,000 in plan assets and less than 100 employees. Class C shares are also available to group retirement plans with plan assets of less than $1 million. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are available to certain group retirement plans with plan assets of $1 million to $10 million. Such plans are not eligible to purchase Class A shares. Class R shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or CDSC, but are subject to a .50% distribution fee. Choosing a Class of Shares for Group Retirement Plans ----------------------------------------------------- As noted, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Plan fiduciaries should consider how these requirements differ from the Portfolio's share class eligibility criteria before determining whether to invest. For example, the Portfolio makes its Class A shares available at net asset value to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. In addition, under certain circumstances described above, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived. Because Class A shares have a lower Rule 12b-1 distribution fee than Class R shares, plans eligible for Class A shares with no CDSC should purchase Class A shares. The plan sponsor or fiduciary of plans purchasing shares through a financial intermediary that is not willing to waive advance commission payments (and therefore is not eligible for the waiver of the 1%, 1-year CDSC) should weigh the lower distribution fee and the 1%, 1-year CDSC of Class A shares against the higher distribution fee and absence of a CDSC on Class R shares available from the Portfolio. In addition, as described above, while Class B shares are generally not available to group retirement plans, Class B shares are available for continuing contributions from plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment option under their plans prior to September 2, 2003. Plan fiduciaries should weigh the fact that Class B shares will convert to Class A shares after a period of time against the fact that Class A and Class R shares have lower expenses, and therefore higher returns, than Class B shares, before determining which class to make available to its plan participants. Sales Charge Reduction Programs ------------------------------- The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds offer shareholders various programs through which shareholders may obtain reduced sales charges or reductions in CDSC through participation in such programs. In order for shareholders to take advantage of the reductions available through the combined purchase privilege, rights of accumulation and letters of intent, the Portfolio must be notified by the shareholder or his/her financial intermediary that they qualify for such a reduction. If the Portfolio is not notified that a shareholder is eligible for these reductions, the Portfolio will be unable to ensure that the reduction is applied to the shareholder's account. Combined Purchase Privilege. Shareholders may qualify for the sales charge reductions by combining purchases of shares of the Portfolio into a single "purchase." By combining such purchases, shareholders may be able to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." A "purchase" means a single or concurrent purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund by (i) an individual, his or her spouse and their children under the age of 21 years purchasing shares for his, her or their own account(s); (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved; or (iii) the employee benefit plans of a single employer. The term "purchase" also includes purchases by any "company," as the term is defined in the 1940 Act, but does not include purchases by any such company which has not been in existence for at least six months or which has no purpose other than the purchase of shares of the Portfolio or shares of other registered investment companies at a discount. The term "purchase" does not include purchases by any group of individuals whose sole organizational nexus is that the participants therein are credit card holders of a company, policy holders of an insurance company, customers of either a bank or broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser. Currently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds include: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc. AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc. -U.S. Large Cap Portfolio AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Greater China `97 Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc. -California Portfolio -Insured California Portfolio -Insured National Portfolio -National Portfolio -New York Portfolio AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II -Arizona Portfolio -Florida Portfolio -Massachusetts Portfolio -Michigan Portfolio -Minnesota Portfolio -New Jersey Portfolio -Ohio Portfolio -Pennsylvania Portfolio -Virginia Portfolio AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc. -Biotechnology Portfolio -Premier Portfolio -Technology Portfolio AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Trust -AllianceBernstein Global Value Fund -AllianceBernstein International Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Small Cap Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Value Fund AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc. The AllianceBernstein Portfolios -AllianceBernstein Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Growth Fund -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Wealth Preservation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Preservation Strategy Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Intermediate Diversified Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate California Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate New York Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein International Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Short Duration Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed International Portfolio Prospectuses for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may be obtained without charge by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the front cover of this SAI. Cumulative Quantity Discount (Right of Accumulation). An investor's purchase of additional Class A shares of the Portfolio may be combined with the value of the shareholder's existing accounts, thereby enabling the shareholder to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." In such cases, the applicable sales charge on the newly purchased shares will be based on the total of: (i) the investor's current purchase; (ii) the net asset value (at the close of business on the previous day) of (a) all shares of the Portfolio held by the investor and (b) all shares of any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund held by the investor; and (iii) the net asset value of all shares described in paragraph (ii) owned by another shareholder eligible to combine his or her purchase with that of the investor into a single "purchase" (see above). For example, if an investor owned shares of an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund worth $200,000 at their then current net asset value and, subsequently, purchased Class A shares of the Portfolio worth an additional $100,000, the sales charge for the $100,000 purchase would be the 2.25% rate applicable to a single $300,000 purchase of shares of the Portfolio, rather than the 3.25% rate. Statement of Intention. Class A investors may also obtain the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares" by means of a written Statement of Intention, which expresses the investor's intention to invest not less than $100,000 within a period of 13 months in shares of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Each purchase of shares under a Statement of Intention will be made at the public offering price or prices applicable at the time of such purchase to a single transaction of the dollar amount indicated in the Statement of Intention. At the investor's option, a Statement of Intention may include purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund made not more than 90 days prior to the date that the investor signs a Statement of Intention, in which case the 13-month period during which the Statement of Intention is in effect will begin on the date of that earliest purchase. However, sales charges will not be reduced for purchases made prior to the date the Statement of Intention is signed. Investors qualifying for the Combined Purchase Privilege described above may purchase shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds under a single Statement of Intention. For example, if at the time an investor signs a Statement of Intention to invest at least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Portfolio, the investor and the investor's spouse each purchase shares of the Portfolio worth $20,000 (for a total of $40,000), it will only be necessary to invest a total of $60,000 during the following 13 months in shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund, to qualify for the 3.25% sales charge on the total amount being invested (the sales charge applicable to an investment of $100,000). The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation upon the investor to purchase the full amount indicated. The minimum initial investment under a Statement of Intention is 5% of such amount. Shares purchased with the first 5% of such amount will be held in escrow (while remaining registered in the name of the investor) to secure payment of the higher sales charge applicable to the shares actually purchased if the full amount indicated is not purchased, and such escrowed shares will be involuntarily redeemed at their then net asset value to pay the additional sales charge, if necessary. Dividends on escrowed shares, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Portfolio shares, are not subject to escrow. When the full amount indicated has been purchased, the escrow will be released. Investors wishing to enter into a Statement of Intention in conjunction with their initial investment in Class A shares of the Portfolio can obtain a form of Statement of Intention by contacting AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI. Reinstatement Privilege. A shareholder who has redeemed any or all of his or her Class A or Class B shares may reinvest all or any portion of the proceeds from that redemption in Class A shares of the Portfolio at net asset value without any sales charge, provided that (i) such reinvestment is made within 120 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase date, and (ii) for Class B shares, a CDSC has been paid and the Principal Underwriter has approved, at its discretion, the reinstatement of such shares. Shares are sold to a reinvesting shareholder at the net asset value next determined as described above. A reinstatement pursuant to this privilege will not cancel the redemption or repurchase transaction; therefore, any gain or loss so realized will be recognized for federal income tax purposes except that no loss will be recognized to the extent that the proceeds are reinvested in shares of the Portfolio within 30 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase transaction. Investors may exercise the reinstatement privilege by written request sent to the Portfolio at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shareholders may elect to have all income and capital gains distributions from their account paid to them in the form of additional shares of the same class of the Portfolio pursuant to the Portfolio's Dividend Reinvestment Program. No initial sales charge or CDSC will be imposed on shares issued pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shares issued under this program will have an aggregate net asset value as of the close of business on the declaration date of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount of the distribution. Investors wishing to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program. In certain circumstances where a shareholder has elected to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash but the account has been determined to be lost due to mail being returned to us by the Postal Service as undeliverable, such shareholder's distributions option will automatically be placed within the Dividend Reinvestment Program for future distributions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks. Dividend Direction Plan ----------------------- A shareholder who already maintains accounts in more than one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund may direct that income dividends and/or capital gains paid by one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund be automatically reinvested, in any amount, without the payment of any sales or service charges, in shares of the same class of the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund(s). Further information can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Investors wishing to establish a dividend direction plan in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to establish a dividend direction plan. Systematic Withdrawal Plan -------------------------- General. Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares of the Portfolio having a current net asset value of at least $4,000 (for quarterly or less frequent payments), $5,000 (for bi-monthly payments) or $10,000 (for monthly payments) may establish a systematic withdrawal plan under which the shareholder will periodically receive a payment in a stated amount of not less than $50 on a selected date. Systematic withdrawal plan participants must elect to have their dividends and distributions from the Portfolio automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolio owned by a participant in the Portfolio's systematic withdrawal plan will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal payments and such payments will be subject to any taxes applicable to redemptions and, except as discussed below with respect to Class B and Class C shares, any applicable CDSC. Shares acquired with reinvested dividends and distributions will be liquidated first to provide such withdrawal payments and thereafter other shares will be liquidated to the extent necessary, and depending upon the amount withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. A systematic withdrawal plan may be terminated at any time by the shareholder or the Portfolio. Withdrawal payments will not automatically end when a shareholder's account reaches a certain minimum level. Therefore, redemptions of shares under the plan may reduce or even liquidate a shareholder's account and may subject the shareholder to the Portfolio's involuntary redemption provisions. See "Redemption and Repurchase of Shares -- General." Purchases of additional shares concurrently with withdrawals are undesirable because of sales charges applicable when purchases are made. While an occasional lump-sum investment may be made by a holder of Class A shares who is maintaining a systematic withdrawal plan, such investment should normally be an amount equivalent to three times the annual withdrawal or $5,000, whichever is less. Payments under a systematic withdrawal plan may be made by check or electronically via the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") network. Investors wishing to establish a systematic withdrawal plan in conjunction with their initial investment in shares of the Portfolio should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application, while current Portfolio shareholders desiring to do so can obtain an application form by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. CDSC Waiver for Class B Shares and Class C Shares. Under the systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 2% bi-monthly or 3% quarterly of the value at the time of redemption of the Class B or Class C shares in a shareholder's account may be redeemed free of any CDSC. Class B shares that are not subject to a CDSC (such as shares acquired with reinvested dividends or distributions) will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Remaining Class B shares that are held the longest will be redeemed next. Redemptions of Class B shares in excess of the foregoing limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. With respect to Class C shares, shares held the longest will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Redemptions in excess of those limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. ----------------------------------------------------------------- REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares-How to Sell Shares." If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program your fee-based program may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial intermediary. The Portfolio has authorized one or more brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Portfolio's behalf. In such cases, orders will receive the net asset value next computed after such order is properly received by the authorized broker or designee and accepted by the Portfolio. Redemption ---------- Subject only to the limitations described below, the Fund's Charter requires that the Fund redeem the shares of the Portfolio tendered to it, as described below, at a redemption price equal to their net asset value as next computed following the receipt of shares tendered for redemption in proper form. Except for any CDSC which may be applicable to Class A shares, Class B shares and Class C shares, there is no redemption charge. Payment of the redemption price will be made within seven days after the Fund's receipt of such tender for redemption. If a shareholder is in doubt about what documents are required by his or her fee-based program or employee benefit plan, the shareholder should contact his or her financial intermediary. The right of redemption may not be suspended or the date of payment upon redemption postponed for more than seven days after shares are tendered for redemption, except for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings) or during which the Commission determines that trading thereon is restricted, or for any period during which an emergency (as determined by the Commission) exists as a result of which disposal by the Portfolio of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or for such other periods as the Commission may by order permit for the protection of security holders of the Portfolio. Payment of the redemption price normally will be made in cash. No interest will accrue on uncashed redemption checks. The value of a shareholder's shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the cost of such shares to the shareholder, depending upon the market value of the Portfolio's portfolio securities at the time of such redemption or repurchase. Redemption proceeds on Class A, Class B and Class C shares will reflect the deduction of the CDSC, if any. Payment (either in cash or in portfolio securities) received by a shareholder upon redemption or repurchase of his or her shares, assuming the shares constitute capital assets in his or her hands, will result in long-term or short-term capital gains (or loss) depending upon the shareholder's holding period and basis in respect of the shares redeemed. To redeem shares of the Portfolio for which no share certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners should forward a letter to the Portfolio containing a request for redemption. The signature or signatures on the letter must be Medallion Signature Guaranteed. To redeem shares of the Portfolio represented by stock certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate stock certificate or certificates, endorsed in blank or with blank stock powers attached, to the Portfolio with the request that the shares represented thereby, or a specified portion thereof, be redeemed. The stock assignment form on the reverse side of each stock certificate surrendered to the Portfolio for redemption must be signed by the registered owner or owners exactly as the registered name appears on the face of the certificate or, alternatively, a stock power signed in the same manner may be attached to the stock certificate or certificates or, where tender is made by mail, separately mailed to the Fund. The signature or signatures on the assignment form must be guaranteed in the manner described above. Telephone Redemption by Electronic Funds Transfer. Each Portfolio shareholder is entitled to request redemption by electronic funds transfer (of shares for which no share certificates have been issued) by telephone at (800) 221-5672 if the shareholder has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or, if an existing shareholder has not completed this portion, by an "Autosell" application obtained from AGIS. A telephone redemption by electronic funds transfer may not exceed $100,000 (except for certain omnibus accounts), and must be made by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Proceeds of telephone redemptions will be sent by electronic funds transfer to a shareholder's designated bank account at a bank selected by the shareholder that is a member of the NACHA. Telephone Redemption by Check. Each Portfolio shareholder is eligible to request redemption by check of Portfolio shares for which no stock certificate have been issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in an amount not exceeding $50,000. Proceeds of such redemptions are remitted by check to the shareholder's address of record. A shareholder otherwise eligible for telephone redemption by check may cancel the privilege by written instruction to AGIS, or by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Telephone Redemptions - General. During periods of drastic economic, market, or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. The Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate its telephone redemption service at any time without notice. Telephone redemption by check is not available with respect to shares (i) for which certificates have been issued, (ii) held in nominee or "street name" accounts, (iii) held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of record within the preceding 30 calendar days or (iv) held in any retirement plan account. Neither the Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter nor AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for redemptions that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for redemptions are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Financial intermediaries may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for redemptions. Repurchase ---------- The Portfolio may repurchase shares through the Principal Underwriter or selected financial intermediaries. The repurchase price will be the net asset value next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the request (less the CDSC, if any, with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class C shares), except that requests placed through selected financial intermediaries before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any day will be executed at the net asset value determined as of such close of regular trading on that day if received by the Principal Underwriter prior to its close of business on that day (normally 5:00 p.m., Eastern time). The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting the request to the Principal Underwriter by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, (certain financial intermediaries may enter into operating agreements permitting them to transmit purchase information that was received prior to the close of business to the Principal Underwriter after 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, and receive that day's net asset value). If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the shareholder's right to receive that day's closing price must be settled between the shareholder and that financial intermediary. A shareholder may offer shares of the Portfolio to the Principal Underwriter either directly or through a financial intermediary. Neither the Portfolio nor the Principal Underwriter charges a fee or commission in connection with the repurchase of shares (except for the CDSC, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares). Normally, if shares of the Portfolio are offered through a financial intermediary, the repurchase is settled by the shareholder as an ordinary transaction with or through the financial intermediary, who may charge the shareholder for this service. The repurchase of shares of the Portfolio as described above is a voluntary service of the Fund, and the Fund may suspend or terminate this practice at any time. General ------- The Fund reserves the right to close out an account that through redemption has remained below $200 for at least 90 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days' written notice to increase the account value before the account is closed. No CDSC will be deducted from the proceeds of this redemption. In the case of a redemption or repurchase of shares of the Portfolio recently purchased by check, redemption proceeds will not be made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SHAREHOLDER SERVICES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares." The shareholder services set forth below are applicable to all classes of shares unless otherwise indicated. If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program or a shareholder in a group retirement plan, your fee-based program or retirement plan may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. Automatic Investment Program ---------------------------- Investors may purchase shares of the Portfolio through an automatic investment program utilizing electronic fund transfer drawn on the investor's own bank account. Under such a program, pre-authorized monthly drafts for a fixed amount (at least $25) are used to purchase shares through the selected dealer or selected agent designated by the investor at the public offering price next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the proceeds from the investor's bank. In electronic form, drafts can be made on or about a date each month selected by the shareholder. Investors wishing to establish an automatic investment program in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI to establish an automatic investment program. Exchange Privilege ------------------ You may exchange your investment in the Portfolio for shares of the same class of other AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds (including AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by the Investment Adviser) if the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund in which you wish to invest offers shares of the same class. In addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the Investment Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates may, on a tax-free basis, exchange Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. Exchanges of shares are made at the net asset value next determined and without sales or service charges. Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone exchange requests must be received by AGIS by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in order to receive that day's net asset value. Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges for purposes of determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and, in the case of Class B shares, for the purpose of conversion to Class A shares. After an exchange, your Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance with the conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original shares"). When redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the original shares is applied. Please read carefully the prospectus of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund into which you are exchanging before submitting the request. Call AGIS at (800) 221-5672 to exchange uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges of Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio, exchanges of shares as described above in this section are taxable transactions for federal tax purposes. The exchange service may be modified, restricted or terminated on 60 days' written notice. All exchanges are subject to the minimum investment requirements and any other applicable terms set forth in the prospectus for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being acquired. An exchange is effected through the redemption of the shares tendered for exchange and the purchase of shares being acquired at their respective net asset values as next determined following receipt by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being exchanged of (i) proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents as described in such fund's prospectus, or (ii) a telephone request for such exchange in accordance with the procedures set forth in the following paragraph. Exchanges involving the redemption of shares recently purchased by check will be permitted only after the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares have been tendered for exchange is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. Exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will generally result in the realization of a capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. Each Portfolio shareholder and the shareholder's financial intermediary are authorized to make telephone requests for exchanges unless AGIS receives written instruction to the contrary from the shareholder, or the shareholder declines the privilege by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Such telephone requests cannot be accepted with respect to shares then represented by stock certificates. Shares acquired pursuant to a telephone request for exchange will be held under the same account registration as the shares redeemed through such exchange. Eligible shareholders desiring to make an exchange should telephone AGIS with their account number and other details of the exchange, at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Telephone requests for exchange received before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day will be processed as of the close of business on that day. During periods of drastic economic, market, or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. A shareholder may elect to initiate a monthly "Auto Exchange" whereby a specified dollar amount's worth of his or her Fund shares (minimum $25) is automatically exchanged for shares of another AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Auto Exchange transactions normally occur on the 12th day of each month, or the Fund business day prior thereto. None of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter nor AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for exchanges that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for exchanges are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Financial intermediaries may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for exchanges. The exchange privilege is available only in states where shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund being acquired may be legally sold. Each AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund reserves the right, at any time on 60 days' notice to its shareholders, to modify, restrict or terminate the exchange privilege. Statements and Reports ---------------------- Each shareholder of the Portfolio receives semi-annual and annual reports which include a portfolio of investments, financial statements and, in the case of the annual report, the report of the Fund's independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP, as well as a confirmation of each purchase and redemption. By contacting his or her broker or AGIS, a shareholder can arrange for copies of his or her account statements to be sent to another person. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSET VALUE ----------------------------------------------------------------- The per share net asset value is computed at the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) following receipt of a purchase or redemption order by the Portfolio on each Fund business day on which such an order is received and on such other days as the Board of Directors deems appropriate or necessary in order to comply with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act. The Portfolio's per share net asset value is calculated by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. As noted above, a Fund business day is any weekday on which the Exchange is open for trading. In accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act and the Portfolio's pricing policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors (the "Pricing Policies"), portfolio securities are valued at current market value or at fair value. The Board of Directors has delegated to the Investment Adviser, subject to the Board's continuing oversight, certain of its duties with respect to the Pricing Policies. With respect to securities for which market quotations are readily available, the market value of a security will be determined as follows: (a) securities listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange are valued at the last sale price reflected on the consolidated tape at the close of the Exchange or foreign securities exchange on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices on such day. If no bid or asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued in good faith at fair value by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors; (b) securities not listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange but listed on other national securities exchanges are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above, and securities traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ") are valued in accordance with the NASDAQ Official Closing Price; (c) securities traded on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange and on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, and securities not traded on the Exchange but traded on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above by reference to the principal exchange on which the securities are traded; (d) listed put or call options purchased by the Portfolio are valued at the last sale price. If there has been no sale on that day, such securities will be valued at the closing bid prices on that day; (e) open futures contracts and options thereon will be valued using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of such a price, the most recent quoted bid price. If there are no quotations available for the day of valuations, the last available closing settlement price will be used; (f) securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including securities listed on a national securities exchange whose primary market is believed to be over-the-counter (but excluding securities traded on NASDAQ) are valued at the mean of the current bid and asked prices as reported by the National Quotation Bureau or other comparable sources; (g) U.S. Government securities and other debt instruments having 60 days or less remaining until maturity are valued at amortized cost if their original maturity was 60 days or less, or by amortizing their fair value as of the 61st day prior to maturity if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days (unless in either case it is determined, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors, that this method does not represent fair value); (h) fixed-income securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. The prices provided by a pricing service take into account many factors, including institutional size, trading in similar groups of securities and any developments related to specific securities. For securities where the Investment Adviser has determined that an appropriate pricing service does not exist, such securities may be valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; (i) mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may be valued at prices obtained from a bond pricing service or at a price obtained from one or more of the major broker/dealers in such securities when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. In cases where broker/dealer quotes are obtained, the Investment Adviser may establish procedures whereby changes in market yields or spreads are used to adjust, on a daily basis, a recently obtained quoted bid price on a security; (j) OTC and other derivatives are valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; and (k) all other securities will be valued in accordance with readily available market quotations as determined in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors. With respect to securities for which market quotations are not readily available, the security will be valued at fair value in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors. Trading in securities on Far Eastern and European securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed well before the close of business of each Fund business day. In addition, trading in foreign markets may not take place on all Fund business days. Furthermore, trading may take place in various foreign markets on days that are not Fund business days. The Portfolio's calculation of the net asset value per share, therefore, does not always take place contemporaneously with the most recent determination of the prices of portfolio securities in these markets. Events affecting the values of these portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are determined in accordance with the above procedures and the close of the Exchange will not be reflected in the Portfolio's calculation of net asset value unless it is believed that these prices do not reflect current market value, in which case the securities will be valued in good faith by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors at fair value.The Portfolio may suspend the determination of its net asset value (and the offering and sale of shares), subject to the rules of the Commission and other governmental rules and regulations, at a time when: (1) the Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, (2) an emergency exists as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio to dispose of securities owned by it or to determine fairly the value of its net assets, or (3) for the protection of shareholders, the Commission by order permits a suspension of the right of redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption. For purposes of determining the Portfolio's net asset value per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in a foreign currency will be converted into U.S. dollars at the mean of the current bid and asked prices of such currency against the U.S. dollar last quoted by a major bank that is a regular participant in the relevant foreign exchange market or on the basis of a pricing service that takes into account the quotes provided by a number of such major banks. If such quotations are not available as of the close of the Exchange, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith by, or under the direction of, the Board of Directors. The assets attributable to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares, Advisor Class shares and Class R shares will be invested together in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each class will be determined separately by subtracting the liabilities allocated to that class from the assets belonging to that class in conformance with the provisions of a plan adopted by the Fund in accordance with Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is responsible for the investment decisions and the placing of the orders for portfolio transactions for the Portfolio. The Portfolio's portfolio transactions occur primarily with issuers, underwriters or major dealers acting as principals. Such transactions are normally on a net basis which do not involve payment of brokerage commissions. The cost of securities purchased from an underwriter usually includes a commission paid by the issuer to the underwriter; transactions with dealers normally reflect the spread between bid and asked prices. Premiums are paid with respect to options purchased by the Portfolio and brokerage commissions are payable with respect to transactions in exchange-traded interest rate futures contracts. The Investment Adviser makes the decisions for the Portfolio and determines the broker or dealer to be used in each specific transaction. Most transactions for the Portfolio, including transactions in listed securities, are executed in the over-the-counter market by approximately fifteen (15) principal market maker dealers with whom the Investment Adviser maintains regular contact. Most transactions made by the Portfolio will be principal transactions at net prices and the Portfolio will incur little or no brokerage costs. Where possible, securities will be purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter or market maker for the securities unless the Investment Adviser believes a better price and execution is available elsewhere. Purchases from underwriters of newly-issued securities for inclusion in the Portfolio usually will include a concession paid to the underwriter by the issuer and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include the spread between the bid and asked price. The Portfolio does not consider sales of its shares as a factor in the selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Portfolio. The Portfolio has no obligation to enter into transactions in securities with any broker, dealer, issuer, underwriter or other entity. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to obtain the best price and execution for its transactions. Where best price and execution may be obtained from more than one broker or dealer, the Investment Adviser may, in its discretion, purchase and sell securities through brokers and dealers who provide research, statistical and other information to the Investment Adviser. Such services may be used by the Investment Adviser for all of its investment advisory accounts and, accordingly, not all such services may be used by the Investment Adviser in connection with the Portfolio. There may be occasions where the transaction cost charged by a broker may be greater than that which another broker may charge if the Fund determines in good faith that the amount of such transaction cost is reasonable in relationship to the value of the brokerage and research and statistical services provided by the executing broker. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003, the Portfolio incurred no brokerage commissions. The Fund may from time to time place orders for the purchase or sale of securities (including listed call options) with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co."), an affiliate of the Adviser. In such instances, the placement of orders with such brokers would be consistent with the Fund's objective of obtaining best execution and would not be dependent upon the fact that SCB & Co. is an affiliate of the Adviser. With respect to orders placed with SCB & Co. for execution on a national securities exchange, commissions received must conform to Section 17(e)(2)(A) of the 1940 Act and Rule 17e-1 thereunder, which permit an affiliated person of a registered investment company (such as the Fund), or any affiliated person of such person, to receive a brokerage commission from such registered investment company provided that such commission is reasonable and fair compared to the commissions received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES ----------------------------------------------------------------- General. The Portfolio intends for each taxable year to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated investment company" under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). To so qualify, the Portfolio must, among other things, (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currency, or certain other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in stock, securities or currency; and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, the following two conditions are met: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is represented by cash, cash items, U.S. Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities with respect to which the Portfolio's investment is limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is invested in securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government Securities or securities of other regulated investment companies). If the Portfolio qualifies as a regulated investment company for any taxable year and makes timely distributions to its shareholders of 90% or more of its investment company taxable income for that year (calculated without regard to its net capital gain, i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) it will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income for the year (including any net capital gain) that it distributes to shareholders. It is the present policy of the Portfolio to distribute to shareholders all net investment income quarterly and to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The amount of any such distributions must necessarily depend upon the realization by the Fund of income and capital gains from investments. The Portfolio will also avoid the 4% federal excise tax that would otherwise apply to certain undistributed income for a given calendar year if it makes timely distributions to shareholders equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income and foreign currency gains for the twelve-month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (iii) any ordinary income or capital gain net income from the preceding calendar year that was not distributed during such year. For this purpose, income or gain retained by the Portfolio that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by the Portfolio during such year. For federal income and excise tax purposes, dividends declared and payable to shareholders of record as of a date in October, November or December but actually paid during the following January will be treated as if paid by the Portfolio on December 31 of such earlier calendar year, and will be taxable to these shareholders in the year declared, and not in the year in which the shareholders actually receive the dividend. The information set forth in the Prospectus and the following discussion relate solely to the significant United States federal income taxes on dividends and distributions by the Portfolio and assumes that the Portfolio qualifies to be taxed as a regulated investment company. An investor should consult his or her own tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio, including the effect and applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws to his or her own particular situation and the possible effects of changes therein. Dividends and Distributions. The Portfolio intends to make timely distributions of the Portfolio's taxable income (including any net capital gain) so that the Portfolio will not be subject to federal income and excise taxes. Dividends of the Portfolio's net ordinary income and distributions of any net realized short-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some or all of the distributions from a mutual fund may be treated as "qualified dividend income," taxable to individuals at the reduced maximum rate of 15% (5% for individuals in lower tax brackets), provided that both the fund and the individual satisfy certain holding period and other requirements. Based upon the investment policies of the Portfolio, it is expected that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions would be treated as "qualified dividend income." Distributions of net capital gain are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio. Any dividend or distribution received by a shareholder on shares of the Portfolio will have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of such dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or distribution made shortly after the purchase of such shares by a shareholder, although in effect a return of capital to that particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or her as described above. Dividends are taxable in the manner discussed regardless of whether they are paid to the shareholder in cash or are reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. The investment objective of the Portfolio is such that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions is expected to qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. After the end of the calendar year, the Portfolio will notify shareholders of the federal income tax status of any distributions made by the Portfolio to shareholders during such year. Sales and Redemptions. Any gain or loss arising from a sale or redemption of Portfolio shares generally will be capital gain or loss if the Portfolio shares are held as a capital asset, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shareholder has held such shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or redemption; otherwise it will be short-term capital gain or loss. If a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio for six months or less and during that period has received a distribution of net capital gain, any loss recognized by the shareholder on the sale of those shares during the six-month period will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the distribution. In determining the holding period of such shares for this purpose, any period during which a shareholder's risk of loss is offset by means of options, short sales or similar transactions is not counted. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are reacquired within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are sold or exchanged. For this purpose, acquisitions pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan would constitute a reacquisition if made within the period. If a loss disallowed, then such loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired. Qualified Plans. A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to shares of the Portfolio held by a tax-deferred or qualified plan, such as an individual retirement account, section 403(b)(7) retirement plan or corporate pension or profit-sharing plan, generally will not be taxable to the plan. Distributions from such plans will be taxable to individual participants under applicable tax rules without regard to the character of the income earned by the qualified plan. Backup Withholding. Any distributions and redemption proceeds payable to a shareholder may be subject to "backup withholding" tax (currently at a rate of 28%) if such shareholder fails to provide the Portfolio with his or her correct taxpayer identification number, fails to make certain required certifications, or is notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") that he or she is subject to backup withholding. Certain categories of shareholders, including all corporations, are exempt from such backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax; rather, a shareholder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed such shareholder's income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS. Foreign Taxes. Income received by the Portfolio also may be subject to foreign income taxes, including taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries that entitle the Portfolio to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Portfolio's assets to be invested within various countries is not known. If more than 50% of the value of the Portfolio's assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stocks or securities of foreign corporations (which for this purpose should include obligations issued by foreign governments), the Portfolio will be eligible and intends to file an election with the IRS to pass through to its shareholders the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio. However, there can be no assurance that the Portfolio will be able to do so. If the Portfolio makes this election, a shareholder will be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio, (ii) treat his or her pro rata share of such foreign taxes as having been paid by him, and (iii) either deduct such pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or treat such foreign taxes as a credit against United States federal income taxes. Shareholders who are not liable for federal income taxes, such as retirement plans qualified under section 401 of the Code, will not be affected by any such pass-through of taxes by the Portfolio. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by an individual shareholder who does not itemize deductions. In addition, certain shareholders may be subject to rules which limit or reduce their ability to fully deduct, or claim a credit for, their pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio. A shareholder's foreign tax credit with respect to a dividend received from the Portfolio will be disallowed unless the shareholder holds shares in the Portfolio on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 other days during the 30-day period beginning 15 days prior to the ex-dividend date. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Portfolio's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio will pass through for that year and, if so, such notification will designate (i) the shareholder's portion of the foreign taxes paid to each such country and (ii) the portion of dividends that represents income derived from sources within each such country. The federal income tax status of each year's distributions by the Portfolio will be reported to shareholders and to the IRS. The foregoing is only a general description of the treatment of foreign taxes under the United States federal income tax laws. Because the availability of a foreign tax credit or deduction will depend on the particular circumstances of each shareholder, potential investors are advised to consult their own tax advisers. United States Federal Income Taxation of the Portfolio ------------------------------------------------------ The following discussion relates to certain significant United States federal income tax consequences to the Portfolio with respect to the determination of its "investment company taxable income" each year. This discussion assumes that the Portfolio will be taxed as a regulated investment company for each of its taxable years. Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the Portfolio owns shares in a foreign corporation that constitutes a "passive foreign investment company" (a "PFIC") for federal income tax purposes and the Portfolio does not elect or is unable to elect to treat such foreign corporation as a "qualified electing fund" within the meaning of the Code, the Portfolio may be subject to United States federal income taxation on a portion of any "excess distribution" it receives from the PFIC or any gain it derives from the disposition of such shares, even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Portfolio to its shareholders. The Portfolio may also be subject to additional interest charges in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. Any tax paid by the Portfolio as a result of its ownership of shares in a PFIC will not give rise to a deduction or credit to the Portfolio or to any shareholder. A foreign corporation will be treated as a PFIC if, for the taxable year involved, either (i) such foreign corporation derives at least 75% of its gross income from "passive income" (including, but not limited to, interest, dividends, royalties, rents and annuities), or (ii) on average, at least 50% of the value (or adjusted tax basis, if elected) of the assets held by the corporation produce "passive income." In some cases, the Portfolio may be able to elect to "mark-to-market" stock in a PFIC. If the Portfolio makes such an election, the Portfolio would include in its taxable income each year an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock as of the close of the taxable year over the Portfolio's adjusted basis in the PFIC stock. The Portfolio would be allowed a deduction for the excess, if any, of the adjusted basis of the PFIC stock over the fair market value of the PFIC stock as of the close of the taxable year, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains included in the Portfolio's taxable income for prior taxable years. The Portfolio's adjusted basis in the PFIC stock would be adjusted to reflect the amounts included in, or deducted from, income under this election. Amounts included in income pursuant to this election, as well as gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the PFIC stock, would be treated as ordinary income. The deductible portion of any mark-to-market loss, as well as loss realized on the sale or other disposition of the PFIC stock to the extent that such loss does not exceed the net mark-to-market gains previously included by the Portfolio, would be treated as ordinary loss. The Portfolio generally would not be subject to the deferred tax and interest charge provisions discussed above with respect to PFIC stock for which a mark-to-market election has been made. If the Portfolio purchases shares in a PFIC and the Portfolio elects to treat the foreign corporation as a "qualified electing fund" under the Code, the Portfolio may be required to include in its income each year a portion of the ordinary income and net capital gains of such foreign corporation, even if this income is not distributed to the Portfolio. Any such income would be subject to the 90% and calendar year distribution requirements described above. Discount Obligations. Under current federal tax law, the Portfolio will include in income as interest each year, in addition to stated interest received on obligations held by the Portfolio, amounts attributable to the Portfolio from holding (i) Discount Obligations and (ii) securities (including many Brady Bonds) purchased by the Portfolio at a price less than their stated face amount or, in the case of Discount Obligations, at a price less than their issue price plus the portion of "original issue discount" previously accrued thereon, i.e., purchased at a "market discount." Current federal tax law requires a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a Discount Obligation to accrue and include in income each year a portion of the discount at which the obligation was purchased even though the Portfolio does not receive interest payments in cash during the year which reflect such accrued discount. The Portfolio will elect to likewise accrue and include in income each year a portion of the market discount with respect to a Discount Obligation or other obligation even though the Portfolio does not receive interest payments in cash which reflect such accrued discount. As a result of the applicable rules, in order to make the distributions necessary for the Portfolio not to be subject to federal income or excise taxes, the Portfolio may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount significantly greater than the total amount of cash which the Portfolio has actually received as interest during the year. Such distributions will be made from the cash assets of the Portfolio, from borrowings 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 Portfolio may realize a gain or loss from such sales. In the event the Portfolio realizes net capital gains from such sales, shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution than they would have in the absence of such sales. Options. Certain listed options are considered "section 1256 contracts" for federal income tax purposes. Section 1256 contracts held by the Portfolio at the end of each taxable year will be "marked to market" and treated for federal income tax purposes as though sold for fair market value on the last business day of such taxable year. Gain or loss realized by the Portfolio on section 1256 contracts generally will be considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. The Portfolio can elect to exempt its section 1256 contracts which are part of a "mixed straddle" (as described below) from the application of section 1256. With respect to equity options or options traded on certain foreign exchanges, gain or loss realized by the Portfolio upon the lapse or sale of such options held by the Portfolio will be either long-term or short-term capital gain or loss depending upon the Portfolio's holding period with respect to such option. However, gain or loss realized upon the lapse or closing out of such options that are written by the Portfolio will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. In general, if the Portfolio exercises an option, or an option that the Portfolio has written is exercised, gain or loss on the option will not be separately recognized but the premium received or paid will be included in the calculation of gain or loss upon disposition of the property underlying the option. Tax Straddles. Any option, futures contract, currency swap, forward foreign currency contract, or other position entered into or held by the Portfolio in conjunction with any other position held by the Portfolio may constitute a "straddle" for federal income tax purposes. A straddle of which at least one, but not all, the positions are section 1256 contracts may constitute a "mixed straddle." In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the character and timing of the Portfolio's gains and losses with respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that (i) loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle not be recognized to the extent that the Portfolio has unrealized gains with respect to the other position in such straddle; (ii) the Portfolio's holding period in straddle positions be suspended while the straddle exists (possibly resulting in gain being treated as short-term capital gain rather than long-term capital gain); (iii) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions which are part of a mixed straddle and which are non-section 1256 positions be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital loss; (iv) losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions which would otherwise constitute short-term capital losses be treated as long-term capital losses; and (v) the deduction of interest and carrying charges attributable to certain straddle positions may be deferred. The Treasury Department is authorized to issue regulations providing for the proper treatment of a mixed straddle where at least one position is ordinary and at least one position is capital. No such regulations have yet been issued. Various elections are available to the Portfolio, which may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules, particularly with respect to mixed straddles. In general, the straddle rules described above do not apply to any straddles held by the Portfolio all of the offsetting positions of which consist of section 1256 contracts. Currency Fluctuations -- Section 988 Gains and Losses. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Portfolio accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Portfolio actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses from the disposition of foreign currencies, from the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, or from the disposition of a forward contract denominated in a foreign currency which are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the asset and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as "section 988" gains or losses, increase or decrease the amount of the Portfolio's investment company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of the Portfolio's net capital gain. Because section 988 losses reduce the amount of ordinary dividends the Portfolio will be allowed to distribute for a taxable year, such section 988 losses may result in all or a portion of prior dividend distributions for such year being recharacterized as a non-taxable return of capital to shareholders, rather than as an ordinary dividend, reducing each shareholder's basis in his or her Portfolio shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed such shareholder's basis, each will be treated as a gain from the sale of shares. Other Taxation -------------- The Portfolio may be subject to other state and local taxes. Taxation of Foreign Shareholders -------------------------------- The foregoing discussion relates only to United States federal income tax law as it affects shareholders who are United States citizens or residents or United States corporations. The effects of federal income tax law on a shareholder which is a non-resident alien individual or foreign corporation may be substantially different. A foreign investor should therefore consult his or her own tax adviser for further information as to the United States federal income tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio. ----------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Fund is a Maryland corporation organized in 1973 under the name "Alliance Bond Fund, Inc." The Fund's name became "AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc." on March 31, 2003. Capitalization -------------- All shares of each portfolio participate equally in dividends and distributions from that portfolio, including any distributions in the event of a liquidation and upon redeeming shares will receive the then current net asset value of the Portfolio represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC. Each share of the Portfolio is entitled to one vote for all purposes. Shares of the Portfolios vote for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affects the Portfolios in substantially the same manner as a single class, except as otherwise required by law. As to matters affecting each Portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each Portfolio would vote as a separate class. There are no conversion or preemptive rights in connection with any shares of the Portfolio. All shares of the Portfolio when duly issued will be fully paid and non-assessable. The authorized capital stock of the Fund consists of 45,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock having a par value of $.001 per share. The authorized capital stock of the Portfolio currently consists of 3,000,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class C Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Advisor Class Common Stock and 3,000,000,000 shares of Class R Common Stock, each having a par value of $.001 per share. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments, and has the same rights and is identical in all respects, except that expenses related to the distribution of each class are borne solely by each class and each class of shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan which pertain to a particular class and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders and the Class A shareholders, the Class B shareholders and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. The Fund's Board of Directors may, without shareholder approval, increase or decrease the number of authorized but unissued shares of the Portfolio's Class A, Class B, Class C, Advisor Class and Class R Common Stock. The Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify and issue any unissued shares to any number of additional portfolios and classes without shareholder approval. Accordingly, the Directors in the future, for reasons such as the desire to establish one or more additional portfolios with different investment objectives, policies or restrictions, may create additional portfolios of shares. Any issuance of shares of another portfolio would be governed by the 1940 Act and the laws of the State of Maryland. If shares of another portfolio were issued in connection with the creation of a second portfolio, each share of either portfolio would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of both portfolios would vote as a single portfolio for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affected both portfolios in substantially the same manner. As to matters affecting each portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each Portfolio would vote as separate portfolios. It is anticipated that annual shareholder meetings will not be held; shareholder meetings will be held only when required by federal or state law. As of the close of business on January 5, 2004, there were 85,484,567 shares of common stock of the Portfolio outstanding. Of this amount, 43,663,926 shares were Class A shares, 29,267,397 shares were Class B shares, 12,269,605 shares were Class C shares, 842 shares were Class R shares and 282,797 shares were Advisor Class shares. To the knowledge of the Portfolio, the following persons owned of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio as of January 5, 2004: NO.OF % OF NAME AND ADDRESS SHARES CLASS ---------------- ------ ----- Class A Shares -------------- MLPF&S For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (971T8) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 2,881,754 6.60% Class B Shares -------------- MLPF&S For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (97AU9) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 3,599,828 12.30% Citigroup Global Markets House Account Attn: Cindy Tempesta 333 W. 34th St. - FL. 3 New York, NY 10001-2483 1,479,132 5.05% Prudential Securities Inc. Special Custody Account for Exclusive Benefit of its Customers Attn: Surpas Omnibus Dept. 1 New York Plaza New York, NY 10292-0001 1,701,941 5.82% Class C Shares -------------- MLPF&S For the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn: Fund Admin. (97BF0) 4800 Deer Lake Drive East - 2nd Floor Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 3,249,470 26.48% Citigroup Global Markets House Account Attn: Cindy Tempesta 333 W. 34th St. - FL. 3 New York, NY 10001-2483 961,350 7.84% Class R Shares -------------- Alliance Capital Management LP Attn: Raymond Cardosi 1 N. Lexington Ave White Plains, NY 10601-1712 842 100% Advisor Class Shares -------------------- JPM Higher Education Static Conservative 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 72,188 25.53% JPM Higher Education Static Balance 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 66,991 23.69% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 1996-1998 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 24,178 8.55% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 1990-1992 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 27,940 9.88% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 1993-1995 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 26,735 9.45% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 1987-1989 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 22,730 8.04% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 1999-2001 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 17,246 6.10% JPM Higher Education Age Based Portfolio 2002-2004 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 15,692 5.55% Custodian --------- State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, acts as the Fund's Custodian for the assets of the Fund but plays no part in deciding on the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Directors, State Street may enter into subcustodial agreements for the holding of the Fund's foreign securities. Principal Underwriter --------------------- ABIRM, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter of shares of the Portfolio, and as such may solicit orders from the public to purchase shares of the Portfolio. Under the Agreement, the Fund has agreed to indemnify the Principal Underwriter, in the absence of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Counsel ------- Legal matters in connection with the issuance of the shares of the Fund offered hereby are passed upon by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York. Independent Auditors -------------------- Ernst & Young LLP, 5 Times Square, New York, New York, 10036, has been appointed as independent auditors for the Fund. Additional Information ---------------------- Any shareholder inquiries may be directed to the shareholder's financial intermediary or other financial adviser or to AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the front cover of this SAI. This SAI does not contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement filed by the Fund with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statement may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS ----------------------------------------------------------------- The financial statements of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. - AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended September 30, 2003 and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, the independent auditors, are incorporated herein by reference to the Fund's annual report. The annual report was filed on Form N-CSR with the Commission on January 9, 2004. It is available without charge upon request by calling AGIS at (800) 227-4618. ----------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX A: STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR VOTING PROXIES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction ------------ As a registered investment adviser, Alliance Capital Management L.P. ("Alliance Capital", "we" or "us") has a fiduciary duty to act solely in the best interests of our clients. As part of this duty, we recognize that we must vote client securities in a timely manner and make voting decisions that are in the best interests of our clients. This statement is intended to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It sets forth our policies and procedures for voting proxies for our discretionary investment advisory clients, including investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This statement is applicable to Alliance Capital's growth and value investment groups investing on behalf of clients in both U.S. and global securities. Proxy Policies -------------- This statement is designed to be responsive to the wide range of subjects that can have a significant effect on the investment value of the securities held in our clients' accounts. These policies are not exhaustive due to the variety of proxy voting issues that we may be required to consider. Alliance Capital reserves the right to depart from these guidelines in order to avoid voting decisions that we believe may be contrary to our clients' best interests. In reviewing proxy issues, we will apply the following general policies: Elections of Directors: Unless there is a proxy fight for seats on the Board or we determine that there are other compelling reasons for withholding votes for directors, we will vote in favor of the management proposed slate of directors. That said, we believe that directors have a duty to respond to shareholder actions that have received significant shareholder support. We may withhold votes for directors that fail to act on key issues such as failure to implement proposals to declassify boards, failure to implement a majority vote requirement, failure to submit a rights plan to a shareholder vote and failure to act on tender offers where a majority of shareholders have tendered their shares. In addition, we will withhold votes for directors who fail to attend at least seventy-five percent of board meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. Finally, we may withhold votes for directors of non-U.S. issuers where there is insufficient information about the nominees disclosed in the proxy statement. Appointment of Auditors: Alliance Capital believes that the company remains in the best position to choose the auditors and will generally support management's recommendation. However, we recognize that there may be inherent conflicts when a company's independent auditor performs substantial non-audit related services for the company. Therefore, we may vote against the appointment of auditors if the fees for non-audit related services are disproportionate to the total audit fees paid by the company or there are other reasons to question the independence of the company's auditors. Changes in Capital Structure: Changes in a company's charter, articles of incorporation or by-laws are often technical and administrative in nature. Absent a compelling reason to the contrary, Alliance Capital will cast its votes in accordance with the company's management on such proposals. However, we will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis any non-routine proposals that are likely to affect the structure and operation of the company or have a material economic effect on the company. For example, we will generally support proposals to increase authorized common stock when it is necessary to implement a stock split, aid in a restructuring or acquisition or provide a sufficient number of shares for an employee savings plan, stock option or executive compensation plan. However, a satisfactory explanation of a company's intentions must be disclosed in the proxy statement for proposals requesting an increase of greater than one hundred percent of the shares outstanding. We will oppose increases in authorized common stock where there is evidence that the shares will be used to implement a poison pill or another form of anti-takeover device, or if the issuance of new shares could excessively dilute the value of the outstanding shares upon issuance. Corporate Restructurings, Mergers and Acquisitions: Alliance Capital believes proxy votes dealing with corporate reorganizations are an extension of the investment decision. Accordingly, we will analyze such proposals on a case-by-case basis, weighing heavily the views of the research analysts that cover the company and the investment professionals managing the portfolios in which the stock is held. Proposals Affecting Shareholder Rights: Alliance Capital believes that certain fundamental rights of shareholders must be protected. We will generally vote in favor of proposals that give shareholders a greater voice in the affairs of the company and oppose any measure that seeks to limit those rights. However, when analyzing such proposals we will weigh the financial impact of the proposal against the impairment of shareholder rights. Corporate Governance: Alliance Capital recognizes the importance of good corporate governance in ensuring that management and the board of directors fulfill their obligations to the shareholders. We favor proposals promoting transparency and accountability within a company. For example, we will vote for proposals providing for equal access to proxies, a majority of independent directors on key committees, and separating the positions of chairman and chief executive officer. Anti-Takeover Measures: Alliance Capital believes that measures that impede takeovers or entrench management not only infringe on the rights of shareholders but may also have a detrimental effect on the value of the company. We will generally oppose proposals, regardless of whether they are advanced by management or shareholders, the purpose or effect of which is to entrench management or dilute shareholder ownership. Conversely, we support proposals that would restrict or otherwise eliminate anti-takeover measures that have already been adopted by corporate issuers. For example, we will support shareholder proposals that seek to require the company to submit a shareholder rights plan to a shareholder vote. We will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to completely redeem or eliminate such plans. Furthermore, we will generally oppose proposals put forward by management (including blank check preferred stock, classified boards and supermajority vote requirements) that appear to be intended as management entrenchment mechanisms. Executive Compensation: Alliance Capital believes that company management and the compensation committee of the board of directors should, within reason, be given latitude to determine the types and mix of compensation and benefit awards offered. Whether proposed by a shareholder or management, we will review proposals relating to executive compensation plans on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the long-term interests of management and shareholders are properly aligned. We will analyze the proposed plans to ensure that shareholder equity will not be excessively diluted, the option exercise price is not below market price on the date of grant and an acceptable number of employees are eligible to participate in such programs. We will generally oppose plans that permit repricing of underwater stock options without shareholder approval. Other factors such as the company's performance and industry practice will generally be factored into our analysis. We will support proposals to submit severance packages triggered by a change in control to a shareholder vote and proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive compensation. Finally, we will support shareholder proposals requiring companies to expense stock options because we view them as a large corporate expense. Social and Corporate Responsibility: Alliance Capital will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis proposals relating to social, political and environmental issues to determine whether they will have a financial impact on shareholder value. We will vote against proposals that are unduly burdensome or result in unnecessary and excessive costs to the company. We may abstain from voting on social proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. Proxy Voting Committees ----------------------- Our growth and value investment groups have formed separate proxy voting committees to establish general proxy policies for Alliance Capital and consider specific proxy voting matters as necessary. These committees periodically review new types of corporate governance issues, evaluate proposals not covered by these policies and recommend how we should generally vote on such issues. In addition, the committees, in conjunction with the analyst that covers the company, contact management and interested shareholder groups as necessary to discuss proxy issues. Members of the committees include senior investment personnel and representatives of the Corporate Legal Department. The committees may also evaluate proxies where we face a potential conflict of interest (as discussed below). Finally, the committees monitor adherence to guidelines, industry trends and review the policies contained in this statement from time to time. Conflicts of Interest --------------------- Alliance Capital recognizes that there may be a potential conflict of interest when we vote a proxy solicited by an issuer whose retirement plan we manage, whose retirement plan we administer, or with whom we have another business or personal relationship that may affect how we vote on the issuer's proxy. We believe that centralized management of proxy voting, oversight by the proxy voting committees and adherence to these policies ensures that proxies are voted with only our clients' best interests in mind. That said, we have implemented additional procedures to ensure that our votes are not the product of a conflict of interests, including: (i) requiring anyone involved in the decision making process to disclose to the chairman of the appropriate proxy committee any potential conflict that they are aware of and any contact that they have had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; (ii) prohibiting employees involved in the decision making process or vote administration from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties; and (iii) where a material conflict of interests exists, reviewing our proposed vote by applying a series of objective tests and, where necessary, considering the views of a third party research service to ensure that our voting decision is consistent with our clients' best interests. For example, if our proposed vote is consistent with our stated proxy voting policy, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy but is also contrary to management's recommendation, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation, and is also consistent with the views of an independent source, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation and is contrary to the views of an independent source, the proposal is reviewed by the appropriate proxy committee for final determination. Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers ----------------------------------- Proxy voting in certain countries requires "share blocking." Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting (usually one-week) with a designated depositary. During this blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares are returned to the clients' custodian banks. Alliance Capital may determine that the value of exercising the vote does not outweigh the detriment of not being able to transact in the shares during this period. Accordingly, if share blocking is required we may abstain from voting those shares. In such a situation we would have determined that the cost of voting exceeds the expected benefit to the client. Proxy Voting Records -------------------- Clients may obtain information about how we voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their Alliance Capital administrative representative. Alternatively, clients may make a written request for proxy voting information to: Mark R. Manley, Senior Vice President & Acting General Counsel, Alliance Capital Management L.P., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. 00250.0015 #472450 [LOGO] ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN BOND FUND, INC. -ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN QUALITY BOND PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- c/o Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc. P. O. Box 786003, San Antonio, Texas 78278-6003 Toll Free: (800) 221-5672 For Literature: Toll Free (800) 227-4618 ----------------------------------------------------------------- STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION February 2, 2004 (as amended November 10, 2004) ----------------------------------------------------------------- This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus but supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus, dated February 2, 2004, for the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio (the "Portfolio") of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") that offers Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio (the "Prospectus"). Financial statements for the Portfolio for the year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003 are included in the Portfolio's annual report to shareholders and are incorporated into the SAI by reference. Copies of the Prospectus and the Portfolio's annual report may be obtained by contacting Alliance Global Investor Services, Inc., ("AGIS") at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown above. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- Page ---- Description of the Portfolio Management of the Fund Expenses of the Fund Purchase of Shares Redemption and Repurchase of Shares Shareholder Services Net Asset Value Portfolio Transactions Dividends, Distributions and Taxes General Information Financial Statements and Report of Independent Auditors Appendix A: Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts and Foreign Currencies A-1 Appendix B: Statement of Policies and Procedures for Voting Proxies B-1 -------- SM: This service mark is used under license from the owner. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION OF THE PORTFOLIO ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction to the Fund ------------------------ The Fund is an open-end management investment company whose shares are offered in separate series referred to as portfolios. Each portfolio is a separate pool of assets constituting, in effect, a separate fund with its own investment objective policies. A shareholder in the portfolio will be entitled to his or her pro-rata share of all dividends and distributions arising from that portfolio's assets and, upon redeeming shares of that portfolio, the shareholder will receive the then current net asset value of that portfolio represented by the redeemed shares. (See "Purchase and Sale of Shares" in the Prospectus.) The Fund is empowered to establish, without shareholder approval, additional portfolios that may have different investment objectives. The Fund currently has three portfolios: the AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio (the "Portfolio"), which is described in this SAI, the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio and the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio, each of which is described in a separate statement of additional information. Copies of the prospectuses and statements of additional information for either the AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio or the AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. The Portfolio ------------- Except as otherwise indicated, the Portfolio's investment policies are not designated "fundamental policies" and, therefore, may be changed by the Board of Directors without a shareholder vote. However, the Portfolio will not change its investment policies without contemporaneous written notice to its shareholders. The Portfolio's investment objective may not be changed without shareholder approval. There can be, of course, no assurance that the Portfolio will achieve its investment objective. Investment Objective -------------------- The investment objective of the Portfolio is high current income consistent with preservation of capital by investing in investment grade fixed-income securities. How the Portfolio Pursues Its Objective --------------------------------------- The Portfolio invests in readily marketable securities with relatively attractive yields that do not involve undue risk of loss of capital. Under normal circumstances, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets in bonds and other debt securities. This policy may not be changed without 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders. For purposes of this policy, net assets include any borrowings for investment purposes. The Portfolio normally invests all of its assets in securities that are rated at least BBB- by Standard & Poor's Ratings Service ("S&P") or Baaa3 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or, if unrated, are of comparable quality. The Portfolio normally maintains an average aggregate quality rating of its portfolio securities of at least A (S&P and Moody's). The Portfolio has the flexibility to invest in long- and short-term fixed-income securities (including debt securities, convertible debt securities and U.S. Government obligations) and preferred stocks based on the assessment of Alliance Capital Management L.P. (the "Investment Adviser" or "Alliance") of prospective cyclical interest rate changes. In the event that the credit rating of a security held by the Portfolio falls below investment grade (or, if in the case of unrated securities, the Investment Adviser determines that the quality of a security has deteriorated below investment grade), the Portfolio will not be obligated to dispose of that security and may continue to hold the security if, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, such investment is appropriate in the circumstances. Additional Investment Policies and Practices -------------------------------------------- The following additional investment policies supplement those set forth in the Prospectus. U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, supported only by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or backed only by the credit of the issuing agency itself. These securities include: (i) the following U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance: U.S. Treasury bills (maturities of one year or less with no interest paid and hence issued at a discount and repaid at full face value upon maturity), U.S. Treasury notes (maturities of one to ten years with interest payable every six months) and U.S. Treasury bonds (generally maturities of greater than ten years with interest payable every six months); (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Farmers Home Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Export-Import Bank, the General Services Administration and the Small Business Administration; and (iii) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities that are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, such as securities issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), and governmental collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs"). The maturities of the U.S. Government securities listed in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above usually range from three months to 30 years. Such securities, except GNMA certificates, normally provide for periodic payments of interest in fixed amount with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. U.S. Government securities also include zero coupon securities and principal-only securities and certain stripped mortgage-related securities ("SMRS"). In addition, other U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an interest-only ("IO") class and a principal-only ("PO") class. Although these stripped securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be illiquid. Guarantees of securities by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities guarantee only the payment of principal and interest on the securities, and do not guarantee the securities' yield or value or the yield or value of the shares of the Portfolio that holds the securities. U.S. Government securities are considered among the safest of fixed-income investments. As a result, however, their yields are generally lower than the yields available from other fixed-income securities. Securities issued by GNMA ("GNMA Certificates") differ in certain respects from other U.S. Government securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. GNMA Certificates are mortgage-backed securities representing part ownership of a pool of mortgage loans. These loans -- issued by lenders such as mortgage bankers, commercial banks and savings and loan-associations -- are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A "pool" or group of such mortgages is assembled and, after being approved by GNMA, is offered to investors through securities dealers. Once approved by GNMA, the timely payment of interest and principal on each mortgage is guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States. GNMA Certificates also differ from other U.S. Government securities in that principal is paid back monthly by the borrower over the term of the loan rather than returned in a lump sum at maturity. GNMA Certificates are called "pass-through" securities because both interest and principal payments (including pre-payments) are passed through to the holder of the Certificate. In addition to GNMA Certificates, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued by the FNMA and by the FHLMC. FNMA, a federally chartered and privately-owned corporation, issues mortgage-backed pass-through securities which are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA. FHLMC, a corporate instrumentality of the United States whose stock is owned by the Federal Home Loan Banks, issues participation certificates which represent an interest in mortgages from FHLMC's portfolio. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and the ultimate collection of principal. Securities guaranteed by FNMA and FHLMC are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. If other fixed or variable rate pass-through mortgage-backed securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities are developed in the future, the Portfolio reserves the right to invest in them. The Investment Adviser will, consistent with the Portfolio's investment objectives, policies, and quality standards, consider making investments in new types of mortgage-related securities as such securities are developed and offered to investors. The Portfolio may invest in zero coupon Treasury securities, which consist of Treasury bills or the principal components of U.S. Treasury bonds or notes. The Portfolio may also invest in zero coupon securities issued by U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, which consist of the principal components of securities of U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life. An investor acquires a zero coupon security at a price which is generally an amount based upon its present value, and which, depending upon the time remaining until maturity, may be significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a "deep discount" price). Upon maturity of the zero coupon security, the investor receives the face value of the security. Currently, the only U.S. Treasury security issued without coupons is the Treasury bill. The zero coupon securities purchased by the Portfolio may consist of principal components held in STRIPS form issued through the U.S. Treasury's STRIPS program, which permits the beneficial ownership of the component to be recorded directly in the Treasury book-entry system. In addition, in the last few years a number of banks and brokerage firms have separated ("stripped") the principal portions ("corpus") from the coupon portions of the U.S. Treasury bonds and notes and sold them separately in the form of receipts or certificates representing undivided interests in these instruments (which instruments are generally held by a bank in a custodial or trust account). The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") has indicated that, in its view, these receipts or certificates should be considered as securities issued by the bank or brokerage firm involved and, therefore, unlike those obligations issued under the U.S. Treasury's STRIPS program, should not be included in the Fund's categorization of U.S. Government Securities. The Fund disagrees with the staff's interpretation but has undertaken that it will not invest in such securities until final resolution of the issue. However, if such securities are deemed to be U.S. Government Securities, the Portfolio will not be subject to any limitations on their purchase. Zero coupon securities do not entitle the holder to any periodic payments of interest prior to maturity. Accordingly, such securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and will be subject to greater fluctuations of market value in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities which make periodic distributions of interest. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. As a result, in order to make the distributions necessary for the Portfolio not to be subject to federal income or excise taxes, the Portfolio might be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, obtained by liquidation of portfolio securities or borrowings if necessary, greater than the total amount of cash that the Portfolio has actually received as interest during the year. The Portfolio believes, however, that it is highly unlikely that it would be necessary to liquidate portfolio securities or borrow money in order to make such required distributions or to meet its investment objective. The Portfolio may invest in SMRS, which are derivative multi-class mortgage-related securities. The Portfolio will only invest in SMRS that are issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. SMRS in which the Portfolio may invest are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of GNMA Certificates ("Mortgage Assets"). A common type of SMRS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the Mortgage Assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the IO class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the PO class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying Mortgage Assets, and a rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a material adverse effect on the yield to maturity of the IO class. The rate of principal prepayment will change as the general level of interest rates fluctuates. If the underlying Mortgage Assets experience greater than anticipated principal prepayments, the Portfolio may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities. Due to their structure and underlying cash flows, SMRS, may be more volatile than mortgage-related securities that are not stripped. In addition, other U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities have issued stripped securities that are similar to SMRS. Such securities include those that are issued with an IO class and a PO class. Although these stripped securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be illiquid. However, these securities will be treated as liquid provided they are so determined by, or under procedures approved by, the Board of Directors. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations and Multi-Class Pass-Through Securities. Mortgage-related securities in which the Portfolio may invest may also include CMOs and multi-class pass-through securities. CMOs are debt obligations issued by special purpose entities that are secured by mortgage-backed certificates, including, in many cases, certificates issued by governmental and government-related guarantors, including GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC, together with certain funds and other collateral. Multi-class pass-through securities are equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage loans or other mortgage-related securities. Payments of principal and interest on underlying collateral provide the funds to pay debt service on the CMO or make scheduled distributions on the multi-class pass-through security. CMOs and multi-class pass-through securities (collectively CMOs unless the context indicates otherwise) may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the United States Government or by private organizations. The issuer of a CMO may elect to be treated as a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit ("REMIC"). In a CMO, a series of bonds or certificates is issued in multiple classes. Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date. Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of a CMO on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis. The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways. The staff of the Commission has determined that certain issuers of CMOs are investment companies for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). In reliance on a 1991 staff interpretation, the Portfolio's investments in certain qualifying CMOs, including REMICs, are not subject to the 1940 Act's limitation on acquiring interests in other investment companies. In order to be able to rely on the staff's interpretation, the CMOs must be unmanaged, fixed-asset issuers that (i) invest primarily in mortgage-backed securities, (ii) do not issue redeemable securities, (iii) operate under general exemptive orders exempting them from all provisions of the 1940 Act, and (iv) are not registered or regulated under the 1940 Act as investment companies. To the extent that the Portfolio selects CMOs that do not meet the above requirements, the Portfolio may not invest more than 10% of its assets in all such entities and may not acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any single such entity. In addition, the Portfolio may invest in mortgage-backed bonds. Mortgage-backed bonds are general obligations of the issuer fully collateralized directly or indirectly by a pool of mortgages. These mortgages serve as collateral for the issuer's payment obligations on the mortgage-backed bonds but interest and principal payments on the mortgages are not passed through directly (as with GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC pass-through securities) or on a modified basis (as with CMOs). Accordingly, a change in the rate of prepayments on the pool of mortgages could change the effective maturity of a CMO but not the effective maturity of a mortgage-backed bond (although, like many bonds, mortgage-backed bonds may be callable by the issuer prior to maturity). It is expected that governmental, government-related or private entities may create mortgage loan pools and other mortgage-backed securities offering mortgage pass-through and mortgage-collateralized investments in addition to those described above. Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers, and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. In addition, such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-backed securities. Pools created by nongovernmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because of the absence of direct or indirect government or agency guarantors. Timely payment of interest and principal with respect to these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance, and letters of credit. The insurance, guarantees, and creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-backed security meets the Portfolio's investment quality standards. There is no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. Commercial mortgage-backed securities are securities that represent an interest in, or are secured by, mortgage loans secured by multifamily or commercial properties, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, and cooperative apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals and senior living centers. Commercial mortgage-backed securities have been issued in public and private transactions by a variety of public and private issuers using a variety of structures, some of which were developed in the residential mortgage context, including multi-class structures featuring senior and subordinated classes. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may pay fixed or floating-rates of interest. The commercial mortgage loans that underlie commercial mortgage-related securities have certain distinct risk characteristics. Commercial mortgage loans generally lack standardized terms, which may complicate their structure, tend to have shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans and may not be fully amortizing. Commercial properties themselves tend to be unique and are more difficult to value than single-family residential properties. In addition, commercial properties, particularly industrial and warehouse properties, are subject to environmental risks and the burdens and costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Certain Risks. The value of mortgage-related securities is affected by a number of factors. Unlike traditional debt securities, which have fixed maturity dates, mortgage-related securities may be paid earlier than expected as a result of prepayments of underlying mortgages. Such prepayments generally occur during periods of falling mortgage interest rates. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in the early payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event, the Portfolio may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related securities in investments that provide as high a yield as the mortgage-related securities. Early payments associated with mortgage-related securities cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than is experienced by traditional fixed-income securities. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by the level of general interest rates, general economic conditions and other social and demographic factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related securities. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective life of mortgage-related securities, subjecting them to greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates. If the life of a mortgage-related security is inaccurately predicted, the Portfolio may not be able to realize the rate of return it expected. Commercial mortgage-related securities, like all fixed-income securities, generally decline in value as interest rates rise. Moreover, although generally the value of fixed-income securities increases during periods of falling interest rates, this inverse relationship is not as marked in the case of single-family residential mortgage-related securities, due to the increased likelihood of prepayments during periods of falling interest rates, and may not be as marked in the case of commercial mortgage-related securities. The process used to rate commercial mortgage-related securities may focus on, among other factors, the structure of the security, the quality and adequacy of collateral and insurance, and the creditworthiness of the originators, servicing companies and providers of credit support. Although the market for mortgage-related securities is becoming increasingly liquid, those issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. In particular, the secondary markets for CMOs, IOs and POs may be more volatile and less liquid than those for other mortgage-related securities, thereby potentially limiting the Portfolio's ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time. In addition, the rating agencies have not had experience in rating commercial mortgage-related securities through different economic cycles and in monitoring such ratings on a longer term basis. As with fixed-income securities generally, the value of mortgage-related securities can also be adversely affected by increases in general interest rates relative to the yield provided by such securities. Such an adverse effect is especially possible with fixed-rate mortgage securities. If the yield available on other investments rises above the yield of the fixed-rate mortgage securities as a result of general increases in interest rate levels, the value of the mortgage-related securities will decline. Other Asset-Backed Securities. In general, the collateral supporting asset-backed securities is of shorter maturity than mortgage loans and is less likely to experience unexpected levels of prepayments. As with mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties and use similar credit enhancement techniques. The Portfolio may purchase asset-backed securities that represent fractional interests in pools of retail installment loans, both secured (such as Certificates for Automobile Receivables) and unsecured, leases or revolving credit receivables, both secured and unsecured (such as Credit Card Receivable Securities). Underlying retail installment loans, leases or revolving credit receivables are subject to prepayment, which may reduce the overall return to certificate holders. Certificate holders may also experience delay in payment on the certificates if the full amounts due on underlying retail installment loans, leases or revolving credit receivables are not realized by the Portfolio because of unanticipated legal or administrative costs of enforcing the contracts, retail installment loans, leases or revolving credit receivables, or because of depreciation or damage to the collateral (usually automobiles) securing certain contracts, retail installment loans, leases or revolving credit receivables, or other factors. If consistent with its investment objective and policies, the Portfolio may invest in other asset-backed securities that may be developed in the future. Options. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options written by others and write covered put and call options overlying the types of securities in which the Portfolio may invest. A put option (sometimes called a "standby commitment") gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to deliver a specified amount of a security to the writer of the option on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. A call option (sometimes called a "reverse standby commitment") gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to call upon the writer to deliver a specified amount of a security on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options to provide protection against adverse price or yield effects from anticipated changes in prevailing interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling bond prices, the Portfolio might purchase a put option to limit its exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising bond prices, the Portfolio might purchase a call option. In purchasing a call option, the Portfolio would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the security increased by an amount in excess of the premium paid. It would realize a loss if the price of the security declined or remained the same or did not increase during the period by more than the amount of the premium. By purchasing a put option, the Portfolio would be in a position to realize a gain if, during the option period, the price of the security declined by an amount in excess of the premium paid. It would realize a loss if the price of the security increased or remained the same or did not decrease during that period by more than the amount of the premium. If a put or call option purchased by the Portfolio were permitted to expire without being sold or exercised, its premium would represent a loss to the Portfolio. When the Portfolio writes a put option, it must either own at all times during the option period an offsetting put option on the same security or maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid assets in an amount adequate to purchase the underlying security should the put be exercised. When the Portfolio writes a call option, it must own at all times during the option period either the underlying securities or an offsetting call option on the same securities. If a put option written by the Portfolio were exercised, the Portfolio would be obligated to purchase the underlying security at the exercise price. If a call option written by the Portfolio were exercised, the Portfolio would be obligated to sell the underlying security at the exercise price. The Portfolio may write put options either to earn additional income in the form of option premiums (anticipating that the price of the underlying security will remain stable or rise during the option period and the option will therefore not be exercised) or to acquire the underlying security at a net cost below the current value (e.g., the option is exercised because of a decline in the price of the underlying security, but the amount paid by the Portfolio, offset by the option premium, is less than the current price). The Portfolio will write covered call options both to reduce the risks associated with certain of its investments and to increase total investment return through the receipt of premiums. In return for the premium income, the Portfolio will give up the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price so long as its obligations under the contract continue, except insofar as the premium represents a profit. Moreover, in writing the call option, the Portfolio will retain the risk of loss should the price of the security decline. The premium is intended to offset that loss in whole or in part. Unlike the situation in which the Portfolio owns securities not subject to a call option, the Portfolio, in writing call options, must assume that the call may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration of its obligation as a writer, and that in such circumstances the net proceeds realized from the sale of the underlying securities pursuant to the call may be substantially below the prevailing market price. The risk involved in writing a put option is that there could be a decrease in the market value of the underlying security caused by rising interest rates or other factors. If this occurred, the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold to the Portfolio at a higher price than its current market value. The risk involved in writing a call option is that there could be an increase in the market value of the underlying security caused by declining interest rates or other factors. If this occurred, the option could be exercised and the underlying security would then be sold by the Portfolio at a lower price than its current market value. These risks could be reduced by entering into a closing transaction as described below. The Portfolio retains the premium received from writing a put or call option whether or not the option is exercised. The Portfolio may also write covered call options for cross-hedging purposes. A call option is for cross-hedging purposes if it is designed to provide a hedge against a decline in value in another security which the Portfolio owns or has the right to acquire. In such circumstances, the Portfolio collateralizes the option by maintaining, in a segregated account with the Custodian, liquid assets in an amount not less than the market value of the underlying security, marked to market daily. The Portfolio may dispose of an option that it has purchased by entering into a "closing sale transaction" with the writer of the option. A closing sale transaction terminates the obligation of the writer of the option and does not result in the ownership of an option. The Portfolio realizes a profit or loss from a closing sale transaction if the premium received from the transaction is more than or less than the cost of the option. The Portfolio may terminate its obligation to the holder of an option written by the Portfolio through a "closing purchase transaction." The Portfolio may not, however, effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to such an option after it has been notified of the exercise of such option. The Portfolio realizes a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is more than or less than the premium received by the Portfolio from writing the option. A closing purchase transaction for exchange-traded options may be made only on a national securities exchange. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on a national securities exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options, such as over-the-counter options, no secondary market on a national securities exchange may exist. If the Portfolio is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction, the Portfolio will not sell the underlying security until the option expires or the Portfolio delivers the underlying security upon exercise. The Portfolio may purchase or write options in negotiated transactions. The Portfolio effects such transactions only with investment dealers and other financial institutions (such as commercial banks or savings and loan institutions) deemed creditworthy by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser has also adopted procedures for monitoring the creditworthiness of such entities. Options traded in the over-the-counter market may not be as actively traded as those traded on an exchange. Accordingly, it may be more difficult to value such options. Options purchased or written by the Portfolio in negotiated transactions may be considered illiquid and it may not be possible for the Portfolio to effect a closing purchase transaction at a time when the Investment Adviser believes it would be advantageous to do so. The Portfolio may enter into contracts (or amend existing contracts) with primary dealer(s) with whom it writes over-the-counter options. The contracts will provide that the Portfolio has the absolute right to repurchase an option it writes at any time at a repurchase price which represents the fair market value, as determined in good faith through negotiation between the parties, but which in no event will exceed a price determined pursuant to a formula contained in the contract. Although the specific details of the formula may vary between contracts with different primary dealers, the formula will generally be based on a multiple of the premium received by the Portfolio for writing the option, plus the amount, if any, of the option's intrinsic value (i.e., the amount the option is "in-the-money"). The formula will also include a factor to account for the difference between the price of the security and the strike price of the option if the option is written "out-of-the-money." Although the Portfolio has established standards of creditworthiness for these primary dealers, the Portfolio may still be subject to the risk that firms participating in such transactions will fail to meet their obligations. With respect to agreements concerning the over-the-counter options the Portfolio has written, the Portfolio will treat as illiquid only securities equal in amount to the formula price described above less the amount by which the option is "in-the-money," i.e., the amount by which the price of the option exceeds the exercise price. Options on Securities Indices. The Portfolio may purchase put and call options and write covered put and call options on securities indexes for the purpose of hedging against the risk of unfavorable price movements adversely affecting the value of the Portfolio's securities or securities it intends to purchase. An option on a securities index is similar to an option on a security except that, rather than the right to take or make delivery of a security at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the chosen index is greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. A call option on a securities index is considered covered, for example, if, so long as the Portfolio is obligated as the writer of the call, it holds securities the price changes of which are, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, expected to replicate substantially the movement of the index or indexes upon which the options written by the Portfolio are based. A put on a securities index written by the Portfolio will be considered covered if, so long as it is obligated as the writer of the put, the Portfolio segregates with its custodian liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option. Through the purchase of listed index options, the Portfolio could achieve many of the same objectives as through the use of options on individual securities. Price movements in the Portfolio's securities probably will not correlate perfectly with movements in the level of the index and, therefore, the Portfolio would bear a risk of loss on index options purchased by it if favorable price movements of the hedged portfolio securities do not equal or exceed losses on the options, or if adverse price movements of the hedged portfolio securities are greater than gains realized from the options. Futures Contracts and Options Thereon. The Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and related options on debt securities and on indexes of debt securities to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates that might otherwise have an adverse effect on the value of its assets or assets it intends to acquire. The Portfolio may also enter into futures contracts and related options on foreign currencies in order to limit its exchange rate risk. A "sale" of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to deliver the securities called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. A "purchase" of a futures contract means the incurring of a contractual obligation to acquire the securities called for by the contract at a specified price on a specified date. The purchaser of a futures contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the contract and the price at which the contract was originally struck. All futures contracts and related options will be traded on exchanges that are licensed and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). The Portfolio will only write options on futures contracts which are "covered." These investment techniques will be used only to hedge against anticipated future changes in interest or exchange rates which otherwise might either adversely affect the value of the Portfolio's securities or adversely affect the prices of securities which the Portfolio intends to purchase at a later date. These investment techniques will not be used for speculation. The Portfolio has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under that Act. In instances involving the purchase of futures contracts or the writing of put options thereon by the Portfolio, an amount of liquid assets equal to the cost of such futures contracts or options written (less any related margin deposits) will be deposited in a segregated account with its custodian, thereby insuring that the use of such futures contracts and options is unleveraged. In instances involving the sale of futures contracts or the writing of call options thereon by the Portfolio, the securities underlying such futures contracts or options will at all times be maintained by the Portfolio or, in the case of index futures and related options, the Portfolio will own securities the price changes of which are, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, expected to replicate substantially the movement of the index upon which the futures contract or option is based. Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held until delivery or cash settlement is required, but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions that may result in a gain or a loss. While futures positions taken by the Portfolio will usually be liquidated in this manner, the Portfolio may instead make or take delivery of underlying securities whenever it appears economically advantageous to the Portfolio to do so. Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on an exchange or a board of trade that provides the market for such futures. Although the Portfolio intends to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be an active market, there is no guarantee that such will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. If there is not a liquid market at a particular time, it may not be possible to close a futures position at such time, and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Portfolio would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of maintenance margin. However, in the event futures positions are used to hedge portfolio securities, the securities will not be sold until the futures positions can be liquidated. In such circumstances, an increase in the price of securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contracts. See Appendix A for further discussion of the use, risks and costs of futures contracts and options on futures contracts. Forward Commitments. The Portfolio may enter into forward commitments for the purchase or sale of securities. Such transactions may include purchases on a "when-issued" basis or purchases or sales on a "delayed delivery" basis. When forward commitment transactions are negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date, normally within four months after the transaction, although delayed settlements beyond four months may be negotiated. Securities purchased or sold under a forward commitment are subject to market fluctuation, and no interest accrues to the purchaser prior to the settlement date. At the time the Portfolio enters into a forward commitment, it will record the transaction and thereafter reflect the value of the security purchased or, if a sale, the proceeds to be received, in determining its net asset value. The use of forward commitments enables the Portfolio to protect against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling bond prices, the Portfolio might sell securities in its portfolio on a forward commitment basis to limit its exposure to falling bond prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising bond prices, the Portfolio might sell a security in its portfolio and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher cash yields. However, if the Investment Adviser were to forecast incorrectly the direction of interest rate movements, the Portfolio might be required to complete such when-issued or forward transactions at prices less favorable than current market values. The Portfolio's right to receive or deliver a security under a forward commitment may be sold prior to the settlement date, but the Portfolio will enter into forward commitments only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, as the case may be. To facilitate such transactions, the Portfolio's custodian will maintain, in the separate account of the Portfolio, liquid assets having value equal to, or greater than, any commitments to purchase securities on a forward commitment basis. If the Portfolio, however, chooses to dispose of the right to receive or deliver a security subject to a forward commitment prior to the settlement date of the transaction, it can incur a gain or loss. In the event the other party to a forward commitment transaction were to default, the Portfolio might lose the opportunity to invest money at favorable rates or to dispose of securities at favorable prices. Although the Portfolio intends to make such purchases for speculative purposes, purchases of securities on such bases may involve more risk than other types of purchases. For example, by committing to purchase securities in the future, the Portfolio subjects itself to a risk of loss on such commitments as well as on its portfolio securities. Also, the Portfolio may have to sell assets that have been set aside in order to meet redemptions. In addition, if the Portfolio determines it is advisable as a matter of investment strategy to sell the forward commitment or when-issued or delayed delivery securities before delivery, the Portfolio may incur a gain or loss because of market fluctuations since the time the commitment to purchase such securities was made. Any such gain or loss would be treated as a capital gain or loss and would be treated for tax purposes as such. When the time comes to pay for the securities to be purchased under a forward commitment or on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, the Portfolio will meet its obligations from the then available cash flow or the sale of securities, or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the forward commitment or when-issued or delayed delivery securities themselves (which may have a value greater or less than the Portfolio's payment obligation). Options On Foreign Currencies. The Portfolio may purchase and write put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. Dollar value of foreign currency-denominated portfolio securities and against increases in the U.S. Dollar cost of such securities to be acquired. As in the case of other kinds of options, however, the writing of an option on a foreign currency constitutes only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received, and the Portfolio could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on a foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against fluctuations in exchange rates although, in the event of rate movements adverse to the Portfolio's position, it may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs. Options on foreign currencies to be written or purchased by the Portfolio are exchange-traded or traded over-the-counter. The Portfolio will write options on foreign currencies only if they are "covered." The Portfolio will not speculate in foreign currency options. Accordingly, the Portfolio will not hedge a currency substantially in excess of the market value of the securities denominated in that currency which it owns or the expected acquisition price of securities which it anticipates purchasing. See Appendix A for further discussion of the use, risks and costs of options on foreign currencies. Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts. The Portfolio may purchase or sell forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forward contracts") to attempt to minimize the risk to the Portfolio of adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. Dollar and foreign currencies. A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency for an agreed price at a future date which is individually negotiated and privately traded by currency traders and their customers. The Portfolio may enter into a forward contract, for example, when it enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency in order to "lock in" the U.S. Dollar price of the security ("transaction hedge"). Additionally, for example, when the Portfolio believes that a foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. Dollar, it may enter into a forward sale contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the Portfolio's securities denominated in such foreign currency, or when the Portfolio believes that the U.S. Dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it may enter into a forward purchase contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount ("position hedge"). In this situation the Portfolio may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different foreign currency for a fixed U.S. Dollar amount where the Portfolio believes that the U.S. Dollar value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. Dollar value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the Portfolio are denominated ("cross-hedge"). To the extent required by applicable law, the Portfolio's Custodian will place liquid assets in a separate account of the Portfolio having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Portfolio's commitments under forward contracts entered into with respect to position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the assets placed in a separate account declines, additional liquid assets will be placed in the account on a daily basis so that the value of the account will equal the amount of the Portfolio's commitments with respect to such contracts. As an alternative to maintaining all or part of the separate account, the Portfolio may purchase a call option permitting the Portfolio to purchase the amount of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale contract at a price no higher than the forward contract price or the Portfolio may purchase a put option permitting the Portfolio to sell the amount of foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a price as high or higher than the forward contract price. In addition, the Portfolio may use such other methods of "cover" as are permitted by applicable law. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for the Portfolio than if it had not entered into such contracts. The use of foreign currency forward contracts will not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying U.S. Dollar equivalent value of the prices of or rates of return on the Portfolio's foreign currency-denominated portfolio securities and the use of such techniques will subject the Portfolio to certain risks. The Portfolio will not speculate in forward currency contracts. The Portfolio will only enter forward foreign currency exchange contracts with counterparties that, in the option of the Investment Adviser, do not present undue credit risk. Generally, such forward contracts will be for a period of less than three months. The matching of the increase in value of a forward contract and the decline in the U.S. Dollar equivalent value of the foreign currency-denominated asset that is the subject of the hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, the Portfolio may not always be able to enter into foreign currency forward contracts at attractive prices and this will limit the Portfolio's ability to use such contract to hedge or cross-hedge its assets. Also, with regard to the Portfolio's use of cross-hedges, there can be no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. Dollar will continue. Thus, at any time poor correlation may exist between movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies underlying the Portfolio's cross-hedges and the movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which the Portfolio's assets that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated. Credit Default Swap Agreements. The "buyer" in a credit default swap contract is obligated to pay the "seller" a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract in return for a contingent payment upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to an underlying reference obligation. Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration or modified restructuring. The Portfolio may be either the buyer or the seller in the transaction. As a seller, the Portfolio receives a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the contract, which typically is between one month and five years, provided that no credit event occurs. If a credit event occurs, the Portfolio typically must pay the contingent payment to the buyer, which is typically the "par value" (full notional value) of the reference obligation. The contingent payment may be a cash settlement or by physical delivery of the reference obligation in return for payment of the face amount of the obligation. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Portfolio may lose its investment and recover nothing. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer typically receives full notional value for a reference obligation that may have little or no value. Credit default swaps may involve greater risks than if the Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly. Credit default swaps are subject to general market risk, liquidity risk and credit risk. As noted above, if the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, it will lose its investment. In addition, the value of the reference obligation received by the Portfolio as a seller if a credit event occurs, coupled with the periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the Portfolio. The Portfolio will not enter into a credit default swap if the swap provides for settlement by physical delivery and such delivery would result in the Portfolio investing in securities rated below BBB or Baa3 or not maintaining an average aggregate credit rating of at least A. Interest Rate Transactions. In order to attempt to protect the value of the Portfolio's investments from interest rate fluctuations, the Portfolio may enter into various hedging transactions, such as interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate caps and floors. The Portfolio expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio. The Portfolio may also enter into these transactions to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Portfolio anticipates purchasing at a later date. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Portfolio with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor. The Portfolio may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will only be entered into on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Portfolio's obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the custodian. The Portfolio will enter into interest rate swap, cap or floor transactions only with counterparties who have credit ratings of at least A (or the equivalent) from any one nationally recognized statistical rating organization or counterparties with guarantors with debt securities having such a rating. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Portfolio will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become well established and provides a degree of liquidity. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which documentation is not as standardized and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps. General. The successful use of the foregoing investment practices draws upon the Investment Adviser's special skills and experience with respect to such instruments and usually depends on the Investment Adviser's ability to forecast interest rate and currency exchange rate movements correctly. Should interest or exchange rates move in an unexpected manner, the Portfolio may not achieve the anticipated benefits of futures contracts or options on futures contracts, options, forward currency contracts, interest rate transactions or forward commitment contracts or may realize losses and thus be in a worse position than if such strategies had not been used. Further, unlike many exchange-traded futures contracts and options on futures contracts, there are no daily price fluctuation limits with respect to options on currencies, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. In addition, the correlation between movements in the prices of such instruments and movements in the values of the securities and currencies hedged will not be perfect and could produce unanticipated losses. The Portfolio's ability to dispose of its position in futures contracts, options, interest rate transaction and forward commitment contracts will depend on the availability of liquid markets in such instruments. Markets for these vehicles with respect to a number of fixed-income securities and currencies are relatively new and still developing. If, for example, a secondary market did not exist with respect to an option purchased or written by the Portfolio over-the-counter, it might not be possible to effect a closing transaction in the option (i.e., dispose of the option) with the result that (i) an option purchased by the Portfolio would have to be exercised in order for the Portfolio to realize any profit and (ii) the Portfolio may not be able to sell portfolio securities covering an option written by the Portfolio until the option expired or it delivered the underlying currency or futures contract upon exercise. If in the event of an adverse movement the Portfolio could not close a futures position, it would be required to continue to make daily cash payments of variation margin. If the Portfolio could not close an option position, an option holder would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising the option, and an option writer would remain obligated until exercise or expiration. Finally, if a broker or clearing member of an options or futures clearing corporation were to become insolvent, the Portfolio could experience delays and might not be able to trade or exercise options or futures purchased through that broker. In addition, the Portfolio could have some or all of their positions closed out without their consent. If substantial and widespread, these insolvencies could ultimately impair the ability of the clearing corporations themselves. No assurance can be given that the Portfolio will be able to utilize these instruments effectively for the purposes set forth above. Lending Of Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the Portfolio may loan its portfolio securities where such loans are continuously secured by cash, marketable securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies, or a standby letter of credit issued by qualified banks equal to no less than the market value, determined daily, of the securities loaned. In loaning its portfolio securities, the Portfolio will require that interest or dividends on securities loaned be paid to the Portfolio. Where voting or consent rights with respect to loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Portfolio will follow the policy of calling the loan, in whole or in part as may be appropriate, to permit it to exercise such voting or consent rights if the exercise of such rights involves issues having a material effect on the Portfolio's investment in the securities loaned. Loans will only be made to firms deemed by the Investment Adviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the Investment Adviser, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk. Securities Ratings. Securities rated Baa are considered by Moody's to have speculative characteristics. Sustained periods of deteriorating economic conditions or rising interest rates are more likely to lead to a weakening in the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in the case of higher-rated securities. The ratings of fixed-income securities by Moody's, S&P, and Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") are a generally accepted barometer of credit risk. They are, however, subject to certain limitations from an investor's standpoint. The rating of an issuer is heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. In addition, there may be varying degrees of difference in credit risk of securities within each rating category. The Investment Adviser will try to reduce the risk inherent in the Portfolio's investment approach through credit analysis, diversification and attention to current developments and trends in interest rates and economic conditions. However, there can be no assurance that losses will not occur. In considering investments for the Portfolio, the Investment Adviser will attempt to identify those high-yielding securities whose financial condition is adequate to meet future obligations, has improved, or is expected to improve in the future. The Investment Adviser's analysis focuses on relative values based on such factors as interest or dividend coverage, asset coverage, earnings prospects, and the experience and managerial strength of the issuer. Non-rated securities will also be considered for investment by the Portfolio when the Investment Adviser believes that the financial condition of the issuers of such securities, or the protection afforded by the terms of the securities themselves, limits the risk to the Portfolio to a degree comparable to that of rated securities which are consistent with the Portfolio's objectives and policies. Illiquid Securities. The Portfolio will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. For this purpose, illiquid securities are securities restricted as to disposition under Federal securities laws and include, among others, (a) direct placements or other securities which are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale or for which there is no readily available market (e.g., trading in the security is suspended or, in the case of unlisted securities, market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers), (b) options purchased by the Portfolio over-the-counter and the cover for options written by the Portfolio over-the-counter and (c) repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation. Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), securities which are otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven days. Securities which have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities. A large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the Securities Act allows a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restriction on resale to the general public. Rule 144A establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. An insufficient number of qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing certain restricted securities held by the Portfolio, however, could affect adversely the marketability of such portfolio securities and the Portfolio might be unable to dispose of such securities promptly or at reasonable prices. The Investment Adviser, acting under the supervision of the Board of Directors, will monitor the liquidity of restricted securities in the Portfolio that are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Investment Adviser will consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers issuing quotations to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) the number of dealers undertaking to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (including its unregistered nature) and the nature of the marketplace for the security (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer); and (6) any applicable Commission interpretation or position with respect to such type of securities. Repurchase Agreements. The Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with member banks of the Federal Reserve System or "primary dealers" (as designated by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York). Under a repurchase agreement, underlying debt instruments are acquired for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week and never more than a year) subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Portfolio to resell the debt instruments at a fixed price and time, thereby determining the yield during the Portfolio's holding period. The Portfolio enters into repurchase agreements with respect to U.S. Government obligations, certificates of deposit, or banker's acceptances with registered broker-dealers, U.S. Government securities dealers or domestic banks whose creditworthiness is determined to be satisfactory by the Investment Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Directors. Generally, the Portfolio does not invest in repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days. Repurchase agreements may exhibit the characteristics of loans by the Portfolio. During the term of the repurchase agreement, the Portfolio retains the security subject to the repurchase agreement as collateral securing the seller's repurchase obligation, continually monitors on a daily basis the market value of the security subject to the agreement and requires the seller to deposit with the Portfolio collateral equal to any amount by which the market value of the security subject to the repurchase agreement falls below the resale amount provided under the repurchase agreement. Investment in Other Investment Companies. The Portfolio may invest in other investment companies whose investment objectives and policies are consistent with those of the Portfolio. If the Portfolio acquires shares in investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Portfolio (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such investment companies (including management and advisory fees). Dollar Rolls. Dollar rolls involve sales by the Portfolio of securities for delivery in the current month and the Portfolio's simultaneously contracting to repurchase substantially similar (same type and coupon) securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Portfolio forgoes principal and interest paid on the securities. The Portfolio is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the "drop") as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Portfolio is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. In the event the buyer of securities under a dollar roll files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Portfolio's use of the proceeds of the agreement may be restricted pending a determination by the other party, or its trustee or receiver, whether to enforce the Portfolio's obligation to repurchase the securities. Under normal circumstances, the Investment Adviser does not expect to engage in dollar rolls with respect to greater than 50% of the Portfolio's total assets. Certain Risk Considerations --------------------------- The value of the Portfolio's shares will be influenced by the factors that generally affect securities, such as the economic and political outlook, earnings, dividends and the supply and demand for various classes of securities. There can be, of course, no assurance that the Portfolio's investment objective will be achieved. Risks of Investments in Foreign Securities. Foreign issuers are subject to accounting and financial standards and requirements that differ, in some cases significantly, from those applicable to U.S. issuers. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a foreign issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had the financial statement been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, for an issuer that keeps accounting records in local currency, inflation accounting rules in some of the countries in which the Portfolio will invest require, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the issuer's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits. Consequently, financial data may be materially affected by restatements for inflation and may not accurately reflect the real condition of those issuers and securities markets. Substantially less information is publicly available about certain non-U.S. issuers than is available about U.S. issuers. Expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, political, economic or social instability or other similar developments, such as military coups, have occurred in the past in countries in which the Portfolio will invest and could adversely affect the Portfolio's assets should these conditions or events recur. Foreign investment in certain foreign securities is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude foreign investment in certain foreign securities and increase the costs and expenses of the Portfolio. Certain countries in which the Portfolio will invest require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment by foreign persons only to a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of the countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. Certain countries other than those on which the Portfolio will focus its investments may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. In addition, if a deterioration occurs in a country's balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. Income from certain investments held by the Portfolio could be reduced by foreign income taxes, including withholding taxes. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance. The Portfolio's net asset value may also be affected by changes in the rates or methods of taxation applicable to the Portfolio or to entities in which the Fund has invested. The Investment Adviser generally will consider the cost of any taxes in determining whether to acquire any particular investments, but can provide no assurance that the tax treatment of investments held by the Portfolio will not be subject to change. For many foreign securities, there are U.S. dollar-denominated American Depository Receipts ("ADRs") which are traded in the United States on exchanges or over-the-counter, are issued by domestic banks or trust companies and which market quotations are readily available. ADRs do not lessen the foreign exchange risk inherent in investing in the securities of foreign issuers. However, by investing in ADRS rather than directly in stock of foreign issuers, the Portfolio can avoid currency risks which might occur during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. The Portfolio may purchase foreign securities directly, as well as through ADRs. Fundamental Investment Policies ------------------------------- The following restrictions supplement those set forth in the Prospectus for the Portfolio. These restrictions may not be changed without shareholder approval which means the vote of (1) 67% or more of the shares of the Portfolio represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio, whichever is less. The following restrictions provide that the Portfolio may not: 1. Issue any senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act (except to the extent that when-issued securities transactions, forward commitments or stand-by commitments may be considered senior securities); 2. Effect a short sale of any security except when it has, by reason of ownership of other securities, the right to obtain securities of equivalent kind and amount that will be held so long as it is in a short position; 3. Underwrite securities issued by other persons except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of its portfolio investments, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal securities laws; 4. Purchase real estate or mortgages; however, the Portfolio may, as appropriate and consistent with its investment policies and other investment restrictions, buy securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities which are secured by interests in real estate (including partnership interests and shares of real estate investment trusts), and may hold and sell real estate acquired as a result of ownership of such securities; 5. Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Portfolio may purchase and sell futures contracts and options on futures contracts (including foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate futures contracts and options), forward commitments and similar contracts; 6. Purchase any security on margin or borrow money, except that this restriction shall not apply to borrowing from banks for temporary purposes, to the pledging of assets to banks in order to transfer funds for various purposes as required without interfering with the orderly liquidation of securities in the Portfolio (but not for leveraging purposes), to margin payments or pledges in connection with options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts or options on foreign currencies, or, transactions in interest rate swaps, caps and floors; or 7. Make loans (including lending cash or securities), except that the Portfolio may make loans of portfolio securities not exceeding 50% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets. This restriction does not prevent the Portfolio from purchasing debt obligations in which the Portfolio may invest consistent with its investment policies, or from buying government obligations, short-term commercial paper, or publicly-traded debt, including bonds, notes, debentures, certificates of deposit and equipment trust certificates, nor does this restriction apply to loans made under insurance policies or through entry into repurchase agreements to the extent they may be viewed as loans. The Portfolio elects not to "concentrate" investments in an industry, as that concept is defined under applicable Federal securities laws. This means that the Portfolio will not make an investment in an industry if that investment would make the Portfolio's holdings in that industry exceed 25% of the Portfolio's assets. The U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities are not considered members of any industry. The Portfolio intends to be "diversified," as that term is defined under the Investment Company Act. In general, this means that the Portfolio will not make an investment unless, when considering all its other investments, 75% of the value of the Portfolio's assets would consist of cash, cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other investment companies and other securities. For the purposes of this restriction, "other securities" are limited for any one issuer to not more than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's total assets and to not more than 10% of the issuer's outstanding voting securities. As a matter of operating policy, the Portfolio will not consider repurchase agreements to be subject to the above-stated 5% limitation if the collateral underlying the repurchase agreements consists exclusively of U.S. Government securities and such repurchase agreements are fully collateralized. Non-Fundamental Restrictions ---------------------------- The following investment restrictions apply to the Portfolio, but are not fundamental. They may be changed for the Portfolio without a vote of the Portfolio's shareholders. The Portfolio will not: 1. Invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities restricted as to disposition under Federal securities laws, or securities otherwise considered illiquid or not readily marketable, including repurchase agreements not terminable within seven days; however, this restriction will not apply to securities sold pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, so long as such securities meet liquidity guidelines established from time to time by the Board of Directors; 2. Trade in foreign exchange. However, the Portfolio may trade in foreign exchange in connection with the settlement of purchases and sales of non-U.S. Dollar-denominated securities for the Portfolio. All foreign exchange exposure resulting from these transactions will be hedged back to U.S. Dollars such that the currency exposure of the Portfolio is neutral to its broad-based securities benchmark (the "Benchmark") at all times. However, to facilitate operational efficiency in hedging the Portfolio's currency exposure, deviations of the Portfolio's exposure to each currency versus that of the Benchmark are permitted provided that the deviations shall not exceed, in aggregate, 1% of the Portfolio's total assets at any time; 3. Acquire securities of any company that is a securities broker or dealer, a securities underwriter, an investment adviser of an investment company, or an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (other than any such company that derives no more than 15% of its gross revenues from securities related activities), except that the Portfolio may purchase bank, trust company, and bank holding company stock, and except that the Portfolio may invest in accordance with Rule 12d3-1 under the Investment Company Act, including up to 5% of its total assets in any such company provided that it owns no more than 5% of the outstanding equity securities of any class plus 10% of the outstanding debt securities of such company or as otherwise provided by Rule 12d3-1; or 4. Make an investment in order to exercise control or management over a company. The foregoing percentage limitations will apply at the time of the purchase of a security and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of an acquisition of such security. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------- Board of Directors Information ------------------------------ The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors. Certain information concerning the Fund's Directors is set forth below.
PORTFOLIOS IN OTHER NAME, AGE, FUND COMPLEX DIRECTOR- ADDRESS OF DIRECTOR PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION(S) OVERSEEN SHIPS HELD (YEARS OF SERVICE*) DURING PAST 5 YEARS BY DIRECTOR BY DIRECTOR ------------------- ------------------- ----------- ----------- INTERESTED DIRECTOR Marc O. Mayer,** 46, Executive Vice 68 None 1345 Avenue of the Americas, President of Alliance New York, NY 10105 (Elected Capital Management November 18, 2003) Corporation ("ACMC") since 2001; prior thereto, Chief Executive Officer of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co") and its predecessor since prior to 1999. DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board William H. Foulk, Jr., #+ 71, Investment adviser and 116 None 2 Sound View Drive, an independent Suite 100, consultant. He was a Greenwich, CT 06830 (5) formerly Senior Manager of Barrett Associates, Inc., a registered investment adviser, with which he had been associated since prior to 1999. He was formerly Deputy Comptroller and Chief Investment Officer of the State of New York and, prior thereto, Chief Investment Officer of the New York Bank for Savings. Ruth Block,***#+ 73, Formerly Executive Vice 96 None 500 SE Mizner Blvd., President and Chief Boca Raton, FL 33432 (15) Insurance Officer of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Evlico; a Director of Avon, BP (oil and gas), Ecolab Incorporated (specialty chemicals), Tandem Financial Group and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation; former Governor at Large, National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. David H. Dievler,#+ 74, Independent consultant. 100 None P.O. Box 167, Until December 1994 he Spring Lake, NJ 07762 (15) was Senior Vice President of ACMC responsible for mutual fund administration. Prior to joining ACMC in 1984 he was Chief Financial Officer of Eberstadt Asset Management since 1968. Prior to that he was a Senior Manager at Price Waterhouse & Co. Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 1953. John H. Dobkin,#+ 61, Consultant. Formerly 98 None P.O. Box 12, President of Save Annandale, NY 12504 (5) Venice, Inc. (preservation organization) from 2001-2002; a Senior Advisor from June 1999- June 2000 and President of Historic Hudson Valley (historic preservation) from December 1989-May 1999. Previously, Director of the National Academy of Design and during 1988-1992, Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of ACMC. Donald J. Robinson, Senior Counsel to the 96 None #+ 69, law firm of Orrick, 98 Hell's Peak Road, Herrington & Sutcliffe Weston, VT 05161 (6) LLP since prior to 1999. Formerly a senior partner and a member of the Executive Committee of that firm. He was also a member and Chairman of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and a Trustee of the Museum of the City of New York.
-------- * There is no stated term of office for the Fund's Directors. ** Mr. Mayer is an "interested person", as defined in the 1940 Act, due to his position as Executive Vice President of ACMC. *** Ms. Block is currently a disinterested director. Prior to October 21, 2004 Ms. Block owned 116 American Depository Shares of AXA, which is a controlling person of the Fund's Adviser, with a valuation as of December 31, 2003 of $2,396 (constituting less than 0.01% of the American Depository Shares). Ms. Block received these shares over ten years ago as a result of the demutualization of The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. During the time Ms. Block owned these shares, she was an "interested person" of the Adviser under the 1940 Act and would not have been a "disinterested director." # Member of the Audit Committee. + Member of the Nominating Committee. The Fund's Board of Directors has two standing committees of the Board -- an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee. The members of the Audit and Nominating Committees are identified above. The function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its oversight of the Portfolio's financial reporting process. The Audit Committee met four times during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The function of the Nominating Committee is to nominate persons to fill any vacancies or newly created positions on the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee did not meet during the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year. The Nominating Committee has a charter and, pursuant to the charter, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates for nomination as a director submitted by a shareholder or group of shareholders who have owned at least 5% of the Portfolio's common stock for at least two years at the time of submission and who timely provide specified information about the candidates and the nominating shareholder or group. To be timely for consideration by the Nominating Committee, the submission, including all required information, must be submitted in writing to the attention of the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Fund not less than 120 days before the date of the proxy statement for the previous year's annual meeting of shareholders. If the Fund did not hold an annual meeting of shareholders in the previous year, the Fund will make a public notice specifying the deadline for the submission. The Fund will make the public notice at least 30 days prior to the deadline for the submission, which is expected to be approximately 120 days prior to the anticipated date of the proxy statement for the annual meeting. The Fund may make the public notice in a shareholder report or other mailing to shareholders or by other means deemed by the Nominating Committee or the Board to be reasonably calculated to inform shareholders. Shareholders submitting a candidate for consideration by the Nominating Committee must provide the following information to the Nominating Committee: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, date of birth, business address and residence address of the candidate; (B) any position or business relationship of the candidate, currently or within the preceding five years, with the shareholder or an associated person of the shareholder as defined below; (C) the class or series and number of all shares of the Portfolio owned of record or beneficially by the candidate; (D) any other information regarding the candidate that is required to be disclosed about a nominee in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies for election of Directors pursuant to Section 20 of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (E) whether the shareholder believes that the candidate is or will be an "interested person" of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if believed not to be an "interested person," information regarding the candidate that will be sufficient for the Fund to make such determination; and (F) information as to the candidate's knowledge of the investment company industry, experience as a director or senior officer of public companies, directorships on the boards of other registered investment companies and educational background; (ii) the written and signed consent of the candidate to be named as a nominee and to serve as a Director if elected; (iii) the written and signed agreement of the candidate to complete a directors' and officers' questionnaire if elected; (iv) the shareholder's consent to be named as such by the Fund; (v) the class or series and number of all shares of each portfolio of the Fund owned beneficially and of record by the shareholder and any associated person of the shareholder and the dates on which such shares were acquired, specifying the number of shares owned beneficially but not of record by each, and stating the names of each as they appear on the Fund's record books and the names of any nominee holders for each; and (vi) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder, the candidate and/or any other person or persons (including their names) pursuant to which the recommendation is being made by the shareholder. "Associated Person of the shareholder" means any person who is required to be identified under clause (vi) of this paragraph and any other person controlling, controlled by or under common control with, directly or indirectly, (a) the shareholder or (b) the associated person of the shareholder. The Nominating Committee may require the shareholder to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require or deem necessary to verify any information furnished pursuant to the nominating procedures described above or to determine the qualifications and eligibility of the candidate proposed by the shareholder to serve on the Board. If the shareholder fails to provide such other information in writing within seven days of receipt of written request from the Nominating Committee, the recommendation of such candidate as a nominee will be deemed not properly submitted for consideration, and will not be considered, by the Committee. The Nominating Committee will consider only one candidate submitted by such a shareholder or group for nomination for election at an annual meeting of shareholders. The Nominating Committee will not consider self-nominated candidates. The Nominating Committee will consider and evaluate candidates submitted by shareholders on the basis of the same criteria as those used to consider and evaluate candidates submitted from other sources. These criteria include the candidate's relevant knowledge, experience, and expertise, the candidate's ability to carry out his or her duties in the best interests of the Fund, the candidate's ability to qualify as a disinterested Director and such other criteria as the Nominating Committee determines to be relevant in light of the existing composition of the Board and any anticipated vacancies or other factors. In approving the most recent annual continuance of the Portfolio's investment advisory contract ("Investment Advisory Contract"), the Directors considered all information they deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract. The principal areas of review by the Directors were the nature and quality of the services provided by the Investment Adviser and the reasonableness of the fees charged for those services. These matters were considered by the disinterested directors meeting separately from the full Board with experienced counsel that is independent of the Investment Adviser. The Directors' evaluation of the quality of the Investment Adviser's services took into account their knowledge and experience gained through meetings with and reports of the Investment Adviser's senior management, portfolio managers and administrative personnel over the course of the preceding year. Both short-term and long-term investment performance of the Portfolio, as well as senior management's attention to any portfolio management issues, were considered. The Portfolio's current and longer-term performance were compared to its performance benchmark and to that of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The Directors also considered an expense limitation agreement for the Portfolio that sets expense caps on overall Fund expenses and provides for waiver of fees by the Investment Adviser or reimbursement of expenses if needed to meet such caps, the scope and quality of the in-house research capability of the Investment Adviser and other resources dedicated to performing its services. The quality of administrative and other services, including the Investment Adviser's role in coordinating the activities of the Portfolio's other service providers, were considered in light of on-going reports by management as to compliance with investment policies and applicable laws and regulations and of related reports by management and the Portfolio's independent auditors in periodic meetings with the Fund's Audit Committee. In reviewing the fees payable under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Directors compared the fees and overall expense levels of the Portfolio to those of competitive funds and other funds with similar investment objectives. The information on advisory fees and expense ratios, as well as performance data, included both information compiled by the Investment Adviser and information compiled by an independent data service. The Directors also considered the fees of the Portfolio as a percentage of assets at different asset levels and possible economies of scale to the Investment Adviser. The Directors considered information provided by the Investment Adviser concerning the Investment Adviser's profitability with respect to the Portfolio, including the assumptions and methodology used in preparing the profitability information, in light of applicable case law relating to advisory fees. For these purposes, the Directors took into account not only the fees paid by the Portfolio, but also so-called "fallout benefits" to the Investment Adviser, such as the engagement of affiliates of the Investment Adviser to provide distribution and transfer agency services to the Portfolio, and that the Investment Advisory Contract provides that the Portfolio reimburses the Investment Adviser for the cost of providing certain administrative services. In evaluating the Portfolio's advisory fees, the Directors also took into account the demands, complexity and quality of the investment management of the Portfolio. The Directors also considered the business reputation of the Investment Adviser and its financial resources. The Directors evaluated the procedures and systems adopted by the Investment Adviser that are designed to fulfill the Investment Adviser's fiduciary duty to the Portfolio with respect to possible conflicts of interest, including the Investment Adviser's code of ethics (regulating the personal trading of its officers and employees) and the allocation of trades among its various investment advisory clients. The Directors also considered information concerning policies and procedures of the Investment Adviser with respect to the execution of portfolio transactions. No single factor was considered in isolation or to be determinative to the decision of the Directors to approve continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract. Rather, the Directors concluded in light of a weighing and balancing of all factors considered that it was in the best interests of the Portfolio to continue its Investment Advisory Contract without modification to its terms, including the fees charged for services thereunder. The dollar range of the Portfolio's securities owned by each Director and the aggregate dollar range of securities of all the registered investment companies to which the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services (collectively, the "AllianceBernstein Fund Complex") owned by each Director are set forth below. AGGREGATE DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY SECURITIES IN THE SECURITIES IN THE ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN PORTFOLIO AS OF FUND COMPLEX AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2003 DECEMBER 31, 2003 ----------------- ----------------- Marc O. Mayer None Over $100,000 Ruth Block None Over $100,000 David H. Dievler None Over $100,000 John H. Dobkin None Over $100,000 William H. Foulk, Jr. None Over $100,000 Donald J. Robinson None Over $100,000 Officer Information ------------------- Certain information concerning the Fund's officers is set forth below. NAME, ADDRESS,* POSITION(S) PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION AND (AGE) HELD WITH FUND DURING PAST 5 YEARS --------- -------------- ------------------- Marc O. Mayer, (46) President See biography above. Kathleen A. Corbet, (43) Senior Vice Executive Vice President of President ACMC,** with which she has been associated since prior to 1999. Philip L. Kirstein, (59) Senior Vice Senior Vice President and President Independent Compliance and Independent Officer - Mutual Funds of Compliance Officer ACMC,** with which he has been associated since October 2004. Prior thereto, he was Counsel of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, LLP from 2003 to October 2004, and General Counsel and First Vice President of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers since prior to 1999. Matthew D.W. Bloom, (47) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associate since prior to 1999. Paul J. DeNoon, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he as been associated since prior to 1999. Jeffrey S. Phlegar, (37) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Lawrence J. Shaw, (52) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Michael A. Snyder, (41) Vice President Senior Vice President of ACMC,** since May, 2001. Previously he was a Managing Director in the high yield asset management group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Corporation since prior to 1999. Mark R. Manley, (41) Secretary Senior Vice President and Acting General Counsel of ACMC,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Andrew L. Gangolf, (49) Assistant