N-CSRS 1 c57009nvcsrs.htm FORM N-CSRS nvcsrs
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-CSRS
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number 811-4269
Van Kampen Trust
 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10036
 
(Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip code)
Edward C. Wood III
522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10036
 
(Name and address of agent for service)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 212-762-4000
Date of fiscal year end: 8/31
Date of reporting period: 2/28/10
 
 

 


 

Item 1. Report to Shareholders.
 
The Fund’s semi-annual report transmitted to shareholders pursuant to Rule 30e-1
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 is as follows:
 
SEMIANNUAL REPORT
 
February 28, 2010
 
     
     
     
     
   
MUTUAL FUNDS

Van Kampen
Core Plus Fixed
Income Fund
     
    Privacy Notice information on the back.
     
     
     

  (VAN KAMPEN INVESTMENTS LOGO)
   
     


 

Welcome, Shareholder
 
In this report, you’ll learn about how your investment in Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund performed during the semiannual period. The portfolio management team will provide an overview of the market conditions and discuss some of the factors that affected investment performance during the reporting period. In addition, this report includes the fund’s financial statements and a list of fund investments as of February 28, 2010.
 
 
This material must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus for the fund being offered. The prospectus contains information about the fund, including the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain an additional prospectus, contact your financial advisor or download one at vankampen.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
 
Market forecasts provided in this report may not necessarily come to pass. There is no assurance that the fund will achieve its investment objective. The fund is subject to market risk, which is the possibility that the market values of securities owned by the fund will decline and, therefore, the value of the fund shares may be less than what you paid for them. Accordingly, you can lose money investing in this fund.
 
             
NOT FDIC INSURED
    OFFER NO BANK GUARANTEE     MAY LOSE VALUE
NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
    NOT A DEPOSIT
             


 

Performance Summary as of 2/28/10 (Unaudited)
 
                                                                               
      A Shares
    B Shares
    C Shares
    I Shares
      since 1/26/07     since 1/26/07     since 1/26/07     since 1/26/07
          w/max
        w/max
        w/max
     
          4.75%
        4.00%
        1.00%
     
Average Annual
    w/o sales
  sales
    w/o sales
  sales
    w/o sales
  sales
    w/o sales
Total Returns     charges   charge     charges   charge     charges   charge     charges
                                                                               
Since Inception       2.64 %       1.04 %         1.94 %       1.20 %         2.18 %       2.18 %         2.90 %  
                                                                               
1-year       11.90         6.57           11.16         7.16           10.99         9.99           12.17    
                                                                               
6-months       3.70         –1.19           3.34         –0.66           3.26         2.26           3.82    
 
                               
30-Day SEC Yield     2.72%     2.13%     1.84%       3.11%    
 
Gross Expense Ratio     0.92%     1.67%     1.67%       0.66%    
                                                                               
                                                                               
 
Performance data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results, and current performance may be lower or higher than the figures shown. For the most recent month-end performance figures, please visit vankampen.com or speak with your financial advisor. Investment returns and principal value will fluctuate and fund shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Expenses are as of the fund’s fiscal year-end as outlined in the fund’s current prospectus.
 
The returns shown in this report do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares. Performance of share classes will vary due to differences in sales charges and expenses. Average annual total return with sales charges includes payment of the maximum sales charge of 4.75 percent for Class A shares, a contingent deferred sales charge of 4.00 percent for Class B shares (in years one and two and declining to zero after year five), a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00 percent for Class C shares in year one and combined Rule 12b-1 fees and service fees of up to 0.25 percent per year of the fund’s average daily net assets for Class A shares and up to 1.00 percent per year of the fund’s average daily net assets for Class B and C shares. Class I shares are available for purchase exclusively by (i) eligible institutions (e.g., a financial institution, corporation, trust, estate, or educational, religious or charitable institution) with assets of at least $1,000,000, (ii) tax-exempt retirement plans with assets of at least $1,000,000 (including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase plans, defined benefit plans and non-qualified deferred compensation plans), (iii) fee-based investment programs with assets of at least $1,000,000, (iv) qualified state tuition plan (529 plan) accounts, and (v) certain Van Kampen investment companies. Class I shares are offered without any upfront or deferred sales charge on purchases or sales and without any distribution (12b-1) fee or service fee. Figures shown above assume reinvestment of all distributions. The fund’s adviser has waived or reimbursed fees and expenses from time to time; absent such waivers/reimbursements, the fund’s returns would have been lower. Periods of less than one year are not annualized.
 
SEC yield is a calculation for determining the amount of portfolio income, excluding non-income items as prescribed by the SEC. Yields are subject to change.
 
The Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index is an unmanaged, broad-based market index that covers the U.S. dollar denominated, investment-grade, fixed-rate, taxable bond market of securities registered with the SEC, which includes U.S. Treasury, government-related, corporate, mortgage-backed, asset-backed and commercial mortgage-backed securities sectors. The Index is unmanaged and its returns do not include any sales charges or fees. Such costs would lower performance. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
 
 
1


 

Fund Report
For the six-month period ended February 28, 2010
 
Market Conditions
 
Gross domestic product (GDP) estimates for the fourth quarter of 2009, released in early 2010, showed that the pace of economic growth was accelerating. While this was certainly good news, it also highlights the unusual nature of this recession. Typically, two to three quarters into a recession, durable goods and residential investment begin to make significant gains as they are the most cyclical and interest-rate sensitive sectors of GDP and usually the first to recover. However, to date, neither of these sectors has shown much recovery, which is highly unusual. In addition, the services and non-durables sectors are typically not very cyclical and therefore, usually do not decline in a recession, yet both weakened during this recession and only recently began to improve. The recovery in these two sectors accounted for roughly half of the GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2009. The remainder came from private inventories, which are still falling, just not as quickly. So while supply and demand are in better balance, thanks in part to deficit spending, there has yet to be any inventory build.
 
Although the housing market continued to languish and unemployment remained high, investors appeared to be encouraged by the improving GDP data as well as better-than-expected corporate earnings reports and the Federal Reserve’s accommodative monetary policy. Throughout the reporting period, fixed income markets overall continued to gain as investors sought riskier assets, driving spreads tighter in most asset classes.
 
Corporate yield spreads tightened to 169 basis points over U.S. Treasuries as of the end of February, as measured by the Barclays Capital Corporate Bond Index. Overall, financials was the best performing sector, and lower coupon and longer dated issues outperformed higher coupon and shorter dated issues, respectively.
 
The mortgage-backed securities (MBS) sector posted good performance for the period, with spreads tightening across the range of coupons. Overall, however, middle and higher coupon MBS generally outperformed those with lower coupons. The Federal Reserve’s purchases of MBS absorbed most of the supply and therefore supported the tight spreads.
 
 
2


 

Performance Analysis
 
All share classes of Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund outperformed the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index (the “Index”) for the six months ended February 28, 2010, assuming no deduction of applicable sales charges.
 
Total returns for the six-month period ended February 28, 2010
 
                                                               
                            Barclays Capital
   
    Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I     U.S. Aggregate Index    
                                                               
      3.70 %         3.34 %         3.26 %         3.82 %         3.19 %      
 
 
 
The performance for the four share classes varies because each has different expenses. The Fund’s total return figures assume the reinvestment of all distributions, but do not reflect the deduction of any applicable sales charges. Such costs would lower performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. See Performance Summary for standardized performance information and index definition.
 
The Fund’s performance relative to the Index was primarily attributable to the following:
 
•  Within the Fund’s corporate credit holdings, select overweights in banking, food and beverage, and insurance were the largest positive contributors to returns as significant spread tightening in these sectors led to their strong performance. The Fund’s positioning continued to emphasize higher quality corporate credits and relative overweights were primarily within sectors that are less sensitive to economic growth. However, we have selectively increased exposure to names in other sectors that we believe are attractively valued.
 
•  The Fund’s mortgage-backed securities (MBS) holdings contributed positively to performance. The Fund continued to maintain a bias toward higher coupon (5.5 percent and above) MBS as these securities have low near-term prepayment expectations and a lower level of sensitivity to refinancing activity. However, we note that this overweight was reduced in recent months as relative value in the sector decreased and the probability of servicer buyouts became more pronounced. Additionally, the MBS position favors the 30-year sector over the 15-year sector as we believe technical, or demand/supply factors, appear more favorable and longer dated bonds typically benefit the most from declining interest rate volatility.
 
•  The portfolio’s interest rate swap positions contributed to outperformance. We employed tactical strategies involving interest rate swaps that were designed to take advantage of anomalies across the swap curve.
 
•  The portfolio was positioned for a flattening of the yield curve between the two-year and five-year segments of the curve. This positioning detracted slightly from performance for the period.
 
 
3


 

 
Market Outlook
 
Current market expectations are for the Federal Reserve to start tightening (i.e., raising interest rates) in the near future. However, our baseline view is that the economic recovery is likely to be protracted, as is often the case after a banking crisis, and therefore interest rates may remain low for a longer period than what the market is anticipating.
 
We also believe investor fund flows into risky assets are likely to continue through year-end, leading to further spread compression. However, such tightening is likely to be at a more moderate pace than observed in 2009.
 
There is no guarantee that any sectors mentioned will continue to perform as discussed herein or that securities in such sectors will be held by the Fund in the future.
 
 
4


 

         
Asset Allocation as of 2/28/2010 (Unaudited)
 
United States Government Agencies & Obligations
    30.6 %
Mortgage Backed Securities
    30.0  
Corporate Bonds
    27.7  
Agency Bonds
    3.2  
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities
    2.5  
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Backed Securities
    2.5  
Asset Backed Securities
    0.9  
Foreign Government Obligations
    0.4  
Municipal Bonds
    0.4  
CMOs
    0.1  
         
Total Long-Term Investments
    98.3  
Total Short-Term Investments
    8.9  
         
Total Investments
    107.2  
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets
    (7.2 )
         
Net Assets
    100.0 %
 
 
Subject to change daily. Provided for informational purposes only and should not be deemed as a recommendation to buy or sell the securities mentioned or securities in the industries shown above. Asset Allocations are as a percentage of net assets. Van Kampen is a wholly owned subsidiary of a global securities firm which is engaged in a wide range of financial services including, for example, securities trading and brokerage activities, investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services.
 
 
5


 

For More Information About Portfolio Holdings
 
Each Van Kampen fund provides a complete schedule of portfolio holdings in its semiannual and annual reports within 60 days of the end of the fund’s second and fourth fiscal quarters. The semiannual reports and the annual reports are filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form N-CSRS and Form N-CSR, respectively. Van Kampen also delivers the semiannual and annual reports to fund shareholders, and makes these reports available on its public Web site, www.vankampen.com. In addition to the semiannual and annual reports that Van Kampen delivers to shareholders and makes available through the Van Kampen public Web site, each fund files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the fund’s first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q. Van Kampen does not deliver the reports for the first and third fiscal quarters to shareholders, nor are the reports posted to the Van Kampen public Web site. You may, however, obtain the Form N-Q filings (as well as the Form N-CSR and N-CSRS filings) by accessing the SEC’s Web site, http://www.sec.gov. You may also review and copy them at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (800) SEC-0330. You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s email address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the Public Reference section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-1520.
 
You may obtain copies of a fund’s fiscal quarter filings by contacting Van Kampen Client Relations at (800) 847-2424.
 
 
6


 

Householding Notice
 
To reduce Fund expenses, the Fund attempts to eliminate duplicate mailings to the same address. The Fund delivers a single copy of certain shareholder documents to investors who share an address, even if the accounts are registered under different names. The Fund’s prospectuses and shareholder reports (including annual privacy notices) will be delivered to you in this manner indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. You can request multiple copies of these documents by either calling (800) 341-2911 or writing to Van Kampen Investor Services at P.O. Box 219286, Kansas City, MO 64121-9286. Once Investor Services has received your instructions, we will begin sending individual copies for each account within 30 days.
 
Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures and Proxy Voting Record
 
You may obtain a copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures without charge, upon request, by calling toll free (800) 847-2424 or by visiting our Web site at www.vankampen.com. It is also available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Web site at http://www.sec.gov.
 
You may obtain information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 without charge by visiting our Web site at www.vankampen.com. This information is also available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Web site at http://www.sec.gov.
 