Secretary Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of AllianceBernstein Investment Research & Management, Inc. ("ABIRM"),** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Mark D. Gersten, (53) Treasurer and Chief Senior Vice President of Financial Officer AGIS** and Vice President of ABIRM,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. Vincent S. Noto, (39) Controller Vice President of AGIS,** with which he has been associated since prior to 1999. -------- * The address for each of the Fund's officers is 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. ** ACMC, ABIRM, and AGIS are affiliates of the Fund. The Fund does not pay any fees to, or reimburse expenses of, its Directors who are considered "interested persons" of the Fund. The aggregate compensation paid by the Fund to each of the Directors during its fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Directors during calendar year 2003 by the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex, and the total number of registered investment companies (and separate investment portfolios within the companies) in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex with respect to which each of the Directors serves as a director or trustee are set forth below. Neither the Fund nor any other fund in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex provides compensation in the form of pension or retirement benefits to any of its directors or trustees. Each of the Directors is a director or trustee of one or more other registered investment companies in the AllianceBernstein Fund Complex. Total Number of Number of Investment Investment Companies Portfolios in the within the Aggregate Total Alliance- Alliance- Compensation Compensation Bernstein Bernstein from the Fund from the Fund Complex, Fund Complex, for the Fiscal Alliance- Including Including Year Ended Bernstein the Fund, the Fund, as 6/30/03 Fund Complex, as to which to which Fiscal Period Including the Director the Director Ended the is a Director is a Director Name of Director 10/31/03 Fund or Trustee or Trustee ---------------- -------- ---- ---------- ---------- Marc O. Mayer $-0-/$-0- $-0- 40 68 Ruth Block $3,351/$1,557 $205,550 43 96 David H. Dievler $3,335/$1,557 $264,400 47 100 John H. Dobkin $3,350/$1,557 $234,550 45 98 William H. Foulk, Jr. $3,339/$1,557 $248,650 50 116 Donald J. Robinson $3,351/$1,557 $205,347 43 96 As of January 5, 2004, the Directors and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than 1% of the shares of the Portfolio. Investment Adviser ------------------ Alliance, a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, has been retained under the Investment Advisory Contract to provide investment advice and, in general, to conduct the management and investment program of the Fund under the supervision of the Fund's Board of Directors (see "Management of the Fund" in the Prospectus). Alliance is a leading global investment management firm supervising client accounts with assets as of September 30, 2003, totaling approximately $438 billion. Alliance provides management services for many of the largest U.S. public and private employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, public employee retirement funds, banks, insurance companies and high net worth individuals worldwide. Alliance is also one of the largest mutual fund sponsors, with a diverse family of globally distributed mutual fund portfolios. As one of the world's leading global investment management organizations, Alliance is able to compete for virtually any portfolio assignment in any developed capital market in the world. Alliance is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. ACMC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. ("AXA Financial"), is the general partner of both Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P. ("Alliance Holding") and Alliance. AXA Financial is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AXA, which is a holding company for an international group of insurance and related financial services companies. Alliance Holding Units are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Alliance Units do not trade publicly and are subject to significant restrictions on transfer. At March 31, 2003, Alliance Holding owned approximately 76.9 million, or 30.7%, of the issued and outstanding Alliance Units. Alliance Capital Management Corporation ("ACMC") owns 100,000 general partnership units in Alliance Holding and a 1% general partnership interest in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, AXA Financial was the beneficial owner of approximately 1.9% of the outstanding Alliance Holding Units and approximately 54.7% of the outstanding Alliance Units which, including the general partnership interests in Alliance and Alliance Holding, represent an economic interest of approximately 55.7% in Alliance. At March 31, 2003, SCB Partners Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCB Inc., was the beneficial owner of approximately 13.0% of the outstanding Alliance Units. Based on information provided by AXA, on March 3, 2003, approximately 17.70% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 28.71% of the voting power) of AXA were owned directly and indirectly by Finaxa, a French holding company. At January 1, 2003, 70.13% of the shares (representing 79.83% of the voting power) of Finaxa were owned by three French mutual insurance companies (the "Mutuelles AXA") and 21.82% of the shares of Finaxa (representing 13.32% of the voting power) were owned by BNP Paribas, a French bank. At January 1, 2003, the Mutuelles AXA owned directly or indirectly through intermediate holding companies (including Finaxa) approximately 20.48% of the issued ordinary shares (representing 33.16% of the voting power) of AXA. Under the Investment Advisory Contract, the Investment Adviser provides investment advisory services and order placement facilities for the Fund and pays all compensation of Directors and officers of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser or an affiliate also furnishes the Fund, without charge, management supervision and assistance and office facilities and provides persons satisfactory to the Fund's Board of Directors to serve as the Fund's officers. The Investment Adviser is, under the Investment Advisory Contract, responsible for certain expenses incurred by the Fund, including, for example, office facilities and certain administrative services, and any expenses incurred in promoting the sale of Fund shares (other than the portion of the promotional expenses borne by the Fund in accordance with an effective plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the costs of printing Fund prospectuses and other reports to shareholders and fees related to registration with the Commission and with state regulatory authorities). The Fund has, under the Investment Advisory Contract, assumed the obligation for payment of all of its other expenses. As to the obtaining of services other than those specifically provided to the Fund by the Investment Adviser, the Fund may employ its own personnel. For such services it may also utilize personnel employed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and, in such event, the services will be provided to the Fund at cost with the payments specifically approved by the Fund's Board of Directors. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the cost of certain legal and accounting services amounting to $120,000 and $40,000, respectively, provided to the Portfolio by the Investment Adviser, was waived. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Contract, the Portfolio pays the Investment Adviser a monthly fee of 1/12 of .55 of 1% of the Portfolio's average net assets. Effective as of January 1, 2004, the Adviser voluntarily waived a portion of its advisory fee and this fee reduction is expected to continue for a period of at least five years. The advisory fee waiver would reduce the advisory fees to 0.45% on an annual basis of the first $2.5 billion, 0.40% on an annual basis of the excess over $2.5 billion up to $5 billion and 0.35% on an annual basis of the excess over $5 billion as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. The Investment Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fee and bear certain expenses so that total expenses do not exceed on an annual basis .98%, 1.68%, 1.68%, 1.18% and .68% of aggregate average net assets, respectively, for Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares. This contractual agreement automatically extends each year unless the Investment Adviser provides the Fund written notice 60 days prior to the Fund's fiscal year end. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the Investment Adviser received under the Investment Advisory Contract the amount of $128,925, $982,519, $2,163,652 and $831,665, respectively, as advisory fees from the Portfolio. Under the expense limitation undertaking, $317,420 was waived and/or reimbursed by the Investment Adviser for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2001, $796,528 was waived and/or reimbursed by the Investment Adviser for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2002, $1,256,256 was waived and/or reimbursed by the Investment Adviser for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and $503,850 was waived and/or reimbursed by the Investment Adviser for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003. The Investment Advisory Contract became effective with respect to the Portfolio on July 1, 1999. The Investment Advisory Contract was approved by the unanimous vote, cast in person, of the Fund's Directors, including the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act of any such party, at a meeting called for such purpose and held on September 11, 1991. The Investment Advisory Contract continues in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of a majority of the Portfolio's outstanding voting securities or by the Fund's Board of Directors, and in either case, by a majority of the Directors who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Contract or interested persons of any such party. Most recently, continuance of the Investment Advisory Contract for an additional annual term was approved by vote, cast in person, by the Board of Directors, including a majority of the Directors who are not "interested persons" as defined in the 1940 Act, at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. The Investment Advisory Contract is terminable without penalty on 60 days' written notice, by a vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities or by a vote of a majority of the Fund's Directors or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days' written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Investment Advisory Contract provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Investment Adviser, or of reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Investment Adviser shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder. The Investment Adviser may act as an investment adviser to other persons, firms or corporations, including investment companies, and is the investment adviser to the following registered investment companies: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust Inc., AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc., AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Capital Reserves, AllianceBernstein Disciplined Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Dynamic Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Government Reserves, AllianceBernstein Greater China '97 Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Funds, Inc., AllianceBernstein Institutional Reserves, Inc., AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II, AllianceBernstein Municipal Trust, AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc., AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Trust, AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Variable Products Series Fund, Inc., AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc., Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. and The AllianceBernstein Portfolios, all registered open-end investment companies; and to ACM Government Opportunity Fund, Inc., ACM Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Dollar Income Fund, Inc., ACM Managed Income Fund, Inc., ACM Municipal Securities Income Fund, Inc., Alliance All-Market Advantage Fund, Inc., Alliance California Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance National Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance New York Municipal Income Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund, Inc., Alliance World Dollar Government Fund II, Inc. and The Spain Fund, Inc., all registered closed-end investment companies. ----------------------------------------------------------------- EXPENSES OF THE FUND ----------------------------------------------------------------- Distribution Services Agreement ------------------------------- The Fund has entered into a Distribution Services Agreement (the "Agreement") with ABIRM, the Fund's principal underwriter (the "Principal Underwriter"), to permit the Principal Underwriter to distribute the Portfolio's shares and to permit the Fund to pay distribution services fees to defray expenses associated with distribution of its Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares and Class R shares in accordance with a plan of distribution that is included in the Agreement and which has been duly adopted and approved in accordance with Rule 12b-1 adopted by the Commission under the 1940 Act (the "Rule 12b-1 Plan"). During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class A shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $195,491 and $73,782 which constituted .30%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares during the fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $556,978 and $117,118. Of the $752,469 and $190,900 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class A shares, $3,310 and $1,466 was spent on advertising, $5,535 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $521,054 and $108,721 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $104,371 and $35,066 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $62,371 and $29,908 for compensation to sales personnel, and $160,199 and $50,805 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class B shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $926,913 and $346,615, which constituted 1%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class B shares during the fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $0 and $0. Of the $926,913 and $346,615 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class B shares, $1,887 and $718 was spent on advertising, $5,040 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $639,377 and $147,492 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $58,069 and $16,974 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $59,518 and $20,699 for compensation to sales personnel, $54,298 and $25,783 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses, $35,717 and $18,775 was spent on financing of interest relating to Class B shares, and $131,076 and $133,148 was used to offset the distribution service fees paid in prior years. During the Portfolio's fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, respectively, with respect to Class C shares, the distribution services fees for expenditures payable to the Principal Underwriter amounted to $244,627 and $81,232, which constituted 1%, annually, of the Portfolio's aggregate average daily net assets attributable to Class A shares during the fiscal year, and the Investment Adviser made payments from its own resources aggregating $29,051 and $21,712. Of the $273,678 and $102,944 paid by the Portfolio and the Investment Adviser under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class C shares, $597 and $260 was spent on advertising, $1,118 and $0 on the printing and mailing of prospectuses for persons other than current shareholders, $232,990 and $86,076 for compensation to broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (including $17,900 and $6,220 to the Fund's Principal Underwriter), $20,544 and $6,948 for compensation to sales personnel, $17,219 and $9,271 was spent on printing of sales literature, travel, entertainment, due diligence and other promotional expenses and $1,210 and $389 was spent on financing of interest relating to Class C shares. Distribution services fees are accrued daily and paid monthly and charged as expenses of the Portfolio as accrued. The distribution services fees attributable to the Class B, Class C and Class R shares are designed to permit an investor to purchase such shares through broker-dealers without the assessment of an initial sales charge and at the same time to permit the Principal Underwriter to compensate broker-dealers in connection with the sale of such shares. In this regard the purpose and function of the combined contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") and respective distribution services fee on the Class B shares and Class C shares are the same as those of the initial sales charge and distribution services fee with respect to the Class A shares in that in each case the sales charge and distribution services fee provides for the financing of the distribution of the relevant class of the Portfolio's shares. With respect to Class A shares of the Portfolio, distribution expenses accrued by ABIRM in one fiscal year may not be paid from distribution services fees received from the Portfolio in subsequent fiscal years. ABIRM's compensation with respect to Class B, Class C and Class R shares under the Rule 12b-1 Plan is directly tied to the expenses incurred by ABIRM. Acutal distribution expenses for Class B, Class C, and Class R shares for any given year, however, will probably exceed the distribution services fees payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments received from CDSCs. The excess will be carried forward by ABIRM and reimbursed from distribution services fees payable under the Rule 12b-1 Plan with respect to the class involved and payments subsequently received through CDSCs, so long as the Rule 12b-1 Plan is in effect. Unreimbursed distribution expenses incurred as of the end of the Portfolio's most recently completed fiscal year and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, and carried over for reimbursement in future years in respect of Class B and Class C shares for the Portfolio were respectively, $1,076,098 and $942,950 (0.95% and 0.98% of net assets of Class B shares) and $332,703 and $354,415 (1.26% and 1.36% of net assets of Class C shares). The Rule 12b-1 Plan is in compliance with rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"), which effectively limit the annual asset-based sales charges and service fees that a mutual fund may pay on a class of shares to .75% and .25%, respectively, of the average annual net assets attributable to that class. The rules also limit the aggregate of all front-end, deferred and asset-based sales charges imposed with respect to a class of shares by a mutual fund that also charges a service fee to 6.25% of cumulative gross sales of shares of that class, plus interest at the prime rate plus 1% per annum. In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Directors of the Fund determined that there was a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan would benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The distribution services fee of a particular class will not be used to subsidize the provision of distribution services with respect to any other class. The Investment Adviser may from time to time and from its own funds or such other resources as may be permitted by rules of the Commission make payments for distribution services to the Principal Underwriter; the latter may in turn pay part or all of such compensation to brokers or other persons for their distribution assistance. The Agreement will continue in effect provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Directors of the Fund or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of that class, and in either case, by a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any such party (other than as directors of the Fund) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any agreement related thereto. Most recently the Directors approved the continuance of the Agreement for an additional annual term at their meeting held on April 15-17, 2003. All material amendments to the Agreement will become effective only upon approval as provided in the preceding paragraph, and the 12b-1 Plan may not be amended in order to increase materially the costs that the Fund may bear pursuant to the Agreement without the approval of a majority of the holders of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund or the class or classes of the Fund affected. The Agreement may be terminated (a) by the Fund without penalty at any time by a majority vote of the holders of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, voting separately by class, or by a majority vote of the disinterested Directors or (b) by the Principal Underwriter. To terminate the Agreement, any party must give the other parties 60 days' written notice; to terminate the Rule 12b-1 Plan only, the Fund is not required to give prior notice to the Principal Underwriter. The Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment. In the event that the Rule 12b-1 Plan is terminated by either party or not continued with respect to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C or Class R shares, (i) no distribution services fees (other than current amounts accrued but not yet paid) would be owed by the Fund to the Principal Underwriter with respect to that class and (ii) the Fund would not be obligated to pay the Principal Underwriter for any amounts expended under the Agreement not previously recovered by the Principal Underwriter from distribution services fees in respect of shares of such class or through deferred sales charges. Transfer Agency Agreement ------------------------- AGIS, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 8000 IH 10 W, 4th Floor, San Antonio, Texas 78230, acts as the Portfolio's registrar, transfer agent and dividend-disbursing agent for a fee based upon the number of account holders for each of the Class A, Class B, Class C, Class R and Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. The transfer agency fee with respect to the Class B shares and Class C shares is higher than the transfer agency fee with respect to the Class A and Advisor Class shares. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the Fund paid AGIS $1,014,792 and $352,784, respectively, for transfer agency services. Code of Ethics and Proxy Voting and Procedures ---------------------------------------------- The Fund, the Investment Adviser and the Principal Underwriter have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. The Fund has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached as Appendix A. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Prospectuses under "Purchase and Sale of Shares -- How to Buy Shares - How To Buy Shares." General ------- Shares of the Portfolio are offered on a continuous basis at a price equal to their net asset value plus an initial sales charge at the time of purchase ("Class A shares"), with a CDSC ("Class B shares"), or without any initial sales charge and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without any CDSC ("Class C shares"), to group retirement plans eligible to purchase Class R shares, without any initial sales charge or CDSC ("Class R shares"), or to investors eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares, without any initial or contingent deferred sales charge ("Advisor Class shares"), in each case as described below. "Group retirement plans" are defined as 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans, and non-qualified deferred compensation plans where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Portfolio. All of the classes of shares of the Portfolio, except the Advisor Class shares, are subject to Rule 12b-1 asset-based sales charges. Shares of the Portfolio that are offered subject to a sales charge are offered through (i) investment dealers that are members of NASD and have entered into selected dealer agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected dealers"), (ii) depository institutions and other financial intermediaries, or their affiliates, that have entered into selected agent agreements with the Principal Underwriter ("selected agents") and (iii) the Principal Underwriter. Investors may purchase shares of the Portfolio either through selected broker-dealers, agents, financial intermediaries or other financial representatives ("financial intermediaries") or directly through the Principal Underwriter. A transaction, service, administrative or other similar fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares made through the financial intermediary. Such financial intermediary may also impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares that are different from, or in addition to, those imposed by the Portfolio, including requirements as to the classes of shares available through that financial intermediary and the minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Sales personnel of selected dealers and agents distributing the Fund's Portfolio shares may receive differing compensation for selling different classes of shares. In order to open your account, the Portfolio or your financial intermediary is required to obtain certain information from you for identification purposes. This information may include name, date of birth, permanent residential address and social security/taxpayer identification number. It will not be possible to establish your account without this information. If the Portfolio or your financial intermediary is unable to verify the information provided, your account may be closed, and other appropriate action may be taken as permitted by law. Right to Restrict, Reject or Cancel Purchase and Exchange Orders. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds reserve the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without any prior notice, any purchase or exchange order for any reason, including any purchase or exchange order accepted by any shareholder's financial intermediary. Policy Regarding Excessive or Short Duration Trading. Purchases and exchanges of shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds should be made for investment purposes only. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, as a matter of policy, seek to prevent patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares. Such practices are commonly referred to as "market timing" or "short duration trading." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will seek to prevent such practices to the extent they are detected by the procedures described below, subject to AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds' ability to monitor purchase, sale and exchange activity, as described under "Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices." The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, the Adviser, ABIRM and AGIS each reserve the right to modify this policy, including any surveillance or account blocking procedures established from time to time to effectuate this policy, at any time without notice. o Transaction Surveillance Procedures. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, through their agents, ABIRM and AGIS, maintain surveillance procedures with respect to purchase, sale and exchange activity in fund shares. This surveillance process involves scrutinizing transactions in fund shares that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a specified period of time. Trading activity identified by either, or a combination, of these factors, or as a result of any other information actually available at the time, will be evaluated to determine whether such activity might constitute excessive or short duration trading activity. Generally speaking, when a fund shareholder makes more than two exchange transactions in amounts of $25,000 or more involving an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund during any 90-day period, these transactions will be identified by these surveillance procedures. Additionally, each purchase of fund shares in excess of $25,000 followed by a sale within certain periods of time will be similarly identified. For purposes of these transaction surveillance procedures, AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, may consider trading activity in multiple accounts under common ownership, control or influence. These monetary thresholds, numerical surveillance limits or surveillance procedures generally may be modified from time to time, including, for example, in respect of accounts held by certain retirement plans to conform to plan exchange limits or U.S. Department of Labor regulations, as well as for certain automated or pre-established exchange, asset allocation or dollar cost averaging programs or omnibus account arrangements. o Account Blocking Procedures. When a particular transaction or pattern of transactions identified by the transaction surveillance procedures described above is determined by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, in their sole discretion, to be excessive or short duration trading in nature, the relevant fund account(s) will be immediately "blocked" with respect to any future purchase or exchange activity. However, sales of fund shares back to a fund will continue to be permitted in accordance with the terms of the relevant AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund's current Prospectus. In the event an account is blocked, certain account-related privileges, such as the ability to place purchase, sale and exchange orders over the internet, may be suspended for such account. AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds accounts that are so blocked will generally remain blocked unless and until the account holder or the associated broker, dealer or other financial intermediary provides evidence or assurance acceptable to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM or AGIS, that the account holder did not or will not in the future engage in excessive or short duration trading. Limitations on Ability to Detect and Curtail Excessive Trading Practices. Shareholders seeking to engage in excessive or short duration trading practices may deploy a variety of strategies to avoid detection and, despite the efforts of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares, there is no guarantee that the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will be able to identify these shareholders or curtail their trading practices. For example, omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of a fund, particularly among certain brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries, including retirement plans and variable insurance products. Entities utilizing such omnibus account arrangements may not identify customers' trading activity in shares of a fund on an individual basis. Consequently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, may not be able to detect excessive or short duration trading in fund shares attributable to a particular investor who effects purchase and/or exchange activity in fund shares through a broker, dealer or other financial intermediary acting in an omnibus capacity. Also, there may exist multiple tiers of these entities, each utilizing an omnibus account arrangement, that may further compound the difficulty to the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS of detecting excessive or short duration trading activity in fund shares. It is common for a substantial portion of AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares to be held through such omnibus account arrangements. In seeking to prevent excessive or short duration trading in shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, including the maintenance of any transaction surveillance or account blocking procedures, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS, consider the information actually available to them at the time. Risks Associated with Excessive or Short Duration Trading Generally ------------------------------------------------------------------- While the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, ABIRM and AGIS will try to prevent market timing by utilizing the procedures described above, these procedures may not be successful in identifying or stopping excessive or short duration trading in all circumstances. Excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may adversely affect fund performance and the interests of long-term investors. Volatility resulting from excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of fund shares, especially involving large dollar amounts, may disrupt efficient portfolio management. In particular, a fund may have difficulty implementing long-term investment strategies if it is unable to anticipate what portion of its assets it should retain in cash to provide liquidity to its shareholders. Also, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of funds shares may force a fund to maintain a disadvantageously large cash position to accommodate short duration trading activity. Further, excessive purchases and sales or exchanges of a fund's shares may force a fund to sell portfolio securities at inopportune times to raise cash to accommodate short duration trading activity. In addition, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may incur increased expenses if one or more shareholders engage in excessive purchase and sale or exchange activity. For example, a fund that is forced to liquidate investments due to short duration trading activity may incur increased brokerage and tax costs without attaining any investment advantage. Similarly, a fund may bear increased administrative costs as a result of the asset level and investment volatility that accompanies patterns of short duration trading activity. The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds that invest in foreign securities may be particularly susceptible to short duration trading strategies. This is because time zone differences among international stock markets can allow a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy to exploit fund share prices that are based on closing prices of foreign securities established some time before the fund calculates its own share price. In addition, a shareholder engaging in a short duration strategy may target an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that does not invest primarily in foreign securities. For example, a fund that invests in certain fixed-income securities such as high yield bonds or certain asset backed securities may also constitute an effective vehicle for a shareholder's short duration trading strategy. Money market funds and closed-end funds generally are not effective vehicles for short duration trading activity, and therefore the risks relating to short duration trading activity are correspondingly lower for AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds of these types. Risks Resulting from Imposition of Account Blocks in Response to Excessive or Short Duration Trading Activity. A shareholder identified as having engaged in excessive or short duration trading activity and prevented from purchasing or exchanging AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund shares and who does not wish to redeem his or her shares effectively may be "locked" into an investment in an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund that the shareholder did not intend to hold on a long-term basis or that may not be appropriate for the shareholder's risk profile. To rectify this situation, a shareholder with an account "blocked" due to patterns of excessive purchases and sales or exchanges may be forced to sell fund shares, which could be costly if, for example, these shares decline in value before sale, are subject to a CDSC, the shareholder recently paid a front-end sales charge or the sale results in adverse tax consequences to the shareholder. To avoid this risk, shareholders should carefully monitor the nature and frequency of their purchases, sales and exchanges of fund shares. The Portfolio reserves the right to suspend the sale of its shares to the public in response to conditions in the securities markets or for other reasons. If the Portfolio suspends the sale of its shares, shareholders will not be able to acquire its shares, including through an exchange. The public offering price of shares of the Portfolio is their net asset value, plus, in the case of Class A shares, a sales charge. On each Fund business day on which a purchase or redemption order is received by the Portfolio and trading in the types of securities in which the Portfolio invests might materially affect the value of Portfolio shares, the per share net asset value is computed as of the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. A Fund business day is any day on which the Exchange is open for trading. The respective per share net asset values of the various classes of shares of the Portfolio are expected to be substantially the same. However, the per share net asset values of the Class B, Class C and Class R shares will generally be slightly lower than the per share net asset values of the Class A shares and Advisor Class shares as a result of the differential daily expense accruals of the higher distribution and, in some cases, transfer agency fees applicable with respect to those classes of shares. The Portfolio will accept unconditional orders for shares to be executed at the public offering price equal to their net asset value next determined (plus applicable Class A sales charges), as described below. Orders received by the Principal Underwriter prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading are priced at the net asset value computed as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on that day (plus applicable Class A sales charges). In the case of orders for purchase of shares placed through financial intermediaries, the applicable public offering price will be the net asset value so determined, but only if the financial intermediary receives the order prior to the close of regular trading on the Exchange. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting such orders by a prescribed time to the Portfolio or its transfer agent. If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the investor will not receive that day's net asset value. If the financial intermediary receives the order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange, the price received by the investor will be based on the net asset value determined as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange on the next day it is open for trading. Following the initial purchase of Portfolio shares, a shareholder may place orders to purchase additional shares by telephone if the shareholder has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or an "Autobuy" application obtained by calling the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Except with respect to certain omnibus accounts, telephone purchase orders may not exceed $500,000. Payment for shares purchased by telephone can be made only by electronic funds transfer from a bank account maintained by the shareholder at a bank that is a member of the National Automated Clearing House Association ("NACHA"). Telephone purchase requests must be received before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day to receive that day's public offering price. Telephone purchase requests received after 3:00 p.m., Eastern time, are automatically placed the following Fund business day, and the applicable public offering price will be the public offering price determined as of the close of business on such following business day. Full and fractional shares are credited to a shareholder's account in the amount of his or her subscription. As a convenience, and to avoid unnecessary expense to the Fund, stock certificates representing shares of the Portfolio are not issued except upon written request to the Portfolio by the shareholder or his or her authorized financial intermediary. This facilitates later redemption and relieves the shareholder of the responsibility for and inconvenience of lost or stolen certificates. No certificates are issued for fractional shares, although such shares remain in the shareholder's account on the books of the Portfolio. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Portfolio, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that (i) Class A shares bear the expense of the initial sales charge (or CDSC, when applicable) and Class B and Class C shares bear the expense of the CDSC, (ii) Class B shares, Class C and Class R shares each bear the expense of a higher distribution services fee than that borne by Class A shares, and Advisor Class shares do not bear such a fee, (iii) Class B and Class C shares bear higher transfer agency costs than that borne by Class A, Class R and Advisor Class shares, (iv) Class B and Advisor Class shares are subject to a conversion feature and will convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances, and (v) each of Class A, Class B, Class C and Class R shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which its distribution services fee is paid and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders, an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders because the Class B and Advisor Class shares convert to Class A shares under certain circumstances, and the Class A, the Class B and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. Each class has different exchange privileges and certain different shareholder service options available. The Directors of the Fund have determined that currently no conflict of interest exists between or among the classes of shares of the Portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Directors of the Fund, pursuant to their fiduciary duties under the 1940 Act and state law, will seek to ensure that no such conflict arises. Alternative Purchase Arrangements --------------------------------- Classes A, B and C Shares. Class A, Class B and Class C shares have the following alternative purchase arrangements: Class A shares are generally offered with an initial sales charge, Class B shares are generally offered with a CDSC and Class C shares are sold to investors choosing the asset-based sales charge alternative. Special purchase arrangements are available for Group Retirement Plans. See "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans" below. These alternative purchase arrangements permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares and other circumstances. Investors should consider whether, during the anticipated life of their investment in the Portfolio, the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class B shares prior to conversion, or the accumulated distribution services fee and CDSCs on Class C shares, would be less than the initial sales charge and accumulated distribution services fee on Class A shares purchased at the same time, and to what extent such differential would be offset by the higher return of Class A shares. Class A shares will normally be more beneficial than Class B shares to the investor who qualifies for reduced initial sales charges on Class A shares, as described below. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order (except orders from certain group retirement plans) for more than $250,000 for Class B shares (see "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans"). Class C shares will normally not be suitable for the investor who qualifies to purchase Class A shares at net asset value. For this reason, the Principal Underwriter will reject any order for more than $1,000,000 for Class C shares. Class A shares are subject to a lower distribution services fee and, accordingly, pay correspondingly higher dividends per share than Class B shares or Class C shares. However, because initial sales charges are deducted at the time of purchase, most investors purchasing Class A shares would not have all their funds invested initially and, therefore, would initially own fewer shares. Investors not qualifying for reduced initial sales charges who expect to maintain their investment for an extended period of time might consider purchasing Class A shares because the accumulated continuing distribution charges on Class B shares or Class C shares may exceed the initial sales charge on Class A shares during the life of the investment. Again, however, such investors must weigh this consideration against the fact that, because of such initial sales charges, not all their funds will be invested initially. Other investors might determine, however, that it would be more advantageous to purchase Class B shares or Class C shares in order to have all their funds invested initially, although remaining subject to higher continuing distribution charges and being subject to a CDSC for a three-year and one-year period, respectively. For example, based on current fees and expenses, an investor subject to the 4.25% initial sales charge would have to hold his or her investment approximately seven years for the Class C distribution services fee to exceed the initial sales charge plus the accumulated distribution services fee of Class A shares. In this example, an investor intending to maintain his or her investment for a longer period might consider purchasing Class A shares. This example does not take into account the time value of money, which further reduces the impact of the Class C distribution services fees on the investment, fluctuations in net asset value or the effect of different performance assumptions. Those investors who prefer to have all of their funds invested initially but may not wish to retain Portfolio shares for the three-year period during which Class B shares are subject to a CDSC may find it more advantageous to purchase Class C shares. During the Fund's fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003,and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the aggregate amount of underwriting commission payable with respect to shares of the Portfolio was $229,184, $573,611, $347,433 and $111,571, respectively. Of that amount the Principal Underwriter received amounts of $8,136, $71,762,$16,996 and $3,585, respectively, representing that portion of the sales charges paid on shares of the Portfolio sold during the year which was not re-allowed to selected dealers (and was, accordingly, retained by the Principal Underwriter). During the Fund's fiscal years ended in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the Principal Underwriter received CDSCs of $0, $0, $3,950 and $16,048, respectively, on Class A shares, $7,520, $74,234, $262,207 and $89,224, respectively, on Class B shares, and $1,090, $14,596, $16,470 and $3,040, respectively, on Class C shares. Class A Shares -------------- The public offering price of Class A shares is the net asset value plus a sales charge, as set forth below. Sales Charge ------------ As % of As % of Discount or Commission Amount of Net Amount the Public to Dealers or Agents Purchase Invested Offering Price as % of Offering Price -------- -------- -------------- ---------------------- Less than $100,000 4.44% 4.25% 4.00% $100,000 but less than $250,000 3.36 3.25 3.00 $250,000 but less than $500,000 2.30 2.25 2.00 $500,000 but less than $1,000,000* .78 1.75 1.50 -------- * There is no initial sales charge on transactions of $1,000,000 or more. All or a portion of the initial sales charge may be paid to your financial representative. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more, Class A shares redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC equal to 1% of the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. The CDSC on Class A shares will be waived on certain redemptions, as described below under "--Class C Shares." In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class A shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because an initial sales charge was paid with respect to the shares, or they have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC on Class A shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sales of Class A shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers or agents for selling Class A shares. With respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or more made through selected dealers or agents, the Investment Adviser may, pursuant to the Distribution Services Agreement described above, pay such dealers or agents from its own resources a fee of up to .25 of 1% of the amount invested to compensate such dealers or agents for their distribution assistance in connection with such purchases. No initial sales charge is imposed on Class A shares issued (i) pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income dividends or capital gains distributions, (ii) in exchange for Class A shares of other AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds (as that term is defined under "Combined Purchase Privilege" below), except that an initial sales charge will be imposed on Class A shares issued in exchange for Class A shares of AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves that were purchased for cash without the payment of an initial sales charge and without being subject to a CDSC, or (iii) upon the automatic conversion of Class B or Advisor Class shares as described below under "--Class B Shares--Conversion Feature" and "-- Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares." The Portfolio receives the entire net asset value of its Class A shares sold to investors. The Principal Underwriter's commission is the sales charge shown above less any applicable discount or commission "re-allowed" to selected dealers and agents. The Principal Underwriter will re-allow discounts to selected dealers and agents in the amounts indicated in the table above. In this regard, the Principal Underwriter may elect to re-allow the entire sales charge to selected dealers and agents for all sales with respect to which orders are placed with the Principal Underwriter. A selected dealer who receives re-allowance in excess of 90% of such a sales charge may be deemed to be an "underwriter" under the Securities Act. In addition to the circumstances described above, certain types of investors may be entitled to pay no initial sales charge in certain circumstances described below. Class A Shares - Sales at Net Asset Value. The Portfolio may sell its Class A shares at net asset value (i.e., without any initial sales charge) to certain categories of investors including: (i) investment management clients of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates; (ii) officers and present or former Directors of the Fund or other investment companies managed by the Investment Adviser, officers, directors and present or retired full-time employees and former employees (for subsequent investment in accounts established during the course of their employment) of the Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents; or the spouse of any such person; or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person; (iii) the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates; (iv) persons participating in a fee-based program, sponsored and maintained by a registered broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and approved by the Principal Underwriter, pursuant to which such persons pay an asset-based fee to such broker-dealer or financial intermediary, or its affiliate or agent, for service in the nature of investment advisory or administrative services; and (v) certain retirement plan accounts as described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans." Class B Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class B shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class B shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge at the time of purchase. The Class B shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment. Proceeds from the CDSC on the Class B shares are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class B shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class B shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class B shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class B shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. Class B shares that are redeemed within three years of purchase will be subject to a CDSC at the rates set forth below charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. To illustrate, assume that an investor purchased 100 Class B shares at $10 per share (at a cost of $1,000) and in the second year after purchase, the net asset value per share is $12 and, during such time, the investor has acquired 10 additional Class B shares upon dividend reinvestment. If at such time the investor makes his or her first redemption of 50 Class B shares (proceeds of $600), 10 Class B shares will not be subject to the charge because of dividend reinvestment. With respect to the remaining 40 Class B shares, the charge is applied only to the original cost of $10 per share and not to the increase in net asset value of $2 per share. Therefore, $400 of the $600 redemption proceeds will be charged at a rate of 2.0% (the applicable rate in the second year after purchase as set forth below). The amount of the CDSC, if any, will vary depending on the number of years from the time of payment for the purchase of Class B shares until the time of redemption of such shares. Contingent Deferred Sales Charge as a % of Dollar Year Since Purchase Amount Subject to Charge ------------------- ------------------------ First 3.0% Second 2.0% Third 1.0% Thereafter None In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class B shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. When shares acquired in an exchange are redeemed, the applicable CDSC and conversion schedules will be the schedules that applied at the time of the purchase of shares of the corresponding class of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund originally purchased by the shareholder. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs--Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares, or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan. Conversion Feature. Six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted, Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares and will no longer be subject to a higher distribution services fee. Such conversion will occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The purpose of the conversion feature is to reduce the distribution services fee paid by holders of Class B shares that have been outstanding long enough for the Principal Underwriter to have been compensated for distribution expenses incurred in the sale of such shares. For purposes of conversion to Class A, Class B shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions paid in respect of Class B shares in a shareholder's account will be considered to be held in a separate sub-account. Each time any Class B shares in the shareholder's account (other than those in the sub-account) convert to Class A, an equal pro-rata portion of the Class B shares in the sub-account will also convert to Class A. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Class B shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, no further conversions of Class B shares would occur, and shares might continue to be subject to the higher distribution services fee for an indefinite period which may extend beyond the period ending six years after the end of the calendar month in which the shareholder's purchase order was accepted. Class C Shares -------------- Investors may purchase Class C shares at the public offering price equal to the net asset value per share of the Class C shares on the date of purchase without the imposition of a sales charge either at the time of purchase or, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, upon redemption. Class C shares are sold without an initial sales charge so that the Portfolio will receive the full amount of the investor's purchase payment and, as long as the shares are held for one year or more, without a CDSC so that the investor will receive as proceeds upon redemption the entire net asset value of his or her Class C shares. The Class C distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell Class C shares without either an initial sales charge or CDSC, as long as the shares are held one year or more. Class C shares do not convert to any other class of shares of the Portfolio and incur higher distribution services fees than Class A shares, and will thus have a higher expense ratio and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Class C shares that are redeemed within one year of purchase will be subject to a CDSC of 1%, charged as a percentage of the dollar amount subject thereto. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the cost of the shares being redeemed or their net asset value at the time of redemption. Accordingly, no sales charge will be imposed on increases in net asset value above the initial purchase price. In addition, no charge will be assessed on shares derived from reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. In determining the CDSC applicable to a redemption of Class C shares, it will be assumed that the redemption is, first, of any shares that are not subject to a CDSC (for example, because the shares have been held beyond the period during which the charge applies or were acquired upon the reinvestment of dividends or distributions) and, second, of shares held longest during the time they are subject to the sales charge. Proceeds from the CDSC are paid to the Principal Underwriter and are used by the Principal Underwriter to defray the expenses of the Principal Underwriter related to providing distribution-related services to the Portfolio in connection with the sale of the Class C shares, such as the payment of compensation to selected dealers and agents for selling Class C shares. The combination of the CDSC and the distribution services fee enables the Portfolio to sell the Class C shares without a sales charge being deducted at the time of purchase. The higher distribution services fee incurred by Class C shares will cause such shares to have a higher expense ratio and to pay lower dividends than those related to Class A shares. The CDSC is waived on redemptions of shares (i) following the death or disability, as defined in the Code, of a shareholder, (ii) to the extent that the redemption represents a minimum required distribution from an individual retirement account or other retirement plan to a shareholder that has attained the age of 70-1/2, (iii) that had been purchased by present or former Directors of the Fund, by the relative of any such person, by any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative, or by the estate of any such person or relative, (iv) pursuant to, and in accordance with, a systematic withdrawal plan (see "Sales Charge Reduction Programs--Systematic Withdrawal Plan" below), (v) sold through programs offered by financial intermediaries and approved by ABIRM where such programs offer only shares which are not subject to a CDSC, where the financial intermediary establishes a single omnibus account for each Portfolio, and where no advance commission is paid to any financial intermediary in connection with the purchase of such shares, or (vi) to the extent that the redemption is necessary to meet a plan participant's or beneficiary's request for a distribution or loan from a group retirement plan or to accommodate a plan participant's or beneficiary's direction to reallocate his or her plan account among other investment alternatives available under a group retirement plan. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are offered only to group retirement plans that have plan assets of $1 million to $10 million and have plan level or omnibus accounts that have held on the books of the Portfolio. Class R shares are not available to retail non-retirement accounts, traditional or Roth IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, SEPs, SAR-SEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, individual 403(b) plans and to AllianceBernstein sponsored retirement products. Class R shares incur a .50% distribution services fee and thus have a higher expense ratio than Class A shares and pay correspondingly lower dividends than Class A shares. Advisor Class Shares -------------------- Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio may be purchased and held solely (i) through accounts established under fee-based programs, sponsored and maintained by registered broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and approved by the Principal Underwriter, (ii) through self-directed defined contribution employee benefit plans (e.g., 401(k) plans) that have at least $10 million in assets and are purchased directly by the plan without the involvement of a financial intermediary, (iii) by the categories of investors described in clauses (i) through (iv) under "--Sales at Net Asset Value" (other than officers, directors and present and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents, or relatives of such person, or any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of such relative, none of whom is eligible on the basis solely of such status to purchase and hold Advisor Class shares), or (iv) by directors and present or retired full-time employees of CB Richard Ellis, Inc. Generally, a fee-based program must charge an asset-based or other similar fee and must invest at least $250,000 in Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio in order to be approved by the Principal Underwriter for investment in Advisor Class shares. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial intermediary. Advisor Class shares do not incur any distribution services fees, and will thus have a lower expense ratio and pay correspondingly higher dividends than Class A, Class B, Class C or Class R shares. Conversion of Advisor Class Shares to Class A Shares ---------------------------------------------------- Advisor Class shares may be held solely through the fee-based program accounts, employee benefit plans, qualified state tuition programs and registered investment advisory or other financial intermediary relationships described above under "Purchase of Shares--Advisor Class Shares," and by investment advisory clients of, and certain other persons associated with, the Investment Adviser and its affiliates or the Fund. If (i) a holder of Advisor Class shares ceases to participate in the program or plan, or to be associated with the investment adviser or financial intermediary, in each case, that satisfies the requirements to purchase shares set forth under "Purchase of Shares--Advisor Class Shares" or (ii) the holder is otherwise no longer eligible to purchase Advisor Class shares as described in the Prospectus and this SAI (each, a "Conversion Event"), then all Advisor Class shares held by the shareholder will convert automatically to Class A shares of the Portfolio during the calendar month following the month in which the Portfolio is informed of the occurrence of the Conversion Event. The Portfolio will provide the shareholder with at least 30 days' notice of the conversion. The failure of a shareholder or a fee-based program to satisfy the minimum investment requirements to purchase Advisor Class shares will not constitute a Conversion Event. The conversion would occur on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes and without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. Class A shares currently bear a .30% distribution services fee. Advisor Class shares do not have any distribution services fee. As a result, Class A shares have a higher expense ratio and may pay correspondingly lower dividends and have a lower net asset value than Advisor Class shares. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares is subject to the continuing availability of an opinion of counsel to the effect that the conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares does not constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. The conversion of Advisor Class shares to Class A shares may be suspended if such an opinion is no longer available at the time such conversion is to occur. In that event, the Advisor Class shareholder would be required to redeem his or her Advisor Class shares, which would constitute a taxable event under federal income tax law. Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Group Retirement Plans ---------------------------------------------------------- The Portfolio offers special distribution arrangements for group retirement plans. However, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Group retirement plans also may not offer all classes of shares of the Portfolio. In order to enable participants investing through group retirement plans to purchase shares of the Portfolio, the maximum and minimum investment amounts may be different for shares purchased through group retirement plans from those described herein. In addition, the Class A, Class B and Class C CDSCs may be waived for investments made through certain group retirement plans. Therefore, plan sponsors or fiduciaries may not adhere to these share class eligibility standards as set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI. The Portfolio is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor or fiduciary to impose such differing requirements. Class A Shares -------------- Class A shares are available at net asset value to all AllianceBernstein sponsored group retirement plans, regardless of size, and to the AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with at least $250,000 in plan assets or 100 or more employees. If the plan terminates the Portfolio as an investment option within one year, then all plan purchases of Class A shares will be subject to a 1%, 1-year CDSC on redemption. Class A shares are also available at net asset value to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. The 1%, 1-year CDSC also generally applies. However, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived if the financial intermediary agrees to waive all commissions or other compensation paid in connection with the sale of such shares (typically up to a 1% advance payment for sales of Class A sales at net asset value) other than the service fee paid pursuant to the Portfolio's distribution service plan. Class B Shares -------------- Class B shares are generally not available for purchase by group retirement plans. However, Class B shares may continue to be purchased by group retirement plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment alternative under their plan prior to September 2, 2003. Class C Shares -------------- Class C shares are available to AllianceBernstein Link, AllianceBernstein Individual 401(k) and AllianceBernstein Simple IRA plans with less than $250,000 in plan assets and less than 100 employees. Class C shares are also available to group retirement plans with plan assets of less than $1 million. Class R Shares -------------- Class R shares are available to certain group retirement plans with plan assets of $1 million to $10 million. Such plans are not eligible to purchase Class A shares. Class R shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or CDSC, but are subject to a .50% distribution fee. Choosing A Class of Shares for Group Retirement Plans ----------------------------------------------------- As noted, plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may establish requirements as to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio, including maximum and minimum initial investment requirements, that are different from those described in this SAI. Plan fiduciaries should consider how these requirements differ from the Portfolio's share class eligibility criteria before determining whether to invest. For example, the Portfolio makes its Class A shares available at net asset value to group retirement plans with plan assets in excess of $10 million. In addition, under certain circumstances described above, the 1%, 1-year CDSC may be waived. Because Class A shares have a lower Rule 12b-1 distribution fee than Class R shares, plans eligible for Class A shares with no CDSC should purchase Class A shares. The plan sponsor or fiduciary of plans purchasing shares through a financial intermediary that is not willing to waive advance commission payments (and therefore is not eligible for the waiver of the 1%, 1-year CDSC) should weigh the lower distribution fee and the 1%, 1-year CDSC of Class A shares against the higher distribution fee and absence of a CDSC on Class R shares available from the Portfolio. In addition, as described above, while Class B shares are generally not available to group retirement plans, Class B shares are available for continuing contributions from plans that have already selected Class B shares as an investment option under their plans prior to September 2, 2003. Plan fiduciaries should weigh the fact that Class B shares will convert to Class A shares after a period of time against the fact that Class A and Class R shares have lower expenses, and therefore higher returns, than Class B shares, before determining which class to make available to its plan participants. Sales Charge Reduction Programs ------------------------------- The AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds offer shareholders various programs through which shareholders may obtain reduced sales charges or reductions in CDSC through participation in such programs. In order for shareholders to take advantage of the reductions available through the combined purchase privilege, rights of accumulation and letters of intent, the Portfolio must be notified by the shareholder or his/her financial intermediary that they qualify for such a reduction. If the Portfolio is not notified that a shareholder is eligible for these reductions, the Portfolio will be unable to ensure that the reduction is applied to the shareholder's account. Combined Purchase Privilege. Shareholders may qualify for the sales charge reductions by combining purchases of shares of the Portfolio into a single "purchase." By combining such purchases, shareholders may be able to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." A "purchase" means a single or concurrent purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund by (i) an individual, his or her spouse and their children under the age of 21 years purchasing shares for his, her or their own account(s); (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing shares for a single trust, estate or single fiduciary account although more than one beneficiary is involved; or (iii) the employee benefit plans of a single employer. The term "purchase" also includes purchases by any "company," as the term is defined in the 1940 Act, but does not include purchases by any such company which has not been in existence for at least six months or which has no purpose other than the purchase of shares of the Portfolio or shares of other registered investment companies at a discount. The term "purchase" does not include purchases by any group of individuals whose sole organizational nexus is that the participants therein are credit card holders of a company, policy holders of an insurance company, customers of either a bank or broker-dealer or clients of an investment adviser. Currently, the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds include: AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares, Inc. AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series, Inc. -U.S. Large Cap Portfolio AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Corporate Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio -AllianceBernstein U.S. Government Portfolio AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves AllianceBernstein Global Research Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Greater China '97 Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Growth and Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust, Inc. AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund, Inc. -California Portfolio -Insured California Portfolio -Insured National Portfolio -National Portfolio -New York Portfolio AllianceBernstein Municipal Income Fund II -Arizona Portfolio -Florida Portfolio -Massachusetts Portfolio -Michigan Portfolio -Minnesota Portfolio -New Jersey Portfolio -Ohio Portfolio -Pennsylvania Portfolio -Virginia Portfolio AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series, Inc. -Biotechnology Portfolio -Premier Portfolio -Technology Portfolio AllianceBernstein Small Cap Growth Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Technology Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Trust -AllianceBernstein Global Value Fund -AllianceBernstein International Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Small Cap Value Fund -AllianceBernstein Value Fund AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund, Inc. AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund, Inc. The AllianceBernstein Portfolios -AllianceBernstein Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Growth Fund -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Balanced Wealth Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Tax Managed Wealth Preservation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Appreciation Strategy -AllianceBernstein Wealth Preservation Strategy Sanford C. Bernstein Fund, Inc. -AllianceBernstein Intermediate Diversified Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate California Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Intermediate New York Municipal Portfolio -AllianceBernstein International Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Short Duration Portfolio -AllianceBernstein Tax-Managed International Portfolio Prospectuses for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds may be obtained without charge by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the front cover of this SAI. Cumulative Quantity Discount (Right of Accumulation). An investor's purchase of additional Class A shares of the Portfolio may be combined with the value of the shareholder's existing accounts, thereby enabling the shareholder to take advantage of the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares." In such cases, the applicable sales charge on the newly purchased shares will be based on the total of: (i) the investor's current purchase; (ii) the net asset value (at the close of business on the previous day) of (a) all shares of the Portfolio held by the investor and (b) all shares of any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund held by the investor; and (iii) the net asset value of all shares described in paragraph (ii) owned by another shareholder eligible to combine his or her purchase with that of the investor into a single "purchase" (see above). For example, if an investor owned shares of an AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund worth $200,000 at their then current net asset value and, subsequently, purchased Class A shares of the Portfolio worth an additional $100,000, the sales charge for the $100,000 purchase would be the 2.25% rate applicable to a single $300,000 purchase of shares of the Portfolio, rather than the 3.25% rate. Statement of Intention. Class A investors may also obtain the quantity discounts described under "Alternative Purchase Arrangements - Class A Shares" by means of a written Statement of Intention, which expresses the investor's intention to invest not less than $100,000 within a period of 13 months in shares of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Each purchase of shares under a Statement of Intention will be made at the public offering price or prices applicable at the time of such purchase to a single transaction of the dollar amount indicated in the Statement of Intention. At the investor's option, a Statement of Intention may include purchases of shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund made not more than 90 days prior to the date that the investor signs a Statement of Intention, in which case the 13-month period during which the Statement of Intention is in effect will begin on the date of that earliest purchase. However, sales changes will not be reduced for purchases made prior to the date the Statement of Intention is signed. Investors qualifying for the Combined Purchase Privilege described above may purchase shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds under a single Statement of Intention. For example, if at the time an investor signs a Statement of Intention to invest at least $100,000 in Class A shares of the Portfolio, the investor and the investor's spouse each purchase shares of the Fund worth $20,000 (for a total of $40,000), it will only be necessary to invest a total of $60,000 during the following 13 months in shares of the Portfolio or any other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund, to qualify for the 3.25% sales charge on the total amount being invested (the sales charge applicable to an investment of $100,000). The Statement of Intention is not a binding obligation upon the investor to purchase the full amount indicated. The minimum initial investment under a Statement of Intention is 5% of such amount. Shares purchased with the first 5% of such amount will be held in escrow (while remaining registered in the name of the investor) to secure payment of the higher sales charge applicable to the shares actually purchased if the full amount indicated is not purchased, and such escrowed shares will be involuntarily redeemed at their then net asset value to pay the additional sales charge, if necessary. Dividends on escrowed shares, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Portfolio shares, are not subject to escrow. When the full amount indicated has been purchased, the escrow will be released. Investors wishing to enter into a Statement of Intention in conjunction with their initial investment in Class A shares of the Portfolio can obtain a form of Statement of Intention by contacting AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI. Reinstatement Privilege. A shareholder who has redeemed any or all of his or her Class A or Class B shares may reinvest all or any portion of the proceeds from that redemption in Class A shares of the Portfolio at net asset value without any sales charge, provided that (i) such reinvestment is made within 120 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase date, and (ii) for Class B shares, a CDSC has been paid and the Principal Underwriter has approved, at its discretion, the reinstatement of such shares. Shares are sold to a reinvesting shareholder at the net asset value next determined as described above. A reinstatement pursuant to this privilege will not cancel the redemption or repurchase transaction; therefore, any gain or loss so realized will be recognized for federal income tax purposes except that no loss will be recognized to the extent that the proceeds are reinvested in shares of the Portfolio within 30 calendar days after the redemption or repurchase transaction. Investors may exercise the reinstatement privilege by written request sent to the Portfolio at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shareholders may elect to have all income and capital gains distributions from their account paid to them in the form of additional shares of the same class of the Portfolio pursuant to the Portfolio's Dividend Reinvestment Program. No initial sales charge or CDSC will be imposed on shares issued pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Program. Shares issued under this program will have an aggregate net asset value as of the close of business on the declaration date of the dividend or distribution equal to the cash amount of the distribution. Investors wishing to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to participate in the Dividend Reinvestment Program. In certain circumstances where a shareholder has elected to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash but the account has been determined to be lost due to mail being returned to us by the Postal Service as undeliverable, such shareholder's distributions option will automatically be placed within the Dividend Reinvestment Program for future distributions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks. Dividend Direction Plan ----------------------- A shareholder who already maintains accounts in more than one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund may direct that income dividends and/or capital gains paid by one AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund be automatically reinvested, in any amount, without the payment of any sales or service charges, in shares of the same class of the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund(s). Further information can be obtained by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. Investors wishing to establish a dividend direction plan in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate section of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS to establish a dividend direction plan. Systematic Withdrawal Plan -------------------------- General. Any shareholder who owns or purchases shares of the Portfolio having a current net asset value of at least $4,000 (for quarterly or less frequent payments), $5,000 (for bi-monthly payments) or $10,000 (for monthly payments) may establish a systematic withdrawal plan under which the shareholder will periodically receive a payment in a stated amount of not less than $50 on a selected date. Systematic withdrawal plan participants must elect to have their dividends and distributions from the Portfolio automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. Shares of the Portfolio owned by a participant in the Portfolio's systematic withdrawal plan will be redeemed as necessary to meet withdrawal payments and such payments will be subject to any taxes applicable to redemptions and, except as discussed below with respect to Class B and Class C shares, any applicable CDSC. Shares acquired with reinvested dividends and distributions will be liquidated first to provide such withdrawal payments and thereafter other shares will be liquidated to the extent necessary, and depending upon the amount withdrawn, the investor's principal may be depleted. A systematic withdrawal plan may be terminated at any time by the shareholder or the Portfolio. Withdrawal payments will not automatically end when a shareholder's account reaches a certain minimum level. Therefore, redemptions of shares under the plan may reduce or even liquidate a shareholder's account and may subject the shareholder to the Portfolio's involuntary redemption provisions. See "Redemption and Repurchase of Shares -- General." Purchases of additional shares concurrently with withdrawals are undesirable because of sales charges applicable when purchases are made. While an occasional lump-sum investment may be made by a holder of Class A shares who is maintaining a systematic withdrawal plan, such investment should normally be an amount equivalent to three times the annual withdrawal or $5,000, whichever is less. Payments under a systematic withdrawal plan may be made by check or electronically via the Automated Clearing House ("ACH") network. Investors wishing to establish a systematic withdrawal plan in conjunction with their initial investment in shares of the Portfolio should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application, while current Portfolio shareholders desiring to do so can obtain an application form by contacting AGIS at the address or the "For Literature" telephone number shown on the cover of this SAI. CDSC Waiver for Class B Shares and Class C Shares. Under the systematic withdrawal plan, up to 1% monthly, 2% bi-monthly or 3% quarterly of the value at the time of redemption of the Class B or Class C shares in a shareholder's account may be redeemed free of any CDSC. Class B shares that are not subject to a CDSC (such as shares acquired with reinvested dividends or distributions) will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Remaining Class B shares that are held the longest will be redeemed next. Redemptions of Class B shares in excess of the foregoing limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. With respect to Class C shares, shares held the longest will be redeemed first and will count toward the foregoing limitations. Redemptions in excess of those limitations will be subject to any otherwise applicable CDSC. ----------------------------------------------------------------- REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares--How to Sell Shares." If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program your fee-based program may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. A transaction fee may be charged by your financial intermediary with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of Advisor Class shares made through such financial intermediary. The Portfolio has authorized one or more brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Portfolio's behalf. In such cases, orders will receive the net asset value next computed after such order is properly received by the authorized broker or designee and accepted by the Portfolio. Redemption ---------- Subject only to the limitations described below, the Fund's Charter requires that the Fund redeem the shares of the Portfolio tendered to it, as described below, at a redemption price equal to their net asset value as next computed following the receipt of shares tendered for redemption in proper form. Except for any CDSC which may be applicable to Class A shares, Class B shares or Class C shares, there is no redemption charge. Payment of the redemption price will be made within seven days after the Fund's receipt of such tender for redemption. If a shareholder is in doubt about what documents are required by his or her fee-based program or employee benefit plan, the shareholder should contact his or her financial representative. The right of redemption may not be suspended or the date of payment upon redemption postponed for more than seven days after shares are tendered for redemption, except for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which the Commission determines that trading thereon is restricted, or for any period during which an emergency (as determined by the Commission) exists as a result of which disposal by the Portfolio of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or for such other periods as the Commission may by order permit for the protection of security holders of the Portfolio. Payment of the redemption price normally will be made in cash. No interest will accrue on uncashed redemption checks. The value of a shareholder's shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the cost of such shares to the shareholder, depending upon the market value of the Portfolio's portfolio securities at the time of such redemption or repurchase. Redemption proceeds on Class A, Class B and Class C shares will reflect the deduction of the CDSC, if any. Payment (either in cash or in portfolio securities) received by a shareholder upon redemption or repurchase of his or her shares, assuming the shares constitute capital assets in his or her hands, will result in long-term or short-term capital gains (or loss) depending upon the shareholder's holding period and basis in respect of the shares redeemed. To redeem shares of the Portfolio for which no share certificates have been issued, the registered owner or owners should forward a letter to the Portfolio containing a request for redemption. The signature or signatures on the letter must be Medallion Signature Guaranteed. To redeem shares of the Fund represented by stock certificates, the investor should forward the appropriate stock certificate or certificates, endorsed in blank or with blank stock powers attached, to the Portfolio with the request that the shares represented thereby, or a specified portion thereof, be redeemed. The stock assignment form on the reverse side of each stock certificate surrendered to the Portfolio for redemption must be signed by the registered owner or owners exactly as the registered name appears on the face of the certificate or, alternatively, a stock power signed in the same manner may be attached to the stock certificate or certificates or, where tender is made by mail, separately mailed to the Fund. The signature or signatures on the assignment form must be guaranteed in the manner described above. Telephone Redemption by Electronic Funds Transfer. Each Portfolio