 
7


 

Expense Example
 
As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments of Class A Shares and contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions of Class B and C Shares; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and service (12b-1) fees; and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
 
The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period 9/1/09 - 2/28/10.
 
Actual Expense
 
The first line of the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.
 
Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes
 
The second line of the table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing cost of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.
 
Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads) or contingent deferred sales charges. Therefore, the second line of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your cost would have been higher.
 
                         
    Beginning
  Ending
  Expenses Paid
    Account Value   Account Value   During Period*
     
    9/1/09   2/28/10   9/1/09-2/28/10
 
Class A
                       
Actual
  $ 1,000.00     $ 1,036.95     $ 3.79  
Hypothetical
    1,000.00       1,021.08       3.76  
(5% annual return before expenses)
                       
                         
Class B
                       
Actual
    1,000.00       1,033.39       7.56  
Hypothetical
    1,000.00       1,017.36       7.50  
(5% annual return before expenses)
                       
                         
Class C
                       
Actual
    1,000.00       1,032.57       7.66  
Hypothetical
    1,000.00       1,017.26       7.60  
(5% annual return before expenses)
                       
                         
Class I
                       
Actual
    1,000.00       1,038.20       2.53  
Hypothetical
    1,000.00       1,022.32       2.51  
(5% annual return before expenses)
                       
 
* Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized expense ratio of 0.75%, 1.50%, 1.52% and 0.50% for Class A, B, C and I Shares, respectively, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 181/365 (to reflect the one-half year period). These expense ratios reflect an expense waiver.
 
Assumes all dividends and distributions were reinvested.
 
 
8


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        United States Government Agencies & Obligations  30.6%
$ 900     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     2.875 %   02/09/15   $ 915,339  
  2,740     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     5.500     08/23/17     3,123,542  
  1,080     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     6.250     07/15/32     1,281,859  
  2,011     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (REMIC) (a)     0.731     07/15/28     1,999,668  
  1,200     Federal National Mortgage Association     1.750     02/22/13     1,208,401  
  3,000     Federal National Mortgage Association     2.500     05/15/14     3,048,492  
  2,190     Federal National Mortgage Association     4.375     10/15/15     2,368,805  
  139     Federal National Mortgage Association (REMIC) (b)     6.000     07/25/33     23,151  
  57     Federal National Mortgage Association (REMIC) (b)     7.000     05/25/33     9,881  
  9,335     United States Treasury Bond (STRIPS)     0.000     11/15/19     6,409,943  
  7,015     United States Treasury Bond (STRIPS)     0.000     11/15/21     4,280,939  
  5,615     United States Treasury Bond (STRIPS)     0.000     11/15/21     3,414,818  
  4,205     United States Treasury Bond     3.500     02/15/39     3,509,863  
  5,750     United States Treasury Bond     4.250     05/15/39     5,493,050  
  1,180     United States Treasury Bond     4.625     02/15/40     1,198,807  
  1,950     United States Treasury Bond     7.875     02/15/21     2,669,369  
  5,680     United States Treasury Bond     8.750     05/15/20     8,153,464  
  8,000     United States Treasury Note     1.375     01/15/13     8,024,376  
  10,000     United States Treasury Note     1.750     03/31/14     9,953,130  
  8,000     United States Treasury Note     2.375     10/31/14     8,088,752  
  4,300     United States Treasury Note     2.625     07/31/14     4,411,198  
  1,200     United States Treasury Note     2.750     02/15/19     1,132,406  
  7,300     United States Treasury Note     3.625     08/15/19     7,338,785  
                             
        Total United States Government Agencies & Obligations  30.6%     88,058,038  
                 
         
        Mortgage Backed Securities  30.0%
  1,725     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., April (c)     5.000     TBA     1,785,645  
  1,650     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., April (c)     5.500     TBA     1,738,687  
  7,400     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., April (c)     6.500     TBA     7,970,037  
  125     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., March (c)     4.500     TBA     126,660  
  2,979     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     5.000     10/01/35 to 01/01/37     3,104,871  
  12,109     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     5.500     01/01/36 to 11/01/37     12,821,734  
  9,863     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     6.000     08/01/38     10,569,160  
  283     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     7.500     05/01/35     320,286  
  163     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     8.000     08/01/32     187,717  
  184     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp.     8.500     08/01/31     214,008  
  6,850     Federal National Mortgage Association, April (c)     5.000     TBA     7,080,119  
  1,825     Federal National Mortgage Association, April (c)     5.500     TBA     1,917,106  
  2,325     Federal National Mortgage Association, March (c)     4.500     TBA     2,420,906  
  2,588     Federal National Mortgage Association     4.500     08/01/39     2,624,462  
 
 
9
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Mortgage Backed Securities (Continued)
$ 8,523     Federal National Mortgage Association     5.000 %   05/01/36 to 03/01/39   $ 8,857,361  
  15,304     Federal National Mortgage Association     5.500     04/01/37 to 08/01/38     16,147,718  
  5,147     Federal National Mortgage Association     6.000     07/01/37 to 10/01/38     5,466,903  
  349     Federal National Mortgage Association     6.500     12/01/31 to 10/01/32     378,859  
  10     Federal National Mortgage Association     7.000     07/01/29 to 06/01/32     10,949  
  484     Federal National Mortgage Association     7.500     03/01/21 to 08/01/37     545,236  
  352     Federal National Mortgage Association     8.000     04/01/33     405,325  
  333     Federal National Mortgage Association     8.500     10/01/32     385,622  
  112     Federal National Mortgage Association     9.500     04/01/30     131,355  
  700     Government National Mortgage Association, March (c)     4.500     TBA     712,141  
  151     Government National Mortgage Association     8.000     01/15/26 to 11/15/29     173,616  
  46     Government National Mortgage Association     9.000     07/15/24 to 10/15/24     53,532  
                             
        Total Mortgage Backed Securities  30.0%     86,150,015  
                 
         
        Corporate Bonds  27.7%
Aerospace & Defense  0.1%
  262     Systems 2001 Asset Trust LLC, Ser C (Cayman Islands) (d)     6.664     09/15/13     277,793  
                             
         
        Automotive  0.4%
  250     Daimler Finance North America LLC     7.300     01/15/12     273,051  
  60     DaimlerChrysler NA Holding LLC     8.500     01/18/31     75,001  
  425     Harley-Davidson Funding Corp., Ser C (d)     6.800     06/15/18     431,165  
  250     Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. (d)     4.500     01/30/15     253,531  
                             
                          1,032,748  
                             
        Banking  7.0%
  420     Abbey National Treasury Services PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     3.875     11/10/14     419,215  
  230     American Express Co.     8.125     05/20/19     278,755  
  130     Bank of America Corp.     5.650     05/01/18     129,884  
  1,360     Bank of America Corp.     5.750     12/01/17     1,379,347  
  220     Bank of America Corp.     7.625     06/01/19     249,210  
  650     Barclays Bank PLC (United Kingdom)     6.750     05/22/19     719,140  
  345     BB&T Corp.     6.850     04/30/19     392,533  
  540     Capital One Bank USA NA     8.800     07/15/19     649,987  
  205     Citigroup, Inc.     5.875     05/29/37     180,797  
  330     Citigroup, Inc.     6.125     05/15/18     331,639  
  50     Citigroup, Inc.     8.125     07/15/39     56,723  
  1,515     Citigroup, Inc.     8.500     05/22/19     1,751,120  
  465     Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Australia) (d)     5.000     10/15/19     467,869  
  120     Credit Suisse First Boston USA, Inc.     5.125     08/15/15     129,168  
  190     Credit Suisse (Switzerland)     5.400     01/14/20     191,190  
  1,300     Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.     6.150     04/01/18     1,375,394  
  360     HBOS PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     6.750     05/21/18     332,647  
 
 
10
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Banking (Continued)
$ 650     JPMorgan Chase & Co.     6.000 %   01/15/18   $ 705,103  
  190     JPMorgan Chase & Co.     6.300     04/23/19     211,071  
  725     Lloyds TSB Bank PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     5.800     01/13/20     702,844  
  850     Macquarie Group Ltd. (Australia) (d)     6.000     01/14/20     826,059  
  810     National Australia Bank Ltd. (Australia) (c) (d)     3.750     03/02/15     817,802  
  1,160     Nationwide Building Society (United Kingdom) (d)     6.250     02/25/20     1,179,947  
  205     Nomura Holdings, Inc. (Japan) (c)     6.700     03/04/20     209,526  
  575     Nordea Bank AB (Sweden) (d)     4.875     01/27/20     575,286  
  675     PNC Funding Corp.     5.125     02/08/20     686,035  
  330     PNC Funding Corp.     6.700     06/10/19     372,018  
  1,100     Rabobank Nederland NV (Netherlands) (d)     4.750     01/15/20     1,111,344  
  415     Regions Financial Corp.     7.750     11/10/14     427,366  
  265     Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     4.875     08/25/14     268,258  
  200     UBS AG Stamford Branch (Switzerland)     5.875     12/20/17     208,688  
  560     UBS AG Stamford CT (Switzerland)     3.875     01/15/15     560,748  
  1,650     Wells Fargo & Co.     5.625     12/11/17     1,741,151  
  405     Westpac Banking Corp. (Australia)     4.200     02/27/15     418,271  
                             
                          20,056,135  
                             
        Brokerage  0.7%
  115     Bear Stearns Co., Inc.     5.550     01/22/17     119,601  
  305     Bear Stearns Co., Inc.     7.250     02/01/18     354,326  
  150     Credit Suisse New York (Switzerland)     6.000     02/15/18     157,828  
  215     Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.     6.110     01/29/37     189,725  
  580     Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.     6.875     04/25/18     612,071  
  710     TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.     5.600     12/01/19     720,089  
                             
                          2,153,640  
                             
        Building Materials  0.2%
  420     CRH America, Inc.     6.000     09/30/16     448,451  
  225     Holcim US Finance Sarl & Cie SCS (Luxembourg) (d)     6.000     12/30/19     233,985  
                             
                          682,436  
                             
        Cable  0.1%
  190     DirecTV Holdings LLC     7.625     05/15/16     208,547  
                             
         
        Chemicals  0.3%
  605     Mosaic Co. (d)     7.625     12/01/16     660,815  
  305     Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc. (Canada)     5.875     12/01/36     300,920  
                             
                          961,735  
                             
        Diversified Manufacturing  0.4%
  295     Amphenol Corp.     4.750     11/15/14     303,546  
  135     Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. (Canada)     5.800     04/25/17     129,149  
 
 
11
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Diversified Manufacturing (Continued)
$ 85     Cooper Industries, Inc.     5.250 %   11/15/12   $ 91,996  
  465     General Electric Co.     5.250     12/06/17     488,751  
                             
                          1,013,442  
                             
        Electric  1.3%
  840     CMS Energy Corp.     6.250     02/01/20     826,394  
  655     FirstEnergy Solutions Corp.     6.050     08/15/21     676,399  
  625     Nisource Finance Corp.     6.125     03/01/22     652,502  
  180     NiSource Finance Corp.     6.800     01/15/19     197,285  
  675     Ohio Power Co.     5.375     10/01/21     698,939  
  190     PPL Energy Supply LLC     6.300     07/15/13     210,596  
  315     PPL Energy Supply LLC     6.500     05/01/18     338,286  
                             
                          3,600,401  
                             
        Energy  0.1%
  185     Pioneer Natural Resources Co.     6.650     03/15/17     182,942  
                             
         
        Entertainment  0.1%
  265     Time Warner, Inc.     7.700     05/01/32     313,048  
                             
         
        Environmental & Facilities Services  0.1%
  400     Republic Services, Inc. (d)     5.500     09/15/19     414,766  
                             
         
        Financial  0.2%
  565     NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.     5.550     01/15/20     562,500  
                             
         
        Food/Beverage  1.1%
  125     Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc. (d)     5.375     11/15/14     135,718  
  350     Anheuser-Busch InBev Worldwide, Inc. (d)     7.200     01/15/14     402,039  
  240     Bunge Ltd. Finance Corp.     8.500     06/15/19     280,075  
  135     ConAgra Foods, Inc.     7.000     10/01/28     148,306  
  400     ConAgra Foods, Inc.     8.250     09/15/30     491,543  
  165     Constellation Brands, Inc.     7.250     09/01/16     167,681  
  390     FBG Finance Ltd. (Australia) (d)     5.125     06/15/15     415,118  
  935     Kraft Foods, Inc.     5.375     02/10/20     969,197  
  70     Kraft Foods, Inc.     6.750     02/19/14     79,573  
  70     Kraft Foods, Inc.     7.000     08/11/37     77,586  
                             