shareholder is entitled to request redemption by electronic funds transfer (of shares for which no share certificates have been issued) by telephone at (800) 221-5672 if the shareholder has completed the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application or, if an existing shareholder has not completed this portion, by an "Autosell" application obtained from AGIS. A telephone redemption by electronic funds transfer may not exceed $100,000 (except for certain omnibus accounts), and must be made by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Proceeds of telephone redemptions will be sent by Electronic Funds Transfer to a shareholder's designated bank account at a bank selected by the shareholder that is a member of the NACHA. Telephone Redemption by Check. Each Portfolio shareholder is eligible to request redemption by check of Portfolio shares for which no stock certificates have been issued by telephone at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in an amount not exceeding $50,000. Proceeds of such redemptions are remitted by check to the shareholder's address of record. A shareholder otherwise eligible for telephone redemption by check may cancel the privilege by written instruction to AGIS, or by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Telephone Redemptions - General. During periods of drastic economic, market or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. The Fund reserves the right to suspend or terminate its telephone redemption service at any time without notice. Telephone redemption by check is not available with respect to shares (i) for which certificates have been issued, (ii) held in nominee or "street name" accounts, (iii) held by a shareholder who has changed his or her address of record within the preceding 30 calendar days or (iv) held in any retirement plan account. Neither the Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter nor AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for redemptions that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for redemptions are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Financial intermediaries may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for redemptions. Repurchase ---------- The Portfolio may repurchase shares through the Principal Underwriter or financial intermediaries. The repurchase price will be the net asset value next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the request (less the CDSC, if any, with respect to the Class A, Class B and Class C shares), except that requests placed through selected dealers or agents before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any day will be executed at the net asset value determined as of such close of regular trading on that day if received by the Principal Underwriter prior to its close of business on that day (normally 5:00 p.m., Eastern time). The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting the request to the Principal Underwriter by 5:00 p.m., Eastern time (certain financial intermediaries may enter into operating agreements permitting them to transmit purchase information that was received prior to the close of business to the Principal Underwriter after 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, and receive that day's net asset value). If the financial intermediary fails to do so, the shareholder's right to receive that day's closing price must be settled between the shareholder and that financial intermediary. A shareholder may offer shares of the Portfolio to the Principal Underwriter either directly or through a financial intermediary. Neither the Portfolio nor the Principal Underwriter charges a fee or commission in connection with the repurchase of shares (except for the CDSC, if any, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares). Normally, if shares of the Portfolio are offered through a financial intermediary, the repurchase is settled by the shareholder as an ordinary transaction with or through that financial intermediary, who may charge the shareholder for this service. The repurchase of shares of the Fund as described above is a voluntary service of the Fund, and the Fund may suspend or terminate this practice at any time. General ------- The Fund reserves the right to close out an account that through redemption has remained below $200 for at least 90 days. Shareholders will receive 60 days written notice to increase the account value before the account is closed. No CDSC will be deducted from the proceeds of this redemption. In the case of a redemption or repurchase of shares of the Portfolio recently purchased by check, redemption proceeds will not be made available until the Fund is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SHAREHOLDER SERVICES ----------------------------------------------------------------- The following information supplements that set forth in the Portfolio's Prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Shares." The shareholder services set forth below are applicable to all classes of shares unless otherwise indicated. If you are an Advisor Class shareholder through an account established under a fee-based program or a shareholder in a group retirement program, your fee-based program or retirement program may impose requirements with respect to the purchase, sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio that are different from those described herein. Automatic Investment Program ---------------------------- Investors may purchase shares of the Portfolio through an automatic investment program utilizing electronic funds transfer drawn on the investor's own bank account. Under such a program, pre-authorized monthly drafts for a fixed amount (at least $25) are used to purchase shares through the financial intermediary designated by the investor at the public offering price next determined after the Principal Underwriter receives the proceeds from the investor's bank. In electronic form, drafts can be made on or about a date each month selected by the shareholder. Investors wishing to establish an automatic investment program in connection with their initial investment should complete the appropriate portion of the Subscription Application. Current shareholders should contact AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the cover of this SAI to establish an automatic investment program. Exchange Privilege ------------------ You may exchange your investment in the Fund for shares of the same class of other AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds (including AllianceBernstein Exchange Reserves, a money market fund managed by the Investment Adviser) if the other AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund in which you wish to invest offers shares of the same class. In addition, (i) present officers and full-time employees of the Investment Adviser, (ii) present Directors or Trustees of any AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund and (iii) certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter, AGIS and their affiliates may, on a tax-free basis, exchange Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio. Exchanges of shares are made at the net asset value next determined and without sales or service charges. Exchanges may be made by telephone or written request. Telephone exchange requests must be received by AGIS by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day in order to receive that day's net asset value. Shares will continue to age without regard to exchanges for purposes of determining the CDSC, if any, upon redemption and, in the case of Class B shares, for the purpose of conversion to Class A shares. After an exchange, your Class B shares will automatically convert to Class A shares in accordance with the conversion schedule applicable to the Class B shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund you originally purchased for cash ("original shares"). When redemption occurs, the CDSC applicable to the original shares is applied. Please read carefully the prospectus of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund into which you are exchanging before submitting the request. Call AGIS at (800) 221-5672 to exchange uncertificated shares. Except with respect to exchanges of Class A shares of the Portfolio for Advisor Class shares of the Portfolio, exchanges of shares as described above in this section are taxable transactions for federal income tax purposes. The exchange service may be modified, restricted or terminated on 60 days' written notice. All exchanges are subject to the minimum investment requirements and any other applicable terms set forth in the prospectus for the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being acquired. An exchange is effected through the redemption of the shares tendered for exchange and the purchase of shares being acquired at their respective net asset values as next determined following receipt by the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares are being exchanged of (i) proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents as described in such fund's prospectus, or (ii) a telephone request for such exchange in accordance with the procedures set forth in the following paragraph. Exchanges involving the redemption of shares recently purchased by check will be permitted only after the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund whose shares have been tendered for exchange is reasonably assured that the check has cleared, normally up to 15 calendar days following the purchase date. Exchanges of shares of AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds will generally result in the realization of a capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. Each Portfolio shareholder and the shareholder's financial intermediary are authorized to make telephone requests for exchanges unless AGIS receives written instruction to the contrary from the shareholder, or the shareholder declines the privilege by checking the appropriate box on the Subscription Application. Such telephone requests cannot be accepted with respect to shares then represented by stock certificates. Shares acquired pursuant to a telephone request for exchange will be held under the same account registration as the shares redeemed through such exchange. Eligible shareholders desiring to make an exchange should telephone AGIS with their account number and other details of the exchange, at (800) 221-5672 before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day as defined above. Telephone requests for exchange received before 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on a Fund business day will be processed as of the close of business on that day. During periods of drastic economic, market or other developments, such as the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, it is possible that shareholders would have difficulty in reaching AGIS by telephone (although no such difficulty was apparent at any time in connection with the attacks). If a shareholder were to experience such difficulty, the shareholder should issue written instructions to AGIS at the address shown on the cover of this SAI. A shareholder may elect to initiate a monthly "Auto Exchange" whereby a specified dollar amount's worth of his or her Fund shares (minimum $25) is automatically exchanged for shares of another AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund. Auto Exchange transactions normally occur on the 12th day of each month, or the Fund business day prior thereto. None of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Funds, the Investment Adviser, the Principal Underwriter or AGIS will be responsible for the authenticity of telephone requests for exchanges that the Fund reasonably believes to be genuine. The Fund will employ reasonable procedures in order to verify that telephone requests for exchanges are genuine, including, among others, recording such telephone instructions and causing written confirmations of the resulting transactions to be sent to shareholders. If the Fund did not employ such procedures, it could be liable for losses arising from unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions. Financial intermediaries may charge a commission for handling telephone requests for exchanges. The exchange privilege is available only in states where shares of the AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund being acquired may be legally sold. Each AllianceBernstein Mutual Fund reserves the right, at any time on 60 days' written notice to its shareholders, to modify, restrict or terminate the exchange privilege. Statements and Reports ---------------------- Each shareholder of the Portfolio receives semi-annual and annual reports which include a portfolio of investments, financial statements and, in the case of the annual report, the report of the Fund's independent auditors, Ernst & Young LLP, as well as a monthly cumulative dividend statement and a confirmation of each purchase and redemption. By contacting his or her broker or AGIS, a shareholder can arrange for copies of his or her account statements to be sent to another person. Checkwriting ------------ A new Class A or Class C investor may fill out the Signature Card to authorize the Fund to arrange for a checkwriting service through State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank") to draw against Class A or Class C shares of the Portfolio redeemed from the investor's account. Under this service, checks may be made payable to any payee in any amount not less than $500 and not more than 90% of the net asset value of the Class A or Class C shares in the investor's account (excluding for this purpose the current month's accumulated dividends and shares for which certificates have been issued). A Class A or Class C shareholder wishing to establish this checkwriting service subsequent to the opening of his or her Portfolio account should contact the Portfolio by telephone or mail. Corporations, fiduciaries and institutional investors are required to furnish a certified resolution or other evidence of authorization. This checkwriting service will be subject to the Bank's customary rules and regulations governing checking accounts, and the Portfolio and the Bank each reserve the right to change or suspend the checkwriting service. There is no charge to the shareholder for the initiation and maintenance of this service or for the clearance of any checks. When a check is presented to the Bank for payment, the Bank, as the shareholder's agent, causes the Fund to redeem, at the net asset value next determined, a sufficient number of full and fractional shares of the Portfolio in the shareholder's account to cover the check. Because the level of net assets in a shareholder's account constantly changes due, among various factors, to market fluctuations, a shareholder should not attempt to close his or her account by use of a check. In this regard, the Bank has the right to return checks (marked "insufficient funds") unpaid to the presenting bank if the amount of the check exceeds 90% of the assets in the account. Canceled (paid) checks are returned to the shareholder. The checkwriting service enables the shareholder to receive the daily dividends declared on the shares to be redeemed until the day that the check is presented to the Bank for payment. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NET ASSET VALUE ----------------------------------------------------------------- The per share net asset value is computed at the next close of regular trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) following receipt of a purchase or redemption order by the Portfolio on each Fund business day on which such an order is received and on such other days as the Board of Directors deems appropriate or necessary in order to comply with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act. The Portfolio's per share net asset value is calculated by dividing the value of the Portfolio's total assets, less its liabilities, by the total number of its shares then outstanding. As noted above, a Fund business day is any weekday on which the Exchange is open for trading. In accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act and the Fund's pricing policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors (the "Pricing Policies"), portfolio securities are valued at current market value or at fair value. The Board of Directors has delegated to the Investment Adviser, subject to the Board's continuing oversight, certain of its duties with respect to the Pricing Policies. With respect to securities for which market quotations are readily available, the market value of a security will be determined as follows: (a) securities listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange are valued at the last sale price reflected on the consolidated tape at the close of the Exchange or foreign securities exchange on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices on such day. If no bid or asked prices are quoted on such day, then the security is valued in good faith at fair value by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors; (b) securities not listed on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange but listed on other national securities exchanges are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above, and securities traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. ("NASDAQ") are valued in accordance with the NASDAQ Official Closing Price; (c) securities traded on the Exchange or on a foreign securities exchange and on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, and securities not traded on the Exchange but traded on one or more other national or foreign securities exchanges, are valued in accordance with paragraph (a) above by reference to the principal exchange on which the securities are traded; (d) listed put or call options purchased by the Portfolio are valued at the last sale price. If there has been no sale on that day, such securities will be valued at the closing bid prices on that day; (e) open futures contracts and options thereon will be valued using the closing settlement price or, in the absence of such a price, the most recent quoted bid price. If there are no quotations available for the day of valuations, the last available closing settlement price will be used; (f) securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including securities listed on a national securities exchange whose primary market is believed to be over-the-counter (but excluding securities traded on NASDAQ) are valued at the mean of the current bid and asked prices as reported by the National Quotation Bureau or other comparable sources; (g) U.S. Government securities and other debt instruments having 60 days or less remaining until maturity are valued at amortized cost if their original maturity was 60 days or less, or by amortizing their fair value as of the 61st day prior to maturity if their original term to maturity exceeded 60 days (unless in either case it is determined, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors, that this method does not represent fair value); (h) fixed-income securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. The prices provided by a pricing service take into account many factors, including institutional size, trading in similar groups of securities and any developments related to specific securities. For securities where the Investment Adviser has determined that an appropriate pricing service does not exist, such securities may be valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; (i) mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may be valued at prices obtained from a bond pricing service or at a price obtained from one or more of the major broker/dealers in such securities when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities. In cases where broker/dealer quotes are obtained, the Investment Adviser may establish procedures whereby changes in market yields or spreads are used to adjust, on a daily basis, a recently obtained quoted bid price on a security; (j) OTC and other derivatives are valued on the basis of a quoted bid price or spread from a major broker/dealer in such security; and (k) all other securities will be valued in accordance with readily available market quotations as determined in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Directors. With respect to securities for which market quotations are not readily available, the security will be valued at fair value in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors. Trading in securities on Far Eastern and European securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets is normally completed well before the close of business of each Fund business day. In addition, trading in foreign markets may not take place on all Fund business days. Furthermore, trading may take place in various foreign markets on days that are not Fund business days. The Portfolio's calculation of the net asset value per share, therefore, does not always take place contemporaneously with the most recent determination of the prices of portfolio securities in these markets. Events affecting the values of these portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are determined in accordance with the above procedures and the close of the Exchange will not be reflected in the Portfolio's calculation of net asset value unless it is believed that these prices do not reflect current market value, in which case the securities will be valued in good faith by, or in accordance with procedures established by, the Board of Directors at fair value. The Portfolio may suspend the determination of its net asset value (and the offering and sale of shares), subject to the rules of the Commission and other governmental rules and regulations, at a time when: (1) the Exchange is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, (2) an emergency exists as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Portfolio to dispose of securities owned by it or to determine fairly the value of its net assets, or (3) for the protection of shareholders, the Commission by order permits a suspension of the right of redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption. For purposes of determining the Portfolio's net asset value per share, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in a foreign currency will be converted into U.S. dollars at the mean of the current bid and asked prices of such currency against the U.S. dollar last quoted by a major bank that is a regular participant in the relevant foreign exchange market or on the basis of a pricing service that takes into account the quotes provided by a number of such major banks. If such quotations are not available as of the close of the Exchange, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith by, or under the direction of, the Board of Directors. The assets attributable to the Class A shares, Class B shares, Class C shares, Advisor Class shares and Class R shares will be invested together in a single portfolio. The net asset value of each class will be determined separately by subtracting the liabilities allocated to that class from the assets belonging to that class in conformance with the provisions of a plan adopted by the Fund in accordance with Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is responsible for the investment decisions and the placing of the orders for portfolio transactions for the Portfolio. The Portfolio's portfolio transactions occur primarily with issuers, underwriters or major dealers acting as principals. Such transactions are normally on a net basis which do not involve payment of brokerage commissions. The cost of securities purchased from an underwriter usually includes a commission paid by the issuer to the underwriter; transactions with dealers normally reflect the spread between bid and asked prices. Premiums are paid with respect to options purchased by the Portfolio, and brokerage commissions are payable with respect to transactions in exchange-traded interest rate futures contracts. The Investment Adviser makes the decisions for the Portfolio and determines the broker or dealer to be used in each specific transaction. Most transactions for the Portfolio, including transactions in listed securities, are executed in the over-the-counter market by approximately fifteen (15) principal market maker dealers with whom the Investment Adviser maintains regular contact. Most transactions made by the Portfolio will be principal transactions at net prices and the Portfolio will incur little or no brokerage costs. Where possible, securities will be purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter or market maker for the securities unless the Investment Adviser believes a better price and execution is available elsewhere. Purchases from underwriters of newly-issued securities for inclusion in the Portfolio usually will include a concession paid to the underwriter by the issuer, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include the spread between the bid and asked price. The Portfolio will not consider sales of its shares as a factor in the selection of dealers to enter into portfolio transactions with the Portfolio. The Portfolio has no obligation to enter into transactions in securities with any broker, dealer, issuer, underwriter or other entity. In placing orders, it is the policy of the Fund to obtain the best price and execution for its transactions. Where best price and execution may be obtained from more than one broker or dealer, the Investment Adviser may, in its discretion, purchase and sell securities through brokers and dealers who provide research, statistical and other information to the Investment Adviser. Such services may be used by the Investment Adviser for all of its investment advisory accounts and, accordingly, not all such services may be used by the Investment Adviser in connection with the Portfolio. There may be occasions where the transaction cost charged by a broker may be greater than that which another broker may charge if the Fund determines in good faith that the amount of such transaction cost is reasonable in relationship to the value of the brokerage and research and statistical services provided by the executing broker. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2001, 2002 and 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003, the Portfolio incurred no brokerage commissions. The Fund may from time to time place orders for the purchase or sale of securities (including listed call options) with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC ("SCB & Co."), an affiliate of the Adviser. In such instances, the placement of orders with such brokers would be consistent with the Fund's objective of obtaining best execution and would not be dependent upon the fact that SCB & Co. is an affiliate of the Adviser. With respect to orders placed with SCB & Co. for execution on a national securities exchange, commissions received must conform to Section 17(e)(2)(A) of the 1940 Act and Rule 17e-1 thereunder, which permit an affiliated person of a registered investment company (such as the Fund), or any affiliated person of such person, to receive a brokerage commission from such registered investment company provided that such commission is reasonable and fair compared to the commissions received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES ----------------------------------------------------------------- United States Federal Income Taxation of Dividends and Distributions --------------------------------------- General. The Portfolio intends for each taxable year to qualify to be taxed as a "regulated investment company" under the Code. To so qualify, the Portfolio must, among other things, (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currency or certain other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in stock, securities or currency; and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, the following two conditions are met: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is represented by cash, cash items, U.S. Government Securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities with respect to which the Portfolio's investment is limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Portfolio's assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Portfolio's assets is invested in securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government Securities or securities of other regulated investment companies). If the Portfolio qualifies as a regulated investment company for any taxable year and makes timely distributions to its shareholders of 90% or more of its investment company taxable income for that year (calculated without regard to its net capital gain, i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss) it will not be subject to federal income tax on the portion of its taxable income for the year (including any net capital gain) that it distributes to shareholders. It is the present policy of the Fund to distribute to shareholders all net investment income quarterly and to distribute net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The amount of any such distributions must necessarily depend upon the realization by the Fund of income and capital gains from investments. The Portfolio will also avoid the 4% federal excise tax that would otherwise apply to certain undistributed income for a given calendar year if it makes timely distributions to shareholders equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income and foreign currency gains for the twelve-month period ending on October 31 of such year; and (iii) any ordinary income or capital gain net income from the preceding calendar year that was not distributed during such year. For this purpose, income or gain retained by the Portfolio that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by the Portfolio during such year. For federal income and excise tax purposes, dividends declared and payable to shareholders of record as of a date in October, November or December but actually paid during the following January will be treated as if paid by the Portfolio on December 31 of such earlier calendar year, and will be taxable to these shareholders in the year declared, and not in the year in which the shareholders actually receive the dividend. The information set forth in the Prospectus and the following discussion relate solely to the significant United States federal income taxes on dividends and distributions by the Portfolio and assumes that the Portfolio qualifies to be taxed as a regulated investment company. An investor should consult his or her own tax advisor with respect to the specific tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio, including the effect and applicability of federal, state, local and foreign tax laws to his or her own particular situation and the possible effects of changes therein. Dividends and Distributions. The Portfolio intends to make timely distributions of the Portfolio's taxable income (including any net capital gain) so that the Portfolio will not be subject to federal income and excise taxes. Dividends of the Portfolio's net ordinary income and distributions of any net realized short-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some or all of the distributions from a mutual fund may be treated as "qualified dividend income," taxable to individuals at the reduced maximum rate of 15% (5% for individuals in lower tax brackets), provided that both the fund and the individual satisfy certain holding period and other requirements. Based upon the investment policies of the Portfolio, it is expected that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions would be treated as "qualified dividend income." Distributions of net capital gain are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio. Any dividend or distribution received by a shareholder on shares of the Portfolio will have the effect of reducing the net asset value of such shares by the amount of such dividend or distribution. Furthermore, a dividend or distribution made shortly after the purchase of such shares by a shareholder, although in effect a return of capital to that particular shareholder, would be taxable to him or her as described above. Dividends are taxable in the manner discussed regardless of whether they are paid to the shareholder in cash or are reinvested in additional shares of the Portfolio. The investment objective of the Portfolio is such that only a small portion, if any, of the Portfolio's distributions is expected to qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. After the end of the calendar year, the Portfolio will notify shareholders of the federal income tax status of any distributions made by the Portfolio to shareholders during such year. Sales and Redemptions. Any gain or loss arising from a sale or redemption of Portfolio shares generally will be capital gain or loss if the Portfolio shares are held as a capital asset, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shareholder has held such shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or redemption; otherwise it will be short-term capital gain or loss. If a shareholder has held shares in the Portfolio for six months or less and during that period has received a distribution of net capital gain, any loss recognized by the shareholder on the sale of those shares during the six-month period will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the distribution. In determining the holding period of such shares for this purpose, any period during which a shareholder's risk of loss is offset by means of options, short sales or similar transactions is not counted. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a sale or exchange of shares of the Portfolio will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are reacquired within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are sold or exchanged. For this purpose, acquisitions pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan would constitute a reacquisition if made within the period. If a loss disallowed, then such loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired. Qualified Plans. A dividend or capital gains distribution with respect to shares of the Portfolio held by a tax-deferred or qualified plan, such as an individual retirement account, section 403(b)(7) retirement plan or corporate pension or profit-sharing plan, generally will not be taxable to the plan. Distributions from such plans will be taxable to individual participants under applicable tax rules without regard to the character of the income earned by the qualified plan. Backup Withholding. Any distributions and redemption proceeds payable to a shareholder may be subject to "backup withholding" tax (currently at a rate of 28%) if such shareholder fails to provide the Portfolio with his or her correct taxpayer identification number, fails to make certain required certifications or is notified by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") that he or she is subject to backup withholding. Certain categories of shareholders, including all corporations, are exempt from such backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax; rather, a shareholder generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under backup withholding rules that exceed such shareholder's income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS. Foreign Taxes. Income received by the Portfolio also may be subject to foreign income taxes, including taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which entitle the Portfolio to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of the Portfolio's assets to be invested within various countries is not known. If more than 50% of the value of the Portfolio's assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stocks or securities of foreign corporations (which for this purpose should include obligations issued by foreign governments), the Portfolio will be eligible and intends to file an election with the IRS to pass through to its shareholders the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio. However, there can be no assurance that the Portfolio will be able to do so. If the Portfolio makes this election, a shareholder will be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio, (ii) treat his or her pro rata share of such foreign taxes as having been paid by him and (iii) either deduct such pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or treat such foreign taxes as a credit against United States federal income taxes. Shareholders who are not liable for federal income taxes, such as retirement plans qualified under section 401 of the Code, will not be affected by any such pass-through of taxes by the Portfolio. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by an individual shareholder who does not itemize deductions. In addition, certain shareholders may be subject to rules which limit or reduce their ability to fully deduct, or claim a credit for, their pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio. A shareholder's foreign tax credit with respect to a dividend received from the Portfolio will be disallowed unless the shareholder holds shares in the Portfolio on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 other days during the 30-day period beginning 15 days prior to the ex-dividend date. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Portfolio's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Portfolio will pass through for that year and, if so, such notification will designate (i) the shareholder's portion of the foreign taxes paid to each such country and (ii) the portion of dividends that represents income derived from sources within each such country. The federal income tax status of each year's distributions by the Portfolio will be reported to shareholders and to the IRS. The foregoing is only a general description of the treatment of foreign taxes under the United States federal income tax laws. Because the availability of a foreign tax credit or deduction will depend on the particular circumstances of each shareholder, potential investors are advised to consult their own tax advisers. United States Federal Income Taxation of the Portfolio ------------------------------------------------------ The following discussion relates to certain significant United States federal income tax consequences to the Portfolio with respect to the determination of its "investment company taxable income" each year. This discussion assumes that the Portfolio will be taxed as a regulated investment company for each of its taxable years. Zero Coupon Treasury Securities. Under current federal tax law, the Portfolio will receive net investment income in the form of interest by virtue of holding Treasury bills, notes and bonds, and will recognize interest attributable to it under the original issue discount rules of the Code from holding zero coupon Treasury securities. Current federal tax law requires that a holder (such as the Portfolio) of a zero coupon security accrue a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased as income each year even though the Portfolio receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. Accordingly, the Portfolio may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Portfolio actually received. Such distributions will be made from the cash assets of the Portfolio 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 Portfolio may realize a gain or loss from such sales. In the event the Portfolio realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions. Options, Futures Contracts, and Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. Certain listed options, regulated futures contracts and forward foreign currency contracts are considered "section 1256 contracts" for federal income tax purposes. Section 1256 contracts held by the Portfolio at the end of each taxable year will be "marked to market" and treated for federal income tax purposes as though sold for fair market value on the last business day of such taxable year. Gain or loss realized by the Portfolio on section 1256 contracts other than forward foreign currency contracts will be considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although the Portfolio may elect to have the gain or loss it realizes on certain contracts taxed as "section 988" gain or loss. Gain or loss realized by the Portfolio on forward foreign currency contracts generally will be treated as section 988 gain or loss and will therefore be characterized as ordinary income or loss and will increase or decrease the amount of the Portfolio's net investment income available to be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income, as described above. The Portfolio can elect to exempt its section 1256 contracts which are part of a "mixed straddle" (as described below) from the application of section 1256. The Treasury Department has the authority to issue regulations that would permit or require the Portfolio either to integrate a foreign currency hedging transaction with the investment that is hedged and treat the two as a single transaction, or otherwise to treat the hedging transaction in a manner that is consistent with the hedged investment. It is anticipated that any regulations issued under this authority will not apply to the type of hedging transactions in which the Portfolio intends to engage. With respect to over-the-counter put and call options, gain or loss realized by the Portfolio upon the lapse or sale of such options held by the Portfolio will be either long-term or short-term capital gain or loss depending upon the Portfolio's holding period with respect to such option. However, gain or loss realized upon the lapse or closing out of such options that are written by the Portfolio will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. In general, if the Portfolio exercises an option, or if an option that the Portfolio has written is exercised, gain or loss on the option will not be separately recognized but the premium received or paid will be included in the calculation of gain or loss upon disposition of the property underlying the option. Gain or loss realized by the Portfolio on the lapse or sale of put and call options on foreign currencies which are traded over-the-counter or on certain foreign exchanges will be treated as section 988 gain or loss and will therefore be characterized as ordinary income or loss and will increase or decrease the amount of the Portfolio's net investment income available to be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income, as described above. The amount of such gain or loss shall be determined by subtracting the amount paid, if any, for or with respect to the option (including any amount paid by the Portfolio upon termination of an option written by the Portfolio) from the amount received, if any, for or with respect to the option (including any amount received by the Portfolio upon termination of an option held by the Portfolio). In general, if the Portfolio exercises such an option on a foreign currency, or if such an option that the Portfolio has written is exercised, gain or loss on the option will be recognized in the same manner as if the Portfolio had sold the option (or paid another person to assume the Portfolio's obligation to make delivery under the option) on the date on which the option is exercised, for the fair market value of the option. The foregoing rules will also apply to other put and call options which have as their underlying property foreign currency and which are traded over-the-counter or on certain foreign exchanges to the extent gain or loss with respect to such options is attributable to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. Stripped-Mortgage Related Securities. Certain classes of SMRS which are issued at a discount, the payments of which are subject to acceleration by reason of prepayments of the underlying Mortgage Assets securing such classes, are subject to special rules for determining the portion of the discount at which the class was issued which must be accrued as income each year. Under Code section 1272(a)(6), a principal-only class or a class which receives a portion of the interest and a portion of the principal from the underlying Mortgage Assets is subject to rules which require accrual of interest to be calculated and included in the income of a holder (such as the Portfolio) based on the increase in the present value of the payments remaining on the class, taking into account payments includable in the class' stated redemption price at maturity which are received during the accrual period. For this purpose, the present value calculation is made at the beginning of each accrual period (i) using the yield to maturity determined for the class at the time of its issuance (determined on the basis of compounding at the close of each accrual period and properly adjusted for the length of the accrual period), calculated on the assumption that certain prepayments will occur, and (ii) taking into account any prepayments that have occurred before the close of the accrual period. Since interest included in the Portfolio's income as a result of these rules will have been accrued and not actually paid, the Portfolio may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash interest it actually received, with possible results as described above. Currency Fluctuations--Section 988 Gains and Losses. Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Portfolio accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Portfolio actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses from the disposition of foreign currencies, from the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, or from the disposition of a forward contract denominated in a foreign currency which are attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the asset and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary income or loss. These gains or losses, referred to under the Code as "section 988" gains or losses, increase or decrease the amount of the Portfolio's investment company taxable income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of the Portfolio's net capital gain. Because section 988 losses reduce the amount of ordinary dividends the Portfolio will be allowed to distribute for a taxable year, such section 988 losses may result in all or a portion of prior dividend distributions for such year being recharacterized as a non-taxable return of capital to shareholders, rather than as an ordinary dividend, reducing each shareholder's basis in his or her Portfolio shares. To the extent that such distributions exceed such shareholder's basis, each will be treated as a gain from the sale of shares. Other Taxation -------------- The Portfolio may be subject to other state and local taxes. Taxation of Foreign Shareholders -------------------------------- The foregoing discussion relates only to United States federal income tax law as it affects shareholders who are United States citizens or residents or United States corporations. The effects of federal income tax law on a shareholder which is a non-resident alien individual or foreign corporation may be substantially different. A foreign investor should therefore consult his or her own tax adviser for further information as to the United States federal income tax consequences of being a shareholder in the Portfolio. ----------------------------------------------------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Fund is a Maryland Corporation organized in 1973 under the name "Alliance Bond Fund, Inc." The Fund's name became "AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc." on March 31, 2003. Capitalization -------------- The authorized capital stock of the Fund consists of 45,000,000,000 shares of Common Stock having a par value of $.001 per share. All shares of each portfolio participate equally in dividends and distributions from that portfolio, including any distributions in the event of a liquidation and upon redeeming shares, will receive the then current net asset value of the Portfolio represented by the redeemed shares less any applicable CDSC. Each share of the portfolio is entitled to one vote for all purposes. Shares of the portfolios vote for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affects the portfolios in substantially the same manner as a single class, except as otherwise required by law. As to matters affecting each portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each portfolio would vote as a separate class. There are no conversion or preemptive rights in connection with any shares of the portfolio. All shares of the Portfolio when duly issued will be fully paid and non-assessable. The authorized capital stock of the Portfolio currently consists of 3,000,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Class C Common Stock, 3,000,000,000 shares of Advisor Class Common Stock and 3,000,000,000 shares of Class R Common Stock, each having a par value of $.001 per share. Each class of shares of the Portfolio represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments, and has the same rights and is identical in all respects, except that expenses related to the distribution of each class are borne solely by each class and each class of shares has exclusive voting rights with respect to provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plan which pertain to a particular class and other matters for which separate class voting is appropriate under applicable law, provided that, if the Portfolio submits to a vote of the Class A shareholders an amendment to the Rule 12b-1 Plan that would materially increase the amount to be paid thereunder with respect to the Class A shares, then such amendment will also be submitted to the Class B and Advisor Class shareholders, and the Class A shareholders, the Class B shareholders and the Advisor Class shareholders will vote separately by class. The Fund's Board of Directors may, without shareholder approval, increase or decrease the number of authorized but unissued shares of the Portfolio's Class A, Class B, Class C, Advisor Class and Class R Common Stock. The Board of Directors is authorized to reclassify and issue any unissued shares to any number of additional portfolios and classes without shareholder approval. Accordingly, the Directors in the future, for reasons such as the desire to establish one or more additional portfolios with different investment objectives, policies or restrictions, may create additional portfolios of shares. Any issuance of shares of another portfolio would be governed by the 1940 Act and the laws of the State of Maryland. If shares of another portfolio were issued in connection with the creation of a second portfolio, each share of either portfolio would normally be entitled to one vote for all purposes. Generally, shares of both portfolios would vote as a single portfolio for the election of Directors and on any other matter that affected both portfolios in substantially the same manner. As to matters affecting each portfolio differently, such as approval of the Investment Advisory Contract and changes in investment policy, shares of each Portfolio would vote as separate portfolios. It is anticipated that annual shareholder meetings will not be held; shareholder meetings will be held only when required by federal or state law. As of the close of business on January 6, 2004, there were 42,978,651 shares of common stock outstanding, including 6,130,134 Class A shares, 8,539,776 Class B shares, 2,274,140 Class C shares 950 Class R shares and 26,033,651 Advisor Class shares outstanding. To the knowledge of the Portfolio, the following persons owned of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio as of January 6, 2004: Name and Address No. of Shares % of Class ---------------- ------------- ---------- Class A Shares -------------- MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn. Fund Administrator 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E FL 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 367,755 6.00% Class B Shares -------------- MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn. Fund Administrator 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E FL 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 1,368,211 16.02% Citigroup Global Markets House Account Attn: Cindy Tempesta 333 W. 34th Street, Fl. 3 New York, NY 10001-2483 443,308 5.19% Class C Shares -------------- MLPF&S for the Sole Benefit of its Customers Attn. Fund Administrator 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E FL 2 Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484 1,072,235 47.15% Class R Shares -------------- Alliance Capital Management LP Attn: Raymond Cardosi 1 N. Lexington Ave White Plains, NY 10601-1712 950 100% Advisor Class Shares -------------------- Collegebound Fund CBF-Balanced Portfolio 529 Plan 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,898,763 11.13% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1990-1992 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 1,601,483 6.15% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1993-1995 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 1,567,607 6.02% Collegebound Fund Aggressive Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1996-1998 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 1,350,730 5.19% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1984-1986 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,044,262 7.85% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1987-1989 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,729,959 10.49% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1990-1992 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 3,001,591 11.53% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1993-1995 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,563,630 9.85% Collegebound Fund Growth Emphasis Age Based Portfolio 1996-1998 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,031,716 7.80% Collegebound Fund CBF - Quality Bond Fund Customized Allocation 529 Plan 500 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, NJ 07094-3619 2,483,017 9.54% Custodian --------- State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, acts as the Fund's Custodian for the assets of the Fund but plays no part in deciding on the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Directors, State Street may enter into subcustodial agreements for the holding of the Fund's foreign securities. Principal Underwriter --------------------- ABIRM, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser, located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105, is the principal underwriter of shares of the Portfolio, and as such may solicit orders from the public to purchase shares of the Portfolio. Under the Distribution Services Agreement, the Fund has agreed to indemnify the Principal Underwriter, in the absence of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Counsel ------- Legal matters in connection with the issuance of the shares of the Fund offered hereby are passed upon by Seward & Kissel LLP, New York, New York. Independent Auditors -------------------- Ernst & Young LLP, 5 Times Square, New York, New York, 10036, has been appointed as independent auditors for the Fund. Additional Information ---------------------- Any shareholder inquiries may be directed to the shareholder's broker or other financial adviser or to AGIS at the address or telephone numbers shown on the front cover of this SAI. This SAI does not contain all the information set forth in the Registration Statement filed by the Fund with the Commission under the Securities Act. Copies of the Registration Statement may be obtained at a reasonable charge from the Commission or may be examined, without charge, at the offices of the Commission in Washington, D.C. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS ----------------------------------------------------------------- The financial statements of AllianceBernstein Bond Fund, Inc. - Quality Bond Portfolio for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003 and the fiscal period ended October 31, 2003 and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, the independent auditors, are incorporated herein by reference to the Fund's annual report. The annual report was filed on Form N-CSR with the Commission on January 9, 2004. It is available without charge upon request by calling AGIS at (800) 227-4618. ----------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX A: FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS AND FOREIGN CURRENCIES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Futures Contracts ----------------- The Portfolio may enter into contracts for the purchase or sale for future delivery of debt securities or foreign currencies, or contracts based on financial indices. U.S. futures contracts have been designed by exchanges which have been designated "contracts markets" by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and must be executed through a futures commission merchant, or brokerage firm, which is a member of the relevant contract market. Futures contracts trade on a number of exchange markets, and, through their clearing corporations, the exchanges guarantee performance of the contracts as between the clearing members of the exchange. At the same time a futures contract is purchased or sold, the Portfolio must allocate cash or securities as a deposit payment ("initial deposit"). It is expected that the initial deposit would be approximately 1 1/2%-5% of a contract's face value. Daily thereafter, the futures contract is valued and the payment of "variation margin" may be required, since each day the Portfolio would provide or receive cash that reflects any decline or increase in the contract's value. At the time of delivery of securities pursuant to such a contract, adjustments are made to recognize differences in value arising from the delivery of securities with a different interest rate from that specified in the contract. In some (but not many) cases, securities called for by a futures contract may not have been issued when the contract was written. Although futures contracts by their terms call for the actual delivery or acquisition of securities, in most cases the contractual obligation is fulfilled before the date of the contract without having to make or take delivery of the securities. The offsetting of a contractual obligation is accomplished by buying (or selling, as the case may be) on a commodities exchange an identical futures contract calling for delivery in the same month. Such a transaction, which is effected through a member of an exchange, cancels the obligation to make or take delivery of the securities. Since all transactions in the futures market are made, offset or fulfilled through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded, the Portfolio will incur brokerage fees when it purchases or sells futures contracts. The purpose of the acquisition or sale of a futures contract, in the case of the Portfolio which holds or intends to acquire fixed-income securities, is to attempt to protect the Portfolio from fluctuations in interest or foreign exchange rates without actually buying or selling fixed-income securities or foreign currency. For example, if interest rates were expected to increase, the Portfolio might enter into futures contracts for the sale of debt securities. Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling an equivalent value of the debt securities owned by the Portfolio. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt securities in the portfolio would decline, but the value of the futures contracts to the Portfolio would increase at approximately the same rate, thereby keeping the net asset value of the Portfolio from declining as much as it otherwise would have. The Portfolio could accomplish similar results by selling debt securities and investing in bonds with short maturities when interest rates are expected to increase. However, since the futures market is more liquid than the cash market, the use of futures contracts as an investment technique allows the Portfolio to maintain a defensive position without having to sell its portfolio securities. Similarly, when it is expected that interest rates may decline, futures contracts may be purchased to attempt to hedge against anticipated purchases of debt securities at higher prices. Since the fluctuations in the value of futures contracts should be similar to those of debt securities, the Portfolio could take advantage of the anticipated rise in the value of debt securities without actually buying them until the market had stabilized. At that time, the futures contracts could be liquidated and the Portfolio could then buy debt securities on the cash market. To the extent the Portfolio enters into futures contracts for this purpose, the assets in the segregated asset account maintained to cover the Portfolio's obligations with respect to such futures contracts will consist of cash, cash equivalents or high quality liquid debt securities from its portfolio in an amount equal to the difference between the fluctuating market value of such futures contracts and the aggregate value of the initial and variation margin payments made by the Portfolio with respect to such futures contracts. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to differences in the nature of those markets, are subject to distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to initial deposit and variation margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation margin requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the margin deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct forecast of general interest rate trends by the Investment Adviser may still not result in a successful transaction. By establishing an appropriate "short" position in index futures, the Portfolio may seek to protect the value of its portfolio against an overall decline in the market for such securities. Alternatively, in anticipation of a generally rising market, the Portfolio can seek to avoid losing the benefit of apparently low current prices by establishing a "long" position in securities index futures and later liquidating that position as particular securities, are acquired. To the extent that these hedging strategies are successful, the Portfolio will be affected to a lesser degree by adverse overall market price movements than would otherwise be the case. In addition, futures contracts entail risks. Although the Portfolio believes that use of such contracts will benefit the Portfolio, if the Investment Adviser's investment judgment about the general direction of interest rates is incorrect, the Portfolio's overall performance would be poorer than if it had not entered into any such contract. For example, if the Portfolio has hedged against the possibility of an increase in interest rates which would adversely affect the price of debt securities held in its portfolio and interest rates decrease instead, the Portfolio will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of its debt securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its futures positions. In addition, in such situations, if the Portfolio has insufficient cash, it may have to sell debt securities from its portfolio to meet daily variation margin requirements. Such sales of bonds may be, but will not necessarily be, at increased prices that reflect the rising market. The Portfolio may have to sell securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. Options On Futures Contracts ---------------------------- The Portfolio intends to purchase and write options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. The purchase of a call option on a futures contract is similar in some respects to the purchase of a call option on an individual security. Depending on the pricing of the option compared to either the price of the futures contract upon which it is based or the price of the underlying debt securities, it may or may not be less risky than ownership of the futures contract or underlying debt securities. As with the purchase of futures contracts, when the Portfolio is not fully invested it may purchase a call option on a futures contract to hedge against a market advance due to declining interest rates. The writing of a call option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the security or foreign currency that is deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration of the option is below the exercise price, the Portfolio will retain the full amount of the option premium that provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the Portfolio's holdings. The writing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against increasing prices of the security or foreign currency which is deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration of the option is higher than the exercise price, the Portfolio will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any increase in the price of securities which the Portfolio intends to purchase. If a put or call option the Portfolio has written is exercised, the Portfolio will incur a loss which will be reduced by the amount of the premium it receives. Depending on the degree of correlation between changes in the value of its portfolio securities and changes in the value of its futures positions, the Portfolio's losses from existing options on futures may to some extent be reduced or increased by changes in the value of portfolio securities. The Portfolio will write only options on futures contracts which are "covered." The purchase of a put option on a futures contract is similar in some respects to the purchase of protective put options on portfolio securities. For example, the Portfolio may purchase a put option on a futures contract to hedge the Portfolio against the risk of rising interest rates. Upon the exercise of a call, the writer of the option is obligated to sell the futures contract (to deliver a "long" position to the option holder) at the option exercise price, which will presumably be lower than the current market price of the contract in the futures market. Upon exercise of a put, the writer of the option is obligated to purchase the futures contract (deliver a "short" position to the option holder) at the option exercise price which will presumably be higher than the current market price of the contract in the futures market. When the holder of an option exercises it and assumes a long futures position, in the case of call, or a short futures position in the case of a put, its gain will be credited to its futures margin account, while the loss suffered by the writer of the option will be debited to its futures margin account and must be immediately paid by the writer. However, as with the trading of futures, most participants in the options markets do not seek to realize their gains or losses by exercise of their option rights. Instead, the holder of an option will usually realize a gain or loss by buying or selling an offsetting option at a market price that will reflect an increase or a decrease from the premium originally paid. Options on futures contracts can be used by a Portfolio to hedge substantially the same risks as might be addressed by the direct purchase or sale of the underlying futures contracts. If the Portfolio purchases an option on a futures contract, it may obtain benefits similar to those that would result if it held the futures position itself. Purchases of options on futures contracts may present less risk in hedging than the purchase and sale of the underlying futures contracts since the potential loss is limited to the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs. If the Portfolio writes options on futures contracts, the Portfolio will receive a premium but will assume a risk of adverse movement in the price of the underlying futures contract comparable to that involved in holding a futures position. If the option is not exercised, the Portfolio will realize a gain in the amount of the premium, which may partially offset unfavorable changes in the value of securities held in or to be acquired for the Portfolio. If the option is exercised, the Portfolio will incur a loss in the option transaction, which will be reduced by the amount of the premium it has received, but which will offset any favorable changes in the value of its portfolio securities or, in the case of a put, lower prices of securities it intends to acquire. While the holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may normally terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option of the same series, the Portfolio's ability to establish and close out options positions at fairly established prices will be subject to the existence of a liquid market. The Portfolio will not purchase or write options on futures contracts unless, in the Investment Adviser's opinion, the market for such options has sufficient liquidity that the risks associated with such options transactions are not at unacceptable levels. Options on Foreign Currencies ----------------------------- The Portfolio may purchase and write options on foreign currencies for hedging purposes in a manner similar to that in which futures contracts on foreign currencies, or forward contracts, will be utilized. For example, a decline in the dollar value of a foreign currency in which portfolio securities are denominated will reduce the dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the foreign currency remains constant. In order to protect against such diminutions in the value of portfolio securities, the Portfolio may purchase put options on the foreign currency. If the value of the currency does decline, the Portfolio will have the right to sell such currency for a fixed amount in dollars and will thereby offset, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on its portfolio which otherwise would have resulted. Conversely, where a rise in the dollar value of a currency in which securities to be acquired are denominated is projected, thereby increasing the cost of such securities, the Portfolio may purchase call options thereon. The purchase of such options could offset, at least partially, the effects of the adverse movements in exchange rates. As in the case of other types of options, however, the benefit to the Portfolio deriving from purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, where currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the Portfolio could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options which would require it to forego a portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in such rates. The Portfolio may write options on foreign currencies for the same types of hedging purposes. For example, where the Portfolio anticipates a decline in the dollar value of foreign currency denominated securities due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates it could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised, and the diminution in value of portfolio securities will be offset by the amount of the premium received. Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against an anticipated increase in the dollar cost of securities to be acquired, the Portfolio could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected, will expire unexercised and allow the Portfolio to hedge such increased cost up to the amount of the premium. As in the case of other types of options, however, the writing of a foreign currency option will constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of the premium, and only if rates move in the expected direction. If this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the Portfolio would be required to purchase or sell the underlying currency at a loss which may not be offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on foreign currencies, the Portfolio also may be required to forego all or a portion of the benefits that might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates. The Portfolio will write options on foreign currencies only if they are covered. A put option on a foreign currency written by the Portfolio will be considered "covered" if, so long as the Portfolio is obligated as the writer of the put, it segregates with the Portfolio's custodian liquid assets equal at all times to the aggregate exercise price of the put. A call option on a foreign currency written by the Portfolio will be considered "covered" only if the Portfolio owns short term debt securities with a value equal to the face amount of the option contract and denominated in the currency upon which the call is written. Additional Risks of Options on Futures Contracts, Forward Contracts and Options on Foreign Currencies --------------------------------------------------- Unlike transactions entered into by the Portfolio in futures contracts, options on foreign currencies and forward contracts are not traded on contract markets regulated by the CFTC or (with the exception of certain foreign currency options) by the Commission. To the contrary, such instruments are traded through financial institutions acting as market-makers, although foreign currency options are also traded on certain national securities exchanges, such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, subject to Commission regulation. Similarly, options on currencies may be traded over-the-counter. In an over-the-counter trading environment, many of the protections afforded to exchange participants will not be available. For example, there are no daily price fluctuation limits, and adverse market movements could therefore continue to an unlimited extent over a period of time. Although the purchase of an option cannot lose more than the amount of the premium plus related transaction costs, this entire amount could be lost. Moreover, the option writer and a trader of forward contracts could lose amounts substantially in excess of their initial investments, due to the margin and collateral requirements associated with such positions. Options on foreign currencies traded on national securities exchanges are within the jurisdiction of the Commission, as are other securities traded on such exchanges. As a result, many of the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges will be available with respect to such transactions. In particular, all foreign currency option positions entered into on a national securities exchange are cleared and guaranteed by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"), thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Further, a liquid secondary market in options traded on a national securities exchange may be more readily available than in the over-the-counter market, potentially permitting the Portfolio to liquidate open positions at a profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market movements. The purchase and sale of exchange-traded foreign currency options, however, is subject to the risks of the availability of a liquid secondary market described above, as well as the risks regarding adverse market movements, margining of options written, the nature of the foreign currency market, possible intervention by governmental authorities and the effects of other political and economic events. In addition, exchange-traded options on foreign currencies involve certain risks not presented by the over-the-counter market. For example, exercise and settlement of such options must be made exclusively through the OCC, which has established banking relationships in applicable foreign countries for this purpose. As a result, the OCC may, if it determines that foreign governmental restrictions or taxes would prevent the orderly settlement of foreign currency option exercises, or would result in undue burdens on the OCC or its clearing member, impose special procedures on exercise and settlement, such as technical changes in the mechanics of delivery of currency, the fixing of dollar settlement prices or prohibitions on exercise. In addition, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts and options on foreign currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in or the prices of foreign currencies or securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Portfolio's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during nonbusiness hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume. ----------------------------------------------------------------- APPENDIX B: STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR VOTING PROXIES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction ------------ As a registered investment adviser, Alliance Capital Management L.P. ("Alliance Capital", "we" or "us") has a fiduciary duty to act solely in the best interests of our clients. As part of this duty, we recognize that we must vote client securities in a timely manner and make voting decisions that are in the best interests of our clients. This statement is intended to comply with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. It sets forth our policies and procedures for voting proxies for our discretionary investment advisory clients, including investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This statement is applicable to Alliance Capital's growth and value investment groups investing on behalf of clients in both U.S. and global securities. Proxy Policies -------------- This statement is designed to be responsive to the wide range of subjects that can have a significant effect on the investment value of the securities held in our clients' accounts. These policies are not exhaustive due to the variety of proxy voting issues that we may be required to consider. Alliance Capital reserves the right to depart from these guidelines in order to avoid voting decisions that we believe may be contrary to our clients' best interests. In reviewing proxy issues, we will apply the following general policies: Elections of Directors: Unless there is a proxy fight for seats on the Board or we determine that there are other compelling reasons for withholding votes for directors, we will vote in favor of the management proposed slate of directors. That said, we believe that directors have a duty to respond to shareholder actions that have received significant shareholder support. We may withhold votes for directors that fail to act on key issues such as failure to implement proposals to declassify boards, failure to implement a majority vote requirement, failure to submit a rights plan to a shareholder vote and failure to act on tender offers where a majority of shareholders have tendered their shares. In addition, we will withhold votes for directors who fail to attend at least seventy-five percent of board meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. Finally, we may withhold votes for directors of non-U.S. issuers where there is insufficient information about the nominees disclosed in the proxy statement. Appointment of Auditors: Alliance Capital believes that the company remains in the best position to choose the auditors and will generally support management's recommendation. However, we recognize that there may be inherent conflicts when a company's independent auditor performs substantial non-audit related services for the company. Therefore, we may vote against the appointment of auditors if the fees for non-audit related services are disproportionate to the total audit fees paid by the company or there are other reasons to question the independence of the company's auditors. Changes in Capital Structure: Changes in a company's charter, articles of incorporation or by-laws are often technical and administrative in nature. Absent a compelling reason to the contrary, Alliance Capital will cast its votes in accordance with the company's management on such proposals. However, we will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis any non-routine proposals that are likely to affect the structure and operation of the company or have a material economic effect on the company. For example, we will generally support proposals to increase authorized common stock when it is necessary to implement a stock split, aid in a restructuring or acquisition or provide a sufficient number of shares for an employee savings plan, stock option or executive compensation plan. However, a satisfactory explanation of a company's intentions must be disclosed in the proxy statement for proposals requesting an increase of greater than one hundred percent of the shares outstanding. We will oppose increases in authorized common stock where there is evidence that the shares will be used to implement a poison pill or another form of anti-takeover device, or if the issuance of new shares could excessively dilute the value of the outstanding shares upon issuance. Corporate Restructurings, Mergers and Acquisitions: Alliance Capital believes proxy votes dealing with corporate reorganizations are an extension of the investment decision. Accordingly, we will analyze such proposals on a case-by-case basis, weighing heavily the views of the research analysts that cover the company and the investment professionals managing the portfolios in which the stock is held. Proposals Affecting Shareholder Rights: Alliance Capital believes that certain fundamental rights of shareholders must be protected. We will generally vote in favor of proposals that give shareholders a greater voice in the affairs of the company and oppose any measure that seeks to limit those rights. However, when analyzing such proposals we will weigh the financial impact of the proposal against the impairment of shareholder rights. Corporate Governance: Alliance Capital recognizes the importance of good corporate governance in ensuring that management and the board of directors fulfill their obligations to the shareholders. We favor proposals promoting transparency and accountability within a company. For example, we will vote for proposals providing for equal access to proxies, a majority of independent directors on key committees, and separating the positions of chairman and chief executive officer. Anti-Takeover Measures: Alliance Capital believes that measures that impede takeovers or entrench management not only infringe on the rights of shareholders but may also have a detrimental effect on the value of the company. We will generally oppose proposals, regardless of whether they are advanced by management or shareholders, the purpose or effect of which is to entrench management or dilute shareholder ownership. Conversely, we support proposals that would restrict or otherwise eliminate anti-takeover measures that have already been adopted by corporate issuers. For example, we will support shareholder proposals that seek to require the company to submit a shareholder rights plan to a shareholder vote. We will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to completely redeem or eliminate such plans. Furthermore, we will generally oppose proposals put forward by management (including blank check preferred stock, classified boards and supermajority vote requirements) that appear to be intended as management entrenchment mechanisms. Executive Compensation: Alliance Capital believes that company management and the compensation committee of the board of directors should, within reason, be given latitude to determine the types and mix of compensation and benefit awards offered. Whether proposed by a shareholder or management, we will review proposals relating to executive compensation plans on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the long-term interests of management and shareholders are properly aligned. We will analyze the proposed plans to ensure that shareholder equity will not be excessively diluted, the option exercise price is not below market price on the date of grant and an acceptable number of employees are eligible to participate in such programs. We will generally oppose plans that permit repricing of underwater stock options without shareholder approval. Other factors such as the company's performance and industry practice will generally be factored into our analysis. We will support proposals to submit severance packages triggered by a change in control to a shareholder vote and proposals that seek additional disclosure of executive compensation. Finally, we will support shareholder proposals requiring companies to expense stock options because we view them as a large corporate expense. Social and Corporate Responsibility: Alliance Capital will review and analyze on a case-by-case basis proposals relating to social, political and environmental issues to determine whether they will have a financial impact on shareholder value. We will vote against proposals that are unduly burdensome or result in unnecessary and excessive costs to the company. We may abstain from voting on social proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value. Proxy Voting Committees ----------------------- Our growth and value investment groups have formed separate proxy voting committees to establish general proxy policies for Alliance Capital and consider specific proxy voting matters as necessary. These committees periodically review new types of corporate governance issues, evaluate proposals not covered by these policies and recommend how we should generally vote on such issues. In addition, the committees, in conjunction with the analyst that covers the company, contact management and interested shareholder groups as necessary to discuss proxy issues. Members of the committees include senior investment personnel and representatives of the Corporate Legal Department. The committees may also evaluate proxies where we face a potential conflict of interest (as discussed below). Finally, the committees monitor adherence to guidelines, industry trends and review the policies contained in this statement from time to time. Conflicts of Interest --------------------- Alliance Capital recognizes that there may be a potential conflict of interest when we vote a proxy solicited by an issuer whose retirement plan we manage, whose retirement plan we administer, or with whom we have another business or personal relationship that may affect how we vote on the issuer's proxy. We believe that centralized management of proxy voting, oversight by the proxy voting committees and adherence to these policies ensures that proxies are voted with only our clients' best interests in mind. That said, we have implemented additional procedures to ensure that our votes are not the product of a conflict of interests, including: (i) requiring anyone involved in the decision making process to disclose to the chairman of the appropriate proxy committee any potential conflict that they are aware of and any contact that they have had with any interested party regarding a proxy vote; (ii) prohibiting employees involved in the decision making process or vote administration from revealing how we intend to vote on a proposal in order to reduce any attempted influence from interested parties; and (iii) where a material conflict of interests exists, reviewing our proposed vote by applying a series of objective tests and, where necessary, considering the views of a third party research service to ensure that our voting decision is consistent with our clients' best interests. For example, if our proposed vote is consistent with our stated proxy voting policy, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy but is also contrary to management's recommendation, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation, and is also consistent with the views of an independent source, no further review is necessary. If our proposed vote is contrary to our stated proxy voting policy or is not covered by our policy, is consistent with management's recommendation and is contrary to the views of an independent source, the proposal is reviewed by the appropriate proxy committee for final determination. Proxies of Certain Non-U.S. Issuers ----------------------------------- Proxy voting in certain countries requires "share blocking." Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting (usually one-week) with a designated depositary. During this blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares are returned to the clients' custodian banks. Alliance Capital may determine that the value of exercising the vote does not outweigh the detriment of not being able to transact in the shares during this period. Accordingly, if share blocking is required we may abstain from voting those shares. In such a situation we would have determined that the cost of voting exceeds the expected benefit to the client. Proxy Voting Records -------------------- Clients may obtain information about how we voted proxies on their behalf by contacting their Alliance Capital administrative representative. Alternatively, clients may make a written request for proxy voting information to: Mark R. Manley, Senior Vice President & Acting General Counsel, Alliance Capital Management L.P., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. 00250.0245 #472458