                          3,166,836  
                             
        Forest Products  0.0%
  130     Georgia-Pacific LLC (d)     8.250     05/01/16     137,800  
                             
         
        Gaming & Leisure  0.2%
  390     MGM Mirage, Inc.     13.000     11/15/13     446,550  
                             
         
        Health Care  1.1%
  855     Boston Scientific Corp.     6.000     01/15/20     853,887  
  300     HCA, Inc. (d)     8.500     04/15/19     323,250  
  390     Life Technologies Corp.     6.000     03/01/20     402,849  
 
 
12
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Health Care (Continued)
$ 745     Medco Health Solutions, Inc.     7.125 %   03/15/18   $ 853,176  
  370     Quest Diagnostics, Inc.     4.750     01/30/20     366,601  
  305     UnitedHealth Group, Inc.     6.000     02/15/18     329,801  
                             
                          3,129,564  
                             
        Independent Energy  0.2%
  100     Gaz Capital SA (Luxembourg) (d)     6.510     03/07/22     95,200  
  380     Questar Market Resources, Inc.     6.800     04/01/18     417,993  
                             
                          513,193  
                             
        Integrated Energy  0.2%
  220     Consumers Energy Co., Ser F     4.000     05/15/10     221,371  
  325     Hess Corp.     6.000     01/15/40     326,513  
                             
                          547,884  
                             
        Life Insurance  1.1%
  575     Aegon NV (Netherlands)     4.625     12/01/15     579,072  
  260     MetLife, Inc., Sec B     7.717     02/15/19     302,816  
  425     Pacific LifeCorp (d)     6.000     02/10/20     422,325  
  25     Platinum Underwriters Finance, Inc., Ser B     7.500     06/01/17     26,554  
  295     Principal Financial Group, Inc.     8.875     05/15/19     359,706  
  550     Prudential Financial, Inc.     4.750     09/17/15     569,464  
  130     Prudential Financial, Inc.     7.375     06/15/19     149,740  
  400     Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.     6.450     11/15/19     412,718  
  430     Xlliac Global Funding (d)     4.800     08/10/10     432,157  
                             
                          3,254,552  
                             
        Managed Health Care  0.1%
  130     WellPoint, Inc.     7.000     02/15/19     150,248  
                             
         
        Media-Cable  1.0%
  350     Comcast Corp.     5.150     03/01/20     353,869  
  515     Comcast Corp.     5.700     05/15/18     547,940  
  80     Comcast Corp.     6.450     03/15/37     82,338  
  20     Comcast Corp.     6.500     01/15/15     22,722  
  185     COX Communications, Inc. (d)     8.375     03/01/39     233,630  
  315     CSC Holdings, Inc.     7.625     07/15/18     325,237  
  210     DirecTV Holdings LLC (d)     5.875     10/01/19     220,610  
  115     Time Warner Cable, Inc.     6.750     06/15/39     122,587  
  255     Time Warner Cable, Inc.     8.250     04/01/19     310,324  
  340     Time Warner Cable, Inc.     8.750     02/14/19     423,861  
  285     Time Warner, Inc.     5.875     11/15/16     313,165  
                             
                          2,956,283  
                             
        Media-Noncable  0.8%
  390     CBS Corp.     8.875     05/15/19     463,916  
  105     Grupo Televisa SA (Mexico)     6.000     05/15/18     108,643  
  575     News America, Inc.     7.850     03/01/39     695,264  
  375     Viacom, Inc.     6.875     04/30/36     403,184  
 
 
13
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Media-Noncable (Continued)
$ 320     Vivendi (France) (d)     6.625 %   04/04/18   $ 348,275  
  365     WPP Finance (United Kingdom)     8.000     09/15/14     421,413  
                             
                          2,440,695  
                             
        Metals  1.2%
  325     Anglo American Capital PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     9.375     04/08/19     416,381  
  939     ArcelorMittal (Luxembourg)     9.850     06/01/19     1,185,008  
  160     Freeport-McMoRan Cooper &                    
        Gold, Inc.     8.375     04/01/17     173,833  
  145     Newmont Mining Corp.     5.125     10/01/19     146,679  
  510     Rio Tinto Finance USA Ltd. (Australia)     9.000     05/01/19     662,006  
  460     Teck Resources Ltd. (Canada)     10.250     05/15/16     550,850  
  310     Vale Overseas Ltd. (Cayman Islands)     5.625     09/15/19     316,849  
  110     Vale Overseas Ltd. (Cayman Islands)     6.875     11/10/39     112,587  
                             
                          3,564,193  
                             
        Noncaptive-Consumer Finance  1.4%
  425     American Express Credit Corp., Ser C     7.300     08/20/13     480,241  
  560     General Electric Capital Corp.     5.500     01/08/20     564,208  
  1,190     General Electric Capital Corp.     5.625     05/01/18     1,225,682  
  635     General Electric Capital Corp.     6.000     08/07/19     665,569  
  1,040     HSBC Finance Corp.     5.500     01/19/16     1,101,118  
  15     HSBC Finance Corp.     6.375     10/15/11     16,000  
  115     HSBC Finance Corp.     8.000     07/15/10     118,005  
                             
                          4,170,823  
                             
        Oil Field Services  0.7%
  575     Chesapeake Energy Corp.     6.875     01/15/16     568,531  
  280     El Paso Corp.     8.250     02/15/16     298,200  
  525     Petrobras International Finance Co. (Cayman Islands)     5.750     01/20/20     532,193  
  575     Weatherford International Ltd. (Switzerland)     9.625     03/01/19     733,745  
                             
                          2,132,669  
                             
        Paper  0.2%
  265     International Paper Co.     7.300     11/15/39     283,385  
  265     International Paper Co.     7.500     08/15/21     300,752  
                             
                          584,137  
                             
        Pharmaceuticals  0.2%
  425     Biogen Idec, Inc.     6.875     03/01/18     464,832  
                             
         
        Pipelines  0.9%
  105     CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp.     6.250     02/01/37     104,925  
  70     CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp.     7.875     04/01/13     80,749  
  119     Colorado Interstate Gas Co.     6.800     11/15/15     134,848  
  150     Enterprise Products Operating LLC     5.250     01/31/20     153,897  
  420     Enterprise Products Operating LLC     6.500     01/31/19     467,215  
  700     Kinder Morgan Finance Co. (Canada)     5.700     01/05/16     684,250  
  440     Plains All American Pipeline LP     6.700     05/15/36     459,771  
 
 
14
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Pipelines (Continued)
$ 185     Plains All American Pipeline LP     8.750 %   05/01/19   $ 229,076  
  255     Texas Eastern Transmission LP     7.000     07/15/32     291,126  
                             
                          2,605,857  
                             
        Property & Casualty Insurance  0.4%
  730     AIG SunAmerica Global Financing VI (d)     6.300     05/10/11     743,201  
  240     Allstate Corp.     7.450     05/16/19     282,351  
  100     Farmers Exchange Capital (d)     7.050     07/15/28     89,179  
                             
                          1,114,731  
                             
        Railroads  0.2%
  130     CSX Corp.     6.150     05/01/37     133,913  
  330     Union Pacific Corp.     6.125     02/15/20     366,606  
                             
                          500,519  
                             
        REITS  0.8%
  405     AvalonBay Communities, Inc.     6.100     03/15/20     430,608  
  450     Boston Properties LP     5.875     10/15/19     467,827  
  425     Simon Property Group LP     5.650     02/01/20     423,215  
  400     Simon Property Group LP     6.750     05/15/14     443,660  
  500     WEA Finance LLC (d)     6.750     09/02/19     537,032  
                             
                          2,302,342  
                             
        Restaurants  0.2%
  240     Yum! Brands, Inc.     6.250     03/15/18     264,732  
  300     Yum! Brands, Inc.     6.875     11/15/37     331,940  
                             
                          596,672  
                             
        Retailers  0.6%
  226     CVS Pass-Through Trust     6.036     12/10/28     226,645  
  292     CVS Pass-Through Trust (d)     8.353     07/10/31     338,777  
  565     Home Depot, Inc.     5.875     12/16/36     555,216  
  645     JC Penney Corp., Inc.     6.375     10/15/36     585,337  
                             
                          1,705,975  
                             
        Services  0.1%
  270     Case New Holland, Inc. (d)     7.750     09/01/13     272,700  
                             
         
        Sovereigns  0.2%
  435     Korea Development Bank                    
        (Republic of Korea (South Korea))     4.375     08/10/15     441,444  
                             
         
        Supermarkets  0.2%
  105     Delhaize America, Inc.     9.000     04/15/31     134,119  
  335     Delhaize Group (Belgium)     5.875     02/01/14     369,679  
                             
                          503,798  
                             
        Technology  0.8%
  430     Adobe Systems, Inc.     4.750     02/01/20     428,135  
  345     Agilent Technologies, Inc.     5.500     09/14/15     371,457  
  565     CA, Inc.     5.375     12/01/19     580,463  
  215     Corning, Inc.     6.625     05/15/19     241,928  
 
 
15
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
        Technology (Continued)
$ 265     KLA Instruments Corp.     6.900 %   05/01/18   $ 289,743  
  130     Xerox Corp.     5.625     12/15/19     134,607  
  165     Xerox Corp.     6.350     05/15/18     180,191  
                             
                          2,226,524  
                             
        Tobacco  0.4%
  235     Altria Group, Inc.     9.250     08/06/19     291,566  
  315     BAT International Finance PLC (United Kingdom) (d)     9.500     11/15/18     409,607  
  345     Philip Morris International, Inc.     5.650     05/16/18     373,537  
                             
                          1,074,710  
                             
        Utility  0.2%
  395     AES Corp. (d)     8.750     05/15/13     403,888  
  295     NRG Energy, Inc.     8.500     06/15/19     296,106  
                             
                          699,994  
                             
        Wireless  0.3%
  350     Intelsat Subsidiary Holding Co., Ltd. (Bermuda)     8.500     01/15/13     355,250  
  310     SBA Telecommunications, Inc. (d)     8.250     08/15/19     327,050  
  275     Vodafone Group PLC (United Kingdom)     5.625     02/27/17     295,611  
                             
                          977,911  
                             
        Wireline  1.9%
  380     AT&T Corp.     8.000     11/15/31     465,911  
  525     AT&T, Inc.     6.300     01/15/38     536,450  
  155     CenturyTel, Inc.     6.150     09/15/19     159,865  
  265     Deutsche Telekom International Finance BV (Netherlands)     6.000     07/08/19     284,207  
  205     Deutsche Telekom International Finance BV (Netherlands)     8.750     06/15/30     260,504  
  110     Qwest Corp.     6.500     06/01/17     111,237  
  270     Qwest Corp.     6.875     09/15/33     249,075  
  480     Sable International Finance Ltd. (Cayman Islands) (d)     7.750     02/15/17     494,400  
  520     Telecom Italia Capital SA (Luxembourg)     6.999     06/04/18     571,166  
  325     Telecom Italia Capital SA (Luxembourg)     7.175     06/18/19     359,469  
  715     Telefonica Europe BV (Netherlands)     8.250     09/15/30     888,248  
  535     Verizon Communications, Inc.     6.350     04/01/19     594,669  
  305     Verizon Communications, Inc.     8.950     03/01/39     416,983  
                             
                          5,392,184  
                             
        Total Corporate Bonds  27.7%     79,535,753  
                 
         
        Agency Bonds  3.2%
Banking—FDIC Guaranteed  2.2%
  6,350     GMAC, Inc.     2.200     12/19/12     6,472,390  
                             
 
 
16
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
         
        Banking—Government Guaranteed  1.0%
$ 2,830     US Central Federal Credit Union     1.900 %   10/19/12   $ 2,864,127  
                             
        Total Agency Bonds  3.2%     9,336,517  
                 
         
        Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities  2.5%
  1,200     Banc of America Commercial                    
        Mortgage, Inc. (e)     5.744     02/10/51     1,149,205  
  525     Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust     5.431     10/15/49     532,036  
  680     Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust (e)     5.700     12/10/49     648,717  
  625     Citigroup Commercial Mortgage Trust (e)     5.727     03/15/49     654,656  
  1,025     Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (e)     5.816     12/10/49     997,326  
  600     Greenwich Capital Commercial Funding Corp.     5.444     03/10/39     571,229  
  845     LB–UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust     5.156     02/15/31     865,541  
  1,175     LB–UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust     5.372     09/15/39     1,187,032  
  625     LB–UBS Commercial Mortgage Trust (e)     5.866     09/15/45     596,429  
                             
        Total Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities  2.5%     7,202,171  
                 
         
        Adjustable Rate Mortgage Backed Securities  2.5%
  1,291     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (a)     5.543     05/01/37     1,343,988  
  1,465     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (a)     5.931     12/01/36     1,526,985  
  509     Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. (a)     6.029     02/01/37     530,601  
  1,263     Federal National Mortgage Association (a)     5.740     12/01/36     1,323,790  
  1,365     Federal National Mortgage Association (a)     5.742     01/01/37     1,431,510  
  730     Federal National Mortgage Association (a)     5.783     03/01/38     765,035  
  166     Government National Mortgage Association II (a)     4.375     01/20/25 to 06/20/25     172,154  
                             
        Total Adjustable Rate Mortgage Backed Securities  2.5%     7,094,063  
                 
         
        Asset Backed Securities  0.9%
  600     ARI Fleet Lease Trust (a) (d)     1.678     08/15/18     600,168  
  308     Chrysler Financial Auto Securitization Trust     1.012     07/15/10     308,128  
  52     Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates (a)     0.429     07/25/34     40,933  
  338     Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates (a)     0.619     11/25/34     281,480  
  356     Countrywide Asset-Backed Certificates (a)     0.909     06/25/33     259,547  
  675     GE Dealer Floorplan Master Note Trust (a) (d)     1.781     10/20/14     675,485  
  540     Provident Bank Home Equity Loan Trust (a)     0.769     08/25/31     269,071  
  59     Renaissance Home Equity Loan Trust (a)     0.339     06/25/37     56,622  
  56     SLM Student Loan Trust (a)     0.239     10/27/14     55,539  
  42     Specialty Underwriting &                    
        Residential Finance (a)     0.499     05/25/35     32,829  
  68     Structured Asset Investment Loan Trust (a)     0.969     11/25/33     55,500  
                             
        Total Asset Backed Securities  0.9%     2,635,302  
                 
 
 
17
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Par
               
Amount
               
(000)   Description   Coupon   Maturity   Value
 
 
         
        Foreign Government Obligations  0.4%
$ 810     Brazilian Government International Bond (Brazil)     6.000 %   01/17/17   $ 887,760  
  345     Qatar Government International                    
        Bond (Qatar) (d)     4.000     01/20/15     350,175  
                             
        Total Foreign Government Obligations  0.4%     1,237,935  
                 
         
        Municipal Bonds  0.4%
California  0.3%
  630     California St Taxable Var Purp 3     5.950     04/01/16     654,715  
                             
         
        Illinois  0.1%
  345     Illinois St Toll Hwy Auth Toll Hwy Rev Build America Bonds Direct Pmt Taxable Sr Priority     6.184     01/01/34     358,327  
                             
        Total Municipal Bonds  0.4%     1,013,042  
                 
         
        Collateralized Mortgage Obligations  0.1%
  66     American Home Mortgage Assets (a)     0.539     10/25/46     4,329  
  523     Countrywide Alternative Loan Trust (a)     0.589     03/20/46     80,019  
  90     Countrywide Home Loans (a)     0.499     04/25/35     52,826  
  81     Harborview Mortgage Loan Trust (a)     0.679     06/20/35     52,196  
  658     MASTR Adjustable Rate Mortgages Trust (a)     1.421     04/25/46     59,043  
                             
        Total Collateralized Mortgage Obligations  0.1%     248,413  
                 
        Total Long-Term Investments  98.3%
(Cost $274,290,419)
    282,511,249  
                 
Short-Term Investments  8.9%
Repurchase Agreements  7.9%
       
Banc of America Securities ($4,181,063 par collateralized by U.S. Government obligations in a pooled cash account, interest rate of 0.10%, dated 02/26/10, to be sold on 03/01/10 at $4,181,098)
    4,181,063  
JPMorgan Chase & Co. ($17,801,194 par collateralized by U.S. Government obligations in a pooled cash account, interest rate of 0.09%, dated 02/26/10, to be sold on 03/01/10 at $17,801,327)
    17,801,194  
State Street Bank & Trust Co. ($820,743 par collateralized by U.S. Government obligations in a pooled cash account, interest rate of 0.01%, dated 02/26/10, to be sold on 03/01/10 at $820,743)
    820,743  
         
         
Total Repurchase Agreements  7.9%
    22,803,000  
         
 
 
18
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                             
Description   Value
 
 
United States Government Agency Obligations  1.0%        
United States Treasury Bill ($2,832,000 par, yielding 0.149%, 05/06/10 maturity) (f)
  $ 2,831,237  
         
         
Total Short-Term Investments  8.9%
(Cost $25,634,237)
    25,634,237  
         
         
Total Investments  107.2%
(Cost $299,924,656)
    308,145,486  
         
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets  (7.2%)
    (20,670,397 )
         
         
Net Assets  100.0%
  $ 287,475,089  
         
 
 
Percentages are calculated as a percentage of net assets.
 
(a) Floating Rate Coupon
 
(b) IO—Interest Only
 
(c) Security purchased on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.
 
(d) 144A-Private Placement security which is exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This security may only be resold in transactions exempt from registration which are normally those transactions with qualified institutional buyers.
 
(e) Variable Rate Coupon
 
(f) All or a portion of this security has been physically segregated in connection with open futures contracts and swap contracts.
 
REMIC—Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits
STRIPS—Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities
TBA—To be announced, maturity date has not yet been established. Upon settlement and
delivery of the mortgage pools, maturity dates will be assigned.
 
 
19
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
Futures contracts outstanding as of February 28, 2010:
 
                 
        Unrealized
    Number of
  Appreciation/
    Contracts   Depreciation
 
Long Contracts:
               
U.S. Treasury Notes 5-Year Futures, June 2010 (Current Notional Value of $115,938 per contract)
    453     $ 177,040  
                 
Short Contracts:
               
U.S. Treasury Bond 30-Year Futures, June 2010 (Current Notional Value of $117,688 per contract)
    100       (172,711 )
U.S. Treasury Notes 2-Year Futures, March 2010 (Current Notional Value of $218,422 per contract)
    5       (4,307 )
U.S. Treasury Notes 2-Year Futures, June 2010 (Current Notional Value of $217,438 per contract)
    93       (20,638 )
U.S. Treasury Notes 10-Year Futures, June 2010 (Current Notional Value of $117,484 per contract)
    206       (173,823 )
                 
Total Short Contracts:
    404       (371,479 )
                 
Total Futures Contracts
    857     $ (194,439 )
                 
 
Swap contracts outstanding as of February 28, 2010:
Interest Rate Swaps
 
                                         
        Pay/
               
    Floating
  Receive
          Notional
   
    Rate
  Floating
  Fixed
  Expiration
  Amount
   
Counterparty   Index   Rate   Rate   Date   (000)   Value
 
Credit Suisse International
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Pay       5.086 %   12/23/19   $ 17,500     $ 57,925  
Deutsche Bank AG New York
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Pay       **     11/15/21     3,797       (257,940 )
Deutsche Bank AG New York
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Pay       4.400     10/01/16     56,165       (231,961 )
                                     
                                      (431,976 )
                                     
Barclays Bank PLC
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       **     11/15/19     5,715       (656,406 )
Barclays Bank PLC
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       **     11/15/21     3,100       (345,247 )
Credit Suisse International
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       4.386     12/23/39     4,198       (34,486 )
Deutsche Bank AG New York
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       **     11/15/21     3,242       (254,376 )
Deutsche Bank AG New York
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       2.898     01/11/15     13,060       (276,675 )
Deutsche Bank AG New York
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       4.410     10/03/18     30,216       310,620  
UBS AG London
  USD-LIBOR BBA     Receive       2.841     01/08/15     1,400       (26,420 )
                                     
                                      (1,282,990 )
                                     
Total Interest Rate Swaps
  $ (1,714,966 )
         
 
** Zero Coupon Swaps. The Fund and/or counterparty will make a net payment at the expiration date.
 
 
20
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Portfolio of Investments  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
Fair Value Measurements
 
Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below. (See Note 1(B) in the Notes to Financial Statements for further information regarding fair value measurements.)
 
The following is a summary of the inputs used as of February 28, 2010 in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at value.
 
                                         
    Level 1   Level 2   Level 3        
            Significant
       
        Other Significant
  Unobservable
       
Investments   Quoted Prices   Observable Inputs   Inputs   Total    
 
 
Investments in an Asset Position
                                       
United States Government Agencies & Obligations
  $     $ 88,058,038     $     $ 88,058,038          
Mortgage Backed Securities
          86,150,015             86,150,015          
Corporate Bonds
            79,535,753             79,535,753          
Agency Bonds
          9,336,517             9,336,517          
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities
          7,202,171             7,202,171          
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Backed Securities
          7,094,063             7,094,063          
Asset Backed Securities
          2,635,302             2,635,302          
Foreign Government Obligations
          1,237,935             1,237,935          
Municipal Bonds
          1,013,042             1,013,042          
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations
          248,413             248,413          
Short-Term Investments
          25,634,237             25,634,237          
Futures
    177,040                   177,040          
Interest Rate Swaps
          368,545             368,545          
                                         
Total Investments in an Asset Position
    177,040       308,514,031             308,691,071          
                                         
Investments in a Liability Position
                                       
Futures
    (371,479 )                 (371,479 )        
Interest Rate Swaps
          (2,083,511 )           (2,083,511 )        
                                         
Total Investments in a Liability Position
  $ (371,479 )   $ (2,083,511 )   $     $ (2,454,990 )        
                                         
 
 
21
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Statements
 
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)
 
             
Assets:
           
Total Investments (Cost $299,924,656)
  $ 308,145,486      
Cash
    550      
Receivables:
           
Investments Sold
    23,506,318      
Interest
    2,152,951      
Fund Shares Sold
    570,020      
Swap Contracts
    23,439      
Other
    105,419      
             
Total Assets
    334,504,183      
             
Liabilities:
           
Payables:
           
Investments Purchased
    44,027,991      
Fund Shares Repurchased
    875,463      
Variation Margin on Futures
    58,183      
Distributor and Affiliates
    51,917      
Investment Advisory Fee
    44,272      
Income Distributions
    17,820      
Swap Contracts
    1,738,405      
Trustees’ Deferred Compensation and Retirement Plans
    40,803      
Accrued Expenses
    133,518      
Other
    40,722      
             
Total Liabilities
    47,029,094      
             
Net Assets
  $ 287,475,089      
             
Net Assets Consist of:
           
Capital (Par value of $0.01 per share with an unlimited number of shares authorized)
  $ 307,791,809      
Net Unrealized Appreciation
    6,311,425      
Accumulated Undistributed Net Investment Income
    (311,182 )    
Accumulated Net Realized Loss
    (26,316,963 )    
             
Net Assets
  $ 287,475,089      
             
Maximum Offering Price Per Share:
           
Class A Shares:
           
Net asset value and redemption price per share (Based on net assets of $96,753,224 and 10,219,920 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding)
  $ 9.47      
Maximum sales charge (4.75%* of offering price)
    0.47      
             
Maximum offering price to public
  $ 9.94      
             
Class B Shares:
           
Net asset value and offering price per share (Based on net assets of $9,404,758 and 998,875 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding)
  $ 9.42      
             
Class C Shares:
           
Net asset value and offering price per share (Based on net assets of $14,446,346 and 1,535,075 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding)
  $ 9.41      
             
Class I Shares:
           
Net asset value and offering price per share (Based on net assets of $166,870,761 and 17,617,280 shares of beneficial interest issued and outstanding)
  $ 9.47      
             
 
* On sales of $100,000 or more, the sales charge will be reduced.
 
 
22
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Statements  
continued
 
Statement of Operations
For the Six Months Ended February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)
 
             
Investment Income:
           
Interest
  $ 5,940,823      
Other
    375      
             
Total Income
    5,941,198      
             
Expenses:
           
Investment Advisory Fee
    519,943      
Distribution (12b-1) and Service Fees
           
Class A
    117,626      
Class B
    45,768      
Class C
    74,169      
Transfer Agent Fees
    81,876      
Accounting and Administrative Expenses
    74,495      
Registration Fees
    46,905      
Professional Fees
    35,939      
Reports to Shareholders
    33,298      
Custody
    27,029      
Trustees’ Fees and Related Expenses
    11,950      
Other
    22,557      
             
Total Expenses
    1,091,555      
Expense Reduction
    160,735      
             
Net Expenses
    930,820      
             
Net Investment Income
  $ 5,010,378      
             
Realized and Unrealized Gain/Loss:
           
Realized Gain/Loss:
           
Investments
  $ 3,451,999      
Swap Contracts
    567,535      
Futures
    498,861      
Foreign Currency Transactions
    (144 )    
             
Net Realized Gain
    4,518,251      
             
Unrealized Appreciation/Depreciation:
           
Beginning of the Period
    5,551,067      
             
End of the Period:
           
Investments
    8,220,830      
Futures
    (194,439 )    
Swap Contracts
    (1,714,966 )    
             
      6,311,425      
             
Net Unrealized Appreciation During the Period
    760,358      
             
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain
  $ 5,278,609      
             
Net Increase in Net Assets From Operations
  $ 10,288,987      
             
 
 
23
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Statements  
continued
 
Statements of Changes in Net Assets  (Unaudited)
 
                 
    For The Six
  For The
    Months Ended
  Year Ended
    February 28, 2010   August 31, 2009
     
 
From Investment Activities:
               
Operations:
               
Net Investment Income
  $ 5,010,378     $ 9,580,594  
Net Realized Gain/Loss
    4,518,251       (18,057,543 )
Net Unrealized Appreciation During the Period
    760,358       25,891,445  
                 
Change in Net Assets from Operations
    10,288,987       17,414,496  
                 
                 
Distributions from Net Investment Income:
               
Class A Shares
    (1,730,994 )     (3,639,691 )
Class B Shares
    (135,785 )     (284,426 )
Class C Shares
    (213,960 )     (547,715 )
Class I Shares
    (3,139,133 )     (6,147,413 )
                 
Total Distributions
    (5,219,872 )     (10,619,245 )
                 
                 
Net Change in Net Assets from Investment Activities
    5,069,115       6,795,251  
                 
                 
From Capital Transactions:
               
Proceeds from Shares Sold
    74,722,076       215,149,897  
Net Asset Value of Shares Issued Through Dividend Reinvestment
    5,102,949       10,304,677  
Cost of Shares Repurchased
    (65,240,838 )     (234,160,611 )
                 
                 
Net Change in Net Assets from Capital Transactions
    14,584,187       (8,706,037 )
                 
Total Increase/Decrease in Net Assets
    19,653,302       (1,910,786 )
Net Assets:
               
Beginning of the Period
    267,821,787       269,732,573  
                 
End of the Period (Including accumulated undistributed net investment income of $(311,182) and $(101,688), respectively)
  $ 287,475,089     $ 267,821,787  
                 
 
 
24
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Highlights  (Unaudited)
 
The following schedule presents financial highlights for one share of the Fund outstanding throughout the periods indicated.
 
                                 
    Six Months
          January 26, 2007
    Ended
  Year Ended
  (Commencement
    February 28,
  August 31,   of Operations) to
Class A Shares
  2010   2009   2008   August 31, 2007
     
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of the Period
  $ 9.30     $ 9.05     $ 9.98     $ 10.00  
                                 
Net Investment Income (a)
    0.17       0.34       0.45       0.36  
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/Loss
    0.17       0.29       (0.92 )     (0.10 )
                                 
Total from Investment Operations
    0.34       0.63       (0.47 )     0.26  
                                 
Less:
                               
Distributions from Net Investment Income
    0.17       0.38       0.46       0.28  
Distributions from Net Realized Gain
    -0-       -0-       0.00 (c)     -0-  
                                 
Total Distributions
    0.17       0.38       0.46       0.28  
                                 
Net Asset Value, End of the Period
  $ 9.47     $ 9.30     $ 9.05     $ 9.98  
                                 
                                 
Total Return* (b)
    3.70% **     7.12%       –4.91%       2.62% **
Net Assets at End of the Period (In millions)
  $ 96.8     $ 92.0     $ 91.8     $ 28.7  
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets*
    0.75%       0.75%       0.75%       0.75%  
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets*
    3.54%       3.84%       4.69%       6.10%  
Portfolio Turnover
    103% **     503%       460%       91% **
*  If certain expenses had not been voluntarily assumed by Van Kampen, total return would have been lower and the ratios would have been as follows:
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets
    0.87%       0.92%       0.96%       2.08%  
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets
    3.42%       3.67%       4.48%       4.78%  
 
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
 
(b) Assumes reinvestment of all distributions for the period and does not include payment of the maximum sales charge of 4.75% or contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC). On purchases of $1 million or more, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed on certain redemptions made within eighteen months of purchase. If the sales charges were included, total returns would be lower. These returns include combined Rule 12b-1 fees and service fees of up to 0.25% and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
 
(c) Amount is less than $0.01 per share.
 
** Non-Annualized
 
 
25
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Highlights  (Unaudited)  
continued
 
The following schedule presents financial highlights for one share of the Fund outstanding throughout the periods indicated.
 
                                 
    Six Months
          January 26, 2007
    Ended
  Year Ended
  (Commencement
    February 28,
  August 31,   of Operations) to
Class B Shares
  2010   2009   2008   August 31, 2007
     
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of the Period
  $ 9.25     $ 9.01     $ 9.99     $ 10.00  
                                 
Net Investment Income (a)
    0.13       0.27       0.38       0.30  
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/Loss
    0.18       0.29       (0.92 )     (0.07 )
                                 
Total from Investment Operations
    0.31       0.56       (0.54 )     0.23  
                                 
Less:
                               
Distributions from Net Investment Income
    0.14       0.32       0.44       0.24  
Distributions from Net Realized Gain
    -0-       -0-       0.00 (c)     -0-  
                                 
Total Distributions
    0.14       0.32       0.44       0.24  
                                 
Net Asset Value, End of the Period
  $ 9.42     $ 9.25     $ 9.01     $ 9.99  
                                 
                                 
Total Return* (b)
    3.34% **     6.37%       –5.69%       2.35% **(d)
Net Assets at End of the Period (In millions)
  $ 9.4     $ 8.9     $ 8.6     $ 1.5  
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets* (e)
    1.50%       1.50%       1.50%       1.28% (d)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets*
    2.78%       3.09%       3.95%       5.14% (d)
Portfolio Turnover
    103% **     503%       460%       91% **
*  If certain expenses had not been voluntarily assumed by Van Kampen, total return would have been lower and the ratios would have been as follows:
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (e)
    1.62%       1.67%       1.68%       2.68% (d)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets
    2.66%       2.92%       3.77%       3.74% (d)
 
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
 
(b) Assumes reinvestment of all distributions for the period and does not include payment of the maximum CDSC of 4%, charged on certain redemptions made within one year of purchase and declining to 0% after the fifth year. If the sales charge was included, total returns would be lower. These returns include combined Rule 12b-1 fees and service fees of up to 1% and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
 
(c) Amount is less than $0.01.
 
(d) The Total Return, Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets reflect actual 12b-1 fees of less than 1% (See Note 7 in the Notes to Financial Statements).
 
(e) The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets does not reflect credits earned on cash balances. If these credits were reflected as a reduction of expenses, the ratio would decrease by 0.03% for the period ended August 31, 2007.
 
** Non-Annualized
 
 
26
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Highlights  (Unaudited)  
continued
 
The following schedule presents financial highlights for one share of the Fund outstanding throughout the periods indicated.
 
                                 
    Six Months
          January 26, 2007
    Ended
          (Commencement
    February 28,
  Year Ended August 31,   of Operations) to
Class C Shares
  2010   2009   2008   August 31, 2007
     
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of the Period
  $ 9.25     $ 9.00     $ 10.01     $ 10.00  
                                 
Net Investment Income (a)
    0.13       0.31       0.37       0.31  
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/Loss
    0.17       0.27       (0.89 )     (0.05 )
                                 
Total from Investment Operations
    0.30       0.58       (0.52 )     0.26  
                                 
Less:
                               
Distributions from Net Investment Income
    0.14       0.33       0.49       0.25  
Distributions from Net Realized Gain
    -0-       -0-       0.00 (c)     -0-  
                                 
Total Distributions
    0.14       0.33       0.49       0.25  
                                 
Net Asset Value, End of the Period
  $ 9.41     $ 9.25     $ 9.00     $ 10.01  
                                 
                                 
Total Return* (b)
    3.26% **     6.71% (d)     –5.47% (d)     2.61% **(d)
Net Assets at End of the Period (In millions)
  $ 14.4     $ 14.3     $ 17.2     $ 2.0  
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets* (e)
    1.52%       1.18% (d)     1.45% (d)     1.12% (d)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets*
    2.77%       3.43% (d)     3.81% (d)     5.31% (d)
Portfolio Turnover
    103% **     503%       460%       91% **
*  If certain expenses had not been voluntarily assumed by Van Kampen, total return would have been lower and the ratios would have been as follows:
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (e)
    1.64%       1.35% (d)     1.58% (d)     2.52% (d)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets
    2.65%       3.26% (d)     3.68% (d)     3.92% (d)
 
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
 
(b) Assumes reinvestment of all distributions for the period and does not include payment of the maximum CDSC of 1%, charged on certain redemptions made within one year of purchase. If the sales charge was included, total returns would be lower. These returns include combined Rule 12b-1 fees and service fees of up to 1% and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
 
(c) Amount is less than $0.01 per share.
 
(d) The Total Return, Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets reflect actual 12b-1 fees of less than 1% (See Note 7 in the Notes to Financial Statements).
 
(e) The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets does not reflect credits earned on cash balances. If these credits were reflected as a reduction of expenses, the ratio would decrease by 0.03% for the period ended August 31, 2007.
 
** Non-Annualized
 
 
27
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Financial Highlights  (Unaudited)  
continued
 
The following schedule presents financial highlights for one share of the Fund outstanding throughout the periods indicated.
 
                                 
    Six Months
          January 26, 2007
    Ended
  Year Ended
  (Commencement
    February 28,
  August 31,   of Operations) to
Class I Shares
  2010   2009   2008   August 31, 2007
     
 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of the Period
  $ 9.30     $ 9.06     $ 9.98     $ 10.00  
                                 
Net Investment Income (a)
    0.18       0.37       0.47       0.36  
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/Loss
    0.17       0.27       (0.91 )     (0.09 )
                                 
Total from Investment Operations
    0.35       0.64       (0.44 )     0.27  
                                 
Less:
                               
Distributions from Net Investment Income
    0.18       0.40       0.48       0.29  
Distributions from Net Realized Gain
    -0-       -0-       0.00 (c)     -0-  
                                 
Total Distributions
    0.18       0.40       0.48       0.29  
                                 
Net Asset Value, End of the Period
  $ 9.47     $ 9.30     $ 9.06     $ 9.98  
                                 
                                 
Total Return* (b)
    3.82% **     7.39%       –4.67%       2.77% **
Net Assets at End of the Period (In millions)
  $ 166.9     $ 152.6     $ 152.1     $ 5.6  
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets* (d)
    0.50%       0.50%       0.50%       0.52%  
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets*
    3.78%       4.08%       4.81%       6.07%  
Portfolio Turnover
    103% **     503%       460%       91% **
*  If certain expenses had not been voluntarily assumed by Van Kampen, total return would have been lower and the ratios would have been as follows:
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (d)
    0.62%       0.66%       0.61%       1.91%  
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets
    3.67%       3.92%       4.70%       4.68%  
 
(a) Based on average shares outstanding.
 
(b) Assumes reinvestment of all distributions for the period. These returns and do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares.
 
(c) Amount is less than $0.01 per share.
 
(d) The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets does not reflect credits earned on cash balances. If these credits were reflected as a reduction of expenses, the ratio would decrease by 0.02% for the period ended August 31, 2007.
 
** Non-Annualized
 
 
28
See Notes to Financial Statements


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)
 
1. Significant Accounting Policies
The Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund (the “Fund”) is organized as a diversified series of the Van Kampen Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, and is registered as a diversified, open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund’s investment objective is to seek total return. The Fund invests primarily in a diversified mix of U.S. dollar denominated investment grade fixed income securities, particularly U.S. government, corporate and mortgage securities. The Fund commenced operations on January 26, 2007. The Fund offers Class A Shares, Class B Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares. Each class of shares differs by its initial sales load, contingent deferred sales charges, the allocation of class-specific expenses and voting rights on matters affecting a single class.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) established the FASB Accounting Standards Codificationtm (ASC) as the single source of authoritative accounting principles recognized by the FASB in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP. The ASC supersedes existing non-grandfathered, non-SEC accounting and reporting standards. The ASC did not change GAAP but rather organized it into a hierarchy where all guidance within the ASC carries an equal level of authority. The ASC became effective for financial statements issued for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. The Fund appropriately updated relevant GAAP references to reflect the new ASC.
 
A. Security Valuation Fixed income investments are valued by an independent pricing service using the mean of the last reported bid and asked prices. Investments in securities listed on a securities exchange are valued at their last sale price as of the close of such securities exchange. Listed and unlisted securities for which the last sale price is not available are valued at the mean of the last reported bid and asked prices. For those securities where quotations or prices are not readily available, valuations are determined in accordance with procedures established in good faith by the Board of Trustees. Factors considered in making this determination may include, but are not limited to, information obtained by contacting the issuer, analysts, or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange traded securities), analysis of the issuer’s financial statements or other available documents and, if necessary, available information concerning other securities in similar circumstances. Options are valued at the last sale price. Futures contracts are valued at the settlement price established each day on the exchange on which they are traded. Swaps are valued using market quotations obtained from brokers. Short-term securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates fair value.
 
 
29


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
B. Fair Value Measurements FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (ASC 820) (formerly known as FAS 157), defines fair value as the price that the Fund would receive to sell an investment or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction with an independent buyer in the principal market, or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market for the investment or liability. ASC 820 establishes a three-tier hierarchy to distinguish between (1) inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability developed based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity (observable inputs) and (2) inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances (unobservable inputs) and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes. Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. The inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.
 
Level 1— quoted prices in active markets for identical investments
Level 2— other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar investments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.)
Level 3— significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments)
 
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
 
C. Security Transactions Security transactions are recorded on a trade date basis. Realized gains and losses are determined on an identified cost basis. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, which are short-term investments in which the Fund acquires ownership of a debt security and the seller agrees to repurchase the security at a future time and specified price. The Fund may invest independently in repurchase agreements, or transfer uninvested cash balances into a pooled cash account along with other investment companies advised by Van Kampen Asset Management (the “Adviser”) or its affiliates, the daily aggregate of which is invested in repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are fully collateralized by the underlying debt security. The Fund will make payment for such securities only upon physical delivery or evidence of book entry transfer to the account of the custodian bank. The seller is required to maintain the value of the underlying security at not less than the repurchase proceeds due the Fund. The Fund may purchase and sell securities on a “when-issued”, “delayed delivery” or “forward commitment” basis, with settlement to occur at a later date. The value of the security so purchased is subject to market fluctuations during this period. Purchasing securities on this basis involves a risk that the market value at the time of delivery may be lower than the agreed upon purchase price resulting in an unrealized loss. The Fund will segregate assets with the custodian having an aggregate value at least equal to the amount of the when-issued, delayed delivery or forward purchase commitments until payment is made. At February 28, 2010, the Fund had $24,792,254 of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward purchase commitments.
 
D. Income and Expenses Interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Discounts on debt securities purchased are accreted and premiums are amortized over the expected life of each applicable security. Income and expenses of the Fund are allocated on a pro rata basis to each
 
 
30


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
class of shares, except for distribution and service fees and incremental transfer agency costs which are unique to each class of shares.
 
E. Federal Income Taxes It is the Fund’s policy to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its taxable income to its shareholders. Therefore, no provision for federal income taxes is required. Management has concluded there are no significant uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the financial statements. If applicable, the Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in “Interest Expense” and penalties in “Other” expenses on the Statement of Operations. The Fund files tax returns with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and various states. Generally, each of the tax years in the three year period ended August 31, 2009, remains subject to examination by taxing authorities.
The Fund intends to utilize provisions of the federal income tax laws which allow it to carry a realized capital loss forward for eight years following the year of the loss and offset such losses against any future realized capital gains. At August 31, 2009, the Fund had an accumulated capital loss carryforward for tax purposes of $20,161,052 which will expire on August 31, 2017.
At February 28, 2010, the cost and related gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation was as follows:
 
             
Cost of investments for tax purposes
  $ 300,280,312      
             
Gross tax unrealized appreciation
  $ 9,512,649      
Gross tax unrealized depreciation
    (1,647,475 )    
             
Net tax unrealized appreciation on investments
  $ 7,865,174      
             
 
F. Distribution of Income and Gains The Fund declares daily and pays monthly dividends from net investment income. Net realized gains, if any, are distributed at least annually.
The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2009 was as follows:
 
         
Distributions paid from:
       
Ordinary income
  $ 10,625,991  
 
As of August 31, 2009, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
 
         
Undistributed ordinary income
  $ 94,702  
Undistributed long-term capital gain
    -0-  
 
Net realized gains or losses may differ for financial reporting and tax purposes primarily as a result of the deferral of losses relating to wash sale transactions.
 
G. Foreign Currency Translation Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies and commitments under forward currency contracts are translated into U.S. dollars at the mean of the last quoted bid and asked prices of such currencies against the U.S. dollar. Purchases and
 
 
31


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
sales of portfolio securities are translated at the rate of exchange prevailing when such securities were acquired or sold. Income and expenses are translated at rates prevailing when accrued. Unrealized gains and losses on investments resulting from changes in exchange rates and the unrealized gains or losses on translations of other assets or liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are included in foreign currency translation on the Statement of Operations. Realized gains and losses on investments resulting from changes in exchange rates and the realized gains or losses on translations of other assets or liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are included in foreign currency transactions on the Statement of Operations.
 
H. Reporting Subsequent Events Management has evaluated the impact of any subsequent events through April 16, 2010, the date the financial statements were effectively issued. Management has determined that there are no material events or transactions that would affect the Fund’s financial statements or require disclosure in the Fund’s financial statements through this date.
 
2. Investment Advisory Agreement and Other Transactions with Affiliates
Under the terms of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser will provide investment advice and facilities to the Fund for an annual fee payable monthly as follows:
 
         
Average Daily Net Assets   % Per Annum
 
First $1 billion
    0.375%  
Over $1 billion
    0.300%  
 
The Fund’s Adviser is currently waiving or reimbursing all or a portion of the Fund’s advisory fees or other expenses. This resulted in net expense ratios of 0.75%, 1.50%, 1.52% and 0.50% for Classes A, B, C and I Shares, respectively. The fee waivers or expense reimbursements are voluntary and can be discontinued at any time. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the Adviser waived or reimbursed approximately $160,700 of advisory fees or other expenses.
For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the Fund recognized expenses of approximately $3,800 representing legal services provided by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, of which a trustee of the Fund is a partner of such firm and he and his law firm provide legal services as legal counsel to the Fund.
Under separate Legal Services, Accounting Services and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) Employment agreements, the Adviser provides accounting and legal services and the CCO provides compliance services to the Fund. The costs of these services are allocated to each fund. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the Fund recognized expenses of approximately $29,800 representing Van Kampen Investments Inc.’s or its affiliates’ (collectively “Van Kampen”) cost of providing accounting and legal services to the Fund, as well as the salary, benefits and related costs of the CCO and related support staff paid by Van Kampen. Services provided pursuant to the Legal Services agreement are reported as part of “Professional Fees” on the Statement of Operations. Services provided pursuant to the Accounting Services and CCO Employment agreement are reported as part of “Accounting and Administrative Expenses” on the Statement of Operations.
Van Kampen Investor Services Inc. (VKIS), an affiliate of the Adviser, serves as the shareholder servicing agent for the Fund. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the Fund recognized expenses of approximately $20,200 representing transfer agency fees paid to
 
 
32


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
VKIS and its affiliates. Transfer agency fees are determined through negotiations with the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
Certain officers and trustees of the Fund are also officers and trustees of Van Kampen. The Fund does not compensate its officers or trustees who are also officers of Van Kampen.
The Fund provides deferred compensation and retirement plans for its trustees who are not officers of Van Kampen. Under the deferred compensation plan, trustees may elect to defer all or a portion of their compensation. Amounts deferred are retained by the Fund and, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, may be invested in the common shares of those funds selected by the trustees. Investments in such funds of approximately $22,300 are included in “Other” assets on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities at February 28, 2010. Appreciation/depreciation and distributions received from these investments are recorded with an offsetting increase/decrease in the deferred compensation obligation and do not affect the net asset value of the Fund. Benefits under the retirement plan are payable upon retirement for a ten-year period and are based upon each trustee’s years of service to the Fund. The maximum annual benefit per trustee under the plan is $2,500.
For the six months ended February 28, 2010, Van Kampen, as Distributor for the Fund, received commissions on sales of the Fund’s Class A Shares of approximately $45,800 and contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) on redeemed shares of approximately $15,700. Sales charges do not represent expenses of the Fund.
 
3. Capital Transactions
For the six months ended February 28, 2010 and the year ended August 31, 2009, transactions were as follows:
 
                                     
    For The
  For The
   
    Six Months Ended
  Year Ended
   
    February 28, 2010   August 31, 2009    
    Shares   Value   Shares   Value    
 
Sales:
                                   
Class A
    2,196,672     $ 20,671,213       4,873,842     $ 43,618,608      
Class B
    255,327       2,392,059       544,177       4,833,603      
Class C
    244,308       2,286,036       652,036       5,767,165      
Class I
    5,244,803       49,372,768       18,133,173       160,930,521      
                                     
Total Sales
    7,941,110     $ 74,722,076       24,203,228     $ 215,149,897      
                                     
                                     
Dividend Reinvestment:
                                   
Class A
    175,951     $ 1,659,113       389,038     $ 3,474,731      
Class B
    13,922       130,578       30,382       270,043      
Class C
    19,046       178,566       46,987       417,951      
Class I
    332,287       3,134,692       687,143       6,141,952      
                                     
Total Dividend Reinvestment
    541,206     $ 5,102,949       1,153,550     $ 10,304,677      
                                     
                                     
Repurchases:
                                   
Class A
    (2,046,051 )   $ (19,258,105 )     (5,507,623 )   $ (49,159,883 )    
Class B
    (235,333 )     (2,205,089 )     (569,159 )     (5,046,574 )    
Class C
    (276,342 )     (2,583,411 )     (1,059,500 )     (9,403,472 )    
Class I
    (4,368,803 )     (41,194,233 )     (19,202,750 )     (170,550,682 )    
                                     
Total Repurchases
    (6,926,529 )   $ (65,240,838 )     (26,339,032 )   $ (234,160,611 )    
                                     
 
 
33


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
4. Investment Transactions
During the period, the cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments, excluding short-term investments and U.S. Government securities, were $107,959,108 and $83,577,763 respectively. The cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of long-term U.S. Government securities, including paydowns on mortgage-backed securities, for the period were $190,567,951 and $199,526,324, respectively.
 
5. Derivative Financial Instruments
A derivative financial instrument in very general terms refers to a security whose value is “derived” from the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index.
The Fund may use derivative instruments for a variety of reasons, such as to attempt to protect the Fund against possible changes in the market value of its portfolio or to generate potential gain. All of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, including derivative instruments, are marked to market each day with the change in value reflected in unrealized appreciation/depreciation. Upon disposition, a realized gain or loss is generally recognized.
 
A. Futures Contracts The Fund is subject to interest rate risk and foreign currency exchange rate risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Fund may use futures contracts to gain exposure to, or hedge against changes in interest rates or foreign currencies. A futures contract is an agreement involving the delivery of a particular asset on a specified future date at an agreed upon price. Upon entering into futures contracts, the Fund maintains an amount of cash or liquid securities with a value equal to a percentage of the contract amount with either a futures commission merchant pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under the 1940 Act, or with its custodian in an account in the broker’s name. This amount is known as initial margin. During the period the futures contract is open, payments are received from or made to the broker based upon changes in the value of the contract (the variation margin). When entering into futures contracts, the Fund bears the risk of interest or exchange rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. With futures, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund since futures are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as a counterparty to all exchange traded futures, guarantees the futures against default. The risk of loss associated with a futures contract is in excess of the variation margin reflected on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities.
Transactions in futures contracts for six months ended February 28, 2010, were as follows:
 
         
    Contracts
 
Outstanding at August 31, 2009
    1,070  
Futures Opened
    3,446  
Futures Closed
    (3,659 )
         
Outstanding at February 28, 2010
    857  
         
 
B. Option Contracts The Fund is subject to interest rate risk and foreign currency exchange risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Fund may use options contracts to gain exposure to, or hedge against changes in the value of interest rates or foreign currencies. An option contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation to buy (call) or sell (put) the value of an underlying item at a fixed exercise (strike) price during a specified
 
 
34


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
period. The Fund may purchase put and call options. Purchasing call options tends to increase the Fund’s exposure to the underlying (or similar) instrument. Purchasing put options tends to decrease the Fund’s exposure to the underlying (or similar) instrument. When entering into purchased option contracts, the Fund bears the risk of interest or exchange rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the purchased option contracts; however, the risk of loss is limited to the premium paid. Purchased options are reported as part of “Total Investments” on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Premiums paid for purchasing options which expire are treated as realized losses. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, there were no transactions in purchase call options.
The Fund may write covered call and put options. Writing put options tends to increase the Fund’s exposure to the underlying instrument. Writing call options tends to decrease the Fund’s exposure to the underlying instrument. When the Fund writes a call or put option, an amount equal to the premium received is recorded as a liability and subsequently marked to market to reflect the current value of the option written. These liabilities are reflected as written options outstanding on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Premiums received from writing options which expire are treated as realized gains. Premiums received from writing options which are exercised or closed are added to the proceeds or offset against amounts paid on the underlying securities to determine the realized gain or loss. The Fund as a writer of an option has no control over whether the underlying security may be sold (call) or purchased (put) and as a result bears the market risk of an unfavorable change in the price of the security underlying the written option. There is the risk the Fund may not be able to enter into a closing transaction because of an illiquid market. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, there were no transactions in written call options.
 
C. Swap Contracts The Fund is subject to credit risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Fund may enter into credit default swaps to manage its exposure to the market or certain sectors of the market, to reduce its risk exposure to defaults of corporate and sovereign issuers, or to create exposure to corporate or sovereign issuers to which it is not otherwise exposed. A credit default swap is an agreement between two parties to exchange the credit risk of an issuer or index of issuers. A buyer of a credit default swap is said to buy protection by paying periodic fees in return for a contingent payment from the seller if the issuer has a credit event such as bankruptcy, a failure to pay outstanding obligations or deteriorating credit while the swap is outstanding. A seller of a credit default swap is said to sell protection and thus collects the periodic fees and profits if the credit of the issuer remains stable or improves while the swap is outstanding. The seller in a credit default swap contract would be required to pay an agreed-upon amount, to the buyer in the event of an adverse credit event of the issuer. This agreed-upon amount approximates the notional amount of the swap as disclosed in the table following the Portfolio of Investments and is estimated to be the maximum potential future payment that the seller could be required to make under the credit default swap contract. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the average notional amounts of credit default swap contracts entered into by the Fund acting as a buyer or seller of protection were $0 and $2,916,667, respectively. In the event of an adverse credit event, the seller generally does not have any contractual remedies against the issuer or any other third party. However, if a physical settlement is elected, the seller would receive the defaulted credit and, as a result, become a creditor of the issuer.
 
 
35


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
The current credit rating of each individual issuer is listed in the table following the Portfolio of Investments and serves as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk of the credit derivative. Alternatively, for credit default swaps on an index of credits, the quoted market prices and current values serve as an indicator of the current status of the payment/performance risk of the credit derivative. Generally, lower credit ratings and increasing market values, in absolute terms, represent a deterioration of the credit and a greater likelihood of an adverse credit event of the issuer.
The Fund accrues for the periodic fees on credit default swaps on a daily basis with the net amount accrued recorded within unrealized appreciation/depreciation of swap contracts. Upon cash settlement of the periodic fees, the net amount is recorded as realized gain/loss on swap contracts on the Statement of Operations. Net unrealized gains are recorded as an asset or net unrealized losses are reported as a liability on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. The change in value of the swap contracts is reported as unrealized gains or losses on the Statement of Operations. Payments received or made upon entering into a credit default swap contract, if any, are recorded as realized gain or loss on the Statement of Operations upon termination or maturity of the swap. Credit default swaps may involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the issuer directly. The Fund’s maximum risk or loss from counterparty risk, either as the protection seller or as the protection buyer, is the fair value of the contract. This risk is mitigated by having a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by the posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.
The Fund is subject to interest rate risk exposure in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. Because the Fund holds fixed rate bonds, the value of these bonds may decrease if interest rates rise. To help hedge against this risk and to maintain its ability to generate income at prevailing market rates, the Fund may enter into interest rate swap contracts. Interest rate swaps are contractual agreements to exchange interest payments calculated on a predetermined notional principal amount. Interest rate swaps generally involve one party paying a fixed interest rate and the other party paying a variable rate. The Fund will usually enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payments are netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The Fund accrues the net amount with respect to each interest rate swap on a daily basis. This net amount is recorded within unrealized appreciation/depreciation on swap contracts. In a zero-coupon interest rate swap, payments only occur at maturity, at which time one counterparty pays the total compounded fixed rate over the life of the swap and the other pays the total compounded floating rate that would have been earned had a series of LIBOR investments been rolled over through the life of the swap. Upon cash settlement of the payments, the net amount is recorded as realized gain/loss on swap contracts on the Statement of Operations. The risks of interest rate swaps include changes in market conditions that will affect the value of the contract or the cash flows and the possible inability of the counterparty to fulfill its obligation under the agreement. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk is the discounted net value of the cash flows to be received from/paid to the counterparty of the contract’s remaining life, to the extent that the amount is positive. This risk is mitigated by having a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty and by posting of collateral by the counterparty to the Fund to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty. For the six months ended February 28, 2010, the average notional amount of
 
 
36


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
interest rate swap contracts entered into by the Fund acting as a payer or receiver were $83,622,500 and 63,869,500, respectively.
Swap agreements are not entered into or traded on exchanges and there is no central clearing or guaranty function for swaps. Therefore, swaps are subject to the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. If there is a default by the counterparty to a swap agreement, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. Counterparties are required to pledge collateral daily (based on the valuation of each swap) on behalf of the Fund with a value approximately equal to the amount of any unrealized gain. Reciprocally, when the Fund has an unrealized loss on a swap contract, the Fund has instructed the custodian to pledge cash or liquid securities as collateral with a value approximately equal to the amount of the unrealized loss. Collateral pledges are monitored and subsequently adjusted if and when the swap valuations fluctuate. Cash collateral, if any, is disclosed in the table following the Portfolio of Investments. For cash collateral received, the Fund pays a monthly fee to the counterparty based on the effective rate for Federal Funds. This fee, when paid, is included within realized loss on swap contracts on the Statement of Operations.
The Fund adopted FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (ASC 815) (formerly known as FAS 161), effective March 1, 2009. ASC 815 is intended to improve financial reporting about derivative instruments by requiring enhanced disclosures to enable investors to better understand how and why the Fund uses derivative instruments, how these derivative instruments are accounted for and their effects on the Fund’s financial position and results of operations.
The following table sets forth the fair value of the Fund’s derivative contracts by primary risk exposure as of February 28, 2010.
 
                             
    Asset Derivatives   Liability Derivatives    
    Balance Sheet
  Fair
  Balance Sheet
  Fair
   
Primary Risk Exposure   Location   Values   Location   Values    
 
Interest Rate Contracts
  Variation Margin on           Variation Margin on            
    Futures and Swap           Futures and Swap            
    Contracts   $ 545,585 *   Contracts   $ (2,454,990 )*    
                             
Total
      $ 545,585         $ (2,454,990 )    
                             
 
* Includes cumulative appreciation/depreciation of futures contracts as reported in Portfolio of Investments footnotes. Only current day’s variation margin is reported within the Statement of Assets & Liabilities.
 
The following tables set forth by primary risk exposure the Fund’s realized gains/losses and change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation by type of derivative contract for the six months ended February 28, 2010.
 
                         
    Amount of Realized Gain/Loss on Derivative Contracts
Primary Risk Exposure   Futures   Swaps   Total
 
Credit Contracts
  $ -0-     $ 330,653     $ 330,653  
Interest Rate Contracts
    498,861       236,882       735,743  
                         
Total
  $ 498,861     $ 567,535     $ 1,066,396  
                         
 
 
37


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
                         
    Change in Unrealized Appreciation/Depreciation on Derivative Contracts
Primary Risk Exposure   Futures   Swaps   Total
 
Credit Contracts
  $ -0-     $ (267,950 )   $ (267,950 )
Interest Rate Contracts
    405,042       (337,118 )     67,924  
                         
Total
  $ 405,042     $ (605,068 )   $ (200,026 )
                         
 
6. Mortgage Backed Securities
The Fund may invest in various types of Mortgage Backed Securities. A Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) is a pass-through security created by pooling mortgages and selling participations in the principal and interest payments received from borrowers. Most of these securities are guaranteed by federally sponsored agencies—Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC). GNMA is a wholly owned corporate instrumentality of the United States whose securities and guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. FNMA, a federally chartered and privately owned corporation, and FHLMC, a federal corporation, are instrumentalities of the United States. Securities of FNMA and FHLMC include those issued in principal only or interest only components. On September 7, 2008, FNMA and FHLMC were placed into conservatorship by their new regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Simultaneously, the U.S. Treasury made a commitment of indefinite duration to maintain the positive net worth of both entities. No assurance can be given that the initiatives discussed above with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC will be successful. A Collateralized Mortgage Obligation (CMO) is a bond, which is collateralized by a pool of MBS’s.
These securities derive their value from or represent interests in a pool of mortgages, or mortgage securities. Mortgage securities are subject to prepayment risk—the risk that, as mortgage interest rates fall, borrowers will refinance and “prepay” principal. A fund holding mortgage securities that are experiencing prepayments may have to reinvest these payments at lower prevailing interest rates. On the other hand, when interest rates rise, borrowers are less likely to refinance resulting in lower prepayments. This can effectively extend the maturity of a fund’s mortgage securities resulting in greater price volatility. It can be difficult to measure precisely the remaining life of a mortgage security or the average life of a portfolio of such securities.
To the extent a fund invests in mortgage securities offered by non-governmental issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers, the Fund may be subject to additional risks. Timely payment of interest and principal of non-governmental issuers are supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance purchased by the issuer. There can be no assurance that the private insurers can meet their obligations under the policies.
An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage backed security and could result in losses to a Fund. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. Subprime mortgages refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payment on their mortgages.
 
 
38


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
7. Distributions and Service Plans
Shares of the Fund are distributed by Van Kampen Funds Inc. (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of the Adviser. The Fund has adopted a distribution plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act and a service plan (collectively, the “Plans”) for Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares to compensate the Distributor for the sale, distribution, shareholder servicing and maintenance of shareholder accounts for these shares. Under the Plans, the Fund will incur annual fees of up to 0.25% of Class A average daily net assets and up to 1.00% each of Class B and Class C average daily net assets. These fees are accrued daily and paid to the Distributor monthly.
The amount of distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor and not yet reimbursed (“unreimbursed receivable”) was approximately $11,300 and $0 for Class B and Class C Shares, respectively. These amounts may be recovered from future payments under the distribution plan or CDSC. To the extent the unreimbursed receivable has been fully recovered, the distribution fee is reduced.
 
8. Indemnifications
The Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown. However, the Fund has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts and expects the risk of loss to be remote.
 
9. Significant Event
On October 19, 2009, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of Van Kampen Investments Inc., announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell most of its retail asset management business to Invesco Ltd. (“Invesco”). The transaction (the “Transaction”) affects the part of the asset management business that advises funds, including the Van Kampen family of funds. The Transaction is subject to certain approvals and other conditions to closing, and is currently expected to close in mid-2010.
Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the closing of the Transaction will cause the Fund’s current investment advisory agreement with Van Kampen Asset Management, a subsidiary of Van Kampen Investments Inc., to terminate. In connection with the Transaction, the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has approved, subject to shareholder approval, that the Fund be transitioned to the Invesco mutual fund platform by transferring the assets and liabilities of the Fund to a newly formed fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), advised by an affiliate of Invesco, that has substantially the same investment objective, principal investment strategies and risks as the Fund (the “Reorganization”). The proposed Reorganization will be presented to shareholders of the Fund at a special meeting of shareholders. If shareholders of the Fund approve the Reorganization and certain other conditions to closing of the Transaction are met, shareholders of the Fund will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund in exchange for their shares of the Fund. Upon completion of the proposed Reorganization, the Fund will dissolve pursuant to a plan of dissolution adopted by the Board.
 
10. Accounting Pronouncement
On January 21, 2010, the FASB issued an Accounting Standards Update, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (Topic 820): Improving Disclosures about Fair Value Measurements, which provides guidance on how investment assets and liabilities are to be valued and disclosed. Specifically, the amendment requires reporting entities to disclose i) the input and valuation techniques used to measure fair value for both recurring and nonrecurring fair value
 
 
39


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Notes to Financial Statements  
n  February 28, 2010 (Unaudited)  continued
 
measurements, for Level 2 or Level 3 positions ii) transfers between all levels (including Level 1 and Level 2) will be required to be disclosed on a gross basis (i.e. transfers out must be disclosed separately from transfers in) as well as the reason(s) for the transfer and iii) purchases, sales, issuances and settlements must be shown on a gross basis in the Level 3 rollforward rather than as one net number. The effective date of the amendment is for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2009. However, the requirement to provide the Level 3 activity for purchases, sales, issuances and settlements on a gross basis will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2010. At this time, management is evaluating the implications of the amendment to ASC 820 and the impact it will have on financial statement disclosures.
 
 
40


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
Board of Trustees, Officers and Important Addresses
 
     
Board of Trustees
David C. Arch
Jerry D. Choate
Rod Dammeyer
Linda Hutton Heagy
R. Craig Kennedy
Howard J Kerr
Jack E. Nelson
Hugo F. Sonnenschein
Wayne W. Whalen*
– Chairman
Suzanne H. Woolsey
 
Officers
Edward C. Wood III
President and Principal Executive Officer
Kevin Klingert
Vice President
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
Vice President and Secretary
John L. Sullivan
Chief Compliance Officer
Stuart N. Schuldt
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
  Investment Adviser
Van Kampen Asset Management
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036

Distributor
Van Kampen Funds Inc.
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036

Shareholder Servicing Agent
Van Kampen Investor Services Inc.
P.O. Box 219286
Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9286

Custodian
State Street Bank
and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111

Legal Counsel
Skadden, Arps, Slate,
Meagher & Flom LLP
155 North Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606

Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
233 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
 
 
 
* “Interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
 
 
41


 

Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
An Important Notice Concerning Our
U.S. Privacy Policy
 
We are required by federal law to provide you with a copy of our privacy policy (“Policy”) annually.
 
This Policy applies to current and former individual clients of Van Kampen Funds Inc., and Van Kampen Investor Services Inc., as well as current and former individual investors in Van Kampen mutual funds and related companies.
 
This Policy is not applicable to partnerships, corporations, trusts or other non-individual clients or account holders, nor is this Policy applicable to individuals who are either beneficiaries of a trust for which we serve as trustee or participants in an employee benefit plan administered or advised by us. This Policy is, however, applicable to individuals who select us to be a custodian of securities or assets in individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, 529 Educational Savings Accounts, accounts subject to the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, or similar accounts. We may amend this Policy at any time, and will inform you of any changes to this Policy as required by law.
 
We Respect Your Privacy
 
We appreciate that you have provided us with your personal financial information and understand your concerns about safeguarding such information. We strive to maintain the privacy of such information while we help you achieve your financial objectives. This Policy describes what nonpublic personal information we collect about you, how we collect it, when we may share it with others, and how others may use it. It discusses the steps you may take to limit our sharing of information about you with affiliated Van Kampen companies (“affiliated companies”). It also discloses how you may limit our affiliates’ use of shared information for marketing purposes. Throughout this Policy, we refer to the nonpublic information that personally identifies you or your accounts as “personal information.”
 
1. What Personal Information Do We Collect About You?
 
To better serve you and manage our business, it is important that we collect and maintain accurate information about you. We obtain this information from applications and other forms you submit to us, from your dealings with us, from consumer reporting agencies, from our websites and from third parties and other sources. For example:
 
  •   We collect information such as your name, address, e-mail address, telephone/fax numbers, assets, income and investment objectives through application forms you submit to us.  
 
(continued on next page)
 


 


Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
An Important Notice Concerning Our
U.S. Privacy Policy  continued
 
  •   We may obtain information about account balances, your use of account(s) and the types of products and services you prefer to receive from us through your dealings and transactions with us and other sources.  
 
  •   We may obtain information about your creditworthiness and credit history from consumer reporting agencies.  
 
  •   We may collect background information from and through third-party vendors to verify representations you have made and to comply with various regulatory requirements.  
 
  •   If you interact with us through our public and private Web sites, we may collect information that you provide directly through online communications (such as an e-mail address). We may also collect information about your Internet service provider, your domain name, your computer’s operating system and Web browser, your use of our Web sites and your product and service preferences, through the use of “cookies.” “Cookies” recognize your computer each time you return to one of our sites, and help to improve our sites’ content and personalize your experience on our sites by, for example, suggesting offerings that may interest you. Please consult the Terms of Use of these sites for more details on our use of cookies.  
 
2. When Do We Disclose Personal Information We Collect About You?
 
To provide you with the products and services you request, to better serve you, to manage our business and as otherwise required or permitted by law, we may disclose personal information we collect about you to other affiliated companies and to nonaffiliated third parties.
 
a. Information We Disclose to Our Affiliated Companies. In order to manage your account(s) effectively, including servicing and processing your transactions, to let you know about products and services offered by us and affiliated companies, to manage our business, and as otherwise required or permitted by law, we may disclose personal information about you to other affiliated companies. Offers for products and services from affiliated companies are developed under conditions designed to safeguard your personal information.
 
b. Information We Disclose to Third Parties. We do not disclose personal information that we collect about you to nonaffiliated third parties except to enable them to provide marketing services on our behalf, to perform joint marketing agreements with other financial institutions, and as otherwise required or permitted by law. For example, some instances where we may disclose information about you to third
 
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Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
An Important Notice Concerning Our
U.S. Privacy Policy  continued
 
parties include: for servicing and processing transactions, to offer our own products and services, to protect against fraud, for institutional risk control, to respond to judicial process or to perform services on our behalf. When we share personal information with a nonaffiliated third party, they are required to limit their use of personal information about you to the particular purpose for which it was shared and they are not allowed to share personal information about you with others except to fulfill that limited purpose or as may be required by law.
 
3. How Do We Protect The Security and Confidentiality Of Personal Information We Collect About You?
 
We maintain physical, electronic and procedural security measures to help safeguard the personal information we collect about you. We have internal policies governing the proper handling of client information. Third parties that provide support or marketing services on our behalf may also receive personal information about you, and we require them to adhere to confidentiality standards with respect to such information.
 
4. How Can You Limit Our Sharing Of Certain Personal Information About You With Our Affiliated Companies For Eligibility Determination?
 
We respect your privacy and offer you choices as to whether we share with our affiliated companies personal information that was collected to determine your eligibility for products and services such as credit reports and other information that you have provided to us or that we may obtain from third parties (“eligibility information”). Please note that, even if you direct us not to share certain eligibility information with our affiliated companies, we may still share your personal information, including eligibility information, with those companies under circumstances that are permitted under applicable law, such as to process transactions or to service your account. We may also share certain other types of personal information with affiliated companies—such as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and account number(s), and information about your transactions and experiences with us.
 
5. How Can You Limit the Use of Certain Personal Information About You by our Affiliated Companies for Marketing?
 
You may limit our affiliated companies from using certain personal information about you that we may share with them for marketing their products or services to you. This information includes our transactions and other experiences with you such as your
 
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Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
An Important Notice Concerning Our
U.S. Privacy Policy  continued
 
assets and account history. Please note that, even if you choose to limit our affiliated companies from using certain personal information about you that we may share with them for marketing their products and services to you, we may still share such personal information about you with them, including our transactions and experiences with you, for other purposes as permitted under applicable law.
 
6. How Can You Send Us an Opt-Out Instruction?
 
If you wish to limit our sharing of certain personal information about you with our affiliated companies for “eligibility purposes” and for our affiliated companies’ use in marketing products and services to you as described in this notice, you may do so by:
 
  •   Calling us at (800) 847-2424
Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (EST)
 
 
  •   Writing to us at the following address:
Van Kampen Privacy Department
Harborside Financial Center, Plaza Two, 3rd Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311
 
 
If you choose to write to us, your written request should include: your name, address, telephone number and account number(s) to which the opt-out applies and should not be sent with any other correspondence. In order to process your request, we require that the request be provided by you directly and not through a third party. Once you have informed us about your privacy preferences, your opt-out preference will remain in effect with respect to this Policy (as it may be amended) until you notify us otherwise. If you are a joint account owner, we will accept instructions from any one of you and apply those instructions to the entire account. Please allow approximately 30 days from our receipt of your opt-out for your instructions to become effective.
 
Please understand that if you opt-out, you and any joint account holders may not receive certain Van Kampen or our affiliated companies’ products and services that could help you manage your financial resources and achieve your investment objectives.
 
If you have more than one account with us or our affiliates, you may receive multiple privacy policies from us, and would need to follow the directions stated in each particular policy for each account you have with us.
 
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Van Kampen Core Plus Fixed Income Fund
An Important Notice Concerning Our
U.S. Privacy Policy  continued
 
SPECIAL NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF VERMONT
 
This section supplements our Policy with respect to our individual clients who have a Vermont address and supersedes anything to the contrary in the above Policy with respect to those clients only.
 
The State of Vermont requires financial institutions to obtain your consent prior to sharing personal information that they collect about you with affiliated companies and nonaffiliated third parties other than in certain limited circumstances. Except as permitted by law, we will not share personal information we collect about you with nonaffiliated third parties or other affiliated companies unless you provide us with your written consent to share such information (“opt-in”).
 
If you wish to receive offers for investment products and services offered by or through other affiliated companies, please notify us in writing at the following address:
 
      Van Kampen Privacy Department
Harborside Financial Center, Plaza Two, 3rd Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07311
 
 
Your authorization should include: your name, address, telephone number and account number(s) to which the opt-in applies and should not be sent with any other correspondence. In order to process your authorization, we require that the authorization be provided by you directly and not through a third-party.
 
 
Van Kampen Funds Inc.
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036
www.vankampen.com
 
Copyright ©2010 Van Kampen Funds Inc.
All rights reserved. Member FINRA/SIPC
 
122, 222, 322, 622
CPFISAN 04/10
IU10-01605P-Y02/10
(VAN KAMPEN INVESTMENTS LOGO)
 


 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.
Not applicable for semi-annual reports.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Not applicable for semi-annual reports.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Not applicable for semi-annual reports.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
Not applicable for semi-annual reports.
Item 6. Schedule of Investments.
(a) Please refer to Item #1.
(b) Not applicable.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Not applicable.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
Not applicable.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
Not applicable.
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
Not applicable.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures
(a) The Fund’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures are sufficient to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Fund in this Form N-CSRS was recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms, based upon such officers’ evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report.
(b) There were no changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 12. Exhibits.
(1) Code of Ethics – Not applicable for semi-annual reports.
(2)(a) A certification for the Principal Executive Officer of the registrant is attached hereto as part of EX-99.CERT.
(2)(b) A certification for the Principal Financial Officer of the registrant is attached hereto as part of EX-99.CERT.

 


 

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
(Registrant) Van Kampen Trust
         
By:
Name:
  /s/ Edward C. Wood III
 
Edward C. Wood III
   
Title:
  Principal Executive Officer    
Date:
  April 15, 2010    
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
         
By:
Name:
  /s/ Edward C. Wood III
 
Edward C. Wood III
   
Title:
  Principal Executive Officer    
Date:
  April 15, 2010    
 
       
By:
  /s/ Stuart N. Schuldt    
 
       
Name:
  Stuart N. Schuldt    
Title:
  Principal Financial Officer    
Date:
  April 15, 2010